ModernReefKeeper
Guest
Where are you located? id like to twist your ear a tad on the plasmas. Im looking to change lighting.
jestersix 150G PlasmaLand
- Thread starter jestersix
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jestersix
Sponsor
scuba71 said:
Depending on what you want, two plasmas do the trick. Mine have a practical footprint of 4 x 2 - unless you are looking at SPS to bottom, then 2 x 2. Mine are 16 inches over the top of a 20 inch tank and are doing fine as you can see. I concentrate the high lights SPS in the middle but have plenty of light for what I'm doing. Each type of light has good and bad...I just like my Plasmas best!
scuba71
Supporting Member
To be honest I have not yet decided if I should go 7' or 8' long tank. The depth will be 28" (front to back), and height will be 25 or 26". In either case, it looks like I may need 4 sets, and that is going to cost an arm and leg. In which case, the AI's would be more economical.
sendo
Guest
Great looking tank Johnny! I'm really surprised that plasmas are not promoted more on the forums. Everyone is obsessed with LEDs, but the plasmas seem more promising because of the spectrum and ability to retain coral color.
Any word on when they will mass market these for aquarium purposes?
Any word on when they will mass market these for aquarium purposes?
jestersix
Sponsor
Stray Light Optical does have plasmas in production. Great people to work with, and a product that really does a fantastic job. Agreed that they draw more power than LEDs, but even at full power only draw 290 watts. I have had good luck at 50%, currently max is at 60% so they are drawing less. Plasmas will reach much deeper than LEDs -lights to tank bottom is 36 inches and at 100% I was growing SPS on the sandbed. Just a different tool than LEDs.
jestersix
Sponsor
Yeah, I make the drive but really enjoy the BAR crew. Don't make every meeting - usually about 4 a year.
I would say the heat on the lights would be about like a 150 W MH - maybe a bit less? At 16 inches over the tank they raise the tank a whopping zero degrees. Of course, no canopy to hold in heat. The big plus I see with plasmas is the intensity/color rendition. At 100% it is like natural sunlight - not windex water as is the trend. At that level it grows stuff like mad (look back in the thread for growth shots) but you don't get the popping color. At 50% you get a nice Radium 20k blue - great colors on corals but growth slows. Ramp up and dimming cycle with the right controller and I just like that performance. Plus when you need to change the "bulb" it is as easy as a MH - not so with most LEDs, Radions excepted.
I would say the heat on the lights would be about like a 150 W MH - maybe a bit less? At 16 inches over the tank they raise the tank a whopping zero degrees. Of course, no canopy to hold in heat. The big plus I see with plasmas is the intensity/color rendition. At 100% it is like natural sunlight - not windex water as is the trend. At that level it grows stuff like mad (look back in the thread for growth shots) but you don't get the popping color. At 50% you get a nice Radium 20k blue - great colors on corals but growth slows. Ramp up and dimming cycle with the right controller and I just like that performance. Plus when you need to change the "bulb" it is as easy as a MH - not so with most LEDs, Radions excepted.
Not_Now_John
Guest
Maybe plasmaland will be getting new residents in the near future.
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/04/24/commercial-residential-solar-genesis/
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/04/24/commercial-residential-solar-genesis/
