offroadodge Posted May 18, 2012 Author Share Posted May 18, 2012 not much of an update but the colors are coming back very good to the corals that i have left. And i got 2 new additions to the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Nice.. RCA has a very nice tang that I'd like... but it's like 260... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+olaggie01 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Just read (or perhaps re-read) through your build. Those were some awesome colonies. That PB was unreal along with the blue millli. Hopefully you'll recover. I think I may need to redesign my manifold. I'm not getting the right flow out of my valves. I just don't know if I have the amount of room under the stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 i understand the issue of height. That another reason i built the tank at eye level, i dont like looking down into a tank. I would think that if you needed some room you could start out with a 45 degree then the manifold, that would give you a lttl more. Building the manifold this away has solved SO many flow issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+olaggie01 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 i understand the issue of height. That another reason i built the tank at eye level, i dont like looking down into a tank. I would think that if you needed some room you could start out with a 45 degree then the manifold, that would give you a lttl more. Building the manifold this away has solved SO many flow issues. That's a good idea about angling the manifold. I have mine t'd off at 90 degrees and it robs the flow. I'm debating moving my sump/fuge into a closet but regardless, I plan on rebuilding my return plumbing at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crab Rangoon Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Is your Borbonius from Aqua Dome? If so, I kept going in every few days to scope him out. I'm moving in a few weeks and it just didn't make sense to buy a fish so close to the move, but it didn't keep me from wanting to buy him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 no, i got him from WYSIWYG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 not alot has been going on, My colors are realy looking great and growth has picked up. Im getting the itch to buy somemore colonies. The only thing i have done to the tank is add a UV sterilizer right before i got the 2 new fish. Its an 18W aquamedic. I will have to say that i will never run a tank W/O one now. Headed to the Dome this afternoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 so I have a big question...I am thinking of making the switch to LEDs, I have been in contact with BuildMyLED and have a fixture(s) figured out. It would be 4x48" custom reef fixtures. what do yall think? We have done some math and the electrical saving just on the lights would be around $375/yr, to replace all the bulbs I have every 6 months costs around $350 ($700/yr). Not to mention that the 1.5hp chiller would run way less if any(another savings in energy cost). So around $1100/yr saving plus the chiller say $1150/yr the initial cost of the fixtures is around that cost (a little more) but would almost pay fo itself the 1st year and last for another 10yrs. To me it sounds like a NO BRAINER...what do yall think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Your tank was one that I thought of to put those over to get some photos for their web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 ok, I know a lot of you know me and a lot don't. I have decided to keep my MHs and replace my T5s and VHOs with a DIY LED kit that a few members here have helped me with. The parts wont be here for probly 3 weeks but I will post pics of the build as I go. I realy like building things myself so this should be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Jakedoza Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Your DIY projects are always top notch.. You should make it out to my place for the next meeting.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 well so far I ahev received the heat sinks and the power supplies. The LEDs wont be in till around my Birthday. I am gettn super stoked, more updates to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 I am very happy you kept the MHs! Big fan of the coloration from LEDs but I still prefer a MH-lit tank for SPS dominant tanks. Now you will have the best of both worlds. -Ty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 I agree I cant get away from the MHs. I know they are drawing the most power but oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneroller Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Are you still going to use BuildMyLED? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 no DIY...using some 3 diffrnt manuf and gonna build it myself so if I wanna change the colors I can add as I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefer74 Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 what's the total cost your going to incur by going the DIY route....that's also something I've been toying with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig 'em @ NDstructible Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I think I agree with keeping the MH. LED technology hasn't yet reached what MH's can accomplish. I am still sticking with all LEDs over my tanks, but I think I have had better growth with a MH than my LEDs. I have a new LED light on the way now so who knows how it will compare to my DIY LEDs and my old MH. I just don't want to pay the higher electric bill and the chiller that would need to go with a MH lit tank. I remember seeing your tank back in 2011 when it was still cycling, I can't wait to see it now that it has been up and running. I look forward to seeing it with the MH/LED combo too! That should look stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 what's the total cost your going to incur by going the DIY route....that's also something I've been toying withWell in parts $350-$450. Labor hard to tell. I have access to an aluminum mig welder and all kinds of tools and CNC machines so I would say atleast $500-$600. But I will have the ability to add/change the color as I see fit, not a run of the mill fixture that is set and cant be changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 I have received all the parts I need and have been working on the heatsinks and tinning the LEDs. Picture update soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 alright guys/gals so here is the heat sinks I bought: the drivers are Meanwell but I didn't get a picture of them. Here is a pic of the LEDs: Now it was time to do some looking to see how I wanted it to layout. This was the 1st idea: more to come... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 I guess I didn't give any specs on what im using, the heat sinks are 4' long 3.5" wide. I will use a total of 5 meanwell drivers, 2 will control each stand of blues (5 LEDs per stand), 2 will control each strand of whites (5 LEDs per strand), and finally the last driver will control the 8 UV LEDS all together. Each heat sink will have 5 whites 5 blues and 4 UV, the blues and whites are 10w each and the UVs are 3w each. Here is the final decision on how the LEDs will be laid out. So I gathered all the stuff up and took it to work with me Thursday and got almost all of the drilling and tapping done to mount the LEDs and the angle to mount the glass to protect the LEDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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