Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Coral Forums > SPS Keepers
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 08/29/2008, 05:23 AM   #126
steve414
Registered Member
 
steve414's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: MILWAUKEE WI
Posts: 596
Nice work... got to hang out.


steve414 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 07:34 AM   #127
Ewan
Premium Member
 
Ewan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Fredericton, NB, Canada
Posts: 2,594
Excellent thread.

The colors are really improving. Congrats on the awesome setup. Very inspiring. No more halide replacement costs for you!!! Not to mention the electrical consumption cut.

Kudos on the hourly shots. Very helpful. Seems like your tank is much more dynamic with the varying intensities throughout the day.... something that most of us lack.


Ewan is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 07:46 AM   #128
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
thanks for the comments all...

unfortunately, this has taken a not so scientific turn....

just before the posting pics last Sunday i realized my kalk reactor wasnt functioning properly (and probably hadnt been for a few days). once fixed, my pH and alkalinity came back up to where they should be, but i think it was a bit too fast. lost a few small mille frags and burned the tips off of quite a few other corals.

it is tough to know if it was all bc of the alk change or if the brighter light had something to do with it. i am inclined to think the light had nothing to do with it since i have seen no bleaching, and most of the corals get more and more color daily. i am looking forward to taking/posting new pics on Sunday.

Bryopsis still has not returned to my tank, so i think it is gone for good (thank you sun!!!)


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 07:56 AM   #129
melev
Moved On
 
melev's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Ft Worth, Tx
Posts: 43,217
So a lack of alkalinity lead to more coral coloration? How high do you keep the alk normally, and how low did it get?


melev is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 08:26 AM   #130
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
no, it typically causes recession at the base of the coral. the pH ran low during the three days of darkness while i was installing the solar tubes, and never really recovered. any time my alk increases too fast i notice browning and even burned tips if it is extreme enough. since the calcium reactor was still running, it drove my pH down without the correct amount of kalk dripping in.

this time, i saw no browning from the alk increase, but a few tips did burn - on small frags, that was enough to do them in

typically my alk runs aroun 11 dKh and my calcium runs 450 to 500. my pH normally ranges 8.2 to 8.4 (well it did before the change) it was running as low as 7.8 when i finally realized what was going on. now, it has become stable again, but the range is a little wider (8.2 to 8.5) on really sunny days.

Im not sure how low the alkalinity was, i was afraid to test it

i should clarify - i dont think the light had anything to do with the tips burning and the frag death.... i am a little amazed that the color continued to improve thru the alk/pH instability.


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 08:26 AM   #131
gasman059
The OG mad scientist
 
gasman059's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SOFLA
Posts: 10,308
nice very nice!


__________________
There's a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
1985-present

Current Tank Info: Officially lurking!
gasman059 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 08:27 AM   #132
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
gasman, i think i push that fine line in your sig to the limit sometimes.....


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 09:21 AM   #133
8BALL_99
Registered Member
 
8BALL_99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Toney, AL
Posts: 3,724
IMO I would get a par meter. I'm going to try to just use my skylight with a few T5s for color. The day I ordered the skylight I also ordered a par meter lol. There are a few threads floating around with skylights and solartubes. You might be surprised at how much light your getting.. If you look in the advanced reef topics there is a huge thread over there on solar tubes and skylights.. One guy was getting 1500par on the bottom of is tank at the peak of the day.. If I remember right it was a 36" deep tank lol. Not saying that's what caused your problem.. But It might have added to it. Besides it would be a good idea to keep an eye on par levels over the months to see if you need to shade the tank in the summer or add supplement lighting in the winter.


__________________
The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?

Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Current Tank Info: Custom Starfire 300,92Gallon,35 Gallon Hex,Two 40Gallons,125Gallon,
8BALL_99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 09:40 AM   #134
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
i agree 8ball - working on getting one right now....

i think you are probably right about the light compounding the issue with the pH burned tips. usually, one change in a tank is enough to stress some of the animals, any additional changes just magnify the effects of that stress in my experience.


