Top down shots

[bucfan]

Coral+ & Blue+ 50/50 no matter how many bulbs are in the fixture for growth and color of the acros.

That's all I have ever used for the past 4+ years..........I like the ambient look and how the acros look.

What's your lighting schedule and how many bulbs do you have in your lamp?


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[Big E]

8 hours all lights on/off

6 bulb Sunpower on frag tank

4 bulb LET- Ice Cap ballast on display.

 

[SkylineReef]

Hello from Australia Ed.!

What a great thread this is..
Your tank is an inspiration to us all.
I have a question about lighting...
My tank size is 60x20x20 and currently running 3x kessil 360we @100% intensity.
I just bought a ati 48" 4x54w powermodule. i will definitely be using your bulb combo.
I plan on placing 1x kessil for each end with ati in the middle. Can you advice how high to place the T5 above water level and how much intensity for the kessil supplements?
Will the combo of both be too much light for my sps?
They are currently at middle to top half of the tank.
I would hate it if i bleached them due to too much light.
Thanks in advance

Dung.

 

[Big E]

Hi, thanks...........is this the Powermodule Hybrid? If so I'd run the LEDs very low to start out and run whites at 25% of the blue settings.

I would start these at 8" above the water line. 6" would be about the lowest.

Kessils I would do the same to start 25-30% white level to the blues. Bob used a Kessil/t5 combo. He could probably help you more on these.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2313293&page=3

 

[Big E]

Thank you for the explanations Ed


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Sure no problem..........I missed this the first time on your questions----

"Are there a problem if I only add kh?"

No, you can just add the kh to even it out, I'd get it at least to 7.5.

At the same time don't dose any calcuim or Mg till they get down some.
If your in that 7.5 range you can target approx 400 for calcuum and Mg in the 1280-1320 range.

Like I mentioned earlier you have to double check the concentrations of your solutions.
The other thing you need to do is check your fresh saltwater and make sure they aren't high in Calcium or Mg as water changes over time may bump those levels back up.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

I don't like the P+ it makes the tank look too pink even in a six bulb configuration. A coral+ would add more pink but not over the top.

The Actinic is going to give you a violet look.....maybe some edge pop. I doubt one bulb will do a lot for the corals, but it may help ambience wise.

The ABS has more red than a Coral+.........but not by much. It also has more green and that's why it casts a whiter look than a C+.

To me an ABS and a P+= 2 Coral+ bulbs......that's why I don't bother. Two coral+ already mix it together and do a more uniform job. Look at the spectral plots and you'll see what I mean.

A lot of this goes back to what I said about what our eyes see and what the corals need. Any of those one or two bulb mixes are for ambience.

Hope this helps?

Thank you Ed. It certainly does.

 

[Cavediver50]

Hi Ed,, Just wanted to say thank you for a very informative thread, I just finished reading through the whole thread over the past 2 days! This is the first post I have written since I am currently getting back into reefing after about a 10 or 11 year hiatus. Needless to say, MUCH has changed since back then. I am currently planning out my setup with my good friend Reefmutt helping me (he is the Yoda of reefing here in Montreal, hehe....). I was in the past, and still am very much into SPS. It is going to be a very interesting jumping back in period for me over the next few months. I basically wanted to say I have learned a lot from reading this thread, and I have always like the old fashion KISS way of doing things. I would also like to ask, of you still have your anemone, and if so, what are you currently doing for it in your new display tank as far as a sand base? I want to also do a bare bottom, but would very much like to have a little section of sand for an anemone, and/or any other little creatures that need some sand. Also, I have to say, you are a patient man restating things often.... Greg

 

[codydemmel4]

very nice tank and setup. where do you have the pearlberry in your tank? I can never seem to get good color and grow out of mine. I am running a 8x80w 4 blue+ and 4 coral +

 

[Big E]

Hi Ed,, Just wanted to say thank you for a very informative thread, I just finished reading through the whole thread over the past 2 days! This is the first post I have written since I am currently getting back into reefing after about a 10 or 11 year hiatus. Needless to say, MUCH has changed since back then. I am currently planning out my setup with my good friend Reefmutt helping me (he is the Yoda of reefing here in Montreal, hehe....). I was in the past, and still am very much into SPS. It is going to be a very interesting jumping back in period for me over the next few months. I basically wanted to say I have learned a lot from reading this thread, and I have always like the old fashion KISS way of doing things. I would also like to ask, of you still have your anemone, and if so, what are you currently doing for it in your new display tank as far as a sand base? I want to also do a bare bottom, but would very much like to have a little section of sand for an anemone, and/or any other little creatures that need some sand. Also, I have to say, you are a patient man restating things often.... Greg

Hi Greg.

That's great, welcome back........your in good hands with Reefmutt. I'm glad you've gotten some useful info from the thread.

On the nem......I lost it over 2 years ago. It always seemed to have its periods of shrinking or slightly bleaching over the 9 years I had it, but it always would recover, I never knew why. This time it didn't and just declined over several months.

I bought a purple tentacle, green based Malu that's depicted in the picture above. It was taking up too much space and moving on me so it resides in my frag tank now.

Honestly, if your going to full Sps the only nem I would go with would be a Magnifica........they love heavy flow and stay put once they're happy.

I believe all anmeones are better off in a dedicated tank. The clowns can be a real PIA when you are mounting frags or doing other maintenance and there are plenty of species that will uproot corals if they don't like where they're at.
Clowns also get a lot more aggressive protecting a territory when they have an anemone home........not good if you have any timid fish.

If you have a larger system these challenges aren't as bad, but I still think a lot of people have regrets after the decision is made.

very nice tank and setup. where do you have the pearlberry in your tank? I can never seem to get good color and grow out of mine. I am running a 8x80w 4 blue+ and 4 coral +

Thanks, mid level to just below mid level has worked good for me.......that's around 350 par. Flow to all sides of the coral will help get a nice growth form and could also help with growth.

