OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef

[jnarowe]

no sweat! I don't have a light rack. I have my lamps on individual tracks because for my stuation, I felt that being able to move one lamp off the tank at a time would be less disruptive to the reef as a whole, as well as still provide enough light to work on 1/3 at a time.

I do use them to move the lights over the tank continuously during the light cycle. What I did was employ overlypowerful lamps and move them to save on net electrical use. Instead of 12 - 14 400W lamps, I am just using the 3 x 1000W lamps. By supposed reef calculators that is giving me a fairly low watt/gallon but I feel that it is more than enough. I also feel that the moving lamps give better light distribution.

Yu can read a lot aout single point vs. multi-point lighting and my opinion is that I have the best of both worlds. I do not use any supplemental lighting either, just the 20K Ushios.

With the motorized unit I can remove the normal and allow the lamp to travel completely off the tank for maintanance. If you were around here, you could come look at it. Every install has its quirks so it's good to get around and see some. I have extremely low ceilings so a full-blown rack was not even an option. The best light rack I have ever seen is Steve Weast's and you can check that out at www.oregonreef.com.

 

[Hop]

Going back through the pics on your website J; it still looks like you get good coverage from the three halides. How far does each one move front to back? 1-2'?

I've been thinking about something like this on mine that move the two racks together about 1' or so. Just trying to decide if the befefit would match the effort

 

[jnarowe]

yeah, about 18 - 20" is all...the spread on the reflectors is pretty decent. And I have them kind of low.

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12322602#post12322602 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
I do use them to move the lights over the tank continuously during the light cycle. What I did was employ overly powerful lamps and move them to save on net electrical use. Instead of 12 - 14 400W lamps, I am just using the 3 x 1000W lamps. By supposed reef calculators that is giving me a fairly low watt/gallon but I feel that it is more than enough. I also feel that the moving lamps give better light distribution.

Yu can read a lot aout single point vs. multi-point lighting and my opinion is that I have the best of both worlds. I do not use any supplemental lighting either, just the 20K Ushios.

Why did you think you needed 12 to 14 different lights? Wouldn't eight have sufficed? Isn't your tank 8' x 4'

20,000K bulbs have weak PAR, so the 1000w option was a good idea.

 

[jnarowe]

tanks this size tend to range in the 12 - 14 400W lamps. It's 8 x 5 and I figured with the weaker PAR the bigger lamps would be a good idea. It is a problem though that I cannot grow some corals because there is too much light.

I still haven't gotten around to gettiong a PAR meter but I have a distinct feeling that the PAR in my tank is considerably higher than the average captive SPS tank. I have the lamps mounted about 12" above the water and my anemones care not for moving higher. They stay on the very bottom of the tank

 

[michika]

Can we see some photos of your light rack in action? Where you have pulled out a single bulb/reflector? Pretty please?

 

[oxbeard]

Thanks for the info. Definitely gives me something else to think about, of course I've still got plenty of time

How long does it take to make a complete circuit from front to back? does you notice the movement of the lights much from the display side?

 

[jnarowe]

Catherine, I thought about pics but the thing rolls pretty slow even for vid. Next time I have the camera home, I'll take a shot of it off the tank, but because they do move, most of the time I just stop the motor when it's out of the way (either at the front or back of the tank) to get things done.

I can't remember the exact time-frame, but I think it's around 3 minutes for a full cycle. And yes you do notice the lights moving as the bright light/shadows move around the tank. But, it is not annoying in the least and really is more "natural" looking IMO.

 

[oxbeard]

Thanks again, the info really helps. Wish I was close enough to come by and see it. I would love to see a home system this large up close and personal

 

[jnarowe]

same as any other, just more water and bigger pipes.

 

[sherm71tank]

and better beer!

 

[jnarowe]

yeah, well that's an attitude that you are born with eh?

 

[sherm71tank]

huh?

 

[jnarowe]

I mean, it has nothing to do with housing a large reef. Even though we combine it regularly, beer is a separate hobby.

 

[sherm71tank]

Some day I will learn to keep the complements to myself.

 

[jnarowe]

:lol: I was complimenting you, but thank you. BTW, I still have a bunch of Old Crusty.

 

[sherm71tank]

Nice! That will be awesome one of these nights for a after bbq fireside chat!

 

[PaPa_Johnny]

Dang Jonathan, wheres the pictures?? You know most of us just look at the eye candy, don't read the words .

Different note, any progress on the upgrade yet?

 

[jnarowe]

no progress and no pics. The unfortunate side of recovering from brain injury is that I have to contribute now, but I still get wacked out with fatigue, confusion etc. and really still can only do one or two tasks per day.

A couple days ago a family came into the store and their two young boys got Dutch wooden shoes, which they then clopped around the store for an hour in. I nearly had a melt-down and ended up sitting in the car until they left so I wouldn't end up in the hospital.

All in good time my friends.

Sherm...fights at my place or yours???

 

[sherm71tank]

I dunno yet, Anthony's b-day party is at chuck the cheeses at 1:00 and I don't know if he's having a sleepover or what. Maybe better to plan it at your place to be safe.