34g Sonala Build
Printed From: Utah Reefs
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Forum Name: Tank Threads
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=56236
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Topic: 34g Sonala Build
Posted By: JustinK
Subject: 34g Sonala Build
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 2:52am
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Im setting up my first SW tank its a 34g Sonala and I just want to do it right the first time. Just order a bunch of upgrades from Mediabaskets.com OUCH but all the reviews are good.
JBJ Nano-Glo Led Fuge Light $59.98
Standard Upgraded Cup Tunze 9002 $26.99
Chemi-Pure Elite 11.74 oz Bag $13.99
Tunze 9002 Skimmer - LOOSE MAGNET $157.99
Hydor Koralia 750 $41.99
Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200 Powerhead/Pump $29.99
Solana 34 Package Deal Meadia basket $62.98
I still have a couple Questions on what i should do.
First it come with this ugly disco ball MH and was wanting to change that as well should i go with the LED(and what LED's for a 20" tank)or The Nova Extreme Pro 6 Lamp T5HO?
Next i understand That the auto Top off on these are Garbage should i take it out, use it, or leave it in and not worrie about it. And any other advise for im a newbie!!!!
Thanks in advance
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Replies:
Posted By: CCFMIG
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 4:21pm
| Personally i like LED's but its really up to you. one of the things I like is NOT replacing bulbs. also they are extremely powerful and make your corals pop really well. |
Posted By: JustinK
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 6:23pm
| So when you switched to LEDs you did notice any slower/Fast Growth on LPS or SPS corals? I really like the concept but i just read its not a good main lighting sorce but LED's have came a long way in the last couple of years. |
Posted By: CCFMIG
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 6:28pm
| My last tank exploded with growth. I stand by them 110% I had SPS, LPS a little of everything. |
Posted By: Fishfinder07
Date Posted: May 07 2012 at 8:31pm
| I have a Aqua illuminations SOL LED fixture over my 34 gal solana and love it! I have owned quite a few smaller tanks and really like this one if u have any questions or anything I can help with let me know. |
Posted By: Fishfinder07
Date Posted: May 07 2012 at 8:34pm
| The auto top off is terrible and not really functional it doesn't last long and makes a loud gurgling noise when in use, I stopped using it after a day or so and just keep an eye on my water levels. |
Posted By: JustinK
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 12:44am
What one did you get and does anybody sell them locally? |
Fishfinder07 wrote:Posted By: McClure
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 12:50am
I am not on the LED bandwagon. I feel like it's not been researched/tested enough. Like everything though.....Some people have success with something that the next person won't. I've never used them as a main source of lighting so I guess I have nothing productive to share.  Actually, our daughter has a super small like maybe 5 gallon tank that came with LED.... hers is the least successful tank in the house. It honestly probably has way more to do with water volume than lights though. |
Posted By: Akira
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 1:54am
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Best advice I can give.........after lots of research and looking at tons of diy leds. ols school led is white and blue , Ive seen some amazing stuff from them and almost went that way when i started. Not to put em down but some the new stuff with reds and purples incorporated seem to be better , I'm no expert but from what i see and read you get what u pay for !!!! in a few months hoping to make the leap to leds and my choice will be the radions . yes cost a ton but why do it 2 times if I can spend a few extra pennies until the next latest and greatest comes out ?
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Posted By: Fishfinder07
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 6:49am
| I got the AI SOL Blue fixture. It has a mix of white, blue and royal LED's. Aquatic Dreams in clearfield has them in stock and their customer service is amazing if u ever have any problems or questions. |
Posted By: Rex
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 2:48pm
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I have the 34 gallon Solana with mostly sps. I use the disco ball that it came with and love it. I have also added a Tunze ATO which is the best money I have ever spent in this hobby. ------------- http://zip-zero.com/wmas/imageUpload.php |
Posted By: rufessor
Date Posted: May 08 2012 at 4:46pm
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LED is absolutely a proven technology, impossible to argue against it even with experience to the contrary. Sounds stupid to say this, but the simple irrefutable fact is there are thousands of reef tanks running full LED lighting in an almost unimaginable number of color configurations and most all of them are still on the tank and getting great growth. YES people as individuals have had issues, but the VAST majority LOVE them. The majority of issues are in the DIY setting which is impossible to trouble shoot case to case as they are all different. Yes, early commercial fixtures might have been well... early essentially DIY fixtures from a company and results were spotty. Its come a LONG way in the last 3 years. Try it. You will almost certainly like it. People who have tried and had issues likely complain about spotting, hot and cold spots (i.e. difficult to place corals) or poor color. Typical problems are with design- Lens angle is CRUCIAL- if you mount a fixture 6 inches off the water with 30 degree lenses your going to NUKE the bottom and have almost no light but for extremely intense light cones coming down from the top and getting wider as you go. This will lead to serious issues with coral bleaching depending on if its in a cone or not- as well as serious color blend issues. Color mixing, same issue, pick a fixture height and lens angle that will fill the top of the tank with light that then naturally fills down through the water column and is attenuated as you would expect. Then-mount the LEDs as close as your willing (with adequate cooling) and colors will blend. Color rendition- Still kinda out there, everyone has a different look they like. This is NOT a growth issue. Its a my favorite color is blue and yours is purple blue and someone else loves red issue. Best bet is to LOOK at tanks with different fixtures- as many as possible. Then either buy the look you like, or build one based upon what you found and liked. I have heard from people who live where they can snorkel and also keep tanks, and the consensus opinion is that nothing looks as brightly colored in the ocean! Our tanks do an AMAZING job at turning nature into a technicolor dream world that is very far from nature as you observe it in the ocean. ANY light source commonly used will work. I use Royal blues, Neutral white, "UV" and very very few blue/cyan. As an FYI... the "UV" leds have NO UV in them, they are simply super low wave length VISIBLE light, like a faint purple. YES it hurts your eyes to look into them (not recommended) but they really are not producing true Ultra VIolet wavelengths which would be dangerous and painful. Some people argue you need more red.... well... the corals likely don't care in terms of growth since the ocean is probably deeper than 12-24 inches where they grow and water sucks up the red wavelengths pretty fast- but it does, some people claim make a difference in VISUAL perception of color. I have not tried reds. I have talked to a few people that have, so far (and its really only two people) they are pretty sure they would not order it with reds again... others like it. You will get great growth- I can guarantee this if your using an appropriately designed fixture- DIY means read, research, etc. COmmercial is more like, find someone with X brand and go look. If you want to see a DIY LED tank, your welcome to come check out my tank. Just PM. By the way, if I could EASILY add reds I would probably try it to see if I liked it... but I am in NO way interested in spending money for this, because I am perfectly happy with my color now. Maybe tomorrow I will see a tank with reds that is really really MUCH better (in MY perception of color) and go buy some... but so far its all about what you like to look at- not growth. Were past that argument, LEDS grow coral JUST fine, so do T5, Halide, PC (if you have enough). I look at it this way, there are A LOT of different types of Halide bulbs in terms of color temp. THEY all grow coral- they do look different. Same with LED but probably 500 different possible combos if you DIY it. I WISH in some ways it was easier to say get XX but that fact is all those halide bulbs are still around and different people SWEAR by their favorite- so this is not ever going to change regardless of LED/T5/Halide/The next great thing. ------------- Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E. 57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral! |