Need opinions on upgrade path

[redstang]

DawgFace;673309 wrote: Yes but the overall question whether intentionallty or purposepully asked was for SPS. As the monti and LPS don't need a mp10 whatsoever. My point is upgrade what is needed and upgraded lighting is needed for SPS. Plus it has added benifits of less energy consumption as well as reduced heat. IMO ecotech is far more pleasing to the owner than the coral. Cheaper PH correctly positioned is all you ever need.

For the record I am a owner of ecotech and love them. However I still remain firm thatproper lighting is far more important than the type of ph pushing the flow.

Yeah, the heat concern is what initially leaned me towards the lighting. I know there are other ways to cool the tank down but if I can do it without having to leave an access door open. SPS is a ways down the road though. I plan on adding corals slowly as I don't want to waste the little space I have on items I'm not likely to keep. I'll probably give the mint paly's away or trade for something else as some "split/travelled/floated" away from the main group and I glued those to a frag.

Different paly's can coexist right? I've seen different zoo's intermingled and thought they looked cool. I could do a play rock and zoo rock.

Anyway, I digress. Thanks for the opinions! It's nice to have options!

 

[redstang]

db366;673326 wrote: WOW, I will be getting that Retro kit as well.. that is a killer deal. I just put a ATO on my BC29 last week. LOVE IT. I got mine from a fellow reefer but it is this exact one.. http://www.aquahub.com/store/product26.html">http://www.aquahub.com/store/product26.html</a>[/B]

Well worth it imo..

I am not sold yet on the vortechs on a small tank like a BC 29. I really don't like having to see wires hang on the side of the tank, or anywhere for that matter in plan view. I was thinking of getting a mag 5 or something along those lines, dropping it into the second chamber and plumbing in a SQWD. That might be something else to look into instead of a single mp10.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, the retro kit is a like a prayer answered for BC29 owners.

I have the apex jr so using it for an ATO is more expensive but still worth it IMO. Just trying to decide if I want to measure conductivity to pH the most. Then I'll attach the breakout box to whichever PM module I get and hook it all up. I'll be getting an EB8 at some point too. Crazy but the controller will end up costing 2-3 times everything else I've bought for the tank. I love technology though.

I think it's inevitable that the MP10 is in my future. I've bought into the hype and the ability to do things with it through the WXM module intrigue me. I may never do it, but I can if I want to :D. What I really like about it is it removes the heat from the tank. Wires outside vs inside don't really matter to me but reducing generated heat does. The MP10 should stick out less though which will be a bonus.

Good luck with your BC! We're loving ours so far.

 

[dawgface]

RedStang;673328 wrote: Yeah, the heat concern is what initially leaned me towards the lighting. I know there are other ways to cool the tank down but if I can do it without having to leave an access door open. SPS is a ways down the road though. I plan on adding corals slowly as I don't want to waste the little space I have on items I'm not likely to keep. I'll probably give the mint paly's away or trade for something else as some "split/travelled/floated" away from the main group and I glued those to a frag.

Different paly's can coexist right? I've seen different zoo's intermingled and thought they looked cool. I could do a play rock and zoo rock.

Anyway, I digress. Thanks for the opinions! It's nice to have options!

Yes they absolutely coexist. Like you said above, keep the palys from the zoas for no other reason than the palys tend to strangle out zoas.

 

[redstang]

DawgFace;673348 wrote: Yes they absolutely coexist. Like you said above, keep the palys from the zoas for no other reason than the palys tend to strangle out zoas.

Perfect. Looking forward to a play rock and zoa rock then.

 

[redstang]

Ok, I'm very close to pulling the trigger on rapidled's BC retrofit kit. 20 LED's. Should I go 10 each of CW and RB or 12RB to 8CW? I'm leaning 12RB to 8CW.

MP10 might be coming in a month or two. Need to sell some wheels.

 

[seth the wine guy]

RedStang;673880 wrote: Ok, I'm very close to pulling the trigger on rapidled's BC retrofit kit. 20 LED's. Should I go 10 each of CW and RB or 12RB to 8CW? I'm leaning 12RB to 8CW.

Depends on the lighting spectrum to prefer to view. Closer to 10k or 20k? I can tell you I have 1 blue and 1 RB to every 1 white. When I run both blue and white at 100% it has a look somewhere between 10-14k. I prefer something closer to a 20k so I run my whites at around 75% and my blues at 100% to get this.

 

[coolsurf]

I'd invite you over to see mine but being a DIY with different LED's, you may not get the same effect from a prebuilt so coloration would appear different. I am running 1:1.

 

[dawgface]

Whites tend to flush blue out alot more. So if your looking for more color, blueish tine than I would go as close to 2:1 as possible. 1:1 is going to represent closer to 10-14k imo.

 

[redstang]

Well, ended up going with a brand new MP10es for $190. I can add the wireless module and the WXM at a later date. LED's are up next I guess. Basically came down to getting a deal on the MP10. At least I think it was a deal :dunno:?

Edit:

coolsurf;674054 wrote: I'd invite you over to see mine but being a DIY with different LED's, you may not get the same effect from a prebuilt so coloration would appear different. I am running 1:1.

May still take you up on that sometime!

 

[seth the wine guy]

RedStang;675735 wrote: I can add the wireless module and the WXM at a later date.

Unless you are just looking to throw cash into a camp fire I don't think you should even consider a WXM. Unless you're a pure gadget geek (I admit I am) it's not worth the money. Especially for your application.

 

[crew]

I just built my LED light for my BC29, you could copy my set up

Total Cost was $300, less if you have a reef controller.

 

[redstang]

Seth The Wine Guy;675750 wrote: Unless you are just looking to throw cash into a camp fire I don't think you should even consider a WXM. Unless you're a pure gadget geek (I admit I am) it's not worth the money. Especially for your application.

I am a gadget guy. I mean even a controller is probably a little overkill for a nano. It's only another $110 or so. Not much in the grand scheme of things.

Crew;675757 wrote: I just built my LED light for my BC29, you could copy my set up

Total Cost was $300, less if you have a reef controller.

I'll probably go full DIY or the rapidled BC29 kit. I really like the rapiled kit though and the kit plus VDM for the apex is only $325.

 

[crew]

That's how mine is, full DIY. The RB LED's put every actinic I have ever seen in my life to shame.

 

[redstang]

Crew;675794 wrote: That's how mine is, full DIY. The RB LED's put every actinic I have ever seen in my life to shame.

Yeah, I'm liking the blue look more and more!