MVS Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Can't wait to see how that turns out and keep the pics coming! Link to comment
travisurfer Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 hey. tank looks awesome. keep up the good work. YGPM. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 Thank you and responded. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 This morning my tank was only half lit. One of the 13w lamps was flickering and the base was glowing orange, presumably from the lamp starter. I took the bulb out and the tubes looked black. The mechanics where I work use 2-pin 13 watt PC lamps as well, so I got one from our part department (only 4100K) to hole me over until I could get replacements from hellolights.com. When I put the new one on the tank, the difference in intensity was astounding! So I turned off the power and took the light fixture part off the rest of the hood and looked at the lamps. The other 50/50 that I have been running was even more black-looking than the one with the bad starter! So I reached in to remove the bulb for closer inspection and I almost burned by fingers. It has been really hot inside that hood... So I decided that an emergency modification was needed to stave off another lamp failure before the new 50/50s come in. Here are a couple pics with the new mod: I drilled a hole in the back of the fixture and used my leatherman pliers to break pieces off and make the hole large enough to be effective when coupled with a 2" PC fan. I have the fan running at its rated voltage of 12V via a Radioshack universal adapter. I could probably get away with running it at 9V, but why bother? Cooler is better. Now I have to sit back and wait for the new lamps to come. They said they'll be in by the end of next week. I hope my corals don't mind the 4100K lamp too much... Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 An additional note on the new mod: It appears to be having the additional effect of keeping the tank cool. The temp hasn't been over 81F, even though it has been quite warm here, and the evaporation has gone up. Also, I looked into my tank an hour ago and thought my xenia looked like crap. Its stalk has streched out and it was starting to wilt. I thought, "Oh crap! That make-do light is killing my beautiful coral!" . So I moved it to the side with the remaining 50/50 lamp. Then I looked at it 15 minutes later and realized it is splitting, so I moved it back to where it was. Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Good for you. Your tank must be really thriving Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 When ya gonna trade me that madracis? Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 Sorry. I have been scrounging for a masonry bit so I can control the LR split. The LR piece that has the two madracis colonies on it also has a couple of neon green sponges and a tunicate or two. I would hate to kill/ruine the other stuff on the rock while trying to break off the nub with one colony on it. Traditionally, I have used a screwdriver and a hammer to break up LR, but I really don't want to accidentally kill one of the colonies. Do you have any suggestions? Link to comment
EL CHUPACABRA Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Dremel with cutting disc will make quick work of your live rock. Be sure to wear safety goggles. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 Awsome idea! I never even thought of that. It just so happens that I am borrowing my 'rents dremel, I wonder if they have a cutting disc... Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Hrm, sponges. Think they're a type that will die off if exposed to air? Wouldn't want to kill off anything for a frag, and dremels don't work under water Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted June 25, 2006 Author Share Posted June 25, 2006 Dunno how they will fare, but I think we are going to find out. I didn't see a cutting disk in the dremel kit, so I may pick one up or see if anyone I know has one. Link to comment
EL CHUPACABRA Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 A hack saw and some elbow grease would also work, live rock is pretty soft stuff. Heck, I bet you could do it with a butter knife if you had some dedication. Pretty much any of the dremel tools are going to tear through this stuff, give some different attachments a try on a similar density piece of live rock. Once you have a good bit going get a couple of minutes of practice you should be able to tear through your frag very accurately in a flash. (edit) Be sure to wear safety goggles, your tank will suck if you are blind!!! Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 So the new lights came in last week but I didn't get a chance to post any pics or say much about them because I was busy training the new guy to take over for me. I can't post any pics right now because the camera that I have been using belongs to my now ex-boss. At any rate, the new 50/50s from hellolights.com are really quite nice. They are a trifle purple for me, but my corals love them and I have never seen them fluoresce so much, They look dimmer to my eyes, but apparantly not to the corals. My mushrooms had been reaching during the last couple weeks before the one lamp blew out, but now they are firmly hugging their respective rocks. If I can bum a camera off a friend in the next couple days, I will take pics of all the livestock before we move. The move date is set: we will pick up the truck and car dolly on the 12th, pack it, and be in Columbia on the 15th, We have ~60% of our house packed already, but the last 40% contains my three aquariums (10g exile SW, 5.5g display SW, & a 20g FW planted). I am not worried about the FW stuff. It'd do fine if I dumped it all in a 5g bucket with a lid and airpump. Also, the extra LR in the exile tank is no problem, since I can just stick it in a bucket with some SW. I am much more concerned about my SW display. My wife suggested an interesting option for moving the 5.5g livestock intact: put it in sturdy cooler with plastic over the tank to keep sloshing to a minimum. We could plug an air pump, minijet, and heater into a power inverter and run them the whole way down. All I would have to do is take out some of the rock to keep it from tumbing around and injuring/killing anything. My other option appears to be bagging everything up with oxygen caps just before we begin our drive. I don't have a cannister of O2 laying around and I think things will be a little crazy, so I don't know how well that would work out. In the meantime, I am trying to find time to complete the 10+20g system that I want to roll everything into once we are settled. I still have to dremel the 20g, build an external overflow box, set the baffles in the 10g sump, and test fit the plumbing. Oh yeah, and I need to dremel off some Madracis for Daemonfly. Oy! If there were only 48h in a day! Link to comment
NanoClown Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 so u only have 26w and everything is doing great in ur 5.5 so id say that in my 5g with 31w evrything like LPS and softies would do great Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 So is tomorrow the big day? If so good luck and have a safe trip. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted July 11, 2006 Author Share Posted July 11, 2006 Nope, Thuresday is when we pick the truck up. Friday is when we leave. I am breaking down the tanks on Friday just before we leave. I figure that the less time they spend in transit the better, even if the difference is only a couple hours. If you want to see my moving plans, check out calvin's moving thread in the lounge... Come to think of it, I'll paste them here: - drain almost all the water out into a 5g bucket- pull out unstable LR and place in 5g bucket - pick up mostly empty tank (dangerous, but I have done it before), place in rubbermade tub - put water back in tank (some new SW & some old) but leave some water in the LR bucket - get fitted "all glass" (with plastic baffle) top out of whatever box I packed it in (oops, blush.gif ) - cut a small hole in plastic baffle large enough to fit an air tube and power cord - suction cup minijet to the wall of the tank and place an airhose + airstone somewhere in there as well - place "all glass" hinged top on display and duct tape around all edges to seal it and affix it to the tank - move rubbermaid tub to the cab of the truck, plug airpump and minijet into a power inverter - drive the 13 hours through the night to Columbia - unload tank into apt. first and start a short light re-acclimation procedure So wad'ya think? I have a FW tank as well, but its contents will fit in a 5g bucket, fish, plants, and all. I am not worried about any of the FW stuff, but I don't ant any of my corals (or my little clownfish) to keal over in the move. Link to comment
JF2381 Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 Home depot sells a diamond coated disk with extension for $14. It cuts the rocks like a hot knife thru butter. It's worth it because you get a lot of use out on disk. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted July 11, 2006 Author Share Posted July 11, 2006 Awsome, I'll check that out. Link to comment
NanoClown Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 good luck on the move.. i think lol Link to comment
halfpint Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Youre moving to Columbia? I'm moving to the Lexington area (southeast of Columbia ~20min) in a few months. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.