New to the hobby and this forum.

[$alt_Creep]

Hello all,

I’m kinda new, about 1 1/2 years experience, and would like a little advice.

I want to take a few pictures and post them; however the pictures I take look a little crappie. I have a fairly new but cheap digital camera, any tricks to getting nice shots?

Also, I currently have 3 X 150 Watt 14K Phoenix HQIs over a 125 RR. I would like to upgrade to 400s in the foreseeable future. Any opinions on brand names and configurations? I have a hood that I want to keep as well so I would like a retro fit kit of some sort.

 

[The Haj]

[welcome]

 

[LarryW]

welcome to RC, and SCMAS. The easiest way to get good pics would be with a tripod, or something to stabilize the camera. Take a look at the PFO ballasts. Some of the MH guys can give you ideas on reflectors. I can't think of the one they prefer off the top of my head. anyway someone will chime in with it. So Welcome to RC, and SCMAS, and we hope to see you at our next club meeting in september. Make sure you post in the introduction thread, and Mug shot thread so we can recognize you at a meeting!

 

[murfman]

Welcome to SCMAS. The best reflectors out there are Lumenarc but they are $100 a piece. What kind of corals are you intending on keeping? I run 2 each, 250 MH on my 125, nothing in the middle.

 

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10649774#post10649774 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LarryW
Welcome to RC, and SCMAS, and we hope to see you at our next club meeting in september. Make sure you post in the introduction thread, and Mug shot thread so we can recognize you at a meeting!

Welcome to SCMAS and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[$alt_Creep]

Right now I just have some zoas, softies, a brain, and a few SPS. I want to get more into SPS but the ones I have aren’t as colorful as they could be and I believe it’s because of my lights. Why are Luminarcs so much better?

 

[reefkoi]

for a 125 you'll have to do the mini lumenarcs, the full size ones are huge and would hang over the front and back of the tank.
Go down to exotic Tropicals next to the 7-11 on Wood ave & Fillmore, he has 6 stealth lumenarcs with 250 watt double ended bulbs, you can see how well 3 of them light an sps tank.
150's are pretty low, I'd do at least 250's with the HQI ballast or 400's if you want to have an SPS dominated tank, either way make sure you add more flow to go with that extra light.
scott has all kinds of different combinations of MH bulbs and reflectors in use down there so you can see which you like best.

 

[$alt_Creep]

I have about 4,800 GPH of flow in the tank, will that suffice? If I wish to keep softies and LPSs and such will 400 Watt lights be over-powering? Are 250s enough for SPS?

 

[racer69]

Yes, 250's are enough for sps but if you can get 400's it would be better. Your lps will adjust to the light and you can also put them lower in the tank.

 

[Deuce67]

250s will be more than enough for the 125. Its only 22" deep I think. As far as lumenarc minis go, they are nice but kinda big. Another option is PFO minis or Reef Optic would be plenty too since a 125 is only 18" front to back. 400s will work but you may have to raise them up a bit. As far as flow goes, I would add another some more. But without seeing your tank, Its kinda really hard to say. Just to give you an idea, I run 6900-7000 GPH on my 90G SPS tank.

 

[reefkoi]

I think the lighting depends on how you aquascape the tank as well. 250 watts at 4" under the water may have 3x's the amount of light as 15" under the water, light intensity drops off fast in a tank. So the reason the 400's would work well is #1 looks very cool #2 you can keep SPS corals at or near the bottom and still provide them with bright light.

As far as flow goes again depends on how the rock is placed and how your returns are positioned but 38x isn't bad I try for almost double that for a serious SPS tank, the reason is as you add light you should add flow, studies have been done and corals grow more with the added flow and they look better, they grow in a tighter fuller shape.

Just change things slowly, you'll be fine.

 

[ReefJerk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10658703#post10658703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Deuce67
... I run 6900-7000 GPH on my 90G SPS tank.

So, that means I should up my flow up to 14,000-15,000 GPH on my 180, right guys?

You have to take into account the amount and type of sand you have as well. If you have the sugar-fine stuff, you have to ensure you keep from having a sandstorm. With 3 250 watt bulbs on a 180, I have experienced a good amount of growth on my SPS. I am running about 6500 gph on a 12 port closed loop.

 

[reefkoi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10660136#post10660136 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefJerk
So, that means I should up my flow up to 14,000-15,000 GPH on my 180, right guys?

