THE Tank Build By Aqua Digital

[AQD_ottawa]

I am literally waiting to decide on what Pacific sun lamp to use, your picture threw me a curve ball and now think the Black Python will be too much for my little cube.

whats the dimensions of your tank?

Pacific sun have a new modular system coming out in June to rival other modular systems here in the USA so may hold off until then. My Ai are doing a fine job for now so in no rush to change.

Corals are growing well I will take som pics soon.

 

[skibum9884]

It is a lot of light. I think you'd be dialing it back quite a bit. My tank is 29.5" x 22.44" x 19.7". In all, not too different besides the length. I think you'd be looking at it just 4-5" above the water line to avoid spilling over?

Mine is ~8" above now, and still spilling over, however don't really mind it much. I'll continue to adjust it until I'm 100% happy, but I'm pretty satisfied as is!

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I think I am going to hold off until PS luanch the new modular unit which will be around 80w per unit no optics and with Blue tooth, using Cree XM LED's

Hmmm so now I have a spare slave 160w black python going what shall I do with it Hmmmm

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Ok so the time has come to make the switch from Ai to Pacific Sun, it was a natural progression really. The Ai's have served me well but its time to get some PWM control going and play with some XM power.

So my first forray is connecting up the Profilux to the Pacific Sun slave 160w . This runs 3 X-PG LED's at 125 degree natural LED spread, (I will have fun with the XM's when released) with no optics I am not having to play around with heights so much to avoid the spotting effect, it also gives me massive coverage from one single fixture.

For now I am leaving the Ai's firmaly in palce nd have adopted cheekly the Ai over tank stand as a test rig for the Black Python.

Here are some intial photos. I will talk more about set up tomorrow.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

An update from last night Heath Robinson affair over the tank!

The Pacific Sun Black Python is not installed on the over tank hangers I used for the AI. They still need moving to the right position but excitement to get this in place took over from looks, however my wife will have that changed by the weekend!

So before I bore you with photos you really dont want to see my first impressions!

The whites are insane white, so crisp, I am seeing things I never saw before, but the biggest benefit is the amazing depth of light, this thing casts no shadows, where as before I needed two AI's I only need one Black Python and even that in all honesty is too much.

The BP has 3 LED colours all independantly controllable either from the Paciic sun software or for far greater control hooked up to the GHL Profilux as I have.

The Blues are very strong, I would even go as far as saying at 100% bordering on purple, so much so I only have the at 25% max and have about 12-14K of light whish is what I prefer, i am not a fan of artificial blue looking tanks.

The white is dialed right up to 80% but this is more due to my corals being used to the Ai, but to get even this close of white I had to run the AI at 100%

The moonlight for two little LEDs cast no dark areas and are also very powerful, you could mix these with your actinic blues for a more complex look if blue is your thing.

The overall look is far more pleasing also, the colours blend I no longer have blues and whites dnacing on the sand bed, and no more shadows, full tank coverage.

There is zero loss of brightness either at 24", but I would not expect this as we have these sitting on a 6' deep tank all be it with optics but thats more due to the shape of the tank than the depth.

Price point - well for the slave which will do a 36" square tank you are looking at for the slave $1,399 and the Master that cant run off the profilux but has built in Blue toth controller to work with your PC is $1,599

And for anyone who says you cant grow SPS under LED or cant get colour....

 

[AQD_ottawa]

 

[AQD_ottawa]

After the Crash

Ok so I guess most have now read about my tank crash, if not see here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2017687

This gave me time to do some much needed aqua scaping work and to give some very cramped colonies room to grow. Things have bounced back fast, nearly got params back in check and colours are really rebounding, of course as you can see in the picture I lost most my much fought over blue colours but I am starting to see a hint of blue.

First thing I did after the crash was add a dose of ProdiBio Start Up, this brought the water back to sparkling in 48 hours and no nutrient spikes. the skimmer went crazy for 5 days and is now back to tar like gunge.

here are some well earned pictures

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Wow seems its been over 100 days since I updated my tank build!

Things still recovering after the huge crash but all is now stable.I went through a delayed ALK shock from where the ALK dropped to 3 since then everything has been stabilised.

I am working to get my new birdsnest full coloured, trying various trace elements, but they all seem to do not a lot more than feed my bubble algea colony which has a fine habit of chocking my tunzes right up! So after 6 weeks of playing with a certain trace element (not brand dropping sorry) I have gone back to relying on the trusted prodibio and surprisingly after one dose of reefbooster the pink birdsnest looks brighter.

Biggest news - we are upgrading! My wife is having a wig consultation room built in our basement as her business has gone crazy so within this build we are sinking a 6x3x2 tank into room, the room will have its own equipment man cave also. I am gathering right now plans, but the biggest will be to have the tank built in situ due to two flights of L shaped stairs, although we could slide the tank down on its side, a build in situ seems a whole better option.

More details to unfold!

 

[ReefRockerLive]

Wow that's a big upgrade! Looking forward to the new build.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I am still following your instructions ref the dosage, will let you know if I see any improvement.

The tank will be in Liz's consultation room lending itself well to clients who have brought a friend with them, so something to look at, she also wants to create a tanquil enviroment, 70% of home visits are chemo patients and cancer survivors. In the evenings of course the room will be for our own pleasure.

I am not sure if I may go 30" high, maybe due to length keeping things in percpective, but I really dont want the letter box look. I did think 4x4 cube, but takes up too much inward space.

 

[MSHUR]

30" is pretty high, if you go rimless you will have to use think glass for support this high..

my next project tank will be 72x36x25"...))

 

[AQD_ottawa]

It will be euro braced, but yes 25" seems to be the winner right now.

 

[MSHUR]

Dont like rimless?))

 

[ReefRockerLive]

How about 72'' x 36'' x 24'' Rimless, peninsula style?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I really dont like rimless

salt creep
jumping fish
I am from the UK (ok theres a big enough reason )

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Long over due update!

I have been remodelling! The SPS growth got way out of hand so I not only did some huge cutting back (one friend was more than grateul!) I also took the time to rework my aquascape so it was not so cramped. I also decided the tank needed a bit more in the way of (I quote my wife) "wavey things" So it is now still SPS dominent with a hint of mixed reef.

One new arrival

Next update will be with the Ecotech Radion above the tank, but first i have to get a window in time as soon as they come in they go back out again to dealers!

I look forward to the radion GHL hook up also, this should be a breeze as the GHL Ecotech module for the pumps will also work with the light fixture once the source code has been released, I guess sometime early next year.

 

[this is me]

Hey Michael,
What light is on the tank at the moment? I only scanned through the posts and at some point you had a PS balck python on there? Are you still using it now. If so, how you like it.
I'm still waiting on my black python XM. Not too many reviews and posts on pacific sun LED.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I am still using it but only until the Radion is here for me, I have had 6 cases of Radion pass through my fingers but allocated to dealers so I have not had a look in yet.

The black python is a great lamp, mine requires a new driver board that i am waiting on.

 

[this is me]

I'm a little confused. You are still using it(?) and you are waiting for a new driver board? What's wrong with the driver board? Is the fixture usable if there's a problem with the driver board that you need to get a new one?

On the Radion, already I don't like the humungous power supply. Makes me feel better(lol) on selecting the black python.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

The black python power supply is about the same size if not larger. And thats a protoype power supply in your photo

My driver board on the black python has lost 50% of the blue channel so waiting for it to be replaced.

I love trying new LED units and as we distribute Ecotech it was a natural progression, light weight, slim, full spectrum. I think the Radion will take some beating to be honest.