 

[Big E]

I talk a lot about setting up your lighting to satisfy what a coral needs and balance that with what we see with our eyes.

I think this is well written and can help some understand the interaction of colors and how we perceive them. It can also be helpful in how you want to add supplemental lighting to your setup.

There's some interactive tools as well......try them out.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-2/Color-Addition

This color subtratction section can help in looking at the "shirt" as a coral and how it absorbs and reflects color.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/light/u12l2e.cfm

 

[Quiverfull]

Ed:

Quick question... I am thinking about setting up a frag system - my colonies are getting too big and I don't want to dispose of the trimmings. Is your frag system Plummer to your main system or separated? If separate, to you have a full sump/skimmer set up on it? Any suggestions about setting up a frag system or posts you've come across would be helpful. Thanks.

Greg


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[Big E]

My frag system is separate............my biggest reason for doing this is to use it as a place to have backups of my most prized corals. It also can act as a QT for new corals.

I like having the flexibility of the two tanks.

The extra cost is minimal. You don't have to do anything fancy.......use a plastic tub from walmart for the sump. I have a quiet one pump and an Amaxx Cone 1 skimmer for my 60g system.

You need some fish in there, but not so much to create more waste than the skimmer can handle.

You can use cheap internal circulation pumps like used tunzes that aren't controllable. People usually sell those cheap. Or a few Jaebos.

If its less than 100g you can hand dose alk and calc. If you want to use a doser you can.

The only extra electricity cost is the return pump, skimmer, and heater. Here where we live I doubt that's more than $5 a month.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

My frag system is separate............my biggest reason for doing this is to use it as a place to have backups of my most prized corals. It also can act as a QT for new corals.

I like having the flexibility of the two tanks.

The extra cost is minimal. You don't have to do anything fancy.......use a plastic tub from walmart for the sump. I have a quiet one pump and an Amaxx Cone 1 skimmer for my 60g system.

You need some fish in there, but not so much to create more waste than the skimmer can handle.

You can use cheap internal circulation pumps like used tunzes that aren't controllable. People usually sell those cheap. Or a few Jaebos.

If its less than 100g you can hand dose alk and calc. If you want to use a doser you can.

The only extra electricity cost is the return pump, skimmer, and heater. Here where we live I doubt that's more than $5 a month.

Hi Ed,

Do you think you can get away with not having a sump in a separate frag system if you use an internal skimmer like one of those Tunze ones? I am considering setting up a small set up, but what deters me is the cost of purchasing a light unit.

 

[Big E]

Sure you can do that.......the reason I like the sump is I have my rock & heater in there.
Better yet, you can just throw a bag of Siporax in the sump instead of the rock.

You can be creative with putting Siporax in some kind of hang on box if you don't want a sump.

As far as a quick cycle just use some rock from the display or cycle the siporax in the display's sump. Then use a bunch of water from the display when you fill up the frag tank...........I'd fill 50% of the frag tank volume with aged water.

I want the frag tank as open as possible...........rocks always seem to get in the way with frag racks in there. Even if they're under the racks they obstruct flow and most frag tanks are shallow and don't allow enough room.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Thanks Ed.

I think I will ask my tank manufacturer to build me a frag tank with a full length overflow box, so that I can hide everything you mentioned in it. Do you also use T5 lighting over your frag tank?

 

[Big E]

Sounds like a good plan

I picked up a used Sunpower for my lighting.

 

[carlosmos]

Top down shots

Big E, can you tell me your opinion about my size skimmer? I use a nyos 120 for a net 300liters, with 4 big fishes (hepatus, flab evens, imperator young and Naso) and 4 small fishes. My nitrates are always 10, and phosphates 0.03-0.05

Thanks


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[Quiverfull]

My frag system is separate............my biggest reason for doing this is to use it as a place to have backups of my most prized corals. It also can act as a QT for new corals.



I like having the flexibility of the two tanks.



The extra cost is minimal. You don't have to do anything fancy.......use a plastic tub from walmart for the sump. I have a quiet one pump and an Amaxx Cone 1 skimmer for my 60g system.



You need some fish in there, but not so much to create more waste than the skimmer can handle.



You can use cheap internal circulation pumps like used tunzes that aren't controllable. People usually sell those cheap. Or a few Jaebos.



If its less than 100g you can hand dose alk and calc. If you want to use a doser you can.



The only extra electricity cost is the return pump, skimmer, and heater. Here where we live I doubt that's more than $5 a month.

Ed:

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. Any pictures of your frag set up would be great if you have any. Are you coming down to Columbus for the frag swap next month?

Greg


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[Big E]

Here ya go, kinda messy right now and I have to work out how I want to position things but it gives you an idea.

There's a 10g tub underneath with a skimmer, heater and some live rock.

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to make it down to Cbus.

frag tank 082816 by Big E 52, on Flickr

 

[Big E]

Big E, can you tell me your opinion about my size skimmer? I use a nyos 120 for a net 300liters, with 4 big fishes (hepatus, flab evens, imperator young and Naso) and 4 small fishes. My nitrates are always 10, and phosphates 0.03-0.05

Thanks


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I'm not familiar with Nyos skimmers but from the looks of your nutrient levels it seems to be doing fine.

I always try to go 3 to 4 times the size manufacturers quote so I can minimize all those extra export crutches.

Make sure you clean the impeller and it's inner housing of the pump quit often. Most of these newer skimmers that use the low electricity pumps like Sicce, ect. get a slime coating on the impellers and they start to under perform.

It's usually the reason nitrates start to slowly climb up or the foam head will lose height over time.

I found out I have to clean mine about every 4-6 weeks.