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Toms 93g cube upgrade
- Thread starter Tommyboynj
- Start date
Great job on everything 
Thanks guys. It's a work in progress but I'm happy with how things are going.
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So I've been toying around with the idea of adding T5s as a supplement to the LEDs for some time. Several of the members here have either added tubes or gone to the ATI hybrid fixtures with great results. Last week I ordered a retrofit kit and some blue+ bulbs from BRS and on my day off yesterday I threw together a floating canopy box and got them up. Here are some pics:
Right now Im going to start by running them and hour in the middle of my peak period. Ill slowly ramp them up to cover the entire peak. Hard to tell from the cell phone pics but the difference in lighting is fantastic just from 2 24watt tubes. Fills in the shadows and give that nice T5 pop without giving up the LED shimmer. Hopefully the corals like it as much as I do ;-)
Right now Im going to start by running them and hour in the middle of my peak period. Ill slowly ramp them up to cover the entire peak. Hard to tell from the cell phone pics but the difference in lighting is fantastic just from 2 24watt tubes. Fills in the shadows and give that nice T5 pop without giving up the LED shimmer. Hopefully the corals like it as much as I do ;-)
Looking great Tom. I think this is the first I've taken note of your tank. So I'll have to say that the tank and the light setup look fantastic. In looking at the pictures I was concerned that the ballast would be visible. But is appears it's down enough that it's not seen. 
I've also heard of others supplimenting the LEDs with ATI Purple Plus. What's great about that bulb is that you get the all-important blue light (450nm range) with both, but the Purple Plus throws in some red as well. Here's the spectra for the two bulbs.
With my recent debacle with my LED's, I'm kicking around the idea of adding back two T5's as well. I still have my IceCap ballasts, end caps and probably about 20 different bulbs.
I've also heard of others supplimenting the LEDs with ATI Purple Plus. What's great about that bulb is that you get the all-important blue light (450nm range) with both, but the Purple Plus throws in some red as well. Here's the spectra for the two bulbs.
With my recent debacle with my LED's, I'm kicking around the idea of adding back two T5's as well. I still have my IceCap ballasts, end caps and probably about 20 different bulbs.
Cord management. Pita. I plan on getting some of that low profile conduit that you can stick to the wall and paint. Before and after picks are tough to be honest. The LEDs always looked good to the eye, as do t5. No camera is going to pick up the difference (at least with my picture skills). You need to see her in person ;-)
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Looking great Tom. I think this is the first I've taken note of your tank. So I'll have to say that the tank and the light setup look fantastic. In looking at the pictures I was concerned that the ballast would be visible. But is appears it's down enough that it's not seen.
I've also heard of others supplimenting the LEDs with ATI Purple Plus. What's great about that bulb is that you get the all-important blue light (450nm range) with both, but the Purple Plus throws in some red as well. Here's the spectra for the two bulbs.
With my recent debacle with my LED's, I'm kicking around the idea of adding back two T5's as well. I still have my IceCap ballasts, end caps and probably about 20 different bulbs.
I plan on trying several combos out over the next few months to see what I like. Blue+ seemed to be the most popular supplement for those using my particular LEDs closely followed by purple+ or coral+ (if you like the whiter look). I'm a also going to play with the red and green channels on my LEDs but want to make sure I don't send my corals int to a state of emotional distress before I do that.
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The upgrade will have to wait until I do the addition on the house. In the meantime I'm keeping myself busy with a frag tank set up in the garage. I have this diy acrylic tank that I had tied into my old 75. Kicking around Putting a ten gallon sump on it. Just need to get a return pump and some rock so I can cycle it.
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So had the past 2 days off work while my roof was getting completely ripped off and re done. During that time the wife had created some what of lengthy honey do list which I tackled with earnest. One of the things was to tidy up all the reef related crap in the garage. I decided to tackle this specifc ask last as without all the other stuff done first I would have gotten some heat for my version of organization. As I was working on it I realized I had everything I needed to throw up a frag tank. I threw together a stand. The only thing I needed was some rock and a skimmer ( rock I picked up and the skimmer is on order) The tank was the old diy acrylic frag tank I had tied into my 75. I had a ten gallon kicking around I used for the sump. I had and old ato i repurposed. It's shocking the amount of reusable stuff you aquire in this hobby.
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Well the frag tank is almost cycle. Picked up a tunze skimmer for the sump and order some nice acrylic frag racks of eBay. In other news. I had a bout of red bugs in the main tank. Put it to them with some interceptor and seem to have nailed them. Just goes to show even when you dip the heck out of stuff, qt is ultimatly the best option.
T5 over the tank seem to be doing nice. I think Iv found the sweet spot with the LEDs and the t5. Now it's just a matter of lengthening the time they are on during the peak more.
Also, Iv decided to changes things up in the display. Iv been running biopellets for 3 years. I was happy with the results but not amazed. So I took them off line 2 weeks ago and will be adding back a fuge. 2 weeks in and I'm happy about the decision. Sand bed looks cleaner, corals are showing better color and growth. I wasn't expecting the change to be so noticeable so quickly. My nitrates have remained around 2.5/5 on salifert and po4 is undetectable.
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T5 over the tank seem to be doing nice. I think Iv found the sweet spot with the LEDs and the t5. Now it's just a matter of lengthening the time they are on during the peak more.
Also, Iv decided to changes things up in the display. Iv been running biopellets for 3 years. I was happy with the results but not amazed. So I took them off line 2 weeks ago and will be adding back a fuge. 2 weeks in and I'm happy about the decision. Sand bed looks cleaner, corals are showing better color and growth. I wasn't expecting the change to be so noticeable so quickly. My nitrates have remained around 2.5/5 on salifert and po4 is undetectable.
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Hockeynut
NJRC Member
Can't wait to see the long term results of taking the bio pellets off line. Just may have to up the water changes a bit. Also I started a maintenance dose of special blend and it seems to have had a positive affect in maintaining a healthy bacterial bed. And after I dose water looks clearer for days. I don't know if it's a miracle cure for anything but I think it helps.
Well its been a rough few months. Work has been crazy. Kids have been running us all over the place. And since some of you saw the tank on July 4th I've lost almost all my sps to stn. It started with my big monti cap and slowly progressed to pretty much everything else! Sure, the tank got put on the back burner due to work but i have been testing water regularly and all my numbers remain stable. I guess sometime the hobby deals you a bad hand.
So, as of now iv got some work to do to get here back on track. Although I don't plan on sinking to much money back into Corals for now as within the next month we expect to start work on our addition which will incorporate a fish room! I'm hoping by Xmas I can start working on a big build.
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So, as of now iv got some work to do to get here back on track. Although I don't plan on sinking to much money back into Corals for now as within the next month we expect to start work on our addition which will incorporate a fish room! I'm hoping by Xmas I can start working on a big build.
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