Keng Yew, Leong Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 here's the pic....its really old,my tank is totally different now.Due to a small accident and a crab,the leathers aren't there anymore.There are new corals now and bigger shrooms. Link to comment
offsprg01 Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 the bulb just screws in to a typical incadecent fixture, like a lamp or a ceiling fan. the name for that type base is b2. it's nothing special. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 18, 2003 Author Share Posted April 18, 2003 Cool tank you got there Keng Yew...can't wait to get mine started. And thanx for the info on the bulb Charlie.... Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Hey south. Sorry man, but I don't have any real pics of my tank. Just one of the day it was started, and a few close-ups. I don't have a good camera, so my picture taking doens't happen very often. My tanks kinda sick right now after an ammonia spike I had a few weeks ago. The zoo's are just starting to open, but in a few days, I'll take some shots with a 35mm to send to a friend of mine who sent me some frags. I'll definately post then. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 18, 2003 Author Share Posted April 18, 2003 No worries Kyle....oh and so you know...i might just end up custom building a hood after all....will see if i can build it using my current hood as it's base so that it fits easy and stuff but i'm going to the LFS this weekend to see what kinda lightings i can get my hands on first so that i'll know what to expect. Letcha know how things turn out....Oh and hope ur tank's doing better. Is it just me or is the sand bed on Keng Yew's tank really deep? how many lb's of live sand do you have there buddy? Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Who knows what the best sand bed is for nano-reefs. Most people you'll find have a sand bed from 1-2 inches. It looks like its working for Keng Yew, though. Be sure to update us on what you find for lighting. If you have absolutely no luck I could ship you some PC utility lights from wal-mart along with some 50/50 bulbs for whatever my costs are. They're 10 bucks a piece I think, but I know the shipping would rape you. Just trying to help out. Good luck! (My zoos!) Link to comment
Keng Yew, Leong Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Oh its a 4 inch DSB.There's around 5 kg(11lbs) of sand there.A DSB works for me though.I can see bubbles coming out of it.I hope it's nitrogen not methane. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 19, 2003 Author Share Posted April 19, 2003 Good news...and bad news....i found i think an NO (actinic) bulb that's 30w and is a feet and a half long....i think they've ran outta 10K bulbs....but if i have the two...that'll give me about 60 watt's to run the tank....should be sufficient for now rite?....will probably try and cram in another bulb in the future if it's not....btw..the bulbs are RM 55 a piece...works out to about 14 dollars a pop...not too bad a deal i think.... Now the only problem is whether it'll fit in the casing....i'm not sure if my bullbs are a feet and a half.....dammit... : gonna check it out...if not looks like it's DIY for me...but lemme know what ya'll think about the 60watt setup... Oh and Keng Yew...got a favor to ask.....apparently they've never heard of live sand....they said they have sand... ??? ... was wondering if i could get perhaps a cup of sand from ur tank to seed mine......i've read around the forums on how you can add dead sand and live rock and try to seed the sand with sand from an already established tank.....think it'll work....but would need your assistance on this....if not...i guess i can always wait till the live rock starts to seed the sand itself...... will keep you guys updated....and thanx for the offer Kyle...but ur right...the shipping would hurt.....but thanx again Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 19, 2003 Author Share Posted April 19, 2003 one more thing...the bulbs are Philips bulbs so you know.... Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 Hey south, good to hear you had some luck with the lighting. I'd just make sure you did all the looking you could for PC bulbs. NO's tend to have a more purple color, and are MUCH less bright. They'd definately work for at least some coral, but they could also be a fuel for algae. South, you can definately get some sand from Keng, but if they have any established reef tank with live rock, their sand would probably be considered "live sand". It's up to you man. I think you should hook up with Keng in general, and get some frag swapping going on. Anyways, keep us updated on the lights. Link to comment
zizmans Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 Woah. Let me read back on this post, I tried to help in the beginning. First off, get the actinic, it seems like hardware is hard to get in your neck of the woods, so grab it when you can. Online MH's, yes the price sucks, but it's worth it. You got the sweet deal on livestock so a little extra for their happiness isn't so bad. You will regrett it later when you want SPS and clams and have to redo your lights. What is the LFS situation where you are (hardware)? Maybe you should start a reef club and do group orders from europe, usa. P.S. PLEASE tell me that Arowanda is in a different tank. It gets more cruel by the week. Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 Southpaw, you've got a huge thread going, man. