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Unread 10/05/2009, 06:14 PM   #151
johnnie-39
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I have 2 250w 14000K on a 120g 48x24x24 plus i also put 2 coral life blue T12 but my fish say hiden and corals stay closed lights are about 7" off top of water stared at 2 feet off and still no love can anyone help!!!!!!


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Unread 10/05/2009, 06:40 PM   #152
rguyler
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Lord, nice pics and the reflectors look good. I added the bends at the bottom of the reflectors to keep the metal straight but that's just cosmetic. Mine still look ghetto as I have no sheetmetal skills whatsoever.

Johnnie, maybe your problems aren't from the lights? What about other environmental conditions or water chemistry/quality? Give a few more details on your recent changes and maybe something will be revealed. I think your MH wattage is reasonable for your tank height. You also could mention what type of bulbs you are using as well as the ballast. Do they look very bright when fully warmed up? How old are the bulbs?


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Current Tank Info: 120G Reef - AI Hydra 26HD lighting, AquaC Skimmer, Reeflo Blackfin Pump, Gyre XF250 Dual Pumps, Aqua Medic Dosing Alk/Ca/Mg & Vinegar, HydroFill Ti ATO, Basement Sump w/Refugium and Kessil 160 Blue Lights
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Unread 10/05/2009, 06:52 PM   #153
johnnie-39
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my MH are coral vue they light up bright then turn a blueish.I just changed from a 85g to this 120g i used same water and everything let run for 3 days befor I put anything in it .tested waterand it was good nitrite was a little high 1.0


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Unread 10/06/2009, 05:36 AM   #154
rguyler
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That much nitrite could be your issue. You shouldn't have any nitrite registering. While it may not be lethal just yet, sustained exposure could cause issues, especially stress, which is what you are experiencing. I suggest you either do a large water change or maybe get some of the instant bacteria products out there (or do both steps). I used Seachem Stability when I started my tank and had fish in 3 days after and ever since. There are other similar products and they all add nitrifying bacteria to your tank to quickly cycle the nitrite out.


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Current Tank Info: 120G Reef - AI Hydra 26HD lighting, AquaC Skimmer, Reeflo Blackfin Pump, Gyre XF250 Dual Pumps, Aqua Medic Dosing Alk/Ca/Mg & Vinegar, HydroFill Ti ATO, Basement Sump w/Refugium and Kessil 160 Blue Lights
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Unread 10/06/2009, 02:04 PM   #155
slick6669
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Question too much light?

i have a huge delema on my 46 gal bowfront there is a center brace which i believe is just to support the glass top...so i replaced the glass top with egg crate but the brace is still there i want to get my lighting system that is either going to be (two MH on the sides between to power compacts) if not that then the single MH in the center which will get shadowed by brace with 2 power compacts


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Unread 10/06/2009, 11:31 PM   #156
johnnie-39
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ya I was going to do a mager water change I also put some AmQuel+ removes nitrate& nitrite plus ammonia chlorine and chloramines. BUT now some of my fish look like someone has eaten they're tail fins what should I do? even my tang has spots and hasn't eaten and on top of every thing els now I'm seeing these worms in my tank I think they are bristle worms have no idea how they got in there or what to do about them I know I DON'T like them!!


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Last edited by johnnie-39; 10/06/2009 at 11:51 PM.
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Unread 10/07/2009, 09:54 PM   #157
lordofthereef
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rguyler View Post
Lord, nice pics and the reflectors look good. I added the bends at the bottom of the reflectors to keep the metal straight but that's just cosmetic. Mine still look ghetto as I have no sheetmetal skills whatsoever.

Johnnie, maybe your problems aren't from the lights? What about other environmental conditions or water chemistry/quality? Give a few more details on your recent changes and maybe something will be revealed. I think your MH wattage is reasonable for your tank height. You also could mention what type of bulbs you are using as well as the ballast. Do they look very bright when fully warmed up? How old are the bulbs?
I might end up doing those bend but I didn't know how to do them right. If you can believe I did all of those bending by hand using a metal ruler... LOL


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Unread 10/08/2009, 03:42 PM   #158
lordofthereef
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slick6669 View Post
i have a huge delema on my 46 gal bowfront there is a center brace which i believe is just to support the glass top...so i replaced the glass top with egg crate but the brace is still there i want to get my lighting system that is either going to be (two MH on the sides between to power compacts) if not that then the single MH in the center which will get shadowed by brace with 2 power compacts
When the MH is raised to the proper height, there is actually very little shadow. You might get slight shadowing at the very top of the water level but not too bad. DO NOT remove that brace. It is there as structural support for the tank. Without it, you may have the glass blow or the seals weaken.


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Unread 10/08/2009, 09:50 PM   #159
louisvilleboy
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which bulb is better giesemann or ati it is t5 im using 8 80w bulbs now.and its time to start changing thanks paul


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Unread 10/10/2009, 10:31 AM   #160
Tony Romano
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Has a bulb test been done lately? Several years ago there was a great thread with test results.


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Unread 10/12/2009, 06:16 PM   #161
rguyler
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Johnnie, excess nitrite or ammonia could cause the "burns" you are seeing if left as-is. The stress of the water quality could also lower the immunity of your fish to the point to where they have developed infections, such as basic fin/tail rot, which would also look very much like something has been chewing on their fins.

