Jestersix

Gimmito's 450 gal L-shaped tank

xcaret said:
Jim I kicked myself out of a thread so I'll post it here on your thread.
I have some large Lumenarc reflectors with the AC vent if you want to try them over your tank to see the coverage they provide. I also have one Lumenbrite but I think is a mini.
Click to expand...

I would love to try them out Mario.
Let me know when it would be a good time to pick them up. Is the Lumenarc the 3's ? How did you like the two of them ? What kind of ballast and bulb were you running on them ?
 
Hi Jeremy and Jim

Think it was the heath wave; somehow I felt excluded. Did make a mistake on one letter but does the other brand have the AC option? Anyway an apology on my behalf maybe for over-reacting
Love this club which is extraordinary

Jim, well I had sort of BIG dreams at one point but reality bit hard again...
I chose Lumenarcs after reading here and there PLUS buying them directly from PGS after seeing them at BayMAC last year convinced me, they were "cool" to the touch and way cool to illuminate my tank.
I saw too the Lumenbrite? the rounded kind of reflectors on a guy's tank over in San Rafael but the shape did not meet what I wanted.
My plan was to run two 250W Radium on a Bluewave 7 ballast or what people find to like most? PFO/Radium combo.
 
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Just for Mike (sfphysics), a pic of the fan and temp controller. :p
 
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I got a chance to remove a "non-bearing header" that the contractor installed under a glue-lam. This will enable me to install a light rack similiar to the one Steve Weast used in his setup. I'll wrap it up with frp also.
Please excuse the sheetrock dust. :p
 
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I picked about 50+ lbs of fiji rock from the now close Ocean Treasures. This brings my total to about 225 lbs of lr...I'll probably need about 25 or so lbs more. I need to order fiberglass grate to start the rockscaping.

Thanks for the hook up Arnold. :bigsmile:
 
still not certain on the temp controller. Basically I'm unsure if there will be much of a correlation between temperature and humidity, and for me humidity is worse for the area, while temperature is only a tank related issue. However if it is always going to be hot back there, then yeah ok I can see that thing cycling enough that humidity is a non-issue.
 
Since it will be enclosed, I thought it best to get some air circulation in there to help with the heat from the halides I will be using and to keep the ph up.
 
Jim: Oh I'm not knocking you, everyone has different needs depending upon where they live. For me heat from halides is actually beneficial since that's less heater I need to use (well ok the past two days it wasn't very beneficial), humidity is the biggest concern for me personally (mold issues) although as I suspect being up in "the hood" probably will cycle on and off so frequently that humidity doesn't become an issue.


Jeremy: Maybe that's the small side of the L? :D
 
I didn't take it that way Mike.

I forgot to mention about the humidity issue. I've heard of too many instances where mold became an issue (thus the frp), alarm systems shorting out, electrical outlets rusting/shorting out, etc. The temperature controller is set at 78-80 degrees to kick on.
 
Good idea Jon, better to keep the fish room a little cooler than hotter. Thanks again for the temp controller hookup...it works great and was a breeze to install (just like a regular switch). ;)
 
gimmito said:
I didn't take it that way Mike.

I forgot to mention about the humidity issue. I've heard of too many instances where mold became an issue (thus the frp), alarm systems shorting out, electrical outlets rusting/shorting out, etc. The temperature controller is set at 78-80 degrees to kick on.
Click to expand...

Depending on what temp you keep your tank you might need the fan to keep the fish room a little cooler.
I keep my tank at 77.5-77.9 degrees with the exhaust fan set at 72 degrees. If the tank gets over 77.9 another fan will kick on and blow on top of the tank water. No chiller necessary. I keep it at this temp because The heaters rarely need to turn on and the fan blowing on the water only kicks on when the MH's are on or it is a hot day.
 
Fan thoughts:

1) Check the fan specifications. Some cannot be mounted vertically like that.
Although probably more about the damper auto-closing than a real issue.

2) Suggest leaving the fan on, always.
A) The humidity issue on cool days, as already mentioned.
B) Condensation in the duct and fan.

Condensation in the ductwork may be an issue regardless. You might want a small drain and cup at the bottom.
But when the fan is off, all that humid air is just sitting there, ready to cool against the steel.
Plus, it allows the duct to cool, and be a different temperature than the air, again causing more
condensation.

(Not an issue if you have plastic/mylar or really short ducting of course)
 
rygh said:
Fan thoughts:

1) Check the fan specifications. Some cannot be mounted vertically like that.
Although probably more about the damper auto-closing than a real issue.

2) Suggest leaving the fan on, always.
A) The humidity issue on cool days, as already mentioned.
B) Condensation in the duct and fan.

Condensation in the ductwork may be an issue regardless. You might want a small drain and cup at the bottom.
But when the fan is off, all that humid air is just sitting there, ready to cool against the steel.
Plus, it allows the duct to cool, and be a different temperature than the air, again causing more
condensation.

(Not an issue if you have plastic/mylar or really short ducting of course)
Click to expand...

No problems with any of those issues with my fan on a thermostat for over 2 years.
 
Mark,

I did talk to the salesman at House of fans regarding the mounting issue. He said they had the same fan mounted for 20 years vertically with no problems. I think it might be the damper auto-closing also, although I've seen no problems with it opening closing thus far. I think if I lived in a area that had great temperature swings (such as Texas), condensation might be more of a problem. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it when the tank is up and running.

Thanks for the advice as always.
 
Sounds good.
I find it really cool how you get to deal with all these issue first, and I can just
peek over your shoulder before finishing with my tank.
Especially since at about 1/2 the size, if it works for your tank, it will definitely work for mine.

I may still run mine full time though. It actually pulls air from 4 points : Ceiling above lights, the tank itself, the garage
fish room, and the stereo equipment under the tank.

Now if I can just get you to go all LED ....
 
That's whats so cool about a reef club, we learn and help each other.

You are a brave man to put stereo equipment under your tank...lol.

Jake Adams tried to pursuade me to go all led, but I just don't think they have the umph for my tank.

Now plasma is a different story. ;)
 
hey Jim i had a 1.5'' true union check valve laying around i never ended up using. Ed's running 1.25'' piping so he couldnt use it either...if you have any use for it its all yours...i handed it over to Ed since he's most likely going to see you before i do...
 
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