My Rockin' Flower Garden!

[Horerczy]

Most of the leds on the board appear to have ~120-130 degree viewing angle. I don't see why removing them altogether would be a problem myself.

 

I haven't torn one apart myself to check but I doon't imagine it would be an issue to just take them out and leave them out. You'd just see all the guts bits of the fixture without the reflectors.

 

My LFS has a tank with those exact dimensions and they just keep a single 400W 20K radium in a hamilton reflector and the whole tank is lit so I don't imagine a razor should have any dificulties. which model do you have?

[FlowerMama]

Most of the leds on the board appear to have ~120-130 degree viewing angle. I don't see why removing them altogether would be a problem myself.

 

I haven't torn one apart myself to check but I doon't imagine it would be an issue to just take them out and leave them out. You'd just see all the guts bits of the fixture without the reflectors.

 

My LFS has a tank with those exact dimensions and they just keep a single 400W 20K radium in a hamilton reflector and the whole tank is lit so I don't imagine a razor should have any dificulties. which model do you have?

 

Maxspect Razor 160W 27" 16K

[Mirya]

I ordered mine from CoralVue when they first came out as they were the only ones with them. Now that they have been out awhile though other retailers carry them as well (eg, MarineDepot).

 

IDK what going optic-less would do to your PAR. I had a roughly 20% drop in PAR when I moved from the 90 to the 120 optics. I have the numbers in this post here.

[Horerczy]

Not much loss would occur.

The Cree XT-E Whites used have a typ 115 degree viewing angle already so the reflector isn't really doing them all that much good aside from being reflective white.
The Cree XT-E royal blues have a 140 degree viewing angle so they will see some improvement.
The Cree XP-E Cool Blues will also see a minor improvement as they have a 130 degree viewing angle.
The epiled dual cores viewing angle is unknown but likely somewhere thereabouts of the other leds as well.

Still given the number of leds that would benifit from the reflectors being left on I would probably add the 120 reflectors as opposed to leaving the boards reflectorless.

[Mirya]

Thanks for the explanation!

[Horerczy]

You're welcome.

 

I think the biggest concern will be par levels on the edge of the tank regardless of reflectors used. Fortunately rock flowers aren't the most demanding nems wher elight is concerned but I can still see it being a minor issue.

[frankdontsurf]

What makes their colors fade, in turn what makes them pop?

[FlowerMama]

I know less light seems to make mine spread out farther, whereas more light, like my Kessil at 100%blue, 75% white makes them contract.

[FlowerMama]

Tues ammonia was this. Out of the park so I did put the carbon and media in there. Water is not yellowish now, is clear.

 

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Today it's.. Should I take it out? as concentrated as it is in there am I hampering the cycle? I've never cycled 27lbs of rock in a 10g.

 

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[FlowerMama]

And should I maybe at this point since I was in a time crunch before, fill up my spare 20g Brute w/ saltwater and put it in there in the basement w/ the heater?

 

At least that way I'll already have a 1/3 water ready for the 60.

[Mirya]

I'd consider putting it in the Brute with a heater and powerhead so that there is a bigger volume of water to keep the rock in. I think you would also want to throw a light on it as well since there should be macroalgae and other photosynthetic stuff on the rock. Without light that will die off as well, adding more ammonia to the water.

 

Regardless of worries about "prolonging" the cycle, I think you either need to do more water changes and/or continue running media because having an ammonia that high will actually be detrimental to the cycle. IIRC ammonia >5ppm actually inhibits the growth of nitrifying bacteria.

[FlowerMama]

Yeah, I'm getting water going to put the rock in the Brute downstairs once it is heated and mixed tomorrow. It'll be a pain in the butt but I better get used to it- I have to take the water down 14 stair steps. I'm going to have to go to Walmart tomorrow and go to the automotive section and get a container that closes, like a gas container and then go up & down- my luck if I carried even 4 gallons down in a 5 gallon bucket i'd hit the end on a stair and have water everywhere. And I can kinda set the Maxspect temporarily on low and just sit it on the top for light. I don't have any spare light, it would just be natural light otherwise next to the window.

 

The RO/DI unit doesn't work in the bathroom downstairs, even w/ adapter- no the right thing.

 

The other thought was a long hose from the Brute in the kitchen, through the living room, down the stairs, around the corner, to grandmother's house we go but that would be a pain in the arse.

[FlowerMama]

Ok, rock was moved downstairs into the Brute w/ heat, light and circulation. Like 1/4 of the old water went in there with it.

 

But, best news today was...

 

 

 

She just gave it to me today even though the money situation wasn't worked out. Deep Blue Professionals is trying to tell my lfs they didn't get her check for the previous tank and stand. I didn't pay anything today. She said DBP is currently, apparently, in the process of being bought out and

hopefully it'll be by a better company.

 

Now my thinking has changed, thinking of doing white or black sand, an inch and pond matrix, denitrate and some rock in the fuge. Have to rethink the fuge. Will probably put some rock up top as well. It looks beautiful.

[Mirya]

Black sand.

 

[DaveMc]

Nice! So glad to see you finally got it . Woo Hoo!

[FlowerMama]

I was just told by someone in an IM that has bred some rock flowers to go skimmerless as it'll suck up the babies to be and simple filtration. That is why I have to rethink my fuge. Going to get more info from them. If I don't end up using this skimmer (and I think time has passed for me to return it then I'll have a nice future skimmer for whatever). I'm so excited about this tank now that it's in my basement!!!!!!!!! I'm still thinking lid to prevent dust but then I worry about ph changing, etc. If I don't turn the ceiling fan on down there I guess there'd be less dust. Should I bother with a lid?

[bdevillier19]

That tank is so sweet. Is that the 48x24x12?

[FlowerMama]

That tank is so sweet. Is that the 48x24x12?

 

yes! I'm glad I upgraded, I was worried that the other might be too small after all.

[Horerczy]

Go algae turf scrubber. It will take care of your filtration needs.

[bdevillier19]

I was eyeballing that tank or the 80 rimless like Jedi has but the 48*24 foot print doesn't work so well in my 1bedroom apartment.

[FlowerMama]

Go algae turf scrubber. It will take care of your filtration needs.

 

Can you give me some more info on this? I know nothing about them. Where can I find them?

 

I was eyeballing that tank or the 80 rimless like Jedi has but the 48*24 foot print doesn't work so well in my 1bedroom apartment.

 

Yeah, I can see where that would be an issue.

[FlowerMama]

So, every two days I'm checking ammonia and nitrite. The first 2 tests were w/ the 27lbs of rock in the 10g. 2 days ago I put the rock and 1/4 of that water into a Brute w/ probably 18 more gallons of fresh saltwater. It's slowly changing which is good, I know the ammonia was obviously diluted but how long does it take for it to "colonize" or whatever the rest of the water? I'm not good w/ biology. I mean could this be a true reading? Glad I started the rocks when I did, still have to get more supplies for this tank.

 

 

 

[Horerczy]

The high ammonia might be inhibiting your bacteria growth.

[FlowerMama]

The high ammonia might be inhibiting your bacteria growth.

 

As long as it goes down every couple of days is that ok? Or concerned only if it stops completely?

[Nanofreak79]

I use prodibio products. It will help cycle a tank in two weeks easy and diversify your bacterial populations. They have a product called ammo lock as well, used it for both my newer tanks.