RC Help me Decide my next purchase

[HiepNotik]

I've been thinking about getting a new piece of equipment, and comes down to 3 choices. I want to hear som opnions on what I should get and why. I'm currently running a 10g, 92w quadtube CF's. and a AC70 filter.

1. Tunze DOC Nano Skimmer

I have always heard that along with water change this can keep my water very clean and clear. I do a 20% water change every week and run Carbon 24/7 with some polishing pads makes my water crystal clear so I might not need a skimmer.

2. Posban reactor from 2 little fishies

Had a GHA outbreak along with a little Red Slime, I kept up with the water changes and it looks a like the hair algae is under control no new growth I have seen. As for the Cyano there are a little patches here and there. Thinking about using Chemiclean, it work before successfully so I'm not afraid of using it.

3. DIY LED's

Really want this because my 96watts looks like its fading a little. Been over a year since I change the bulbs, and the bulbs are really expensive to change every year. The DIY Led's will last me 13-15 years, with just a little to no fading. That will save me a tons of money.

Thanks!

[cherubfish pair]

I would test for phosphates for awhile first to see if you need a phosphate reactor.

[nate82]

LEDs would be your best improvement IMHO.

[JLAURIA751]

Everyone knows that leds are way more expensive than they should be I found this site selling led kits for coral, and plants. I gambled on a site like this whith unusually cheap lighting, and it paid off for me I coulden't be happier with my 150 watt metal halide with 28 watt t5 check out what they are selling and give me your opinion.
http://www.thelashop.com/catalog/Aquarium-Supplies-orderby0-p-1-c-103.html?gclid=CMPxyYmwtZsCFUeU7QodqBTpPQ

[E.intheC]

I'd go with a skimmer. My 2cents.

[FishyBiz]

Id get a euroreef skimmer.

[james3370]

i am about to start a 10g AIO & it will have a DIY LED fixture. i was gonna do the tunze 9002 when i was planning a 20L AIO, but feel the 10g is a bit small for it

i also think the tank might be a lil small to justify a reactor, so i plan on running BRS carbon & gfo in a mesh bag in the overflow chamber. might also run chemipure...both in a DIY rack similar to THESE (http://www.mediabaskets.com/)

if you want to get a LED kit w/ everything needed except the heatsink, these are pretty decent setups:
http://www.rapidled.com

i think for a 10g tank, you would need (7) LEDs per row x (3) rows to get great coverage. mounted on a heatsinkusa.com "medium" heatsink x 16" long. spacing for the LEDs would be 2.5" apart & 2.5" from each side. rows would be the same spacing. tank is shallow enough, optics won't be necessary

[Flipper62]

I have had all sizes of tanks over the years. I have also had nano tanks & BioCubes. I currently have a BioCube in my office.

In the nanos & BioCube......I have never found that I needed a skimmer. The weekly water changes worked just fine.

As long as you you do the water changes every week, or even every 2 weeks. In my opinion a skimmer is a waste of money

[GTriever]

+1 to the Flipper...

[HiepNotik]

thanks for all the replies. I think I'll go ahead a do the LED's. will a 12in heatsink with 7 Cree white led's and 6 royal blue led'S be enough? My current ank is a standard 10gl which I believe is 20" long. if I place the heat sink right in the middle will the led's be enough to penetrate lght on the remaing sides?

Thanks everyone.

[james3370]

might be pushing it.....if you space them too far apart, it'll look like a bunch of spotlights. the 21 leds total i posted above would give you the best coverage. most end up dimming them down since it ends up being alot of light, but the multiple leds is more about good coverage w/out spotlight effect than overal amount of light. you can run them on lower mA buckpucks or adjust the meanwells output down to cut the intensity

evil over on nanoreef has built several + there are alot of these fixtures been done over there. he told me any spacing 3" or more it starts to get that spotlights look to it. optics are really only needed on tanks over 16" deep & then you have to space the leds even closer to keep from getting the spotlight effect

www.rapidled.com has a diy kit w/ 24 cree leds, optics (which you can sell), 2 meanwells & power cords for $239 shipped

for the 10g i think i'm about to do, i plan to sectionalize off 4" of one end of the tank for filtratration chambers (make it a peninsula tank) & that leaves me 16" of display area to light. i'm gonna do (5) leds per row x (3) rows. 3" f & r spacing x 2.5" led spacing per row & each row 2.5" from glass edges & 2.5" apart....that make sense? LOL

heatsink will be the www.heatsinkusa.com "medium" 7.25 x 12 long

[HiepNotik]

thanks James for the very good advice, I will surely look at that webpage you provided. Nanoreef was where I got introduced into doing a LED fixture. hey if you don't mind I would love to see see and hear updates of your build. again Thank you.

And another question which would be better the meanwell drivers or dimmable luxdrive buckpucks?

also the site that you provided with the kit, still need a power supply am I correct. if so is there one that you recommend?

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15466401#post15466401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HiepNotik
thanks James for the very good advice, I will surely look at that webpage you provided. Nanoreef was where I got introduced into doing a LED fixture. hey if you don't mind I would love to see see and hear updates of your build. again Thank you.

haven't started it yet....still all in the "on paper planning" stage, but let ya know once it moves to reality LOL :)