180 Gallon Tank Build (1 Viewer)

[jdeveaux]

Just catching up on this thread.

I currently run 2x250w 14k metal halide and 1x150w 20k for sunrise and sunset. I am planning to replace the 150w with T5 actinic lighting 4x39w with icecap 660.

I love the color of the 14k metal halides but the fluorescents don't pop as nicely as they do under T5 actinic. IMHO the MH is more natural and closer to what you would see if you were diving in the ocean, but I have fallen victim to the cool florescence bug.

My other thought was to keep the 1 150w MH just for shimmer and go with 6x39w T5.

 

[AquaNerd]

yeah, i forgot about the max feet involved with the ballast. oh well. i'll just run 9 bulbs instead and on 3 ballasts.

i'd rather have more bulbs anyways to give more coverage and provide more overall lighting.

 

[tas5tas]

Brandon....

It's gonna be a pain to fit 8 bulbs over a 180 let alone 9. In order to fit 8 bulbs you'll have to overlap the individual reflectors and it's gonna be a tight squeeze to get it within a 24" space. Not to mention, if you're planning on over driving the 60" bulbs with Ice Cap ballasts, it's going to be just as hot as metal halides if not hotter. I would just use the regular driven ballasts like a triad or the advance centium, so you don't have to worry about the added heat and also you should be able to get a year out of your bulbs by not overdriving them. If you use the Ice Cap ballasts, you will have to change your bulbs about every 8 months, which will cost you about the same as changing 3 metal halide bulbs every 8 months.


Just something else for you to think about.

 

[crvz]

No, you won't have to overlap 8 bulbs if you use the icecap SLR reflectors. I've got 8 over my 24" 150 gallon. They're 2.5" each.

 

[tas5tas]

crvz.....
How old are your reflectors??? There have been several posts on RC lately with people saying the Ice Caps they're receiving are closer to 3" each opposed to the older ones that are 2.5". I'm not sure if they're being shipped the Tek reflectors or what, b/c everywhere I look the Ice Caps are still being reported as 2.5" as well. Just trying to give Brandon a heads up and also some info on overdriving the bulbs. I forgot to mention also that you'll have to buy 2 reflectors for each bulb as Ice Cap doesn't make a 60" reflector. That's going to add up to over $40 per bulb. For that kinf of money, you could do 3 Lumen Bright III pendants and would not have to worry about any heat added from the metal halides as they can be mounted 16"-18" off the water.

 

[mpwolken]

Hey Brandon,

My 180's stand is being powder-coated as we speak. Hopefully I'll be able to pick it up this weekend! Wait for pictures.

Now, of course, I'll need to actually put together the cabinetry (which I have no idea how to do!)

Matt

 

[Ricky]

cant wait to see what this tank will become.
good luck.

 

[hank]

I have 8 T5s over a 75, if one had a single fixture or a DIY you could easily do 12 with TEK reflectors. Don't believe everything you read on RC... Do you sell MHs or something? j/k

crvz.....
How old are your reflectors??? There have been several posts on RC lately with people saying the Ice Caps they're receiving are closer to 3" each opposed to the older ones that are 2.5". I'm not sure if they're being shipped the Tek reflectors or what, b/c everywhere I look the Ice Caps are still being reported as 2.5" as well. Just trying to give Brandon a heads up and also some info on overdriving the bulbs. I forgot to mention also that you'll have to buy 2 reflectors for each bulb as Ice Cap doesn't make a 60" reflector. That's going to add up to over $40 per bulb. For that kinf of money, you could do 3 Lumen Bright III pendants and would not have to worry about any heat added from the metal halides as they can be mounted 16"-18" off the water.

 

[FireEater]

HOW.....IN......THE.....HECK......DID......I.....MISS......THIS.....THREAD.....?

Minh pays you way to much money to work there.

 

[R-BallJunkie]

B

I personally like the look of metal halide tanks. VHO, LED and T5 can be a bit "sterile" looking <just my opinion, don't shoot me for having one>, and w/8 bulbs, that can’t be cheap to setup or maintain.

I don’t think heat gain would be much of an issue, with this much volume in play...180G + 40G. my 125, plus 30 or so in the fuge...... running 2 x 250 + 4 x 36" t5 on an icecap.

I can’t get my chiller to kick on...so I unplugged it, never above 81.00

All said, could stage 3rd mh on for a shorter period.

MH don't necessarily equal = chiller

Plus, I have an icecap 250W listed on BST (just kidding!!!)

Something to chew on.

c

 

[tas5tas]

Nope...don't sell metal halides.....just don't believe all the hype behind T5's being cooler. T5's are just as hot, they just spread their heat over the length of the bulb, where a metal halide had it's heat in a smaller concentrated area. I also don't like seeing individual beams of light in my tank, which you will always have with individual reflectors on T5's b/c of their narrow beam. For the cost to setup T5's....Brandon could easily setup 3 250w MH in Lumen Bright reflectors and have no added heat to the tank, much better color, better growth, and of course the shimmer.

Just trying to save him the headache of buying T5's and then not being satisfied and turning around and selling them to purchase metal halides.


