Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

[myzislow]

Looks great! I love your scape.

 

[gasman059]

Hey Sunny what camera and lens u r using for your pics. All is looking well BTW

 

[SunnyX]

The lens is the standard 18 mm - 55 mm that comes with the Nikon D50, I believe. I will double check it when I get home.

 

[Brandan]

Wow, first tank I have seen with the same dimensions as mine. Also glad to see someone else with an all T5 SPS tank. I switched from a MH/VHO setup to all T5s last week. I was also looking to cut my energy costs. I added a Tunze Nano 6045 and disabled my closed loop. I really like the idea of propeller pumps rather than impeller pumps. The color of your bulb combination looks great, I think I am going to do something similar with my 8 bulb setup.

 

[SunnyX]

Thanks Brandan. You are going to be very happy with the T5's.

After running a shorter photo period this past week I have decided to change up my lighting schedule. I believe that the T5 setup I have may be too bright for many of the corals. I have noticed increased polyp expansion and the acans are opening up much better.

Most of the day I will run only five bulbs, for 10 hours. I will run the last two bulbs for four hours a day.

This is how it will go:

12:00-10:00PM (Blue+, Blue+)

12:15-9:45PM (Aquablue Special, Aquablue Special, Blue+)

3:00-7:00PM (Aquablue Special, Pro Color)

I will run this for a month and see if it affects coral color and growth. I am hoping that the decrease in photo period will darken up some of the corals.

 

[SunnyX]

Looking at what I put above I may move my bulbs around to this:

AquaBlue
Blue+
Blue+
Pro Color
Aquablue
Blue+
Aquablue

and use this photo period: (Aquablue Special, Pro Color)

12:00-10:00PM (Blue+, Blue+)

12:15-9:45PM (Blue+, Aquablue Special)

3:00-7:00PM (Aquablue Special, Aquablue Special, Pro Color)

 

[Dave's Reef]

Thanks Sonny,

I figured it must have been something like this... Again, just curious.

You do a real nice job, I just hope my tank looks as good as yours some day!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13917718#post13917718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
When the dino's showed up I had to take some drastic actions. If dino's get out of control they can destroy a system. For another week or so I will keep the Rowaphos running. After I know for sure that the dino's are gone I will take it offline.

I vacuumed the sand bed today along with a 50% water change. I have yet to see the dino's show back up.


If I did not have a major issue i would not have employed the Rowaphos. The clam that died really caused some issues that bacteria alone couldn't deal with. It is always a good idea to keep some phosphate remover on hand in cause the need should ever arise.

 

[LuisC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920161#post13920161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Thanks Brandan. You are going to be very happy with the T5's.

After running a shorter photo period this past week I have decided to change up my lighting schedule. I believe that the T5 setup I have may be too bright for many of the corals. I have noticed increased polyp expansion and the acans are opening up much better.

Most of the day I will run only five bulbs, for 10 hours. I will run the last two bulbs for four hours a day.

This is how it will go:

12:00-10:00PM (Blue+, Blue+)

12:15-9:45PM (Aquablue Special, Aquablue Special, Blue+)

3:00-7:00PM (Aquablue Special, Pro Color)

I will run this for a month and see if it affects coral color and growth. I am hoping that the decrease in photo period will darken up some of the corals.

Sonny,

Thanks for the detailed info and let usk now how you do with this new photoperiod.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920245#post13920245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LuisC
Sonny,

Thanks for the detailed info and let usk now how you do with this new photoperiod.

No problem.

Running only five bulbs for most of the day will cut out around 27% of the total PAR going into the tank. Hopefully this will be enough to make the changes I am looking for.

 

[JRaquatics]

Love the small mound aquascape. I am just a huge fan of the minimal look in a reef. Your tank is looking awesome. Can't wait till it grows in.

 

[spsfreak]

Hey Sonny. I have a quesiton. Based off of your above comments I am under the impression that the light fixture allows you to run the unit this way? Is this done with timers (power cords for individual lights) or some other way? Just trying to understand because I am probably going to get the same type of light fixture as you... this would just help me cement my idea of getting this fixture.

Thanks,

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920975#post13920975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spsfreak
Hey Sonny. I have a quesiton. Based off of your above comments I am under the impression that the light fixture allows you to run the unit this way? Is this done with timers (power cords for individual lights) or some other way? Just trying to understand because I am probably going to get the same type of light fixture as you... this would just help me cement my idea of getting this fixture.

Thanks,

The constellation fixture comes with three power switches controlling the lights. I set timers on each switch to achieve the photo period I am looking for. I love the flexibility of the unit.

My issue is my water is much too clear. The dosing of vodka has really cleared the water up along with the over sized skimmer. I also run carbon to keep the water clear.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13920829#post13920829 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRaquatics
Love the small mound aquascape. I am just a huge fan of the minimal look in a reef. Your tank is looking awesome. Can't wait till it grows in.

Thanks.

I was checking out your thread and the tank is looking great!

 

[GSMguy]

Hey Sunny my buddy Jeff was running the same fixture on his 120G and he raised his lights a couple extra inches, the corals looked much better afterwards.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13921206#post13921206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
Hey Sunny my buddy Jeff was running the same fixture on his 120G and he raised his lights a couple extra inches, the corals looked much better afterwards.

I tried doing that but my home theater area is only 12ft away so the light would be annoying.

Maybe I could raise it up and then tilt it a little forward to shield myself from the light.

 

[spsfreak]

Kewl - thanks for the description, Sonny.

 

[CeeGee]

Sonny,

None of your streams are controllable are they? I am thinking of ordering one (non controllable) to blow across the bottom of my tank I am setting up soon. I am also going to convert my 6000's to 6100's. I have always had a problem with detritus settling in my current tank even though I have a lot of flow.

 

[LCN]

Great looking T5 tank.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13923132#post13923132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CeeGee
Sonny,

None of your streams are controllable are they? I am thinking of ordering one (non controllable) to blow across the bottom of my tank I am setting up soon. I am also going to convert my 6000's to 6100's. I have always had a problem with detritus settling in my current tank even though I have a lot of flow.

None of the pumps are controllable. As a matter of fact, I dont think anything other then the lights are controlled. Ive never had controllable pumps in my aquariums. I really never seen the need. I try to keep it as simple as possible.

 

[Brandan]

Here's a full tank shot from last week with my 2-250MHs and 2-110VHOs. As soon as my ATI bulbs come in, I'll get some pictures of the tank with the T5s. I am looking to get rid of a decent amount of my rock and doing a aquascape similar to yours, just need to find someone that needs some rock. Anyone interested in an 8" Seabe Anemone. . . .lol That needs to go as well.