Kinetic 82g

[supernip]

Ive seen this fixture in person at a store called pacific reefs. The infiniti is a solid fixture but Im not sold on how well it reflects the t5 bulbs inwards. take a look at the pictures on marine depot (click the image link) if you don't believe me. Did I mention that the t5 don't have individual reflectors as far as I can tell?

 

If it's the moonlight model, I think the onboard computer takes care of everything. I know a guy that's selling a 48in moonlight though, the old version. I believe he wants to sell it pretty much dirt cheap. If it's the regular infiniti you want, no onboard comp.

[kinetic]

Ive seen this fixture in person at a store called pacific reefs. The infiniti is a solid fixture but Im not sold on how well it reflects the t5 bulbs inwards. take a look at the pictures on marine depot (click the image link) if you don't believe me. Did I mention that the t5 don't have individual reflectors as far as I can tell?

 

If it's the moonlight model, I think the onboard computer takes care of everything. I know a guy that's selling a 48in moonlight though, the old version. I believe he wants to sell it pretty much dirt cheap. If it's the regular infiniti you want, no onboard comp.

 

I'm interested. I don't really care for the onboard comp. Can you get me in contact with him?

[supernip]

you realize that it's a magnetically driven system right?And I believe it's 2x 250watt And it's silver. looks like this:

 

if you're serious about this, I will help you out. But I would prefer that you really think it over first.

Edited November 29, 2007 by supernip

[kinetic]

you realize that it's a magnetically driven system right?And I believe it's 2x 250watt And it's silver. looks like this:if you're serious about this, I will help you out. But I would prefer that you really think it over first

 

oh a 250watt =/ bummer, I don't want to go up to 250. Are the magnetic ballasts louder? I thought they just produce less performance out of the bulb, but could last longer than electronic.

[supernip]

they overdrive the bulb so you get more light out of them. The efficiency ratio is about the same. Depending on the ballast, could be louder or dead quiet. Im not sure as it's been a while since I've seen the fixture in person.

 

If you get into acros, might want that 250 bulbs. Please really think about what you want to do first and I'll help you if I can.

[Uhuru]

I also don't like the sfiligoi only because they are all HQI, while I want to use the 175watt SE Iwasaki 15K's... those paired with ATI Blue Plus T5's is the most amazing color ever in my opinion, great PAR too for less than the 250watt fixtures in terms of wattage. Unless you know that the sfiligoi are SE as well?

 

They can definitely be SE as well

 

I have an SE sfiligoi but it's the older model (XR4). I am going to be running an aquaconnect 14K SE bulb on it. It's actually one of the few SE + HQI bulbs available.

 

The newer model (XR6) I'm pretty sure you can order without ballast from Will if you're set on the Iwasaki 175w. Otherwise they come with IceCap E-ballasts, or I heard it's an easy swap so you could even swap it yourself and sell the icecap ballast.

 

The MH reflector looks like a Lumenarc reflector and the T5's definitely point inwards. Plus it has built in moonlights.

[supernip]

Did you buy this?

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...hreadid=1249644

[kinetic]

hehe no =)

 

I've narrowed my choices down to these:

 

Maristar 2x150watt + 2x54watt T5 (I found a source for it)

 

Giesemann Spectra Bare with T5 ballast, converter, plug + 175watt icecap ballasts (also found a source, talking about prices now).

 

Once I get the spectra's quote I will decide which to get. I'm hoping the spectra but we'll see.

[supernip]

they'll sell you a bare spectra? Let me in on this

[Uhuru]

you can get a bare spectra from Premium Aquatics or you can get only certain components included, I was about to order one but came across a deal on the Sfiligoi

[supernip]

if you dont mind uhuru, please let a fellow vc know the price for the bare spectra via pm

[kinetic]

i have another source for the bare spectras other than premium aquatics. Jason over at PA now says he's only getting the 250 watts. I'm not sure if they changed their ways, or since Jeremy isn't there anymore they don't realize they can actually order the bare Spectra. I'll send a PM over to you nips.

