Joel's Tank Journal(s)

[h20player101]

You can have the system up and running over a bridge, but do need a cable for updates.

 

[Reef Keeper]

The answer is, I was never able to get a bridge working correctly with AT&T's crappy 2 wire router. I went to a hard wired connection to my router when I had it up.

TY for your post. I spoke with someone at Neptune, prior to the purchase, and they say the have a port configuration change in the 2wire account preferences to make to make it work with a wireless router and 2Wire, so I'll be out looking for a wireless router.... They did indicate, like H2oPlayer commented, firmware updates need to be made by cat5 ethernet cable....

Thanks for letting me know, hoping my experience will different.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Yikes: I feel like I'm losing my mind over this Apex Lite purchase.

A 115 page instruction guide. I'm having buyers remorse, and Neptune's support phone number has been ringing off the hook for the past several days.

Needless to say I'm not happy. I thought this device is suppose to give me sms text alerts, but I don't see the instructions for that feature, just email alerts; and if looks like I'm going to need a static ip address to make that work too.

If there is anybody who could help me get this set up correctly, before I can contact the place that sold me the equipment for a refund, I'd really appreciate it. After reading through the 115 pages, I feel overwhelmed, and am prepared to take the risk of not having a system like the Apex Lite as I have over the past 14 years of being in this hobby.

BTW TB Aquatic still hasn't sent me the second energy bar that I paid for, so I can't get the system up and running yet anyway.

 

[LeviT]

Most cell phone providers have an email that can be used to send a text to your phone, try googling for that. It will do the same. Most routers allow you to assign an IP or at least an internal one, not sure which you need since I've never set one up. hth

 

[sfboarders]

For help setting your Apex post here. But Levi said it correctly that cellphone providers have an email to send a text to your phone. Also are you using this guide? It's got all the information needed to setup your Apex.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Most cell phone providers have an email that can be used to send a text to your phone, try googling for that. It will do the same. Most routers allow you to assign an IP or at least an internal one, not sure which you need since I've never set one up. hth

Thank you Levi. I really appreciate the time you took to respond to my post. :0)

 

[Reef Keeper]

For help setting your Apex post here. But Levi said it correctly that cellphone providers have an email to send a text to your phone. Also are you using this guide? It's got all the information needed to setup your Apex.

Hi John,

That reef tech link is great. Thank you for reading and for responding so quickly. I really appreciate it. :0)

 

[Reef Keeper]

Maintenance Log 01/11/2011

- Replaced ReefLux 20k MHs with Ushio's 20ks. Already seeing a noticeable difference / improvement in coral tissue and polyps.

- Reduced MHs from 7 hrs to 6hrs. (12-6) PG&E is cleaning us out. :Sp Corals looking fine, but will be keeping an eye on them.

 

[gimmito]

Good seeing you at the meeting Joel...tank is looking good.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Good seeing you at the meeting Joel...tank is looking good.

Thanks Jim, the feeling is mutual. Looking forward to seeing your display this year.

I'm trying to figure out how long I want the main display lit with these LEDs. I have the LEDs set at 6 hours. From 10am-1pm, I am lighting with SVHO 2 x 110 & 1 54w T5 Super Blue. Then, when the LEDs go off at 7pm, I have the SVHOs & T5 come back on till 11pm.

I think I will stay with the SVHOs and T5 because I like them, but I hear some folks run their LEDs 12+ hours. Not sure what's best, as I want to cut down on wattage / cost, but feel the need for the blue actinic augmentation.

Thanks for visiting my tank journal page and posting too.

Best in 2013. BTW congrats on the VP position. H)

 

[JAR]

Nice clam!
Looks like one more LED in the center would balance out the light more
I would keep the T5 and SVHO lites for sure!
Nice.

 

[denzil]

I don't think we've met!

I think you could move the Onyx fixtures towards the middle of the tank by 3-4 inches and I think you'll get better coverage. Or like JAR said, you could get another one for the middle, even if Rapid said you should be fine with two fixtures.

I personally keep my LED lights on for 12 hours, from 11 AM to 11 PM.

 

[aqua-nut]

Any way you could raise them up more? That with a move toward the center might get the coverage you need. Beware of air flow blockage!

 

[Reef Keeper]

I don't think we've met!

I think you could move the Onyx fixtures towards the middle of the tank by 3-4 inches and I think you'll get better coverage. Or like JAR said, you could get another one for the middle, even if Rapid said you should be fine with two fixtures.

I personally keep my LED lights on for 12 hours, from 11 AM to 11 PM.

I think I would like to try having the LEDs on that long too, and think I may have to wait a week or two for the the corals to acclimate to the new lighting first, as to avoid bleaching. While the LEDs are lower wattage, they seem way brighter then the 2 x 175 MHs at the edges.

I think I'll take the suggestion JAR and aqua-nut posted as well.

