450 Install - Back on Track

[islandreef]

Tell us a bit about your ballast, bulbs you used and as glxtrix said your reflector.

 

[jef4y]

Wow... this is going to be awesome. What are your plans for stocking?

 

[cshoneyman]

glxtrix;832960 wrote: That will depend on the ballast, bulb and most important, the reflector. I use 175's on my 140...granted it's only 24" deep...but I can grow whatever I want. At the bottom, my PAR is 250. Top I have anywhere from 500-750 depending on placement.

My ballast are a combination of Icecaps and Hamilton Technologies. Not all of my Hamilton Technologies are electronic ballast so I have to stick with a probe start bulb to begin with.

I am using Lumenarc minis for my reflectors but I am open to replacing them as I progress

For bulbs I plan to run a 20,000K XM bulb to start.

For upgrading my non electronic ballast I am considering the Lumatek that can swing from 250 watts to 400 watts. Any one had any experience with them?

Edit:

JeF4y;832982 wrote: Wow... this is going to be awesome. What are your plans for stocking?

I am a big fan of tangs so that was the driving force behind the 8 foot tank.

The wife likes smaller fish so I can see some of the smaller wrasses and anthias being added as well as a couple pair of clowns.

One thing that I do want to have is a flame bubble tip anemone and that lead to the closed loop system so that there will not be any powerheads in the tank to turn them into mince meat.

 

[cshoneyman]

Ok I have gotten this thing moving. Today was spent clearing out the 75 gallon that was installed in the wall and preparing for the installation of the 450. Sheet rock is down and most of the demo clean up complete.

Hope to set the stand tomorrow in its location so that I can start to prepare for the framing that will need to be done.

The black tarp hides the entrance to the living room where the 75 once was.
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[cshoneyman]

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">This weekend has seen some progress.</span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">The stand made it in place Friday and took 4 of us to navigate the house to get it in place with the wife figuring out the puzzle to get it to pass through the doors.</span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Saturday I spent the morning with 2 others full time and 2 part-time (wife and daughter supervisors) to place this beast on its stand. I felt a lot better once the tank was on top of its stand.</span></span>


<span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: 13px">Tomorrow I will be placing piping in the walls and putting up water resistant sheetrock.</span></span>
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[rdnelson]

Man that is going to be sweet.

 

[cshoneyman]

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Well another weekend has come and gone and I thought I would post the progress made.</span></span>
<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">The stand and tank are in the final position and I have started the closed loop piping.</span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">All goes well we will be ready for water testing in the main display and closed loop next week.:yay:</span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">While I have your attention I am thinking of going with LEDs on this system instead of the MH. I would plan to run 5 of either of the following units. The tank is 96x36x30, I plan to have a 3 inch sand bed and the top 1 inch is not filled so water depth should be around 26 inches. Long term plans are to keep a variety of SPS, LPS, and Zoas placed based on their lighting needs.</span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Opinions of the following lighting fixtures?</span></span>
<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Kessil a350 </span></span>
<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">AI Vega Color </span></span>
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