[eddie29]

quick question, what do you or are you planning on using to clean the glass? I'm needing something thats a bit more up to the job then my mag-float that sucks

[kinetic]

A kent pro scraper with a metal blade. One pass and it gets rid of corraline too (that's one extremely deft pass... usually two or three will do it). I don't believe in the magnets, they're not much easier than just taking out the scraper, and running it on the glass, then drying it off and walla.

[supernip]

are you getting a biopus? Im thinking of getting one but Im not sure if the price tag warrants it over something 1/10th the price like an rk2 or an acjr

[kinetic]

are you getting a biopus? Im thinking of getting one but Im not sure if the price tag warrants it over something 1/10th the price like an rk2 or an acjr

 

oh no, i'm using an aquacontroller III.

[supernip]

oh. thats still baller status. I have a lighthouse It's just an overglorified timer, then it died.

[kinetic]

the AC III is nice, I hooked it up with one of my static IP's off my DSL, so I can control it and monitor it from work etc.I'm using two DC8's to control everything, though I'm thinking of getting one more DC8 since I have almost all the plugs covered now.

 

Some water parameters:

 

11/29/07

Ammonia: 1.5ppm

Nitrite: off the charts!

Nitrate: off the charts!

 

11/30/07

Ammonia: 0.25ppm

Nitrite: off the charts

Nitrate: off the charts

Alk: 3dkh

 

My ammonia dropped 1ppm within a day. The reason for my ammonia is my dosing ammonia chloride, and it seems like my ammonia bacteria is just about ready.

 

My nitrites however need a lot of work. Any idea why they're being so stubborn? I guess my marineland Bio-Spira dose I did really helped ammonia kick start, but nitrites have problems. Perhaps there wasn't a lot of denitrifying bacteria or when I added it. I'll cut my ammonia dose in half and just ride it out.

 

My nitrates are pretty freakin high. Looks like more than 50ppm on my seachem kit. I did a 10g water change today after checking my params and we'll see if that helps. But I think I may need more serious measures. I'll probably go get some AZ-NO3 or whatever, and see if I can skim that nitrate out. Maybe add chemi-pure and/or purigen and/or seachem denitrator.

 

Alk: I randomly tested my ALK, looks like it's pretty low compared to when I first filled it. I'll need to supplement ALK even without any corals in there already? How can this be? Low Mg? I'm getting a ELOS Magnesium kit next week to figure all of this out.

 

infiniti is the revised 230 plus. Kappa has a 230 plus. I believe NAKA has the infiniti.

 

I also found out the 230plus does not have reflectors individually for the T5's, and that with no fans, the halides cook the t5 tubes and render them dead way before their expected life expectancy... definitely going with Giesemann Infinity / Spectra.

Edited December 1, 2007 by kinetic

[supernip]

I wasn't aware the infinity/spectra had fans or individual t5HO reflectors. I'm pretty sure they don't actually, do you have a link that says they do?

 

P.S.

use AZ-NO3

 

edit: sounds like the infinity's t5's can be individually controlled though (2 pairs), or so it sounds like from giesemann's website

Edited December 1, 2007 by supernip

[kinetic]

I wasn't aware the infinity/spectra had fans or individual t5HO reflectors. I'm pretty sure they don't actually, do you have a link that says they do?

 

P.S.

use AZ-NO3

 

edit: sounds like the infinity's t5's can be individually controlled though (2 pairs), or so it sounds like from giesemann's website

 

yeah it's all sorta vague right now. I'll get it straightened out with the sources I'm inquiring with and let you knwo what I find.

 

But from my research so far, it looks like the infiniti / spectra don't use fans, but "laser cut vents". Somehow, though, the infinity / spectra shield the t5's from the heat of the halides so they don't burn them badly. How, not sure, maybe the way the reflectors are.

 

The Infiniti (let's use the i version so we don't confuse it with sfiligoi) looks like it has two dual t5 ballasts, such that you can control them in pairs. That would be sweet. I would use a pair for sunrise, and a pair for actinic when the halides are on. I'm thinking:

 

Sunrise:

UVL 12000K Actinic White

ATI Blue Plus

 

Supplement:

ATI Pro Color

ATI Blue Plus

 

Halides:

2x Iwasaki 15K

 

 

The sunrise won't be too blue with the actinic white, and the pro color will bring out the reds/oranges etc. while the blue plus and the 15K will bring out the blues / greens etc.

