My 75 gallon Reef... a newbie's progress.

[jdantunes]

Thanks for the update. I'm following this thread now. Tank looks amazing, your reef has mature very well in the last few years. I'm cycling my new 75G and I will complete livestock transfer in the next couple of months.

While I was reading your build I wonder why you didn't keep your tank without the canopy?

 

[dg3147]

Thanks for the update. I'm following this thread now. Tank looks amazing, your reef has mature very well in the last few years. I'm cycling my new 75G and I will complete livestock transfer in the next couple of months.

While I was reading your build I wonder why you didn't keep your tank without the canopy?

A few reasons. Mostly due to newbie errors. The tank is actually rimless...though, the trim on the stand conceals this.

1) the tank has unsightly eurobracing on each side. The tank would look better without it and, according to some, shouldn't really need it since the tank is only 18" deep.

2) When the tank was built they used green/clear silicone. Black would look better for the modern rimless look. The trim on the stand conceals this.

I actually took the canopy off for awhile, but the spill from my LEDs was annoying so, by adding the canopy back on (but I removed the lid to it). The trim eliminates all the spill.

 

[dg3147]

Update: Gone AI Sol led --great growth, but the pinks and reds don't pop as much (plan on going EcoTech soon), Vodka at 1.5 ml with MB7 (NO3/PhO4 undetectable), tank crash recovering well. The FTS is a bit cloudy since I just cleaned the refuge.

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/?action=view&current=photobucket-11546-1317844882929.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/photobucket-11546-1317844882929.jpg" border="0" alt="2011-10-05_12-58-43_137"></a>

 

[Roblox84]

Update: Gone AI Sol led --great growth, but the pinks and reds don't pop as much (plan on going EcoTech soon), Vodka at 1.5 ml with MB7 (NO3/PhO4 undetectable), tank crash recovering well. The FTS is a bit cloudy since I just cleaned the refuge.

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/?action=view&current=photobucket-11546-1317844882929.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/photobucket-11546-1317844882929.jpg" border="0" alt="2011-10-05_12-58-43_137"></a>

What color leds would make reds pop?

 

[dg3147]

What color leds would make reds pop?

Not sure. Hoping that the new EcoTech will...but need to see once they ship this mid october to the masses.

 

[Roblox84]

Not sure. Hoping that the new EcoTech will...but need to see once they ship this mid october to the masses.

Yeah I guess we'll see. I'm in the process of a diy build right now so if I can just add an led that would make reds pop that would be cool. I think the ecotech use green led but I'm not sure if any other colors

Sent from my VM670

 

[dg3147]

Yeah I guess we'll see. I'm in the process of a diy build right now so if I can just add an led that would make reds pop that would be cool. I think the ecotech use green led but I'm not sure if any other colors

Sent from my VM670

keep me posted....btw, do u have a link? r u adding red led's?

 

[Roblox84]

keep me posted....btw, do u have a link? r u adding red led's?

If you meant a link to my build, here it is: www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2076711. I'm not adding any red leds because I've heard the color is really hard to blend and sticks out like a sore thumb. The only ones I will be using this time around is 8 royal blues and one 30 watt 20000k chinese led on one fixture (2 fixtures). I will see later if I want to add any other led for reds but as of now I want to get started on my build and not wait for something else to be shipped. I could easily just pop of a blue led and add a different one or just add one more and keep all the blues.

Sent from my VM670

 

[dg3147]

Photo update (colors are not done justice with my crappy Cannon ELPH):

 

[jdantunes]

I read your post in a different thread and reading the signature, my curiosity kick in. I'm running a 75 under T5x4, I have thought of adding one or two 48" reef brite strips to supplement. What are your thoughts on this?

I saw you upgrade to AI. I have thought about upgrade to LED's, but I'm just not ready to do it yet.

 

[thabizness]

I also have a 75g running 4x54 T5H0. I have been wanting to go LED and will prob make that move in the next 30 days. I know Sols are dated technology now but I do like to stay a generation or so behind. I was considering the Sols for my LED upgrade. What was your thoughts and was the only reason you changed because the pinks and reds? What LED's are you running these days?

 

[dg3147]

I read your post in a different thread and reading the signature, my curiosity kick in. I'm running a 75 under T5x4, I have thought of adding one or two 48" reef brite strips to supplement. What are your thoughts on this?

I saw you upgrade to AI. I have thought about upgrade to LED's, but I'm just not ready to do it yet.

I currently run T5x4 and 2x48" LED Reefbrite strips. The look is ideal when I compare it to running pure LEDs or pure T5 (both of which I had done in the past). Please note though that I ran LED's back when they were only blue and white --not sure about the more modern LED fixtures. Also, Powermodule now makes a hybrid fixture ---that may be an interesting option too.

If u get the 48" LED Reefbrites, I would get one all blue and one 50/50 (which looks pretty white).

 

[jdantunes]

I just can't make myself to upgrade to full spectrum LED on my 75 gallons. IMO the initial investment to light up a 75gallons with Radiums Pro is not cost efficient. I can see it doing it when I upgrade into a larger tank like a 180 Gallons, but no plans for that in the near future.

What combination reef brites you run on yours? How far from the water surface is your fixture? Do you still have a canopy? Any update pictures?

 

[jdantunes]

I would add one more question. Would you say that the combination of 4x 54W T5's and 2x Reefbrite LED's (One blue the other 50/50), does looks better than 6x 54W T5?

The new T5 & LED ATI powermodule looks sick! But is out of my price range. I'll expect to see it at Macna this year.