Blog Comments

If you take off the 40 degree optics then run without them or you could just remove some until the others arrive. LED's have a 120 degree optic with no extra lenses.

Originally Posted by cyano

you can try lower in the tank as well as screening under the lights to dim them a bit before they get to the corals and clams, anytime that you get a new frag make sure to take note of what kind of lighting they were under before you purchased it, marine stores try and have a fast turnover rate and alot tend to cheap out on lighting as they see a lower profit margin in having to replace "expensive" bulbs

I am going to actually reduce the lighting period currently on each of the units and also increase the staggered lighting time from 30 minutes to probably 1.5 hours to 2 hours each. Since I don't have dimmers and I have to wait about 1 weeks for the new 80 degree optics to arrive.

Originally Posted by Myhahockeykid

2 words... PAR meter

Ask around your local reef club to see if they have a club meter they lend out or find a few reefing buddies and pony up for one.

IMO nobody should be switching from their old lighting to their new LED builds without one, considering how much livestock you can kill very easily.

Thank you for the information. I might just order one today. But this is my first lighting system so I didn't have anything prior.

Originally Posted by baker.shawn

yup this looks about similar to what happened with me, when i switched from a 150W MH with 2 T5ho to 36 XP crees even with the lights turned way down i experienced bleaching, my coral is just coming back now, i had to do a verrrry slow ramp up on the intensity. my clam is doing okay...but not great

Thank you for the information. I hope my clam decides to spring back also.

^ +1

I took a PAR meter to my LFS one day...250W radiums that were over a year old (dates were over a year ago written on the bulb) and the corals in the tubs were getting about 50-100 PAR...thats less than I get on my sandbed (~280) with (7) 5 month old bulbs in my TEK 8x54W fixture hung 14" off the water (yes I wired it for 7 bulbs b/c I was bleaching corals all over the tank and saw no need to waste more power).

you can try lower in the tank as well as screening under the lights to dim them a bit before they get to the corals and clams, anytime that you get a new frag make sure to take note of what kind of lighting they were under before you purchased it, marine stores try and have a fast turnover rate and alot tend to cheap out on lighting as they see a lower profit margin in having to replace "expensive" bulbs

2 words... PAR meter

Ask around your local reef club to see if they have a club meter they lend out or find a few reefing buddies and pony up for one.

IMO nobody should be switching from their old lighting to their new LED builds without one, considering how much livestock you can kill very easily.

yup this looks about similar to what happened with me, when i switched from a 150W MH with 2 T5ho to 36 XP crees even with the lights turned way down i experienced bleaching, my coral is just coming back now, i had to do a verrrry slow ramp up on the intensity. my clam is doing okay...but not great

Originally Posted by melev

Welcome to the Swabbie Club.

Glad to be apart of it. I have already noticed more skimmate production in the last two days.

Originally Posted by melev

I think you may be over-automating your tank personally.

Phytoplankton has to stay chilled, unless you plan to fill up a small container daily for it to draw from.

The effluent of the Calcium Reactor can't be controlled by a dosing pump.

Magnesium and Kalkwasser can be metered out with such a pump.

Zooplankton - unknown. How much are you dosing of that?

I think that with the size of my aquarium I am focusing more on the precision of dosing. No the Phytoplankton that I have and Zooplankton products are all from Brightwell Aquatics and I will be refrigerating it for storage but it specifically states on the bottle that refrigeration is not necessary, but it will extend the shelf life of the product. Why do you say I cannot control the effluent of the calcium reactor? I know a few people on Reef Central who have the input of their Calcium Reactors fed with Peristaltic Pumps for the very reason of controlling water flow through the unit with precision. Just would like to hear your thoughts on why you don't think this is possible? Also I am not sure how much I am dosing currently but I would like smaller doses like 1ml to 5ml about 2 to 3 times a day. I am sure the Acropora Corals and Angels in my aquarium would love it. Let me know your thoughts. I'm am always open to hearing everyone ideas so I can approach tasks with the most efficient process. Thanks again!

I think you may be over-automating your tank personally.

Phytoplankton has to stay chilled, unless you plan to fill up a small container daily for it to draw from.

The effluent of the Calcium Reactor can't be controlled by a dosing pump.

Magnesium and Kalkwasser can be metered out with such a pump.

Zooplankton - unknown. How much are you dosing of that?

Welcome to the Swabbie Club.

Originally Posted by Skamin

looks great thanks for sharing.

Thank you!

looks great thanks for sharing.

You guys are crazy! LOL

Originally Posted by kayl

If you're using a float switch to turn off the skimmer when the container is full, you don't need the ping pong ball

this is true...but it makes it soooo much cooler lol

If you're using a float switch to turn off the skimmer when the container is full, you don't need the ping pong ball

Originally Posted by baker.shawn

preciosion marine has theres like this, i assume the pingpong ball is restricted by the lid as the water rises. thus stopping overflows if you cant get to it in time, in the top of the pingpong tube you can probabuly add a cap of carbon
http://www.precisionmarine.com/storefront/productdetail.aspx?idproduct=985

Originally Posted by baker.shawn

agreed, if you have a controler all it takes is an $20 float switch, a bucket,a pingpong ball and $5 of pvc parts

I haven't see the ping pong ball variation- do tell!

Originally Posted by kayl

Do you have a controller? If so, it's very easy to do a DIY solution- just use a float valve to shut off the skimmer and email you when the skimmate "locker" is full. You can also DIY the carbon odor filter that the Davy Jones' Locker has as well

agreed, if you have a controler all it takes is an $20 float switch, a bucket,a pingpong ball and $5 of pvc parts