*d2mini's 200g Reeftastic Reef - Part Deux!*

[d2mini]

So when can we expect a new blog post?! I keep checking back for a new one!

Soon, i hope!
Been so busy with non-reef related stuff recently. If there is anything in particular you want to see let me know!

So I have to ask because this is basically the perfect (IMO) CaRX setup, why the change in regulator and the choice of specific parts? I've been following your thread with great interest and would love to hear a bit of a rundown on the regulator part choices as your CaRX is basically what my plans are going to be designed around! They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery for a reason lol tank, frag tank and mangrove tanks are all looking amazing Dennis!

In all honestly, the regulator build was just for fun.
The AP doser I was using before was working flawlessly. But then someone on ReefCentral started a thread showing all these high end custom regs and they just looked so darn sexy. lol
So I slowly grabbed parts from eBay and then built it up over the past 7 months or so. Once I hooked it up and dialed it in, it seems so stable and high quality that I figured I'd keep this and sell the AP.

If you don't want to build your own and just want something to work out of the box, get the AP. You can't go wrong with it.
If you enjoy building your own stuff and want the most durable, stable, highest quality reg you can get for the same price as the AP or just a little bit more, look into creating your own.
Here's the thread with all the step by step and other info.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2461771

 

[namkiii]

Thanks! Always glad when someone can benefit from the thread.
It's an Audi A4.
I don't have any decent recent pics but it's lowered on coils, 9.5" wide wheels with michelin pss, awe-tuning exhaust. Next up is brakes, downpipe and stage II tune.

LOL, always a pleasure.
Working on them... looking mighty fine. You should see them. Too bad you have to wait! muwahahaha....


It's been less than 24 hours. They are already looking pretty sad. Darker color, not as fluffy, some are already receding.
And it appears to have really ticked off some other wavy encrusting soft coral that came in on some rock years ago that I have always wanted to get rid of. Bonus!
Hard to notice any casualties yet. Possibly one of my fighting conch. All my gorgonians look a bit upset too.

Are you in Dallas?

 

[d2mini]

No, my location is listed in my profile under my avatar










<----- right here

 

[TaylorPilot]

I think all the things you have done so far have been great. Also, your photography is excellent!

 

[d2mini]

I think all the things you have done so far have been great. Also, your photography is excellent!

Thanks!

 

[gettaReef]

Funny how you just posted your new custom c02 regulator for your caRX.....these just went up for sale on my local reef club forum (2 different custom regulators with solenoid). They look very similar to yours, although to be honest, I know nothing about c02 regulators. Here is the sale thread: https://www.greateriowareefsociety....or-planted-calcium-reactor.23984/#post-187449

 

[d2mini]

Funny how you just posted your new custom c02 regulator for your caRX.....these just went up for sale on my local reef club forum (2 different custom regulators with solenoid). They look very similar to yours, although to be honest, I know nothing about c02 regulators. Here is the sale thread: https://www.greateriowareefsociety....or-planted-calcium-reactor.23984/#post-187449

Yep, very similar. I have that same bubble counter, too. But decided not to use it since I have one on my reactor and the needle valve I picked up is vertical rather than horizontal.
The regs aren't as expensive when new as my Parker Veriflow but it doesn't matter, either of those will last a lifetime for us. Good prices for those complete setups.

 

[FarmerTy]

Breaks my heart that I missed out on the carbon doser. I've been looking for a used one for forever!

I was just cruising the "Marsian market" the other day and saw the post and it being sold and I just about lost it! Haha.

The new setup looks great!

 

[revhtree]

Even your equipment photos are great! HA!

 

[d2mini]

Just published a new blog post on my current lighting setup and reef lighting in general.
http://www.everydayreef.com/blog/2015/8/12/metal-halide-t5-led-oh-my
Mostly a review of what you've seen here, but if you like what you see feel free to share in your Facebook groups!

 

[swayd]

Great post!

 

[d2mini]

Great post!

Thanks!

 

[swayd]

I have been debating my LEDs lately and tried T5 for about 5 minutes and switched back because of how flat it was lol. I did love my old halides but heat was a huge issue and I didn't want to run a chiller. I have seen the new kessil and oh my lawd is it amazing. I was told it will retail for about $800 so it will be a bit pricey but wow that thing is def worth it in my opinion. I might gut my T5 fixture and throw my LEDs in there and see what happens. I love your light set up though, thanks for sharing those pictures with different elements on at the different times.

 

[gtbarsi]

Great post! You definitely addressed all light spectrum and coverage issues, but also will have to deal with all of the pains each lighting source brings. Hopefully the heat and increased cost to run the MH and T5 does not cause you more problems than you are ready to address.

I can't afford the cost to run, cool, and maintain MH lighting, so after I move, and get a new system setup I plan on lighting using LED +T5. I will be going the DIY route, at the moment my plans call for a 6 channel solution, building off of a (5000K) neutral white, and includes Royal Blue, Cool Blue, Cyan, Lime, and violet. I've decided to go with out any optics, and pack the LEDs tight together. The lack of optics and the close proximity should allow for good color blending, but it will be directional as you point out in your post. That is why I am adding T5s to it to fill in the lower light areas, and any spectrum gaps. I will use a bluefish controller, probably the mini to make controlling the LEDs manageable.

