Broadfield's Red Sea Reefer 450 Build - OCD Inspired... Going Back To a Reef

[reefwiser]

What I do is run the MH for 8 hours and then the t5 's before and after a few hours. That way you have a growth time with the MH and then the color time with just the t5's

 

[GoVols]

I'm going with the Luxcore 250/400 selectable ballasts.... and will run 250s for now. I'm thinking 14k bulbs with Giesemann Super Actinic T5s. I have all of the Giesemann bulbs on hand though, so I can play around with different combos. Even running 250s, it's going to be a substantial jump over the amount of PAR I'm running currently. So I'm pretty sure I'll need to raise the fixture up from where I have it now. I'm guessing I'll have to really drop the hours that I run the new setup compared to the Aurora.

Your going the right the right way with the 250's at 14k. You'll get better growth with the 14k than a 20k and your T5's will fill in the blues for your viewing pleasure. I'd be scared to push 400's from the start too.

Thanks for your time and I'll be tagging along with you on your wonderful build thread

 

[Rory's Reef]

I'm going with the Luxcore 250/400 selectable ballasts.... and will run 250s for now. I'm thinking 14k bulbs with Giesemann Super Actinic T5s. I have all of the Giesemann bulbs on hand though, so I can play around with different combos. Even running 250s, it's going to be a substantial jump over the amount of PAR I'm running currently. So I'm pretty sure I'll need to raise the fixture up from where I have it now. I'm guessing I'll have to really drop the hours that I run the new setup compared to the Aurora.

Man, I've been rolling around the idea of switching to this exact light myself. I've only held off cause I'm not to keen on the amount of heat that they would give of compared to my current light. I'm curious to see what your PAR readings are with the switch if you're able to post that. I'm also looking forward to you're overall opinion of it after you've tested it for awhile . I feel like that T5/MH combo will give you some amazing growth for sure.

 

[txreefer]

You are going to love that fixture. I have ran it on past tanks and you just can't beat mh/t5 combo great color and growth. I actually just orderd the 24" for my build I was going to go all led with this build but I'm from the days when we all were jealous of the guys who did have MH. Something about halides that you just don't get with other lighting sources.

 

[Broadfield]

Your going the right the right way with the 250's at 14k. You'll get better growth with the 14k than a 20k and your T5's will fill in the blues for your viewing pleasure. I'd be scared to push 400's from the start too.

Thanks for your time and I'll be tagging along with you on your wonderful build thread

Man, I've been rolling around the idea of switching to this exact light myself. I've only held off cause I'm not to keen on the amount of heat that they would give of compared to my current light. I'm curious to see what your PAR readings are with the switch if you're able to post that. I'm also looking forward to you're overall opinion of it after you've tested it for awhile . I feel like that T5/MH combo will give you some amazing growth for sure.

You are going to love that fixture. I have ran it on past tanks and you just can't beat mh/t5 combo great color and growth. I actually just orderd the 24" for my build I was going to go all led with this build but I'm from the days when we all were jealous of the guys who did have MH. Something about halides that you just don't get with other lighting sources.

Honestly, I'm not even really doing it for the growth... I was getting really good growth with my current fixture. However, I just love the look of a MH setup... the shimmer, coverage etc. And I think the addition of the T5's will give me even more control over spectrum and what looks good to me eyes. I just want to be clear, I am really happy with my current fixture. But there is just a "natural look" missing that the metal halides provide. If I get even more growth, then great!

 

[txreefer]

that's what I was trying to say haha. There's just something extra with the look of metal halide that other fixtures don't provide. Also the brightness of the tank to the eye looks better in my opinion.

 

[Rory's Reef]

Honestly, I'm not even really doing it for the growth... I was getting really good growth with my current fixture. However, I just love the look of a MH setup... the shimmer, coverage etc. And I think the addition of the T5's will give me even more control over spectrum and what looks good to me eyes. I just want to be clear, I am really happy with my current fixture. But there is just a "natural look" missing that the metal halides provide. If I get even more growth, then great!

I completely understand that. That's my biggest disappointment with LEDs is that loss of the 'natural look' and the disco ball effect. I am happy with the amount that the T5s are able to help with that, but I think that T5/MH combo would really give the look I would like. Now, finding the right light combo to get the look I want is a whole other story lol.

 

[ShanH]

I'm going with the Luxcore 250/400 selectable ballasts.... and will run 250s for now. I'm thinking 14k bulbs with Giesemann Super Actinic T5s. I have all of the Giesemann bulbs on hand though, so I can play around with different combos. Even running 250s, it's going to be a substantial jump over the amount of PAR I'm running currently. So I'm pretty sure I'll need to raise the fixture up from where I have it now. I'm guessing I'll have to really drop the hours that I run the new setup compared to the Aurora.

Hey.. if you're getting a 250w spectra.. can it be switched to 400w if the ballast allows?

 

[aabjones888]

I love my halides and everything about them. Good luck switching back to them. When's the switch happening?

 

[monkiboy]

Hey.. if you're getting a 250w spectra.. can it be switched to 400w if the ballast allows?

the spectra is a SE fixture that can be run either way with the matching ballast and bulb. the spectra isn't ordered as a 250 or 400w fixture.

