Restarting the Passion, Coming back to the Hobby!
- Thread starter Dartolution
- Start date
Dartolution
New member
Im still emailing about the losses, no resolve yet.
yes it is FAR to cold to ship any marine life right now.
yes it is FAR to cold to ship any marine life right now.
Dartolution
New member
Update:
So I was compensated back for all the losses thankfully, excluding "packing/handling" which is kind of stupid considering that was the root cause of death...
Also, I decided on 2 ATI blue plus T5 supplements, so as soon as this weekend rolls around I will be hooking up my retrofit fixture to some aluminum frame to attach to the LED fixture for additional light/par and getting rid of the old Fish Need It fixture in the back that I used just to set the system up with.
I ended up ordering the 2 39W T5 retrofit fixture from BRS with those bulbs. I am still concerned about the lack of UV light I have... I have NO diodes in the 400-420 nm range I don't believe, all mine are 450+
While the blue plus bulbs to pack a lot of PAR and florescence its still a concern for me because of the missing spectrum.
Both Chlorophyll A and B have absorption peaks in the lower 400 range.
Thoughts?
I still have a KZ Fiji Purple bulb running now with a red sea 15K.
Pictures to come this weekend of the new installment after it arrives on thursday.
Additionally,
I was out of SeaChems FUEL for my Amino Acid supplement, so I ordered an 8oz Bottle of ACROPOWER as well since there have been many reviews about it. Im interested to see what this product will do if anything in my system.
The recommended dose is 5ml per 25 gallons.
Estimating ~50gallons TV including my sump at the recommended rate of 10ml weekly, that is about 1.5ml a day. I prefer to dose daily additions myself to keep things more consistent.
So I was compensated back for all the losses thankfully, excluding "packing/handling" which is kind of stupid considering that was the root cause of death...
Also, I decided on 2 ATI blue plus T5 supplements, so as soon as this weekend rolls around I will be hooking up my retrofit fixture to some aluminum frame to attach to the LED fixture for additional light/par and getting rid of the old Fish Need It fixture in the back that I used just to set the system up with.
I ended up ordering the 2 39W T5 retrofit fixture from BRS with those bulbs. I am still concerned about the lack of UV light I have... I have NO diodes in the 400-420 nm range I don't believe, all mine are 450+
While the blue plus bulbs to pack a lot of PAR and florescence its still a concern for me because of the missing spectrum.
Both Chlorophyll A and B have absorption peaks in the lower 400 range.
Thoughts?
I still have a KZ Fiji Purple bulb running now with a red sea 15K.
Pictures to come this weekend of the new installment after it arrives on thursday.
Additionally,
I was out of SeaChems FUEL for my Amino Acid supplement, so I ordered an 8oz Bottle of ACROPOWER as well since there have been many reviews about it. Im interested to see what this product will do if anything in my system.
The recommended dose is 5ml per 25 gallons.
Estimating ~50gallons TV including my sump at the recommended rate of 10ml weekly, that is about 1.5ml a day. I prefer to dose daily additions myself to keep things more consistent.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
The ATI Blue+ does have some output in the actinic range; not a huge amount, but decent. FWIW there are loads of tanks out there that just use T5's with a mixture of Blue+ and other tubes and no actinics and look just fine.
If you had a full T5 fixture with 6-8 tubes, I'd have said stick an Actinic or two in there.
The ATI Blue+ is one of the best tubes out there in terms of PAR and spectral range. In terms of providing a FILL IN to reduce shadows and add a bit of extra PAR to the front and back of a tank there is IMO no better tube. I'd stick with that tube in your circumstances.
Let us know how your corals respond to the Acropower.
If you had a full T5 fixture with 6-8 tubes, I'd have said stick an Actinic or two in there.
The ATI Blue+ is one of the best tubes out there in terms of PAR and spectral range. In terms of providing a FILL IN to reduce shadows and add a bit of extra PAR to the front and back of a tank there is IMO no better tube. I'd stick with that tube in your circumstances.
Let us know how your corals respond to the Acropower.
Dartolution
New member
Update 3.12.15
Update 3.12.15
Thanks sahin!
So, I finally got the lighting installed the way I wanted it after a trip to lowes to pick up some aluminum U and L channel, as well as a Dremel MAX saw to cut the stuff with.
Upon removing my LED fixture housing and drilling holes in the top to install the L channel for mounting I realized that in the process of drilling the wholes I inadvertently drilled right through one of the push connects for the ballast! :mad2:
So, after some crafty MacGyver tricks.... rerouted power to the ballast via a water proof shrink connect to the third wire in the push connect... It worked thankfully without any issue with the ability to dim or power up that side of the fixture...
Anyway,
The finished product:
I went with two ATI blue plus bulbs and Im glad I did. It really pops the colors in many of the corals, especially the orange torch.
Here are a few current tank pics and some top downs too since installing the T5's
Still need a better camera! :rolleye1:
Update 3.12.15
Thanks sahin!
So, I finally got the lighting installed the way I wanted it after a trip to lowes to pick up some aluminum U and L channel, as well as a Dremel MAX saw to cut the stuff with.
Upon removing my LED fixture housing and drilling holes in the top to install the L channel for mounting I realized that in the process of drilling the wholes I inadvertently drilled right through one of the push connects for the ballast! :mad2:
So, after some crafty MacGyver tricks.... rerouted power to the ballast via a water proof shrink connect to the third wire in the push connect... It worked thankfully without any issue with the ability to dim or power up that side of the fixture...
Anyway,
The finished product:
I went with two ATI blue plus bulbs and Im glad I did. It really pops the colors in many of the corals, especially the orange torch.