Thanks for landing on my journal page and posting back too.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Reef Date 1/26/2013

Wow: It's been a whole year since I've updated my Journal Page. Hard to believe that 2012 is just a memory. I was very lucky Screebo called me to see if I was going to the January 12th, 2013 lecture. It's been just as long that I have seen most of our fellow club members and board. It was uplifting to see old friends and the club growing with new members. I had a great time and really enjoyed the RapidLED presentation a lot too. So much so, that I ordered 2 Onyx units. The fixtures arrived yesterday, hand delivered by Lindsey no less. I installed them today; and so far I think I like them. I think the center of the reef isn't getting the kind of light par the 2 x 175w 20k MHs delivered. Rapid says these 2 units will illuminate a 5' tank. I may need to tinker with them a bit more. I've noticed that my chiller had only came on once, shortly after the install. The chiller usually came on once every 15 mins for apx 5 mins, so I imagine I will be saving some money on the 480 watts that drives the 1/4 hp chiller. Here are the specs for Onyx


Thank you to all of those reefers that have helped me enjoy and be successful in this hobby over the past 15 years. H)

Now for the photos
2 x 175w 20k MH's Fixtures - Running past 5 years

2 x 175W 20k Ushios with Canopy Closed

2 x 175w MHs Removed

New RapidLED Fixtures Arrive

Onyx Fixtures Installed

Onyx Fixtures Fired Up

Front View RapidLED Onyx 56 LEDs

Side View RapidLED Onyx 56 LEDs

Attached files Onyx by Rapid LED - Rapid LED.pdf (129.9 KB)

 

[Reef Keeper]

Any way you could raise them up more? That with a move toward the center might get the coverage you need. Beware of air flow blockage!

Thanks for the suggestion. I kept the IceCap fans in even though RapidLED suggested I remove them ("not necessary with the the built in fans Onyx has...")
I will say though, that the power supply bricks for the those fixtures (in the cabinet) get pretty hot. Glad I had a cabinet fan close to them.

Thank you for landing on my journal page and posting back too. Much appreciated.

 

[denzil]

I don't think we've met!

I think you could move the Onyx fixtures towards the middle of the tank by 3-4 inches and I think you'll get better coverage. Or like JAR said, you could get another one for the middle, even if Rapid said you should be fine with two fixtures.

I personally keep my LED lights on for 12 hours, from 11 AM to 11 PM.

I think I would like to try having the LEDs on that long too, and think I may have to wait a week or two for the the corals to acclimate to the new lighting first, as to avoid bleaching. While the LEDs are lower wattage, they seem way brighter then the 2 x 175 MHs at the edges.

I think I'll take the suggestion JAR and aqua-nut posted as well.

Thanks for landing on my journal page and posting back too.

You're quite welcome. I look forward to the adjustments that you make on your LED fixtures. Hopefully it'll resolve your lighting issues.

 

[Apon]

Hey Joel, I ordered 2 of the fixtures too, but I haven't got them yet. My 120 is only 4ft long so maybe it will ok...if not I have a 25gallon nano that it will be perfect for someday.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Hey Joel, I ordered 2 of the fixtures too, but I haven't got them yet. My 120 is only 4ft long so maybe it will ok...if not I have a 25gallon nano that it will be perfect for someday.

It seemed like I was waiting a while until I rec'd an email saying Lindsey lives in the area and can drop them off.... I think on a four foot tank there's going to be terrific coverage. Tomorrow, I'm going to spend a little time dialing the location in a bit more to the center. I have to allow space for the luna lights, as I think the luna lights are in a good spot (covers the reef just about end to end).

Rapid said they were shipping out units Friday, so fm SSF, you'll have them really soon.

Looking forward to your comments: Rapid indicates 18k, but I think they seem a little pinker then blue. That Oslon 660mm Red & the Cree XP-E Green really shines through.

Good seeing you and hearing from you.

 

[Reef Keeper]

Okay: Just adjusted the led light fixtures this morning. New before and after photos below (unaltered).

2 x 175w Ushio 20k Mhs 1/25/13

Rapid LED Onyx Before Adjusting 1/26/13

Rapid LED Onyx After Adjusting. 1/28/13

Thanks to Vince at RapidLED for the excellent customer support. They know how to deliver. I think I'm getting closer to getting the LEDs dialed in. Lots of light (sps country up top) and glare though (imo, it's going to take me a while to get use to these, as colors seem washed out. Thank you to all the fellow reefers that make reefing so much fun too - lmkwyt.

I'm figuring if these lights burn 100,000 (?) hours that's apx 11.5 years, amortized = apx $43 p/y as oppose to $250 p/y for bulbs. I think I can get use to that kind of savings. Funny to see this in print, but I'm looking forward to seeing my next electric bill. Chiller has only been kicking in 3 or for times a day vs 3 to four times per hour. $)