Doug's 250, now 300, in wall build

[mr_X]

Yep. It's a scoly. It's sort of orange. I don't know that my camera is picking up true color. I am considering an upgrade. Thanks guys. It's a long way to go before it's awesome, but I have time!

 

[Keimaxbode]

So pretty! I don't know anything about corals. What is this one? Hope I attached it right.

 

[needmorecowbell]

So pretty! I don't know anything about corals. What is this one? Hope I attached it right.

That's a Duncan! Lps coral.

 

[Pick1225]

Took your advice a few weeks ago and invested in a taotronic unit. I have a 3ft x 16" x 16". What height above the water would you recomend i set the light at? Thanks

 

[Kio707]

Took your advice a few weeks ago and invested in a taotronic unit. I have a 3ft x 16" x 16". What height above the water would you recomend i set the light at? Thanks

I have mine 7" above my 180g. (72"x24"x24") I'd say 10".

 

[mr_X]

Took your advice a few weeks ago and invested in a taotronic unit. I have a 3ft x 16" x 16". What height above the water would you recomend i set the light at? Thanks

Well, you are going to need to cover the whole tank end to end. I would raise it high enough to achieve this. It's plenty strong enough to light that tank from 2' above it if need be.
I keep the one that lights my refugium and frag area 30" above the water-

 

[Pick1225]

Really even 30' high would light it enough?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Looking good! Cheap chinese LEDs can't grow SPS corals, right? We tend to agree about many things, especially that you can do things without blowing the budget. I use those plastic tubes as well for frag tanks at home and at the LFS. Keep up the good work.

 

[Pick1225]

This is how i've set it up about 15" seem to light tank enough. What do you guys think?

 

[Dary421]

Doug,...ya just gotta love your creative adaptivity and frugalness when it comes to your setups,... You do more with a roll of duct tape and a pair of vice grips than most f us do with the best equipment out there. keep it going , your students are watching.

 

[Kio707]

Looking good! Cheap chinese LEDs can't grow SPS corals, right? We tend to agree about many things, especially that you can do things without blowing the budget. I use those plastic tubes as well for frag tanks at home and at the LFS. Keep up the good work.

My taotronics do. I have the same ones he does. I believe he has sps too...

 

[Psychocircus91]

My taotronics do. I have the same ones he does. I believe he has sps too...

I believe he was being sarcastic lol.

 

[Kio707]

Ahhh... My bad...

 

[Psychocircus91]

Ahhh... My bad...

I think he runs the same lights as well

 

[Kio707]

Yeah, he's the one that turned me on to them.

 

[mr_X]

looks good to me Pick1225.
Dary, yeah, my friend would always stop over and say "so, what's new with the science project?". He used to jab me constantly about my somewhat ugly, but effective, DIY odds and ends. It all started with my pieced together very first reef. The 125 with 75 sump-

Greg, yes. Some guy writes an article about LED's with nothing more than hearsay and data-less opinion, and everyone seems to call it law! Then I tell them it's inaccurate, with data to back it up, and they still don't believe me. :/

 

[Sniperhank]

I would like to see straight led and led/t5 combo side by side with the same frags. My radions have given great growth, the color I'm looking for just isnt there. Not sure if this is due to lack of uv or if there is another issue. I've gone the phosphate route and my Hanna checker says 0.

 

[mr_X]

The sps at the Devon Fitness Club (the tank I maintain with the same lighting over it) is doing fabulous. Very colorful and growing well. Mine is definitely not as colorful, but I'm confident that this will change as the tank matures. How much ultraviolet light is produced by the T5's? I don't think you can get a tan under them. Ultraviolet light is damaging to corals like it is us. They change color as protection, but it's not a good thing. I really don't think you need much of it, if at all.
This is why the glass shield is so important between your old metal halide lamp and your coral, to protect from that.

 

[Sniperhank]

Interesting. Back to the drawing board on ideas then.

 

[Sqasnatch]

Hey Doug, havnt been on the forum for a while, things are looking great, I look forward not the non algea photos. Lol. There should be a thread just for worst algea problems ever. Winners get 20 turbo snails.