500G (84X48X30)- NOW REAL !

[Sparkss]

Do you feel that your CCT plays as much of a role as your PAR does ?

In my experience caps have not been "light hungry". We have a couple of them growing quite well in the "darker" corners of our tank . The acros that you have 4" off of the sandbed... what kind are they (generally speaking) ? and how are they getting on, growth adn color wise ? (again, generally speaking).

I know that I threw a ton of quesitons at you about your lighting setup. Getting ready to invest in more equipment tends to make me the quetioning sort.... to ensure that I am making the right decision (or at least a close facimile ).

Thanks for putting up with all of my pestering questions

EDIT : From your pictures it looks like a great tank and setup. Aside from the additional light I am just trying to grasp why yours looks brighter than our tank (from front to rear, that is) And your coral coloration is beyond envious

 

[Sanjay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9686173#post9686173 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
After scouring the net for the BLV bulbs I found out that the BLV Nepturion 14k and the Ushio 14k are the same bulb, aparently as per Ushio/BLV themselves. MD carries the 400w Ushio 14k, so maybe I will give those a try (just as soon as Sanjay chimes in as to why he didn't use them over the Giesman ).

The one thing I am worried about, and was really wanting to hear how it has worked out over Sanjay's tank so far (our dimensions are almost identical, but we are 6" shorter in length and height -- 78" long and 24" tall). We are using the 250W XM 10k in LAIIIs on PFO HQI ballasts (just 2 lights though) and it seems that in certain areas there isn't enough light. We are just about the same height as Sanjay's from the reflector to the water line. For just about the same operational $$ we can upgrade to 400w on electronic ballasts and get a bluer look (but lower PAR). So I wanted to hear how the lower PAR but bluer light did for Sanjay's corals, for color and growth (lower/bluer compared to our lighting, that is). We are also looking at adding a 3rd light, to match Sanjay's configuration.

I just want to know why he chose the ones he did and if he could go back, would he choose a different lamp/ballast for over his tank

I already told you my reason for using Giesmann lamps. I wanted to run long term tests on the lamps and wanted 3 identical lamps. Giesmann was the most interested in having me run the tests, and I happened to also like the lamp when I tested it. It had a relatively more bluish look to it than the XM, and since I do not use any actinics it was one of my choices. The other one I would have wanted to try was Ushio 14K. It was just a matter of who came through with the lamps... I am still waiting for Ushio to send me the Ushio 14K to test.

Now that I have used the Giesmann lamp for 4 months I can definately say I like the way the tank looks with it. The Ushio/BLV 14K will be almost similar if not identical. The spectral plots are almost identical. The slight difference could very well be within product variation.

I try not to get into who makes whose lamp under what label. But a little checking into the spectral plots and lamp construction can give you some pretty good clues.

If this Giesmann lamp and Icecap ballast combo works well for me over the year and the data backs it up, then I would most likely stick with it or try the Ushio/BLV 14K.

As for coverage on the tank goes, I am very happy with it. My reflectors are not mounted on the center of the tank but offset to the back since most of the rock work is towards the back. I have about 6-8" on the back between the rock and the glass for better flow. So I am getting great coverage with the current setup of the LAIII reflectors 9.5" off the water surface. The average height of the water column is 26" (higher and lower in some places).

I am going to try to make the reflector height adjustable so I can get a few inches of vertical travel. this will allow me to extend the life of the lamps as they age. Still have not figured out how I want to do this. Its a summer project.

sanjay.

 

[Sanjay]

I think PAR is what is more important as far as growth and photosynthesis is concerned. CCT does play a role in color and appearance. I tend to find that for me, the 10KK and the truer 14KK provide the right compromise, especially since I do not use any other supplemental lamps. I have had great coloration of the corals with lamps in the 10KK rating range, although they may not look like the web pictures that are used to sell them, they still have good colors under these lamps, and good growth as well. The "20KK" tend to wash out a lot of colors.

I have always maintained a Darwinian approach to keeping reefs. I put a bunch of different corals in and let them deciede how well they want to do in my tank. As they grow, the ones that cant make it arenot replaced, and the ones that don't want to color up in my system are removed by me, leaving corals that prosper and color up in my tank. I am usually not very hung up on coral coloratio, as long as they are not plain brown and drab. Rather than trying to tweak my lighting to extract colors from a particular coral at the expense of the others.

The SPS corals that I have almost 4" off the bottom is a really nice pink acropora millepora that has remained pink. There is really enough light at the bottom of the tank.

So far I am happy with the lights and the results. There are a few corals that had nicer colors in my friends tanks, but I think its a matter of time before they fully adjust and start looking just as nice.

sanjay.

 

[jnarowe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9686256#post9686256 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
I use my MH lamps for well over a year. On my 55G soft coral tank the MH lamps are 2.5 years old.

sanjay.

Interesting discussion Sanjay. My lamps are reaching the one year mark and I am seeing some coral changes that I don't think are good. Of course that could be due to a variety of reasons, but I am thinking about changing out my lamps soon.

I still haven't found a capacitor for my "burn-in" lamp though, and I don't like putting fresh lamps over the tank. It's been a real bummer, especially since the ballast is a fairly popular one for indoor gardening.

