500G (84X48X30)- NOW REAL !
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Sanjay
Premium Member
None of these really had a separate base since they were broken off of very large colonies. For large peices I have found that the best way to attach them is to use epoxy. I like the Deltec epoxy since it tends to stay softer for a longer time and can be worked under water more easily compared to the lowes brand that I used to use before. The epoxy from Julian also works well, since it does not harden as quickly, but its not as easy to work underwater.
If and when I do get corals with a existing base. most of the aquacultured ones tend to have ugly bases, I like to cut the coral off the base and epoxy it. But if the base has a lot of tissue on it, then I would glue it on with its original base using the eopxy to hide the ugly base.
Some corals tend to be sensitive to the epoxy, and will sometimes loose tissue where it meets the epoxy, but in most cases it usually grows back. With very small frags this can be a problem. I have trouble using super glue consistently.. it wants to give up after a while and if the coral is not a fast encruster I end up loosing the frag to falling off and getting lost under the rocks. So I tend to prefer the epoxy.
sanjay.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Ooooo... I want a frag of that piece, and a frag of that... oh, and that one over there, and that other one.... lol. Very nice.
I read the entire thread and may have missed it, but did you note which "old" bulb you used to get those PAR values ? I kmnow you said that you were going to go with Giesman 400W 10K bulbs on the IC 400W MH ballasts, have you gotten them yet and can you post some quick #s for that combination/setup ?
. I am asking because the PPFD for some 400W 210K lamps is only marginally more than the PPFD for 250W 10ks (20 points or less).In a nutshell we are setting up a slightly smaller tank, at 78" X 48" X 25" and are trying to light it
. LAIIIs are definitely on the shopping list, along with IC ballasts, but trying to determine the right count and wattage (and bulb) to go with. I am with you on 10K lamps, for the past 3 years that is all we have run on our various tanks. Any additional information and/or insight would be greatly appreciated and we love your tank, can't wait to see more FTS 
.
Goldleaf Reef
New member
That's great Algae coverage for only a few weeks. Looks Great
Sanjay
Premium Member
Tom:
I have still not installed the Giesmann lamps. I need to test them before I do, and still do not have access to the instrument.
The readings that I posted were with 2 used USHIO lamps and 1 XM 10K, all used for about a year. Now with the rock in the tank it will be more difficult to get the underwater readings, due to access and shadows.
I think for a 25" deep tank, you could do 250s, but I would still go with 400W for several reasons, the primary one being that your tank is 48" front to back. To get that spread you will need to raise your reflectors higher than normal, and will need the extra light to spread around. You get away with some of the 250W lamps the 10ks with high PPFD values, but may find yourself limited later on.
sanjay.
I have still not installed the Giesmann lamps. I need to test them before I do, and still do not have access to the instrument.
The readings that I posted were with 2 used USHIO lamps and 1 XM 10K, all used for about a year. Now with the rock in the tank it will be more difficult to get the underwater readings, due to access and shadows.
I think for a 25" deep tank, you could do 250s, but I would still go with 400W for several reasons, the primary one being that your tank is 48" front to back. To get that spread you will need to raise your reflectors higher than normal, and will need the extra light to spread around. You get away with some of the 250W lamps the 10ks with high PPFD values, but may find yourself limited later on.
sanjay.
Thanks Sanjay... living in Ca with our 3rd tier being $.037 per KWH I am looking for any and every way to minimize the monthly costs (and we are into our third tier pricing by the second week *sigh*) .
Even though it is 48" front to back, I plan to do like you did with the space behind the rockwork, between it and the back wall of the tank, space that I don't really need to spend money to light, and if for some reason I do want to light it, I can always go with T5s across the back to fill in for a fraction of the MH electrical costs (optimistically, but of course not to the same intensity as a 400W MH at full depth).
Also, we are faced with similar overhead space challenges as you are, so we only have so much room within which to raise the reflectors. I was also considering a staggered arrangement of 3 LAII3s, in a loose pyramid patter, with the "base" 2 being at the front of the tank and the middle "top" one being offset about half the width of the reflector back. That would result in a slightly less intense spot in the front center (for a zoa garden perhaps, or open brain, etc). And then again I may end up upgrading all 3 to 400 or just going with my original plan to use 5 250W (still 10ks), three across the front and 2 across the back (since the tank has corner overflows, I don't want to waste money lighting those either).
I suppose it will be trial and error, but the rough part is that the errors can end up being expensive ones
.
Thanks again for your suggestions and for this incredible thread.. it has given us several ideas concerning our new tank setup.
The light/ballast combo I am leaning towards is the IC 250 w/ XM 10K SE. On your web site that gives the best balance of PPFD (115) with a reasonably white/blue CCT (11543). I changed our prop tank setup to this configuration just last month to see how we liked the color/intensity. So far we have been happy with both the color and the spread. Unfortunately I couldn't find any numbers on the 400 W XM 10k using the IC 400W ballast. The Ushio 400W 10K using the IC ballast does weigh in with a PPFD of 138 (not to get off track for your tank thread, but would 23 PPFD make that much difference ?).
Also, we are thinking of doing like others (and I think I read you also mention) and making the edges (sides and back) darker, to make the tank appear larger. Have you thought any more about how you want to set your tank up with this regards ?
Even though it is 48" front to back, I plan to do like you did with the space behind the rockwork, between it and the back wall of the tank, space that I don't really need to spend money to light, and if for some reason I do want to light it, I can always go with T5s across the back to fill in for a fraction of the MH electrical costs (optimistically, but of course not to the same intensity as a 400W MH at full depth).
