RSM 130c ??

[muggle reefer]

T

Thank you for writing all that. I agree with you on the rimless part, it does look way better. But there are two main problems that are stopping me from going rimless. 1) I don't know which type of light to use for this tank (preferably, one with a timer) and 2) lights are SO expensive and if I stick with the stock lights it would save me money that I could spend on a good ATO or on testing kits, corals, etc.
Regardless, I would really appreciate it if you could suggest a couple of LED light systems that will be good for my C 130 tank. Thank you!

I am still using the original lighting with a analog timer. The hood is designed for fluorescent tube lights that are reef speck. I have always run those. Led’s are expensive, I have wanted them for years, early on I did not use them because it looked like you needed to really study as you had to set them up yourself.

Only now am I really learning how good the LED options have become. I am impressed with Red Sea:s lights because they look very user friendly and you don:t have to think so much with them.

I believe you can get a hood set up that will attach to a rimless tank and run florusecent type lights. These are a cheaper option, you just run them with a hardware store style light timer. Very basic, you just can:t do all the wizbang programming that LED’s now permit. Also if your space permits you can hang a light hood from the ceiling for your tank. In any event you can go rimless and use a traditional light the equipment is out there. Then go LEd when budget permits. If you can go new, I would go rimless and not do the hood. If you have to go cheap, and go used then the hooded Red Sea max is acceptable however you have to watch your temps really close. You may have to leave the hood open or partially open all the time to manage temp if you are not running a chiller which is as expensive as buying leds.

I think the biggest advantage of rimless and no hood is that you will eliminate the temp issues that the hood causes. If you run the hood closed up you may find yourself spending a lot of money on cooling and lighting is a better spend. I had to buy a new chiller last year and it was $500.00. I did not think of switching to LEd. For a 130D I could have taken the hood off and bought a really good LEd.

 

[muggle reefer]

One more problem I see on attaching LEDs to Red Sea max tanks designed for a hood. If you look at red seas lead lights they have a 90 degree arm that attaches to the back center of the tank. On the early 130ds with curved glass corners like I have there is no space to insert a bracket because of the skimmer which occupies the center of the tank.

I would need a bracket attaching to the left and right sides of the tank rim. However, I might still have a problem as in addition to the rim, I have a truck for the hood hinges to collapse into that runs to the middle of the sides of the rim. So I might not be able to properly seat the led arms without cutting those hing tracks off the tank.

If I removed the skimmer and relocated it somewhere else I could then set up a arm based led support. However that would require a redo of the sump system or some sort of exterior skimmer. Adding an Led though to a hooded style Red Sea max will require a series of cascading mods to the tank. There are after market kits on ebay to convert the hood into and LEd. I don:t like this option because then I have to make sure I understand everything the light is doing and learn how to set up a reef led from scratch with no safety net programming to keep me from killing what is in my tank. So in sort that is an option but requires more technical skill than I want to or am willing to go into.

 

[maleks.reef]

One more problem I see on attaching LEDs to Red Sea max tanks designed for a hood. If you look at red seas lead lights they have a 90 degree arm that attaches to the back center of the tank. On the early 130ds with curved glass corners like I have there is no space to insert a bracket because of the skimmer which occupies the center of the tank.

I would need a bracket attaching to the left and right sides of the tank rim. However, I might still have a problem as in addition to the rim, I have a truck for the hood hinges to collapse into that runs to the middle of the sides of the rim. So I might not be able to properly seat the led arms without cutting those hing tracks off the tank.

If I removed the skimmer and relocated it somewhere else I could then set up a arm based led support. However that would require a redo of the sump system or some sort of exterior skimmer. Adding an Led though to a hooded style Red Sea max will require a series of cascading mods to the tank. There are after market kits on ebay to convert the hood into and LEd. I don:t like this option because then I have to make sure I understand everything the light is doing and learn how to set up a reef led from scratch with no safety net programming to keep me from killing what is in my tank. So in sort that is an option but requires more technical skill than I want to or am willing to go into.

