Is this MH setup good?

[bobssecrtsn]

Hey so i have a 250W Vue Technology HID Lsmp Electronic-Lamp Ballast with this type of Reflector

Im running phoenix bulb ( i beleive its the 16k model) would anyone happen to know the par i would be getting by any chance ?


am i underdriving the bulb or would this be good enough for an SPS dom. tank? atm its about 6" from the water surface and im using 2 panaroma pro actinic modules.


this is how the tank looks without the suppliment LEDS

 

[spspirate]

The Phoenix is a 14k. To the sound and looks of it you found a good set-up.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

thanks! for 60 bucks, you cant beat that!

 

[tinkerman]

I have tested a 210 with 400w halides in reflecters like that and didn't see anything over 90 for a par any where in the tank. Not bad for $60. I would replace the reflecter.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

what kind of par meter did you use? i highly doubt that there cant be 90par anywhere in that kind of tank, how high was it set at ?

and its kind of funny you say that you cant find anything higher then 90 par because i have a sps frag on the sand bed and its tabling nicely with some great color.

 

[tinkerman]

The 1 mo old apogee mq200 is what I used. Lights were about 8-10 off the water. I thought it was odd too that that was the highest par rating in the tank there were 8x39w t5ho's on in the tank also when I tested. Get a par meter and see what your par is then.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

that must not be right .. you had 8 bulbs of t5HO with that also maybe your par meter was bad?.. because that is a fualty reading if you had 90 par. with 8bulb t5's

i ordered the apongee sensor and will be here within a week so ill keep this updated

 

[bobssecrtsn]

Well my Apogee Quantom Sensor finally arrived im using it with a multimeter w/ mV volts. here is my par readings! im using the MQ 120 sensor


3" from the fixture is 975 and ill let the picture do the rest!

3†195
Surface 125
2†53
10†36
Bottom 28
L bottom 60
R bottom 44
Island 50
Zoa 28
Hwood stunner 27
SSC 40
Blue stag 54
Front Red planet 34


get these readings and multiply by 5 BTW.. let me know what you guys think! i might have to get more par i feel like its pretty low. and wthell is up with the corners getting 300 par? i tested 3-4 times and it all came out the same.


Ballast is a Vue Technology E-ballast. 250W

 

[tinkerman]

Are you sure your meter is calibrated? I find it hard to believe you get the highest par on the sand in the corner of your tank. You want 200+ for sps.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

Yes, it is calibrated. and im not using a meter, simply a quantom sensor and a multimeter , get the reading and multiply by 5.

 

[Scoly]

I agree with tinker man, that doesn't sound right.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

well i dont know about you but here it is,

thats right by the corner.

 

[tinkerman]

What is you par center of tank on sand? The spider reflecters should have a compressed oval par and get lower as it goes out from center. Are you sure your reflecter isn't bent? I don't remember looking at spider reflecters in a encloser.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

par on the sand is about 140 and yes im definitely sure its not bent. also i dont think i have a spider reflector? check out my OP for the reflector picture im not sure what kind of reflector it is

 

[tinkerman]

Yes your op is a spider reflecter in a pendant. I think someone stuck it in the pendent and may have bent/tweeked it.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

it looks like it was made that way.. did you say you had the same one like that?

 

[tinkerman]

I have had spider reflecters, not in a pendant. The 210 I tested were just spider reflecters. It looks like yours was a de pendant that someone moded with a spider reflecter as the reflecter doesn't cover the entire inside of the pendant. The se pendants usally don't come with a uv sheild for the pendant.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

Hm my friend came up with a good point. light does reflect off the walls and make it have high par right?

 

[tinkerman]

You might see a 10% improvement after cleaning the glass, but not doubling the par.