A2's Acro Adventure

[jda]

Here can be a step by step approach if you NEED more PAR. You probably do not. 300 near the bottom and 400+ up top is pretty solid... those can probably get to 325 and 450 if you lower it a bit.

1). Lower the fixture
2). Remove the glass from the fixture - you have to clean the bulbs and reflectors more, but this is a lot more output. Don't do this with DE bulbs, just SE.
3). Go to lower K bulbs - 14k or 10k and make up the color difference with T5s
4). Buy m80 ballasts and drop more wattage in there
5). Go with 400w gear

I don't think that you will need any of this, but this what you CAN do if you have to.

FWIW, 20k Radium on m80 without glass puts about 800 par at the top of my rocks also in a 27" deep tank. These are 80 more watts than regular 250w ballasts, though. I am at about 400 in the lowest depths. I did this on purpose to get faster growth, but it is certainly no necessary.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I have acrylic tank covers with net on the surface. At what point would you feel comfortable lowering those lights in terms of not damaging the material underneath?

What part of Houston are you in Aaron? I’m in the
heights area. That rrc pretty in pink is going to be insane. I have the rrc lady in pink. It actually looked like a lady in purple when I got it but now it’s, well

 

[Aaron-A2]

What part of Houston are you in Aaron? I’m in the
heights area. That rrc pretty in pink is going to be insane. I have the rrc lady in pink. It actually looked like a lady in purple when I got it but now it’s, well

Holy **** man, that's hot!

I'm ALSO in the heights!! Close to the new HEB ;)

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Uhhh
Me too

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Love the videos btw. Extremely well done. I wish I had that kind of camera charisma

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Uhhh
Me too

I’m actually right around the corner from cedar creek

 

[NeverlosT]

lol you two

BTW I love the build, videos rock, that new light kicks butt, and I cant wait to see these corals color up. Keep up the good work!

 

[Aaron-A2]

lol you two

BTW I love the build, videos rock, that new light kicks butt, and I cant wait to see these corals color up. Keep up the good work!

LOL Right?!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

lol you two

BTW I love the build, videos rock, that new light kicks butt, and I cant wait to see these corals color up. Keep up the good work!

Hahaha
That’s exactly what I was going for

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Quick
Homewrecker
Cherry bomb
Orange passion

F one
Marry one
Kill one

Go

 

[Rakie]

This is going to end up being your new build thread :D

 

[Aaron-A2]

This is going to end up being your new build thread :D

Already has lol!

Quick
Homewrecker
Cherry bomb
Orange passion

F one
Marry one
Kill one

Go

F - Orange Passion
M - Homewrecker (Ironic?)
K - Cherry Bomb

Ez decision, though I think marrying a Homewrecker is a bit strange.

 

[Aaron-A2]

Here can be a step by step approach if you NEED more PAR. You probably do not. 300 near the bottom and 400+ up top is pretty solid... those can probably get to 325 and 450 if you lower it a bit.

1). Lower the fixture
2). Remove the glass from the fixture - you have to clean the bulbs and reflectors more, but this is a lot more output. Don't do this with DE bulbs, just SE.
3). Go to lower K bulbs - 14k or 10k and make up the color difference with T5s
4). Buy m80 ballasts and drop more wattage in there
5). Go with 400w gear

I don't think that you will need any of this, but this what you CAN do if you have to.

FWIW, 20k Radium on m80 without glass puts about 800 par at the top of my rocks also in a 27" deep tank. These are 80 more watts than regular 250w ballasts, though. I am at about 400 in the lowest depths. I did this on purpose to get faster growth, but it is certainly no necessary.

Thanks bud. I may consider lowering the lights for now, but I'll be doing more testing throughout the week to see where I want things to be.

 

[NeverlosT]

hahaha I have TGC cherry bomb. it is pretty legit. Still small but sending up several arms.

Also, I have been to several coral farms, many of them are keeping these designer SPS in ~250 par. So dont worry too much initially about needing more PAR. With your halides I think you will be fine, but maybe try radiums in there?

 

[Aaron-A2]

hahaha I have TGC cherry bomb. it is pretty legit. Still small but sending up several arms.

Also, I have been to several coral farms, many of them are keeping these designer SPS in ~250 par. So dont worry too much initially about needing more PAR. With your halides I think you will be fine, but maybe try radiums in there?

Yeah I'm not really trying to chase high PAR. I guess to clarify, there are a few lower spots I wanted to bring up TO at least 250 which are lacking.

As for radiums, technically I'm running bulbs that are super close from what I've seen -- the Hamilton 20k's. I don't know the complete history behind them, but I was under the impression this was Hamiltons attempt to compete with the radiums.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

F- cherry bomb ( bc mines been putting out)
Marry- OP bc she’s so pretty
Kill- HW bc I’ve already killed 4, a 5th shouldn’t bother me none

 

[Aaron-A2]

Kill- HW bc I’ve already killed 4, a 5th shouldn’t bother me none

 

[Aaron-A2]

I finally hit 10ppm nitrates yesterday. I'm trying to match my LFS's acorpora dominant tank parameters which are all pretty normal (8dkh, 440 calc, etc), but the one thing they do that's a little different is run nutrients a bit higher.

I think in part this has to do with them running a huge amount of light -- metal halide + radions -- putting out 400 par on the low end and 600-800 on the high. Either way, their success is pretty evident:

 

[Aaron-A2]

So I haven't dosed nitrates all weekend, and it appears they are rising above 10ppm. That said, I've increased my photoperiod on my refugium and turned on my skimmer for the first time in like.... 6 months? All thanks to these coral food generators :D

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

So I haven't dosed nitrates all weekend, and it appears they are rising above 10ppm. That said, I've increased my photoperiod on my refugium and turned on my skimmer for the first time in like.... 6 months? All thanks to these coral food generators :D

Fish poop is the best