cmcneils reef savvy build thread

[cmcneil]

cmcneil, I just picked up my Reef Savvy tank on the 7th, I think I might have seen your tank there in production (when is yours due to be finished?). I'll start a build thread soon. Even though we had a lot of foam under and on both ends, the tank shifted and it sustained a small chip on the bottom pane near the back corner. I sent pics to Felix and he call me today (Sunday) to discuss, and it's just cosmetic, and I can repair it by siliconing the chip back in. Still made me a little sick feeling, as these tanks are a work of art, not to mention not the cheapest. Look forward to your build.

You might have seen my tank,I just got an email invoice for the balance due on my tank
I was told late july early august for completion date.I planned on having the funds to pay then not now.oh well I'll come up with it somehow,I always do.looks like I'll be taking a road trip to Miami soon to pick up my tank

 

[mapn4reef]

Cool, you'll be impressed with some of the tanks in progress. It's way down there, that's for sure, I thought I was going to end up in Key West or in the Everglades...

 

[cmcneil]

the invoice i got was just an updated one since i sent more money.my tank hasnt been started yet which is a relief since i aint got no money right now lol.

 

[cmcneil]

........new update........
i got my 250w MH ballast today,one of out local reefers was getting rid of a coral vue ballast and only wanted to trade for frags.i offered him a large red planet frag(3"x1.5") for it and he said yes.he stopped by today and got his frag and i got my ballast.he also has one lumenarc elite reflector still and it has a 2 month old radium as well,he is asking $100 so i told him deal.i will be getting the reflector/bulb in a week or so then i will begin to make my new lighting setup.i need to buy a few pieces of aluminum to connect the lights all together,i figure some 1/2"x 1/8" aluminum will work good to hook it all up.im going to go ahead and order the 4 royal blue LED's i need as well as the two 24"x1" heatsinks so i have them ready when i get the reflector. i had some kilz left over from my last stand build so went ahead and covered the 2x4 framework with 3 coats of kilz to seal the wood from water damage.once i skin the stand out i will coat the inside of that as well with the kilz.

the ballast

the framework

 

[cmcneil]

..........UPDATE TIME.....

i have made some progress with my lighting system.my heatsinks,LED's,and optics are on order.i got two 24"x1.1"x1" heatsinks from rapid led.i ordered more 3w cree royal blue led's from reefledlights.com as well as more 70 degree optics.i also paid for my elite reflector and will have it later this week,so i will begin assemling it all once everything arrives.i went to lowes today and got some 1/8" thick x 1/2" wide aluminum stock to use to connect everything together for the lighting,i may get some angle stock as well but ill see how ridgid it feels before buying that.i need to cut my 12"x8.5" heatsink in half to use it for the pieces that will be on the left and right sides of the halide reflector and mill the edge to clean up the cut as well.

here are links to the parts i ordered.
heatsinks
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...luminum/Detail

LED's
http://reefledlights.com/shop/cree-x...w-led-on-star/

optics
70 Degree Optics Catalog Products Shop ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting

elite reflector
http://www.aquacave.com/lumenmax-eli...pply-2248.html

ballast
http://www.aquacave.com/coralvue-250...llast-386.html

here is what the final product will look like once i get it done.

 

[GR808]

that is one sweet looking fixture Chris. :bigsmile: the best of both worlds. MH for the growth and the LEDs for color and growth. nice setup and will it be a pendant light?
cant wait to see the finished product.

 

[cmcneil]

that is one sweet looking fixture Chris. :bigsmile: the best of both worlds. MH for the growth and the LEDs for color and growth. nice setup and will it be a pendant light?
cant wait to see the finished product.

i am going to make a black acrylic casing that will cover the leds and heatsinks all you will see is the optics when im done.here is what i made for my exsisting setup.it will be similar to this but have a halide in the middle.

 

[GR808]

U made that? Wow, that's some great craftmanship. Alot better looking than some of the stuff we see in stores.

 

[cmcneil]

Well I work for a plastics fabrication shop and have been doing this stuff for over 15 years now.I made my sump,cone skimmer,reactors,ATO tank,etc.if I can make it and save money doing it,I will

 

[GR808]

dang that makes it very professional then.. Keep up the good work, it shows!!

 

[Just Clownin Around]

waiting t see this baby get wet. did he ship it out yet

 

[cmcneil]

The tank isn't even started yet Rich,the expected delivery date is late July/early august.I am not having it shipped either,the cost is too much and for a tank of gas I can drive down and get it myself.plus I can make a mini vacation out of it and go to key largo or something like that.

 

[blesk]

you have any pics off your projects , skimer sump and more please.

 

[cmcneil]

you have any pics off your projects , skimer sump and more please.

What kind of pics do you want?I don't have pics of me actually building stuff,just pics of the finished products.I will be posting pics soon of my lighting build.I have to assemble heatsinks and an elite reflector with aluminum flat stock then build an acrylic case.I have started the case but am waiting for more sheet.i did mill out slots on the side pieces of the case today and will post pics later.

 

[cmcneil]

Well I had an issue with the coral vue ballast I picked up,it didn't work so I had to get a different one.I did some searching around and decided to go with a lumatek 250w MH/HPS ballast.these ballasts are digital and can run all kinds of bulbs including high pressure sodium(not that I will ever run one).they even have a switch on them to either run at 120v or 240v,kind of cool.supposedly the ballasts microprocessor can detect what kind of bulb you are running and raise or lower the voltage to run the bulb at optimum voltage for that bulb.that insures the correct color from the bulb.here is a link to the ballast if anyone wants to check them out.I also think they look cool being purple

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics....st-p-2104.html

 

[Troylee]

Nice man really digging the build.... Nothing like a little diy...1smile1

 

[cmcneil]

Yeah I love building stuff,I'm sure you can understand that considering all you have built.I really think the MH/led case I'm going to build is going to look super slick.I do think I need to get two more fans since the MH is going to be encased in the acrylic housing.I imagine 4 fans will be enough cooling for 30 LEDs and the 250w halide.

 

[Troylee]

What bulb are you gonna run???? I so love the color of my tank now... Im runnin a phoenix 14k in the center with 4 t5s 3 blue plus and a purple plus and I just added my 2 diy led strips for a total of 36 xpe royal blues... The tank looks insane!!!! Haha

 

[cmcneil]

I might run an ushio 10k since I have so many blue LEDs.I think I can pull it off and get the look of around 14k.otherwise I'll get the phoenix 14k or aquaconnect 14k.I have ran radiums in the past and wasn't happy with the lack of growth.the color was great but growth was nonexistent.when I ran the ushio 10k my growth was super fast and colors were good.

 

[Troylee]

Right on... This is my first time running a phoenix I always ran xm20k or radiums... The phoenix is very white for my taste but the LEDs fixed all that.... Honestly I couldn't even tell the t5s were on the phoenix kills them man it's a bright light for sure!!! Actually was shocked how well the LEDs showed up with the mh and t5s on... Go figure. :tongue: