newbie2hobby
New member
where did you find that monster sump!?!?
900 Gallon Reef Project
- Thread starter Bennytheblenny
- Start date
Bennytheblenny
Reef Geek
Couple of major changes since my last update. I have ditched the MTC Calcium Reactor for a large GEO reactor with a secondary buffering chamber and attached it all to my PH controller. Best decision I have made in quite some time. I have also started doing more frequent, smaller water changes (~50 gallons/week). The tank is doing amazingly well, growth rates have exploded and I am seeing much better coloration across the board.
I have since also built 2 more islands of the BRS rock but am waiting to pull out some more of the old rock. The tank looks a bit messy at the moment but we should be good in a few more months. Slow and steady really has been the best approach.
eonflux123
New member
Its been a few month Blenny, your killing us! This tank is way to cool to keep hiding from us!:angryfire:
Spoken like a true Reefer!:thumbsup:
adddo
“Goodnight, tiny humans.â€
+1
Just spent an hour reading throughthe thread and really want more updates.
Great build!
nattydread
Member
Awesome, totally awesome!
Bennytheblenny
Reef Geek
Updates coming. I have been working on a custom LED Lighting solution for my tank. Reeftech did not work out (to say the least). I have a prototype unit already on the tank and will post up a video of it in operation. Ill take some pics this weekend, I know it has been a while.
Bennytheblenny
Reef Geek
Send me a PM to setup time. I am free the next 2 weeks.
Bennytheblenny
Reef Geek
So in terms of the new lights. I have decided after much research and playing around with colors to go with a light with a combination of:
EpiLED 410-415nm peak Violet LEDs
Cree Cool White
Cree Royal Blue
1 Red Cree
1 Blue Moonlight Cree
I am working on a ratio where its 2:2:1 Violet/Royal Blue/Cool White
Let me get into a bit of the rationale behind it. Every lamp right now on the market has crazy colors that are great at making hair algae grow and pushing gimmicks that honestly 99% of end users will never touch. Light blends, its not like paints folks. I cant make purple light by mixing red and blue light.
I don't need a ton of neutral white, green and red LEDs as the old Reeftech Prometheus used. They are a waste of space and energy. Why put a ton of white/neutral white LEDs that you will run at 20%? I have taken a look at the peaks of each of these LEDs in terms of spectral output and want to build a lamp that addresses the needs of corals and tank look without adding in a bunch of nonsense.
Right now playing around with a test rig, the Epi LEDs are amazing. They are going to be the backbone of this light. They peak at the right spot and give you the pop that most LEDs are missing today (kind of like a Phillips A03 VHO actinic bulb used to look like). The lamp is going to have control via wifi.
Once I have everything finalized I'll toss up a video. I am pretty damn excited.
EpiLED 410-415nm peak Violet LEDs
Cree Cool White
Cree Royal Blue
1 Red Cree
1 Blue Moonlight Cree
I am working on a ratio where its 2:2:1 Violet/Royal Blue/Cool White
Let me get into a bit of the rationale behind it. Every lamp right now on the market has crazy colors that are great at making hair algae grow and pushing gimmicks that honestly 99% of end users will never touch. Light blends, its not like paints folks. I cant make purple light by mixing red and blue light.
I don't need a ton of neutral white, green and red LEDs as the old Reeftech Prometheus used. They are a waste of space and energy. Why put a ton of white/neutral white LEDs that you will run at 20%? I have taken a look at the peaks of each of these LEDs in terms of spectral output and want to build a lamp that addresses the needs of corals and tank look without adding in a bunch of nonsense.
Right now playing around with a test rig, the Epi LEDs are amazing. They are going to be the backbone of this light. They peak at the right spot and give you the pop that most LEDs are missing today (kind of like a Phillips A03 VHO actinic bulb used to look like). The lamp is going to have control via wifi.
Once I have everything finalized I'll toss up a video. I am pretty damn excited.
"2:2:1 Violet/Royal Blue/Cool White"
Forgive my ignorance but does that mean for every 1 cool white you will have 2 violets and 2 royal blues or the same # of LED's but double the intensity (IE: 80% violet and royal blue with 40% cool white)? Will you be using 3 watt LED's and w/out focal lenses? So the other colors, (nuetral white, green, red etc), do not contribute to coral growth in your experience?
Forgive my ignorance but does that mean for every 1 cool white you will have 2 violets and 2 royal blues or the same # of LED's but double the intensity (IE: 80% violet and royal blue with 40% cool white)? Will you be using 3 watt LED's and w/out focal lenses? So the other colors, (nuetral white, green, red etc), do not contribute to coral growth in your experience?
Bennytheblenny
Reef Geek
Yes, if it doesn't peak for chlorophyll A or B, it's not doing anything for your corals. It simply makes the tank "look different". In fact it could cause nuisance algae to increase growth rates. Its the same thing that happens when Metal Halides get old, the spectrum shifts. This is why people change their bulbs. So why would LEDs in the wrong spectrum be any different? Like Light Blue LEDs by Cree, I can achieve the same look with a mix of royal blue and white. So why add them? I want a light that is fits the purpose, growing corals while presenting a good look, not a disco lamp.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Subscribed!!
skimeister56
New member
Talk about "All-IN" took me 4 lumch hours to read the entire thread. Truly an amazing effort. :thumbsup:
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