Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

[mr.wilson]

those led lights look amazing! did you end up going w 3 fixtures over each 1/2 of the tank for a total of 6 fixtures?
corey

Yes, I hear he went with six LED fixtures but he is switching them slowly to acclimate the corals and help him sleep at night.

 

[mr.wilson]

I stand corrected, 400 watt MHl not 250 watt. I should have noticed the large fixture size.

We tried a 400 watt Aqua-Medic MHL with 13,000K AM mogul bulb. The light was bright and coverage was good, but it was very white. Personally, I like white light. We could have gone with 400 watt 13,000K and supplemented with LED on the outer sides, but I'm happy with what we have... until an LED comes out that can replace our centre MHL fixtures.

Once the LED lights are up, we will limit the hours of MHL lighting to maybe 5-6 hours per day. This will cut back our energy consumption and give a more realistic intensity shift throughout the day.

 

[nineball]

Peter. Where are you?
How is your baby Cardinals?

Hi Chingchai, the baby cardinals are doing great!!!! I will post a pic later today. Yesterday we found a very large crab almost the size of my fist which we believe explains the mystery of the missing fish. I am trying to trap it with two tall glasses angled towards his cave. each glass has a bundle of large shrimp. So far no luck but sooner or later we will get him. When we get him we are going to give him his very own tank in one of the wilson bars in the fish room next to the scorpion fish on one side and the lion fish on the other. That should make an honest crab out of him!!!

I'm curious Chingchai, did you feel the earthquake and were you anywhere near your tank when it happened?

Peter

 

[mr.wilson]

Basic science would very much disagree with you. Green algae (which includes most nuisance algae) reflects green light and is therefore green light is the LEAST likely to promote growth of green algae.

There is an overly complex description here...
http://books.google.ca/books?id=olC...trum of light causes blue green algae&f=false

... and an overly simplified explanation here...
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diatomandslimemicroalgae/a/redslimealgae.htm

 

[dahenley]

Basic science would very much disagree with you. Green algae (which includes most nuisance algae) reflects green light and is therefore green light is the LEAST likely to promote growth of green algae.

i could have swore that science says that white reflects all light, black absorbs all light, and the colors you see are ones that are only absorbed by the object and the rest of the colors are reflected.

but its been a few years since science class.

 

[nineball]

There is an overly complex description here...
http://books.google.ca/books?id=olC...trum of light causes blue green algae&f=false

... and an overly simplified explanation here...
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diatomandslimemicroalgae/a/redslimealgae.htm

Mr. Wilson, I am not sure which area of advanced science I would require a post doctoral understanding to properly interpret your overly complex reference but I am no closer to understanding the issue now I'm afraid than when the subject was raised in the first place.

all that to say I am lost...........which as you know is an incredibly common feature in my perceptual landscape!!!!!!

Peter

 

[d3hree]

i could have swore that science says that white reflects all light, black absorbs all light, and the colors you see are ones that are only absorbed by the object and the rest of the colors are reflected.

but its been a few years since science class.

I believe that the colours we see are the ones reflected by the objects. This is why if you wear a red jumper the underside of your chin is tinted red as the red light is bounced off of the jumper.

 

[mr.wilson]

I believe that the colours we see are the ones reflected by the objects. This is why if you wear a red jumper the underside of your chin is tinted red as the red light is bounced off of the jumper.

Oh good, I thought it was the whiskey that was giving me the red nose:beer:

 

[bboudreaux]

I want to take a moment for an apology to the folks who may have PM'd me and I may have been late in responding or failed to respond. I'm not used to the multi channels of communication on the forum and my time in front of the keyboard is sporadic at best for the moment. The best place for continuity is the thread itself for sure and the PM may be not as certain for a quick turnaround. remind me in the forum you have PM'd me and I'll be guaranteed to check it out.

Also I want to make an observation regarding the 'climate' in this thread from the beginning. You guy's and gal's have been incredible...........stand up and take a bow! I can't believe how positive and constructive this experience has been for me and my team. As most of you know, the tendency in this place is sometimes driven by individuals ( I forget the correct term ) who scoot through just stirring up unnecessary debate for the sake of argument. This hasn't happened here and I can honestly say I haven't encountered anyone I wouldn't gladly invite into my home for a tank tour from the beginning.

