Nick's 345G Build

[rds85]

I’m doing a macros algae tank. Lol

Tested it twice. First run was 0.01ppm. I told you guys should not do what I’m doing.

Mine says the same... I just don't believe it...

 

[Janci]

I always do. However, I’m keeping it on to not have light penetrate. I hate cleaning coralines.

Minimalistic aquascape.

This is going to be amazing.
I love such an ideas come to light.

 

[this is me]

Took some pics at lunch.
Macros transferred and lit by two vipaspectra plant growing lights.
Giving this a try. So far, for the 6 weeks of having the fuge, the macros has double in quantity and size. Hence the upgrade of a larger fuge.

Sump fuge is now a rocks bio filter. The Oveflow box is reconfigured so that the half drain pipe is on the left side going into the skimmer. And the emergency drain goes into the rocks since I have the macros tank drain into the rocks and back to the return.

 

[this is me]

And let’s not forget why we’re here.

 

[Wrangy]

Dang that macro tank is fantastic!! Any plans for fish stock in it?? The DT is coming along so nicely too!!

 

[this is me]

Dang that macro tank is fantastic!! Any plans for fish stock in it?? The DT is coming along so nicely too!!

No near-term plan for Livestock in the macros tank. Want to see how it turns out first. I hate to have to go down to feed the fish lol.

 

[Wrangy]

No near-term plan for Livestock in the macros tank. Want to see how it turns out first. I hate to have to go down to feed the fish lol.

haha yeah that's understandable! Get some small predators then you only have to go down once or twice a week! lol

 

[this is me]

Update on the Gem tang.
9/17

Looks pretty round now.

Gem and Sohal are like BFF.

 

[ReefCheef]

The acrylic canopy is beautiful! Have a couple questions for you..

1. Who made the canopy?

2. Does using caribsea dry sand help at all with the cycle and Coraline process, or is it just for aesthetics if it's not live?

3. How are you liking the G5s vs the MH/T5 combo?

Great work man.

Mounting the Radion into the acrylic canopy.

Fun!

Getting ready for some fun.

Fun!

One in.

All in.

 

[RJKain-777]

Update on the Gem tang.
9/17

Looks pretty round now.

Gem and Sohal are like BFF.

I ended up getting a sohal a few weeks ago. Tiny, tiny guy. Maybe 2 inches. So he’s the smallest fish in the tank. Took a beating from my powder blue and hippo

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Sweet!

 

[RC Reefer 5184]

Could you share the setting you have your lights set at? Tank looks great by the way.

 

[this is me]

The acrylic canopy is beautiful! Have a couple questions for you..
1. Who made the canopy?
2. Does using caribsea dry sand help at all with the cycle and Coraline process, or is it just for aesthetics if it's not live?
3. How are you liking the G5s vs the MH/T5 combo?
Great work man.

1)Advanced Acrylic made the acrylic canopy. They also made the sump and ATO for me. Basically, anything acrylic, I tend to consult AA.
2)I'm not sure if sand helps with cycle or coraline. The tank did not goes through a cycle since it was basically a transfer with a lot more water added to it. The rocks were in the rubbermaid sump that was running with the temporary tank since May. I mixed in the dry sand because I couldn't find the Special Grade in live and I didn't want to wait. So I get as much live much as possible and mixed it with the dry.
3) The tank has been running for less than 6 weeks believe or not. It's still too early to say I like the G5 over the MH/T5 combo. I will say this though, if I had my old Geisemann MH/T5 Spectra fixture, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on this tank. But I will also say this. The 5 G5 draws about 350W total. That's about the same at the 4 T5s in the Geisemann fixture.
I think for the first 6 months of any tank, my goal is to keep stuff alive. The colors will come later. So far, I'm having great success with keeping stuff alive. However, the colors are hit and miss. My Jason Fox Flame is nothing but a red acro right now. Lost the yellow tips. My Homewrecker, Walt Disney, and Orange Passion are all just green Tenuis you see for $20 a frag that nobody wants. LPS are mostly going good. Questioning some color loss in my green acanthophyllias to too much light(?)
If you're starting a new tank, look into LED. MH is dead and will be a extinct like the dinosaurs. It'll soon be a reality whether you like it or not. If you're running MH now, be happy and keep running it as long as you can. But know that time is running out on MH. Whether if it runs out before you quit the hobby, who knows.