Anyway, as a side note, I am really please with my Ushio 20K lamps. The tank looks great and the corals have loved them...or the wattage.

 

[leetdood]

u have a recent FTS sanjay?

rather nice tank u ave there.

mike.

 

[Sparkss]

Thank you for clarifying everything Sanjay. I apologize for not catching your reasonings for your current lamp selection.. I did note that you were using this as a long term test, but I had missed the part about the specific lamp selection. Thank you for your patience.

Since the Ushios are much easier to come by, I think I am going to take the plunge and pickup the 400W IC ballasts and a pair of lamps (ouch.. there goes the balance on that credit card *sigh* ). I will try to play with 2 vs 3 for now and see where that takes me. If I want another LA III reflector it is a realively short drive out to their facility to pick up a new one (and those guys are great to hang out and talk with ). But for now I am going to see what 2 will do for me. All thanks to your research and assistance


Thanks again for sharing your experiences and your inspirational tank

 

[Sanjay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9680180#post9680180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VikeBron
Sanjay,
How are the corals doing I brought to you?

Steve:

The ones that had lost a lot of zooxanthalle are slowly getting it back. I am surprised at the slow recovery on those with fewer and far spaced polyps. The ones with more polyps look fine.

These maricultured corals tend to take longer to recover and adapt to tanks compared to tank raised frags. Just my experience. Has anyone noticed anything similar between the maricultured and those raised under artificial lighting ? or is it just my perception based on these few maricultured ones that I have.

sanjay.

 

[jnarowe]

I think it's a good observation Sanjay. I have experienced the same sort of disparity. The mari-cultured corals go in looking great, but over time adjust the colors and seem to get "tired" of the artificial light. The tank raised frags look good and stay that way.

 

[mbunaman]

I noticed Maricultured from Bali does way better in tanks than the maricultured from Tonga and Solomon Islands. But I have to agree tank grown is much more responsive in captive conditions. I think the tonga ones are the hardest to color up from what I observed.

 

[chacha]

Amazing tank!!

 

[dgasmd]

Sanjay:

Tanks continues to look great. Nice additions. Like you, I noticed the mariculture vs tank raised differences probably about 2 years ago whenI started to add a few of those pieces in my tank. I only had tank raised corals before that, so the difference was very noticeable. If I could, I would always add a tank raised acro before adding a maricultured piece. However, one of the huge downsides of having a very large tank is that when you add 1" tank raised frags it looks like you have added nothing as they get lost in the tank. Maricultured pieces have the advantage of being of much bigger size and having multiple branches. The 2 biggest downsides to mariculture corals in my book are pest introductions and the lack of extensive variety. You look online and almost every single online livestock vendor as the exact same maricultured corals for sale. Some brighter than others, but the very same corals nevertheless.

 

[VikeBron]

Glad to hear they will probably pull through. That is the last time we do it like that. I have some wine shipping boxes coming and when they get here I will pack some goodies up and get them off to you. Still haven't been able to get you an Achilies. I keep ordering it but it never comes. I will try again this week. Here are some current pics of the bali order where yours came from.

I only lost one colony out of 24. Not bad.

 

[Sanjay]

It figures.. they would prove me wrong. One of them is starting to crap out. Came home today to a couple of white branches on one of them. Glad to see that your corals have darkened up quite a bit.

sanjay.

 

[Sanjay]

Steve,

What is the 2nd one in the pictures you posted recently. You got me one of those and that is doing fine.

sanjay.

 

[VikeBron]

I believe it is a Turaki. Page 429 of the coral bible.
Finally got my shipping boxes. I have 2 orders coming in on Fri. and I picked something up for you(if it comes). Starts with a C and ends with an A

 

[jnarowe]

what, keeping secrets?

 

[rickyfins]

When you are in a secret society, yes keeping secrets is allowed. There isn't a "SS" that I am aware of in this hobby, but there is definitely some sort of hush hush around every corner. LOL

You will find that it is like this in most areas of the country. There is always that one guy/girl who can make any coral magically appear out of thin air!LOL

I think in Sanjays case, he just has met SO MANY people that he has connections to get thos ODDS and ENDS people dream about.

Sanjay the tank is turning out very nice. I can't wait for the LTT we are having with the club so I can see it since I was there last.

 

[Sanjay]

Here are some fish that I added last night. got these from my trip to New York for the Manhattan Reefs frag swap. visited 2 really nice stores in Connecticut, Greenwich Aquarium and House of Fins, and picked up the fish at these stores.

Got a bunch of Rolandi Damsels (7). I am a sucker for small, cute cheap pugnacious fish.

And this really interesting fish, malacanthus latovittatus (blue banquillo). Its a juvinile right now, and it almost mimics a cleaner fish. Hopefully it wont get to its full size in the wild (12-14"). Its got a neat swimming motion.

Over the last week, I have added some other fish to the tank too.
3 dispar anthias
2 Long nose hawk
1 Starry Blenny
1 Vrolicki Mimic tang



sanjay.

 

[RichK]

Cool fish Sanjay. The damsels look nice. I just hope they don't get ugly with age. BTW, the bimacs went into my tank Saturday and they look fantastic!

 

[Sanjay]

Here is a few more fish pics.

The bipartus wrasses have grown quite a bit and eat like pigs.

One of the long nose hawk

sanjay.