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 10:09 AM   #135
Jgoal55
Registered Member
 
Jgoal55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Miami / Coral Gables
Posts: 3,187
this is amazing..great job!! I was wondering you said you thought the skylight with the same footprint of the house would be the way to go if you had a one story house?

But I was wondering how the light coming into the tank would compare. Here is seems like you get a more focused, therefore stronger, better reflected light. The skylight seems like it diffuses the light more, however his par reading are crazy so I amy be wrong.

I will be building a house in the next two years and I am definitely looking at natural sun lighting for the tank. I wonder which of these two options would be best?? Also, I really like the more "blueish" tint that you get from artificial lighting. with the way the sum moves I guess you dont get that blue hue all day loong right? But i guess thats more natural.


__________________
Jorge S.
"I need Reef Addiction Therapy"

Current Tank Info: Being set-up. Timeline: One day.
Jgoal55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 10:21 AM   #136
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
i think the advantage to the tubular lights is you could (i didnt) add dimming capabilities in the tubes to control the amount of light coming in. the blue lights are on from 7 am to 10 pm, but in the middle 2-3 hours of the day, the tank looks like it has white lights over it. the rest of the day has varying amounts of a blue appearance.

the tubes do focus the light, when assembling them the night before installing, i held a 4' section up to my plasma tv and there was a spot of light on the opposite wall - looked like i was shining a colorful flashlight on the wall.


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 11:33 AM   #137
gasman059
The OG mad scientist
 
gasman059's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SOFLA
Posts: 10,308
Quote:
Originally posted by hobogato
gasman, i think i push that fine line in your sig to the limit sometimes.....
u and me both buddy! lol

good going!


__________________
There's a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
1985-present

Current Tank Info: Officially lurking!
gasman059 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 11:49 AM   #138
8BALL_99
Registered Member
 
8BALL_99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Toney, AL
Posts: 3,724
I think a skylight the same size as the footprint of the tank is not the way to go.. Just think about it.. I went with a smaller skylight and plan to flare the shaft down to the tank with reflective metal on the shaft.. If you built a MH reflector the same size as a tank with the sides straight up and down I dont think it would direct the light down in the tank. But take that same source and build a reflector that is flared with the source of light in the middle then you get much more light directed down and into the tank. Anyway hope that makes since.. I thought about it for a while before I decided on mine. I have no idea if this is true or not.. Just makes since to me.. If the sun stayed directly above the tank all day then of course it wouldn't matter. But a lot of the time the light will enter at an angle and rely on the reflective walls to direct the light. Straight walls lined up with the rim of the tank would seem to me to not direct the light in the tank but just bounce it all over the shaft..


__________________
The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?

Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Current Tank Info: Custom Starfire 300,92Gallon,35 Gallon Hex,Two 40Gallons,125Gallon,
8BALL_99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 12:42 PM   #139
Jgoal55
Registered Member
 
Jgoal55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Miami / Coral Gables
Posts: 3,187
yeah....thats kind of what i meant by the light not being focused into the tank.....i wonder?


__________________
Jorge S.
"I need Reef Addiction Therapy"

Current Tank Info: Being set-up. Timeline: One day.
Jgoal55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 12:50 PM   #140
psteeleb
Registered Member
 
psteeleb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: DFW Texas
Posts: 5,249
great addition and nice install - I was considering going with these (or some other version) but never found out how long the tubes could be and still be affective. You may have it posted but how long are your runs in he attic and did you ever find any information on how far the runs can go or some sort of chart that shows light loss per ft of tube?


__________________
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner

Current Tank Info: 110g Mixed Reef, LED's & T5's
psteeleb is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 01:25 PM   #141
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
8ball and jgoal - i think it would depend on how high above the tank the opening ended. i can see your point tho....

psteeleb - thanks, mine are 16' total length, if i just had to go thru the attack and ceiling (not thru the 2nd floor) they would be about 6' to 8'. some manufacturers claim you can go 25-30 feet without "significant" loss of light, but the rep at sun dome said i was at the limit for length with 16'

i havent seen one of those charts anywhere....


