azazeal Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hi everyone, I'm just starting out in the pico reefing world and have set up my first tank. I've made a custom LED fixture for it consisting of two 3W Blue LED and 1 white LED (6000°K). They are running at 700ma. All running very nice and cool on a 12hour timer. However I am not sure if there is enough light in there for corals. Do I need more? If so how many of what colour (I can readily get more of the current colours, but not anything like NW). I can also get lenses and I have a few 60 degree ones knocking about (the current fixture has no optics on them as I find it makes spots of colours rather than blending them). I'm aiming to keep polyps, xenia etc but would quite like them to 'pop'. Eventually I want a pom pom crab and a peppermint shrimp. There's life growing in there (the usual hair algae, a bit of brown algae and I think even some aptiasia (little green blob like things on tiny stalks). The tank is at the end of it's cycle so I will be introducing the clean up crew in a day or two. Attached is two images of the tank currently (although these cmos cameras cant seem to replicate the colours correctly!) Cheers! Link to comment
iPhone Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 what are dimensions of the tank? the corals you listed are not light demanding so you're set. just try to keep them close to the area the light hits. Link to comment
azazeal Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 8 litre / 1.75 UK gal / 2 US Gal Dimensions are: 185mm (w) x 220mm (d) x 220mm (h) Link to comment
jeanty Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 the led light is so beautiful. Link to comment
azazeal Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Cheers, I'm aiming to build a small oak cover and light holder for the heatsink over the next few weeks. Link to comment
Tenor Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 No need lens for the tank. Looking good Link to comment
azazeal Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Went with walnut in the end to match the furniture in the room. Have finished making the cover. The light is much more secure and level now as well, so no more drooping! I think the new mod has improved blending and focus a bit as the light is closer to the perspex vent cover (which is now further from the water) but the same distance to the water. Th Link to comment
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