Gilroy 425g Build Thread (All Apex, all the time)

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

The problem with those is salt - salt kills everything in a few months

I might give something like that a try but I would not hold out any hope that it would last in the environment over a saltwater tank. As cheap as they are though it may be worth a try. Post up some sources and I will give it a look.

I am actually more concerned about lifting (and holding it up) than I am closing slow. And, I have a pretty good plan for it - but I do not want to distract myself with toys like that until I get the bread and butter done!

lefkonj · Jul 15, 2016

I found them on amazon, but Lowes/Home Depot also have them. Funny I don't worry about opening as long as it won't shut on my hand or the glass too rough.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=pneumatic+cylinger

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

Until the device fails at 10 months after you got comfortable with it coming down slowly. I have another, more rudimentary way I have devised to get the same results. Just gotta put it on back burner for now.

SchnitzelReef · Jul 15, 2016

Terence said:
Until the device fails at 10 months after you got comfortable with it coming down slowly. I have another, more rudimentary way I have devised to get the same results. Just gotta put it on back burner for now.

Post a FTS. I wanna see what the tank looks like with the canopy closed.

PS. I got this on Amazon prime day. $33

[emoji1303]

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

I will later today when I get the bulbs in there and fire it up.

Also if I didn't make it clear before, the outside two sides of each of these canopies will be skinned with wood.

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

SchnitzelReef said:
Are you planning on doing only LED for sunrise/sunset, then kicking metal halides on for mid day? What's your lighting schedule gunna be?

Most people that will read this will think I am crazy.

It really will depend on the time of year. Most likely for three or four months in the summer, I will be running the MH only from super early in the morning - likely 3 or 4 am. This is when the tank starts really needing heat, even in the summer, as our nighttime temps are low. I will then have them ramp up and down with a total time of probably 8 hours. At around noon my LED will start ramping up and stay on until around 7PM with not much intensity. Just enough to see the tank and enjoy it. The room where the tank is is not a high traffic area and no lights are on up there. So, when 8pm rolls around it will be pretty dark in the tank for at least 8 hours. In the winter, the heaters are needed almost 24/7 so that will get a more normal lighting cycle of say 7 in the morning to 5 or 6 and then LED only for a few of hours.

The reality is much of this will change as I study the light output, power use, coral response, temp needs, etc. But this is where my starting point will be.

SchnitzelReef · Jul 15, 2016

Not concerned with how the corals might respond to constant changes in the light cycle? I'm sure lps/softies won't mind, but I'm talking about acros?

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

SchnitzelReef said:
Not concerned with how the corals might respond to constant changes in the light cycle? I'm sure lps/softies won't mind, but I'm talking about acros?

I don't think so. But, I guess we will find out.

Terence · Jul 15, 2016

So I got my bulbs today, put them in the sockets and fired up the lights at 100%. I will have to make a suggestion to ReefBrite on the dimming cables. They are one RJ45 per ballast - effectively not using the second varspd port on the same socket. Instead it should have two of the wires coming off of each RJ45. No biggie - Tullio will get it handled!

For now just check out some of the pics - wow, this is the first time I have seen this much light over the reef!

George209 · Jul 16, 2016

Awesome build!

Reefcowboy · Jul 16, 2016

Terence, I am sure you were you were promised results from many Led manufacturers, and indeed considered the best method for growing/coloring sps' which has always been MH. The cool thing is you got plenty of light by innovating with this set up, incorporating the Apex, Leds for dusk/dawn/pop and the dimming option for the halides, which is very cool.
I guess as far as lighting is concerned, you know you will have success regardless of what you decide to keep in that tank!

lefkonj · Jul 16, 2016

Very nice looking

gcarroll · Jul 16, 2016

Great lighting choice Terrance! Great to see a mixture of old tech with new! You might just cause a MH revolution with this thread.

Reefcowboy · Jul 16, 2016

gcarroll said:
Great lighting choice Terrance! Great to see a mixture of old tech with new! You might just cause a MH revolution with this thread.

Agreed Greg! Dimmable ballasts AND Apex ready!

Terence · Jul 16, 2016

gcarroll said:
Great lighting choice Terrance! Great to see a mixture of old tech with new! You might just cause a MH revolution with this thread.

I hope that what I am able to do here is cause a revolution and maybe some revelations for people in how they look at their aquarium or aquarium planning. That you need to look at things holistically. That choices are different for so many different combinations of situations. Things like local power cost, local climate, where the water "lives". Variations in the ambient temperature where the water "lives" or "goes". The needs of the corals for light (light coverage) combined with the temperature and power implications combined with wanting to to have the tank look good when YOU want to see it.

The problem I see so often is people want to make choices either in a vacuum without these considerations or, they consider only one of the variables - like the (apparent) low cost to run LED.

We will see how things turn out. I am experimenting here. I do have a great deal of faith in my intuition. For me these choices represent what I think will be the right balance for my overall configuration. Time will be the judge ultimately.

justingraham · Jul 19, 2016

Works in a car for 20 plus years it's what I used on my last canopy. Great build by the way enjoying all the updates and getting great ideas from u. So thank u
Justin

Terence said:
Until the device fails at 10 months after you got comfortable with it coming down slowly. I have another, more rudimentary way I have devised to get the same results. Just gotta put it on back burner for now.

Terence · Jul 19, 2016

justingraham said:
Works in a car for 20 plus years it's what I used on my last canopy. Great build by the way enjoying all the updates and getting great ideas from u. So thank u
Justin

I believe you, but being in the canopy of a saltwater aquarium is like being on a working lobster boat. I am always amazed at how fast things go south above an aquarium.

Terence · Jul 19, 2016

So, for coral stocking in this tank. I have a plan. I hope to be able to stick to it because it will make flow and lighting intensity adjustments much easier. I created the branching for the acros to fill in all the space. Then on the right, I have lots of room for many types LPS like Euphylia of different varieties. The Zoanthids place is nice because it comes right up close to the glass (and the thick glass magnifies a lot too). Also, I think it will just be fun to see how long I can stick to it. Already I have one chalice piece that is out of place. But thats all. Everything else is according to plan.

Terence · Jul 19, 2016

To give a very quick snapshot of the power of power monitoring and properly adjusting your system for your own personal situation, here are a couple of charts showing before MH and after. Instead of 6 or 7 hours of >1000W of heating, I instead have zero heating and have about the same cost going into lights while still maintaining a decent tank temperature.