Nealio's 12G Nano-Reef Build (RIP)

yea i've tried some diy and cheap led solutions and they weren't the greatest, w/ the led either get the real deal or just wait. MH is definitely better than PC but in the long run may cost you more than just saving for the LED

 

Very true. But considering what I'm paying for the equipment, there is a very good chance I will be able to resell it for nearly 100% of what I payed for it. So I don't mind having this intermediate working step.

 

My MH has been purchased, and with any luck I will have it by Tuesday! At that point, I will probably make a temporary canopy so I can use it over my 12g until the 17 is ready. I'm looking forward to actually having decent lighting for once!

 

Can't wait to see the upgrade.

 

Lighting upgrade should be getting here either tomorrow or Wednesday, and of course pictures will follow. All depends on when USPS decides to bring it by the house.

The tank should be getting picked up this weekend, and then all I have to do is pick what sand (white or black) I want to run and start putting it all together.

 

are you worried about heat at all? i got away with running halide on my 55 w/o a chiller cause it was in a basement and was pretty cold down there plus i added fans. but with such little water volume i'd be worried about cooking ur tank.

 

I am worried to some extent. I haven't run a halide before, but I know how hot they can be.

But at the same time, my current lights are already really friggin' hot. Also, it's only a 70w halide that's going to be mounted in a ventilated canopy so that should offset some of the heat generated. Finally, once I do upgrade to the 17g, I will also be adding a 10g sump so my water volume will be up around 25 gallons to help disperse that heat, as well possibly house a sump fan to help cool it off.

 

Success!! I finally got the halide ballast and bulb today in the mail. All it took was a quick trip to ACE Hardware for 6' of 16/3 water resistant wire and an outdoor water resistant grounded plug. The bulb is a Current 14000k bulb that looks amazing, as does the shimmer effect that it has. Now I need to figure out if I really want to build a hood after, or run it as a pendant.

 

Current USA 14000k 70 Watt DE bulb.


Brinks bronze 300w flood light. ($11 from Wal-Mart)


Sunpark Electronic Ballast


First test fire was a success.

And a couple pictures of the new light attached to my ghetto-ass test rig.

 

looks nice man!! is there a shield on that bulb?