 

In the middle of the day for an hour, I'll have all the t5's on. And supplement on when MH are on only.

 

I'm not counting on the T5's to give that much color, but a little bit helps.

 

 

I'll try out AZ-NO3 tomorrow. I'll swing by the LFS. I've heard good things about it! I'll probably remove my carbon and filters while I'm using it.

[kinetic]

btw, can I raise ALK by simply adding 2-part? Or am I going to need something else like salifert's additive for alk?

[supernip]

az-no3 works really well, especially if you're in the cycling phase. I have no idea where the notion of your nitrates being skimmed out came from though. It's supposed to boost your bacteria's metabolism. My guess is that there are a lot of organics that accompany the actual enzymes, or whatever activators are being used. But that stuff works, and works well.

 

my apologies on the spelling of the giesemann. I thought sfiligoi was the one with the i. I'd go for the infiniti myself, spectra's kinda limited in bulb choices imo. 250de must have the widest range of bulbs for any halides. But 150de has the saki 50k. I've heard that bulb is freaking awesome. If you get it bare.. I guess you can buy a dimmable ballast and save for an alcs/biopus to control even the halide outputs. I know coralvue has one, but icecap is the champion of electronic ballasts... My giesemann ballast was an icecap/metrolight and it rocked harder than the stock icecaps.

 

Im drooling for an infiniti myself. The one thing you gotta be careful in asking about those t5ho is if there is a single plug or two. if it's a single plug, pwnt. And for me personally, I would go with 250DE. My t5 would just be "viewing" lights. I think dawn/dusk is overrated, especially with bulbs as bright as t5ho. I'd just run my halides for say... 4-6hrs a day, and whenever I want to view my aquarium for kicks, I'd turn on my t5. That's just me though. Oh ya, I'd get the gun metal color for the fixture too, not too fond of black or silver

 

 

edit: p.s. giesemann megachrome bulbs are supposed to top tier as well. I've heard the 13k runs extremely "white," same with the ushio 14k. er for alk, just add the alkalinity part or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)

Edited December 1, 2007 by supernip

[Uhuru]

I keep spelling it wrong too, LOL

 

The T5's on these fixtures are definitely for viewing only and I'm sure don't come close to the output of a dedicated T5 fixture, that's why they usually come stock with only actinics

 

Tell me more about the iwasaki 50k's...

 

 

Kinetic - I adjust my alk with every salt mix using the 2 part buffer solution, a little goes a long way

[kinetic]

Kinetic - I adjust my alk with every salt mix using the 2 part buffer solution, a little goes a long way

 

the ALK in my water mix is spot on, so I don't need to adjust it, but once it gets in the tank, it gets sucked up =/

 

I'll keep doing the ALK on two part daily and up the mg dosage a bit.

[kinetic]

Water Parameters from last night:

 

12/05/07

Ammonia: 0ppm

Nitrite: 0.5ppm

Nitrate: off the charts

Calcium: 425ppm

Alk: 6dKH

 

Ammonia: Looking good, no problems here. After testing, I dosed the tank to 8ppm ammonia. I'll test again today to see how quickly it falls

 

Nitrite: FINALLY! The nitrites went down from off the charts to 0.5ppm. My cycle is complete? No! I'm dosing again with ammonia to make sure nitrites fall within a day.

 

Nitrate: Yes, my nitrates are off the charts! Instead of doing a 80% water change plus AZ-NO3, I'm going to stick a Remote Deep Sand Bed into my system to do some NNR (natural nitrate reduction). It will be a 4g square bucket, fed by a mj900. I am going to plumb two 1/2" uniseals, and then barb them to vinyl tubing. I may see if I can get a stronger pump and plumb it inline with my chiller and phosphate reactor We'll see how long this takes to kick in. Once it does, I'll be ready for animals.