OneReef's 120g DreamReef
- Thread starter OneReef
- Start date
Just read from start to finish. Extremely well documented build thread - kudos on that. I was really sad to hear about your recent crash but it was really beneficial to have that documented as well. Thanks so much for sharing all of this and I will be following along in the future. 
OneReef
Reef Guru
I am only running my metal halides about 5-6 hours right now for the few coral I have, I'll eventually build it up, but while I was short on coral, I didn't see the need to run them all day. The nice thing about my old LEDs was that I could make sunrise sunset effect, and have some kind of light on while the main light period was off. Right now, the tank was dark while the halides were not on.
On my older tanks with halides, I ran VHOs for actinic lighting before and after my halides, so that I could view the tank. I found a nice deal on a VHO retro kit, so I bought it and installed it last night. I am using (2) 46.5" VHO, one Super Actinic and one '454'. It gives the tank a nice color, the coral colors really fluoresce under them. Now I have lighting to run before and after my halides.
I am going to have to spend part of today fixing all the birdsnest of wiring that go to the ballast. That's what I hate about VHOs. You have about 20 wires running everywhere. I will get that tidied up today.
Here are a couple of I-Phone pics before the cleanup:
On my older tanks with halides, I ran VHOs for actinic lighting before and after my halides, so that I could view the tank. I found a nice deal on a VHO retro kit, so I bought it and installed it last night. I am using (2) 46.5" VHO, one Super Actinic and one '454'. It gives the tank a nice color, the coral colors really fluoresce under them. Now I have lighting to run before and after my halides.
I am going to have to spend part of today fixing all the birdsnest of wiring that go to the ballast. That's what I hate about VHOs. You have about 20 wires running everywhere. I will get that tidied up today.
Here are a couple of I-Phone pics before the cleanup:
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OneReef
Reef Guru
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I added a few more SPS frags yesterday that I found at Memfish. I am slowly trying to build my stock back up. I will pick up some coral at the frag swap and also MACNA, but then I am going to slow down and add little by little.
Here are a few I found yesterday:
I am not sure what this coral is, but it is my favorite in the tank right now. It is a beautiful purple/teal with fuzzy polyps. It is truly pretty and looks better than the picture. I need to find out what it is:
Green Slimer. Very common, but fast growing and hardy, mainly I wanted to add a nice neon green splash of color to my tank:
I think this is a bonsai, not 100% certain though:
And the hard to find, awesome Strawberry Shortcake Acro. This acro is normally green and pink, the green is starting to come back, its kinda light mint green right now, but it is going to look awesome when it colors up:
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I added a few more SPS frags yesterday that I found at Memfish. I am slowly trying to build my stock back up. I will pick up some coral at the frag swap and also MACNA, but then I am going to slow down and add little by little.
Here are a few I found yesterday:
I am not sure what this coral is, but it is my favorite in the tank right now. It is a beautiful purple/teal with fuzzy polyps. It is truly pretty and looks better than the picture. I need to find out what it is:
Green Slimer. Very common, but fast growing and hardy, mainly I wanted to add a nice neon green splash of color to my tank:
I think this is a bonsai, not 100% certain though:
And the hard to find, awesome Strawberry Shortcake Acro. This acro is normally green and pink, the green is starting to come back, its kinda light mint green right now, but it is going to look awesome when it colors up:
OneReef
Reef Guru
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NEW FTS as of 9/8/12. The tank is coming along nicely since the crash and losing all my SPS:
I am trying an experiment here with 3 different colored monti caps. I hope for them to all grow intertwined with each other, scrolling around one another. I may have to break and snip pieces here and there along the way to help them grow in the right places. Here is the beginning of my process:
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NEW FTS as of 9/8/12. The tank is coming along nicely since the crash and losing all my SPS:
I am trying an experiment here with 3 different colored monti caps. I hope for them to all grow intertwined with each other, scrolling around one another. I may have to break and snip pieces here and there along the way to help them grow in the right places. Here is the beginning of my process:
OneReef
Reef Guru
My tank is looking so good right (subjectively, to me ) now under the 250w Radium halides, that I wonder if there is not something to a tanks lighting being stable and consistent all day long. My halides come on full blast and stay that way till they cut off. When I had LED's, I ramped up and down the lighting each day, and changed intensity/spectrum throughout the day on a crazy lighting schedule. I wonder if all that shifting during the day was holding back my coral. I think Richards home tank has a Blueline LED pendant on back that only has 100% setting and that's it, and looks good. Makes me wonder. Just a thought.
) now under the 250w Radium halides, that I wonder if there is not something to a tanks lighting being stable and consistent all day long. My halides come on full blast and stay that way till they cut off. When I had LED's, I ramped up and down the lighting each day, and changed intensity/spectrum throughout the day on a crazy lighting schedule. I wonder if all that shifting during the day was holding back my coral. I think Richards home tank has a Blueline LED pendant on back that only has 100% setting and that's it, and looks good. Makes me wonder. Just a thought.
BassandReef
Member
I tend to agree with you Jay about the ramping up of LEDs. I have the AIs on my 120 with the variable schedule. (Plus my ever changing spectrum). My 46 bowfront has had Marineland Reef LEDs from day one and every coral in it is thriving. I think I will go to full lighting at once with my AIs instead of the ramping up. At a minimum, I will reduce the difference between start and finish.
OneReef
Reef Guru
I'm not sure about any of that, I am purely speculating. As the sun get more and less intense throughout the day, so who knows, ha. But I know that my halides come on full blast and then go from full blast to 100% off, and everything looks great.
BassandReef
Member
True, but the intensity of the Sun never changes, what changes is our position in relation to the sun. The temperature around us changes but the Sun is emitting the same amount of radiation and heat 24/7.
OneReef
Reef Guru
MPDBullitt
New member
You know Santa controls the sun's intensity dial!
MPDBullitt
New member
I haven't messed with LED's but i went from t5's to metal halide on a 29g and it showed vast improvements almost instantly..i'm definitely a believer!
Lilmatty5dimes
New member
Someone down here showed me this thread and I'm def glad he did. You've done an awesome and outstanding job and I've learned some tricks idid t think of. I can't wait to see your new and improved tank come alive like your last one. Glad you didn't throw in the white towel and call it quits.
OneReef
Reef Guru
Thanks! This go round has been going well, the coral look great and are growing. I'll try to get some new pictures posted this weekend, I haven't taken any in awhile.