My $.02

 

[crvz]

Hmm, I've never noticed "individual beams of light" in my tank. Even as I look at it right now, with just 4 bulbs on it, I cant differentiate one from the other. Brandon, have you noticed that?

 

[FireEater]

T5's do run cooler than MHs. The 3 x 250W mhs cause dmy chiller to come on continually.

After I switched over to T5s, the chiller comes on once, maybe twice a day now.

If you think T5's do not run cooler, then try putting your hand under a MH, then a T5. Big heat difference there. And I'm talking just strictly the setups themselves and not a MH setup with T5s next to them.

I can now work in my tank without being sunburned. Plus my electric bill dropped significantly after the T5 conversion. I also have not missed the shimmer effect.

I agree with crvz, I have never noticed "individual beams of light" either.

I honestly think it now comes down to personal preference between the two for looks and for electrical savings. Seems though that with today electricity rates skyrocketing, T5s are a no brainer. Plus they are cheaper to replace and it is cheaper to set them up as compared to MHs.

 

[Scott]

[qute="FireEater"]Seems though that with today electricity rates skyrocketing, T5s are a no brainer. Plus they are cheaper to replace and it is cheaper to set them up as compared to MHs.[/quote]

That really depends on how many T5's you're putting up too. If he uses 9 X 80W = 720W (assuming they're not overdriven by the IceCap he intends to use) where 3 X 250W MH = 750W )assuming no other lighting, though he would probably add T5 supplementation) it's roughly the same. If he used 12 X 80W T5 = 960W. The kW usage is really going to depend on which bulbs, how many and photoperiod of each.

I think it all boils down to personal preference and if that shimmer means enough to you.

 

[hank]

Nope...don't sell metal halides.....just don't believe all the hype behind T5's being cooler. T5's are just as hot, they just spread their heat over the length of the bulb, where a metal halide had it's heat in a smaller concentrated area. I also don't like seeing individual beams of light in my tank, which you will always have with individual reflectors on T5's b/c of their narrow beam. For the cost to setup T5's....Brandon could easily setup 3 250w MH in Lumen Bright reflectors and have no added heat to the tank, much better color, better growth, and of course the shimmer.

Just trying to save him the headache of buying T5's and then not being satisfied and turning around and selling them to purchase metal halides.


My $.02

No shimmer, and I wouldn't be too worried about the heat on either of these options but:

Halide is going to produce more heat, watt for watt, the T5 is more effecient.

There is no individual "beam". Who's T5s were you looking at?

Better color you say? I can only choose one color with MH, while with T5 I currently run a mix of 4 different color temperatures / types of bulbs to get the color I think is perfect; and if that was not enough I could have every one of my 8 bulbs be different than the others.

I too like MH but I would never run it by itself either, and I think with T5s today, MH has shimmer and 400 / 1000 watters going for it; for ultra high intensity and deep tanks.

Brandon says often that he loves T5s

 

[AquaNerd]

Brandon says often that he loves T5s

and i do! they do the job and i never have to worry about heat.

but keeping all the above mentioned in mind, i'm going to stick with t5's for right now. not saying i won't tinker with halides in the future...but going with t5's now is the cheaper and more effective/efficient option.

now, for the update.

i ditched the closed loop idea. i originally planned on getting a dart and drilling a few holes in the tank and going that route. but, after speaking to cstewart, i decided on just drilling one hole and capping two of the already existing holes. this will leave me with two holes drilled near the top for the return from my sump. it's a much simpler setup and i won't have to spend the next few weeks plumbing . i also figured since i just bought the new koralias (controllable ones) two months ago that i'd want to hold on to them.

but, yesterday's move went well...thanks especially to jason aka jlord1. he met me up at baa around 8:30 and we drove into houston to get some industrial suction cups...which work amazingly well. then we went to my parents house since they were temporarily housing the beast. we got it off the stand, turned it over onto it's face, and i drilled out a 3/4" hole for an extra return from the sump.

we then loaded it up, along with the stand, and moved it over to the new place. then, after moving other stuff all day, i got home and put all the sand in it...all 285 lbs of it. i put 240 lbs in the display and 45 in the refugium. it gives me a nice deep sand bed all around, but i might siphon some out once i get some water in the tank and let the sand pack in a little.

my other tank is still setup in galveston. i hope to move it all over within this next week or so. but, it will all depend on how quickly i can get the new setup plumbed up.

now, off to start a stocking list.

 

[jlord1]

tha tank is a beast, got water yet?

 

[AquaNerd]

tha tank is a beast, got water yet?

not yet. i have to finish out the plumbing tonight. i meant to make a shopping list last night but i was just too tired and smelly from sweating all day. but, i'll start gathering plumbing pieces...you know, valves, unions, angles, etc.

btw jason...for all the help, you're welcome to anything in my tank...with a few exceptions of course.

 

[jlord1]

I want it all, just kidding, i'll get with you when your ready to move it (gonna need help with that?)

 

[AquaNerd]

yeah, i'll need help for sure. and i'll be thinning out corals at the same time so...you'll be in luck.