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10 to 20 - Back in Black


HookedOnAquariums

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HookedOnAquariums
 

So I just started cycling my 10 gallon reef tank about a week ago. So far the equipment is

 

A de-rimmed 10 gallon aqeon tank with custom bracing (my YouTube hookedonaquariums has how I did it) 

 

a medium power HOB filter for mechanical filtration, chemical filtration, and extra flow

 

a Fluval 50w heater 

 

a Jebao SW2 wavemaker (I love this little guy)

1132D2DE-2840-4DF7-9BEA-BA17F1A356B1.thumb.jpeg.3569416504b545779141af7d6aadd7dc.jpeg

I have not invested in lights yet as it is recommended that you do not use them while cycling. I was thinking of buildings a custom wood fixture to hold two ABI tuna blue (23w) Par 38 leds. It would have a water resistant stain of course. Or I would save up to get an AI prime HD. 

 

Three proposed stocking lists are 

1 TSB and 1 Perc or Ocelaris Clown/

1 Pygmy Angel/

or 1 PSW and 1 TSB

 

Thanks for your feedback! 

          Kayden

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Aquatic Spendthrift

Personally think the prime hd would be a better choice. my moto for light is the best one that you can afford. I would also like to point out that you would most likely need a dosing pump if it is going be sps dominant system. Is this included in your price range? If not then you might want to get the par38 and save for a dosing pump because you will need it.

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I had birdsnest and montipora dig. Grow very well under an Abi Tuna Blue. They were growing in my pico jar.

 

I then put the 12w Tuna blue over my 10g IM and I guess I had some birdsnest flesh left from last yrs sps removal and it grew back from nothing.

 

2 23w abi can work. You can't control it, it will be basic on and off with timer but you don't have to have controllability. 

 

I think 10g is too small for an angelfish.

 

Tank looks good! I like the simplicity.

 

You can dose manually when that is required but dosers can make it less work.

 

Are you manually topping up?

 

 

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HookedOnAquariums
7 minutes ago, Aquatic Spendthrift said:

Personally think the prime hd would be a better choice. my moto for light is the best one that you can afford. I would also like to point out that you would most likely need a dosing pump if it is going be sps dominant system. Is this included in your price range? If not then you might want to get the par38 and save for a dosing pump because you will need it.

That's why i was looking at the par 38 bulbs. My plan is to start manually dosing and until i save enough for a pump. I have plenty of time to manually dose and manually top off but i just don't have the money to do it auto at this moment! (I'm only 15). I also beleive the two par 38 bulbs would have better covereage and less shadowing than one Ai prime HD (30 leds for the 2 par 38's and 13 for the AI prime)

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3 minutes ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

That's why i was looking at the par 38 bulbs. My plan is to start manually dosing and until i save enough for a pump. I have plenty of time to manually dose and manually top off but i just don't have the money to do it auto at this moment! (I'm only 15). I also beleive the two par 38 bulbs would have better covereage and less shadowing than one Ai prime HD (30 leds for the 2 par 38's and 13 for the AI prime)

An Ai Prime will work too and it's a great light.

 

Is this your first tank?

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HookedOnAquariums
2 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

 

I had birdsnest and montipora dig. Grow very well under an Abi Tuna Blue. They were growing in my pico jar.

 

I then put the 12w Tuna blue over my 10g IM and I guess I had some birdsnest flesh left from last yrs sps removal and it grew back from nothing.

 

2 23w abi can work. You can't control it, it will be basic on and off with timer but you don't have to have controllability. 

 

I think 10g is too small for an angelfish.

 

Tank looks good!

 

 

That is what i was planning. I actually saw your feedback for the ABI on fools reef pico jar i think? I dont' mind the controlability aspect since people grew amazing acro reefs with on off halides for years. I was thinking a 10 gal is too small for angels but i have seen several threads on here where people kept cherub/pygmies in 10's. But hey people also keep yellow tangs in 20 gals and that doesn't mean they're right!

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HookedOnAquariums
3 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

An Ai Prime will work too and it's a great light.

 

Is this your first tank?

This will be my first saltwater tank! finally decided to take the leap after a couple month of research and get a QT sorta setup ready for my 180 gallon i'm in the process of planning and building right now. AI's do have great reviews but by my estimates a single prime plus mounting kit would be twice as much as my 2 par 38 fixture but both will still grow corals well.