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 19, 2003 Author Share Posted April 19, 2003 You're right Kyle...this thread's getting huge....don't know if this is supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing but i do appreciate all the help you guys have given me thus far.... And just so you know...the arowana is happily swimming in a fairly large pond now...gave it to a friend who has a pond at his place...i check with him and it's suitable for the fish...in fact works great for him now that he's got all the room.....so hope ya feel better about that Hardware isn't too much of a problem round my parts other than lighting but the thing is...they're not big no nano reefs here so not many of the equipment caters to us...Keng Yew would probably know more on this considering that i've only just got started.... As for the MH's....they're going for like 800 ringgit here (works out to about 200 dollars) which i'm sure is alrite but 800 ringgit's a bit outta my budget even with a job And i'm still looking out for the PC's but the LFS don't have a clue about it....all they've got is NO's....like Keng Yew has said before.....PC's aren't too common in Malaysia....the LFS is pretty well stocked though....had a blast runnin through all the stuff in the store.... The sand's a no go with the LFS...they've got crushed corals in their tank....and have never heard of live sand...go figure....will see what keng yew says about the swap....in the meantime...i'm cleaning my tank and getting it prepared...later guys... Link to comment
Keng Yew, Leong Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Which LFS do you go to.PC's are common in my area PJ.Altough its PC they call it PL.They even sell PC ballast in DIY stores.They are just really confused when you ask them about things,but sooner or later they will know what you are looking for. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 20, 2003 Author Share Posted April 20, 2003 I suppose you're right.....will need to do some explaining and no...i've yet to check out the stores in PJ....only one's in subang. Oh and so you know....i found another reef store in USJ....in the same row as the thai restaurant called Sri Ayuthia (think that's how it's spelt) Appologies to the rest who have no clue what i'm talkin about....just an update...i found out that i would probably need to replace the current ballast on my hood even though the new 30w bulbs would fit coz i believe my current ballast only caters to about 15 to 20 watt bulbs so it would be significantly underpowered....mark me if i'm wrong here. And also haven't found 10k bulbs that are at 30 watts.....the best i've found is at 20 watts but will check out the stores in different area's for PC's. Hey Keng Yew....was wondering....you think u can spare me a cup of sand from ur tank when mine's ready to be cycled...i honestly don't know when that'll be just yet but just wonderin if you'd be cool with that....lemme know....in the meantime...i'm gonna try and see if that other store i found has what i'm lookin for..... g'nite for now.... Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 28, 2003 Author Share Posted April 28, 2003 Hey there guys... Just wanted to letcha know that i managed to get my hands on two 36w PC's yesterday (10k + Actinic) Funny thing is they don't have the four pin straight endcaps in Malaysia...well it's not common at all and would cost a bomb....the great news is that the ballast i bought has outlets to plug the PC's right into them...it's a little difficult to explain but bottom line is that i'm able to hook these babies up.... Am working on retrofitting them into my hood right now...would take some minor mods but think i'm able to do it....will get a pic up as soon as i'm able too.... Oh and i do have some questions as usual (and this is open to anyone)....now the ballast i bought for the PC' s are only 30w but according to the LFS, they should still do the job....and they do work but i just wanted to find out if that would lessen the intensity of the lights and can i make do with these of should i go scouting around for the 36w ballast.... They actually do have the 36w ballast but the endcaps (it may not be endcaps...i could be using the wrong term for it...) attached to the ballast would not fit the PC's and with a little bit of moddification to the 30's we were able to plug the bulb in..... So tell me what ya think....would two 30w ballast plugged into 36watt PC's still work for my 15 gallon tank?.....thanx again for ya time... Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 I don't know about that for sure, but I'd assume you'd have 12 less watts of light with the 30 watt ballasts. If it lights up, there shouldn't be any problem. If they just flicker, that's no good. It's great to hear you got everything rolling, Kenny. You'll be really happy with the lights you got, I guarantee it, and it sounds like thats the hardest part. My cousin Flew from Australia to Malaysia today... He's getting a job there for a few weeks, and just hanging out. I'm not sure where at, but if I find out, I'll let you know, and you can tell me a bit about it. Later man, and congrats on the good find! Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 28, 2003 Author Share Posted April 28, 2003 Well, i hooked everything up yesterday night (just to see if i got my wirings right) and the lights worked fine....now that you mentioned flickering....there was a slight flicker when i turned it on but then it got brighter and the flickering stopped.....hopefully that's nothing to be concerned about. You're right about the lights being the hardest part though...i've been to so many LFS in the past week....i was begining to lose hope.....but managed to find me this one that's like almost an hour away from where i live (and got lost in the process) that Keng Yew recommended and the rest is history.....went home and got the lights hooked up....feels good Now i'm just trying to figure out how to get it hooked up in my hood....it'll be a tight fit but it'll fit..... Two more questions cropped in mind as i'm writing this....first one, would placing the two PC's so close to each other be a problem?...the LFS said that heat shouldn't be a problem with PC's and the fact that i've got the electronic ballast, i wouldn't have to worry about a cooling fan.....what have your experiences been on this matter? And secondly, would i need to install a reflector (i was thinkin maybe a coat of mylar) in the hood to improve light penetration etc?....i'll try and get a picture of the hood again once i've set up the lights to give ya'll a better view of what i'm talkin about...... Thanx again for the help.....and feel free to shoot me questions bout Malaysia etc.....take it easy...... Link to comment
