soupy's reef at 3 years

[SoupySteve]

someday, i plan to get a 6ft tank, so i'll only need to buy another pendant instead of a whole new light system. i also like how i can move the lights completely out of the way.
i just got the lights a week ago - i had 2X65W 50/50 PC lighting. these are 150w hqi.

this is my first attempt at keeping mangroves, but i will be super happy when/if i see substancial growth from them.

everyone seems happy

can you buy actinic pendants? i kinda miss the blueish color from the actinics...

anyone have suggestions for moonlights?

 

[Martin's Reef]

20K bulbs will give you the blueish color you are looking for.

 

[reefD]

try 10000 K even better for blue and coraline growth!

 

[reefD]

window placement will always obscure color of tank. its natural but not tropical..thus brownish tint/and corals...and algae!

 

[fittdog8848]

hmm i thought 10K was white. 12K 14K 20K are more blue

 

[SoupySteve]

i painted the back of the display black.
the shades are up just cause i wanted to show off the deck
10k is white. 20k is blue. these are 10k. i think when i have to replace them, i will try something in between. any opinions?
the cyano outbreak is RECENT (when i upgraded lighting) i've been doing DAILY 5 gallon h20 changes to try to combat it. next step would be to shorten photoperiod, i guess. i feed every three days or so.

 

[reefD]

yes 10000k are more white but will brng out more color....i didnt read that you have no actinics..i would add a flourence for that! sorry i typed it wrong ....i would add a strip of any kind.......also watch for too much light hours with it near a window! reduce halide if more than 12 hours of daylight where you live and at this window.

 

[reefD]

water changes could be culprit ..test water for phosphates....could be feeding the algea!

 

[fittdog8848]

well a couple reefers I know have tried 12 and 14 (round socket). I use 10 with actinic for blue. I really liked the 12K for tanks without the blue suppl.

I can't speak to much HQI stuff. If it is anything like round socket MH each manufactures bulb looks a little different.

I would maybe post a link in the lighting forum and see if someone can help you there.

 

[reefD]

i mean test water used for top off or salt make up.

 

[fittdog8848]

I agree with reefd on the lighting and window. I had trouble with a tank in front of window and had to move it (not saying your tank does not look good cause it does)

 

[SoupySteve]

I moved this tank here to keep it from having the light issues... the blinds are down all the time or else my cats are in the windows like moths to a flame:bum:
when the tank was on another wall in the same room i got issues - as we left the blinds up (the windows face north). so, i figure that by painting the back of the display black, having the blinds down 90% or more of the time and the tank being 2.5' away from the window makes me think the cyano is just the new lighting. my rodi is a 4 stage unit. everything BUT the DI has been changed in the last two months.
the hair algae has decreased down to a 1/10th of it's size in just 3 days though!
the bulbs for these are the double ended tpe - i've found a supplier for 10, 12.5, 14, 15, and 20K bulbs - they are PRICEY! so if anyone has had experiences with this, gimme a holla!