ThanhReef's Custom 108 Gallons

thanhreef · Dec 23, 2012

Install T5s supplement for AI Sol Blue LED

2012.12.18

Tank is still cycling

I planed how install T5 retrofit and place it in the canopy. At first, I was confused all the wire colors (red, blue and yellow). I called Reefgeek tech support. He's very nice and he walked me through. So I spent weekend to install T5 Retrofit. It is my first time to install anything like this. I wanted to place all the ballasts in the closet so all the wires are short...went to Home Depot to find the 600V 18 gauge wire. I could not find it. Finally I got 600V 14 gauge wire which is a bit thicker and has different colors. It works. What great experience.

Lighting goes: (front to back with AI Sol Blues in middle)

I have not had a time to play differnt combination of bulbs or AI setting. I took some bulbs from my old Tek fixture to see how it looks.

Lighting goes: (front to back with AI Sol Blues in middle)

Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
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2x AI Sol Blues (60W B75 75RB)
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Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (0W B75 75RB)
---------------------------
Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (ON)

Aqua Science 22,000K (OFF)
KZ fiji purple (ON)
---------------------------
2x AI Sol Blues (0W B75 75RB)
---------------------------
Giesemann pure actinic (ON)
Aqua Science 22,000K (OFF)

1mbrews8 · Dec 23, 2012

Looking good bud! Hope all is well!

Nuocmam · Dec 23, 2012

Wow! It looks amazing even with no corals in it. Following along.

natesreef · Dec 23, 2012

Sick aquascape!

gfox · Dec 23, 2012

Great scape!What are your plans for livestock?

thanhreef · Dec 24, 2012

1mbrews8 said:
Looking good bud! Hope all is well!

Everything goes well. Ammonia & Nitrite are coming down. Thank you

Nuocmam said:
Wow! It looks amazing even with no corals in it. Following along.

Thank you

natesreef said:
Sick aquascape!

Thank you

gfox said:
Great scape!What are your plans for livestock?

SPS dominated tank. Thank you

monotuto · Dec 24, 2012

Very nice and truly inspiring! Looking forward to see the progress, I am sure it is going to be spectacular

thanhreef · Dec 25, 2012

Tank has been cycling for about 4 weeks. I can't wait it to be done :bigsmile:

Day 20 - 12/17/2012

Day 22 - 12/19/2012

Day 25 - 12/22/2012

Day 28 - 12/25/2012

seth&angelle · Dec 25, 2012

Great build. Love the scape

Lindsey1984 · Jan 7, 2013

I LOVE your tank and It isn't even done yet. I'm SURE it'll be breath taking when it is done! Love love LOOOOOVE it!!!

johnstonstms3 · Jan 7, 2013

why did you mix lights. Will the AI not do what you want them to? Thanks for the information.

thanhreef · Jan 7, 2013

Lindsey1984 said:
I LOVE your tank and It isn't even done yet. I'm SURE it'll be breath taking when it is done! Love love LOOOOOVE it!!!

Thank you... My tank is still cycling. It is at the end of the phase 2 of 3. Hopefully tank will be done with cycle within 2 weeks. I am treating all my corals (especially aiptasia) in current tank before transferring to new tank. So it's worth waiting for a little while. Nothing good ever happens quickly in a reef tank.

johnstonstms3 said:
why did you mix lights. Will the AI not do what you want them to? Thanks for the information.

I want to cover the spectrums that the AI Sol Blue is missing (Violet/Red/Green)

House · Jan 15, 2013

Great build, great scape, great thread! Will be following

oowtfmang · Jan 15, 2013

Nice stuff.. subscribed.

LILBUDDHA · Jan 15, 2013

Very nice build and love the aqua-scape .
Pretty nifty on the diy dosng holder . I cheated and just used a BM dosing holder .
I like the clean pumbing with all those nice valves .
That tank from two years ago looked like a show stopper .
What became of it ? Are you transferring everything over ?