500G (84X48X30)- NOW REAL !

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Alberto,

I am not hooking up my RO unit directly to the tank.. never done and always advice everyone against it. I fill up a 75g with RO water, and used the Spectrapure pressure sensor to activate the solenoid that shuts of the RO. Its this pressure switch that activates the solenoid that seems to have developed a leak. I took the unit apart and pulled out the sensor. Just got off the phone with the company that manufactures the sensor, and they gave me a digikey part number to get a replacement sensor. Once that arives i should be able to replace the sensor and be good to go.... sensor only cost $14.00.

The top off unit is basically a reef filler pump ,that pulls water from the 75g RO reservoir, I have been using for more than 10 years.. it is activated by a TSUMANI brand pressure sensor and switch (I think champion now labels the TSUNAMI product line as Blueline). I opened that one up too and it uses the exact same sensor. So I ordered a new sensor for this one too.

So for $30 or so I should be good to go.. until the sensors fail again in another 10 years or so :-)

I like the pressure based sensors since there is no electricty introduced into the tank, and chance of switch getting stuck since the only moving part is the diaphram in the sensor. I gues over time they do develop a leak and malfunction. the manufacturing date on both those sensors was 1996.

sanjay.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8925762#post8925762 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
I have been following along but don't recall the answer to this question, so I will ask it here :). How far from the top of the water did you end up placing your reflectors ?


EDIT : I checked your lighting database and didn't find any PPFD/CCT data on the 400W Giesman bulbs. Is there any data that you can share with is about them ? Especially running on a Electronic ballast. Thanks :)
Click to expand...

The bottom of the reflectors is 9.5" off the water surface. I may experiment with lowering them by a couple of inches. to do this I need to attach something to the trolleys, since I can't lower the rails.

I will put up some data on the giesmann lamps soon.

sanjay.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8927164#post8927164 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RGibson
Dennis thay have all ready have ship one to him.
Click to expand...

Dennis:

Yes, I have one and have been using it over my 29G tank for the last 4 months.

I presented the data at MACNA.. just have not written it up for the reefing magazines. Want to get some first hand experience on its performance on a reef.

sanjay.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8926512#post8926512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Looks like my RO stuff valve and the Autotop off valve have become very unreliable. The ones I have are the pressure activated ones.

I am going to replace these to avoid flooding.

Any recommendations on ones I should look into. I have not looked at any new ones since I bought these 10 years ago.

sanjay.
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I use the Tunze Osmolator for autotop off. It works perfectly.
 
Then I imagine you checked the spectrum from these units? It would be great if you could at least publish the spectrum plot. The one I saw on the web looked looked to good to believe with no sharp spikes, especiialy since it listed the CT around 20,000K.

I personaly think these units are extremly pricey at this time. However it was not too long ago that some of the compact fixtures you can get for under $100 now were over $350.00. And if they are as good as they claim they will start selling and with increased sales plus other competition the prices should drop.

Dennis



<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8927963#post8927963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Dennis:

Yes, I have one and have been using it over my 29G tank for the last 4 months.

I presented the data at MACNA.. just have not written it up for the reefing magazines. Want to get some first hand experience on its performance on a reef.

sanjay.
Click to expand...
 
It looks like your frags are going to start growing into each other in a matter of months! Any reason why you didn't space them out farther from each other?
 
This may have been covered. I DID read the whole thread :lol:

What made you choose your 10,000K bulbs? I know it dealt with delivering light at good levels across the spectrum, but was the 10,000K chosen over i.e. an Iwasaki for any reason. Just wondering because of the long life reported on the Iwasaki's.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8927922#post8927922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Alberto,

I am not hooking up my RO unit directly to the tank.. never done and always advice everyone against it. I fill up a 75g with RO water, and used the Spectrapure pressure sensor to activate the solenoid that shuts of the RO. Its this pressure switch that activates the solenoid that seems to have developed a leak. I took the unit apart and pulled out the sensor. Just got off the phone with the company that manufactures the sensor, and they gave me a digikey part number to get a replacement sensor. Once that arives i should be able to replace the sensor and be good to go.... sensor only cost $14.00.

