My LTA finally sand ridden, new lights on the way

[jacobzking]

Yeah that nem is looking really good! It's going to love the new lighting if it is responding this well to the added light you have on it right now. Just keep up with the water parameters (10ppm nitrate is NOTHING to worry about) through regular bi-weekly water changes and you should be good to go.

You could also consider adding some chaeto and a clamp on light to your sump which will help with nitrates and phosphates.

sounds like and idea. i'll see if my LFS sells Cheetos, never noticed it there before but they probably do, right? if not, there's some on eBay. why is this the first time I'm hearing about Cheeto? sounds like a great addition to any tank. as far as a cheeto light, and cheap light will do?

 

[katarina]

I saw last night that someone on the forum is selling some. I think it was $15 per bag shipped. It was in the sell area.

 

[SkullV]

sounds like and idea. i'll see if my LFS sells Cheetos, never noticed it there before but they probably do, right? if not, there's some on eBay. why is this the first time I'm hearing about Cheeto? sounds like a great addition to any tank. as far as a cheeto light, and cheap light will do?

One of those clamp on lights and spiral CFL lights from home depot would be just fine. You can usually get free chaeto from a local reefer if you look in your local reef club on here.

 

[jacobzking]

UPDATE: my lights STILL AREN'T HERE due to the weather conditions so I'm canceling my order. my LFS has a 72" Coralife Aqualight 150watt x 3 metal halide set on sale for a GREAT price ($449... usually $969)... so I'm just going to go with that.

they are the previous model, double ended lights, 20k, no lunar lights though

 

[SkullV]

UPDATE: my lights STILL AREN'T HERE due to the weather conditions so I'm canceling my order. my LFS has a 72" Coralife Aqualight 150watt x 3 metal halide set on sale for a GREAT price ($449... usually $969)... so I'm just going to go with that.

they are the previous model, double ended lights, 20k, no lunar lights though

Your LTA will be even happier now! Are they the Aqualights with the T5 actinics too? You will love the look of that light over your tank. You seem to be shifting over towards mixed reef pretty quickly.

 

[jacobzking]

Your LTA will be even happier now! Are they the Aqualights with the T5 actinics too? You will love the look of that light over your tank. You seem to be shifting over towards mixed reef pretty quickly.

i'm honestly not sure if they have the actinics also, i just know that it has 2 20k bulbs and its in a brown box, 3 150w ballasts, something about double ended lights, previous model (brand new though)...

 

[jacobzking]

just went and looked at the lights. it is JUST the 2 double ended HQI 20k bulbs (150watt each) so 450w total. they were $11xx before. i know they're a little older but d@mn, $449 for 450watts is a deal!

what ya think?

 

[SkullV]

just went and looked at the lights. it is JUST the 2 double ended HQI 20k bulbs (150watt each) so 450w total. they were $11xx before. i know they're a little older but d@mn, $449 for 450watts is a deal!

what ya think?

Just make sure you dont have a plastic center brace that will be RIGHT under the middle MH light. It will melt that brace. You may have to hang the fixture to make it work.

 

[jacobzking]

Just make sure you dont have a plastic center brace that will be RIGHT under the middle MH light. It will melt that brace. You may have to hang the fixture to make it work.

good call! but my top is split in to 3 and so it is glass in the very middle (under the middle bulb) plus it comes with legs so its not right on the glass.

now to hope my fish survived last night's stupidity... was doing a 30% water change and didn't realize that my new water got cold. while changing 30gal, my water temp dropped suddenly from 77.5 to 73.5. everything seems to be ok. this happened about 2 minutes after just dropping in a new regal tang talk about shock acclimation.

 

[ocellaris123]

good call! but my top is split in to 3 and so it is glass in the very middle (under the middle bulb) plus it comes with legs so its not right on the glass.

now to hope my fish survived last night's stupidity... was doing a 30% water change and didn't realize that my new water got cold. while changing 30gal, my water temp dropped suddenly from 77.5 to 73.5. everything seems to be ok. this happened about 2 minutes after just dropping in a new regal tang talk about shock acclimation.

Your fish will most likely be fine. Keep an eye out for the blue tang (P. hepatus) as they are ich magnets.

 

[jacobzking]

Your fish will most likely be fine. Keep an eye out for the blue tang (P. hepatus) as they are ich magnets.

actually... we bought a regal tang on Weds, drip acclimated it for about 2 hours, placed it in the tank, and it immediately started rubbing his side on rovk, like he had ick. then he started wedging himself between 2 rocks and laying sort of at a 45° angle and breathing heavily. we took him back to the LFS and swapped him for another regal...

so far the new regal isn't showing any signs of ich but he does hide a lot otherwise seems to be healthy