Wow! I was stunned when I saw you tank.. not only because of the beautiful inhabitants but beacause of the amazing setup! Did you do that all yourself or was a LFS responsible? Looks like maintenance is much easier when everything is nice and tidy. I also noticed that we both live in Portland... you'll have to let us fellow Oregon reefheads know when the first tour will be!!!!!
Tank of the Month - Mar 2002
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
steveweast
New member
Patrick; No local fish store played any role in the design or setup of my system. I did ,however, arrange for the acylic tank through Upscales. Visitors are always welcome. I like looking at other reefer's systems just like everyone else. Thanks for comments...Steve
Steve, totally awesome tank.... Way too much to say in words. The best tank I've ever seen.
ONE QUESTION.
You've seem to take careful logs of everying in an out of your tank.
Have you ever put a dollar figure on the the cost. I would be interested in that.
I would guess $15-20,000.
????????????
ONE QUESTION.
You've seem to take careful logs of everying in an out of your tank.
Have you ever put a dollar figure on the the cost. I would be interested in that.
I would guess $15-20,000.
????????????
steveweast
New member
And you would be right...$15K.
steveweast
New member
I stopped cost tracking after the tank cycled. So, the $15K includes all setup and all liverock,but no livestock. I have no idea what I have in livestock....Steve
I
iceman716238
carpet anemone
carpet anemone
First of all your carpet is stunning. Why do so many people say it is so hard to keep and yours is doing so well? How old is yours? Please give me any info on how i can keep one like lighting, water parameters, feeding, and anything helpful thanks.
carpet anemone
First of all your carpet is stunning. Why do so many people say it is so hard to keep and yours is doing so well? How old is yours? Please give me any info on how i can keep one like lighting, water parameters, feeding, and anything helpful thanks.
steveweast
New member
Iceman; I agree with many of those that say carpets are difficult. I would say that mine is an exception to the rule;that said, you will find many other examples of carpets here on RC that are doing just fine, so they're not impossible. I've had my carpet since June and I do feed him frequently..about every three days with a large scallop or two large silversides. My water parameters and lighting are pretty much detailed in the text;however, I'm not sure what to attribute my success to. Maybe it was properly collected,or maybe it's the water parameters,lighting, or feedings.....or maybe just luck...I wish I knew....Steve
I
iceman716238
Steve and anyone else,I have a 75gal 21"deep tank. I want a mixed reef with fish, soft and sps, and a clam. FFE and WetWebMedia told me 250watt metal halides will burn and bleach soft corals and to go with 2 175watts.So should i go with the ushio or AB? Is a AB hood of good quality or is there something that you recommed like the custom sealife or other? Does the AB hood come with the ballast? I think i seen that AB doesn't make 175watt bulbs. Wtih the ballasts, if the ballast is rated for 250watt bulbs can i use 175watt bulbs on it? Do I need vho as a supplement or is the halides more than enough?I need to know the exact specifics because this is my first time and i do not want to mess up. Please give me more specific and detailed answers. Thank you greatly.
deukmedjian
New member
Steve,
Nice work.
I am curious about your phosphate levels. Besides skimming and the refugium are you doing anything else to eliminate the phosphates from the system?
Nice work.
I am curious about your phosphate levels. Besides skimming and the refugium are you doing anything else to eliminate the phosphates from the system?
steveweast
New member
In my sump baffle, I use carbon plus Marc Weiss's Phosphate remover.
deukmedjian
New member
Iceman,
The 250W MH are OK for your setup. As a matter of fact, I would recommend them over the 175W. As far as bulbs go, I recommend the 10,000K Ushios with the mogule base. Use the 250W Blueline electronic ballast from Champion to run the MHs. I would also get a 440W VHO electronic ballast from Hellolights at http://www.hellolights.com/elbalkit.html
They have the best prices on the VHO setups. They make their own VHO ballast. It comes prewired with up to 4 sets of endcaps on the harness. Very easy to use. Its warrantied for 2 years and will cost you almost $100 less than an Icecap setup from Champion. I do recommend Champion for thr MH setup. Use URI VHO bulbs. They have an internal reflector.
No you can't run a 175W MH bulb on a 250W ballast. The ballast should always match the bulb wattage.
You will need to install some cooling fans in the hood if you go with the retrofit kit w/ 250W MH. I recommend the fans from all electronics
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=220&type=store
They have the best prices. Check the decible reting on the fan before you buy it. Probably want < 40 DB. And you will want > 80 cfm. Might get away with one but probably need x2 fans.Be prepared for higher evaporative losses with fans.
Use w/ caution. I'd be more than willing to help answer more Qs.
The 250W MH are OK for your setup. As a matter of fact, I would recommend them over the 175W. As far as bulbs go, I recommend the 10,000K Ushios with the mogule base. Use the 250W Blueline electronic ballast from Champion to run the MHs. I would also get a 440W VHO electronic ballast from Hellolights at http://www.hellolights.com/elbalkit.html
They have the best prices on the VHO setups. They make their own VHO ballast. It comes prewired with up to 4 sets of endcaps on the harness. Very easy to use. Its warrantied for 2 years and will cost you almost $100 less than an Icecap setup from Champion. I do recommend Champion for thr MH setup. Use URI VHO bulbs. They have an internal reflector.
No you can't run a 175W MH bulb on a 250W ballast. The ballast should always match the bulb wattage.
