BobbyV's Marineland 300DD Starphire Project
- Thread starter BobbyV
- Start date
BobbyV
Established since 2008
Plenty of coverage!
I have Gen One TIR Lens Radions and anything above 60% intensity at 15% above the water line will risk bleaching your corals.
I am on a 20k photoperiod for solid 8 hours. ( i ramp up two hours before and after. 12 - 2 & 10 - 12 midnight.
Ecotech has the new TIR 120 degree lenses coming out - so if you have the gen ones and want more coverage, just install the TIR 120's and cautiously bump up the intensity.
anbosu
New member
Cool, thanks. I'm looking into some other options, but unless I can get one of the Chinese suppliers to sell to me directly I might as well buy Ecotech.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
Ecotech replaced my GEN ones with TIR Lens two months ago under "fan warranty". The new units have upgraded fans and an additional one year coverage.
I am thinking about being silly and buying an ATI 60' 10x80w power module T5 fixture.
If you are interested, I will hook you up with a good deal on all three and save you some money.
I have the new boxes with the manufactured dates with service exchange invoice for documentation.
Say it aint so
AriMiko43
Member
Hey Bobby, I am going to be building a stand for my 300DD pretty much the same way you did yours. I am going to be using 2x6's around the top frame and legs. I will be backing the legs with a 2x4 in each corner. My question is did you have any problem in the corners with the drain pipes hitting the frame of the stand or is there enough clearance?
BobbyV
Established since 2008
It is pretty tight but possible.
You can call marineland and ask them to email you a template.
Have fun with it!
Hey BobbyV, I have read through your build thread many times and enjoyed it very much and thank you for sharing...I'm setting up my own 300 DD soon and would like to do the dual herbie style overflow like you but I have a question...Originally you used strainers on your full siphon pipes but in one of your clips it looks like you have attached some tubing instead, why is this? thanks
BobbyV
Established since 2008
My pleasure to offer something for reference on your new build!
Congrats!!
Two reasons for my behaviour.
On a herbie style you need two lengths for a drain or drains, depending on how many you install per area. In the case of my 300DD I have two and converted both the standard return as an emergency drain.
Note that you want the hole closest to the perimeter of the tank to be your main initial drain, not your emergency. Easier maintenance for cleaning, since it will be getting the most action.
My first cut on this was too short for my preference. If you have a short drain, then you are creating a longer distance of a water free fall to make more noise.
If you cut it closer, then simply tune your gate valves.
The reason I converted it to 3/4 tubing is to give the area more of a flexible entry.
Since the shortest drain is also 50% tubing and closest to the edge of the tank - it allows you for any reason to stick your hand and entire arm down into the drain compartment all the way to the bottom.
The flexible tube does not risk putting additional stress a bulkhead seal. The tubing will give way in this tight compartment. (Make sure tubing is vinyl for additional form/structural integrity and durability.)
Also as an added bonus, the strainer slip also slides on and off with ease so I can clean them once in a while.
I hope I answered your questions and I explained it in an understandable way.
Robert -
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cdenunzio83
New member
I'm also building a Marineland 300 DD right now almost ready run
BobbyV
Established since 2008
So if it ain't broke ... ... ... why fix it?
Sold my Ecotech Marine Radions and picked up a new ATI 8x80 Sunpower during the July 4th Sale.
Still tweaking the color spectrum of bulbs .. .. .. I have an aquablue special and a puple plus in the mail which I may be replacing the two coral plus with.
But this is what the tank looks like with the current 8 bulbs lineup. I little too blue in my opinion.
By the way, as you will notice I am completely starting over from scratch.
Going back to SPS.
Sold my Ecotech Marine Radions and picked up a new ATI 8x80 Sunpower during the July 4th Sale.
Still tweaking the color spectrum of bulbs .. .. .. I have an aquablue special and a puple plus in the mail which I may be replacing the two coral plus with.
But this is what the tank looks like with the current 8 bulbs lineup. I little too blue in my opinion.
By the way, as you will notice I am completely starting over from scratch.
Going back to SPS.
aguila88psi
Zoa Addict
Very Nice BobbyV, wait till you get some corals in there, the coral plus really does make the corals pop. You'll probably see some of the flourescents on your fish as well.
St Pete John
New member
Looking good dude, love your scape.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
Oh boy .. .. I had a 30 minute conversation on Coral Plus with Roger yesterday. Coral Plus is an awesome bulb but it is a combo bulb. 50% Blue Plus 40% Aquablue Special & 10% Purple Plus. The max reds are only at 15% but Purple Plus single bulb is 25% (or 35% can not remember but I think 25%) reds.
So with all this being said, if I have an 8 bulb fixture I can afford to have dedicated room for single specific bulbs. The new plan is:
B +
B +
B +
AquaBlue Special (12,000K)
Purple +
Actinic
B +
B +
If still too blue .. .. . I am thinking about swapping the 2nd B + with a Coral plus.
I will get it right .. .. .. eventually.
Apparently the most important aspect of SPS is reflective colors. The white light encourages a pigment response which is what we all strive for in SPS.
Of all compliments .. .. .. I hold this one in very high regard thank you!
