My new lighting system for the monster tank

[Greg Hiller]

Some photos of the lighting system:

The system was built using 1" and 3/4" square stock aluminum from Home Depot, about $10 worth. The fixtures are Reef Optix III for DE MH bulbs and the large reflectors are the Diamond Lumenarc reflectors for SE MH bulbs. I'll be using 400 W 20 K Radiums with the PFO HQI ballasts and in the DE fixtures I'll be using 250 W 10 K AB's on the Ice Cap ballasts. This lighting fixture will hang above my tank and run back and forth on a light rail system to better distribute the light. Fixture is ~5 1/2 ft, tank is 8 ft.

Below is a shot of the reflection of the bulbs from the bottom glass of the tank. The two DE bulbs on the end are not on because I will have to wait until I shutdown my 110 SPS system to 'harvest' the IceCap ballasts for them. You can see the ten-zillion reflections from the Diamond Lumenarcs.

 

[Piscevore]

greg, you are the man

 

[seasno]

Very cool Greg!

 

[KAS2]

You ARE a cheap b*st*rd, and we all envy you for it.

 

[nunofs]

Awesome!

run back and forth on a light rail system

How will the movement along the rails be implemented and controlled?

Nuno

 

[Moe_K]

Where did you get the Diamond Luminarcs?

 

[hawaii]

it is a great system how does it travel from left to right

 

[Reef55]

Yes, I would like to know your source of the Diamond Lumenarc's also... those things are incredible!

 

[Greg Hiller]

I bought the Lumenarcs from some hydroponics place in Cal. Killed me on shipping.

The thing will move back and forth using a 'Light rail' system. Basically a little track on the ceiling that has a motor. Not cheap for the light rail though...we are looking at $175, plus maybe another $50 for extra parts I may need.

 

[Mike A]

Greg,

That lighting setup looks awesome. Have you thought at all about the photoperiod ?

From past use, the Radium bulbs seem to only last 6 months or so, and that's driven by an electronic ballast. The HQI ballast will overdrive them, to the point where it definitely would shorten the length of time those bulbs will run before they lose their spectrum. Mike Walsh ran the Radium bulbs on an HQI ballast, you may want to ask him about how long the Radiums were good before they dropped off.

One awesome benefit from the Radiums is coloration. SPS corals give off incredible colors under Radiums lamps.

Can't wait to see this setup in person.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Greg, did you install the piping in the cement as a cooling system? Just curiuos

 

[Greg Hiller]

Mike,

>That lighting setup looks awesome. Have you thought at all about the photoperiod ?<

The photoperiod will be similar as for most of my tanks, around 12 hours. I'll of course turn the bulbs on one by one.

>From past use, the Radium bulbs seem to only last 6 months or so, and that's driven by an electronic ballast. The HQI ballast will overdrive them, to the point where it definitely would shorten the length of time those bulbs will run before they lose their spectrum.<

I had heard this about the Radium bulbs. Fortunately, the price of these bulbs had come down a fair amount in the last few years. The ones I have I picked up at IRA when they were closing for $25/ea so I figured I'd give them a try. I will probably change the Radiums out once every 9 months or so. I'm not counting on the Radiums delivering all that much light for coral growth long term. I would just like them to give a decent amount of blue and compensate for my lack of any flouresent actinic bulbs. I might even do something similar to what Mike W. did and only fire the Radiums up in the evening when I'm home to see the color. Maybe I could fire them up at midday to help simulate the noon sun, then leave them on the rest of the day. Still thinking. I'm also hopeful that with the bulbs in the Luminarc reflectors (and over the open water, not that crappy glass brace over my 110) even when they dim there will still be a decent amount of blue coming out.

> Mike Walsh ran the Radium bulbs on an HQI ballast, you may want to ask him about how long the Radiums were good before they dropped off.<

What I should really do is get a light meter I suppose and change them out when they are at about 1/2 original intensity. We had talked about the club purchasing one for all to use. Perhaps I'll ask Richard Harker what one we could get for a reasonable price.

 

[Greg Hiller]

Dave,

>Greg, did you install the piping in the cement as a cooling system? Just curiuos<

Yes, there was a bit of chatter about this on the thread that I originally posted about the constuction of the room. Search for the thread 'the digging has begun' and you can read the details.

Mike,

>Can't wait to see this setup in person<

I can't wait to see it on the tank with some water in it. Unfortunately, construction on the room has ground to a standstill. Sad because there is not that much left to be done.