You will need to install some cooling fans in the hood if you go with the retrofit kit w/ 250W MH. I recommend the fans from all electronics
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=220&type=store
They have the best prices. Check the decible reting on the fan before you buy it. Probably want < 40 DB. And you will want > 80 cfm. Might get away with one but probably need x2 fans.Be prepared for higher evaporative losses with fans.
Use w/ caution. I'd be more than willing to help answer more Qs.
Kevin Gougherty
New member
Hello Steve,
In looking at your implamentation of water flow, I see you put power heads inside of your LR structures. Can I ask how you were able to hide camoflage the power cords. Did you have your tank drilled for them?
Also, I am so intrigued by the types of coral you display. I'm trying to run down the list you posted and look the species up on various sources. Nothing I've seen comes close to how healthy and vibrant your collection is.
In looking at your implamentation of water flow, I see you put power heads inside of your LR structures. Can I ask how you were able to hide camoflage the power cords. Did you have your tank drilled for them?
Also, I am so intrigued by the types of coral you display. I'm trying to run down the list you posted and look the species up on various sources. Nothing I've seen comes close to how healthy and vibrant your collection is.
I
iceman716238
deukmedjian:
I changed my lighting plans since then due to many reefers on this site telling me to go with HQI DE bulbs. They say to go with the 150watt HQI because it has more power than 250watt with a mogul socket. Do you agree that this is better for my setup than the 250mogul? They say that it is perfect for sps, clams, softies,and the anemone that i want. Can i hear your opinion.
I changed my lighting plans since then due to many reefers on this site telling me to go with HQI DE bulbs. They say to go with the 150watt HQI because it has more power than 250watt with a mogul socket. Do you agree that this is better for my setup than the 250mogul? They say that it is perfect for sps, clams, softies,and the anemone that i want. Can i hear your opinion.
steveweast
New member
Kevin, In a few places in the aquascaping, the rockwork breaks the surface. I use these locations to hide the powerhead wires behind. The wires then leave the top of the tank through a small hole drilled in the acylic. As for the corals, I usually don't buy on impulse or online. I like to see what I'm getting. I'm fortunate to have several good LFS's in my area. All my stock has come from local sources. I just regularly track the new, incoming stocks and wait for the right piece for the right location.
deukmedjian
New member
Iceman,
No doubt the double ended HQIs are a good bulb. I would still recommend against them though for several reasons.
1. Their UV output is much higher than any other bulb. Hence you will need to use some sort of UV shielding between the bulb and your corals. This may consist of either 1/4 inch-1/16 plexiglass or tempered glass. Either one will cut down on the PPFD your corals will receive. With most other bulbs you do not need to use the UV screen and thus no reduction in PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density, also see PAR) so in practice the single ended bulbs will actually provide your corals with more light intensity and less harmful UV radiation.
Secondly, buying the double ended setup will limit you in the future to the use of only one bulb, the double-ended HQI. By using a mogule based system and an electronic ballast (blueline) you are free to use any single ended bulb on the marked. So you will be able to experiment with different bulbs if you want. The double ended HQI will most likely soon go the way of the "dodo" in this hobby.
Another consideration is the heat generated by your ballast. The newer 250W electronic ballasts do not produce any appreciable heat and will not heat up your room. This is in my opinion a huge advantage over the standard ballasts which produce enough heat while powered on to burn your fingers. I own x3 250W MH electronic blueline ballasts from Champion. They are awesome. There is no bulb flicker. They always fire up quickly and they produce NO heat.
I currently have x3 250W 10000K Ushio bulbs and x4 160W VHO super actinics running over my 180 reef and the coral health and color is spectacular. With my 5" DSB the 250Wers are plenty enough for the corals and clams. You could go with 400Wers but I think its overkill for a tank your size. Just be prepared to deal with the heat issue. And then the evaporative losses. Happy reefing
No doubt the double ended HQIs are a good bulb. I would still recommend against them though for several reasons.
1. Their UV output is much higher than any other bulb. Hence you will need to use some sort of UV shielding between the bulb and your corals. This may consist of either 1/4 inch-1/16 plexiglass or tempered glass. Either one will cut down on the PPFD your corals will receive. With most other bulbs you do not need to use the UV screen and thus no reduction in PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density, also see PAR) so in practice the single ended bulbs will actually provide your corals with more light intensity and less harmful UV radiation.
Secondly, buying the double ended setup will limit you in the future to the use of only one bulb, the double-ended HQI. By using a mogule based system and an electronic ballast (blueline) you are free to use any single ended bulb on the marked. So you will be able to experiment with different bulbs if you want. The double ended HQI will most likely soon go the way of the "dodo" in this hobby.
Another consideration is the heat generated by your ballast. The newer 250W electronic ballasts do not produce any appreciable heat and will not heat up your room. This is in my opinion a huge advantage over the standard ballasts which produce enough heat while powered on to burn your fingers. I own x3 250W MH electronic blueline ballasts from Champion. They are awesome. There is no bulb flicker. They always fire up quickly and they produce NO heat.
I currently have x3 250W 10000K Ushio bulbs and x4 160W VHO super actinics running over my 180 reef and the coral health and color is spectacular. With my 5" DSB the 250Wers are plenty enough for the corals and clams. You could go with 400Wers but I think its overkill for a tank your size. Just be prepared to deal with the heat issue. And then the evaporative losses. Happy reefing
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