My Vertex Illumina Photos.

[AGYDAL]

wow im quite amazed, that the 12 inch fixture works so well, most people would use a 2 foot fixture, but i would think having seen this that unless your wanting sps in every inch of the tank that size would be perfect.

Yep, I will admit, I was a bit nervous about the using such a small fixture but as soon as it turned on POOF! my worries were gone. I hate that people keep focusing on the price and not the entire fixture...I ended up with half the size of fixture I thought I needed, and my only real cost (besides electricity) for the next 10 years after the inital purchase is the occasional bottle of compressed air to blow the dust off it lol!

 

[AGYDAL]

Very nice pictures. Can't wait to get my illumina

I'm glad to hear you decided to go with the Vertex, once you get it up and running, you're going to wonder why you even bothered looking at the competition

One thing I would suggest is a USB extender cable for the V-stick...I feel I get better communication between my laptop and the fixture with a 10 foot extender cord and I don't have to get my laptop any closer to water than I have to!

Sorry I don't know how to answer multiple people in one reply from my phone.

 

[Bobbofin]

AGYDAL,

Wow! I was considering a 24" fixture for a my 24x24x24" Marineland cube. It looks like it lights your 30x30x18" Marineland cube fine so a 12" fixture would do the trick. Thanks!

 

[Jacob D]

Seeing your setup makes me want to get back in the hobby... I better run away and fast!


Very nice

 

[AGYDAL]

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Now for a brief photo intermission, provided by my bathtub gremlin.
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[AGYDAL]

Sorry, I'm running out of angles to shoot my light; that don't involve my accident prone paws holding my camera over my topless tank lol!
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Under just blue and royal blue...
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I call this one the scratch & dent special...it had some wicked algae growth that was causing it to retract & everytime I was at my LFS it just looked more sad about its life...4 months later I think it looks pretty happy for a 35$ scoly...
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[cadre]

Sorry if you've mentioned this already but how long have you had this light on your tank? It looks great and all of your corals are happy, wish I could spend that kind of money!

 

[AGYDAL]

Sorry if you've mentioned this already but how long have you had this light on your tank? It looks great and all of your corals are happy, wish I could spend that kind of money!

Thanks! The lights been up and running since the first week of December 2010...the tank cycled for a few weeks before the light went up...I kept it lightless so it would be easier for me to resist the little devil on my shoulder, telling me to start stocking haha!

Yes, the fixture was expensive, I used this as my justification formula

~1,000$ (upfront purchase price) ÷ 5 (years of planned use) = ~$200 (cost per year of usage)

I had been planning this system for awhile, I was thinking of doing a T5 & halide fixture...so just use the same equation and add yearly replacement bulb costs & electricity usage, plus I have to remember to change the bulbs...once I looked at my math I started saving my money for LED...for me the purchase of the light was like ripping off a Band-aid, it didn't feel the greatest, but it's done and over with till something happens (tank upgrade) and I need a new one (light).

That being said, I do have a fair amount of money dumped into this set up...but I have an odd and stressful job...my tank makes me smile, so that's all that really matters to me

 

[Paul227]

hey what size fixture would you recommend for...
haha, only kidding
awesome tank mate, love the zoos!

 

[cadre]

Thanks! The lights been up and running since the first week of December 2010...the tank cycled for a few weeks before the light went up...I kept it lightless so it would be easier for me to resist the little devil on my shoulder, telling me to start stocking haha!

Yes, the fixture was expensive, I used this as my justification formula

~1,000$ (upfront purchase price) ÷ 5 (years of planned use) = ~$200 (cost per year of usage)

I had been planning this system for awhile, I was thinking of doing a T5 & halide fixture...so just use the same equation and add yearly replacement bulb costs & electricity usage, plus I have to remember to change the bulbs...once I looked at my math I started saving my money for LED...for me the purchase of the light was like ripping off a Band-aid, it didn't feel the greatest, but it's done and over with till something happens (tank upgrade) and I need a new one (light).

That being said, I do have a fair amount of money dumped into this set up...but I have an odd and stressful job...my tank makes me smile, so that's all that really matters to me

Great, thank you for that information. And for what it's worth, I have no problem justifying the expenditure for LEDs but I really just don't have the funds. My tank is almost 60" long too so that doesn't help. I had to go with the cheaper light up front so I spent $200 instead of $2000.

 

[AGYDAL]

Great, thank you for that information. And for what it's worth, I have no problem justifying the expenditure for LEDs but I really just don't have the funds. My tank is almost 60" long too so that doesn't help. I had to go with the cheaper light up front so I spent $200 instead of $2000.

No problem!
Totally understand about a 60" tank...I almost bought a beautiful custom built 125 that was used & super cheap instead of a new cube...when I started pricing the lighting options for a 125, I just couldn't justify the cost at this point in my life.

 

[AGYDAL]

hey what size fixture would you recommend for...
haha, only kidding
awesome tank mate, love the zoos!

:angryfire: you better be kidding nah, you're fine, I only wrote that since it seems like every Illumina thread turns into that question over & over...then there's always someone that chimes in about how Vertex owners don't post photos like the AI owners do...so I decided to start my own thread.

Thanks for the compliment though! I'm working on finding different colors of blue zoos & palys, I love the look of them with the coraline algae.

 

[AGYDAL]

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[rogerwilco357]

nice stuff keep it up.

 

[AGYDAL]

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famous last words...
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[AGYDAL]

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I call him Cannonball!
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Still looking for the BTA...
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This is Mr. Crabby's vacation home...
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These were a very nice and unexpected addition this weekend.
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It appears that in my plan to save the best for last, I completely forgot to upload it. Eh, the anticipation will make it that much more exciting...not that it really needs much help

 

[creefer01]

Beautiful reef! Killer pictures!

I'm very impressed by the spread of the illumina. I'm suprised to see a 12" fixture cover a 30" x 30" tank so well. It's very impressive and very inspiring. Well done!

 

[AGYDAL]

Beautiful reef! Killer pictures!

I'm very impressed by the spread of the illumina. I'm suprised to see a 12" fixture cover a 30" x 30" tank so well. It's very impressive and very inspiring. Well done!

Why thank you! I'll have to get a screen shot of the light program, I think many will be suprised how low I have it set...but then again it is LPS dominant.

Here is my "baby" picture of it :lolspin:
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It really has progressed much better than I anticipated, I was getting a bit paranoid about this tank in the beginning. I had planned this to be ready for coral as a birthday present for myself...

I ordered the tank and stand at the same time, the company assured me that both were in stock and would be shipped immediately...well, the tank showed up three days later but no stand...about two months later they shipped (T-minus 10days till my B-day) the stand...pick-up the stand on a Friday, Sunday night our neighbors house catches fire, as we are standing outside waiting for the fire department, the wind changes direction...yep, birthday weekend was spent moving the tank and the rest of my belongings...luckily no one was hurt.

 

[creefer01]

Glad to hear no one was hurt in the fire.

 

[AGYDAL]

Glad to hear no one was hurt in the fire.

thank you, we were too.

on a lighter note, here are the pictures i forgot during my last photo series.

<a href="http://s1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/the%20vertex/?action=view&current=DSC_4245.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m547/AGYDAL/the%20vertex/DSC_4245.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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