Serpentman's 300g upgrade

[mpoletti]

Great progression shots. I really enjoy watching a system develop and grow in :thumbsup:

 

[serpentman]

Thanks everyone! This tank has been a dream of mine for about 17yrs! I will post an update this afternoon as I have made some small changes this week.

Is your whole system plumbed off a dart or did you add something else?

Yes, the whole system is run off of a single dart. I would say I am close to maxed out on head pressure though. I've often thought about moving up one size to the Reeflo Barracuda so I can turn the system a little more. However at present, everything is working well so "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

One thing is for sure, I DO need to upgrade my sump. When the power goes out, I end up with about 5+ gallons on the floor.

 

[serpentman]

This thread has inspired me to actually think about doing another tank with this dimension!! Very awesome!!! How perfect for a reef tank??

You won't regret it! I don't think I would ever do another reef without the deep dimension. I'm tempted to start one of those Marineland DD small cubes in my office.

 

[AD87]

Tank looks alot better in person, really like the new lights way better coloration! Cant wait till you can lower that rack and really give your corals some light they have been waiting for.

 

[Last Version]

fantastic growth..
nice pic.

 

[MTH]

Enjoyed the coral growth progression pictures. Shows how healthy your tank is.

 

[serpentman]

Little update.

Over the holiday, I decided to swap out my current lights. The Reeflux 20K's were driving me crazy since they color shifted so my wife bought me new Phoenix 14K SE's for Xmas. I also decided to swap out the current reflectors (Lumen Bright Mini's) as the weren't giving me the best spread. Had they been the full sized ones I wouldn't have bothered. I ended up going with Lumen Max Elites. In the process, the old rack really wasn't long enough so built a new one. Swapping out the racks with all the VHO's etc, was a royal PITA.

Previous light rack:

New Light Rack. Reflectors are on sliders so they can be adjusted.

New Rack installed

FTS with the new lights. The color looks much better already. We'll see how they are when they burn in. Had to raise the rack about 20" off the tank to photo-acclimate. PAR was still off the chart...

 

[serpentman]

On another note, almost had a disaster this evening. The protective grate fell off the return line in the sump resulting in a tiger cowry that had been living down there meeting an untimely fate. The shell was lodged in the 2" ball valve making its removal a little tricky. Good thing I caught it or the pump would have probably fried.

 

[DEERE G]

Looking good! Do like the Phoenix color without the VHO's on? You are using Galaxy ballast correct? I am going to give those bulbs a try when my Radiums are toast. Which won't be long with the short lifespan they have. Love those corner shots of your tank.

 

[serpentman]

Looking good! Do like the Phoenix color without the VHO's on? You are using Galaxy ballast correct? I am going to give those bulbs a try when my Radiums are toast. Which won't be long with the short lifespan they have. Love those corner shots of your tank.

Thanks Keith. They are still burning in so I am not 100% sure. They are probably not as blue as a radium, however the corals do pop. So far I am very happy with them even without the actinic supplementation. I am firing them on Galaxy ballasts.

 

[murfman]

Tank is looking great, as usual. Glad you caught the near disaster. I have 2 darts running my closed loop through one manifold, still have dead spots in the front though.

 

[serpentman]

Thanks man, me too. The dart was smoking hot. It wouldn't have taken much more. It did get me thinking that I should pick up a spare. That is one piece of equipment I am cooked without.

Glad to hear the closed loop is working for you. Gave some serious thought to doing the same thing. I love the Tunze's for their performance but would really prefer not to see any equipment.

 

[adddo]

Looks awesome!

 

[arbee]

Stunning! Love the growth pictures !

 

[melev]

I like the new light rack. How do you like the light spread currently? Obviously that's subjective since you have them up even higher than before.

 

[Last Version]

Nice all!!

Thanks for your shareing.

 

[serpentman]

Thanks guys!

I like the new light rack. How do you like the light spread currently? Obviously that's subjective since you have them up even higher than before.

Thanks Marc. The new rack is definitely an improvement over the old as it gives me a lot more versatility down the road. I also used that plastic trim material rather than wood to avoid any warping. It was a bit flimsy so I added some aluminum for strength.

Before I put the new bulbs in, I did drop the rack to normal height with the old bulbs first for basic testing. There is noticeably more spread both visibly and from PAR measurements. Some of the corals that were in dimmer areas are already exhibiting better PE.

I can't wait to drop everything back down. The braces are so wide on this tank, they definitely cast a shadow with the lights mounted high. I have been dropping the rack about 1" every 2-3 days so should be able to get things where they need to be in the next week or two.

 

[7Dragons7]

every time I look at your tank it gets better. I just upgraded to a 120 and regret it when i see your dimensions and aquascaping. Beautiful job.

 

[Dejavu]

Love the look of the new bulbs. The Phoenix 14K SE's are 250w correct?

 

[Leonardo_]

Nice new lightrack I'm sure you will love the Phoenix bulbs! I think it is the best bulb when you compare price/lifespan and color/growth.

Leonardo