Got the T5's up and running! (pics!) [Archive] - Reef Central Online Community

hot4teacher

09/14/2006, 04:58 AM

Well, I got the lights wired and working, mounted them in the canopy (can we say 10lbs of cookie dough in a 5lb jar?) and had them on the tank today. All that is left is to mount the much needed 3" Icecap fans and the poly the wood.

I love them! Just got my Aquacontroller Jr in the mail today and look forward to setting that up. I can't run the lights for more than a couple of minutes as it gets pretty warm in the canopy pretty quickly (ballasts are in the hood too). Here are a few pics:

http://www.backyardbullet.com/DanaT5.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/DanaT52.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/DanaT53.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/Danacanopy.jpg

I'm working on better quality pics.

Dana

kjbudsberg

09/14/2006, 05:00 AM

Looks like a very nice setup indeed!

Dastank

09/14/2006, 05:41 AM

How do the colors look with the T5s? With that many lights, I'm not sure you can look into that tank with out hurting your eyes!

Nice Dana!

hot4teacher

09/14/2006, 06:33 AM

I like the look the most when I have:

1 pure actinic (Geisemann)
2 Actinic Blue Plus (ATI)
1 11K 60/40 AquaBlue (ATI)

The final 2 are 11K for the midday schedule.

When all 6 are on, there are virtually no more shadows in the tank. The fish have already requested sunglasses.

By the way, the PC's were 384W and the new T5's are 324W, yet the T5's are soooo much brighter and make the tank look 'full'.

Dana

hot4teacher

09/14/2006, 06:40 AM

http://www.backyardbullet.com/DanaT5-2.jpg

vest0830

09/14/2006, 06:52 AM

Very nice! I didnt know you had the tank in your classroom. Heck, with the school payin for the lights, I would have went halide. :lol:

hot4teacher

09/14/2006, 07:10 AM

My off base house can't support the electricity OR the weight. I pop the breaker just with a couple of floor heaters. Ask Mike how my house is. I can't feel my feet until April!

Dana

vest0830

09/14/2006, 07:12 AM

thats your house? looks like a classroom

hot4teacher

09/14/2006, 07:47 AM

That's the classroom. I had originally got the tank and made the stand to fit in my house. Cheap flooring and non westerner electricity limits forced me to bring it to the classroom. Just as well, had a few "leaks". Looking to move this winter, and maybe find a house that can hold the tank.

Dana

TPS-Dive

09/15/2006, 05:38 AM

Which school are you at? I visit the schools in the Tokyo area at least once a year when we have money for TDY's.

Dastank

09/15/2006, 06:26 AM

I'm sure the tank is purely educational also, right Dana!

I'm worried about the breaker thing too, if I ever find the tank I want, the thing is going to suck some juice! I can't even run a microwave and toaster at the same time right now.

hot4teacher

09/17/2006, 07:36 AM

Still waiting on my fans from Custom Aquatics...but snapped a few pics this evening.

(Yes, I got an AquaController Jr, so I plan on churching up the spaghetti mess of wires behind the stand.)
http://www.backyardbullet.com/danatank1.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/danazoo20.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/danatank2.jpg

I have to learn how to take some good pictures with this camera. (Fuji S5100).

Dana

Nydus

09/17/2006, 02:43 PM

Wow, great looking tank setup! I was wonering if you are seeing any bleaching on your zoos, from what I have researched 6X54 t5HO on a 65 is prety bright - also are they running hotter than the PCs you where running before?

hot4teacher

09/18/2006, 05:57 AM

I don't see any bleaching yet. I had 4x96w PC's on there before, and they were bright, but these T5's have more 'umph'.

Are they hotter, yes. I had a Coralife hood that housed the PC's, and it had 3 small fans. The ballast was mounted under the stand. Now I have 6x54W T5's AND the ballasts mounted in the canopy. I installed 4 each 3" IceCap fans today and I would suggest everyone use fans when using that many T5's. I have glass over the tank and it was HOT when running all 6 lights and no fans.

Dana

vest0830

09/18/2006, 04:19 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8164846#post8164846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nydus
Wow, great looking tank setup! I was wonering if you are seeing any bleaching on your zoos, from what I have researched 6X54 t5HO on a 65 is prety bright - also are they running hotter than the PCs you where running before?

Jeff (on here) has a tank full of zoos with t5 and vho sitting over top of them, he hasnt had anything but awsome luck with them. in fact I think they grow a little too fast for his liking.