duckhuntboy Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Hey Kenny, The lights flickering to start are just fine. Lots of PC and fluorescent bulbs do that. Sounds like the lights will be just fine. You can place the lights as close to each other as you need, just dont touch the tubes together. Heat could easily become a problem, and just because they're PC's, that doesnt mean they dont get hot. I have to cool my 4 gallon PC hood, but not my minibow, so it just depends on the temperature and direct sunlight exposure where the tank is. I'd throw a fan in there if I were you. It's good security in case your air conditioner where you live goes out, or for those hot days. I dont know the temperature of malaysia, but I'm assuming it's an ocean-style cooler climate (like 80ish)? I dont know. It's not necessary if at the end of the day, your tank is still at about 80 degrees or lower. I'd recommend a reflector as well. It really does increase the light in your water column, and it also spreads it out and fills some shadows. Any aluminum/metallic heat-resistant material will do. It also protects the plastic hood from melting, if it's cheap. Send pics when you get them. I want to see how they make lights out there in malaysia. Later kenny Link to comment
Keng Yew, Leong Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 How much did the lighting cost you?I might wanna set up a new nano.Maybe a 20 gallon.About the livesand....Sorry bout the late reply I've been really busy with school work.I dont think you will want my livesand.There's currently an algae breakout in my tank.You will need to cool your tank.My FW planted tank needs to be cooled although it is only using NO flourensent.The PC's are much hotter, so cooling is not an option but a must. Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Thanx again for the input guys...to answer some of your questions, first off...the lightings were fairly cheap i must say..but then again i've no benchmark. I paid about RM 39 and RM 43 for the PC's (works out to about 10 US Dollars) and they guy at the LFS showed me how i could connect them directly to the ballast and two ballast cost me RM 30 (about USD 8) Plus about of holders for the PC's...all in all it cost me about RM120 (about USD 40) That's pretty much the cost of the lightings...i'm going to use the current switch and outlet from the current hood but still working out a way to built in a fan and fit all the components in....i'm probably going to need some help from a hardware store to build me the reflector and ultimately the base to connect my bulbs to the hood coz i don't have the tools....got a couple of ideas but i'll need to see what kind of materials i can get my hands on over the weekend. Oh and Kyle...so you know...the temperature in Malaysia is more like around the 90's....it gets kinda hot and humid over here...so i'm thinkin heat could well be a problem....will go look out for fans etc over the weekend to find ways to cool the tank....how do you deal with the heat Keng Yew? As far as Livesand is concerned, no worries Keng Yew....i've managed to find one store that sells it (The one in USJ).....but no luck with others....the only thing is that the sands not like the white sand i've seen in the post of the other members...it's got a light brownish tone to it....but i guess it'll have to do seeing that none of the other stores have it...let alone even heard of it..... And Kyle....i'll try and take some pictures of the current setup of the lights later tonite. This'll give you a better idea of what i'm having to deal with as far as space constraints etc....hopefully you guys can give me tips on how to cool the hood then later guys.....(and girls if you happen to be reading ) Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Hi...i've got one more thing to add....i just realised that the Daylight PC's i bought may not be 10k but more like 6200....would that be a problem for the corals as far as color temp? i do have actinic to suplement it but i'm just wondering if it would cause any problems in the future.....thanx again.... Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Hey guys...here's the pics i promised.... first one's a look at the hood taken apart: Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Here's a look at how i've managed to connect the PCs directly to the ballast.... Link to comment
southpaw23 Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Lastly a look at the whole setup....the only problem now is that as you can see, there really doesnt leave much room for a reflector....i don't even think it would do much good in that amount of space.... Also, you'll notice in the first pic that i've attached the support clips for the PCs as well as connected the ballast to the power source and switch..... Well, hope this'll give you an idea of what i'm dealing with as far as setting up the lightings are concerned.....any suggestions would be welcomed...... ps. If the bulb is in contact with one of the pieces of plastic....would that be a bad thing?....and i'm still tryin to figure out how i'm gonna be able to fit a fan in the whole setup... ??? Link to comment
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