keydiver Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 you can go for the dimmable ati and that may solve your problems. Very true jacob. Does anybody know if the dimmable ATI's can be used with the apex VDM module? If so that'd be a huge plus Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Very true jacob. Does anybody know if the dimmable ATI's can be used with the apex VDM module? If so that'd be a huge plus I think that they can, it's a 0-10v signal if I remember correctly. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Ok, so do you think the 6 bulb would be pushing it? I will be keeping acans, rics, and zoanthids lower level, and sps higher up on the rock structures. Much thanks for taking the time to post that write up I think it MIGHT be pushing it. If you got a 4 bulb ATI fixture I am confident it would be enough. However, the new price on a 4 bulb fixture might be higher than a nicely priced used 6 bulb ATI fixture. If the 6 bulb fixture gives you the option to switch 3 different sets of 2 bulbs on separately you'd be ok cause it would allow you to run something like all 6 bulbs for 1.5-2 hrs, 4 bulbs for 6-7 hrs, and 2 bulbs for 8-9 hrs. I hope that made sense. I would honestly not run a 6 bulb ATI fixture w/all 6 bulbs on for a full light period over anything but either an all SPS tank or a very deep tank. The cooling abilities of an ATI fixture should not be undervalued. T5HO bulbs will last up to 6 months longer in an actively cooled fixture than they will in one that isn't. TEK fixtures are good, solid middle-of-the road fixtures but they don't have cooling and they can get hot, esp if the acrylic shield is left on. If you're not absolutely set on the idea of a fixture, I know of 2 different good quality 36" T5HO retros, one barely used at all, and one used but in good working order. Oh, and YW. It's nice to be of use. Link to comment
keydiver Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 I think it MIGHT be pushing it. If you got a 4 bulb ATI fixture I am confident it would be enough. However, the new price on a 4 bulb fixture might be higher than a nicely priced used 6 bulb ATI fixture. If the 6 bulb fixture gives you the option to switch 3 different sets of 2 bulbs on separately you'd be ok cause it would allow you to run something like all 6 bulbs for 1.5-2 hrs, 4 bulbs for 6-7 hrs, and 2 bulbs for 8-9 hrs. I hope that made sense. I would honestly not run a 6 bulb ATI fixture w/all 6 bulbs on for a full light period over anything but either an all SPS tank or a very deep tank. The cooling abilities of an ATI fixture should not be undervalued. T5HO bulbs will last up to 6 months longer in an actively cooled fixture than they will in one that isn't. TEK fixtures are good, solid middle-of-the road fixtures but they don't have cooling and they can get hot, esp if the acrylic shield is left on. If you're not absolutely set on the idea of a fixture, I know of 2 different good quality 36" T5HO retros, one barely used at all, and one used but in good working order. Oh, and YW. It's nice to be of use. I thought about the photo period option with 4 bulbs. If I read correctly, the specs say that one switch controls 2 of the bulbs (for a dusk-dawn eriod), and the other four are controlled by a second switch. I don't know if this would be of value. I could choose to run the 2 bulbs for a dawn dusk simulation, then ramp it up to teh 4 bulb switch for a time, then have all 6 bulbs on for a couple hours. But that would mean choosing my bulb colors very carefully. If I wanted a dawn dusk simulation with deep blue/actinic, that would mean that my 6 bulb photoperiod would be bluer than my 4 bulb photoperiod, correct? I'd have to make sure that the bulb colors gave a nice even coloration throughout the photoperiod, more or less. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 It would require some thought, but it's not impossible. One other option would be to have the 2 blue bulbs turn off when the 4 bulbs come on. It would actually be easier to figure out the bulbs if you did it that way. Link to comment
keydiver Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 I placed an order with marine depot for a bunch of stuff and went ahead and bought bulbs so that my shipping would be free. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I placed an order with marine depot for a bunch of stuff and went ahead and bought bulbs so that my shipping would be free. Shweet!!! I secretly love getting those boxes full of aquarium supplies in the mail. Link to comment
keydiver Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 Shweet!!!I secretly love getting those boxes full of aquarium supplies in the mail. It's such a great surprise to get over that middle of the week hump! Link to comment
keydiver Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Got my atI 6-bulb fixture in today! I need to figure out how to install it. My EB8 is pretty full so I might just run it off traditional timers Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Got my atI 6-bulb fixture in today! I need to figure out how to install it. My EB8 is pretty full so I might just run it off traditional timers Link to comment
