Carey's LAST Build- 125g Reef

[carey]

Where would you get dimmable ballasts? I have my ballasts inside my unit. Or is that only for retro kits?

 

[Gti_Leo]

well they are aftermarket ballasts, used mroe for commercial and residential lighting. they have not really come into reef lighting yet, but they can be a ballast replace ment in your current light hood. the icecapp balasts are dimmable and also overdrive 54w lamps to 80watts, making for a much deeper penetration a penetration so good that you can light up a 30" plus reef and be able to house mid light corals low down.

 

[Gti_Leo]

Dang, that was a mouthful.

lol sorry about that i never shined in readign and writing, i like my sciences, maths and my logic based stuff sometimes i think i should have been an engineer rather then an electrician. maybe in my next life, if tehre even is a next life

 

[huma-huma]

Ok I know MH means metal halide....but I thought those were just normal, everyday florescent bulbs....imma go google it now. And I know that leds for a 125 are outrageous right now but I'd like to look into a diy possibility, perhaps I can sell my 72" hood and use that to offset a big chunk of the price .....hmmm may be worth looking into. I went to school for automotive tech, which entailed a course in electrical....perhaps if I could get a led hood together I could make a few bucks by building them ....we shall see

 

[Gti_Leo]

no metal halides and florescents are two totally different beasts. they use two different elements to light up the lamps and have totally different bulb shapes and characteristics

 

[carey]

Ok, off topic of bulbs but back on to phosphates. i added something caled phosbusters yesterday, its made by the purple up people. Well yesterday my reading was .53 and now it's .14.

I didn't do a water change so is it possible this product works?

 

[Dinodu]

For sure, i use one called phosban and work great

 

[jsmith]

Ok, off topic of bulbs but back on to phosphates. i added something caled phosbusters yesterday, its made by the purple up people. Well yesterday my reading was .53 and now it's .14.

I didn't do a water change so is it possible this product works?

Sounds like it to me..

 

[kurtyboh]

@gti leds are not quite the top of the gun rack, that would be electrodeless plasma.

 

[carey]

I'll do another phosphate check tomorrow night and see. It says it will get rid of .8 and I had .53 so we'll see.

On a paranoid note, U havent seen my Kole tang swim all day. He disappeared behind a rock last night and hasn't come out. I took a flash light to see him and he looks physically fine, he's just not eating or coming out.

Should I be worried? Especially with the 2 recent deaths?

 

[leftyfish]

Right before I went to bed (the night before my kole died) she was hiding under a rock, not like her at all, she was always swimming around and usually hosted the powerhead with the clowns at night. I might be paranoid, but I don't think it is a good sign when it is hiding and it doesn't normally hide.

 

[carey]

I've got the sump off so i took the opportunity to feed the whole tank. Still nothing from the Kole. I did see her darting behind the rocks, again, that's what i get for leaving swim room back there. I SO have to redo that rock.

I hope she's ok, she was the first fish that went into the 125 and she's kinda special to me. lol Like all my fish arent special in one way or another. I kinda have a special bond with each and every fish. Each one is perfect for some reason or another. Probably why it hurt so much to lose the blue tang and that spectacular anthias.

 

[huma-huma]

I'd say if the Kole is darting around then shouldn't take any extra steps yet..just keep a close eye

 

[Gti_Leo]

@gti leds are not quite the top of the gun rack, that would be electrodeless plasma.

i beg to differ that its above to LEDs, the technology is still limited in life and size.also the lower loses when converting electrical engery into RF.
as for effeciancy its still in the 90 lumens per watt, making it in the same range as MH T5HOs T8 and some LEDs. still not close to the same light output as a normal output T5 which put out in the area of 13 lumens per watt.

the heat is anotehr factor, the sulfur burns through the lamps, so imagine what they will do to the water temperature, not even MH burn through and you could bake with MH lamps

the cost for plasma lamps still wayyyyy to high and even LEDs look cheap compared to them.


off topic

carey, i wouldn't worry to much abotu the tang, its probably just havign fun alone and eatign algae

plasmas have a ways to come before they become a real contender, just look at plasma TVs. they were discontinued for years until they slightly improved them, but they are still behind LCD and LEDs

 

[carey]

I knew it was gonna happen again. :-( The kole tang was dead this morning. he had been hiding and not eating for two days.

I did however find something while I broke down the right side of the tank to get him. I had one of those ammonia monitor clip on thingees that came off and lodged itself where the fish were.

Could that be what killed the 2 tangs? They both had brown blotches on their bodies. The anthias was I think just not eating as he was physically perfect at death, unlike the tangs.

I know officially have only one more fish than i started out with from the 55g. This is getting expensive. I have no idea if and when I will re stock.

Just totally bummed today. Hopefully something nice happens today.

 

[Grizz]

Some flowers to cheer you up

 

[Purevil21]

I wouldn't worry too much, I think this is a case of too much too soon. It goes back to that adage aquarium are like race cars, the faster you go the harder you crash. You should let the tank run for a few weeks and then add livestock slowly. I have the 220 stocking list finalized, I have it broken down in order of intro and I am planning on a year and a half before I have all the fish I want in the system. I know its hard to be patient, but I rushed my 35 and it crashed hard a couple years ago. Never again for me.

 

[Buffy]

I knew it was gonna happen again. :-( The kole tang was dead this morning. he had been hiding and not eating for two days.

I did however find something while I broke down the right side of the tank to get him. I had one of those ammonia monitor clip on thingees that came off and lodged itself where the fish were.

Could that be what killed the 2 tangs? They both had brown blotches on their bodies. The anthias was I think just not eating as he was physically perfect at death, unlike the tangs.

I know officially have only one more fish than i started out with from the 55g. This is getting expensive. I have no idea if and when I will re stock.

Just totally bummed today. Hopefully something nice happens today.

I'm sorry bout your fishies. You have alot of tanks going on there, I'd be confused lol. Just enjoy what you have for now, get them all perfect and healthy and you know the lecture..........patience and slow, they will all be beautiful, happy and healthy when you're done...........and don't forget loved too.

 

[hackteck]

wow sorry to hear that carey

 

[Gti_Leo]

are you sre you don't have some kind of hitchhicher killing your fish?