To a fault I want to protect this environment and this community from any deviant behaviour. I am asking waaaaaay before it happens that if the activity becomes uncomfortable let the Mods look after it......don't bite or play with them. This thread is important to me as I am hoping that 'our tank' we produce is something RC and the members of this thread can be very proud of. Make no mistake, this is our tank, I may be paying for it but you guys are living and caring for it for sure. I have HUGE blind spots that can only be helped and corrected by the capable folks I have met in this forum environment. Lets make this thread a center of excellence and best practices when it comes to large tank dialogs.

For the folks who have been hiding behind the curtains just watching please feel free to step out and say hi. Its the best way to truly feel like a card carrying member of this thread. At some point in the future membership in this thread will have its privileges. AND the value of those privileges???? PRICELESS!!!!

Thanks everyone.

Peter

i would just like to say that i'm officially addicted to this thread and i'm only on page 17 i think. at this point i'm not really sure where this thread ends up, which i'm sure most of yall do by now(sorry louisiana boy here), but i'm quite sure it will be amazing. in life i have always believed that no one thing or person can be truly the greatest. there always has to be something better. will peter sir you have me convinced that there could only be an equal to your tank never better, and remember i'm only on page 17. please don't feel the need to respond to this post i just wanted to let you know that you have once again affected someones life for the good. i would also like to say that i am in awe how a man of your obvious stature in life can be so down to earth as to try and get back to every person this thread. i'm sure you are an exceptional human being. thanks again for giving me something to read again.

Brent

 

[dave.m]

i could have swore that science says that white reflects all light, black absorbs all light, and the colors you see are ones that are only absorbed by the object and the rest of the colors are reflected.
but its been a few years since science class.

If I may, I would like to point out a distinction that seems to be getting lost.

From Susan E. Douglas, A. W. D. Larkum, John A. Raven in Photosynthesis in algae
Green light causes the highest photosynthetic rates in these organisms because it is absorbed mainly by the phycobilins of the antenna of Photosystem II and transferred efficiently to both photosynthetic reaction centers.

Yes, the colours we see are those that are reflected by an object, but that was not, I think, mr.wilson's point. What he tried to show in his references is that various algae and cyanobacteria are known to grow more rapidly within certain ranges of colour of light.

Dave.M

 

[chingchai]

Hi Chingchai, the baby cardinals are doing great!!!! I will post a pic later today. Yesterday we found a very large crab almost the size of my fist which we believe explains the mystery of the missing fish. I am trying to trap it with two tall glasses angled towards his cave. each glass has a bundle of large shrimp. So far no luck but sooner or later we will get him. When we get him we are going to give him his very own tank in one of the wilson bars in the fish room next to the scorpion fish on one side and the lion fish on the other. That should make an honest crab out of him!!!

I'm curious Chingchai, did you feel the earthquake and were you anywhere near your tank when it happened?

Peter

I also have big crab in my tank as well.
But I can't trap them out.
If you have a trick, please post some pictures for us.

The earthquake:
No, I didn't feel it because it is quite far away from Bangkok.

 

[mr.wilson]

If I may, I would like to point out a distinction that seems to be getting lost.

From Susan E. Douglas, A. W. D. Larkum, John A. Raven in Photosynthesis in algae
Green light causes the highest photosynthetic rates in these organisms because it is absorbed mainly by the phycobilins of the antenna of Photosystem II and transferred efficiently to both photosynthetic reaction centers.

Yes, the colours we see are those that are reflected by an object, but that was not, I think, mr.wilson's point. What he tried to show in his references is that various algae and cyanobacteria are known to grow more rapidly within certain ranges of colour of light.

Dave.M

What he said.

