New reflectors are up! (Gratuitous tank pics)

[Mrs Smith]

Just have to share... I got the new reflectors installed last week, and I am in love with them! They weren't cheap, but were worth it! And so I felt the need to show off. I'll try to get some pics of the rest of the tank, as I didn't get the far end.

The reflectors are LumenMax Elites, as I only had about 11" of headroom. (Running 250W 10K Coralvue bulbs on IceCap ballasts) I really agonized about this, but figured I might as well take the plunge.

I set up this tank in November (Thanks to some dedicated ORCA members who helped me move the beast in...) It's a custom 230g Oceanic, 7' long and weighs, well, a lot.

Showing the positioning of the reflectors - it's not really that shaded at the sides - but the colors are right on.

Some of the inhabitants. The massive toadstool inthe back was actually 1/2 of the original - the rest is at the front of the tank. I few to Indianapolis for this baby, as a good friend was tearing down her tank. I got the Sarco for helping. Unfortunately, it was almost split down the middle, and getting it off the old rocks damaged it further. It split on its own, so I mounted it separately, but it's my crown jewel.

 

[AquaKnight]

Great lookin softie/zoas tank!

 

[Megabite]

Great looking tank. I also purchased the same reflectors a while back. Like you said, they're not cheap but in my opinion worth the money. The light covers so much more in my180 than the standard small ones.

 

[Reefman79]

Sweet setup.

 

[Pacific Reefs]

Wow looks great....love those reflectors. So would you buy the 10Ks again..they look good in the pics.

 

[keithbou30]

awesome looking tank!! i think that a sailfin tang would love that beast? lol

 

[justdoit]

SWEET looks good

 

[Mrs Smith]

Thanks guys! I am so proud of this reef!

I am running actinics on top of the 10Ks, but that makes them just about perfect. If I was doing it all with halides, I might try the 12s or 14s. I think it's amazing how a different ballast makes bulbs look so different - I was running Coralvue 250W 10Ks on PFO magnetic ballasts and they were just too yellow even with the actinics.

And yes, a sailfin might just be pretty...

 

[becact]

I really wish I had room for large reflectors, I ended up settling for the DE pendants on hellolights. I wanted to have room for a T5 retro too... yours look great, though!