Originally, the lighting was 2x24 3W DIY LED pendants (CW/RB 1:1). Each color was had its own dimmer, so I had reasonable control over the color, but I was never 100% happy. Eventually, I removed all of the CW emitters and replaced them with NW. I was even less happy with this setup. My main complaint was the disco effect I got because of the 2" spacing between emitters.
I decided to go back to T5, since I like the bulb options. I never really considered any fixture other than the 6x39W sunpower, since it's got a nice price/performance ratio. The bulb choices on the other hand...were tough. However, when I saw
Yano's Iwagumi Reef, I knew that was the bulb choice I wanted to emulate. Here is a sample, I hope he doesn't mind my posting it! I love his tank!
Until recently, my color has been fairly dull and pale. My wife always referred to my corals as brown or tan, which always led me to skim and use carbon/gfo very aggressively. One day after I changed my media, I lost PE in almost every coral, which I initially attributed to pests. After 1-2 weeks of dipping, I finally convinced myself that perhaps it was water that was too sterile. That's when I started the oyster feast every night. The increase in feedings made a very quick impact (2-4 days and PE was back). That was when I decided to also add more fish. I went from 3->5 and upped my feeding to 1 cube frozen a day and 1-2 feedings of either roti or oyster feast.
I strive to keep my nitrates between 2-5 ppm and phosphates below ~0.04ish. I added the UV sterilizer because after a carbon/gfo replacement, a very quick growing film began to appear on my glass, even if wiped off hours before. I tried everything to remove it, then decided to give a UV sterilizer a try. It disappeared overnight! I've left it in as a just in case measure.
I try to do weekly water changes (ESV salt), but with my new job and trying to finish up my PhD, this has been pushed to ~every 2 weeks.
My camera is a Canon T2i. The lens I've been using is a canon 50mm 1.8/F, "nifty fifty." I believe my wife said she'd get me the 100mm macro once I graduate!