I consider myself terrible at aquascape .. .. .. but when I was moving those rocks around (hopefully for the last and final time) I was thinking of space for SPS to branch out and fish to swim around or in between.
It is in the shape of a golden arch which gradually gets taller as you go deeper into the tank for more coral placement.
The Tangs do well in the system. As you can see I have some of the "so called" most aggressive specimens but they all live well together. I feed them like pigs to reduce aggression. The Sohal of course is the dominant of the five.
aguila88psi
Zoa Addict
I would have gone with 2-coral plus, 2-blue plus, 2 aquablue 12ks, 2 actinic and add two all blue LED strips, one in front and one in back, Reefbrite XHO would be awesome but custom LED would probably yeild better results.
javsku
New member
Very nice, I have the same fixture coming for the same tank. My bulb Configuration is going to be 5 Blue+, 2 KZ New Generation 14K bulbs, and 1 purple plus. I have a 6 bulb fixture over my current 90 gallon which is predominantly SPS. I will be adding two strips of blue led's to the fixture as well, possibly reef brites to get that pop. I have always been pleased with T5's. I have an AI sol over my 45 gallon which is predominantly Zoas and LPS. I love the blue pop and my Zoas and LPS love the light, but my acans and chalices that I have hate it.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
I am sure there are many people that have discovered this about their APEX but using the symbols I thought was clever since it occurred to me on my own.
Active symbols only work when the outlets are on AUTO mode and in use.
Fans are on showing motion. They are currently on in the sump and when they turn off the action accents vanish.
I am using the hourglass to signify a skimmer. So when the skimmer is on the hour glass is full. The sand represents the water/bubbles.
The suns represent heat, if they rise up then the heaters are on.
The spigots are my dosing pumps. When they are they are dripping and when they are off .. .. well you get the point.
The last is my sump light but I don't have it on auto for anything so it is manually off. Maybe I will create a contact switch with the doors. Ehh maybe too much work.
If I ever set up a macro algae refugium I may just name that the auto light and remove the sump light position.
Active symbols only work when the outlets are on AUTO mode and in use.
Fans are on showing motion. They are currently on in the sump and when they turn off the action accents vanish.
I am using the hourglass to signify a skimmer. So when the skimmer is on the hour glass is full. The sand represents the water/bubbles.
The suns represent heat, if they rise up then the heaters are on.
The spigots are my dosing pumps. When they are they are dripping and when they are off .. .. well you get the point.
The last is my sump light but I don't have it on auto for anything so it is manually off. Maybe I will create a contact switch with the doors. Ehh maybe too much work.
If I ever set up a macro algae refugium I may just name that the auto light and remove the sump light position.
BobbyV
Established since 2008
I respect everyone's choice and preference in lighting.
From one who isn't a stranger to spending money on the latest technologies I can comment on LED.
LED can absolutely grow anything. However there is a learning curve like anything else.
T5 & MH are very forgiving in comparison to LED.
Forget about heat and power consumption for a moment.
Referring to effectiveness.
LED is a spot light.
The more narrow the the optics the more narrow the spotlight.
If is extremely easy to bleach your corals with LED.
Once you spend enough money buying new corals (you will kill/bleach coral in the beginning) and figuring out the brightness or intensity, if growing SPS, you will never get the same color as T5 or MH.
If you are an LPS/ZOA person than LED is great!
If you are a die hard SPS person than T5/MH should be for you.
My opinion the whole goal of SPS is getting reflective pigmented color.
There is a super fine line of providing just amount of strong light exposure to an SPS to achieve this. Hard to estimate with LED due to the possiblility of bleaching.
In regards to heat, I have an open canopy and the T5's only heat up my water one degree through out the entire day. Once I install my second fan, it will probably be even less.
I am using twice as much energy to run T5's than my 3 radions BUT the extra $20 or worst case scenario $50 per month is worth it to me to have a good looking SPS tank.
T5's and MH are plug and play. 10 hour total photo period.
10 hour dusk and dawn channel 11am - 9pm
8 hour daylight channel 12pm - 8pm.
Everyone has their own preferences - this just happens to be mine.
One of the biggest features I enjoy more about T5's is that I can see my tank now. The DIM look was annoying me.
T5/MH is a "blanket" of light. Covers all portions of the tank. No shadowing.
LED's focus/spotlight energy down. Yes to shadowing.
On my 120 tech Tank 3/4 years ago I had an ATI 8x54 Power Module. I knew less then than I do now and growing corals was super easy for me. I also remember enjoying the hobby much more then than I did now simply because it was easier to be successful with T5.
If you are thinking about LED's than to be safe, install the widest angle optics possible. My radions that I sold had the 120 optics. They will give the new owner a much better chance of being successful than the years I had with the 90 degree optics.
LED are expensive but last a very long time.
My ultimate choice was about setting myself in my comfort zone. I was willing to take the financial hit of buying new EcoTech radions and then buying a new ATI fixture .. .. .. so I can enjoy the hobby like I once did.
Light penetration and PAR is awesome with an ATI light fixture. The 8 bulb is designed for 34/36 inch tank depths. I have these mounted 9 inches above the water line. My Tank is 27 inches tall. Perfect!
Keep it simple .. .. if it ain't broke!
