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ChrisRD · Site Admin Joined: 15 May 2002 Posts: 5240 Location: NY

Looks great Rich! Cool

bleedingthought · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 12:44 pm Post subject:

Rich, how often do you change your MH bulbs? When do you start to notice a spectrum change or loss of intensity? Thanks! Smile

Oh, and while I'm at it, how about the actinics?

**Thales** · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject:

**Thales** · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject:

**Thales** · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject:

Oh - I didn't see a post about it so here is one!

I added a prime tower 1/3 hp chiller to the system. Its in an open cabinet near the side of the house with the plumbing coming through the side of the house and into the sump. The chiller is being run by a Mag 9 in the sump.

bleedingthought · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:42 pm Post subject:

So, you would say that you get about 1800 hours out of the XM 20ks? (And basically the same out of the actinics, considering you probably run them 8-12 hours a day...?) Very Happy

**Thales** · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject:

I've never done the math that way, but sure! Very Happy

**trido** · {squat} Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1938 Location: Seattle

**Thales** · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject:

You are doing great with 50! My tank is silly! I am still waiting to see what grows out the best, and then sell a bunch of stuff off!

**trido** · {squat} Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1938 Location: Seattle

bleedingthought · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject:

Rich, I meant to ask you. Do you get a bad shadow on the sides from only have 4 ft of coverage by the actinics? I have 4 footers right now and I'm considering whether or not I should change to two 3 footers for the 6 foot tank or not. What do you think? Smile

GreshamH · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:34 am Post subject:

Go with the 4's and less endcaps. Less things to fail and give you trouble. They look graet on Rich's tank.

I wonder how they look with his new reflectors for his MH's Laughing

bleedingthought · Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:49 pm Post subject:

Well, thing is, I've got a 440W ballast that will fire up to four 110W bulbs. Should I just leave one of the switches off and just run 2 bulbs or go with four, 2 on the front of the MH and 2 on the back? Smile

And are his new reflectors the funky ones that have 2 bulbs each? Very Happy

GreshamH · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:56 am Post subject:

His reflectors are a dual mogul LuminArc custom built for him Smile

**Thales** · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:48 am Post subject:

I would go with 60 or 72 inch bulbs, I think you can rewire your ballast to accommodate them.

I don't get much shadow but I think a lot of the VHO gets reflected by the lumenarcs as well, so good light fill. Very Happy

The dual mogul lunenarcs are awsome. I am running 2 10 k 250's and 2 20 K 400's. The combo is great. I used to run 5 250 DE pendants, 2 10 k and 3 20 K and I loved the color and the growth. The new set up should approximate the old lighting, but I'll have to see how long I am going to leave each on.

bleedingthought · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject:

That dual setup does sound sweet! Very Happy

How do you get your VHO to reflect off of the lumenarcs? Are the VHO bulbs lower than the lumenarcs and the reflectors stretch over them?

And how do you go about rewiring the ballast to be able to support bigger bulbs?

**Thales** · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject:

Yep, the VHO are lower than the Lunenarcs. Very Happy

For the VHO I would contact the ballast maker and see what they say.

**Thales** · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:30 am Post subject:

Here is a pic of the dual lumenarc, and my randy flame wrasse. Very Happy

**Thales** · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:39 am Post subject:

Full tank shot with all the lights on: