Reefcowboy’s 150 gal SPS System

[Chef Tommy]

Jason was great to meet! I got frags from him when MACNA was here last year [emoji4]

 

[Mallard]

I'm currently in the process of getting my tank running and noticed our setups are extremely similar. I have a custom 125 rimless SCA with a ghost overflow and a modified Giesemann Spectra with 2 channel dimmable T5s. I'm currently talking to James at Orphek about getting a couple of the OR 120's and came across your build, which is amazing btw. I'm looking at adding one violet/UV and maybe customizing a skyblue. How do you feel the skyblue compares to other actinic led strips such as the reef brite xho's or the SB? I'm a bit concerned about the cyan LEDs and was thinking about swapping out half or even all for their 430nm's. Also, any reason you didn't get a violet/UV?

 

[Chef Tommy]

I'm currently in the process of getting my tank running and noticed our setups are extremely similar. I have a custom 125 rimless SCA with a ghost overflow and a modified Giesemann Spectra with 2 channel dimmable T5s. I'm currently talking to James at Orphek about getting a couple of the OR 120's and came across your build, which is amazing btw. I'm looking at adding one violet/UV and maybe customizing a skyblue. How do you feel the skyblue compares to other actinic led strips such as the reef brite xho's or the SB? I'm a bit concerned about the cyan LEDs and was thinking about swapping out half or even all for their 430nm's. Also, any reason you didn't get a violet/UV?

I actually just added a sky blue as well. Awesome light & much nicer than Lumi Light from reef brite. These pics are just one sky blue. Once lite, don't see color difference in leds. Perfect amount of shimmer imo too!

Going to add another one to balance out frame of t5. I'd like to see his thoughts on uv also because I can't decide between that or another sky blue.

 

[Reefcowboy]

I'm currently in the process of getting my tank running and noticed our setups are extremely similar. I have a custom 125 rimless SCA with a ghost overflow and a modified Giesemann Spectra with 2 channel dimmable T5s. I'm currently talking to James at Orphek about getting a couple of the OR 120's and came across your build, which is amazing btw. I'm looking at adding one violet/UV and maybe customizing a skyblue. How do you feel the skyblue compares to other actinic led strips such as the reef brite xho's or the SB? I'm a bit concerned about the cyan LEDs and was thinking about swapping out half or even all for their 430nm's. Also, any reason you didn't get a violet/UV?

Nice! Post here some pics of your setup so we can chat about it.

The Orpheks are really nice, the color of the leds look a lot like the B+ ATI bulb, but with the led pop. It's a higher Kelvin blue so you get the pop but it is a lighter one than the Reefbrites.

Reefbrite have the best pop IMO, with a deeper, royal blue led look.
I was also concerned about the Cyan leds, for the same reason you have.
I'm pretty happy with it, but when discussing with James thought of taking the Cyans off.

James told me nobody ever did that so I was a bit concerned. He also told me to go with the UV instead of the sky blue. The UV seems like is a better pop, but I was concerned it would make the tank too purple or unnatural.

In my case the sky blue works perfectly as I run full spectrum t5s with the halides so the blue sky fills in the blues naturally.

I really don't like the purple look leds give tanks, I ran Radions in my previous build and they make the tank too purple for my taste.

I'm more if a mid day, "sunny look" tank type guy

 

[Reefcowboy]

I actually just added a sky blue as well. Awesome light & much nicer than Lumi Light from reef brite. These pics are just one sky blue. Once lite, don't see color difference in leds. Perfect amount of shimmer imo too!

Going to add another one to balance out frame of t5. I'd like to see his thoughts on uv also because I can't decide between that or another sky blue.

Sweet!
Great looking tank
I was also thinking adding the UV but was concerned I would notice light color differdnce. My light supplier recommended the UV as well so I guess that fixture has some really good pop.
Wish we had available more pics from tanks with the UV, and that is what upsets me about Orphek. They have excellent leds but are very amateurish showcasing their product with 2 or three pics from customers to show their lights.
We have to guess a lot before buying these fixtures

 

[Chef Tommy]

I wish I still had the photo he sent. The uv only was way too purple, mixed with sky blue seemed to still have purple in it. I agree with you though, which it why I'll end up with another sky blue!

The blue lighting to me seems more natural from a corals perspective as certain colors only go so far down. Good job paying attention in high school marine Biology! Haha. I enjoy the blue myself at night when I get home from work.

Really love the light though [emoji4]

 

[lbacha]

The UV only is really purple but it does give amazing pop to the corals. The best is when the blue and UV mix. I have the atlantik v4 so I get to see all the colors together but have control over each channel. I really have come to live the more windex blue color vs the deep royal blue that a lot of fixtures have

 

[Chef Tommy]

I've been meaning to ask, just liked your picture on a mh thread!? Anyhow, what is coverage of MH. I'm going to try a 400w over my 75 which is 48" x 18". It's been sitting around since I had my farm, I am just liking mh setups more & more.

 

[fishybizzness]

So, any issues with the synergy overflow,or is it working as planned? Still trying to decide whether to go rimless or eurobraced with the synergy overflow..

 

[Reefcowboy]

So, any issues with the synergy overflow,or is it working as planned? Still trying to decide whether to go rimless or eurobraced with the synergy overflow..

So far its been solid! No leaks very quiet and super sharp looking. This 20” is way overkill for a 150gal, but I like the large surface skimming area.

 

[Reefcowboy]

So its been a while since I last updated this thread.
Tank is a bit over 3 months old.

Things have been on auto pilot and Ive been very fortunate to see frags coloring up nicely and the tank starting to have signs of maturity with growth everywhere, coraline showing in many places and things looking great.

I finally took offline my gfo reactor as I had noticed the media was getting exhausted. I watched the slow development of the algae scrubber and think now it can carry the tank’s bioload while leaving traces of nitrate and PO4 for the sps. I could definitely tell color improved greatly as PO4 remained low, but detectable. I feed heavy with 3-4times a day pellets through an auto feeder and frozen mysis, calanus, spirulina brine, cyclops and some “seaweed delight”. Fish are fat and healthy.


Scrubber while running little GFO

GFO Offline. Growth exploded and sps colors improved as well

Halides make the pics too bright. A few pics of T5's and LEDs

 

[gcarroll]

Everything is looking great my friend!!! Thanks for the update.

 

[NY_Caveman]

So its been a while since I last updated this thread.
Tank is a bit over 3 months old.

Things have been on auto pilot and Ive been very fortunate to see frags coloring up nicely and the tank starting to have signs of maturity with growth everywhere, coraline showing in many places and things looking great.

I finally took offline my gfo reactor as I had noticed the media was getting exhausted. I watched the slow development of the algae scrubber and think now it can carry the tank’s bioload while leaving traces of nitrate and PO4 for the sps. I could definitely tell color improved greatly as PO4 remained low, but detectable. I feed heavy with 3-4times a day pellets through an auto feeder and frozen mysis, calanus, spirulina brine, cyclops and some “seaweed delight”. Fish are fat and healthy.


Scrubber while running little GFO

GFO Offline. Growth exploded and sps colors improved as well

Halides make the pics too bright. A few pics of T5's and LEDs

The growth is really coming now. Looks really good!

 

[najer]

Looks really happy and healthy.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Whats going on everyone. Took a few pics of the tank today for another thread and figured would update this tank thread as well. The tank is now 4+ months and I gotta say the sps have really colored up since I took the GFO offline....I moved some sps frags around to new spots where they wouldnt grow into each other as they now are starting to take shape. Also added some lps.

If I could go back and start all my tanks again I would do a few things I now consider big game changers for my experience:

1- No more GFO! Phosphate was the missing link to my sps coloration. I always seemed to get a 6-7 out of 10 for colors and never knew GFO was stopping me from the results I wanted.

2- Algae Turf Scrubber! I dont think I would have had the courage to take the GFO offline without knowing the ATS would keep up with the fish waste keeping the PO4 low. I feed heavy and the algae grows very fast while keeping all nutrients almost undetectable.

3- Keeping more fish...I always kept small fish groups. I plan on adding a blue throat trigger, three purple eye anthias.

4-Feed heavy. As I started to feed heavy colors on montis changed and deeper colors are showing slowly as time goes by. I also increased the MH’s from 3 to 3.5 hours per day. Eventually will increase to 4 hrs as the max.

150 gal tank fish population:

Hippo tang
Yellow tang
Thompson tang
Chocolate tang
Sailfin tang
Foxface
Large Green chromis
Clownfish
3x purple anthias
2x large blue eyed cardinals
1x bangaii cardinal
2x pajama cardinals

Daily feeding:

Pellets mix(auto feeder) 3x day with two spins each time(eheim feeder, generous amounts);

Frozen 1x day(fed @ night)

4x mysis cubes;
1x seaweed delight cube;
1x Plankton cube
1x Spirulina brine cube

A few pics! Sorry crappy camera

 

[OffTopic]

Looks excellent! I really like what you did with the two dos pumps, looks really clean... ideas

 

[KJoFan]

Looking good! Are those Anthias also known as Purple Queen? If so, how was it getting them acclimated and eating successfully?

 

[Reefcowboy]

Looks excellent! I really like what you did with the two dos pumps, looks really clean... ideas

Thank you!

 

[Reefcowboy]

Looking good! Are those Anthias also known as Purple Queen? If so, how was it getting them acclimated and eating successfully?

Yes I believe so. I feed a plankton frozen cube as they are extremelly finicky eaters. Cyclops, and small crustacean foods are appealing to them.
They have been in my tank for months and just now swim around the tank. Until not long ago would stay in corners, in groups and very shy.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Whats going on everyone. Took a few pics of the tank today for another thread and figured would update this tank thread as well. The tank is now 4+ months and I gotta say the sps have really colored up since I took the GFO offline....I moved some sps frags around to new spots where they wouldnt grow into each other as they now are starting to take shape. Also added some lps.

If I could go back and start all my tanks again I would do a few things I now consider big game changers for my experience:

1- No more GFO! Phosphate was the missing link to my sps coloration. I always seemed to get a 6-7 out of 10 for colors and never knew GFO was stopping me from the results I wanted.

2- Algae Turf Scrubber! I dont think I would have had the courage to take the GFO offline without knowing the ATS would keep up with the fish waste keeping the PO4 low. I feed heavy and the algae grows very fast while keeping all nutrients almost undetectable.

3- Keeping more fish...I always kept small fish groups. I plan on adding a blue throat trigger, three purple eye anthias.

4-Feed heavy. As I started to feed heavy colors on montis changed and deeper colors are showing slowly as time goes by. I also increased the MH’s from 3 to 3.5 hours per day. Eventually will increase to 4 hrs as the max.

150 gal tank fish population:

Hippo tang
Yellow tang
Thompson tang
Chocolate tang
Sailfin tang
Foxface
Large Green chromis
Clownfish
3x purple anthias
2x large blue eyed cardinals
1x bangaii cardinal
2x pajama cardinals

Daily feeding:

Pellets mix(auto feeder) 3x day with two spins each time(eheim feeder, generous amounts);

Frozen 1x day(fed @ night)

4x mysis cubes;
1x seaweed delight cube;
1x Plankton cube
1x Spirulina brine cube

A few pics! Sorry crappy camera

I really think you have the right strategy and your tank seems to show it. And wow you feed a lot. LOL