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 01:30 PM   #142
Jgoal55
Registered Member
 
Jgoal55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Miami / Coral Gables
Posts: 3,187
it looks from the pictures that a lot of your corals are doing better and that some are not doing as well.

IS it just the picture or would you say that's the case? I'd be so curious to see par numbers from these setups over the course of a day. And then compare that to par over the course of a day at a a natural reef.


__________________
Jorge S.
"I need Reef Addiction Therapy"

Current Tank Info: Being set-up. Timeline: One day.
Jgoal55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 02:00 PM   #143
GUILLO1
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: California Central Coast
Posts: 692
Quote:
Originally posted by 8BALL_99
IMO The day I ordered the skylight I also ordered a par meter lol.
where did you order it from and how much did it cost?


GUILLO1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 02:05 PM   #144
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
pretty fair assessment, i would say at least 80% are doing better. i am pretty sure at least part of the problem with the others is the recent problems i had with pH and alk.

Quote:
Originally posted by Jgoal55
it looks from the pictures that a lot of your corals are doing better and that some are not doing as well.

IS it just the picture or would you say that's the case? I'd be so curious to see par numbers from these setups over the course of a day. And then compare that to par over the course of a day at a a natural reef.



hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 02:54 PM   #145
8BALL_99
Registered Member
 
8BALL_99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Toney, AL
Posts: 3,724
Quote:
Originally posted by GUILLO1
where did you order it from and how much did it cost?
Mine is a apogee QMSW-SS I bought it from Apogee here is a LINK Mine has the calibration switch to do either sunlight or electric lamps.. Its really not needed. For MH lamps you want Sunlight Calibration. Electric Calibration is only needed if you use really yellow bulbs like 6500k or less.. I got it cause it wasn't much difference. I figured if I didn't get it I'd end up needing it haha From what I've read this is a really good meter for the price.. It compares to meters that cost several times more. They run 250 or so for single calibration or 320 for both.


__________________
The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?

Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Current Tank Info: Custom Starfire 300,92Gallon,35 Gallon Hex,Two 40Gallons,125Gallon,
8BALL_99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2008, 03:25 PM   #146
Gig 'em
Registered Member
 
Gig 'em's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 914
This is such a sweet set up. I look forward to updated pics. Next time in SA I want to check it out!


Gig 'em is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/30/2008, 06:59 AM   #147
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
thanks, let me know when you will be in town, you are welcome to come by. we are only 10 minutes from 35 and 1604 on the north side....

Quote:
Originally posted by Gig 'em
This is such a sweet set up. I look forward to updated pics. Next time in SA I want to check it out!



hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/30/2008, 08:05 AM   #148
serpentman
part time superhero
 
serpentman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO)
Posts: 5,698
Quote:
Originally posted by melev
This thread was nominated for Thread Of The Month (ThOTM). If you agree and would like to vote for it, here's the poll:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...7#post13225937
Got my vote!

I have noticed "interesting" coloration when my alk drops low as well. Several of my corals took on a pretty, almost pastel coloration. However, when I got my alk levels in check, they deepened and returned to normal.


__________________
BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992.
Current Tank(s)
300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned
46g LPS/Softy Cube
300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

Last edited by serpentman; 08/30/2008 at 08:11 AM.
serpentman is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/30/2008, 08:30 AM   #149
hobogato
Registered Member
 
hobogato's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,517
in my tank, i think because i have such i high bioload of fish (i am no where near low nutrient), any change in alkalinity (up or down) seems to brown things out. gonna take a few pics in a little while when the light gets brighter, overall color is really starting to improve....


hobogato is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/30/2008, 09:13 AM   #150
K' Family Reef
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,966
beautiful set up!
we have thought about doing those but have a vaulted ceiling (above the tank) so dont know if its an option or not - but plan on checking w/ some of these solar-tube companies to find out... really like the 'look' of yours though w/ those tubes coming down from the ceiling... almost looks like something out of "20,000 leagues under the sea" very 'marine' looking!

i used to live in SA and still travel there on business every couple of months... where are the best reef stores in the area? and when are the next frag meets?

thanks

regards


K' Family Reef is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.