dmorel's 220 Round & Shallow reef build
- Thread starter dmorel
- Start date
dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
So, what's here are three Super Cool 115's with the barn door attachments.
Two of the bulbs are deep blue, the other is Aqua Blue.
I also have two MT 150 fixtures with the Coral Grow bulbs (about 16K)
All of these fixtures are 150 watt. I have currently left three of the won brothers fixtures up there. I'm not actually sure what I will do in total. Right now it's a LOT of light
Getting authentic Japanese fixtures and bulbs brought into the US is an extremely frustrating endeavor. One that I frankly had given up on when I ordered the Won Brothers spots but ultimately I was successful in my attempts.
I'm so pleased. Admittedly I just spent a few hours figuring out how to wire everything up and get it all on the fixture, but I haven't really placed everything where it will go in the end, and I have to deal with some ground wire issues too since the Japanese systems are a little different then ours. I will say however that the bulbs for the spots are WAY better than the won brothers bulbs, I really do get a targeted spot of light.
Next up is figuring out how to get some red LED spots for color.
Hope you guys enjoy the authentic Japanese spots and fixtures!
Two of the bulbs are deep blue, the other is Aqua Blue.
I also have two MT 150 fixtures with the Coral Grow bulbs (about 16K)
All of these fixtures are 150 watt. I have currently left three of the won brothers fixtures up there. I'm not actually sure what I will do in total. Right now it's a LOT of light
Getting authentic Japanese fixtures and bulbs brought into the US is an extremely frustrating endeavor. One that I frankly had given up on when I ordered the Won Brothers spots but ultimately I was successful in my attempts.
I'm so pleased. Admittedly I just spent a few hours figuring out how to wire everything up and get it all on the fixture, but I haven't really placed everything where it will go in the end, and I have to deal with some ground wire issues too since the Japanese systems are a little different then ours. I will say however that the bulbs for the spots are WAY better than the won brothers bulbs, I really do get a targeted spot of light.
Next up is figuring out how to get some red LED spots for color.
Hope you guys enjoy the authentic Japanese spots and fixtures!
dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
KMP, the Won Brothers spots from earlier in the thread were ordered via an internet retailer who brought them in. I've not yet seen anyone else with them. Most people probably stayed away because they are won brothers and their reputation is a bit suspect.
The Super Cool's or SuperKaru's as they are sometimes referred to as well as the MT 150's which are what the series of photos above are featuring just arrived today. Those were imported via an absurd process that I'm not going to detail (have to have a little mystery!) from Japan. Unfortunately there is simply not a single US supplier of true Japanese style spotlights for reefs. The MT 150's which are the double ended fixtures above are also Japanese only fixtures, but are not as functionally different than the traditional pendants we have here in the US, I simply really liked the aesthetics and since I've been a huge fan of Japanese reefs and had been styling this tank after their look I just went for it. There is one practical advantage to the MT 150's and the superkaru's which is that the barn doors allow me to direct light a bit and minimize the bleed into the surrounding room. It should also significantly cut down on glare when sitting around the tank, which I am all for.
edit: had local retailer for the won brothers spots, they were not local, was an internet retailer.
Skip you have no idea. Wait until you see these in person, the pictures don't come close to doing them justice and the bulbs are simply amazing looking.
Taking Monday off is out of the question I'm afraid, but I still may shoot for "work from home" and just do a few conference calls.
The Super Cool's or SuperKaru's as they are sometimes referred to as well as the MT 150's which are what the series of photos above are featuring just arrived today. Those were imported via an absurd process that I'm not going to detail (have to have a little mystery!) from Japan. Unfortunately there is simply not a single US supplier of true Japanese style spotlights for reefs. The MT 150's which are the double ended fixtures above are also Japanese only fixtures, but are not as functionally different than the traditional pendants we have here in the US, I simply really liked the aesthetics and since I've been a huge fan of Japanese reefs and had been styling this tank after their look I just went for it. There is one practical advantage to the MT 150's and the superkaru's which is that the barn doors allow me to direct light a bit and minimize the bleed into the surrounding room. It should also significantly cut down on glare when sitting around the tank, which I am all for.
edit: had local retailer for the won brothers spots, they were not local, was an internet retailer.
Skip you have no idea. Wait until you see these in person, the pictures don't come close to doing them justice and the bulbs are simply amazing looking.
Taking Monday off is out of the question I'm afraid, but I still may shoot for "work from home" and just do a few conference calls.
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dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
There are two hydroponic shops within walking distance of my house (I live in a college town, near ASU in Tempe AZ) -- While I'm sorry that you're depressed about it I've been pretty happy with the light rack. I actually am hoping to get some areas that don't feature intense lighting and other areas that do, should make for some good viewing.
Jeez, my lighting is depressing everyone!
Giga, I'm sorry for your having to take a break from the hobby at just the wrong time.
Hang in there, your tank build was so sweet.
Thanks biowerks. It's actually only odd here in the US. These are fairly standard lights in the Japanese reefing community. The light rack itself might be a little odd, but it's functional and has the look I was going for.
Thanks JR! You will absolutely have to come check this out after it's done. Thanks for helping talk me into doing it. Of course, I'm emptying my savings account faster than I care to think about, so you might have to buy the beer! Just Kidding, I'll get a 12 pack of fat tire in the can.
