Nathan, your tank is starting to look good mate. I was very interested to see how you have hung your Metal Halides. I presume this is the best way, is it because the light falls further from the sides of the bulb than the end? (stupid question - but im sure there is reason behind the method). Looks great though you must be very happy to have it come together this far, congrats.
New 415 gallon tank up and running!!!
- Thread starter Mouse
- Start date
Well, it has been a while since I updated everyone on the progress of my upgrade to my new 415 gallon reef tank and it is starting to actually come together so I thought I would post some pics.
The tank dimensions are 122"X28"X28" and the sump is a standard 6' 135 gallon. The skimmer and reactor were custom made by Andy (Myreef).
I've just moved over several fish and some LPS corals and will be moving over the rest of my livestock once I get in a batch of peppermint shrimp to eat the aipistasia now that I have the flamehawk in the 415 so he won't eat all the peppermints before they eat the aipistasia!
I'm really getting excited and hopefully the summer full of work getting this sucker set up and running will pay off here as I get my final items transferred over hopefully within the next month or so.
Oh well, There are some pics of moving the tank in and some pics of the plumbing set up on my website already, but I haven't got the rest of the pics organized into a page yet so I'll just paste them in here.
Here is a recent pic of the whole setup from the front. I'm just burning 2 - 400W Iwasaki's and 4 - 110W actinic VHO's in this pic - I'm moving 2 more 400W Iwasaki's over from my 120 when I shut it down.
Here is a pic from my hallway that shows how the tank and stand blends in with the rest of my house.
Here is a pic of the guts of the system before I got the stand finished out.
I added 2 more 65W LOA's on the refugium, but one of them has already burned out!
Oh well, just thought I would update everyone on my progress as I'm nearing completion. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, comments, etc. along the way.
FWIW, Nathan
[ September 17, 2001: Message edited by: npaden ]
The tank dimensions are 122"X28"X28" and the sump is a standard 6' 135 gallon. The skimmer and reactor were custom made by Andy (Myreef).
I've just moved over several fish and some LPS corals and will be moving over the rest of my livestock once I get in a batch of peppermint shrimp to eat the aipistasia now that I have the flamehawk in the 415 so he won't eat all the peppermints before they eat the aipistasia!
I'm really getting excited and hopefully the summer full of work getting this sucker set up and running will pay off here as I get my final items transferred over hopefully within the next month or so.
Oh well, There are some pics of moving the tank in and some pics of the plumbing set up on my website already, but I haven't got the rest of the pics organized into a page yet so I'll just paste them in here.
Here is a recent pic of the whole setup from the front. I'm just burning 2 - 400W Iwasaki's and 4 - 110W actinic VHO's in this pic - I'm moving 2 more 400W Iwasaki's over from my 120 when I shut it down.
Here is a pic from my hallway that shows how the tank and stand blends in with the rest of my house.
Here is a pic of the guts of the system before I got the stand finished out.
I added 2 more 65W LOA's on the refugium, but one of them has already burned out!
Oh well, just thought I would update everyone on my progress as I'm nearing completion. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, comments, etc. along the way.
FWIW, Nathan
[ September 17, 2001: Message edited by: npaden ]
First off, Looks great!
Sure can tell where the MHs are!
And on the LOA lights. When they get too hot, the ballast goes out. The bulb is most likely still fine. The easiest way I have found to cool them is just get slightly longer screws for the lens, and put something in between the lens and the case, and tighten screws. If you run almost any kind if air flow past the lights, they will be almost cold.
Some people take the lens off, but I don't like the water to hit the bulb itself.
And does your flame hawk already have an appetite for peppermints?
Sure can tell where the MHs are!
And on the LOA lights. When they get too hot, the ballast goes out. The bulb is most likely still fine. The easiest way I have found to cool them is just get slightly longer screws for the lens, and put something in between the lens and the case, and tighten screws. If you run almost any kind if air flow past the lights, they will be almost cold.
Some people take the lens off, but I don't like the water to hit the bulb itself.
And does your flame hawk already have an appetite for peppermints?
- Location
- SETAUKET NY
Good luck with your tank.For now,I can only dream of one that size. From your web site I noticed that you have return inlet pipes inside your main display.I would be very carefull with this set up.I have lost a Sohal tang who kept poking at the inlet pipe until he was sucked onto the inlet tube causing his death..I was using eggcrate inside the inlet,but a standard type screen would be better,but not fool proof. Once again,great tank.enjoy.Anthony
Thanks for the comments guys! I'm really getting excited to have it up and running and getting everything transferred over!
Hammer,
Thanks for the comments on the LOA lights - now that you mention it the light burned out when I didn't have a timer going and I left the light on for a couple days - probably got hot and shorted out.
Also my flamehawk is VERY experienced at eating peppermint shrimp - they are his favorite although he will eat cleaner shrimp if there aren't any peppermints around!
Mouse,
From what I've read - perpendicular is the way to go on mounting lights. Especially using the spiderlight reflectors.
Joe,
So far heat hasn't been to much of a problem but it's getting close and I'm only running 2 of the MH (instead of 4) and only running them for 7 hours. I plan on getting muffin fans if I need to (running some on my 120 with 2 - 400W lights on it) but I think I'm going to try to switch out my Mag 12's that I'm running submerged for an external pump to run my skimmer first.
Anthony,
I've got a strainer over the intake on the recirculation pump now. In the pic with the PVC elbow in the tank I didn't have any fish in the tank so I wasn't worried about it, but I do have a strainer on the intake now.
Thanks for the comments everyone, I'll try to keep everyone updated.
FWIW, Nathan
Hammer,
Thanks for the comments on the LOA lights - now that you mention it the light burned out when I didn't have a timer going and I left the light on for a couple days - probably got hot and shorted out.
Also my flamehawk is VERY experienced at eating peppermint shrimp - they are his favorite although he will eat cleaner shrimp if there aren't any peppermints around!
Mouse,
From what I've read - perpendicular is the way to go on mounting lights. Especially using the spiderlight reflectors.
Joe,
So far heat hasn't been to much of a problem but it's getting close and I'm only running 2 of the MH (instead of 4) and only running them for 7 hours. I plan on getting muffin fans if I need to (running some on my 120 with 2 - 400W lights on it) but I think I'm going to try to switch out my Mag 12's that I'm running submerged for an external pump to run my skimmer first.
Anthony,
I've got a strainer over the intake on the recirculation pump now. In the pic with the PVC elbow in the tank I didn't have any fish in the tank so I wasn't worried about it, but I do have a strainer on the intake now.
Thanks for the comments everyone, I'll try to keep everyone updated.
FWIW, Nathan
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