My 47G Rimless T5/LED Hybrid SPS Tank

[sahin]

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[Bello]

Your colors look awesome!!

 

[sahin]

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OK, here is the video I promised. Note the following:

I had to switch off ALL the LED's otherwise the Iphone 4 does not pickup the white balance correctly at all and its just all blue. I only had the 5xT5 tubes running: Tubes were 2xBlue+ tubes, 1xFijiPink, 1xAquablueSpecial and 1xArcadia 14K - the last tube is actually orange in appearance.

If only the Iphone would pick up the colour with ALL the lights on. Anyway, hope you like the video...at least it shows that my colours are not simply photoshoped.

Thanks for watching. __________________

 

[steevareno2002]

I love your tank! I had the same idea with a combo of T5 and LED so I came up with this: Aquatinics TX5 with 2 blue+ and a fiji purple; Reefbrite(Cree) Leds's one strip of white and one royal blue. I love the overall look and have a small amount of shimmer too. I'll def be following your thread...:wave:

 

[westreef]

Sahin, I just love your tank video. I notice you have a frag glued sideway/upside down. Very interesting.

steevareno2002, I had the same T5 + Led combo as yours. Today I have replaced one of the Blue plus with pure actinic to reduce the intensity a bit. I have 2 frags got bleached. Others are doing good, even with some coloring up. I also reduced my photo period by one hour as of today. All my sps are about 12" from the light. This set up is very bright. Just wish I had a par meter.
Are your sps doing good? :wave:

 

[sahin]

Westreef: Can you post a photo of your LED/T5 hybrid lights? I really like the T5/LED hybrid setup. I'd like to see how you've fitted it all together.

With T5 only, for me there is something missing. The light is too static...whereas halide has this metallic look to it. With T5 and LED I get awesome colours and that metallic look as well.

Thanks.

 

[steevareno2002]

my SPS were doing great until i had a major outbreak of hair algae that choked everything out, so i'm restarting again...ughhh Wish i had a PAR meter too!

 

[westreef]

This is my setup in pictures:
Two c-channels of 12 leds each. Left channel is cool white. Right channel is royal blue.

The gut of the control box -- 2 dimmable drivers and 10V supply.

Mounted on canopy with T5
Front:
Blue Plus
Cool White
Purple Plus
Royal blue
Pure Actinic

Light on

Control box in the cabinet

FTS, not very good in color representation -- not very good in photo taking skill!

 

[westreef]

my SPS were doing great until i had a major outbreak of hair algae that choked everything out, so i'm restarting again...ughhh Wish i had a PAR meter too!

Don't feel bad. I had my share last April when I removed my very old and dirty sandbed and thus caused algae and cyano outbreak. Now everything is under control, at least for now.

 

[steevareno2002]

Looks good! Do you get shimmer at all? I'm using the Reefbrite LEd's and they are only driven to 1.2 watts each so I don't think i get as much shimmer as i would if they were at the full 3watts, but who knows. How much did it cost you to do that mod? The reefbrites set me back $400! :eek1:

 

[sahin]

Many thanks Westreef. I really like your build. Very clean DIY build. Excellent work!

Wow, I am running loads of watts over my 47G...now wonder some of my colours are surpreme whilst with other corals they are probably near bleaching!

Over your 75 you have 3xT5 + 24 LED's.

Over my 47 I have 5xT5 + 24 LED's tighly packed into clusters of 5 LED's as oppopsed to spread out like yours. I think my corals are being toasted. I really underestimated the output of this light. I wish I had a PAR meter to test the PAR out of my unit.

I have the lights 7" above the water line.

 

[westreef]

Looks good! Do you get shimmer at all? I'm using the Reefbrite LEd's and they are only driven to 1.2 watts each so I don't think i get as much shimmer as i would if they were at the full 3watts, but who knows. How much did it cost you to do that mod? The reefbrites set me back $400! :eek1:

Yes I get shimmer, good enough for me to really love it. So far the intensity is not maximum yet. I am still working on the ramping up of the LEDs. I have to be very careful not to fry my coral. My LEDs are from Cree. All are 3 watts. I don't remember exactly how much I paid for the DIY LED set up. I got a LED kit costed me $235, $10 for c-channel from Lowes and some electronic component from Fry's. So I guess maybe around $270.:spin2:

 

[sahin]

I only get slight shimmer. I know if my lights were mounted up a little higher I would get better shimmer.

I am running my LED's at 700mA full blast...I estimate that based on the Vf at 700mA each LED is running around 2.45watts.

 

[westreef]

I only get slight shimmer. I know if my lights were mounted up a little higher I would get better shimmer.

I am running my LED's at 700mA full blast...I estimate that based on the Vf at 700mA each LED is running around 2.45watts.

My lights are mounted 7" above water -- just like yours. I do have shimmer, but may not be as much as that of MH. However, I just love this level of shimmer, though.

I have 500mA through cool white and 700mA through royal blue. The maximum I plan to have are 1A and 750mA for cw and rb respectively.

I have this combo running for about a month. The T5 are overdriven by ICE Cap ballast and this combo is very bright. I still have to see if the coral are happy with it or not. As you know, I have 2 bleached coral. I am watching closely to see if my reduced photo period and replacement with actinic bulb would help or not.:bounce3:

 

[ukrimless]

Sahin

Love the pictures mate, I spot a few of the frags you had from me, colours are better than you described:eek2:, the pink hyacinthis is stunning, if you want to trade it for some smaller colonies, you can take your pick from my collection, blue tort has your name on it, and the setosa is starting to send off shoots for fragging.
Very keen to join the led bregade, I would be more than happy to have you build me a nice single strip unit.

Catch up soon, I will be watching out for updates.

Well done mate you are a credit to the UK reefkeeping clan :dance:

 

[saltygeek]

Really nice:thumbsup: I'll be watching this one to see it grow out. Colors are great. I like the low profile of the rocks and it still has a nice arch/cave. Great job!

 

[Rodrigo_BG]

Amazing video sahin, nice frags!!

 

[Tony B (UK)]

Hi Sahin,

Lovely looking set up, great attention to detail.

You have very good colours on your sps, those hybrid lights look great.

Regards,

Tony

 

[sahin]

Sahin
Love the pictures mate, I spot a few of the frags you had from me, colours are better than you described:eek2:, the pink hyacinthis is stunning, if you want to trade it for some smaller colonies, you can take your pick from my collection, blue tort has your name on it, and the setosa is starting to send off shoots for fragging. Very keen to join the led bregade, I would be more than happy to have you build me a nice single strip unit.
Catch up soon, I will be watching out for updates.
Well done mate you are a credit to the UK reefkeeping clan :dance:

Thanks mate, that is a very nice compliment. :beer: I've PM'd you via UR.

Really nice:thumbsup: I'll be watching this one to see it grow out. Colors are great. I like the low profile of the rocks and it still has a nice arch/cave. Great job!

Thank you. :beer:

Amazing video sahin, nice frags!!

Glad you liked the video. Going to work hard on making this tank something special.

Hi Sahin,
Lovely looking set up, great attention to detail.
You have very good colours on your sps, those hybrid lights look great.
Regards, Tony

Thank you Tony. You have a beautiful tank yourself with many beautiful and colourful corals.

Its nice to get compliments from all of you top reefkeepers. :celeb1:

 

[rburns24]

sahin, you have a wonderful tank. Also, the picture that you put up of your lights reflecting over the water taught me alot about t5s, without any effort on my part. Once again, very nice tank. All the best.