A Customdusty Rimless Build

Just got back from Germany a few days ago after having let my wife manage the tank for over a week. It definitely needs a water change, and I'm surprised to find most of my SPS have continued to lose their color and become very light and pale. I'm sure this is still some of the after effects of my pH and Alk changes, so I'll continue to be patient and hope things improve. Otherwise, everything seems to have gone ok, no major issues.

It has only been 2 months now, so things still need time to settle out and become more stable - including my routine.
 
I'm trying to figure out the new camera, so here are some pictures I took of the tank today. Once I figure everything out, I'll start getting some macros shots.

DSCN0411.jpg


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DSCN0422.jpg
 
customdusty said:
Oh, and an updated shot after moving some coral around. Hopefully for Xmas this year I can finally treat myself to a new digital camera. These pictures are embarrassing. Sorry.

100_1203-1.jpg
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customdusty said:
DSCN0411.jpg
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I like how you cleaned up the middle channel! When I first saw the new pics I thought you had completely redone your aquascaping. Not that the previous one was bad, but this new arrangement looks way more open and better to my eyes.

Reminds me a lot of SunnyX's tank, and that is definitely a complement!
 
Thanks, it certainly does feel like an accomplishment to mentioned in the same context as SunnyX.

I'm almost there with the aquascape, I've got another dozen ORA frags growing out in my frag tank that will be mounted on some extra rock I have. Those are the expensive ones, so I want to see how all of their growth patterns start before I fix them to rock.

I'm just having some color issues lately, trying to get those resolved and then I'll feel better.
 
Dustin, Your tank is looking good. Hope your trip to germany was for pleasure and not filled with work!
how do you like the radium/ati blue+ combo vs the bulb combo the fixture came with? did you notice a color change in the corals since adding the radiums? How do the pink/red color corals look color wise? do they look washed out in a blue hew or do they still look pink/red? I will be considering bulb combo in the near future as my bulbs are coming on 7 months now and trying to decide if i should go radiums but heard the 150 watt version are not as nice as the 250 watt versions. opinions? thanks.
 
reefsahoy said:
Dustin, Your tank is looking good. Hope your trip to germany was for pleasure and not filled with work!
how do you like the radium/ati blue+ combo vs the bulb combo the fixture came with? did you notice a color change in the corals since adding the radiums? How do the pink/red color corals look color wise? do they look washed out in a blue hew or do they still look pink/red? I will be considering bulb combo in the near future as my bulbs are coming on 7 months now and trying to decide if i should go radiums but heard the 150 watt version are not as nice as the 250 watt versions. opinions? thanks.
Click to expand...

I like the color with the Radiums, and my current T5 Bulb set up is 3 ATI Blue + and a KZ Fiji Purple. I think the fiji helps out with the pinks and reds. As far as comparison, I don't have anything to compare the radiums against, I ordered the Infiniti fixture without bulbs because I wasn't going to use Giesemann ones it came with.

I've also got 2 14k Phoenix bulbs I might try out to see how they look, and maybe order a couple of 10ks to try as well. I have always really liked the deep-water blue look, but think I'll give some other things a try. I believe that I get plenty of supplemental blue from the T5's where I don't need so much blue from the halides. That being said, I think that for a stand alone bulb - there can't be anything as good as Radiums.
 
just a thought... when we have problems with a pool-pump vibrating, we'll fit a short length of spa-flex either side of the pump as opposed to solid pipework; not as pretty, but it may help!
love the tank by the way!
 
zeusfc said:
just a thought... when we have problems with a pool-pump vibrating, we'll fit a short length of spa-flex either side of the pump as opposed to solid pipework; not as pretty, but it may help!
love the tank by the way!
Click to expand...

I use 18" of vinyl hose from the pump to where the fixed pipe work starts. Despite this, a fair amount of vibration still makes its way up. I'm in the process of designing a new custom sump that will allow me to downsize pumps significantly.
 
So I'm on the fence about my sticking with the Giesemann light, I am really getting the itch to go back to the T5. I've found that there really is a sweet spot directly beneath the halides, whereas with T5 the entire tank is a sweet spot. I'm generally not fond of the small coverage area and concentrated intensity, the light is more or less dictating where I can put my corals rather than putting them where I want them.

I'm getting some quotes now on a few options:

1) Retrofit my Infiniti fixture to make it 2x250w (instead of 2x150w). Which should allow me to be able to raise the fixture and hopefully increase the coverage.

2) ATI Powermodule 8x54w and 10x54w

3) Giesemann Matrix 8x54w

4) Sfigoli 8x54w
 
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