upgrade lighting?

[epidemic]

My mother has a 4x 96w PC light on her 55 gal reef. She complains that the bulbs cost too much and the color isn't that good. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for an upgrade. X-mas is somming up and I would like to get her something to make her tank look better.

ALSO. She has a DSB and a collapsed plenum (it accumulates a ton of crap) any suggestions on how to remove some of the sand and the plenum withoud desturbing too much sediment?

Thanks
Derek

[spazz]

for lighting i would highly recomend mh lighting. a couple of 250w 15 or 20 k retro kits would look great over that tank. as for the dsb you might want to remove a couple of cup fulls a week until its all gone. it would take forever but the system wouldnt get such a shock taking it all out at once. the polution alone would kill alot of corals and fish. or try and syphoning it a little at a time.

[tico mike]

What does she keep for corals? If it's SPS then Spazz is right on. If it's softies and LPS, I would go with VHO. If cost is an issue go with Aro ballasts. Bulbs will still be about $20 each, but you could get her one aro and a couple vho super actinics and that would improve the color right away. If she ever gets MH she can still keep the VHO for supplements.

[oyam123]

"She complains that the bulbs cost too much" ....MH bulbs!!!!
I have been happy with my VHO's, but nothing is like that MH look.
SPAZZ: I have a 2yo DSB in my 120, I cant keep zoos or xenia alive for long.
If I keep 100lbs+ of LR, could i start taking the DSB out?
Would it help in keeping zoos, etc.....?
thanx

[David Grigor]

While initial cost the ARO ballast looks very attractive but the Icecap will be the better ballast long term as bulbs last twice as long and thus will pay for itself.
Especially when she is concerned about bulb costs......

[tico mike]

Originally Posted by David Grigor

While initial cost the ARO ballast looks very attractive but the Icecap will be the better ballast long term as bulbs last twice as long and thus will pay for itself.
Especially when she is concerned about bulb costs......

This is true, but I was thinking more about Derek's budget as he is footing the bill and just graduating from college with plenty o bills.

On a side note, in the next couple months I'm going to invest in a full set of new VHO's and do my own study on the two ballasts. I'm running two aro's and one icecap 660 on my new tank. I have a second icecap on hold til the study is up next year. Then we can see for ourselves. (or at least myself)

[spazz]

Originally Posted by oyam123

"She complains that the bulbs cost too much" ....MH bulbs!!!!
I have been happy with my VHO's, but nothing is like that MH look.
SPAZZ: I have a 2yo DSB in my 120, I cant keep zoos or xenia alive for long.
If I keep 100lbs+ of LR, could i start taking the DSB out?
Would it help in keeping zoos, etc.....?
thanx

being able to keep zoos or xenia dont have alot to do with the dsb. i think it has alot more to do with water quality and aclimation. i know for a fact xenia has to be aclamated 2 hs min with a drip line. its touchy that way. bet once it takes hold it cant be gotten rid of. i tried to kill mine off a few times. i still have it. even after the transfer to the new tank its still with me. im hoping to kill it with kalk and hot water.
zoos are one of the hardest corals i have seen. so i would say your having water quality issues. what kind of skimmer are you running? how often are you doing water changes? how often are you doing other maintaince?

[redwinger]

Originally Posted by epidemic

ALSO. She has a DSB and a collapsed plenum (it accumulates a ton of crap) any suggestions on how to remove some of the sand and the plenum withoud desturbing too much sediment?

Thanks
Derek

I removed my sandbed completelly in one day, it took a while to do it but here is what I did.
1. Remove a little water and remove all corals and put them in a holding tank.
2. Remove the rest of the water and the live rock and put into a seperate tank. if any fish need to be removed then move them into one of the bins.
3.Make sure you have a bunch of extra salt water on hand.
4.Scoop out the sand and chuck it.
5. Put some water in the tank, can just be rodi or fresh salt.
6. You have most of the sand gone but a small amount on the bottom, siphon the rest of this out you may have to do this a couple of times to get it all out.
7. After that is done I fill the tank about half way with water and with a clean with a rag and scrape the glass, then siphon out all the water and get rid of it.
8.If you are going BB then take the starboard if you are using it and put in place.
9. Now take your rocks and slosh around in a freshly made batch of salt water to get as much sand and crud out as possible.
10. Aquascape the rocks
11. fill back up with as much old water as you can and finish with the rest with fresh salt water.
12. Add fish and corals.
13. Go have a beer and be happy you won't have to take out a dsb again

If you are going bb you will have to do a ton of siphoning and water changes weekly to get all the crap that will be coming out of your rocks, then your siphoning will be much much less as time goes on. If you are adding sand back in then just add the sand before you aquascape. Any one who has not cooked there rocks before going bb knows what I mean and you will immediatelly see why you did go bb as the stuff comes off and out of the rock in clumps, sheets whatever and you realize why the sand made you house smell for 2 days really quick.

