Smite's UNS 120s peninsula

Janci · Jul 19, 2021

Smite said:

I love to compare the FTS with the previous one.
Lots of good progress since post #271.

Smite · Jul 19, 2021

Janci said:
Hell, I believed the Kessils were the way to go, but glad to see you got what you always preferred.
Stunning corals and photographs as always.
Is 14K the lamp you will us with the upgrade as well? Wondering how it will look with the XHO strips.
So lighting period will be 9 hours in total?

I don't see it having the coverage for the upgrade. I came across it used so I won't take too big of a hit if I end up selling it when I break down the tank. The upgrade will be to individual large pendants and the kessils. I found some really clean lumenbright large reflectors that I may try. I need to mock them up over a square on the floor to see if they spread the 38" front to back. By eye it looks like it will.

I heard those reflectors penetrate really well so I may run 250w but i have a feeling I'll end up 14k 400w. I want the bottom of those reflectors 16" off the top of tank so I have room to work and I think that's going to put me in the 400w range.

For now I just need to find a large fan that's slim. I don't like the look of those CPU fans hanging and I'm running them high enough in the RPMs to where they are pretty loud. The tank only hit 79.1 though so they are working.

Smite · Jul 19, 2021

Janci said:
I love to compare the FTS with the previous one.
Lots of good progress since post #271.

Oh yeah! Suddenly my reef started growing. I check alk a couple times a week and have to crank up the kameor pump a few ml a minute every week. I'll have to keep a close eye on it now, hopefully it continues

Smite · Jul 19, 2021

I'm at 74 ml/minute from the low 30s ml/minute just a few months ago.

revhtree · Jul 19, 2021

Smite said:

Beautiful reef you have there!

Smite · Jul 19, 2021

revhtree said:
Beautiful reef you have there!

Thank you!

minus9 · Jul 21, 2021

Smite said:
Ahh filters no longer needed

I decided to swap out my g5 blues for a 36" reefbrite hybrid system. These are under 250w 14k Hamilton lamps driven by the RB ballasts. It has the xho strips but I stll need to set them up.

I'm 12" off the top of tank and will be running at 8 hours with a short 30 of XHO on both ends. My next system will be MH so I'm acclimating them back to MH now, so it's one less change when it's time to swap over.

Dude, that just looks awesome! I can't wait to get my 14k's up, just need to buy some stuff first.

Smite · Jul 21, 2021

minus9 said:
Dude, that just looks awesome! I can't wait to get my 14k's up, just need to buy some stuff first.

I think you’re going to love it. I think I’m going to experience a lull in growth because it’s a pretty drastic change. One day of tinkering and a day of new lighting and I’m up a bit on my dkh. About 1 point. That being said I haven’t had polyp extension like this to date. My wife asked “is that as blue as it gets? And had a huge smile when I said yuuuup!
Once everything settles I’m going to get some pictures, the fish are unreal

minus9 · Jul 21, 2021

Smite said:
I think you’re going to love it. I think I’m going to experience a lull in growth because it’s a pretty drastic change. One day of tinkering and a day of new lighting and I’m up a bit on my dkh. About 1 point. That being said I haven’t had polyp extension like this to date. My wife asked “is that as blue as it gets? And had a huge smile when I said yuuuup!
Once everything settles on I’m going to get some pictures, tho fish are unreal

That's great! Yeah, there's absolutely no substitute for halides and the color, details and contrast are second to none. It's the closest thing to having the sun light your tank. I'm calling Tullio tomorrow or Thursday to chat about a setup, so hopefully I'll finalize everything soon. I'll also look into the fans as well. I'm hoping to find 24v fans that I can hook up directly to my apex, especially now that I have two eb832's. Noise is definitely a concern too.

Smite · Jul 21, 2021

minus9 said:
That's great! Yeah, there's absolutely no substitute for halides and the color, details and contrast are second to none. It's the closest thing to having the sun light your tank. I'm calling Tullio tomorrow or Thursday to chat about a setup, so hopefully I'll finalize everything soon. I'll also look into the fans as well. I'm hoping to find 24v fans that I can hook up directly to my apex, especially now that I have two eb832's. Noise is definitely a concern too.

Yeah these noctua fans get the job done and have that dust/waterproof rating. The noise isn't bad until you get more than one running then the frequencies get all weird and pulsate. I'm trying to find a high CFM box/flat fan that I can build a shelf off the wall and move some real air without much noise.

Smite · Jul 21, 2021

Maybe a vornado or something?

Smite · Jul 22, 2021

A few all blue pics

minus9 · Jul 22, 2021

Smite said:
A few all blue pics

That second piece has such cool radial corallites. 1st colony is smoking!

Smite · Jul 22, 2021

minus9 said:
That second piece has such cool radial corallites. 1st colony is smoking!

Thanks! First one is that shazam wannabe and the one with cool coralites one is TCK Supersonic

Smite · Jul 22, 2021

Some of the decently sized pieces in the tank. Some are actually approaching colony size! That reef pets uv is partially shaded from an acclimation box in the tank.

Smite · Jul 22, 2021

And a few others that are looking good right now. Bryopsis is rearing its ugly head again but I'm trying to manually deal with it until the new lights have been up for a while. I dont want too many changes at one time. My alk consumption stalled for a day. I've been checking 2x a day and it's already back up near where it was which is a relief!