Big E Rimless 80g Sps

[SeaDweller]

Awesome corals
Im running a 6 bulb ati sunpower with 3C+ 3B+
4" off the surface on my 120.
Great colors as the tank is only 4 months old.
Coralline is growing like mad.
Po4 runs 0-.03
No3 runs 0-2
Bare bottom tank.
Low nutrients but I get green dusting on the glass every couple of days.
I feed 4 times a day.
11 fish.
Sticks are still small but all growing.
Skimmer only with filter sock.
Not the best cell phone pics but its all I have

thats a recipe for success. don't change a thing!

 

[fishface NJ]

Amazing treasures you have. I have been running LED for 5 years and I decided a week ago to purchase T5 lighting for my new tank. I like your color combination

 

[nickkohrn]

I don’t recall reading anywhere in your thread about using LEDs for supplemental lighting, such as for evening blues to see the bright fluorescence that they bring.

Am I correct in thinking that you use only the four T5 bulbs (Coral Plus & Blue Plus)? If that’s correct, what are your thoughts on adding one, like a fixture from Reefbrites, to get the evening “pop” of color for an hour or two?

 

[Da8]

Great thread. Thanks for sharing and answering!!!

 

[Big E]

O M G. I have a smurfette that has been dormant almost a whole year. I snipped the tip thinking it was going to do something good. Nope. I cost myself an eighth of an inch. It was brown and ugly for a long time (came from a high PO4 MH tank) and has been sitting. Dormant. Mocking me. But it put out green polyps and green growth rim, so it's doing something.

In your pic, that depicts 3 years of growth???

Yes, but it has grown more in the last 3 months than it had for years. I moved it to more flow and higher par and that helped quite a bit.

I don’t recall reading anywhere in your thread about using LEDs for supplemental lighting, such as for evening blues to see the bright fluorescence that they bring.

Am I correct in thinking that you use only the four T5 bulbs (Coral Plus & Blue Plus)? If that’s correct, what are your thoughts on adding one, like a fixture from Reefbrites, to get the evening “pop” of color for an hour or two?

Yes, I only use the bulbs no led. I would opt for a combo of 400-450nm range for supplementing. Reefbrites only offer a single spectrum in approx that 450 range.

A couple of led strips will add some edge pop and tweak more brightness in certain colors and won't make it look too blue but brighter. They key is just not to overdo it.

I don't do the dawn/dusk blue effect.........I don't really like the look and enjoy a full bright tank, so I run a full 8 hours all on.

 

[Big E]

When you change your bulbs do you do them all at the same time? Or in seperate intervals

Sorry for the late response on this.

I do the two inner bulbs first and then 2 weeks later do the two outside bulbs.

 

[PanaReefer]

Im thinking of adding 2 retro fit t5 to my LEDs. Would you recomend 2 B+ or 2 C+?

 

[Big E]

Two coral+, but I would suggest to go with 4 t5s. It will make much more of an impact on coverage and spectrum range.

 

[Big E]

It's been a while so here's a few new shots.

Pinky the Bear

Bubblegum Rainbow

I lost my Rommels Watermelon a while back and was able to get a small piece to grow back out

On 11/18/18 I started with that small nub on the right about 3/8".

August 3rd 2019

Today at approx 3"

ARC Fireworks- not really getting orange polyps yet, but It's still a looker as I really like the deep purple and the growth pattern.

PGR Table

 

[PanaReefer]

Two coral+, but I would suggest to go with 4 t5s. It will make much more of an impact on coverage and spectrum range.

Thanks. Unfortunately I only have room for 1 on each side.

 

[schuby]

@PanaReefer Did you add the 2 coral+ bulbs to your tank? if so, how did you acclimate your corals since your not supposed to dim the T5s until after the first 50 hours?

I plan to do the same.

 

[NanoDJS]

Absolutely stunning system. Really dig your coral selection also , great work.

 

[PanaReefer]

@PanaReefer Did you add the 2 coral+ bulbs to your tank? if so, how did you acclimate your corals since your not supposed to dim the T5s until after the first 50 hours?

I plan to do the same.

I went back to B+ didnt like the look of the C+ since I only have 1 on each end. As far as PAR the B+ is slidely higher, so no need to acclimate IMO.

 

[schuby]

Thanks. Did you acclimate when you first added the C+ bulbs?

 

[PanaReefer]

Thanks. Did you acclimate when you first added the C+ bulbs?

No.

 

[stadler51]

Big E, How many bulbs are you running on your tank?

 

[Big E]

@PanaReefer Did you add the 2 coral+ bulbs to your tank? if so, how did you acclimate your corals since your not supposed to dim the T5s until after the first 50 hours?

I plan to do the same.

No, I still have 2 blue+ and two coral+. When I put in new bulbs I replace two and then two weeks later I replace the other two. I don't raise the fixture.........I don't have a dimmer function nor do I need or want one.

Because I overdrive the bulbs they have more par then standard driven bulbs so that's why I stagger the replacement.

On my other tank with the Sunpower(6x54w) I replace them all at the same time and raise the fixture 2" for 10 days. No dimmer.

Absolutely stunning system. Really dig your coral selection also , great work.

Thanks!

[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Did you acclimate when you first added the C+ bulbs?

See above comments for replacement.

I do really need to add two more bulbs to the system for a wider spread, but they will be standard driven ballasts. I would probably run the bulbs for less time at first(4-6hours) because the corals in that area will get more par then they have had in years.

Big E, How many bulbs are you running on your tank?

4 bulbs

 

[uhupong]

I have 8 bulbs powermodule with LED. Do you recommend turning/switching b+ and c+ on in interval, or all at once for different durations? I aim for 500 pars

Appreciate your insight.

 

[Big E]

I would do coral+ blue + alternating and then use the LEDs to supply more blue to give the corals the pop and the ambience you like.

As much as I try to explain this people want to go with a rainbow of bulbs over their tank and that isn't going to work as well. Each bulb will only cover and 4" width the rest you see is just visual abmbience. So if a few corals are under a single bulb they only get affected by it...........the other corals don't.

When those powermodules first came out I had a handful of friends fry acros. The first thing I told them was to keep the LEDs off till the corals started to color up and grow. Once that happens you can add the LEDs for more par.

You can easily get 500 par in the upper third of the tank with that unit with everything on..........you just have to go slow and be patient.

 

[Da8]

Well, this thread is just pure gold.

Thank you very much for your advice.

You have a incredible way of approaching the hobbie, and the colors, growth and health you achieve are the undeniable proof.