Faux built in 150 started (Finished!)!

[trido]

I was just looking at your awesome tank pics again and thought to my self, "Thales, have you counted the number of colonies you have in there lately?"

So have you?
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My 120 build thread
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=81996

 

[Matt_Wandell]

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This is from above and below. Sorry but I don't remember the size of the tubing. I think it might be 1" ID 1.25" OD. I just took the locline nozzle to the store and guessed and checked.

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=100850&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=40
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Nano Reef Fish
My Cube

 

[ChrisRD]

Looks great Rich!

 

[bleedingthought]

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


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

 

[Thales]

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Nope - wait hold on...

Somewhere around 190 depending on what you consider a colony. I am trying to stop collecting, but having tradables in the Bay Area makes it hard to ask for cash.
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[Thales]

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I finally settled on bulbs in January, so I would change the MH once a year - my photo period is currently only 4-6 hours with MH. VHO actinics I will change every six months - the beginning of July. I already have the new bulbs...I order extras to keep on hand and help deal with shipping costs.

However, I think I am going to be adding double socketed lumenarcs in the next couple of months. I already talked to PGS about it and they say, based on the few times they have done it, that the reflectivity loss isn't that huge. I'll be sticking with the 400 XM 20k's as the main bulb and prolly be adding 175 or 250 watt 10 k's that will only come on an hour or two a day. I used to run a mix like that when I was all about the DE bulbs and thats when I had the best growth. So, as soon as the money is together (I'll have to actually sell some frags!), thats my next project.
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[Thales]

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.
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[bleedingthought]

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...?)
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-Thiago-

 

[Thales]

I've never done the math that way, but sure!
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Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[trido]

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And I thought I was doing good with nearly 50. Then again, I have only been addicted for a year and a half. Next time around I will be calling for personal aquascaping tips.
_________________
My 120 build thread
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=81996

 

[Thales]

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!
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[trido]

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As long as you keep the most colorful stuff all will be good. Maybe I need to set up a fish tank in the back of my truck the next time I drive to Cali.
_________________
My 120 build thread
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=81996

 

[bleedingthought]

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?
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-Thiago-

 

[GreshamH]

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

 

[bleedingthought]

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?

And are his new reflectors the funky ones that have 2 bulbs each?
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-Thiago-

 

[GreshamH]

His reflectors are a dual mogul LuminArc custom built for him

 

[Thales]

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.

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.
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[bleedingthought]

That dual setup does sound sweet!

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?
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-Thiago-

 

[Thales]

Yep, the VHO are lower than the Lunenarcs.

For the VHO I would contact the ballast maker and see what they say.
_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...

 

[Thales]

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

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_________________
Keeping cuttlefish
300 gal system rebuild

There ain't no party like my Nana's tea party...