225 gal walk-around starphire from Miracles
- Thread starter summer6
- Start date
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14666188#post14666188 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ZOKU
Looks great!!
Very awesome tank and great looking home.
Thank you for those kind words....the house and tank were being planned/built at the same time, so sometimes I questioned my sanity. (seriously, plus packing, and going back and forth taking care of the old tank for 7wks. I got overwhelmed at times)
At one point i was considering going back to freshwater and stick a tank in the built-in bookshelf. Then, realized after 10yrs with salt, it was relatively easy to take care of, and going back to fresh/planted tank isn't much different.
I even questioned the walk-around tank, as it is a lot harder to plan for good flow, and you can't hide anything with an open top.
I look forward to slowly changing the look of the tank, but it will be slow, with $$ spent, and a slow economy.
DamnPepShrimp
Moved On
That is just sick! I have always wanted a tank like this. Very nicely done! The only think I dislike about these tanks is the light power cord!
paulthomas
Premium Member
Wow! Talk about a complete package. Your home, decor and tank are truly beautiful. You sure did your homework.
Bummer to read about the issues with your Spectra. I went with the same 6' fixture in silver too, but opted for IceCap ballasts for the MHs instead of the German stock ones. With just tesing it out for a few minutes, the only issue appears to be one bad MH bulb(knock on wood). Nick(this is me), another rimless tank member, was over this past weekend to help me figure the Giesemann out. Actually, he PM'd me the Rimless Tank Club thread today and said my tank might look a little like yours when done. Pfft. I think he was humoring me. I HOPE my set-up will be a fraction of what your is.
I also ordered a tank from Miracles. These coincidences are weird, huh?
Anyway, mine is a little different in that it's got twin externals and a eurobrace. But I had an issue with a seam(s) of the tank. Derek apologized and offered to build me a new one to err on the side of caution. I felt really bad about the trouble he was going to have to go through in getting me a new tank. But he insisted that I not feel guilty about it and that I be completely happy with my purchase. Now that's customer service! :smokin: I honestly can't say enough great things about Derek and Miracles Aquariums.
BTW, I love the skin on your stand. It's got an understated elegance and it blends in really well with the room. You did a beautiful job on everything. I'm sure Paul(reefkeeper2) is flattered that his tank was an inspiration to you.
Thanks,
Paul
Bummer to read about the issues with your Spectra. I went with the same 6' fixture in silver too, but opted for IceCap ballasts for the MHs instead of the German stock ones. With just tesing it out for a few minutes, the only issue appears to be one bad MH bulb(knock on wood). Nick(this is me), another rimless tank member, was over this past weekend to help me figure the Giesemann out. Actually, he PM'd me the Rimless Tank Club thread today and said my tank might look a little like yours when done. Pfft. I think he was humoring me. I HOPE my set-up will be a fraction of what your is.
I also ordered a tank from Miracles. These coincidences are weird, huh?
Anyway, mine is a little different in that it's got twin externals and a eurobrace. But I had an issue with a seam(s) of the tank. Derek apologized and offered to build me a new one to err on the side of caution. I felt really bad about the trouble he was going to have to go through in getting me a new tank. But he insisted that I not feel guilty about it and that I be completely happy with my purchase. Now that's customer service! :smokin: I honestly can't say enough great things about Derek and Miracles Aquariums.BTW, I love the skin on your stand. It's got an understated elegance and it blends in really well with the room. You did a beautiful job on everything. I'm sure Paul(reefkeeper2) is flattered that his tank was an inspiration to you.
Thanks,
Paul
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14672111#post14672111 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paulthomas
Wow! Talk about a complete package. Your home, decor and tank are truly beautiful. You sure did your homework.
Bummer to read about the issues with your Spectra. I went with the same 6' fixture in silver too, but opted for IceCap ballasts for the MHs instead of the German stock ones. With just tesing it out for a few minutes, the only issue appears to be one bad MH bulb(knock on wood). Nick(this is me), another rimless tank member, was over this past weekend to help me figure the Giesemann out. Actually, he PM'd me the Rimless Tank Club thread today and said my tank might look a little like yours when done. Pfft. I think he was humoring me. I HOPE my set-up will be a fraction of what your is.
I also ordered a tank from Miracles. These coincidences are weird, huh?
BTW, I love the skin on your stand. It's got an understated elegance and it blends in really well with the room. You did a beautiful job on everything. I'm sure Paul(reefkeeper2) is flattered that his tank was an inspiration to you.
Thanks,
Paul
Oh gosh, thanks for the kind words as I did do my homework, and must give kudos to members on RC. I am not an expert on anything when it comes to reefkeeping, but I'm conscientious regarding the details, and am not afraid to ask for help.
I'd love to see your tank - is it up yet? If I didn't have this tank, I would definitely love external overflows - it gives so much freedom inside the tank.
Derek is truly a "stand-up" guy, and It's wonderful to see people like that in the aquarium business. Customer service is worth everything, and I'm loyal to those businesses on RC that are willing to help me out- even with stupid questions!
I would have prefered the icecap ballasts, but as I was already waiting for my fixture (it had been shipped with the Geisemann ballasts) I decided to stay with them. I will say that although it's a pain waiting for ballasts to come from Germany, and then to Canada (Phil/Xenia) they've stood behind the fixture, and cooperating with the difficulties.
The Spectra is a beautiful light, I love it, and it doesn't throw off too much ambient light into the room. I just hope it will work for years to come....