Stress is very bad juju in a closed habitat such as our aquariums. Bad things (bacteria, parasites, etc.) are almost always present in our water so keeping the fish in high quality water and feeding them high quality foods regularly is crucial to building their immune systems up to where they can fight these things off themselves. I supplement every feeding with Vitachem or Selcon.


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Current Tank Info: 120G Reef - AI Hydra 26HD lighting, AquaC Skimmer, Reeflo Blackfin Pump, Gyre XF250 Dual Pumps, Aqua Medic Dosing Alk/Ca/Mg & Vinegar, HydroFill Ti ATO, Basement Sump w/Refugium and Kessil 160 Blue Lights
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Unread 10/14/2009, 10:14 AM   #162
myreefcentral
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What's the best 250watt DE bulb to run with IceCap ballasts...I want some blue...right now I have a 14k Phoenix in it but it's not giving off enough blue compared to my 150watt 14k Phoenix that I run off of a Current Sunpod. Any suggestions on bulbs?


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Unread 10/20/2009, 04:17 PM   #163
saltwaterpimp
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I have a 250 watt 14 k Icecap Pendant, i Have the fixture 9 inches from the water, Over a 40 breeder filled with 15 inches of water. the Soft corals on the bottom look like crap, but LPS looks great. First question, is the 14k icecap bulb normally this white ? second, whats a average height for the fixture for a mixed reef(frag tank)? I switched from 4 t5s because of the same reason ...Im clueless at what to do next???

Here is some Blue atheilia(spelling) and some Brown Tree corals..Lmao not really the color i was expecting







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Unread 10/20/2009, 07:38 PM   #164
Tony Romano
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How long have you been using new lighting?


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Why don't I have any money?

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Unread 10/22/2009, 04:33 PM   #165
saltwaterpimp
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Not very long, a few weeks ..I know i need to give it time.I wonder if some of these corals are to the point of no return(color wise)? Are these bulbs always this white ?


Thanks in advance..


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Unread 10/26/2009, 08:30 PM   #166
Mark 75g
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Looking to buy a 175g Bow front 30in deep. The wife wants me to have the hood on the tank so I am limited to lighting fixtures. What do you think about the Maristar 72in 3-250w MH with 4 39w T5s. looking to mainly have LPS and soft corals throughout the tank.

Is this enought light to reach the bottom


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Unread 10/26/2009, 09:48 PM   #167
Tony Romano
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Yes on lighting. Why does she want hood? No hood is so much better, I converted mine to ceiling mounted. Tank looks better and is super easy to work on.


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Unread 10/27/2009, 07:26 PM   #168
Mark 75g
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She wants the hood because she likes the way it looks. YOU KNOW WOMEN!!!! Its all about the furniture and how it looks in the house.
It is either the hood or no tank-Which one would you pick?

Do you have a picture?


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Unread 10/27/2009, 07:27 PM   #169
fernandoh
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150W Bulb in 250W Elecctronic Ballast

Hello actually I have 3 250W MH that have been working excelent in my tank, but I'm moving and there is no place where I can fit my actual tank so I'm buying a smaller one. Can I run a 150W MH with a 250W electronic ballast?


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Unread 10/27/2009, 09:11 PM   #170
Tony Romano
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No - I will get one, best of both worlds having high cap. Are you planning on stock Ocieanic top? I think it is open topped....


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Unread 10/28/2009, 01:58 PM   #171
Mark 75g
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It is a stock wood oceanic hood. I think it is open and the owner actually cut holes in each side and installed fans for cooling.
Have you ever heard of Maristar Lights

This is the link for them.

http://www.marineandreef.com/Sunligh...00773.htmistar



Last edited by Mark 75g; 10/28/2009 at 02:05 PM.
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Unread 10/29/2009, 09:11 AM   #172
mayjong
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hey all-
really quickly, when would you consider a bulb to be "too old" ???
(when should they be replaced?)
thanks!


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Unread 10/29/2009, 06:38 PM   #173
Tony Romano
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6 - 9 months is current thinking.

I am using 1500 as bulb life, bit of a guess based on corals seeming to fade. My next big purchase is a PAR meter, so I can use real #s.


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Why don't I have any money?

Current Tank Info: 215 & 90 mixed tanks
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Unread 10/30/2009, 08:02 PM   #174
mikenjo
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150 vs 250 watt mh heat output

will 150 watt light put out allot less heat i had 250s on my 90 and the tank got hot in the summer and cant afford a chiller if i used 150s will the heat problem be as bad i have all softies in my tank so i think the downgrade would work


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Unread 11/09/2009, 01:12 AM   #175
spslove
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I'm currently setting up a rimless 220g 5' by 3' by 2' height. I wanted to go with a 2 400w 20k metal halide setup.

Iv noticed most nice fixtures dont go above 250w halides. While 400w halides are stand alone fixtures. They are also bulky and and non pleasing aesthetically unless in a retrofit hood. My furniture and tank is real clean and modern looking so i wanted the lighting to match.

Are there any good looking fixtures that use 400s?


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