my 46 Gallon

[Mik_101]

Today i got abou 30-35 pounds of fiji live rock from Tropical Paradise(a canreef member) he gave me a unbalivablt deal i got the LR for $40 and plus it nisly incrusted with pink and purple coralline algea exepth ther was a bit of buble alge wihch i picked of ther are also some sps coral and 1 softi and ther were abou 5 britle star.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture046.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture045.jpg

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture044.jpg



I also made up my light schedual

7:00 am actinics on
8:00 am Left metal halide on
8:30 an Right metal halide on
9:00 am actinics off
9:00 pm actinics on
9:30 pm Right metal halide off
10:00 pm Left metal halide off
10:30 pm actinics off



Would it be a good idea to get LED moon lights??

[michika]

Looks good so far. I like the looks of the last photo!

Yes I would recommend you raise your salinity, albeit very slowly, to around 1.025.

Can I ask why you've chosen such a short photoperiod for your MHs?

You may want to google info on Purple up. While I personally haven't used it myself, I've read a bunch of back and forth opinions on it.

[reptile guy]

14 hours doesn't seem like a short photo period to me more the opposite though not sure why you have the left on for 14 hours and the right on for 13 ?

[Mik_101]

Originally Posted by reptile guy

14 hours doesn't seem like a short photo period to me more the opposite though not sure why you have the left on for 14 hours and the right on for 13 ?

So it kind of like sunraise sun set idea

[NateL]

That is quite a long photo period. Maybe switch the left one off first so the they are on the same amount of time. BTW the sun doesnt rise and set on the same side. Looking good and it is coming together nicely.

[Mik_101]

Thanks guys hears my "new" photo period


7:00 am actinics on
8:00 am left metal halide on
8:30 an Right metal halide on
9:00 am actinics off
9:00 pm actinics on
9:30 pm Left metal halide off
10:00 pm Right metal halide off
10:30 pm actinics off

[reptile guy]

? all you did was change left and right but still one side is on for an hour longer and both on for a long time

[michika]

Your plan seems sound for lighting. Is your tank near a window? What do you plan to keep with that lighting? SPS, LPS, softies, or mixed system? You may have to cut your photo period down temporarily in the near future if you develop an algae outbreak. Otherwise I don't see why you should run it for so long. I run mine for around the same time.

As for your earlier question about your ballast ontop of your canopy, you could try tie wraping your cords together to clean it up a bit. Do you have other placement options for your ballast?

How about another full system shot? I see in your lighting photos that you have a sump and skimmer under your tank.

[Mik_101]

Hi everyone.
Yes my tank is near a window but sunlight never realy strikes the tank at all. Also applyina a back groun any ideas on what colour backgroun I should apply.

Im goning to have a mixed system a bit of everything and also some fake corals that look like acroporas the are acctuly a copy of acroporas. But yes im going to have mainly real corals. Planin on geting10-15 sps 10-15 lps andaround 10 soft coral.Im not very crazy about softeis but I do gota edmit ther are defenetly some nice ones.

Yes im cuting my phot period down a bit during cycleing but i might go back to my old one or stay with this one.
6:30 AM- actinics on
7:00 AM- 175 watt left halide on
9:00 AM- -175 watt right watt halides on
9:30 AM- actinics off
5:30 PM- actinics on
6:00 PM- 175 watt left halide off
7:00 PM- 175 watt right halide off
8:00 PM- actinics off



Yes I will tie up the wires to clean it up a bit (thanks Cathrine) and build a box on top of my canopy for the ballasts.

No i dont realy have any other placement optens because the dresser is going to be relocated soon.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture050.jpg <---- that is a full system shot with the halides on

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture049.jpg <full system shot with actinics on


http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture051.jpg <left side of the sump


http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/a...Picture052.jpg <--- right side of the sump



Sorrey that i couldent get a better picture of the sump because A- their is a bar running down the middle of the stand and B- I couldent back up because ther was a couch ther.

[Mik_101]

Do you guys think i could get away with adding two or three blue green reef chromis because the LR is about 5 years ol ther is about 25 pounds?