Bpb Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Curious which locals are running BML lights, and what spectrums you run? Looking into lighting upgrades this year and they're on my radar amongst others. Mostly keep sps. Switching from t5. Would love to see pics. Most I've seen have been softy and Lps tanks so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 You can look at my Build Thread. I need to take a current FTS but I'm all BML You have given me the incentive to take a current pic. I will when I get home I have 1 6' 12K 2 3' Super Actinic 1 6' Purple Wave 2 3' Custom Spectrums (White, Blue, UV, Green) I still may add another Super Actinic. I haven't decided yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 well then my pics won't really help as I only have a few SPS in the tank. I am running two 12" 90 degree reef spec purchased at the dome along with two T5 actinic bulbs over a 46 BF. What I can tell you is that I can't comprehend running the suggested amount of light even with SPS. I really need to get cables to connect to my controller so I can back off the intensity and lengthen the photoperiod. I'd like to replace the T5's with 12" of super actinic...but not until I get cables for the reef spec's. BML suggests 2 24" reef spec, and 2 24" actinic...pretty sure that PAR would be >750 at the bottom corner. Current par with BML's and T5's on : 240 bottom, 460 center, >550 top center I did some experimenting while my tank was fallow months back and even after 4 weeks of 0 food with regular maintainence I would get increased algae growth with anything more than 10 hrs of light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceastman Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I just ordered my BML for my display tank last week: 12k 6 foot 14k 6 foot Super actinic 6 foot I don't have anything in my tank yet that requires good lighting so pictures probably won't help you much yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I have two 36" BML's, one was their original Custom Reef Spectrum, I think they have renamed it, and the second is a custom layout I did that was based on their super actinic that I added UV and I think some green. I don't have any pics handy but if you look at my tank thread you'll see some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Look foreword to seeing some pics. The website pics are somewhat helpful but lots of softies in that tank. Can't wait to see some sps pics. Are you able to walk into the shop in Austin and purchase them off shelf or do they have to be ordered and shipped. Do the price points online and in other LFS that carry them reflect each other or is there any retailer mark up? I was wanting kessils and still will get them eventually, but i can get two 48" fixtures for half the price of two kessils. I'd lack the 395 nm UV that kessils provide, but coverage would be vastly superior. I'd like to use a custom design but don't trust myself well enough. Seems it would be a good idea to include a wider array of spectrums. Like cyan and yellow ect. Speaking in relation to the stock 14k design. I was going to do a 14k (possibly custom) and a super actinic of the higher output models an control them through apex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 You can contact nick at bml and he will make any light configuration you want. I have 2 12" light on a biocube 29 and have sps. I think the prices are the same everywhere. Aquadome is across the freeway from them and they sell them and usually have them in stock unless you want something special. But even then they get them the next week. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 i agree with bige. i think your best bet is to talk to nick, tell him what you want accomplish, and let him design a spectrum for you. whether it be custom or off the shelf. but i'm all about letting experts tell me what i need whenever i can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I have 2 48" BML's I got from the Dome. They were preconfigured, probably the Reef Spectrum. I don't have SPS, but my sympodium has really taken off with the LEDs. I do have a maxi mini carpet on the sand of my 75 gal which is doing really well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 send Nick and email on his website, he will be back with you in a day or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Just cleaned the glass but here ya go! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 That really does look great. I'm gonna have to find a way to see these in person at some point. Pics can never do justice. That's ALOT of units running on your tank. I realize your footprint is more than I'm dealing with, but I'm wondering if 2 fixtures alone will be enough. I'll have to email them some questions. I see they're using cool whites and greens in their standard layouts, but a lot of people are preferring neutral white and cyan instead...which they offer. I truthfully don't know enough to make an informed decision on a custom build. Just know what I read a lot of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yeah, Their newer fixtures can be outputted to have more light for the same amount of power, maybe a better way to go for you. My tank is VERY bright. If you want to come see one day, let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Definitely would like to. I'll be coming to town 2-3 days in February so I'll hit you up if you'll be home. Heck maybe even this Friday if you're around and the whole family doesn't come with me (tough to do fish tank detours when wife and kids are tagging along...not really their thing). I emailed bml with my spectrum questions. Asking what they would recommend for high light full coverage of a 55 gallon sps tank that will mimic somewhere in the neighborhood of kessil a360, radion pro, radium hqi, as far as par and color goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Link to my BML Thread.. http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/27146-my-new-bml-led-lighting/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 You can also go to Aquatek and check out their frag tanks that have BML lights over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'll definitely have to go to aquatek and see. Does bml have an actual retail store I can go to and see stuff? The par kinda makes me tilt my head a little. I know there's a ton of literature on the website about how par meters are to be taken with a grain of salt, and that they all but ignore blues and reds and focus heavily on yellow and green light, but the numbers are just so surprisingly low. 50-100 on sandbed and 200-300 at the top of the tank. Tough to grasp considering how other lighting choices are putting 500-1000 at the top of the water. I'm not an expert on the matter. Just tough to learn new tricks I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'll follow by saying also. Color is more important to me than growth. Some growth is good but I'd rather have deep rich vibrant colors than super speedy growing bleached sps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think PAR meters read something like 20% low on the blue LEDs. Hardly all but ignoring it. The correction is a bit tricky though because your 300 par level is only low on the blues so you find the amount of blue in the spectrum and multiply it by 1.2 and add it back in. Or just say "300 give or take - good enough". Which, is what I'd recommend since you are just trying to get an idea of he reading at different points and extrapolating from there. Also, to get to the higher par values you need to add more sticks. Same as using multiple MHs, T5s, or kessils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Good to know. 3 may be in order for me. Decisions decisions. I'll be replacing a 4x54 t5ho fixture if that helps. BML hasn't replied to my email yet. It's only been a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 2 stix might be a little low for your desires. I bet BML recommends 4. I still say try three before buying the fourth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 3-4 sticks puts me Into kessil money which was my original goal. Hmm. Gonna have to think real good about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Good to know. 3 may be in order for me. Decisions decisions. I'll be replacing a 4x54 t5ho fixture if that helps. BML hasn't replied to my email yet. It's only been a day. I replaced 10 x 54 t5ho fixtures with mine. But we all know that with T5s your lighting is only as good as your reflectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm going to also be pulling the trigger soon on their new BML High Output XB fixture. Does anyone know if our club membership gives us a discount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 The Apogee PAR meter reads blue LEDs about 10% low and white LEDs about 5% low. The Li-Cor PAR meter, which is used by BML, while not exactly perfect is essentially reading what's actually being put out. So the probelm isn't the numbers on their website that might be low but those of us that have opted to go with the "cheap" PAR meter. Overall I've been very happy moving from MH and T5 to LED. In one case that I actually remembered to take readings, I had higher PAR readings throughout the tank with two 4' BML fixtures than a 4' fixture with 2 150 watt MH and 2 65 watt actininc PC. Figure about 140 watts of LED, one 12000K and one Super Actinic, replaced 430 watts of 14000K MH and actinic PC. The only location the MH had noticably higher PAR was in small areas directly under the MH bulbs. In this system below I had a 120 watt LED fixture designed for reef tanks but it only had CW and RB leds. I attempted pink birdsnest several times without success as well as purple lip monti. Last summer I replaced it with two BML 2' 12000K and one 3' Super Actinic and now I can grow pink birdsnest even though PAR readings and wattage were similar with both fixtures although some green texas trash palys are not happy. (Sorry! I took the pictures right after cleaning.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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