Here are a few current tank pics and some top downs too since installing the T5's
Still need a better camera! :rolleye1:
Dartolution
New member
Dartolution
New member
Dartolution
New member
I find it really difficult to get top down shots with the LEDs in the way... has anyone figured out a good way to prevent this?
tdb320reef
Active member
I find it really difficult to get top down shots with the LEDs in the way... has anyone figured out a good way to prevent this?
waterproof camera.
Dartolution
New member
Like a go pro? I want something with good white balance
Dartolution
New member
Thanks!
Finally got a few fish in today that Ive been waiting on.
Two Helrichi Firefish, a red mandarin, a small blue reef chromis, and a good healthy looking Rainfordi goby who has already been nibbling on the bits of algae on the back glass, rock and sanded in the far back right corner of the tank.
Finally got a few fish in today that Ive been waiting on.
Two Helrichi Firefish, a red mandarin, a small blue reef chromis, and a good healthy looking Rainfordi goby who has already been nibbling on the bits of algae on the back glass, rock and sanded in the far back right corner of the tank.
Dartolution
New member
Thanks!
So far so good. The only loss was with one of the Helfrichis ... The other bullied him to death!!
The red mandarin has fattened up quite a bit, and the Rainfordi goby is a algae pig.
The little blue reef chromis is doing very well also.
So far so good. The only loss was with one of the Helfrichis ... The other bullied him to death!!
The red mandarin has fattened up quite a bit, and the Rainfordi goby is a algae pig.
The little blue reef chromis is doing very well also.
Dartolution
New member
Update 3.29.15
Update 3.29.15
So, tomorrow is my birthday.
I figured I better do a water change since I have the time and a few days off work.
Here are some post WC (mainly fish) pictures.
I found that If I dial the blue LEDs back completely and ramp the whites up to 100% I get great color rendition for the fish, but washed out browned out color for the corals... go figure.
Update 3.29.15
So, tomorrow is my birthday.
I figured I better do a water change since I have the time and a few days off work.
Here are some post WC (mainly fish) pictures.
I found that If I dial the blue LEDs back completely and ramp the whites up to 100% I get great color rendition for the fish, but washed out browned out color for the corals... go figure.
Dartolution
New member
cont...
cont...
The Red Mandarin has fattened up quite a lot since I got her two weeks ago.
The Rainfordi Goby is constantly sifting sand and munching away at bits of hair/algae growing around the low flow areas of the tank.
I have seen him eat ROE and brine once, and the mandarin is eatting frozen brine as well.
The helfrichi gobbles up anything it thinks is food too.
I have found clumps of Halimeda growing here and there suddenly which Is pretty freakin cool. I love macro algae mixed in an SPS/LPS reef. I think it makes it look more natural.
cont...
The Red Mandarin has fattened up quite a lot since I got her two weeks ago.
The Rainfordi Goby is constantly sifting sand and munching away at bits of hair/algae growing around the low flow areas of the tank.
I have seen him eat ROE and brine once, and the mandarin is eatting frozen brine as well.
The helfrichi gobbles up anything it thinks is food too.
I have found clumps of Halimeda growing here and there suddenly which Is pretty freakin cool. I love macro algae mixed in an SPS/LPS reef. I think it makes it look more natural.
Dartolution
New member
Thanks!
Im not sure what it is honestly, its bright red/pink and its popped up out of no where. Right now my Rainfordi goby is munching on it daily so I think Ill leave him to his buffet.
Im not sure what it is honestly, its bright red/pink and its popped up out of no where. Right now my Rainfordi goby is munching on it daily so I think Ill leave him to his buffet.
Dartolution
New member
Update 6.24.15
Update 6.24.15
Haven't been on in a while, and have been letting the tank do its thing.
Ive had to put it on autopilot for the past couple of months due to work, and it was probably for the best.
I picked up an auto doser from BRS for my ALk demand. I couldn't keep the ALK where I wanted it (9.0dKH). Thankfully dosing every 12 hours @ 30mL per dose has been able to keep up the demand.
I am still dosing Calcium manually which is more manageable than the ALK.
PO4 is still undetectable via Hanna, same with Nitrates.
pH is of course more stable as well.
This stability has served the acro's well. One of the purple/brown wild colonies I picked up months ago is finally shooting up branches that are a very nice rich bright purple polyped, and teal and green base.
Here are some pictures from tonight before a feeding.
If I can figure out a way to get rid of the bubble algae Ill be quite happy.
FTS
Euphyllias
Rose Milli
ORA Red Goni
Helfrichi Acro Xenia group
ORA tricolor
Update 6.24.15
Haven't been on in a while, and have been letting the tank do its thing.
Ive had to put it on autopilot for the past couple of months due to work, and it was probably for the best.
I picked up an auto doser from BRS for my ALk demand. I couldn't keep the ALK where I wanted it (9.0dKH). Thankfully dosing every 12 hours @ 30mL per dose has been able to keep up the demand.
I am still dosing Calcium manually which is more manageable than the ALK.
PO4 is still undetectable via Hanna, same with Nitrates.
pH is of course more stable as well.
This stability has served the acro's well. One of the purple/brown wild colonies I picked up months ago is finally shooting up branches that are a very nice rich bright purple polyped, and teal and green base.
Here are some pictures from tonight before a feeding.
If I can figure out a way to get rid of the bubble algae Ill be quite happy.
FTS
Euphyllias
Rose Milli
ORA Red Goni
Helfrichi Acro Xenia group
ORA tricolor
