96 replies to this topic

[Jules]

Excellent choice on the 6 line wrasse, a personal favourite of mine!

Nice mods too for the tank, the media rack Is great, what are you going to run in it? I had a sponge, seachem purigen and a bag of zeolite and activated carbon mixed on mine, the collection cup is also a good mod to enable the lid shuts nicely on the tank.

[Blakey]

6 line wrasse is my new favourite. Little bugger swims right up to the front of the tank and eye balls me. It's cool!

I will run purigen, carbon, phosphate starber and a piece of foam to catch the course stuff in the media basket. I'm really hoping that the reduction in pump size from the stock to the Tunze helps reduce the temperature in the tank.

Good fans will arrive tomorrow I went with the GELID 5 fans which I saw in a DIY from the states. Apparently the quietest and highest flowing fan for its size so we will see how we go putting it in.
Another modification I really want to do is increase the moonlight brightness. It's so dark atm I can't really see anything when the lights are out.

Jules did you do any modifications to the lighting ?

[Blakey]

[Blakey]

Got some kick ass updates to come.

[Riggers]

It's coming along nicely mate

[Jules]

6 line wrasse is my new favourite. Little bugger swims right up to the front of the tank and eye balls me. It's cool!

I will run purigen, carbon, phosphate starber and a piece of foam to catch the course stuff in the media basket. I'm really hoping that the reduction in pump size from the stock to the Tunze helps reduce the temperature in the tank.

Good fans will arrive tomorrow I went with the GELID 5 fans which I saw in a DIY from the states. Apparently the quietest and highest flowing fan for its size so we will see how we go putting it in.
Another modification I really want to do is increase the moonlight brightness. It's so dark atm I can't really see anything when the lights are out.

Jules did you do any modifications to the lighting ?

 

just saw your question mate.

yeah I did, had an aqua one MG600 150wt metal halide (ill try find an old pic or two)

my mate has a custom made hood on his RSM 130D with Leds in it.

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[Blakey]

So the additions and mods have been coming thick and fast as I kind of want to get it done and leave it alone.

LED stripping has been added to the hood lining, not much but enough and this runs 24/7 and acts as a new moon light as well. It looks a MILLION times better. Hard to take photos of as it's still pretty dark.

I have really started adding more coral now as the tank is well established and stable.
I ended up ditching the green chalice as I didn't want to risk infection to other corals.
I added some birdsnest, leather finger, tons of zoas, star polyps, plate coral and against recommendation an elegance. Don't care how aggressive or hard to care for people say they are, it's a shit hot coral I want a fit looks mint!

Media basket and cup will be here in a fortnight for the 9002 and the rear sump will soon turn over 1600lt an hour with a hydor flow attachment circulating the water randomly.

Growth has been crazy for the corals and with only weekly water changes the calcium levels are staying above 400ppm the hardness dips a little but I just add a bit of Red Sea KH to sort that out.

Other than that smooth sailing.

[kc_read]

Hey mate where did you get your LED strip lighting? I've seen some on ebay from the US. I'm wanting to add moonlight to mine as well as replace the existing fluoro battens with some decent LED lighting for daytime.

Looking good by the way

Edited by kc_read, 29 October 2014 - 10:50 AM.

[Blakey]

Ebay USA I cut all the wiring off though and ditched the plug and hard wired it in to my hood.
They seem a bit dodgy as they arnt 'waterproof' so they recommend you smear the shit out of it with silicon which could get messy?
I have a waterproof light compartment in the Red Sea so just used the 3M tape backing it came with.
I wouldn't say they are the right colour blue (although they quote to be) and not as bright as I expected but does the trick I suppose. My lighting is already good enough and a bit of extra blue will help a little.

[Riggers]

I've used waterproofed LEDs from China, plastic covered for safety, they come in a 5 metre roll in all colours, I used 2 runs of white and a single of blue, was more than enough to light my 4x2 easy!

[kc_read]

Cool cool, Riggers did you not have any issues with the light temperature being enough for coral requirements etc? I did see the usa ones but wasn't sure about the fact i would have to smear them with silicon.

[Blakey]

I didn't know either but came as a recommendation with the instructions.

Shouldn't have any problems with LEDs and temperature

[Blakey]

So researching my coral extensively lately and read that Hammer Coral, elegance and Plate corals can be fed.
I have some Mulloway fillets I caught off brighton in the freeze so just cut some chunks off and decided to try and hand feed to see if they would enjoy it.
As soon as they could smell it they came alive like a true animal and engulfed the pieces of fish. I couldn't believe my eyes!!!!

Especially the plate coral it is so thin and looks so lifeless sometimes this thing lit up and its colour went crazy and this huge mouth opened... Looked a bit like a vagina actually.

Elegance coral and hammer coral just curled up on the flesh and it seems to be just disolving in to them? Man coral is a seriously complex creature.

[Dazzab]

Blake the different colours of the lights are measured in temperature often referred to as kelvins they do play quite a big roll on coral growth
And for the blue you want them to be around 490nm

[kc_read]

Dazzab hit the nail on the head thats what i was wondering. From my limited understanding the white has to be something like 10000k or something right? but I've only had a quick read

Edited by kc_read, 29 October 2014 - 04:24 PM.

[Blakey]

Sorry I thought you meant 'heat' as in affecting the water temperature.
My LEDs are 450nm

[Riggers]

Cool cool, Riggers did you not have any issues with the light temperature being enough for coral requirements etc? I did see the usa ones but wasn't sure about the fact i would have to smear them with silicon.

No probs whatsoever I used the sticky on the back and just ran it all in the hood, do silicon the soldered joins coz they do eventually rust, let me know if you want a hand, I've made plenty of my own LEDs

450-470nm is the light wavelength that coral thrives at, you can get similar spectrums from MH etc but there range is very broad, a 10k MH most likely covers a wider range of spectrums

[kc_read]

No probs whatsoever I used the sticky on the back and just ran it all in the hood, do silicon the soldered joins coz they do eventually rust, let me know if you want a hand, I've made plenty of my own LEDs
450-470nm is the light wavelength that coral thrives at, you can get similar spectrums from MH etc but there range is very broad, a 10k MH most likely covers a wider range of spectrums

Cool Riggers, do you happen to know the seller that you got your strips off? I've had look lastnight but just unsure as what to get as a lot of them don't list the wavelength etc. Wiring isn't an issue I've played with enough reptile enclosures to do that.

Blakey I'm diggin the blue color you've got going nice and deep.

[Riggers]

I'll have a look for ya Kc and pm you some links if you like

[Blakey]