Billdemart's Inhuman Creation Station (20 High)

[couevas]

Yeah I'm hoping that will be the case.

 

I ordered two ATI Blue Plus, 1 KZ Fiji Purp, and 1 UVL Super Actinic.

 

I'm assuming the PAR for those will be better than the stock bulbs.

The overall PAR level will most likely be higher....

 

But you will have a VERY blue tank (fine by many).

You could always mix and match with the two whites you have now and get the exact color you are looking for and have a TON of spares....

[violinist]

That's the same color combo socaldude runs I think?

 

+1 on having spares, I wouldn't view it as wasted dough. Those are better bulbs. The 4 mine came with never even got fired lol, just back into the box as spares.

 

I have one white bulb and 3 various blues running.

[Billdemart]

The overall PAR level will most likely be higher....

 

But you will have a VERY blue tank (fine by many).

You could always mix and match with the two whites you have now and get the exact color you are looking for and have a TON of spares....

 

I like Blue

 

If it's WAY too blue I'll throw the whites in to balance it out.

 

 

That's the same color combo socaldude runs I think?

 

+1 on having spares, I wouldn't view it as wasted dough. Those are better bulbs. The 4 mine came with never even got fired lol, just back into the box as spares.

 

I have one white bulb and 3 various blues running.

 

Yeah good point. They will be good backups.

[Billdemart]

Finally got my new bulbs in. The stock bulbs for the hood were WAY better than the freshwater bulbs they originally sent me.

 

Well the expensive bulbs I just got blow those away. It's not too blue at all. In fact it's perfect. I can't imagine changing it now.

 

These pictures REALLY don't do it justice. (Poor sucky iPhone camera). The pink isn't really that pink, the blue isn't really that blue, and the pop is just incredible on almost every coral. Amazing really.

 

I also picked up a big 3 headed frogspawn that has opened and is immediately my favorite coral. I will try to take better pics tomorrow when my wife gets home with her not quite as crappy camera.

 

Old yellow lights (which were way more yellow in person, looked hideous)

 

 

Stock Bulbs:

 

 

 

 

New bulbs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Weetabix7]

[Billdemart]

 

Thanks for all your help on the T5 info Weeta.

 

It's like I have a new tank.

[violinist]

Looks awesome man!

[OClownsandNanos]

Oooh very nice bulbs and color and love love love the frogspawn. Makes me want to get another one for the opposite side of the tank with very purple tips like yours.

[couevas]

Looking good....

 

I am currently eating my words on being too blue (nom nom nom)

[geidky]

Ooh! I really like the new lights. T5 is the way to go. I'm still running the stock bulbs but I'm going to order some new ones as soon as I get my car situation worked out. I'm very undecided on that fiji bulb. I almost think it makes things too red and or purple. In the first 5 pictures it looks red then in the last few its really blue is that just the camera or did you turn off two of the bulbs?

[Billdemart]

Oooh very nice bulbs and color and love love love the frogspawn. Makes me want to get another one for the opposite side of the tank with very purple tips like yours.

 

Thanks! Yeah I love that FS I got last night. It's freaking awesome. I have a small green tipped one too. If it ever grows out I'll switch them to 2 sides. Great idea.

 

Looking good....

 

I am currently eating my words on being too blue (nom nom nom)

 

haha. It's less blue than I thought it would be (less than Travis' picture in the T5 thread)

 

Ooh! I really like the new lights. T5 is the way to go. I'm still running the stock bulbs but I'm going to order some new ones as soon as I get my car situation worked out. I'm very undecided on that fiji bulb. I almost think it makes things too red and or purple. In the first 5 pictures it looks red then in the last few its really blue is that just the camera or did you turn off two of the bulbs?

 

The pink shots are just the Fiji Pink and UVL Super Actinic. The blue shots are just the two ATI Blue + bulbs.

 

It's not very pink at all with them all on. It really balances the blue out nicely.

[nanoreef-R]

Hey!

Have you thought about adding one more rock to the left side of your scape? I'm sure it would look great!

Anyways you should think about changing out the Koralias to MP10, the tank would look so clean!

[Billdemart]

Hey!

Have you thought about adding one more rock to the left side of your scape? I'm sure it would look great!

Anyways you should think about changing out the Koralias to MP10, the tank would look so clean!

 

You mean make it higher on the left? I hate scaping more than doing almost anything in the world. Literally want to punch my hand through a wall every time I do it.

 

I'll have to research the MP10. Isn't that some big expensive pump?

[nanoreef-R]

Expensive, yes. 175 shipped. You can find it used at around 140 though. It's really a great pump that's about an inch in footprint and creates amazing, soft flow. I wouldn't change back to Koralias for the world.

[Billdemart]

Just 1 for the whole tank though? I still need to get an RO/DI and a controller... I'm so out of money atm though.

[violinist]

Just 1 is more than enough for the tank, yep.

[nanoreef-R]

Link

 

Also remember that a controller is not always needed or important.

[Billdemart]

Link

 

Also remember that a controller is not always needed or important.

 

I was looking at that one everyone was talking about that was 149 with the built in TDS etc.

 

Just 1 is more than enough for the tank, yep.

 

I'll have to add it to my things to buy list that never seems to end... This freaking hobby.

 

I have been meaning to ask... Do I need to put a PH in my fuge?

 

My Cheato doesn't grow AT ALL. It's been in there for like a month and just collects other crappy algae with the very slow flow in my fuge. I don't know where it would fit but I feel like I need to do something...

[nanoreef-R]

What's your fuge lighting?

[Billdemart]

What's your fuge lighting?

 

It's a single long bulb Coralife 18w, 6000k Actinic 03

[Billdemart]

Curious to hear your thoughts about my fuge...

 

Back to more pics. I REALLY wish we had a better camera. This thing really sucks.. But it's not high on the priority list right now. Everything looks much duller in the pics than in real life unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Weetabix7]

If you have an "underwater" setting on your camera, it helps to use that.

That's what I use to get decent pics under T5HO on my Canon P&S.

[Billdemart]

If you have an "underwater" setting on your camera, it helps to use that.

That's what I use to get decent pics under T5HO on my Canon P&S.

 

Hmmm. I have a Canon Power Shot SD1000 ELPH. No clue if it has that. Those are the best pics I've ever got out of it, using the Digital Macro mode and no flash.

[Billdemart]

Alright so I'm concerned about this fuge... There is very little flow (not sure how to help it here), the chaeto doesn't grow and is falling into little strands all over the sand. There are several areas that have just nasty gunk (not sure what it is (detritis?) settled on the bottom and it's starting to cover the chaeto up. There are tons of little pods on the glass and in the cheato which is good but I'm wondering it it's not just a nitrate factory back there. Here are the best pics I could take:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billdemart]

WTF......

 

Just found one of my huge snails sitting on my DESK. Like 3 feet away from my tank.... How in the hell did it get on top of my desk.

 

I want to say it's impossible.

 

I just threw him back in. Hope he doesn't die.