Blog Comments

Let me know how the build goes and will keep you informed on my end as well....Not going to do too much before the first of next year though!

Sounds cool. Yeah I'm not so sure the vendor was telling the "whole truth" with his readings.

All readings I saw at MACNA on T5 fixtures this year showed no UV but the LED fixtures with UV LED's and MH were about the same UV output (That was just what I saw with my own eyes). The total number of UV LED's is probably just an opinion from each person you talk to about how many you need and would only be a guess on my part currently as I am still trying to figure it all out myself. I just know that I don't want just blue and white because you are missing out on the other spectrum's that exist. All the colored ones I use have been purchased out of China except for the UV LED's. If you do a google search on 350 NM UV LED's you should find some and I believe there is a company out of FL that sales them and they are in the $30 range each. You might be able to find them cheaper if you do a more detailed search but that was how I found them to start with. Good luck with your build and I will post some pics as soon as I have something together that is worth looking at......I am using a 500 watt power supply from a computer for power and I have a friend locally who is also working with me on this project and he knows how to wire them through a resistor or rheostat for the dimming feature. I will eventually hook all through my aquarium controller and just have it do the dimming when I tell it to.

Well the vendor did show me UV reading on his meter from a T5 fixture. About half that from MH. I wish I noted the exact measurements. His UV LEDs were displaying roughly half again of the T5. I have been thinking of building my own fixture as well, with dimmable power supplies and some red and UV LEDs. The problem I am having is finding UVs, and deciding how many I really need (or rather how many would be too many).

I have been planning a DIY build of LED's for my display (180 Gallon) but still doing some smaller LED DIY project's to practice and perfect the way to incorporate it over to my larger build. Most MH do produce some UV and I think it is in the 350 NM range, I have not seen a T5 bulb that will produce UV except the ones design for UV sterilization which is UV-C in the 250 NM range (You don't want to place this type in a fixture over your tank only in a sealed container from view). The only UV any LED's produce are from UV specific LED's the normal white and blue produce no UV. Some fixtures that I have seen recently are starting to add these UV producing LED's into there fixture's and I do think it is beneficial as these are UV-A & B wavelengths not UV-C. In my build I am incorporating White, Blue(2 different shades), Red, Green and UV in the 350 NM range which is a purple color similar to a black light. Of course most of the LED's in the fixture will be white and blue.......Hope this helps a little as I will be posting some pics and more info as I go through the builds and as I learn more about the LED's.

I have also been researching a DIY UV sterilizer built out of 250 NM UV-C LED's but these are pricey in this range and don't know if it is worth it yet!

Seems to be the state of the LED market. Every where I look I hear the same, "I'm just not sure". My inner geek and my love for DIY is really pushing me to try them though. I have a pretty low light tank so I'm not to worried. For me it's all curiosity. In the end, I just bought new bulbs for my old CFL Orbit fixture. Guess I'm not ready to try LEDs either.

Are you still using this salt? Did you get the whole 225g from the mix? Any negative/positive effects to your tank/inhabitants?

Thanks,
Bill

You know, I'm kind of in the same boat you are, and with the amount of uncertainty on it all still, I just opted to go with MH/T5 combos instead. I was really close to building 2 LED pendants for the tank, each one would have ran about 500 a piece, but there were so many what if's I decided not to go with it

NVM, I found them. And I get what you are saying now about the club forums, I realized I can still see those on RC, they aren't in the buy/sell. Duh!

My local club is pretty small, and since I am currently banned from RC's buy/sell forum (cough, cough...) I can't look there, but good advice. Is there a section like that here?

Look at the local marine club forums for buy/sell. They normally have people post coral colonies for sale pretty cheap. ;-). Good luck!

Mark got banned from Reef Central? For what? Boy do I need to read more.

Originally Posted by evoracer

Drinking game decides who gets to buy what?

We can call it the drunk tank!!

I also would like to see a For Sale page on reef addicts. Even when I am not purchasing something I still browse through the eye candy…

After all we are addicts and need to purchase more "stuff".

Hmmm... Reef-bay, Coral-bay ( C-bay for short).

I'll chug 4 for that acan?

I have absolutely no problem stocking my tank that way.

I signed up and have been posting a bit on there just so I can eventually see the buy/sell section... I won't lie though that I have a great time with the 'melev wrote this' and 'melev helped here' throughout the site.

They may have banned ya, but I'll never let them forget who the real king is

(countdown to my RC Ban in 3.... 2..... 1......)

LOL - make that another great idea to add to the mix. If we implement it, everyone gets to blame you for it.

Drinking game decides who gets to buy what?

Yes, we have plans for the For Sale area, but it won't be what everyone is used to. You know me and my crazy ideas.

I spoke with a few tank builders about this, the consensus is that it should be fine. I have a major delay on the project, my house needs to be tented for termites! So I think I will fill it back up and let it sit for the next week or so until the tenting comes and goes. But after 48 hours it did not bow at all.