In the end I am sure that I will spend as much as it would cost to light my tank with some of the more popular brand LED lights, but it should be a better overall solution. If I am lucky it might begin to compare with a solution such as yours.

 

[Tahoe61]

My compliments to the author of that blog. I enjoyed it immensely, and the pieces is professional written. Thanks

 

[TaylorPilot]

I read your new blog. I completely agree with your take on LED. You have to group them tight to cut down on disco effect, creating bright spots and shadows. I had an idea in my head of having a large dome shaped cluster that shined up into a reflector similar a MH reflector or car headlight. I think that would give a good light spread that hit the water at a perpendicular angle. It would eliminate disco effect, give good spread and reduce shadowing. Now someone just needs to start building them. LOL

 

[d2mini]

I have been debating my LEDs lately and tried T5 for about 5 minutes and switched back because of how flat it was lol. I did love my old halides but heat was a huge issue and I didn't want to run a chiller. I have seen the new kessil and oh my lawd is it amazing. I was told it will retail for about $800 so it will be a bit pricey but wow that thing is def worth it in my opinion. I might gut my T5 fixture and throw my LEDs in there and see what happens. I love your light set up though, thanks for sharing those pictures with different elements on at the different times.

Thanks! We all need to find our own way and use what works for our own particular situation. Best of luck to you!

Great post! You definitely addressed all light spectrum and coverage issues, but also will have to deal with all of the pains each lighting source brings. Hopefully the heat and increased cost to run the MH and T5 does not cause you more problems than you are ready to address.

I can't afford the cost to run, cool, and maintain MH lighting, so after I move, and get a new system setup I plan on lighting using LED +T5. I will be going the DIY route, at the moment my plans call for a 6 channel solution, building off of a (5000K) neutral white, and includes Royal Blue, Cool Blue, Cyan, Lime, and violet. I've decided to go with out any optics, and pack the LEDs tight together. The lack of optics and the close proximity should allow for good color blending, but it will be directional as you point out in your post. That is why I am adding T5s to it to fill in the lower light areas, and any spectrum gaps. I will use a bluefish controller, probably the mini to make controlling the LEDs manageable.

In the end I am sure that I will spend as much as it would cost to light my tank with some of the more popular brand LED lights, but it should be a better overall solution. If I am lucky it might begin to compare with a solution such as yours.

Thanks, and best of luck to you as well!
I am lucky that our electricity is only $.09 kw/hr so we're not talking all that much more than LED. I had done the math before switching and saw that not including a chiller, the lights themselves would cost me around $100 extra per year. That's nothing.
The chiller is costing me about $22/month in the summer now that I added a couple fans in the canopy. Was costing me around $32.

My compliments to the author of that blog. I enjoyed it immensely, and the pieces is professional written. Thanks

Much appreciated! I finally designed a logo for it now too.

I read your new blog. I completely agree with your take on LED. You have to group them tight to cut down on disco effect, creating bright spots and shadows. I had an idea in my head of having a large dome shaped cluster that shined up into a reflector similar a MH reflector or car headlight. I think that would give a good light spread that hit the water at a perpendicular angle. It would eliminate disco effect, give good spread and reduce shadowing. Now someone just needs to start building them. LOL

Yep, i've seen a few interesting ideas out there. Hopefully someone figures it out soon!

 

[gtbarsi]

I read your new blog. I completely agree with your take on LED. You have to group them tight to cut down on disco effect, creating bright spots and shadows. I had an idea in my head of having a large dome shaped cluster that shined up into a reflector similar a MH reflector or car headlight. I think that would give a good light spread that hit the water at a perpendicular angle. It would eliminate disco effect, give good spread and reduce shadowing. Now someone just needs to start building them. LOL

I was thinking something similar, a small array of high powered LEDs (10-12 watts of white + 24-30 watts of RB, + 12 watts of HV, +6-9 watts each of CB,CY,LI) the issue is going to be heat. The LEDs are on top and that is where the heat is going to concentrate, how do you cool it? The only thing I could think of is I block of AL with a really custom heat pipe setup going through it that goes out from the base and around the outside of the reflector to a cooling radiator with a good fan. Even still the LEDs are going to run hot since the cooler will be trying to draw the heat down.

 

[TaylorPilot]

I was thinking heat pipes right up the middle, kind of looking like a satellite dish. It would be expensive to manufacture, but if 1 could replace a single 400 MH, I think you could get 1200 for one easily.

 

[gtbarsi]

I was thinking heat pipes right up the middle, kind of looking like a satellite dish. It would be expensive to manufacture, but if 1 could replace a single 400 MH, I think you could get 1200 for one easily.

That could work well though it kills the image I had of a single large white LED in the dead middle. The LEDs would have to ring around the heat pipe coming out of the center.