That would be sweet Cliff, maybe closer to 20K would be cool
Or you could do a couple waveboxes to really have a unique setup.
I saw one in action at the Tunze display, I just stood there staring for ever at it! It was so realistic seeing fish sway and corals sway back and forth, I wish I could pull off a wavebox tank they are the coolest!!
C

 

[ReefJerk]

Chris, between you, Eric, and Scott, I bet you guys could integrate some sweet waveboxes on your 600. You have the equipment rooms on each side, you could just hide one in each room. You should be able to get boxes that hold nearly 50 gallons each. Do It! Do It! Do It!

 

[murfman]

I have a subscription to a guy in Cali that built surge boxes on his big tank;

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=266902

 

[reefkoi]

I wish I could, I think you'd have to build a tank specifically for them though. Mine would overflow unless I could drop the water level somehow.
I think if for some insane reason I ever build another tank I'd seriously research a wavemaker.
Closest thing anyone here has in Dan Normans surge device, I still need to see that in action!
C

 

[reefkoi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10660735#post10660735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murfman
I have a subscription to a guy in Cali that built surge boxes on his big tank;

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=266902

Carleson surge devices, yeah those are cool but I'm talking about a wave box. have you ever seen a tank with wave action? It can only be created with an in tank box to truly have the wave and back and forth action i'm talking about. The sand even ripples its pretty unreal.

Now I did see a prototype vortech controller that made a wave! It is now in production I hear, thats very cool.
I will take some video footage of the Tunze wave tank if they setup one at the show. I'll show you guys at the meeting next month

 

[LarryW]

The vortech's now have a wireless controller that performs that function. you basically buy a vortech (or 2 in my case ) then buy the upgrade for $100 each. they ship you the controller, then you replace your driver, and send the old one back. they then credit you $50 for each one you send back. They sold out of the first production run, and the second is supposed to go on sale this week..... I am just waiting to order 2 upgrades at this point.

here is a blurb from the Ecotech marine forum here on RC about the wireless controller. the full thread is here.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1185310


What does the Wireless Wave Driver do?
Well, in short it is a multicontroller. That’s right, the driver that you thought you required in order to use our future multicontroller actually IS our multicontroller, but it’s also our single controller. How’s that you ask? Well, using our new Triton Protocol for wireless communication your Wireless Wave Drivers will communicate with one another to coordinate wave movements throughout your tank. For example, if you own four pumps you will purchase four Wireless Wave Drivers and your pumps will then be capable of multiple different wireless wave control algorithms and infinite flow possibilities. Alternatively, if you just have one pump then you can purchase only one Wireless Wave Driver and still get all of the flow control options, just minus the added benefit of having other pumps. What’s even better is that there is effectively no limit to the number of different wireless pumps that you can incorporate onto any one aquarium, or even multiple aquariums.

Here’s how we do it:
When you turn your first Wireless Wave Driver on, you have the option to set this pump as a “master pump.” Once it’s set as master, any other pumps that you turn on will automatically become slaves to that master pump. A master pump can broadcast a wireless signal telling slave pumps to coordinate their flow with the master. A master can control other pumps in the following modes:

• Single Speed Mode
• Random Mode 1: Lagoon Mode
• Random Mode 2: Reef-Crest Mode
• Pulse Mode- for wave creation

Here’s where it gets even better:
The slave pumps can be set to either “Sync” with the master pump or “Anti-Sync” with the master pump. In sync mode the slave will do exactly as the master; in anti-sync mode they’ll do the inverse! Meaning when the master pump is at its maximum speed, the slave will be at its minimum, etc. Multiple master pumps can be set up on different wireless frequencies for infinite wave control possibilities.

To enter feed mode, press the button on any one of your Wireless Wave Drivers and all of your pumps will slow down to just a few revolutions for 10 minutes.

Each Wireless Wave Driver comes with its own 1-year warranty from the time of installation.

 

[ReefJerk]

I have seen the out of tank waveboxes in action somewhere on the web. I will try to find it. It is essentially the wavebox with the intake on top and the pump is triggered when the water reaches the high point. Same concept, just different design so it's hidden.

 

[$alt_Creep]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10658703#post10658703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Deuce67
250s will be more than enough for the 125. Its only 22" deep I think. As far as lumenarc minis go, they are nice but kinda big. Another option is PFO minis or Reef Optic would be plenty too since a 125 is only 18" front to back. 400s will work but you may have to raise them up a bit. As far as flow goes, I would add another some more. But without seeing your tank, Its kinda really hard to say. Just to give you an idea, I run 6900-7000 GPH on my 90G SPS tank.

WOW,

Thanks for the info, looks like I have more money to spend. I was just thinking that I need to spend more money on this hobby. Thanks for the info on the lights too, gives me some direction.