Denise's Halcyon Red Sea Reefer Protobuild 3/25/17

[dmw913]

Update: Params are in order. Fish doing well. Soft and LPS coral doing ok at first but not blowing up the joint. Upped lights to higher intensity. Coral immediately started doing better. Lost some SPS (most do to my fault but the ones I didn't screw up started to slowly fade and not hold a lot of color). I got worried about the actual output of my lights. Got a Seneye to check PAR.

Imagine my surprise when I get par readings of roughly 175 at 1/3 way down the tank, 110 at mid tank and about 80 at bottom...no wonder things aren't thriving...

Question #1: I think I need new lights. Do you all concur? It is my understanding I am shooting for 250-350 PAR at the top of the tank for SPS.

Question #2: Recommendations? I am considering two Hydra 52s or Kessil AP700. Other thoughts? I had a Radion Pro on my nano tank and just wasn't in love with it.

I really want to learn to keep SPS and keep them well so you can imagine my disappointment here. I had meticulously planned this build and may now need to go another direction at considerable expense. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[justingraham]

Update: Params are in order. Fish doing well. Soft and LPS coral doing ok at first but not blowing up the joint. Upped lights to higher intensity. Coral immediately started doing better. Lost some SPS (most do to my fault but the ones I didn't screw up started to slowly fade and not hold a lot of color). I got worried about the actual output of my lights. Got a Seneye to check PAR.

Imagine my surprise when I get par readings of roughly 175 at 1/3 way down the tank, 110 at mid tank and about 80 at bottom...no wonder things aren't thriving...

Question #1: I think I need new lights. Do you all concur? It is my understanding I am shooting for 250-350 PAR at the top of the tank for SPS.

Question #2: Recommendations? I am considering two Hydra 52s or Kessil AP700. Other thoughts? I had a Radion Pro on my nano tank and just wasn't in love with it.

I really want to learn to keep SPS and keep them well so you can imagine my disappointment here. I had meticulously planned this build and may now need to go another direction at considerable expense. Any help would be appreciated.

What lights do u have now?

Are u dead set on leds? U could add a four bulb t-5 retro to ur tank and get the par u are looking for

 

[dmw913]

@justingraham , I was pretty dead set for a while but it would be fair to say I'm reconsidering. However, I am also trying to balance the size of the fixture for aesthetics. What kind of T-5 retro were you thinking?

 

[HolisticBear]

Imagine my surprise when I get par readings of roughly 175 at 1/3 way down the tank, 110 at mid tank and about 80 at bottom...no wonder things aren't thriving...

I'm curious what others think, because while I know many people are high-PAR people, I expect that SPS should be fine at 175 and something else is to blame and going to 300 won't change that. With higher PAR, you can likely run higher nurtients, but that means higher PAR works better for your chemistry rather than 175 isn't enough.

Didn't the coral lab study say they had the same results from a long photoperiod at 150 compared to a shorter photoperiod at higher PAR?

Could you lengthen your light period if you think they need more?

To lights, I love the hybrid t5/led look. For my 170, I went with a GHL Mitras after some encouragement from others. It arrives tomorrow

 

[HolisticBear]

I am considering two Hydra 52s or Kessil AP700. Other thoughts?

There are a couple of AP700 threads, those that have them seem to love them now that the bugs are all fixed in the companion app. Any mention of Kessil in forums brings out people that love Radion and diss AP700.

I hope BRS includes an AP700 in their upcoming light series. They don't publish PAR, but I'm not sure it would be that much higher than what you have?? I don't know, just throwing that out there if you are looking for high PAR.

 

[dmw913]

@MrMichael GRATS on the Mitras! Please let me know how you like it!

Agreed about photoperiod. I've already upped it and I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[dmw913]

There are a couple of AP700 threads, those that have them seem to love them now that the bugs are all fixed in the companion app. Any mention of Kessil in forums brings out people that love Radion and diss AP700.

