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#1
05-24-2010, 03:55 PM
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Quote:
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#2
06-20-2011, 03:11 AM
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Well it's been a whole year since I last posted on this tank journal. Tons of stuff has happened, a tank crash, lots of dead coral, and while I kept chugging along with the tank I didn't feel much like updates. I have changed pretty much all the hardware out, a new SWC 230 skimmer, new sump, the Koralias were replaced with Tunze and Vortech, all in an attempt to not repeat the previous crash.
One of the challenges with a 30" deep tank is good light coverage. I tried a combo of T5HO and MH fixtures, then on to a T5H0/MH combo fixture but the main problem was getting a reflector large enough to provide the coverage and to the best of my knowledge there is no combo fixture with large enough reflectors (not even Geisemann). My solution was extensive research and I came to the conclusion (and had some advice from a couple of buddies) that Sunlight Supply Lumenmax 3 was the best choice. For ballasts the obvious choice was the Galaxy Select-A-Watt electronic, I like the overdrive that exists in magnetic ballasts and these have the HQI setting which gives me the extra punch that I like. For supplemental lighting I chose the Vertex Illumina Marino Blu 48" fixture with the Cree 3 watt LED. I really love the blue look so I figured I would try one for starters and tweak the colour with a second fixture if needed. I ordered all the hardware from Craig at Red Coral in Lethbridge, he was so helpful and turn around time was amazingly fast! The second challenge was mounting these pendants. One thing I was used to with the combo fixture was one fixture meant one set of mounting brackets, now I have three sets, and I'm a little particular how things look so the neat look was a challenge. To make matters worst the Illumilux doesn't ship with a mounting kit, a bit of a disappointment for a $500 light fixture. All in all I couldn't be happier with the change. I finally have tons of light coverage, less heat input, and a much crisper look than supplementing with T5. I do have to say the Marino Blu fixture is way too blue by itself, there is definitely a Marino Bianco in the near future as a second LED just to whiten the colour temp just a bit. I do love the freakish blacklight look that makes my coral glow like they're radioactive, but I prefer something a little more natural. Well on to the pictures...       Here are a couple with the Illumilux only...   Hopefully the next update will be quicker than this one, ha ha!
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#3
06-20-2011, 03:41 AM
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Looks great Rod! You are right the blues are crazy! When our Illumina is all blue things glow like no other! I like the clean look!
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#4
06-20-2011, 03:48 AM
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Just a few comments on the moonlights. I picked up the Hamilton 36" LED strip to use as moonlights. Two major problems to overcome with these, first they are too bright if placed near the surface of the water, secondly you would think they are easy to mount but that's not the case when using pendants. My solution was to go high for less intensity and I could use the mounting arms with some aluminum channel to make it look neat. I was afraid of casting shadows from the pendants but it worked out quite well with no shadows. I have to say these LED are very cool, they can be bent in any shape and attach easily with the adhesive backing. Here is a pic of the light in action:
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