Build thread of the Monterey Marinland 265 84x24x30

[nwing84]

Tank is looking awesome mike...getting it filled up nicely

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Biggar]

How many SPS do you see here?

How many SPS do you see here?

Pic from iphone (I think it takes better pics than my 800 dollar Canon DSLR as far as keeping the same color)

I thought my salt was bleaching the corals. They have looked slightly better since I shut down the GFO reactor. Turns out, the reactor isnt really doing anything, the cheato is sucking all the phosphates out by itself.

 

[Joshporksandwic]

Looks really good. And yes cellphones take really nice pics.

Sent from somewhere

 

[nivram]

Pic from iphone (I think it takes better pics than my 800 dollar Canon DSLR as far as keeping the same color)

I thought my salt was bleaching the corals. They have looked slightly better since I shut down the GFO reactor. Turns out, the reactor isnt really doing anything, the cheato is sucking all the phosphates out by itself.

I'll trade you my iPhone for your $800 dslr

 

[Biggar]

I'll trade you my iPhone for your $800 dslr

If I didnt have 3 already, maybe ( ;

 

[Biggar]

Update for september

Update for september

Things have been going well. Its been 9 months since the birth of the tank, and still trucking. :spin3:

Took few pics recently:

Couple look through shots

Left and right sides

Crappy center pic- I need Siptang to teach me this dslr ( ;

Love my Red Planet

Cool cloves from Marvin and some Morphing Punks

 

[reeksreef]

I just installed LEDs over my 90 gallon and I have a few questions. #1 when controlling your LEDs with the apex lite are you ramping them up and down to mimic sunrise and sunset? #2 since putting optics on your LEDs have you checked for par reading on your sandbed? I have my LEDs about 8-9" off of the waterline without optics and debating if I should put 80° optics but worried about the disco affect.

 

[Biggar]

I just installed LEDs over my 90 gallon and I have a few questions. #1 when controlling your LEDs with the apex lite are you ramping them up and down to mimic sunrise and sunset? #2 since putting optics on your LEDs have you checked for par reading on your sandbed? I have my LEDs about 8-9" off of the waterline without optics and debating if I should put 80° optics but worried about the disco affect.

Congrats on your Leds.

Let me say that I do not have a dimmer on any of my Leds. If I did it again, I would put a dimmer on my Cool whites and Neutral whites at least (and I still may do this in future)

I have 8 sets of lights: All cree
One strip of Neutral White 12 leds
Two strips of Cool White 24 leds
Four strips of Royal Blue 56 leds
One Strip of BLue 14 leds


Not exact on the times but this is close:
I ramp up 2 sets of blue first 9:00am - 9:00PM (80 degree optics)
then another 2 blues 10:00- 9:30PM (80 degree optics)
then 2 cool whites 11:00-6:30PM (80 degree optics)
then the Blues 11-10PM (60 degree optics)
then High Noon Neutral Whites 12:00-4:00 (60 degree optics)

SO..... Five of my plugs on my APEX are just for lighting

1. AM i ramping? I guess so in my own way

2. Prior, in this thread there are par reading in one of the pics. ranged from sandbed 100-550 I believe

Do you need optics? Not sure. Too many factors to consider. Check your par on sand and top.

My zoas, torch, hammer, shrooms, acans, candycane, etc grow with 100 par.

FIY 80 degree optics shouldnt make a shadow effect. Also, there are factors here too

Good Luck

 

[reeksreef]

Congrats on your Leds.

Let me say that I do not have a dimmer on any of my Leds. If I did it again, I would put a dimmer on my Cool whites and Neutral whites at least (and I still may do this in future)

I have 8 sets of lights: All cree
One strip of Neutral White 12 leds
Two strips of Cool White 24 leds
Four strips of Royal Blue 56 leds
One Strip of BLue 14 leds


Not exact on the times but this is close:
I ramp up 2 sets of blue first 9:00am - 9:00PM (80 degree optics)
then another 2 blues 10:00- 9:30PM (80 degree optics)
then 2 cool whites 11:00-6:30PM (80 degree optics)
then the Blues 11-10PM (60 degree optics)
then High Noon Neutral Whites 12:00-4:00 (60 degree optics)

SO..... Five of my plugs on my APEX are just for lighting

1. AM i ramping? I guess so in my own way

2. Prior, in this thread there are par reading in one of the pics. ranged from sandbed 100-550 I believe

Do you need optics? Not sure. Too many factors to consider. Check your par on sand and top.

My zoas, torch, hammer, shrooms, acans, candycane, etc grow with 100 par.

FIY 80 degree optics shouldnt make a shadow effect. Also, there are factors here too

Good Luck

Thanks

I also have all Cree LEDs on my build. I have a total of 28RB, 12NW, 16TV, 8OCW(ocean coral white.) they are 3 LEDs on 1 board. (deep red, cool blue and turquoise). True Violets and OCW both have 90° optics, NW and RB is just normal. I also have all of them on dimmable with inventronics power supplies. Reason I ask about the ramping is because I know apex have that feature on the VS1 and VS2 ports but don't know if the apex lite comes with it. I want to get an apex but don't know which one to go with rather it be the full version or lite.

 

[reeksreef]

Also was looking to borrow a par meter instead of buying one, but If push comes to shove and I really want to find out I'd dish out the cash for one. I know with your tank being 30" tall you'd need optics but my 90g is only 18" and I have them pretty close to the waterline.

 

[Biggar]

Also was looking to borrow a par meter instead of buying one, but If push comes to shove and I really want to find out I'd dish out the cash for one. I know with your tank being 30" tall you'd need optics but my 90g is only 18" and I have them pretty close to the waterline.

wow- your running more leds on your 90 than my 265. Im guessing you will be ramping down you CW's alot to get nice color. Im running almost 3x the blue leds to white, and still white is overpowering for my liking. That why I want dim whites

Call Neptune systems for APEX info, very knowledgeable staff. They will outfit your system correctly

There is a member here with FMAS that may be able to help you with par meter.

 

[reeksreef]

Yeah I know it's overkill for my 90g but got it like that because I plan on getting the 300g DD. Thanks for the advice, and I hope I can get someone to loan me theirs.

 

[Biggar]

New Additions

New Additions

After going to frag swap(PMAS) 9-22-12, we added bunch of corals to the collection. Half on trade, half bought. I find when I list them with pics I can track growth and remind myself what the heck all their names are. Here we go. Adding new fish or corals, sparked new interest too. Wife is always feeding the tank now ( :
Rose wrote them down as we hit each kiosk. ( :

FRAG JUNKIE
Lunar eclipse
Tree huggers
Northern lights
Pink goniopora

MORGAN
Chili millipora or Cherry Red
Blueberry nasuta
Ora Frogskin Acropora
Yellow totuosa

CORALGASM
Weirdo chalice

SOUTHSIDE
My clementine
Dearth maul and blue space monster lookalike
Greenish-Yellow & orange goniopora

Keith Reef-o-holics
Wild Superman Chalice

Marke
Reef ready grape juice
Superman digitada
Crayola

Jon
Tyree watermelon chalice
Rasta
Forest fire digitada
Meteor shower
Sunset monti
Superman monti
Eagle eye morph

Aly
Rastas

Weirdo Chalice

Yellow totuosa

Superman Digitada

Sunset Montipora

Strawberry Shortcake and Blueberry nasuta(cant wait to see what this grows into)

Greenish-Yellow & orange goniopora

Forest Fire Digitada, Crayola, Chlili Millepora or Cherry Red

Northern Lights Zoa

Lunar Eclipse Zoa

Ora Frogskin Acropora (My largest frag)

 

[Biggar]

continued

continued

Soon as I put these on the sand, my blue electric legged crab rips the superman monti right off the plug. Strong lil bastid.

Here is: Wild Superman Chalice, meteor shower monti, Tyree watermelon. Crab ripping superman mont on sand in background

Pink and yellow goniopora

Marke's super duty reef ready grape juice

some eagle eyes and rastas im waiting to open

One polyp of rasta that is winking at us

My Clementine

Darth maul with some wanna be space monster

One of wifes favs. The Tree Hugger zoa in front of the yellow goniopora

Other side

Loot before dipping

 

[Biggar]

New additions: Pump, LED sump frag rack, and reactor

New additions: Pump, LED sump frag rack, and reactor

New Frag Rack:
Consists of 2 drivers and all 60 degree optics except the red LED(on a 80 degree)

One Driver:
2 Cool white
2 Neutral white
1 Red

Driver Two
1 Royal Blue
1 Green
1 Blue
2 UV

Also Added: Phosban 150 reactor with about a 1/4 dose of bio-pellats. Now have used 4 of 5 spots on the return pump manifold.

Completed the automation with 3rd Dosing pump for MAG

 

[rovster]

That's one helluva set up there Mike! If it wasn't for that ghetto center piece, your display would be gorgeous

Very nice selection of corals. Would love to see these sweet frags in a year:thumbsup:

 

[SirReefer]

Biggar, are you feeding the reactors from the return pump ? Also, is the water from the reactors going back into the sump or do have it connected back into the return pipes to your dt?

 

[Hyperion1337]

great pics!!! i really like the frag section in terms of the color. It may make me change plans from t5 to LEDs. lol

 

[nivram]

What made you decide to run bio-pellets?

 

[Biggar]

That's one helluva set up there Mike! If it wasn't for that ghetto center piece, your display would be gorgeous

Very nice selection of corals. Would love to see these sweet frags in a year:thumbsup:

Thanks
Those frags wont make it a year, but you can always look at the mother colonies in the display ( ;

*** That is a good idea, see what lighting grows coral better though

Biggar, are you feeding the reactors from the return pump ? Also, is the water from the reactors going back into the sump or do have it connected back into the return pipes to your dt?

Yes, I built a manifold to supply water sources to 5 areas.
1. carbon reactor
2. GFO reactor
3. UV light
4. now a bio-pellet reactor
5. Have one more for external frag tank, etc

The water from the bio pellets goes to skimmer chamber, the water from GFO and carbon i put in the refugium.

great pics!!! i really like the frag section in terms of the color. It may make me change plans from t5 to LEDs. lol

Thanks, I do too ( ; Its will change the way I build LEDs in future

What made you decide to run bio-pellets?

Im getting some unwanted algae growth due to nitrates i believe. Plus I had that free 20.00 gift certificate for foster and smith. So, I got the whole set up for 30 bucks shipped ( ;