The top off unit is basically a reef filler pump ,that pulls water from the 75g RO reservoir, I have been using for more than 10 years.. it is activated by a TSUMANI brand pressure sensor and switch (I think champion now labels the TSUNAMI product line as Blueline). I opened that one up too and it uses the exact same sensor. So I ordered a new sensor for this one too.

So for $30 or so I should be good to go.. until the sensors fail again in another 10 years or so :-)

I like the pressure based sensors since there is no electricty introduced into the tank, and chance of switch getting stuck since the only moving part is the diaphram in the sensor. I gues over time they do develop a leak and malfunction. the manufacturing date on both those sensors was 1996.

sanjay.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. My fault. I am sure you covered the 75g top off tank here in the thread, but after reading and trying to keep up with so many builds they all start blending into one.:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8929070#post8929070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewSchool04
It looks like your frags are going to start growing into each other in a matter of months! Any reason why you didn't space them out farther from each other?
Click to expand...

I have always like the look of corals crowded together. As they grow some will die off, some will be removed, and eventually the species diversity will drop off, and I'll have a fewer larger corals crowded together :)

Plus placing them too far apart would make me have less corals and a more empty looking tank for now. I just don't have the patience to watch just a few corals growing. Its much easier to remove the ones that I do not later. :D

sanjay.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8929246#post8929246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
This may have been covered. I DID read the whole thread :lol:

What made you choose your 10,000K bulbs? I know it dealt with delivering light at good levels across the spectrum, but was the 10,000K chosen over i.e. an Iwasaki for any reason. Just wondering because of the long life reported on the Iwasaki's.
Click to expand...

A few of the reasons:

1) I do not use any actinics on my tanks..and the 10K seems to give me the look that I want - not too yellow and not too blue.

2) I have been using the 10s now for 7 years on the Penn State tank and I like the look.


3) yes, the Iwasaki's have a long life, but I would be forced into using actinics with it which means increased electricty and bulb replacement costs which would wash out the savings from longer lamp life.

sanjay.
 
Sanjay do you have any 46.5" actinics that are new or newer laying around?? If so have Joe pick them up, he is coming to Altoona at some point for a tux fitting and I am in desperate need.
 
I am faced with that decision now Sanjay... what approx CCT are you getting out of your bulbs ? (that you feel is not too yellow and not too blue).

I am troubled between a ballast/bulb combo that give us 11.5k @ 115 PPFD and 9.9k @ 189 ppfd. I really like the look of the 11.5, but the obvious PAR difference when in the tank with the 9.9 is hard to ignore. (both are the same bulb/reflector, just 2 dif ballasts.. and to very different electric bills :)).

EDIT :

Here is a picture, with the 11.5 on the left and 9.9 on the right (last pict in this post) :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=8916501#post8916501

I have been playing with our camera to try to get a better color and intensity representation, but so far that was the best I could get (to where is wasn't all washed out). The left sdie is more blue in person and not as "intense" while the right side seems a little more yellow than is represented. They are XM 10Ks (250W), I am reading up on burn in coloration, etc, to see if they will lose some or gain more yellow as they burn in (the ones on the right side).

Your tank thread have been a great source of inspiration and information. Many thanks for sharing your experineces with us :D.


EDIT #2 : What lighting duration do you use over your tank ? 8 hours ? 10 ? I know that you posted your normal staggerred duration, with your 3 reflectors, but I don't recall the specifics and wanted to see if you had changed how that was set up or not :)
 
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I was hoping you didn't say any other reason than the looks/electric use. Thought I might have missed some analysis of bulbs.
 
MY latest fish addition.

dussimeri.gif


dussimeri2.gif
 
I was told its a Dussumieri tang. Its bigger than my tomimi and I thought that was a big fish. !! Its about 6-7".

sanjay
 
In either case its very pretty. I was at the LFS here and they had a HUGE lavender tang that was about a foot and a naso that made a 200 look tiny! it was by far the biggest naso i have ever seen!
 
Craig:

As I started looking more into this tang (never bothered too much before since I never had one) I am not a 100% sure its a Dussimeiri. The tail spine on the Dussimieri is supposedly white, while this one is blue, and additionally it has the white ring on the tail. This 2 features want to make lean towards an id of A. blochii.

May be Rick and John, can chime in on the fish id.

sanjay.
 
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