Please show pics of your 180 tanks

[April540]

Ok, I guess I didnt explain myself, You have a canopy over your 180, you can do the retro fit in the canopy. I dont have the canopy on mine yet. I'll have to hang them above the tank. So I think I have to get the whole fixture, I see that they only have the 4' fixtures. I wasnt sure if the 4' would be enough lighting for the 6' tank length. Arent the fixtures as good as the retro fits for the canopy?

 

[April540]

oh and BTW really like the new pics of the tank, it really looks great. Really nice color, and I still love your anenome. It doesnt look like he has moved at all, must love where he is. thats great, thats the perfect place for him.

I'll have to take pics when I get back Sun. Havent taken any of the tank for a while,

 

[cediss]

Yes April, I wan't some pics of your tank! As for the lighting, if you plan to do a canopy, then I would buy retro's. They're much cheaper and you don't need all that extra stuff for so much money. IMHO it is better bargain to use canopy and retro the fixtures. If you don't plan to use a canopy then buy hood or pendants, but you'll pay more and the 4' hood will limit your light casting options although probably not significantly. As I said, I like the metal halides spaced 2 feet apart and 6-12" above light surface. Hope this helps, if not, let me know where I need to elaborate. Thanks for the compliments on the photos of tank. I lowered the light level on camera aperture to reduce glare on photo. Those halides put out a lot of light. But as a result, all the caves and shadows hide some details in the pics. I will do more close-ups later if anyone is interested! I also love the anemone, I am so glad it was happy being the center of attention. Hopefully it remains there. My experience is thet they move atleast once a year on average.

 

[tgrunewald]

Cediss In one post you mention you prefer one MH for each 2 sq ft , in the last post you say 2' apart, I'm just setting up my first tank 8'x2', are you recommending 8 lights or 4? Tom

 

[April540]

Hi Tom, He is saying to space them 2' apart, and you would need 4 lights for the 8' length.

 

[tgrunewald]

Thanks April540 That's what I had ordered plus some PC

Tom

 

[April540]

Can you post pics? We kind of like to watch the step by step process. Wow! 8', whats the gal. on that tank 240?

 

[jarhed]

Hey, I'd be interested to see anyone's closed loop and other plumbing pics. Especially if you did it all with drilled tanks. I dont want any powerheads hanging around in the tank with those namby-pamby little suction cups, that always end up failing anyway and falling into the sand creating a sandstorm.

I just finished the final dry-fit of my closed loop. Check the thread if you want to see what I did.

Pics anyone?

 

[cediss]

Thanks April for clarifying what I said. I believe my statements do not contradict each other. 1 MH each 2 feet apart would also work out 2 1 MH to cover 2 quare feet.
Tgrunewald, for you that would be 4 MH's.
Jarehead, you can see I don't have powerheads, but as you may recall I don't have a closed loop. Instead it is a standard open loop with really high flow. If I had somewhere to reduce the pump noise better as you do, I too would have added a closed loop. I reaaly like not seeing power heads any more. I even went to the extra trouble of getting black return pipe so that it blends into the black back of tank!

 

[tgrunewald]

"Can you post pics? We kind of like to watch the step by step process. Wow! 8', whats the gal. on that tank 240?"

I will try when time comes, right now I am completely remodeling house (ripping out walls, doing a complete makeover, redecorate) the tank will be where I removed a wall between living room and office as a room divider. It's 300 gal 8'x2'x30" . I ordered tank thru lfs with all equipment. Tank is on first floor all equip will be in basement. I can't even work quote features on this thing I don't know if I'll ever figure out how to load a picture.
Tom

 

[jarhed]

Seems to me you did the quote feature PERFECT tgrune!

 

[bpd964]

Ok.. here are some updated pic's of my 180. Still can't get this camera to work well..

 

[bpd964]

I have 3x 250 MH retro in my canopy that I put together recently. I have a 250 over each 2x2 opening...

 

[April540]

Looks like you got your lighting down,I remember you said you couldnt get the lighting just right before, Looks great now. Great job. Glad you are keeping us updated. I cant tell with the pics, do you have corals too or are you going FOWLR?

 

[April540]

Well everyone, we are out of here till Sun, have a great week-end. And luck to all of you getting the systems up and running! Be safe!

 

[tgrunewald]

"Seems to me you did the quote feature PERFECT tgrune!"

Yeah but I don't know how it highlighted it. When I try to hit color or bold etc a box pops up which says script prompt, I can't highlight or bold on page I am typing on! Just keep playing around I'll figure out someday. Did you look into posibility of pulling return out of you supply room? Tom

 

[jarhed]

Pulling return? Not sure if I follow. You mean the AC duct in my fish room? Dont have one in their yet. It's still a blank slate as far as that goes. The plan is to have the guys put a duct into the ceiling of the room, then vent it somehow (other than the gap underneath the door, almost 1").

What do you think of a "dead" duct (no fan) in the ceiling just to accept rising hot air into the attic? I'm also going to have to figure out if I can duct from the light box exhaust through the ceiling.

 

[tgrunewald]

"Pulling return? Not sure if I follow. You mean the AC duct in my fish room?"

Yes can you add a return air to your central return air system?


"The plan is to have the guys put a duct into the ceiling of the room, then vent it somehow (other than the gap underneath the door, almost 1")."


Have them install a supply and return if possible, run both into central system.


"What do you think of a "dead" duct (no fan) in the ceiling just to accept rising hot air into the attic? "


First choice into central return. 2nd choice cut high sidewall register above door.




"I'm also going to have to figure out if I can duct from the light box exhaust through the ceiling."



That will help a lot, just use canopy fans to power vent and only when MH are on. Run a 3 or 4 inch pipe from canopy vent up into attic, you could add a couple 90 degree elbows in attic so vent points down, so air or other debris does not fall down pipe.
Tom

 

[cediss]

Guys, I envy youfor having this as an option to use AC direct to tank. Have fantasized about it myself. But I'm not sure if that is very necessary or efficient means for that matter. Having fans that blow fresh, cool room air into canopy (fish room) and vents that are active or passive out of canopy (fish room) seem to work well for myself and others I've seen.
as you pointed out, how do you regulate to have AC on off when you need it? If on while light on, you will have enormous electric bill. If on with house settings, may not cool enough. So it seems to me the only reasonable way is to have it thermistatically controlled according to tank temp.
Don't get me wrong, the principle is a great idea, but how do you factor in necessity, cost and controls of this system?

 

[cediss]

Jarhed, if I'm not mistaken you are AC venting fish room and fan coolong lights. If so that makes alot of sense, but direct AC to lights is not such a great idea to me. It is less efficient and harder to control tank temp. Just my opinion though!