Lighting system doubled on the Mini75, add acropora

[brandon4291]

This lighting is a little hotter but worth the extra lumens. I doubled the system to 26 watts pc (actinic/daylight) over this 1/3 gallon tank. A fan is a must, the small 6 inch desktops work fine...

 

[brandon4291]

I decided to rework the lighting to accomodate some new acropora I was given by fellow reef aquarist Craig Lampe. His specimens were healthy, and I figured my lighting system needed to be twice what it was to continue that status.

 

[brandon4291]

The acropora aren't quite holding the colors they had in their previous tank, they were under an Iwasaki MH system and used to very bright light. Under the strong pc's they prefer orange/brown coloration but they are definately base plating and full of healthy polyps...

 

[brandon4291]

This was a funny picture of the Mini75, a neat way to show its fluid capacity. the system was drained at a water change, into three styrofoam cups.

 

[brandon4291]

This pic shows some pink montipora frags that were glued in with SG and are waiting to be covered in tissue, in about three months.

 

[brandon4291]

LPS and SPS corals are happy in these aquaria, that is until they grow up against the sides of the tank and are restricted. Obviously I prune them out before then, and as long as they are increasing polyps and sustaining the ones they have I consider them happy.
Take the caulastrea right in the middle of this small reef. I got it as a freebie frag because the LFS thought it was too far gone. In a few months it has regrown both polyps fully, and is laying down new calcium structure at the base of each head. The smaller polyp was the first to split and gain an extra mouth. As the specimen grows slowly, its easy to tell the new base--the new part is a different color than the older skeleton as it has become encrusted. Corals won't extend polyps and undergo asexual reproduction in a system that restricts any of the vital pathways (oxygen, nutrient balance, circulation, temp, waste control)

This caulastrea frag was removed from the femtoreef and placed in the Mini75, right in the center. its the two-headed frag in the above post...

 

[shalegac]

where did you get your mini lights? How much? Thanks,
Shaun

 

[brandon4291]

Hi Shaun,

These fantastic lights are called Azoo galaxy lights. can be bought at

www.aquaticeco.com for about 18 dollars. I like them chiefly because they use a wall-wart for a remote ballast (small and away from tank) making the bulbs the only source of heat over the tank. They also use standard two pin 13w pc bulbs which you can buy in actinic/daylight combos... they are my favorite to date.

I have been buying the combo bulbs from petmeister.com, they are a good store--good shipping practices.

b429

 

[shalegac]

Thanks Brandon I apriciate it.
Shaun