 

[z@pp]

Out of the closet

Out of the closet

Hi all,
I think it is time that I also come out of the closet. I have been amazed with this thread all since the beginning and it is one big learning journey for me. Like most of you I have almost no experience and I only have a 80liter nano since 1 year, but I can assure you that I will not go to bed without my daily dose of the thread!
Keep up the good work and I´ll be lurking like I have been in the background!
Regards,
René

 

[nineball]

i would just like to say that i'm officially addicted to this thread and i'm only on page 17 i think. at this point i'm not really sure where this thread ends up, which i'm sure most of yall do by now(sorry louisiana boy here), but i'm quite sure it will be amazing. in life i have always believed that no one thing or person can be truly the greatest. there always has to be something better. will peter sir you have me convinced that there could only be an equal to your tank never better, and remember i'm only on page 17. please don't feel the need to respond to this post i just wanted to let you know that you have once again affected someones life for the good. i would also like to say that i am in awe how a man of your obvious stature in life can be so down to earth as to try and get back to every person this thread. i'm sure you are an exceptional human being. thanks again for giving me something to read again.

Brent

With this post I think I am going to have to start up a group home for those addicted to this thread. Just to be clear, each person will have their own room with their own tank! I wonder how many rooms I'm going to need.

Thank you for commenting Brent, and welcome to our addiction. Life will never be the same again or will it..............stay tuned theres a lot more in the wind coming your way.

Peter

 

[nineball]

Hi all,
I think it is time that I also come out of the closet. I have been amazed with this thread all since the beginning and it is one big learning journey for me. Like most of you I have almost no experience and I only have a 80liter nano since 1 year, but I can assure you that I will not go to bed without my daily dose of the thread!
Keep up the good work and I´ll be lurking like I have been in the background!
Regards,
René

Thank you René, if you had come out of the closet sooner you would have probably qualified for a founders room in our new group home. Thanks for your support and a public welcome to our community.

Peter

 

[nineball]

I also have big crab in my tank as well.
But I can't trap them out.
If you have a trick, please post some pictures for us.

The earthquake:
No, I didn't feel it because it is quite far away from Bangkok.

My research on this forum and on the web suggests the best method is to put some shrimp meat in the bottom of a tall glass. Put the glass near the location of the crab leaning on a rock. Make sure the glass is at 45 degrees. This will allow him to crawl in but unable to crawl out because the glass is too smooth for him to get a grip to get out. But as has been said a number of times, you need patience. I have tried for two nights so far and still no joy but I am determined. When I do catch him I will be happy to post pictures.

Peter

 

[blkhwk]

Happy hunting Peter and good luck!!

 

[cloakerpoked]

Peter, I remember when this adventure started months/years ago, and remember subscribing to it. I remember the excitement of the rock finally arriving, and everything that's happened. I stopped reading for a while and stopped in to see what's been going on, and just have to say that the pictures that were posted by Mr. Wilson a few days ago were absolutely stunning! I'm so happy to see your dream become a reality, and your tank is truly an inspiration. Well done my friend!

 

[Eric the half-bee]

My research on this forum and on the web suggests the best method is to put some shrimp meat in the bottom of a tall glass. Put the glass near the location of the crab leaning on a rock. Make sure the glass is at 45 degrees. This will allow him to crawl in but unable to crawl out because the glass is too smooth for him to get a grip to get out. But as has been said a number of times, you need patience. I have tried for two nights so far and still no joy but I am determined. When I do catch him I will be happy to post pictures.

Peter

Peter, may I suggest a radical technique? I had a stone crab present and introduced a zebra moray. Needless to report, no more crabs. He has never bothered any of his tankmates either.

 

[nineball]

Peter, I remember when this adventure started months/years ago, and remember subscribing to it. I remember the excitement of the rock finally arriving, and everything that's happened. I stopped reading for a while and stopped in to see what's been going on, and just have to say that the pictures that were posted by Mr. Wilson a few days ago were absolutely stunning! I'm so happy to see your dream become a reality, and your tank is truly an inspiration. Well done my friend!

"adventure" it has been and continues...........thanks very much for the support. This community feels like a true family that continues to bond for all the right reasons.

Thank you, Mr.Wilson and I are proud of the results so far and they are about to get better..........

Peter