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Aquatic Spendthrift

w8 10 gallon then a 180 gallon are you sure about that? a 180 would cost significantly more and if you cant afford a dosing pump where would you get the money for a 180? but i would get the 2 par38 and save for dosing pump. You can manually dose in the beginning but remember 10 gallons is small so you would get to a point where you could be losing 1,2 or even 3 dkh per day, at this point manual doing would not be able to "keep up" as it would shock the system.  hipargero led is also a good budget option if you want a little more controllability than a par38. ps I never used this light but it has good amazon reviews 

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HookedOnAquariums
11 minutes ago, Aquatic Spendthrift said:

w8 10 gallon then a 180 gallon are you sure about that? a 180 would cost significantly more and if you cant afford a dosing pump where would you get the money for a 180? but i would get the 2 par38 and save for dosing pump. You can manually dose in the beginning but remember 10 gallons is small so you would get to a point where you could be losing 1,2 or even 3 dkh per day, at this point manual doing would not be able to "keep up" as it would shock the system.  hipargero led is also a good budget option if you want a little more controllability than a par38. ps I never used this light but it has good amazon reviews 

I looked at the hipagiro. IT unfortunately didn't have the color spectrum of the par i was looking for. I will be 16 and have a steady job by the time i start making the large purchases such as the lighting and such for the 180, i already have the tank and am just buffing it at this point. I realize i will eventually get to that point in coral growth and will be doing kalk in my ato along with 2 part. Some of my fish in my FW are almost at breeding size too so i will be supplying those to my lfs for an added source of income.  But at this point im planning, Taking things slow, and not going overboard on equipment unnecessary to the beginning stages of my tanks. 🙂 

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I was going to say the exact same thing. Kinda seems a little redundant. With the cost of lighting along for a tank that size,for decent lights that is,you can pimp this one our 2 times over. A Prime,MicMol mini pro,Aqua Knight (which actually produces pretty good par for a $60 light),2x RapidLed Par38's would work and are decent. Not skipping lighting in the start will save you a lot. If you buy something cheap at the beginning you will more than likely end up spending the money down the road regardless. 

 

 If this is your first sps dominant tank,I will give you some of my own little bit of knowledge I have gathered from keeping sps pico & nano's.

 

-I would invest in some very reliable test kits. ( I used Red Sea myself.)

-Keep params as rock solid as possible.

-Get good filtration (AquaClear 50 would do the job for under $50 or get a media reactor would work.)

-Keep your hands out of the tank.

-Strong random flow is a must. (Jebao SW2 is under $100.)

-Get a good reliable dosing system down (Marine Color has a 3-part doser for $100)

-Get a good Auto Top Off system (CoralBox has 2 ATO's for under $100.)

-Reliable lighting is a huge thing.

-Letting the system mature and settle before cramming a bunch of frags into its throat. 

 

 If you worry about spectrum from the AquaKnight,look up the sps floating reef or good images of the light and thing the 10g sps tank that is packed with sps. For $60 I Don't think you can get a better light. On a IM 10 tank,I want to say it got 100+ par the bottom with just the blues on. 

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Budget tanks are doable.

 

The hipargero is a nice light but 2 Abi's will work if you prefer the colour of it. 

 

I like a blue spectrum so the Abi was great but it's too blue for some.

 

I like esv bionic for dosing and it's easy to use. I manually dose.

When you get to the point of dosing you will need to do tests to determine how much dosing you will need to do to maintain your target numbers.

There are online calculators for dosing. They are helpful.

 

 

I would stick with easier sps like monti's, birdsnest, stylo's. 

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HookedOnAquariums
2 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said:

I was going to say the exact same thing. Kinda seems a little redundant. With the cost of lighting along for a tank that size,for decent lights that is,you can pimp this one our 2 times over. A Prime,MicMol mini pro,Aqua Knight (which actually produces pretty good par for a $60 light),2x RapidLed Par38's would work and are decent. Not skipping lighting in the start will save you a lot. If you buy something cheap at the beginning you will more than likely end up spending the money down the road regardless. 

