Need help in Houston, Tx

[Shawn_epicurious]

Howdy,

I am from Texas... lol

I am looking for a really strong reef tank lighting guy in Houston... Any recommendations?

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

I knew this was a stretch: ) ..I’ll find someone.

 

[Marvollo]

What do you mean by strong lighting guy?

 

[TX_Punisher]

What are you looking for exactly?

MARSH is full of people local.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Replying to both : )

what am I looking for? : ) a lot

I recently bought an Apogee MQ-510. It is sitting right in front of me. It didnt have a user manual. While I am certain I can find 1,000 you tube videos on how to use it, I am better with a sage on the stage.

i want to watch what this person is doing... be able to ask them questions. I wanna learn : )

I have a 200 gallon tank. ..building it up for SPS dominant. I just spent 2 months working under my tank (it’s all on my build thread) ...Now I have moved on to lighting. (I am a lighting idiot)

 

[TX_Punisher]

What type of lighting do you have or want?

is it setup and running (the lighting)?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

All about fish. The owner might know. Does custom builds high tech and installs and been in the hobby for decades

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

What do you mean by strong lighting guy?

Very knowledgeable

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

What type of lighting do you have or want?

is it setup and running (the lighting)?

Right now I have 3 LEDs, 2 Hydra 32HDs and 1 Hydra 26. I am getting my tank ready for SPS dominant. Also I have a wooden canopy on my tank. My lights are 9” above the water... No room for MH really...

I have been looking at a few T5 hybrid systems and other LEDs. (Everything I like is always out of stock)
And at the end of the day, I am a lighting idiot... : )

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

All about fish. The owner might know. Does custom builds high tech and installs and been in the hobby for decades

I’ll be nice : ). No one who actually knows the owner of All About Fish would ever recommend that guy.

 

[Erick Armanii]

Seems like you are on the right path. Only recommendation is to raise the lights from 9” to 12-14” (if possible)

No need for a lighting expert just set the hydras to the BRS recommend AB+ setting and do the hybrid T5s as you mentioned.

As your tank matures, I would consider renting a par meter or joining a local reef club and see if one of the members will loan you one or help with tuning the light.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Seems like you are on the right path. Only recommendation is to raise the lights from 9” to 12-14” (if possible)

No need for a lighting expert just set the hydras to the BRS recommend AB+ setting and do the hybrid T5s as you mentioned.

As your tank matures, I would consider renting a par meter or joining a local reef club and see if one of the members will loan you one or help with tuning the light.

Thank you. I just bought an Apogee MQ-510. I am getting it wet for the first time today : ) I cannot raise my lights higher without loosing my canopy. (Which is an option) The ceiling height above my rank is 19’. I don’t think it would look good hanging lights from the ceiling.

I also just reached out to “MARSH” (Marine Aquarium and Reef Society of Houston) for recommendations: )

 

[Erick Armanii]

Rebuild the canopy or ditch it, 9” height creates hotspots so you will have higher par intensity’s one some areas and less than optimum in others

 

[mitch91175]

Rebuild the canopy or ditch it, 9” height creates hotspots so you will have higher par intensity’s one some areas and less than optimum in others

Or you could use the LEDs with T5 hybrid fixture. Yes that canopy height is more suitable for all T5 lighting in my opinion as well.

Although you are getting ready for SPS, if your system is new I suggest you not wasting any money on SPS in the beginning. Start out with zoas, LPS and once you can handle those and you have a good knowledge of maintaining your parameters and have coralline algae going, then look at SPS.

I know it’s hard not to put in SPS soon, but patience will be key to increasing your success.

Also once you venture into SPS, try to start out with stuff that doesn’t cost you a fortune. Add a piece of Montipora and see if it grows (if it doesn’t your tank isn’t nearly ready).

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

Or you could use the LEDs with T5 hybrid fixture. Yes that canopy height is more suitable for all T5 lighting in my opinion as well.

Although you are getting ready for SPS, if your system is new I suggest you not wasting any money on SPS in the beginning. Start out with zoas, LPS and once you can handle those and you have a good knowledge of maintaining your parameters and have coralline algae going, then look at SPS.

I know it’s hard not to put in SPS soon, but patience will be key to increasing your success.

Also once you venture into SPS, try to start out with stuff that doesn’t cost you a fortune. Add a piece of Montipora and see if it grows (if it doesn’t your tank isn’t nearly ready).

I put myself on a ”new livestock hiatus” for 6 months to let my tank mature. That was 2 1/2 months ago. My tank is now 6 1/2 months old. I have seen the beginnings of new coraline growth (one of the things I was waiting for)

 

[TX_Punisher]

Not sure how deep your tank is but the 32’s probably won’t cut it unless your tank is 20”
Or less y’all or the rock work is high. I’m shooting for 350-400 par at the top of my rock with my new G5’s. A par meter is a must with leds.

shoot me a pm and I’ll see what I can do to help you out.

 

[Erick Armanii]

Or you could use the LEDs with T5 hybrid fixture. Yes that canopy height is more suitable for all T5 lighting in my opinion as well.

Although you are getting ready for SPS, if your system is new I suggest you not wasting any money on SPS in the beginning. Start out with zoas, LPS and once you can handle those and you have a good knowledge of maintaining your parameters and have coralline algae going, then look at SPS.

I know it’s hard not to put in SPS soon, but patience will be key to increasing your success.

Also once you venture into SPS, try to start out with stuff that doesn’t cost you a fortune. Add a piece of Montipora and see if it grows (if it doesn’t your tank isn’t nearly ready).

That’s what we were talking about. T5 hybrid with LEDs.

And I agree take things slow when it comes to SPS. I started my current tank in February 2020 and learned a lot over my 16 years.

One of the biggest things I’ve put into practice with this build was dose alk and calcium wayyyyyy before corals were introduced. After my initial cycle finished, I tested my parameters and added cal and alk to get it to where I wanted (8.6alk 480cal) then tested regularly and set up a doser. (That was in April)

Last month I won the WWC Frag funny name contest on Reef2reef and they sent me an secret coral (optimus prime Favia)

I have since purchased around 20 Sticks all doing well.. My bubble gum Digi which I added last Thursday (10 days ago) is actually growing.. insane!