I've run a few of them and they are awesome fixtures for sure. thanks for sharing the updates on your thread. you'll like the spectra but may find you miss the punch of LEDs for optimal fluorescence. I add reef brite XHOs to a couple spectras and can't think of anything better.

 

[Midrats]

Too bad Giesemann doesn't sell the Nova anymore. I regretfully sold mine after 15 years of solid service. It worked and looked like new! It would've been perfect for my Nano. There really aren't any nice looking compact single-bulb pendants available anymore.

 

[Broadfield]

Hey.. if you're getting a 250w spectra.. can it be switched to 400w if the ballast allows?

As monkiboy stated, the Spectra will run whatever I toss on there. I ordered the Luxcore switchable 250/400 ballasts. So if I ever need more PAR, I can simply toss some 400w bulbs in there.

 

[revhtree]

IMG_4804 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Awesome shot for real!

 

[jsbull]

Next you will be selling your entire setup to your buddy and starting over with a 500 gallon! haha

It's funny you say that. My parents are building a new house and want a 500 gallon. I'm in charge, and psyched.

Now, how to budget @Broadfield to fly out to do the tidy work and make it look amazing...

 

[Jason mack]

Current state of tank:

IMG_4278 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7088 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7158 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr



I am absolutely no stranger to posting build threads on a forum, just not of a reef tank... it's always been of vehicles. So this is my first!

I started with my first reef setup a couple years ago with an Innovative Marine 30 gallon Fusion. Great all-in-one tank, but I decided I wanted something bigger and with separate sump etc. When I saw that Red Sea was going to be releasing their new Reefer series, I started saving my money. I received it about 4 weeks ago and have already got most of it up and running... here's what I got going on so far.

**First off, I want to thank my wife! She agreed that it would be a good idea to convert our dining room into a reef viewing room.**

Ran home from work to meet the freight driver and we put it in the garage. I did a quick visual inspection before I went back to work.

IMG_3820 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_3819 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

After work I did a quick leak test and all was good. I then proceeded to assemble the stand.

IMG_3825 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

I have (3) Hydra 52's going over it, so I got the rails all mounted before I shoved the stand up against wall.

IMG_3826 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Had my neighbor pop over and help me heft this thing onto the stand. I will say that 5/8" glass isn't light. I quickly started toying with scape ideas:

IMG_3899 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

This is one of my helpers:

IMG_3887 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Here is what I came up with on the scape... got it all cemented together so nothing budges. Also filled the tank with salt water and sand. There's plenty of clearance all around the rock for flow, cleaning of the back glass and swimming lanes for larger fish.

IMG_3937 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Our viewing chairs arrived to help finish off the room. We still need to get a different light fixture for the room, but that's the least of my concerns at the moment.

IMG_3978 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Next up, basement plumbing for salt water mixing, water changing etc!

Wow !

 

[johnnyk731]

I swapped out my (3) Hydra 52's for (5) Primes. I'm sure some might think I'm crazy, but I'll explain why I did it. First off, I have had Hydra 52's on a couple of different tanks and have never been happy with the spectrum. I could never get the crisp white/blue color like that of a Kessil. So I walk into MACNA this year and the first thing I see is the Aqua Illumination booth. There sits an Innovative Marine tank with a couple of Primes over it. I'm instantly drawn to it because of the light spectrum. I immediately ask one of the AI guys if they mind giving me the color percentages they are using so I can get the same look on my 52's. He says "NO"! As I'm thinking in my head, "what a ****", he instantly follows up with: "no, because the 52's cannot duplicate this spectrum." I obviously assumed the Primes used the same pucks as the 52's and 26's... but I was wrong. The Primes use Cree Blues in place of the Cree Royal Blues found on the 26/52. So my very next question was about the PAR levels of the Primes and if they would be enough on my tank. He said that they absolutely would be enough for a Reefer 450. He claimed they have them on plenty of tanks at the office with same depth and have great growth from SPS that are midway to high in the tank... which is exactly what I want since I'm doing LPS and softies also. So I pulled the trigger and sold all of my 52's, mounts etc and purchased the Primes... even made some money in the whole deal.

So got them on about a couple weeks ago and am very happy that I took the chance on them. My PAR fears were eliminated once I pulled the PAR meter out. I'm at 500 PAR at 6" below the water line and around 60-75 on the substrate. That's even with the lights sitting as high as they can on the AI brackets. I also don't get any spill, front-to-back, like I did with the 52's. On top of that, I really like the look of 5 much smaller fixtures.

I just got my Neptune WAV kit put in last night... I'll be posting up info about that soon. First impressions: WOW!

A tad bit of modification to the Reefer overflow cover:

I put my new light fixture up also

What is the lock line you used to create the dual return in picture one?

 

[pelphrey]

What is the lock line you used to create the dual return in picture one?

@johnnyk731

http://reef2reef.com/threads/show-off-and-discuss-your-red-sea-reefer-series.219309/

 

[johnnyk731]

@johnnyk731

http://reef2reef.com/threads/show-off-and-discuss-your-red-sea-reefer-series.219309/

Outstanding

 

[Reefer525XL]

What did you use to attach the power supplies? Velcro?

 

[GoVols]

that's what I was trying to say haha. There's just something extra with the look of metal halide that other fixtures don't provide. Also the brightness of the tank to the eye looks better in my opinion.

+1