Also, we are faced with similar overhead space challenges as you are, so we only have so much room within which to raise the reflectors. I was also considering a staggered arrangement of 3 LAII3s, in a loose pyramid patter, with the "base" 2 being at the front of the tank and the middle "top" one being offset about half the width of the reflector back. That would result in a slightly less intense spot in the front center (for a zoa garden perhaps, or open brain, etc). And then again I may end up upgrading all 3 to 400 or just going with my original plan to use 5 250W (still 10ks), three across the front and 2 across the back (since the tank has corner overflows, I don't want to waste money lighting those either
).I suppose it will be trial and error, but the rough part is that the errors can end up being expensive ones
.Thanks again for your suggestions and for this incredible thread.. it has given us several ideas concerning our new tank setup.
The light/ballast combo I am leaning towards is the IC 250 w/ XM 10K SE. On your web site that gives the best balance of PPFD (115) with a reasonably white/blue CCT (11543). I changed our prop tank setup to this configuration just last month to see how we liked the color/intensity. So far we have been happy with both the color and the spread. Unfortunately I couldn't find any numbers on the 400 W XM 10k using the IC 400W ballast
. The Ushio 400W 10K using the IC ballast does weigh in with a PPFD of 138 (not to get off track for your tank thread, but would 23 PPFD make that much difference ?).Also, we are thinking of doing like others (and I think I read you also mention) and making the edges (sides and back) darker, to make the tank appear larger. Have you thought any more about how you want to set your tank up with this regards ?
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
I think you have it wrong here. T5s will penetrate deeper with what light they make than a halide. I know someone who replaced dual 400watt 20,000K bulbs with a 8x54wattT5 fixture, and the T5s are easily brighter at the bottom of the tank. Halides are more concentrated as you get closer to the bulb though. There are some long term T5 tests done at korallenriff.de on this, showing how T5s can outdo halides because of this. Heres one... http://translate.google.com/transla.../&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/
So in your planning, you might consider that the T5s will fill in very well with the light they make and might brighten up the bottom alot better than you thought. They just dont make the spotlight type peaks near the top of the tank that halides can.
Hahn,
Right, but I am looking at 400W 10Ks, which have significatly more par than the 20K bulbs, hence my statement about the comparison to T5s. I have been following several T5 threads here on RC (and elsewhere) but for a tank of our size the overall lighting would be more efficient to go with MHs. But I don't want to hijack Sanjays thread any more than I already have
Right, but I am looking at 400W 10Ks, which have significatly more par than the 20K bulbs
, hence my statement about the comparison to T5s. I have been following several T5 threads here on RC (and elsewhere) but for a tank of our size the overall lighting would be more efficient to go with MHs. But I don't want to hijack Sanjays thread any more than I already have
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
3000-6500K bulbs experience the same jump in output that halides do. So while the mix of bulbs for the 8x54watt T5 sytem to replace 800watts of 20,000K halide meant a mix of bluer bulbs, had the bulbs been all 6500K-11,000K, the output would have been 50-100% higher... much like halide (ok, perhaps not as much because blue T5s arent as bad as blue halides in the first place). Also, keep in mind that were comparing 8x54watt T5s, 432 watts total, to 800 watts of halide! Just imagine what would happen if they were all 6500K (6500K T5s look whiter than 10,000K halides IMO) and of equal wattage... KABAM!!!
Ok, hijack over.
Ok, hijack over.
yellowtruck75
New member
Sanjay
The tank looks great.
I have a feeling when I return to PSU this spring the HUB tank will be "thinned" out jk
The tank looks great.
I have a feeling when I return to PSU this spring the HUB tank will be "thinned" out
jkSanjay, your tank looks fantastic and your thread is helping me in my new set up. I stole more than a few of your ideas.
One question I may have missed in your thread: Are you using a QT?
I never used one in past since I thought it would be hard to keep the water quality up in a small system plus I want to add a number of fish to the new tank at once. However, I am considering a 30 gal breeder as a QT for my new reef!
Thanks
Frank
One question I may have missed in your thread: Are you using a QT?
I never used one in past since I thought it would be hard to keep the water quality up in a small system plus I want to add a number of fish to the new tank at once. However, I am considering a 30 gal breeder as a QT for my new reef!
Thanks
Frank
Sanjay
Premium Member
Frank,
The ideas are there for share.. so feel free to use them if they help you. I'll take my payment later
QT in general is a good idea, especially if your tank is established and you have a lot invested in fish. Since my tank is "new" right now, against all better judgement I am not quarantining any fish right now. I have always felt I can help a fish recover if it is less stressed and in good quality water. My main goal is to keep the fish from getting stressed and used to eating food.
With my design of having a large overflow box, part of my strategy is to hold new fish in there - let them get used to the other fish in the tank and vice versa (they can see through the box) and not get stressed by being attacked by new fish. Once they get used to eating food and comfortable with the other fish then I can add them into the main tank. So this is not really a QT system.
Right now since the tank is new with few fish, I am taking a calculated risk.
sanjay.
JER-Z
New member
really beautiful setup. i have been silently following along getting alot of ideas for my next setup.
I hope you don't mind but I have a lighting question for you.
on a 6'x4'x2' tank, do you think I could get away w/ 2 x 400w on luminarc IIIs if I raised them up.
I figured going w/ 400w would allow me to raise them up enough to get more coverage and still have enough penetration for an SPS tank. What do you think? Thanks
I hope you don't mind but I have a lighting question for you.
on a 6'x4'x2' tank, do you think I could get away w/ 2 x 400w on luminarc IIIs if I raised them up.
I figured going w/ 400w would allow me to raise them up enough to get more coverage and still have enough penetration for an SPS tank. What do you think? Thanks
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