This is just how I took my sandbed out when I went BB. A mask is also advisable and make sure you have the windows open because you are going to be messing with a sewer. I did not sustain one coral loss or fish loss doing it this way and everything went off without a hitch. The key is to have a plan of action in place. If I remeber right it took about 10 hours but that was with tearing the whole tank down to put up a new stand. So plan on at least a half a day.

[spazz]

Originally Posted by redwinger

I removed my sandbed completelly in one day, it took a while to do it but here is what I did.
1. Remove a little water and remove all corals and put them in a holding tank.
2. Remove the rest of the water and the live rock and put into a seperate tank. if any fish need to be removed then move them into one of the bins.
3.Make sure you have a bunch of extra salt water on hand.
4.Scoop out the sand and chuck it.
5. Put some water in the tank, can just be rodi or fresh salt.
6. You have most of the sand gone but a small amount on the bottom, siphon the rest of this out you may have to do this a couple of times to get it all out.
7. After that is done I fill the tank about half way with water and with a clean rag, then siphon out all the water and get rid of it.
8.If you are going BB then take the starboard if you are using it and put in place.
9. Now take your rocks and slosh around in a freshly made batch of salt water to get as much sand and crud out as possible.
10. Aquascape the rocks
11. fill back up with as much old water as you can and finish with the rest with fresh salt water.
12. Add fish and corals.
13. Go have a beer and be happy you won't have to take out a dsb again

If you are going bb you will have to do a ton of siphoning and water changes weekly to get all the crap that will be coming out of your rocks, then your siphoning will be much much less as time goes on. If you are adding sand back in then just add the sand before you aquascape.

This is just how I took my sandbed out when I went BB. A mask is also advisable and make sure you have the windows open because you are going to be messing with a sewer. I did not sustain one coral loss or fish loss doing it this way and everything went off without a hitch. The key is to have a plan of action in place. If I remeber right it took about 10 hours but that was with tearing the whole tank down to put up a new stand. So plan on at least a half a day.

yep this is another good way to do it. its just alot to do in one day. lol
lots of beer drinking too.

[oyam123]

I have a T1000 in sum.....all other soft corals are doing great. i have been putting the xenia in without the 2hr......I do 10% every 2 weeks.
Oh..... did i say i have an Angelfish (i never see it pick, but???)

on the lighting Q: I have a used IC430ballast & heat sink.....I paid $50 will sell for same.

[redwinger]

Originally Posted by spazz

yep this is another good way to do it. its just alot to do in one day. lol
lots of beer drinking too.

But what you meant to say was

Originally Posted by spazz

yep this is another good way to do it. its just alot to do in one day and will provide you with many more hours of beer drinking and enjoyment of the tank due to a reduced maint schedule.

[David Grigor]

While not scientific, I did try the Fulham ballasts with VHO and it was quite evident the Icecap was easier on the bulbs. Based on ARO documentation, I don't expect much difference. Not enough to try it.

IMO: I'm all for saving money where you can, but this is one of those instances where best to look elsewhere for money saving opportunities....

[new reef retard]

What kind of voltages does the VHO lighting run on? Is it real high voltage?

I am kicking around options for my tanks. I have IMO to little lighting now 2 65w pc on one tank and a a pair of 10,000k 500 watt pc with 80 watts of 20k floressents on the other.

The 500w lights seem to do alright with my frogspawn and trumpet corals. The light fixtures just dont look good and I want something I can mount up and get out of my way a little better than what I have now.

Cost is a big factor for me So I am thinking of going with VHO's. Mainly for two reasons.
1. Cheaper than MH lighting in cost to run and in set up cost. I can afford to buy the bulbs easyer than $55 to $130 for a MH Bulb.
2 And in my apartment A MH bulb would make my ass sweat in a quick hurry.

Here is what I am thinking of doing.
I have 2 75 gallon tanks Plumbed together (over and under home made stand) The under tank I would like to put 4 VHO 48" lights 2 20k / 2 10k.
My upper tank use my 500 watt pc lights this tank is mostly fish and mushrooms and what ever else works in there.

Being I am relitivly new to coral tanks I have been working with corals for about 1 1/2 years. I would like any input you have in helping make up my mind on what to do with these two tanks.

Thanks for any imput.

[epidemic]

She keeps softies and LPS. She really wants a clam, but I told her she needs MH for that.
Think a deresa clam could survive with 440w in a stanard 55 gal tank?
Otherwise a IC430 would be good I think.
opinions ?
derek

[epidemic]

oyam -does it work?
Derek