 

[this is me]

I ended up getting a sohal a few weeks ago. Tiny, tiny guy. Maybe 2 inches. So he’s the smallest fish in the tank. Took a beating from my powder blue and hippo

Good luck with the Sohal. Keep the fish fed and it will be the ruler one day. I never had a hippo tang but a Powder Blue is an agressive tang.

 

[this is me]

Could you share the setting you have your lights set at? Tank looks great by the way.

It’s nothing special really. Just the AB+ template running at 45% with cool whites at 80%. It was too wash out for me with the whites at 100%. The schedule on time is 2pm-10pm.
I think the key is to get a PF meter and measure the par. Set it and forget it. The more you mess with it, the more you’re going to hate it.

 

[RC Reefer 5184]

It’s nothing special really. Just the AB+ template running at 45% with cool whites at 80%. It was too wash out for me with the whites at 100%. The schedule on time is 2pm-10pm.
I think the key is to get a PF meter and measure the par. Set it and forget it. The more you mess with it, the more you’re going to hate it.

Thanks for template. Are you running diffusers on them or not. I can’t remember what you had said in your post. I was thinking of getting them but didn’t know if they are worth the money?

 

[this is me]

Thanks for template. Are you running diffusers on them or not. I can’t remember what you had said in your post. I was thinking of getting them but didn’t know if they are worth the money?

I do. They're worth the cost for my application. The G5 without cover had some disco going. With the diffuser, the disco is virtually eliminated. Don't ask if it cuts down light. I didn't measure the par before and after and it's a PITA for me to remove the cover right now since the canopy is 10" deep and the lights are buried in there.
At 45% with with 80% whites. I'm getting 380par on the gigantea anemone and the top most acros. 280 on the sand. And about 140 at the extreme bottom corners. It's very evenly spread in my opinion. But of course, this depends on your aquascape and your coral placement.
I wouldn't get the G5 based on what you see on my tank. It's a very immature tank and has nothing to justify the need of G5. Look at what other people are running and their tank and how long they had it. Lighting is one of the most wasteful thing you can spend on unneedingly.
The reason I went with Radion G5 was when I looked at Sanjay's tank running the G4.
I don't like to post videos of other people tank in my thread but go to youtube and search for "Sanjay 500 gallon mega reef". That should give you some inspiration.

 

[mattgsa]

1)Advanced Acrylic made the acrylic canopy. They also made the sump and ATO for me. Basically, anything acrylic, I tend to consult AA.
2)I'm not sure if sand helps with cycle or coraline. The tank did not goes through a cycle since it was basically a transfer with a lot more water added to it. The rocks were in the rubbermaid sump that was running with the temporary tank since May. I mixed in the dry sand because I couldn't find the Special Grade in live and I didn't want to wait. So I get as much live much as possible and mixed it with the dry.
3) The tank has been running for less than 6 weeks believe or not. It's still too early to say I like the G5 over the MH/T5 combo. I will say this though, if I had my old Geisemann MH/T5 Spectra fixture, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on this tank. But I will also say this. The 5 G5 draws about 350W total. That's about the same at the 4 T5s in the Geisemann fixture.
I think for the first 6 months of any tank, my goal is to keep stuff alive. The colors will come later. So far, I'm having great success with keeping stuff alive. However, the colors are hit and miss. My Jason Fox Flame is nothing but a red acro right now. Lost the yellow tips. My Homewrecker, Walt Disney, and Orange Passion are all just green Tenuis you see for $20 a frag that nobody wants. LPS are mostly going good. Questioning some color loss in my green acanthophyllias to too much light(?)
If you're starting a new tank, look into LED. MH is dead and will be a extinct like the dinosaurs. It'll soon be a reality whether you like it or not. If you're running MH now, be happy and keep running it as long as you can. But know that time is running out on MH. Whether if it runs out before you quit the hobby, who knows.

I got my sump from AA, and I was wondering if you would recond getting the canopy from them. Also, is it at a reasonable price point. ?

 

[this is me]

I got my sump from AA, and I was wondering if you would recond getting the canopy from them. Also, is it at a reasonable price point. ?

If you can deal with the waiting, John and his crew are very good at what they're doing. I know recently(possibly due to the pandemic), he seems to be unable to keep his promise date of delivery. Understandably, they're probably too busy cranking out sneeze guards.
Doing anything custom is likely be a delay especially right now.

 

[mattgsa]

I use griplock system gripped and aircraft cable. The cable is 3/32” rated for 200lbs

Which connectors did you buy to attach the system to the ceiling. Do you by any chance have a link?