The poor college student 215 Oceanic Reef!

[GARFVolunteer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8140295#post8140295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by THEMANTISMAN
Scott, I am not saying that what GARF is doing is crap, I am just saying that it isnt for me. The growth sequence that I was talking about was over a year, not a month. I think the techniques that are used are antiquated. I dont mean that as an insult but I dont think that the plenum and over driving NO bulbs is the best thing we can do for the animals--only the best thing that we can do for our pocket books.

The techniques may be considered antiquated by some but they have been proven to work and work well. I have set up many different tanks different ways and they have all done well. I focus on the tank as a whole like I was taught not just certain areas.

I just wanted to show that you can have a healthy thriving reef doing it the GARF way... BTW when I have NO lighting they were not being over driven. I use normal 40 watt ballasts.

Remember that bare bottom tanks were popular in the 90's right before plenums became popular... The plenum will rise again!

FWIW I would go VHO on your tank.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[THEMANTISMAN]

Thanks for the input Scott! I have been leaning towards VHO

 

[Whaledriver]

The Icecap ballasts run at about 35% lower electrical usage than a regular magnetic ballast. The bulbs also last a lot longer.

I went with the URI A4 ballasts ( they are repairable also ) and put in some computer case fans to keep the hood cool. Put the fans at the end of the hood and have a air exit in the middle with a little duct directing the air up. I have all the fans in the back of the hood so it looks clean and sleek. This was another reason I like fluorescent lights, I hate to look at tanks where the hood is taller than the glass front of the tank.

Another thing you can do is pull the air from under the tank with a flexible duct to the hood. The air then gets exhausted out of the hood. This will keep the area under the stand cool while keeping the hood cool.

Good luck.

 

[THEMANTISMAN]

well i am still debating the lighting but i have gotten the mj mod to do 4 mj mods. i will be working on this and trying to get some new pics up for all to see