I was thinking of doing just that. I wanted to go with the sock lights and hood and maybe one day buy an expensive LED unit, as you said, they can be very expensive. Regarding the heat issue, I live in the middle east, so the AC is on 247 and the temperature in my room is at a constant 21-23 Celcius. Therefore, I think I would not face any overheating issues and the heater will most probably have to heat the water. Also, would you say that the stock lights are enough for softies and lps growth? What about the colour of the corals, do those lights bring them out?
Thanks.

 

[GoVols]

I will try to find a Tunze 3155 for a reasonable price here locally, otherwise, i have no option but to stick to the one i found. Thank you for your help.

Yeah,
The Tunze 3155 is the gold standard.

The Tunze 3152 Nano is $90

Osmolator Nano 3152 Auto Top Off

Introducing the little brother to the Tunze Osmolator, one of the industry’s most trusted automatic water top-off device and BRS Recommended. Designed specifically for smaller aquariums, roughly 50 gallons and under, the Osmolator Nano 3152 is a slimmed down version of the full sized 3155. It...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

But I'd go with the 3155

 

[muggle reefer]

I was thinking of doing just that. I wanted to go with the sock lights and hood and maybe one day buy an expensive LED unit, as you said, they can be very expensive. Regarding the heat issue, I live in the middle east, so the AC is on 247 and the temperature in my room is at a constant 21-23 Celcius. Therefore, I think I would not face any overheating issues and the heater will most probably have to heat the water. Also, would you say that the stock lights are enough for softies and lps growth? What about the colour of the corals, do those lights bring them out?
Thanks.

I have attached a photo of my tank. I have three soft corals. I have not tried LPS corals so don't know.

 

[maleks.reef]

Yeah,
The Tunze 3155 is the gold standard.

The Tunze 3152 Nano is $90

Osmolator Nano 3152 Auto Top Off

Introducing the little brother to the Tunze Osmolator, one of the industry’s most trusted automatic water top-off device and BRS Recommended. Designed specifically for smaller aquariums, roughly 50 gallons and under, the Osmolator Nano 3152 is a slimmed down version of the full sized 3155. It...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

But I'd go with the 3155

It is originally $90 yes, but because of where i live, it would cost me more than $200!! Which is a shame because Tunze nano is amazing. As for LFS, ive called all the LFS around me, non of them have the tunze nano unfortunetly. So looks like i will end up with the digiten ATO, which is fairly good.

 

[Cbones1979]

also had reef breeder ato. came down this morning and it had filled up the sump to the absolute top of the sensor where the wire goes in. Clearly it failed. Going to test it again before replacing it. I was lucky it stopped filling.

 

[JaaxReef]

also had reef breeder ato. came down this morning and it had filled up the sump to the absolute top of the sensor where the wire goes in. Clearly it failed. Going to test it again before replacing it. I was lucky it stopped filling.

Which one of their ATOs? I think they make two. Haven’t had any issues with the Prism one on my QT.

 

[Cbones1979]

Which one of their ATOs? I think they make two. Haven’t had any issues with the Prism one on my QT.

that's the one I have. I just tested it in a cup of water and it was working fine. no clue how it pumped over a gallon in last night then stopped before overflowing the sump. I've had for maybe a year.

 

[JaaxReef]

that's the one I have. I just tested it in a cup of water and it was working fine. no clue how it pumped over a gallon in last night then stopped before overflowing the sump. I've had for maybe a year.

Any chance something could have blocked a drain to your sump and lowered the water level temporarily?

I’ve had a snail in my pico all in one tank walk over the overflow teeth and lower the back chamber level quickly and had an ATO pump a ton of water in to the point of it almost overflowing… now I use a dosing pump for top off instead and correct manually occasionally in that tank. Ha.

 

[Cbones1979]

Any chance something could have blocked a drain to your sump and lowered the water level temporarily?

I’ve had a snail in my pico all in one tank walk over the overflow teeth and lower the back chamber level quickly and had an ATO pump a ton of water in to the point of it almost overflowing… now I use a dosing pump for top off instead and correct manually occasionally in that tank. Ha.

Nothing I can tell

seems to be working fine now.