Does your Spectra have the white connections? Mine does, and i don't think it would be compatible with an IceCap ballast. Do your actinics run through the ballasts? Mine do, and I haven't seen anything online showing that an Icecap ballast would work with the electrical figuring of my Spectra.
Thanks,
Lisa
paulthomas
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14673174#post14673174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by summer6
Oh gosh, thanks for the kind words as I did do my homework, and must give kudos to members on RC. I am not an expert on anything when it comes to reefkeeping, but I'm conscientious regarding the details, and am not afraid to ask for help.
I'd love to see your tank - is it up yet? If I didn't have this tank, I would definitely love external overflows - it gives so much freedom inside the tank.
Derek is truly a "stand-up" guy, and It's wonderful to see people like that in the aquarium business. Customer service is worth everything, and I'm loyal to those businesses on RC that are willing to help me out- even with stupid questions!
I would have prefered the icecap ballasts, but as I was already waiting for my fixture (it had been shipped with the Geisemann ballasts) I decided to stay with them. I will say that although it's a pain waiting for ballasts to come from Germany, and then to Canada (Phil/Xenia) they've stood behind the fixture, and cooperating with the difficulties.
The Spectra is a beautiful light, I love it, and it doesn't throw off too much ambient light into the room. I just hope it will work for years to come....
Does your Spectra have the white connections? Mine does, and i don't think it would be compatible with an IceCap ballast. Do your actinics run through the ballasts? Mine do, and I haven't seen anything online showing that an Icecap ballast would work with the electrical figuring of my Spectra.
Thanks,
Lisa
Nothing wrong with questions. I've asked and said lots of "dumb" things on these forums. Why I've got lots of idiotic stuff peppered all over the internet.
I have a build thread per se, but it's not much to look at. You can click on the little red house icon to see what little progress I have so far.
Derek certainly is a stand-up guy. I was just speaking to him on the phone about bulkheads, etc. I really do like him.
Yep, my Spectra has three cords coming out of it with the same five pin connectors. Two of them have wires for a MH and a pair of T5s while the third is MH only. The T5s run with their own ballasts, which are built into the fixture. I imagine yours are too? You're right. I can't use the white connectors with the IceCaps. So I have to wire each pair of T5s individually to a plug and each MH individually to a plug and an IceCap ballast with wire nuts.
Paul
Here's some more shots of the basement sump area.
sink with ro/di waste line, and second ro/di line for 2-part solution
Spectrapure 90gph ro/di system
<a href="http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/?action=view¤t=IMG_1660.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/IMG_1660.jpg" border="0" alt="90gph Spectrapure"></a>
60 gal sump and Reeflo Tarpon return pump with gate valve
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14673398#post14673398 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaraB
Beautiful tank and home as usual! I don't know how you keep your house so nice and orderly ... I think I need some lessons!
I got a good laugh with that one
I just put half a day in cleaning the first floor - and it's on to the bathrooms! No glamour girl here!<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14673316#post14673316 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paulthomas
Nothing wrong with questions. I've asked and said lots of "dumb" things on these forums. Why I've got lots of idiotic stuff peppered all over the internet.
I have a build thread per se, but it's not much to look at. You can click on the little red house icon to see what little progress I have so far.
Derek certainly is a stand-up guy. I was just speaking to him on the phone about bulkheads, etc. I really do like him.
Yep, my Spectra has three cords coming out of it with the same five pin connectors. Two of them have wires for a MH and a pair of T5s while the third is MH only. The T5s run with their own ballasts, which are built into the fixture. I imagine yours are too? You're right. I can't use the white connectors with the IceCaps. So I have to wire each pair of T5s individually to a plug and each MH individually to a plug and an IceCap ballast with wire nuts.
Paul
I will check-out your build - thanks.
Now I understand better about the connections with the Spectra - thank you for that bit of info - as I'm not electrically inclined. It's good to know that I can switch to the Ice Cap ballasts if necessary.
Yes, my Spectra is just like your's. Does that mean that you would have 5 cords running from the fixture or can you still keep the 3 cords, and somehow "branch" them off?
Close-ups of the Giesemann 6' Spectra
Close-ups of the Giesemann 6' Spectra
Right now the Spectra's been operating (full-strength w/all 3 ballasts working) for about 3 weeks now.
Slowly moving it down - it's 16 1/2" from the surface. I had some bleaching on the plate corals, but they've now come back.
Just introduced 2 SPS and I'm excited to see them take off with the lighting.
The water parameters are now settled (had a trace of ammonia with the move/cycling) and the corals are looking healthy.
<a href="http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/?action=view¤t=IMG_1655.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/IMG_1655.jpg" border="0" alt="Spectra short end"></a>
Close-ups of the Giesemann 6' Spectra
Right now the Spectra's been operating (full-strength w/all 3 ballasts working) for about 3 weeks now.
Slowly moving it down - it's 16 1/2" from the surface. I had some bleaching on the plate corals, but they've now come back.
Just introduced 2 SPS and I'm excited to see them take off with the lighting.
The water parameters are now settled (had a trace of ammonia with the move/cycling) and the corals are looking healthy.
<a href="http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/?action=view¤t=IMG_1655.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f278/summerofmyyouth/IMG_1655.jpg" border="0" alt="Spectra short end"></a>
paulthomas
Premium Member
No problem. I'm not electrically inclined either.
But it's pretty simple once it's explained. I'll have three cords and two will branch off for the T5s, like you said. Keep us posted on the new acquisitions. I hope they do ok.
Great pics. I love your tall ceilings and big windows. Very nice.
Rickyrooz1
Acropora Nut
Sweet build