 

 If this is your first sps dominant tank,I will give you some of my own little bit of knowledge I have gathered from keeping sps pico & nano's.

 

-I would invest in some very reliable test kits. ( I used Red Sea myself.)

-Keep params as rock solid as possible.

-Get good filtration (AquaClear 50 would do the job for under $50 or get a media reactor would work.)

-Keep your hands out of the tank.

-Strong random flow is a must. (Jebao SW2 is under $100.)

-Get a good reliable dosing system down (Marine Color has a 3-part doser for $100)

-Get a good Auto Top Off system (CoralBox has 2 ATO's for under $100.)

-Reliable lighting is a huge thing.

-Letting the system mature and settle before cramming a bunch of frags into its throat. 

Thanks for all the tips! I actually have some test kits coming in Tuesday and will be getting hanna checkers for alk cal (and maybe mag?) a little down the road. And keeping my hands out of the tank is hard! I've already adjusted my SW2 twice to provide good flow to the rocks and surface action. I will definitely look into the marine colors doser and at this point i am topping of by hand twice daily. I'm thinking of doing a couple zoas right as my tank is done cycling and i have the light and exponentially adding more corals from there

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HookedOnAquariums
7 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Budget tanks are doable.

 

The hipargero is a nice light but 2 Abi's will work if you prefer the colour of it. 

 

I like a blue spectrum so the Abi was great but it's too blue for some.

 

I like esv bionic for dosing and it's easy to use. I manually dose.

When you get to the point of dosing you will need to do tests to determine how much dosing you will need to do to maintain your target numbers.

There are online calculators for dosing. They are helpful.

I really enjoy the florescence of the 20k through 14k spectrum (from what i've seen in person) The only reason i'm hesitant about the hipargero is the lack of violet lights (400-420nm range) from my research on multiple forums and sites this seems to give corals the florescence I love and also provide more growth. I have seen some of the calculators on brs and such and also of others having great results with the bionic. I will definitely have to look into it!

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I hope they are reliable. If the test kits fail and say Alk spikes,it will go downhill extremely quick. Maybe try putting it on the bank corner pointing towards the front glass creating a gyre affect. It worked well in my 7g with my RW4 cranked about half way up. Yeah you will want a ATO quick like,that is for sure. 

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HookedOnAquariums
2 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said:

I hope they are reliable. If the test kits fail and say Alk spikes,it will go downhill extremely quick. Maybe try putting it on the bank corner pointing towards the front glass creating a gyre affect. It worked well in my 7g with my RW4 cranked about half way up. Yeah you will want a ATO quick like,that is for sure. 

Thanks! any recommendations for ATO's? I've seen some sub 45$ diy options that seem reliable.

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4 minutes ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

I really enjoy the florescence of the 20k through 14k spectrum (from what i've seen in person) The only reason i'm hesitant about the hipargero is the lack of violet lights (400-420nm range) from my research on multiple forums and sites this seems to give corals the florescence I love and also provide more growth. I have seen some of the calculators on brs and such and also of others having great results with the bionic. I will definitely have to look into it!

The Abi's have a good reputation. If you look at the pico jar contest on here, a lot of ppl used the Abi par38's.

 

That birdsnest grew under the abi from a piece of flesh I couldn't see.

birdsnest.jpg.131b0b8ae414a0085638b3b97a3f03b7.jpg

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I mean,you get what you pay for but I would think the Tunze nano would be the best option if you are looking for reliability. No need to buy a pump seeming it comes with. 

 

 

 As for the AquaKnight,it has 1 violet lol. Don't be fooled into thinking you have to have a light crammed with the violet spectrum. As they do help with growth and coloration,also adding a significant bump in par. You can over do it real quick. If it were me and I was building my own led light,for every 4-6 royal blues I would I would do 2 violets. Steve's Leds has cheaper SemiLed's Royal Blues for $.99 right now,neutral whites for the same price,Luxeon Rebel's for $2.50,Semi Violets for $3.90. You can build your own light for under $100 and it would be enough for sps. 

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HookedOnAquariums
1 minute ago, Reefkid88 said:

I mean,you get what you pay for but I would think the Tunze nano would be the best option if you are looking for reliability. No need to buy a pump seeming it comes with. 

