my retro fit.

Sprayin70 · 11-19-2003, 08:42 AM

. Last night i started my retro fit. I used the hood from the 2.5 and retro fitted my coral life 18 watt pc i bought in it. the only thing i have left is to pick up a box from radio shack to put the ballasts in. looks great. I also picked up a bubble tip for my false perc of course he will not host but oh well. I will post picks this weekend if i get a chance.

Thanks.

Whitten · 11-19-2003, 12:38 PM

That sounds awsome. I just bought my 2.5 last night and am going today to get my first piece of live rock if the water readings are right on. Please post a pic of the entire tank and then of how you did your retro-fit. Also where did you get the 18 watt pc, and how much did it cost if you don't mind me asking?

Sprayin70 · 11-19-2003, 01:07 PM

i bought it at my lfs and it cost 45.00 for the pc. what is your setup? here is mine.

1 2.5 mini bow
1 red sea nano filter hob
1 small power head
1 coral life retro fit.
1 mini 25 watt heater
1 lb of live rock
1 anemone bubble tip
1 false perc clown
2 reef hermits
1 maragarita snail.

ckreef · 11-19-2003, 04:52 PM

Since you two are now proud owners of a Minibow you need to check out

http://www.minibow.com

It's a really small BB (approx 160 members) that is totally dedicated to Minibows.

Whitten · 11-19-2003, 05:19 PM

CKREEF you have inspired me. After seeing a 2.5 set up at Atlantis aquariums, and then yours I am really excited.
My Current setup is as follows:
Mini-Bow 2.5
Junior tank heater pre set to 82 degrees
Coral-life 50-50
Going today to buy new live substrate, and 1 lb of live rock
blue damsle awaiting transplant

I call this tank my Walmart special. More pics to come.

Whitten · 11-19-2003, 08:22 PM

Well I got my Live rock. The store didn't really have a very good selection from what I could see. The coraline algae is almost non existant, but I did get plenty enough to fill the tank. Also I got some agri-alive substrate. All in all i am very happy with the setup. Anyway, currently I have two power heads running in the tank. Well they are the pumps off of the bottom of filters that come with the 2.5 but epoxying suction cups to the sipe of them made them into power heads. From what I have read the tank will settle it-self out with nothing more than the power heads running. I have a question, will live rock with lvery little coraling algae floursh or am I preaty much sunk? Myu friend picked the piece and had it put in the bag before I could even look at it. I trusted him because he has done alot more of this, but this stuff looks dead. It is very light colored and light, but does have some stuff that looks like coral. Anything that I can add to make the algae grow, and as of right now I don't have any readings yet.

ckreef · 11-19-2003, 09:56 PM

The aqua scaping looks good so far. THe water will clear within a few days.

Don't give up on the LR you'ld be surprised what can bounce back from near death. I would get a Calcium and Alk test kit asap and start dosing using a two part calcium addative. This should helpout with whatever coraline you have (I thought I saw some purple on that rock). Also once the tank gets going go to a LFS and buy a small piece of LR that is fully encrusted w/ coraline. Using a putty knife scrape off as much coraline as you can. Distribute those scrappings through out your tank --- that will help seed some extra coraline.

Get us another pic in a couple of days after the water clears.

ruhspolostar · 11-19-2003, 10:00 PM

the Enterprise was retrofitted in 2473 or something like that

-the trekkie

Sprayin70 · 11-20-2003, 08:50 AM

looks good so far. keep at it i agree that it will clear up. i will post pics this weekend.

alan

Whitten · 11-20-2003, 04:09 PM

Well after all of this talk about lighting, I got to looking at my tank a realized that there is a dark corner. So.....I am thinking of doing a retro fit my self. I am currently running my 15 watt coral life 50/50, so do you think that will be enough light to get anything started?

Would this be a good alternative to the lighting
http://www.hellolights.com/92x9wcomiaqc.html
or would this?
http://www.hellolights.com/13wretrokit.html

Sprayin70 · 11-20-2003, 05:22 PM

the coral life kit is what i bought. the 18 watt kit. i took it apart and retro fitted it.

ckreef · 11-20-2003, 08:39 PM

The 15 watt bulkb can work for some simple corals like shrooms, polyps, and maybe some leathers, xenia ect.....

As far as the two kits you linked to --- either would be OK as far a light is concerned as long as you could get them to fit.

Maybe Sparyin70 could supply a link to what he used --- it's 18 watt and we know it'll fit since he has done it.

Whitten · 11-20-2003, 11:59 PM

Hey I just ran across much brighter bulb than the corallife 50/50, do you think that it will be cool to use it or should I stick to the Corallife?

Sprayin70 · 11-21-2003, 09:08 AM

i want to try the 26 watt kit. but that will have to wait until the cash flow is in my favor.

Sprayin70 · 11-21-2003, 09:11 AM

the kit is the first link of the two that whitten posted. i just took it apart and retro fitted it in my hood. i will post pics this weekend i promise.