Steve's 180 of Madness

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

crusso1993 said:
Oh, one more thing, if you ever have the itch or inkling to separate with any of your MH equipment please contact me FIRST!

Will do. I have been looking at some of the new fixtures and they look pretty good, plus not to bad on price. What worries me is the bulbs. I need to start buying bulbs when I see them. I have a felling when I move to FL, the tank there will be MH. At least that is the plan. I am not to worried about the heat, as I have ways to mitigate that.

If my house was not cat 5 rated and built by someone who "thought the end was near" I would do a skylight for the tank. Looked into it and it would be a massive undertaking to do that and not worth the money.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Any reason you wouldn't want to go with newer MH equipment? Is it one of those things that were built like tanks before and lacks quality now?

My local hydro shop has dozens of different styles. I don't know mh from add.

I would only go new fixtures if it was me. Seems like the older ballasts are built better, work better and just work. Not saying that the new ones do not work great, but something about those old ones and how they can overdrive the bulbs is different lol.

crusso1993 · Feb 9, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
That is why I also print things lol. I do not trust any of it.

Funny you say that as I had binders of printed lists too. After my divorce, I built another machine for myself. I put 3 - 2TB hard drives in it which were bleeding edge at the time. I also set it up to run dual monitors which was really unheard of back then.

Petcrazyson · Feb 9, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
This is the most current from 01/07/2023

Will snag a fresh one when lights ramp up and my phone doesn't need a filter.

Woah that thing is huge! What’s the big elegance like torch coral on the middle left

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

Petcrazyson said:
Woah that thing is huge! What’s the big elegance like torch coral on the middle left

That is a 24 year old LTA and a 3 year old LTA. Left is 24 and right is 3. For reference, that clown is almost 5" lol

crusso1993 · Feb 9, 2023

Lost in the Sauce said:
Any reason you wouldn't want to go with newer MH equipment? Is it one of those things that were built like tanks before and lacks quality now?

My local hydro shop has dozens of different styles. I don't know mh from add.

I agree, the newer equipment is pretty good. It seems ReefBrite (Tulio) makes and sells good equipment. But, I don’t know, I don’t think any modern day reflectors compete with the old Lumenarcs and/or LumenBrites. Plus, a Radium needs a magnetic ballast to run to true spec. Yes, I realize some of the electronic ones have a “super” setting on them but am not sure if I’d trust them. I don’t think MH with LED supplemented can be beat. Of course, I could be opening a big can of worms so I’ll add that this is simply my humble opinion.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

crusso1993 said:
I agree, the newer equipment is pretty good. It seems ReefBrite (Tulio) makes and sells good equipment. But, I don’t know, I don’t think any modern day reflectors compete with the old Lumenarcs and/or LumenBrites. Plus, a Radium needs a magnetic ballast to run to true spec. Yes, I realize some of the electronic ones have a “super” setting on them but am not sure if I’d trust them. I don’t think MH with LED supplemented can be beat. Of course, I could be opening a big can of worms so I’ll add that this is simply my humble opinion.

MH and LED is best of both worlds. I do like T5 and MH, but the LED mixed in doesn't mute the shimmer and depending on the LED can actually make it look just like when diving. As much as I have dove, that is what I aim for with light. I cannot do the whole windex look.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

OK, off topic of current convo, but noticed this when getting LTA pic.

This is my captive bred haddoni. in 2021 I found a baby from a massive spawn growing in my sump. I removed the little one and put it in a cup to grow out. I need to dig up some in between phots, but the first pic is Feb. 11 2021 and the second pic is Jan. 26th 2023. The haddoni next to the clam has had quite a life lol.

crusso1993 · Feb 9, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
MH and LED is best of both worlds. I do like T5 and MH, but the LED mixed in doesn't mute the shimmer and depending on the LED can actually make it look just like when diving. As much as I have dove, that is what I aim for with light. I cannot do the whole windex look.

I like T5 as well. Several years ago I garbage picked a couple of old Current T5s. One was a 6 lamp and the other 8 lamp. Had to take them apart and do some tinkering but got them running like new again. Used them over the FW planted I had.

crusso1993 · Feb 9, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
OK, off topic of current convo, but noticed this when getting LTA pic.

This is my captive bred haddoni. in 2021 I found a baby from a massive spawn growing in my sump. I removed the little one and put it in a cup to grow out. I need to dig up some in between phots, but the first pic is Feb. 11 2021 and the second pic is Jan. 26th 2023. The haddoni next to the clam has had quite a life lol.

Fantastic and I’ve used three “love” emoticons in your thread this morning. This is really saying something as I am very stingy with love.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 9, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
OK, off topic of current convo, but noticed this when getting LTA pic.

This is my captive bred haddoni. in 2021 I found a baby from a massive spawn growing in my sump. I removed the little one and put it in a cup to grow out. I need to dig up some in between phots, but the first pic is Feb. 11 2021 and the second pic is Jan. 26th 2023. The haddoni next to the clam has had quite a life lol.

Here is April of 2022 when it was still in the 7' nem tank and then October of 2022 when I moved it over to the 180.

Bottom right and hiding under Mertens. It was about the size of a large RFA at this time.

Bottom right and behind gorg. About the size of a teacup saucer.

Eagle_Steve · Feb 11, 2023

Not reef related, but yummy.

Got my limit and was on the water all day. Just got home lol.

Yak is night ready.

biggest crappie is 17”, smallest is 12”. 15 is limit where I was at.

Petcrazyson · Feb 11, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
yummy

Yak is night ready.

That looks like a skeleton man with his legs spread open.…

And you said yummy

Eagle_Steve · Feb 16, 2023

Who needs an algae scrubber, when you can just let it grow in the sump? I may clean it out today and I may not. It growing in the sump has stopped the algae growing in the DT of the 7' tank, so coralline is now starting to form on the rocks. Kind of funny though. Dinos have been gone for a little over a week. Only dealt with them for about a week and now tank is just cruising along. Thinking I may do one last clean off of the rocks in the DT and leave it be. If GHA grows, it grows. DO not need the rock space until I come from back from my next trip to FL.

Mangroves are growing like weeds now that the nutrient dosing is all set. All plants have new leave sprouts on them. Hoping the open in the next week and they stay on that schedule moving forward.

Ignore the skimmer muffler, I have not been running it, so who cares it is in the water lol.

Petcrazyson · Feb 16, 2023

Eagle_Steve said:
Who needs an algae scrubber, when you can just let it grow in the sump? I may clean it out today and I may not. It growing in the sump has stopped the algae growing in the DT of the 7' tank, so coralline is now starting to form on the rocks. Kind of funny though. Dinos have been gone for a little over a week. Only dealt with them for about a week and now tank is just cruising along. Thinking I may do one last clean off of the rocks in the DT and leave it be. If GHA grows, it grows. DO not need the rock space until I come from back from my next trip to FL.

Mangroves are growing like weeds now that the nutrient dosing is all set. All plants have new leave sprouts on them. Hoping the open in the next week and they stay on that schedule moving forward.

Ignore the skimmer muffler, I have not been running it, so who cares it is in the water lol.

Ok….so I’m not the only one with this in his sump….