 

 

 As for the AquaKnight,it has 1 violet lol. Don't be fooled into thinking you have to have a light crammed with the violet spectrum. As they do help with growth and coloration,also adding a significant bump in par. You can over do it real quick. If it were me and I was building my own led light,for every 4-6 royal blues I would I would do 2 violets. Steve's Leds has cheaper SemiLed's Royal Blues for $.99 right now,neutral whites for the same price,Luxeon Rebel's for $2.50,Semi Violets for $3.90. You can build your own light for under $100 and it would be enough for sps. 

The diy reef light is another i've been looking into! I have the basic gist of the light but im not an expirienced eletrical engineer so i wouldnt know what else to get. I have seen sources say you need drivers and power supplies, dimmers and other equipment i havent even dreamed of to make the most basic ones while others claim they can just use an ac to dc switch and run the leds off of just that. Its much more confusing than i want to make this hobby.

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5 minutes ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

The diy reef light is another i've been looking into! I have the basic gist of the light but im not an expirienced eletrical engineer so i wouldnt know what else to get. I have seen sources say you need drivers and power supplies, dimmers and other equipment i havent even dreamed of to make the most basic ones while others claim they can just use an ac to dc switch and run the leds off of just that. Its much more confusing than i want to make this hobby.

If you aren't comfortable with doing a DIY, then I wouldn't do it, especially anything electrical.

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HookedOnAquariums
Just now, Clown79 said:

If you aren't comfortable with doing a DIY, then I wouldn't do it, especially anything electrical.

I would be just fine doing it if there was a nice set of instructions for kids like me 😂

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It's really not that complicated at all. 

 

At Steve's you can get ( and this is to make it on a budget ) - 

 

 6x SemiLeds Royal Blues- $6

 2x SemiLeds  Neutral Whites- $2

 2x SemiLeds Hyper Violets-$8

 2x Luxeon Cool Blues-$5.50 

 2x Steve's Digital drivers-$23

 1x 24v Power Supply with power cord- $19

 1HD Heatsink- $14

 1x Tube of Thermal Adhesive-$4 (All the items from Steve's is only $94 shipped.)

 

 When it comes to wiring,myself or tons of other people on here would help. I have built a handful of DIY led lights. 

 

 

 

 

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HookedOnAquariums
Just now, Reefkid88 said:

It's really not that complicated at all. 

 

At Steve's you can get ( and this is to make it on a budget ) - 

 

 6x SemiLeds Royal Blues- $6

 2x SemiLeds  Neutral Whites- $2

 2x SemiLeds Hyper Violets-$8

 2x Luxeon Cool Blues-$5.50 

 2x Steve's Digital drivers-$23

 1x 24v Power Supply with power cord- $19

 1HD Heatsink- $14

 1x Tube of Thermal Adhesive-$4 (All the items from Steve's is only $94 shipped.)

 

 

 

 

 

DIgital Drivers? never heard of those before and 94 bucks shipped is about what i could get the par 38s+ Sockets . Would there be any perks to doing the diys instead of running two par 38s? 

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They are dimmed via a potentiometer instead of a pwm signal from more expensive yet awesome controllers like the storm or bluefish. the only downside is they need to be on their own little piece of heatsink because they do produce a little heat. Well with a diy light,you can have dimming control over the 2 channels which is way nicer than not being able to control either color independently. Way more par more than likely and like I said control and you can switch out colors if you want. But you can only only run 21 leds with that heatsink which is enough for that tank. 

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HookedOnAquariums
2 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said:

They are dimmed via a potentiometer instead of a pwm signal from more expensive yet awesome controllers like the storm or bluefish. the only downside is they need to be on their own little piece of heatsink because they do produce a little heat. Well with a diy light,you can have dimming control over the 2 channels which is way nicer than not being able to control either color independently. Way more par more than likely and like I said control and you can switch out colors if you want. But you can only only run 21 leds with that heatsink which is enough for that tank. 

Do potentiometers hold there percentage if power goes out? I was thinking of running my lights of an outlet timer so i don't have to break the bank with one of those controllers! I was looking at your 7 gallon build and really liked your led setup too, But i would have to see what kind of cover i can build for it (good at woodworking not at electrical) as this will be in my bedroom and i don't want spillage over my 24" by 24" table.

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