Marty, not sure yet. There are actually a few people who have asked about the won brothers spots. I may use a few of them, I may remove all of them, I may sell some of them. You sure you don't want some lumenarcs????
Give me a few weeks to get some water in and figure out exactly how I want to get the lighting aligned and I will decide on what I'm doing with them.
dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
I took the won brothers spots off last night (stayed up way too late) and took one quick snap. You can still the won's on top of the rack, but this is what it would look like with only the Japanese lighting system on the tank.
I really need water in it to tell for sure what I'm going to do, but my gut tells me I will probably use one or two of the won spots in addition to these 5 lights.
I really need water in it to tell for sure what I'm going to do, but my gut tells me I will probably use one or two of the won spots in addition to these 5 lights.
dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
Well I started playing with the RKE tonight.
Was pretty simple to set the lights up on a basic timer. Except with MH's there is a 15 minute delay between when you set it and when they fire (giving the MH time to cool) but I really thought I did something wrong and couldn't figure it out!
I'm using the superkaru's alone, followed by the won spots (yep, all seven spots are now back on the rack) and then the two MT 150's. Off in reverse order as well.
Still have to program all the other components like the chiller/heater, dual PH probes, orp (using ozone for the first time ever in this tank).
Skip has the skimmer, says it is a MONSTER, can't wait to see it Monday.
I'm going to be "Working From Home" Monday so can assist with some of the plumbing between conference calls.
My rock is coming tomorrow, a local reefer has been holding it in a tub for a few months now actually and will help deliver it tomorrow (thanks Scott!!!!) Amazingly he's less that a mile and a half from my house so shouldn't be too bad.
I'll probably make up as much RODI water between now and Monday as I possibly can as well to get at least a bit of a jump start on filling the tank when it's finally ready.
Last but not least a buddy of mine is on tap to help (and by help I mean do it all) build the raised floor.
We're going to leave the stand exposed and not build the floor up under the tank, so it should be kind of a cool industrial look I hope.
He may build the "shell" as early as Wednesday, so this time next week it could look a lot different than it does today.
Boy do I use lot of parenthesis.
That's all for now!
Was pretty simple to set the lights up on a basic timer. Except with MH's there is a 15 minute delay between when you set it and when they fire (giving the MH time to cool) but I really thought I did something wrong and couldn't figure it out!
I'm using the superkaru's alone, followed by the won spots (yep, all seven spots are now back on the rack) and then the two MT 150's. Off in reverse order as well.
Still have to program all the other components like the chiller/heater, dual PH probes, orp (using ozone for the first time ever in this tank).
Skip has the skimmer, says it is a MONSTER, can't wait to see it Monday.
I'm going to be "Working From Home" Monday so can assist with some of the plumbing between conference calls.
My rock is coming tomorrow, a local reefer has been holding it in a tub for a few months now actually and will help deliver it tomorrow (thanks Scott!!!!) Amazingly he's less that a mile and a half from my house so shouldn't be too bad.
I'll probably make up as much RODI water between now and Monday as I possibly can as well to get at least a bit of a jump start on filling the tank when it's finally ready.
Last but not least a buddy of mine is on tap to help (and by help I mean do it all) build the raised floor.
We're going to leave the stand exposed and not build the floor up under the tank, so it should be kind of a cool industrial look I hope.
He may build the "shell" as early as Wednesday, so this time next week it could look a lot different than it does today.
Boy do I use lot of parenthesis.
That's all for now!
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14487410#post14487410 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dmorel
I took the won brothers spots off last night (stayed up way too late) and took one quick snap. You can still the won's on top of the rack, but this is what it would look like with only the Japanese lighting system on the tank.
I really need water in it to tell for sure what I'm going to do, but my gut tells me I will probably use one or two of the won spots in addition to these 5 lights.
Wow that is impressive. I would love to get couple of them spotlight myself...
hummermaniac88
New member
Wow very nice and original!
Johan Susanto
New member
wow i love the lighting system. Nice build
dmorel
Can I borrow your towel
Giga,
for now I think I'm gonna run them. Or at least see what it's like to run them.
I currently have the 4 won spotlights (2x20K, 2x14K) 1 superkaru with aqua blue and 2 superkaru with deep blue running. Plus the 2x150 coral grow MT fixtures.
Until I put water in the tank (Monday night start filling???) I don't know for sure what I will do. Actually to be honest until I put my rock and corals in the tank I don't know what I will do.
You want me to shoot you a note if I decide not to keep them all?
Thanks Steve. I wish I could say it was practical. These spotlights are hella cool and I love love love the colors of the bulbs and the styling of the fixtures but ultimately it's far from a great idea. I've just learned for instance that the bulbs (Super Cool 115's they are called) are known for massive and fast color shifts. I will have to deal with the time and (large) expense of importing a bunch of bulbs so I have my own stock.
I wish I could start a side business importing Japanese reef products the way the car guys do it, but I barely have enough time as it is and I doubt this economy would support such a thing.
thank you!
Thanks Johan, I love it too!
cowdust9, the majority of them were imported from Japan.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14484761#post14484761 target=_blank>This post from above</a> covers it in more detail.