I was over to Mike (dastank) house over the weekend, his zoos with the same kit sitting over top of his tank seemed to be doing great as well....

im running 2; 250w halides over my 55g tank with quite a few zoo's, they all seem to be doing just fine also.

jeffb3t

09/19/2006, 04:16 AM

I think that with any lighting zoos will be just fine. they seem to adjust to any lighting condition you can throw at them. I have tested a few different conditions with lighting and no problems yet.

ppht

09/19/2006, 04:55 AM

Does the Actinic AO3 Blue provide a nice affect on corals? Like a ultaviolet light? Also I might have missed it but what size is your tank? I am looking to do the exact same thin... Looks Great!!
Also do you have a pic of How you mounted the light board into the canopy?

hot4teacher

09/19/2006, 06:48 AM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8176247#post8176247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ppht
Does the Actinic AO3 Blue provide a nice affect on corals? Like a ultaviolet light? Also I might have missed it but what size is your tank? I am looking to do the exact same thing... Looks Great!!
Also do you have a pic of How you mounted the light board into the canopy?

Yes! I love how the pure actinic makes them fluorescent and gives the neon look. However when I have all 6 lights on, the whites kind of wash out that look. A real midday look, holds the natural`color, but not that cool fluorescent.

The tank is a 65gal. 48"x17"x17".

I don't have any pictures of how that above fixture fits into the canopy. Just imagine 4 ledges in the corners that the light board sits on. I will see if I can snap a pic or two inthe next few days. I have it so the light board is removable for easy access to the bulbs, ballasts, and the tank.

Dana

Dana

ppht

09/19/2006, 12:56 PM

I have the same size tank. I would love to see how you did that. Also to get in the tank for feeding how do you open the canopy?

Also when you use the ACjr you can cycle your lights based on season and Sunset Sunrise. I assume the 3 plugs are for 3 different bulb types. You can make a nice lighting affect through the day...

hot4teacher

09/20/2006, 04:22 AM

Howdy ppht,

I didn't have a chance today and tomorrow is a very busy day. I will take it off and snap some pics Friday and post them here. In short, everything is crammed in there without much room.

I do have this pic that you can kind of see in the background how I did it. The wood 'beam' the endcaps are screwed to rests on the 'ledges' circled. Basically, I can put the frame on the tank and then set the light board down into the frame.

http://www.backyardbullet.com/canopy.jpg

http://www.backyardbullet.com/DanaT55.jpg

Dana

ppht

09/20/2006, 04:44 AM

How do you feed the fish? Do you lift the front of the light board up? Thanks for the post.. Is your classroom in Japan? Do you come back to the states when school is out to race? I have always wanted to go to Japan.. And I have owned race cars as well. You have a unique mixture going on there I'm impressed! hehe

hot4teacher

09/20/2006, 04:59 AM

Actually, I have some openings cut out in the back for ballast wires, power head cords, and the return line from the sump.

My first design flaw...not planning how to feed the fish. Luckily, one of the openings in the back is above an opening in the glass. I put the food on a plastic spoon , gently go through the hole, and turn over. Bah-da-bing! (ghetto I know.)

Yep...classroom in Japan. I come back from mid-June to mid-August to race. Both hobbies consume large amounts of $$, but nothing beats racing.

Dana

ppht

09/20/2006, 05:03 AM

I hear you on the racing you have 2 addicting hobbies... I have and idea that I was thinking of doing and maybe helps you.. Dry hydralic pistons connecting the light board to the canopy like a power assist to make the front go up.. Shut the light so you dont get blinded but if somethin is going on in the tank you can get right in.

Also did you have any concerns with the salt water on the wood? Is it sealed?

hot4teacher

09/20/2006, 05:10 AM

I had read about some threads about using the hydraulic pistons (like on the trunks of SUV), but my canopy has no room. I'd be worried about my design as the weight might flip it right off the back.

I sealed the tank stand with spar-urethane. However I sealed the canopy with a water based poly (I read that is safe for acrylic to touch. If not I'd have to put thin sheets of foam around any part that could potentially touch the acrylic.

Dana

ppht

09/20/2006, 05:13 AM

Very good. I dont like the way it might look but I was also thinking of a pully system that goes to my ceiling Lift the whole thing straight up.

hot4teacher

09/20/2006, 05:18 AM

I had actually thought long and hard about a system like that. Not my ceiling, so I ruled that out. My plan was to make it easy enough to take off with one person. I think if I added two small handles to the top, I would have a great design. As of now, I'm able to lift the entire canopy off and put it on all at once, but it can be hairy!

Dana