A Saga: Nikki's 120 gallon

[kevinpo]

Hi Nikki,
If possible add a fan blowing in on your canopy the difference will be quite impressive. Are you using the DE bulbs or the mogul mount type.

Regards,
Kevin

Matt,
A halide bulb is designed to run at a certain temp. (namely very hot). If it is cooled excessively it will burn at a different color temp. and shorten it's useful lifespan.

Kevin

 

[CarlaW]

Nikki, you are just using reflectors in your canopy, aren't you?

Kevin, if you are using the pfo hoods, as I am, would a fan blowing across the surface of the water affect bulb temp?

 

[NaH2O]

Yep - Just reflectors. I'll try and get a pic of the canopy with the lights in it, when it is back up on the tank.

 

[kevinpo]

No Charlie it would not especially if the fixture has a glass cover on it. It is the inner envelope that has to be cooled to cause much change.

If it is a mogul style bulb the fan blowing in should enter from the back of the socket not towards the tip of the bulb. A 75-90 CFM fan mounted 10-12" away will not cool the bulb too much. Most of the 4" muffin fans fall into this category.

Usually the problem occurs when a clip-on type fan is placed on the back of the tank blowing forward right across the side of the bulb.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[Llarian]

Interesting.

Since I'm currently making blueprints for a canopy that may or may not have a MH bulb in it, this is pretty useful for me.

The best way to cool that would be to have an intake and exhaust fan, one on each end of the canopy, with the intake being behind the mogul socket, and the exhaust on the end the MH bulb is point towards, correct? (One or more fans at each end I suppose, if you needed more cooling.)

-Dylan

 

[CarlaW]

Dylan, that is the way the Pfo hoods are set up!

 

[kevinpo]

Dylan,
That is correct.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[me35]

That is a very nice setup, any more pics soon?

 

[mattseattle]

Matt,
A halide bulb is designed to run at a certain temp. (namely very hot). If it is cooled excessively it will burn at a different color temp. and shorten it's useful lifespan.

----
i guess i should re-direct my fan then. i have an 8" clip on fan in my hood. it's pointed down towards the water though and not at the lights themself. still i'm sure there is a difference in bulb tempeature. maybe i should move it down to the sump?

 

[NaH2O]

me - I'll get new pics up when I finally have the canopy on full time.

Matt - that was my understanding about fans. Sump should be the first place to add a fan to blow on the water....and the fans in the canopy blow the hot air out.

 

[kevinpo]

Matt,
You should be OK as long as the fan is not blowing directly on the bulb. As Nikki says the best (most effective) place for the fan is on the sump to promote evaporative cooling.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[mattseattle]

ok, thanks for the info. i think i'll move the 8" clip-on fan I have to the sump and put a smaller exhaust fan on the canopy.

glad i kept up with this thread.

 

[reefaddict]

nikki's 120

nikki,
i am patiently waiting for pics of your 120. the pictures that you posted of your tank being set up are the biggest reason i finally took the plunge and bought my system. now mine is set up and iwould love to see yours in action.
mike

 

[NaH2O]

Thanks, Mike!

I took a couple of pictures today with lights on, and will post them up this evening. I am currently in "cycling" mode.....grrr - with all the bad luck I've been having with equipment, I wouldn't be surprised if my test kits were bad. LOL.

 

[NaH2O]

Here she is all lit up.....(please tell me the aquascaping looks like more than a pile of rocks?)

 

[LakeEd]

I for one think you've done a super job of Aquascaping your new baby there Nikki!!!

 

[reefaddict]

nikki's 120

looks great! your rocks are perfectly shaped for that tank. they cover the closed loop system perfectly too. i need to get pics of mine on the site. the difference between a 120 and a 125 is significant. your tank has so more height, you can stack the rock for more dramatic formations. my 125 is so short relative to yours that the rock looks more like a bump than a mountain! i guess the good thing about mine is fish have more swimming room around the rock perimeter.

 

[Curtswearing]

Nikki,

The aquascaping looks more than a pile of rocks.

Well, you asked me to say this

Having the lighting on really improves the pics but still doesn't convey the amount of ledges, etc. I just don't think it's possible with a picture.

The tank is looking great!!!

 

[Witfull]

congrats nikki, your rock looks like something boomer blew up,,,lol,,,,J/K

can you get a slightly angled pic from above to try and capture the ledges? it looks like there are a gazzilion spots for frags to be attached....just think...at the 2yr mark you will have a coral or 2 in there...

 

[Scooterman]

Yea would be nice to see a few branches sprouting up!
Nice work Nikki, keep it up!