Saltn00b's Multi-Phase Upgrade Diary!

kevin34

kevin34

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltn00b
Thanks!
nice idea, but some things to consider -
1) you have to have venitlation on top and sides so the constellation's venting / fans is unobstructed at all times.
2) once open, how will you have access to the tank if the hood is still hanging mere inches over the top of the tank?
Yes I will have doors on both side for ventilation. The actual canopy will probably be about 12-14 inches tall with the lights hanging down maybe 2 inches and then there is the 3 inches of how thick the actual fixture is. This leaves about 7-8 inches for the doors to be put in of the front face of the canopy so you can get your hands in there and feed your fish and everything like that. Did that answer your second question? If not just tell me and I will try to answer it better.
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
thanks!
t-24 hours till i get the lights (assuming everything remains on time)
and tomorrow i may be purchasing a whole load of corals (which i said i wouldnt do until i finished all my upgrades) from a local SWFer for a great deal!
money money money monaaaay, MONAY!
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
THE BULBS ARE IN!
well in my car at least haw haw
big fishtank day today!
replacing the light rig - hoo ra!
a bunch of new coral including my very foist SPS - hoo ra!
today is the last day of hypo for the CBBF in QT, so the salinity starts to rise, T minus 5 days for him, and he is eating mysis and flakes! - hoo ra!
pics coming soon to a web - blog near you
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
after a little finagling with a slight electrical situation, all systems are go!
most of these pics were not taken by me or by my camera. i tried to Photochop them a little bit to get them a little closer to reality. i think in the excitement we skipped pics taken with switches 1 and 2 on, instead we have alot of switch 1, and a bunch of switch 1+2+3.
and the pics:
earlier in the week home depot run
intermatic 2 socket timer, to be user in conjunction with the single timer i already had on the old set up ($22)
100' x 8" (?) charcoal fiberglass screening for light acclimation $7
right now there are 3 layers on for all pics, 1 layer to be removed every 3 days.
some extra razors...
and a heavy duty triple extension cord, not being used at the moment, but may be needed... $13

new corals i got the same day from a SWFer.
large orange monti cap colony,
green closed maze brain
orange fungia
big scolymia

the end of dim-days

bulbs, check!

testing...

testing 1...

2...

3!
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
that brain has some majano anenomes on it ><- the guy joe juiced em before i took em so hopefully they all melt off .... , you can see them closed up in that last pic.
3 switches:





thats about all i got for now!
except my wrasse is swimming at the surface this morning, nervously. i have had enough of the anthias and i am currently trying to catch her with a 7 up bottle fish trap, so pray i can nab him!
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
last one for camparison!
before:

after:

keep in mind, there are three layers of fiberglass screen blocking the T-5s!!
cant wait , i can just imagine :thinking:
:happyfish
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
looks cool
. i cant take a picture that truely captures how bright the T5 are either. the actinics really made that scolymia (i think) pop.
-Justin
 
azfishgal

azfishgal

Active Member
OK, the last picture (with the new lights) looks washed out. Does it really look like that, or is it just the picture? I certainly don't want to rain on your parade, please forgive me if I did.
I'm new to the whole "lighting" thing, so I don't know what a real reef is "supposed" to look like. Educate me please, I'm all ears. ***)
 
kevin34

kevin34

Active Member
Originally Posted by WangoTango
thats what i did. just finished building our new canopy with two doors in front (with the stained glass inserts), and a door on top. just have to match the old stain color which will be no small task
. keep it up.
-Justin
Could you post or email me a few pics of your canopy? I am planning to build one with the doors on the front like you so I just want to get some more ideas. Also I know that you use T5 lighting and was wondering how high the lights can be off the water but still having good penetration? If you choose email my address is kevdwy@yahoo.com.
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
Originally Posted by Kevin34
Could you post or email me a few pics of your canopy? I am planning to build one with the doors on the front like you so I just want to get some more ideas. Also I know that you use T5 lighting and was wondering how high the lights can be off the water but still having good penetration? If you choose email my address is kevdwy@yahoo.com.
it isnt 100% finished yet (stained glass has to be put in the doors and the whole thing has to be stained), but it will probably be done by wednesday. ill see if i can post some pics of the way it looks now. my lights are about 2-3" off the water. ill get to work on finishing and picture posting.
-Justin
 
kevin34

kevin34

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltn00b
after a little finagling with a slight electrical situation, all systems are go!
most of these pics were not taken by me or by my camera. i tried to Photochop them a little bit to get them a little closer to reality. i think in the excitement we skipped pics taken with switches 1 and 2 on, instead we have alot of switch 1, and a bunch of switch 1+2+3.
and the pics:
earlier in the week home depot run
intermatic 2 socket timer, to be user in conjunction with the single timer i already had on the old set up ($22)
100' x 8" (?) charcoal fiberglass screening for light acclimation $7
right now there are 3 layers on for all pics, 1 layer to be removed every 3 days.
some extra razors...
and a heavy duty triple extension cord, not being used at the moment, but may be needed... $13

new corals i got the same day from a SWFer.
large orange monti cap colony,
green closed maze brain
orange fungia
big scolymia

the end of dim-days

bulbs, check!

testing...

testing 1...

2...

3!

Can you tell me what you are using for actinics and daytime lights? What K amount? Also waht kind of timer are you using? Does it turn on the actinics in the morning, then daytime lights, then daytime lights off so simulate the sunrise and sunset?
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
AZ - im not 100% sure of what you mean by washed out. i think you are saying everything is whiter, well that is really a function of the camera quality / settings and the bulbs being un obstructed , affecting the white balance. your own reef is supposed to look like what feels good for you. meaning how blue or white or yellow even the light is in general, as long as the Kelvins are the right spectrum for the corals. and generally, as long as those things are watched, the brighter, the better. so far, very happy with the colors and in person it is not 'washed out' IMO. when i have some time i will playt with the camera and see if i can get better, more realistic pics. hope that answers your Q's ?
Kevin
with this set up you are allowed a lot more freedom and fine tuning of the colors at different points in the day because of the sheer amount of bulbs. i chose to mirror each side.
from the geek of the reef:
2 x 39W 6500K T5 HO Fluorescent by GE
2 x 39W Actinic Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (104036) by Giesemann
4 x 39W 12000K Aquablue Special T5 HO Fluorescent (104976) by ATI
4 x 39W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent (104980) by ATI
2 x 39W 10000K AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent (104992) by UV Lighting
switch 1 : B+, B+ and Act+
switch 2 : 12k and 12k
switch 3 : 10k and 6500k
i am about to go and return that intermatic double timer because i guess i read the packaging wrong, it doesnt time the two outlets. in fact, i cant even get it to use the programming at all. so i am going to go with three single digital timers with a set up like:
8am actinics on
9am 12k's on
10am 10/6.5 on
4pm 10/6.5 off
7pm 12k's off
9.30pm actinics off
 
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