Doug's 105 rimless build and diary

[mr_X]

It's just the way it looks...It's been turning colors since I dropped it in the tank...dark, light, blotchy....

Just a few randoms-

360 watts over a 300 gallon tank? Maybe.......

and some stuff bouncing back after the transition-

 

[gboduszek]

Maybe a ringtail?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Gregcoyote]

Just about the same wattage I use, but I also use 80 deg lenses. Wouldn't they cover better mounted long ways?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

The tank is 3' wide. If I place them long ways, the front and back sand bed will be hit with much less.

 

[Gregcoyote]

What's your PAR meter say?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

I haven't checked. I actually gave it to a friend for installing ALL of my windows. I'll have to borrow it...lol.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I'll send you mine if you need it.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

Thanks! It's cool though...my friend is over here all the time. He's got no problem bringing it with.
So, everyone is out swimming around now, and I don't see much aggression if any, but the flame angel is still hiding more than not. None of the new additions took food yet though.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Adding a 4th light wouldn't cost much. In fact my reef could use more light IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

I have 2 braces over the top. The way I see it, it's either 3 lights, or 6, to light the tank evenly. I might move them forward and add some strip light to the back of the tank. I have a 4" Maxima Clam on the sand bed right now. If he fares well, I'll leave the lights as they are. So far, so good, but it's only been a few days.
Some of the fish are eating now. I have yet to see the Trigger take anything I've thrown at him though. The Atlantic Blue picked up some damage- I haven't seen aggression so not sure what it could be from. It's a brown lesion on his chin about the size of a BB. I wonder if he bumped an anemone.....

 

[Sniperhank]

A brown spot does sound like an anemone sting...or an aggressive coral.
In terms of the clam, you are just lighting the tank with the chinese panels right?

 

[mr_X]

Yes, 3 of them at the moment (the no-name, blue and white models).

 

[Sniperhank]

Have them cranked up pretty high?
I ask simply because of my clam losses, which has my tank empty of them currently. I believe there was some nipping from the coral beauty towards the end, but always want to keep an open might that lighting may have also been a factor. I had talked things through with Ecotech regarding intensity and so on, as I ran my lights at 80% power at the time. Basically was told that they run theirs at 60% max without issues. I adjusted to match them. My bleaching issues improved greatly. I still have SPS just above the sandbed, even after changing out to their 'wide angel tir' lenses (to which they recommended turning the intensity up 5% when changing out the 90 degree optics). Just thinking about how much I'd love rid of that dwarf angel and to have clams again.

 

[mr_X]

100 blue and 40 white. I don't like the color when the whites are up higher than that. I prefer a 18-20k look. This isn't apples to apples though- 2 totally different LED configurations, and nearly impossible to gauge the individual intensity. I will say that I had some clams in the 105 and they did quite well on the sand bed with the same setting.
This tank is considerably deeper however.

 

[Sniperhank]

All understandable. Just always trying to get a gauge and learn more about what is going on.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That extra depth may cause some surprises as to actual PAR. It falls of very quickly as you know. I can't even start to keep clams on my sand bed as its only 100 or less PAR at 34" depth.

You might consider a couple of smaller fixtures with 60deg optics and concentrate those on the bed.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

Greg, I really think the PAR meter is way off with these things (LED). I don't trust the numbers since the retirement of the T5 fixtures. I sure wish I could borrow or rent a spectroradiometer.
What do you think if this-
spectroradiometer light meter rental
Wanna split it? You have some of these cheapo panels at your house, right?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I don't use them anymore. Take a look at the conversion factors you use to correct for LED.

http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/light-intensity-measurements-for-light-emitting-diodes-leds/


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[mr_X]

I really have a hard time believing that, seeing corals get bleached under much less than what would be necessary with halides or T5. I have bleached corals under half the PAR of T5 lamps. There's got to be more to it. Maybe our initial estimates on what corals actually need are wrong....

 

[Gregcoyote]

There are a few factors, first is that LEDs are unlike any other lighting we have ever used. A white LED does not contain the full spectrum, but just a selection of narrow bandwidths that together look white. Who knows the long term effect, if any, this has on coral growth? So far it looks like it works fine, but bleaching as you know, is a combination of factors. The same coral under the same light can bleach as a result of flow differences or water quality. The one next to it may be fine. I think your thinking is right on, the PAR measurements may not be as meaningful with LED. These spikes that represent the LED spectrums may pack a lot more power than a broad spectrum light like the sun or a MH/T5.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice