You can explain that to me tomorrow............... LOL. I think I get the gist of it tho
My 300 Gallon sps tank
- Thread starter CarlaW
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In less than a week, the lighting equipment that you see in these pics will be GONE 
. The next pics you see from my tank will be either Christmas day or the day after, with the new arrangement. After looking like this since around 2004, I thought it was time to maybe clean things up a bit........................................lol. See you then, and have a Merry Christmas you all.
. The next pics you see from my tank will be either Christmas day or the day after, with the new arrangement. After looking like this since around 2004, I thought it was time to maybe clean things up a bit........................................lol. See you then, and have a Merry Christmas you all.Merry Christmas to you, too Charlie and to everybody in the group! Do I hear 'LEDs' in your future?
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Santa already came by
. I went over to Seattle the 8th and picked them up, got a bug worked out and just waiting for some ethernet cords and my friend to come up next Monday.For as dim as the fixtures look over my refugium, the corals in there and the algae sure grow well...it will be very interesting to see how your variety of sessile and swimming beasties do!
It is going to be interesting Kevin, I am starting them 18" off the water at only 25% max. I know for a fact I am not going to get rid of the halide fixtures for a while, that is for sure.
mine are ~3" off the surface and on full intensity. They are not fancy ones with a controller and all, just on/off with a timer. I was skeptical when I first started using them, but there is much less 'wasted' light compared to the T-8 fixtures they replaced. What is your calculation of electrical cost savings?
sarmo
aka Rob
that will be an exciting change. i bet you'll save a ton and enjoy the programibility of LED's. can't wait to see the pics.
i see you got a little snow
i see you got a little snow
Kevin, I would fry the coralline on the bottom of the tank if I did that. Look at the par readings on this thread:
Aquanauts 250 Deep Dimension Tank...growing since '99 - Page 3
I have no idea what I am going to save Kevin, I will probably find out on the February bill what the actual savings are, I am in the middle of a billing period right now. We shall see said the blind man
that will be an exciting change. i bet you'll save a ton and enjoy the programibility of LED's. can't wait to see the pics.
i see you got a little snow
Hey Rob, yeah, just a little snow, I just wish it would sh** or get off the pot...................lol.
So I am curious (as we all are) as to just exactly what are you installing over your aquarium; fixtures, controller what else. More importantly the why? You have been/still are a die hard old school kinda guy, so what got you off the dime to bypass everything else & go with the LEDs. What resources, recommendations, articles (any comparison articles???) helped you in this decision. This is cool
So I am curious (as we all are) as to just exactly what are you installing over your aquarium; fixtures, controller what else. More importantly the why? You have been/still are a die hard old school kinda guy, so what got you off the dime to bypass everything else & go with the LEDs. What resources, recommendations, articles (any comparison articles???) helped you in this decision. This is cool
I am installing 2 of these:OBD Helios 120w LED Aquarium Fixture| | | Fixtures| Oceans by Design| Your one stop shop for custom glass aquariums| Oceans by Design| Westar| Welcome to Oceans by Design
and 2 of these:OBD Helios 180w LED Aquarium Fixture| | | Fixtures| Oceans by Design| Your one stop shop for custom glass aquariums| Oceans by Design| Westar| Welcome to Oceans by Design
and the controller:Customized Typhon Controller w/ box| | | Fixtures| Oceans by Design| Your one stop shop for custom glass aquariums| Oceans by Design| BoostLED| Welcome to Oceans by Design
The link to the tank I left in the last post to you is primarily what prompted me to make this change. I had spoken with Devon sometime in October before I went to Vegas. I saw these fixtures, and called Mike at Oceans by Design. I have known Mike for about 7-8 years. I also know that Mike does not beat around the bush, he deals in quality equipment, and he is not gonna bullsh** me. I think we talked for about 45 minutes the first time I called him and I have been in contact ever since trying to figure out what exactly I needed. Between us we finally designed a lighting system that seemed to fit what I had, and to be honest, I think it is gonna work. I know that the acclimation period could last around a year at least, but hell, it isn't like I don't have the time to mess around with it............................lol.
I also spoke with the lady that has the tank in the link, and if you looked at that link and looked at the PAR values she was getting, I was convinced. Soooooooooooooooooooooo, off to Seattle I went
. It will be February before I actually realize what I am going to save in power costs Kevin. I am also going to keep a close eye on the temperature in the tank, and I am prepared for that . I have 2 more heaters that I am going to install at the same time we do the change next Monday. I think what I lose in heat in the tank can be made up for, and if I have to get another heater, then by god I will get another heater.........................lol. I have pretty much thought this thru pretty well, I just have to sit back and see what happens after I get them installed. The fixtures will be adjustable above the tank, so lowering and raising them will not be a concern. Believe me, I am scared you know whatless , but it just seemed right Kevin. The folks at Oceans by Design will stand by their stuff, and I know they are only a phone call away.
I am also looking at their skimmers, but that is another post for another day. I got a great walk thru on them when I was over there, and I think that it is possible that more power savings are in my future, but that will depend on $$$$$, we all know that. I hope I have answered your questions my friend
.More than answered my questions, thanks very much! This will be cool to watch; I know you have been a skeptic about the ability of the LEDs to deliver PAR to depth, but I can see where post #10 on the DD 250 tank thread really helped you out. I keep going back to another lighting instillation that has changed recently. there is a pool at the south end of the Missin Valley that replaced all of their lights a year ago. they took out 18 or 20 450W metal halide fixtures (that would be 9 or 10 on either side of the ceiling above the pool), and replaced them with 5 fixtures/side...the fixtures have 2 "C" shaped paddles on either side, each with 10 LEDs on them....it is brighter than the light output of the previous fixtures for sure...a couple of hunderd of the LEDs!
After talking to the lady that owns that tank Kevin, she is really impressed. I will be in touch with her, thru out my "ordeal" ....................................lol. I wish we had a PAR meter, I really do. I wonder if Devon might know of one that we could either borrow or use???? I think Kevin over in Post Falls might have one, I should contact him and ask him just for sh**s and grins.
I remember being skeptical, and maybe I still am, but after seeing this particular fixture in use, over at OBD, I was pretty impressed by the color and what they had in the tank and how it looked.
I remember being skeptical, and maybe I still am, but after seeing this particular fixture in use, over at OBD, I was pretty impressed by the color and what they had in the tank and how it looked.
Devon................... any ideas on what one might cost? I think the club has an extra fund, that we might be able to put to good use finally.
DevonM
Mantis Shrimp
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- Apr 1, 2010
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- 643
Looks like a $300-$400 item.
So much for that idea
