Fluval Edge sps mixed reef

[Jzhou]

I'm going to track week to week growth changes of a flub all edge sps tank that I have recently set up. I've modified the lighting so that it is now 6 5w cool white led and 3 3w royal blue led. I'm currently using the stock aqua clear 20 with purigens and chemo pure elite.

Maintenance wise I have been doing 2 quart water changes every other day with small amounts of alk and calc. The amount I'm currently dosing will most likely change in a few week as the coral's need increases from the growth, but right now 1ml every other day seems to be doing the trick. The more frequent but small water changes also help me top off without causing major swings. Sorry for the low quality pic, using my iPad to track this.

 

[Jzhou]

Can someone move this to the Nanoreef section, dont know how to do it on the ipad, this would be week 2 or 3.

 

[rkaragozler]

do you think you would have to dose the tank even doing water changes every other day?

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The ratio of white to blue is so high!

 

[Jzhou]

I most likely don't need to really dose. In my 220 I like keeping all at the 450 range with all at 8.

I agree with you wingo it is too much white. I mostly did it because the LEDs that use to be over my main tank had a 50/50 mix and it really hurt my eyes.

The one thing I want to get out of the tank is the cherub angel, I'm currently housing it in the edge because the neon dotty back won't leave it alone in the large tank.

 

[Ezoo]

How is this tank doing ?

 

[Jzhou]

Its doing pretty well, I'm currently thinking about redoing the rock work and changing out some of the white leds.

 

[Ezoo]

Glad to hear it. I've got a edge myself. I was just curious to see the amount of edges still surviving. I am in the process of getting some sps

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Glad to hear it. I've got a edge myself. I was just curious to see the amount of edges still surviving. I am in the process of getting some sps

There should be a lot. I know Jesse, a proud owner of an Edge, has been thriving with an anemone for more than half a year I think. Just saw the his cel. phone pics.

 

[Jzhou]

It pretty simple as long as you keep up with the maintenance with the edge. The bird of paradise and birdnest are growing insanely in the little tank. One thing to make sure of is to light acclimate the coral really slowly. I'm going to change out some of the white light for violet and add two small fans toward the sdie of the canopy

 

[Jeanethics]

Nice Tank.. That is some nice coral in there.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

It pretty simple as long as you keep up with the maintenance with the edge. The bird of paradise and birdnest are growing insanely in the little tank. One thing to make sure of is to light acclimate the coral really slowly. I'm going to change out some of the white light for violet and add two small fans toward the sdie of the canopy

What about adding the fans so that they make use of the screen on the top? Do you have any room left from the light?

As fr the Violet, what wavelength are you talking about and what brand you decided on, and how you manage to drive them with the 5W drivers or you go for new drivers?

 

[Jzhou]

I have one 4in fan on the heat sink blowing out. I'm going to add two smaller fans on opposite diagonal to blow directly on to the water.

 

[Ezoo]

wow. i am very interested in seeing some pics of under the hood if you have any. also , FTS!

 

[Jzhou]

I can take some pictures for you when I swap out some of the white bulbs maybe along with instructions.

 

[jeffvmd]

Hey was this the old edge you picked up from me?
If it is, it's nice to see it back in action.

 

[Jzhou]

Hey Jeff, that tank was turned into a plant tank for a friend of mine. Light build is about the same but with less overall light. I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with the 12 gallon so I have a better idea about the type of light I would like to build. I'll take pics of the light build for ezoo. I'm also thinking about trying thermal tapes.

 

[Jzhou]

Hey Ezoo,

Here is a quick DIY of what I did last night. Shouldn't take you long. Maybe around an hour:

Needed Tools:
Drill
Soldering Iron
Volt Meter
LED Tester
Wire Cutter
Screw Driver
Soldering Helping Hands (Optional)

Stuff you'll need:
Heatsink (They are about $1.50 per inch depending on what cut type you want at http://www.heatsinkusa.com/)
LEDs (around $5 each depending on type at http://www.rapidled.com)
Computer fan(s) (cheapest at https://www.amazon.com/?tag=reefs04-20)
Wire (local radio shack)
Driver (Rapid LED sells some with an attached potentialmeter for $30 or so)
Screws (Home Depot)
Plexiglass (Home Depot)
Electrical Tape
Duct tape
Thermal pads or putty

Step 1:
Get all the stuff you'll need

Step 2:
Prep you heat sink by drawing a grid (dependent on ho many rows and columns of leds you want) and map out where you would like to put each LED

Step 3:
Mark out where you want to drill the holes for the fan (The screws used to attach the fan will also be the screw you hang the fixture from edges canopy, using lip stick on the ends of te screws helps)

Step 4:
Drill the holes

Step 5:
Measure out the length of wire needed

Step 5:
Tin the LED and wires

Step 6:
Attach LED using thermal pads, screws, or putty. I like using the thermal pads from rapid because you can scrap the off easy with a putty knife and is quicker than drilling

Step 7:
Solder on wires, install driver, attached plastic screen via duct tape (make sure the solder is clean and that no solder goes over the side of each LED star, that can cause a short which burns out the LED)

Step 8:
Attach fan and LED to fan and canopy

I'm going to dry start a plant tank with this one. Overall project cost around $70 or so, but it varies depending on how long your heat sink is, how many drivers you use an how many LEDs you want.

 

[Jzhou]

You can also add lenses to each LED if you would want, but i don recommend it for shallow tanks. Also test each LED with the battery tester before tinning.

 

[Ezoo]

pretty awesome Jzhou! I appreciate the build thread you layed out for me. I have been wanting to DIY an LED fixture for some time. For now I just use Ecoxotic's Eco Pico LED strips. They are not Kessils but for now , they will have to do.