Oldude Reef Pix

I recently had 2 of the 250 watt ballasts burn out in my old Aqua-Medic "sexy light" fixture. The 6 foot fixture housed 3 x 250 watt DE bulbs & 2 x 150 watt DE bulbs. I have been considering replacing it for a while and this was the excuse I needed. I stayed "old school" & replaced it with 4 x 250 watt Lumen Max-3 HQI pendents driven by 2 X Blue Wave double HQI ballasts. The light dispersion off the larger reflectors is way better and I am sure the corals will love it.
Here is a shot of the old light fixture below
oldlights1_zps7b467a73.jpg


Here is a shot of the new lights - You can see in behind the MH in the front of the tank are 2 x T5 48" fixtures and 3 Reefbrite LED moon light fixtures
newlights1_zps440b11ef.jpg
 
Nice that's what I got is two HQI. I like them alot good growth but I been thinking about LEDs , but for good ones it's way to expensive for as much you would need to Mach or do better then HQI's but I been wanting to have someone make me a light to fit my reef tank .
 
It is better with the pendants because I can position them how I want - my old fixture always seemed to end up with lights directly above the tank braces which made them less effective than they should be. I am still not 100% sold on running LED as the main source. In the spot that I have the Radion fixture - I find some corals love it & others don't - I don't seem to have that issue with MH lighting.
 
Oldude, what's your favorite coral in your system if ya could only have One?
That is a really hard one for me - I am a coral hound and can usually only narrow my favorites down by the week.:squigglemouth: That said if I could only have one it would have to have a few colors in it so I would say perhaps acropora granulosa but it would be really tough to not have more. Corals are like Lays potato chips - betcha' can't just have one!!
How about you? What is your fave?
 
I absolutely love your pics! Got an updated FTS? :D
 
I am diggin' the way the blue streak running through this favia is encrusting into a pool at the bottom -

warfavia_zpsa2ef3eaa.jpg
 
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When my tank grows up I hope it looks like yours. Your tank is amazing
 
Here are a few fish shots -

My pigmy wrasse is very shy and rarely comes out of the caves far enough to get a photo -
the mystery wrasse hassles it every chance it gets.
pigmywrasse_zps350a209c.jpg


Mrs. Leopard
femaleleopard1_zps863d4bc9.jpg


Mr. Leopard
maleleopard1_zps0237ea67.jpg


fish4_zpse0db55c3.jpg
 

IF YOU HAD TO OPERATE EVERYTHING ELSE MANUALLY, WHICH AUTOMATED SYSTEM WOULD YOU KEEP?

  • Auto top-off

    Votes: 56 57.7%
  • Automated dosing

    Votes: 6 6.2%
  • Mechanical filtration / roller filter

    Votes: 4 4.1%
  • Automated water testing

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • Automatic feeding

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Lighting schedule

    Votes: 18 18.6%
  • Controller and remote monitoring

    Votes: 4 4.1%
  • Leak detection and emergency shutoff

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Automatic water changes

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • None. I prefer to operate everything manually

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Something else (explain in the comments)

    Votes: 1 1.0%
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