keydiver Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Quick little update: My new ATI fixture is installed. I still need to play around with the bulb combo a bit to get it just right, but it's definitely coming along. Today I stumbled upon 3 vanderbilt chromis at the LFS. They're pretty hard to come by so I snatched them up without a second thought. They are now happily in my tank, still a bit shy though. Also, last time I was diving, I got a mated pair of rusty gobies. They are so cool, they hang out under the ledges of my rock work and dart out for food. I took some ricordea that I like from my frag tank and I'm starting to compile a ric garden. I still need to move them around to get them the way I want though. Everything is looking good, adjusting to the new lighting. Here are some pics! FTS 11/5/12 my selection of rics cardinal and yellow coris wrasse rusty goby one of the three vanderbilt's magicians chongs bongs? current zoa garden. Just not colored up the way I'd like it to be. Hopefully that changes with the new lighting Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Nice! Don't know what kind of camera you are using, but I had to play around w/my camera settings to get pics to show the coral's true coloration under T5's. I was using a Canon Powershot and discovered that if I used the "underwater" setting it really helped. Don't know if you have that on your camera but they use a little fish icon to represent it. Same on my Panasonic Lumix P&S. Rusty Goby & Vanderbilt Damsel are cool. Link to comment
got2envy Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Sweet! what color bulbs ya going with? I am going to try T5's on my 15g Z&P tank. Link to comment
keydiver Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Nice!Don't know what kind of camera you are using, but I had to play around w/my camera settings to get pics to show the coral's true coloration under T5's. I was using a Canon Powershot and discovered that if I used the "underwater" setting it really helped. Don't know if you have that on your camera but they use a little fish icon to represent it. Same on my Panasonic Lumix P&S. Rusty Goby & Vanderbilt Damsel are cool. Thanks Lisa! I'm using a 9mp sony cybershot, not very many features on it. It doesn't have an underwater setting unfortunately. Sweet! what color bulbs ya going with?I am going to try T5's on my 15g Z&P tank. Right now I'm using 2 actinics, 2 blue+, one aquablue special, and one fiji purple. It's a pretty nice combo, but I think I want to change it around a little and see how it looks. Link to comment
got2envy Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I am getting a 4 bulb fixture... I am going to try 2x blue plus, 1x coral plus and 1x figi purple. Link to comment
flampton Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Well first off-clean you inbox! Second I was wondering whether you have kept up with the Vit C? and how do you feel it is working as a source of carbon? You think it might just be expensive carbon or add other specific benefits? I was about to order some and thought well I best hear from you first. Third I was sending you a PM about macros. Here it is since your inbox is full: Well my rock is cured. Yeah! Of course that comes with algae. I have a CUC on the way from John@Reefcleaners. However I do have a bit much Dictyota unfortunately. They will likely not eat it as it tends to be unpalatable. At least it is a nice blue green color (though there is now a patch of regular brown sprouting). Anyways I figure I need some macros to start competing with the Dicty. Obviously we've talked about the Patch reef concept before so you know what might be best. Anyways here is a list I'm looking for...not sure what you have in 'stock' right now. Cymopolia Halimeda Rhicophoenix Padina Udotea Red grape ie Botry Spatula ie Avrainvillea Let me know, also if you think something else would be of interest please let me know Thanks! Link to comment
keydiver Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Here's an update: I went to a frag swap this weekdn, and since my sunset monti and spongodes are coloring up nicely under the new light, I picked up 6 more sps pieces for a GREAT price. I also rearranged the ric garden and cleaned up some frags on the sandbed so it's looking great. Here are some pics: FTS 11/18/12 Zoa garden CAR's Emerald grandi rastas God of Wars center have gotten 8 new polyps in the last few weeks overhead ric garden overhead- lots of sandbed to fill up clam and banghai overhead flourescent blue algae growing on my frag rack green hulk acro unidentified acro blue tenius red dragon reflection of spngodes (still bleached but coloring up quickly) Garf bonsai pink green-tipped birdsnest rusty goby cleaner shrimp my oldest inhabitant- had him well over 2 years Link to comment
keydiver Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Well, this tank hasn't been updated in months. I think it's about time. Having a bit of a hair algae issue but I suspect it's ue to overfeeding PE mysis, and I've installed a GFO reactor to help with the issue, as well as adding an algae blenny. Many new changes over the last few months, I'll let the pics speak for themselves. FTS 4/2/13 Diagonal shot Side shot Mandarin Goby Anthias Banghai Cardinal Skunk Cleaner Rusty Goby (One of my mated pair) Right Island Shot (Seasons greetings and ly seng cap, various zoas, ric garden below, hammer, and a few small sps) Ricordea and Sunny D zoanthids Ric Garden New Plate Coral Middle Ledge (GSP and Bird of Paradise) Zoas Magicians and Punk Rockers Acro (Getting Bright green Color back after an ionic balancing issue) Deresa Clam (Getting massive now) Purple Death Palys The Anemone Corner The Tank is on Fire!!! Enjoy and Leave Feedback Link to comment
RollaJase Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Looks great, I love all the colours, nice work . Link to comment
keydiver Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Thanks Much! Planning on getting some more sps within the next week or so. I'm hoping to keep this thread updated from now on. Link to comment
Nepenthe Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Oh my lord. This is great. WOW! I really need to order some macros from you. Link to comment
keydiver Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Oh my lord. This is great. WOW! I really need to order some macros from you. Thanks man, have you seen my macro tank thread? Lookin' sah-WEET! Thanks Link to comment
evo_2679 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Keydiver - awesome tank !!!! Love that rock work / scape !! Link to comment
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