At the MagnaModena held Sunday February 8 (for information about click here: http://www.danireef.com/2009/02/16/partecipazione-al-primo-magnamodena-the-first-magnamodena/ ), we had the opportunity to undertake certain measures of the amount of light produced by various types of lamps for aquarium.
To do this we used a light Meter Li-Cor Li 250A and a Lux Meters HD9221.
The measured lamps have been:
* Lumenarc III with bulb HQi BLV 400w of 10.000°K
* E-Power with bulb HQi Elos Spectra 250w of 10.000°K
* E-lite with 18 led and 64w
* Commercial Light with 2×24w PL of 10.000°K
This test has no claim to absolute validity, because of many factors that have helped to build it. But can also be of interest to the measured values we have seen and certainly that should be interpreted.
We were a group of friends and aquarium keepers that we were not expecting this test and then we had not even thought to ask what to do in order to better understand the interactions between the various solutions available to us.
To begin, we took two tables and place over them a glass plate on which we have laid the various lamps.
The measurement was carried out on the floor, about 78 cm away from the glass.
The two HQI bulbs were new and were extracted from their respective boxes and then mounted. The measurement lasted for about 10 minutes until the outcome of the gauge of PAR was stable, and therefore it is assumed that the measured value was more or less than the reference.
We started with the Diamond Lumenarc III in which we put a light bulb from BLV 400W E40, I do not know at this time the type of ballast used, if I’ll come to know or if someone will tell me I’ll incorporate into the article.
The measurement result was as follows:
78 cm from glass, not in a center position, the Lumenarc III and BLV 400W provided a measurement of PAR of 307 µmoli/M2/s. Unfortunately I have not other photos, but I can assure that the value was fairly constant even moving the meter PAR.
Then we connected the E-power, with bulb Elos Spectra 10,000 ° K. Note that there were two glass between the bulb and the area of measurement.
Then we connected the LED lamp E-lite, with 18 LED 3w for a total of about 64w. In this case there were two glass between the LED and the area of measurement.
Finally a commercial lamp with 2x24W pl, of which I don’t know other features. Also here we had two glasses from lamp to floor.
I was surprised by the results. It’s true that long ago I made a test between Lumenarc III and E-power 150w and the values were comparable, but I was expecting more difference between two such different wattages. Certainly we must consider that the Lumenarc parable has a wider range of lighting, while the ePower closer, and throughout his parable, at least in space between the tables, around 50 cm, the value was stable while the E-Power had less power in the center as it had the edge. But in any case the value at the center was equal to that of BLV Lumenarc and at the edges the value was much higher with a light bulb that has 37.5% less power.
It would be nice to repeat the test as a function of parameters tested, with different bulbs, and then drawing an hypothetical area of coverage … but the test done in my opinion is very indicative.
For the purpose of a statistical calculation and only for them, take as the average value of the E-Power average between the two measurements and get the following table, largely indicative:
watt consumption PAR µmoli/M2/s PAR µmoli/M2/s for every watt
Diamond Lumenarc III with BLV of 400w 400 w 307 0,77
E-Power with Elos Spectra of 250w 250 w 382 (max 449 min 315) 1,53 (max 1,8 min 1,26)
E-lite 64 w 30 0,47
Pl of 39w 48 w 15 0,31
What are your comments?
You can see all the pictures here: http://www.danireef.com/2009/02/18/lumenarc-iii-vs-e-power-vs-e-lite-vs-pl/
