The only way I could get the dimming to work for my was with Black in (Violet +) Red in (Gray -). Only needed 2 of the 4 cables. Please read instructions before you connect anything. I'm just relaying how I did it. This is not guidance.
Final product
I left space to add another set of T5s. The Apex light cable would allow me to add another set also. It is connected to a pulley system, so I can raise the lights up. I think I might rent a PAR meter and see what I'm getting.
Did some clean up and moving in the room. Moved the Apex controller to the wall, and moved the cabinet into new spot. Was able to open up some more space.
Before the move
After the move. I still need to clean up the cables a little more.
I’m struggling with my SPS. I rented a PAR meter. Hoping the PAR meter comes in before the weekend. I ended up moving my Montipora and birds of paradise birdsnest down lower, they aren’t looking good. I also moved my Frogspawn. The Frogspawn seems much happier. My Acropora are lacking color. Here are some tank pics for now. Pics with iPhone nothing special.
Here was my first run at the PAR test with at MQ-510. I was way off. They are not getting enough light. I broke it up into two zones. The T5s were at 100%. My LEDs were messed up and programmed wrong. They were at 30%ish. When I was programming them in the APEX I must have gotten color and power switched. Took me 60 mins to figure that out. Glad I rented the tool, thanks @Bulk Reef Supply.
As I held the PAR meter my son took pictures. Here is what they looked like.
Example Pic:
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
I then ran a test with the T5s at 100% and the LEDs at 100%. Was getting some 300 PAR at the top.
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
I bumped everything back down. I think the sweet spot will bet LEDs at 75-80%. I’m going to try and run another test tomorrow at 80% and grab some numbers.
I used to run mine at 100 percent and would actually lose corals I thought was from elevated nutrients but was from to much light I run mine at 80 percent and have had the best results
Went to the Michigan Coral Expo. The plan was to just look. I went to the Jason Fox booth and they had a coral I had on my want list. I picked up a nice Jason Fox Meanstreak Montipora at a good price. Thanks @jfox
Old Setup:
1 gallon bottle for Kalkwasser. Using BRS 1.1 doser pump. Running 350ml daily 14:00 to 2:00.
Dosing Sodium Bicarbonate by hand in the morning. Based on Alk testing. Average 50ml.
Dosing Calcium Chloride by hand in the evening. Based on how much Sodium I put in the morning.
New Setup
5 gallon bucket for Kalkwasser. Using BRS 1.1 doser pump. Running 500ml daily 0:00 to 22:00 (Start at 0 min)
1 gallon bottle for Soda Ash. Using BRS 1.1 doser pump. Running 30ml daily 2:00 to 10:00 (Start at 30 min)
1 gallon bottle for Calcium Chloride. Using BRS 1.1 doser pump. Running 30ml daily 16:00 to 23:00 (Start at 30 min)
Testing Alk in the morning. Will make changes to the Soda and Calcium based on findings.
I have been working from home since the pandemic hit. Looks like I will continue to work from home. I work in IT and I’m able to do 95% of my job remotely. I decided it was time to move the 70G fish tank, so it was facing me in my office. It took a full day to move it. I didn’t loss anything.
The before and where I’m moving it to. Not too far.