1st Post, Old Salt in a New World

[smeagol108]

I wanted to introduce myself as I have been reading this forum for the last few months. I started in the saltwater arena about 15 years ago, with a 55 reef, and a 90 fish only tank. After a fire destroyed my home ten years ago (unrelated to the tanks), i setup a 210 gallon reef system when we moved back in, and had a full storage room to support it. About 7 years ago, I moved out of the parents house and had to empty and get rid of all the livestock from my 210 as i would be renting in the city (philadelphia) with some friends, and trying to maintain a 210 tank in a rental, and not knowing where my permanent residence would be was not something I wanted to even attempt to deal with.

 

So after about 7 years not in the hobby (still know permanent home) i was gifted a Fluval Edge 6 gallon very recently and was super excited to turn this thing into a mini reef, but at the same time am not looking to spend an insane amount of money on this tank, trying to keep it simple and to the basics.

Its been running about 8 weeks, has about 9 pounds of live rock in it, another pound of rubble in the aquaclear filter, and the 10 watt halogen bulbs were replaced with some 10 LED MR11's which are around 6000K. I also added some low wattage blue leds from a cheap LED strip inside the hood.

 

Living in the tank currently are a bunch of dwarf ceriths, a few nassarius snails, and a few Florida Ceriths. Recently added two red banded high fin gobies and a candy cane pistol shrimp. I would like to do some corals in this tank (using red sea coral pro salt mix) but nothing too demanding light wise. I know my biggest limitation right now is my lighting and i am looking for some help here. I have read countless countless hours of DIY projects using CREE's, P2 heatsinks and DIMM4 controllers as well as others, but i am wondering what other kind of solutions people have found? ANyone find any solutions to the light issue that are not to expensive to implement? I am open to putting just some cfls outside the stock hood, but thats my last resort. I was wondering if anyon was aware of any LED's like this (what i have): http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Brightest-Angle-Lumen-1113WH/dp/B002L2AIIE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421094325&sr=8-2&keywords=brightest+mr11

but that have both the blue and white on the same bulb?

 

Or MR16's that would be appropriate for lower light corals? If anyone could suggest some solutions for around 100 dollars or less that would be greatly appreciated. I am making myself dizzy reading some of these DIY projects, and while i am not opposed to going that route, i am not trying to spend 200 dollars on a lighting system for this tank.

thanks and will share pictures once this thing really gets going!

 

[CronicReefer]

Par38 bulbs are something you should look into. They come in blue/white and full spectrum and for a tank your size it should give you full coverage and plenty of strength for just about any coral.

 

http://www.lumentek.com/dm-36e.html

 

This one is just an example but there are tons of varieties out there.

[smeagol108]

Hey thanks so much for the quick reply! There are so many new technologies available since when I was in the hobby previously and this forum has been a wealth of information and sometimes overload. I am technical by nature (sys admin at a major healthcare system) but have not kept up with lighting and LED's as back when I was active in the hobby it was all T5's, T12s, and MH, with LED showing up right as I tored down my tank.

 

Having this little nano is super cool, but in the 8 weeks of having it all I want is more tanks now. The addiction has returned. Definitely will be checking out the links you provided, and appreciate you doing so. Anyone else have any ideas for lighting in this small tank that aren't over the top? Mr16's with add on lights, or any DIY ideas that aren't too over the top?

thanks so much! Look forward to sharing more and contributing pictures soon as well. A buddy gave me a small rock today with some colt coral on it, and a pink dwarf feather duster as well.

[smeagol108]

Just wanted to update this thread. I have been using the current orbit marine led on this tank and am very happy with it. Yes i lost the stock look, but it was worth it for the features/controllability of the orbit. Definitely like this light on such a shallow tank, growing sps on the sandbed without any issues.