I hope BRS includes an AP700 in their upcoming light series. They don't publish PAR, but I'm not sure it would be that much higher than what you have?? I don't know, just throwing that out there if you are looking for high PAR.

Wow, you aren't kidding either. Folks really seem to either be in Kessil or Radion camps. Lol. I had a Kessil on my nano, replaced it with a Radion which clearly had much more power but never made anything "pop". So, that's why I was trying something outside of either of them with the Nanobox. I've bumped up photoperiod, will test PAR with other setting cranked up tonight and give it a little while and do some research on the T5 combos and the merits of 2 x Hydra 52s and 3 x Hydra 26s. Folks are talking about both.

 

[HolisticBear]

Wow, you aren't kidding either. Folks really seem to either be in Kessil or Radion camps. Lol.

Nikon vs Canon. Ford vs Chevy. BRS please save us with some independent data

I hear you on not liking the look and trying something different. I don't like my AI Prime, so I'm trying a Mitras. Maybe email NanoBox and ask them how to super-charge your setup. They seem crafty with modifications.

 

[justingraham]

Brs has a t 5 retro that would work
I don't know the size of ur tank but I would do it like this from back to front
T-5
T-5
Led clusters
T-5
T-5

 

[dmw913]

GUESS WHO JUST PURCHASED HER TIX TO

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HolisticBear]

What lights did you purchase for your macro-algae reactor. Some get hotter than others and I've seen a few reports of acrylic cracking after a few months. I want to avoid that, the reactors are probably the same quality, so a function of the lights.

 

[dmw913]

What lights did you purchase for your macro-algae reactor. Some get hotter than others and I've seen a few reports of acrylic cracking after a few months. I want to avoid that, the reactors are probably the same quality, so a function of the lights.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NAC7ZOC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[dmw913]

'Merica Update! Happy July 4th!

Things are progressing adequately. Upon further retesting, my Ca and Mg were a little low so I've been working on getting them up to snuff. Have also ordered kalk and two part from BRS. Here's a FTS from today:

 

[Aquarius]

Nice clean tank, I just installed an ap700 on my 90, love the look and the app is really simple and fun to mess with for a little before getting things set to the routine. Love the way the water and tank looks with the light, but I upgraded from a 3 year old black boxes on a manual timer. No more disco ball.

 

[dmw913]

Nice clean tank, I just installed an ap700 on my 90, love the look and the app is really simple and fun to mess with for a little before getting things set to the routine. Love the way the water and tank looks with the light, but I upgraded from a 3 year old black boxes on a manual timer. No more disco ball.

Thanks! How has your growth rate been with the AP700?

 

[Mal11224]

I just recently purchased the ap700 and it is a very good light. The look is sleek and the app seems to be good these days. I am seeing good growth on my corals now. I upgraded from 2 a160 led lights and my gsp wasn't even growing. Now it's 3 times as big. Corals are responding good to them. Ran the acclimation program for 14 days so that I wouldn't shock the corals. I am also using the slight diffuser with it and so far everything is good.

 

[dmw913]

I just recently purchased the ap700 and it is a very good light. The look is sleek and the app seems to be good these days. I am seeing good growth on my corals now. I upgraded from 2 a160 led lights and my gsp wasn't even growing. Now it's 3 times as big. Corals are responding good to them. Ran the acclimation program for 14 days so that I wouldn't shock the corals. I am also using the slight diffuser with it and so far everything is good.

Thanks for the feedback! I love the look of Kessil, that's for sure!

 

[Aquarius]

Thanks! How has your growth rate been with the AP700?

Only been on a few days so no changes yet, my strawberry shortcake hasn't bleached or browned so we will see. I have it at a very low acclimation ATM as to not kill that acro because so far its been growing/ over the past couple months. Hopefully my upgrade doesn't hinder that.

 

[mixer911]

Looking good! Stop by and see us at MACNA!

 

[dmw913]

Looking good! Stop by and see us at MACNA!

I'll stop by reppin' with my Synergy Reef t-shirt on!!!!!