That's me in my natural habitat. Now that I've been captured and tagged, they released me back into the wild 8)
I've now started to work on reducing things for better management for the client.
He only trims the tank maybe 1x every 1-2 months now.
It has 4000W of metal halide light, but we only use it about 2 hours per day and then only in a staggered manner, so there's not 4000W at any one time. The rest of the time there are low light FL's. I think the total watt use is about 20,000= about .12 x 20kW= 2.50 per day for electric cost.
If you factor the light, it's 2000 w/1200 gallon(400 gallon sump is not included here), about 1.6W/gal really and for only 10 hours.
So it's a low light tank by most standards.
If we ran the full MH's, then it's a 3.4w/gal range.
We also have screens for the each MH's, so we can reduce the intensity.
It would be best to use 8x 400 HQI with electronic ballast, but the client will not change the lighting now.
He's use to it and it works.
The pumps where also replaced early on, mostly due to noise, 2 iwaki MD 100's. He loves UV, I honestly have never been a big fan, 480 W worth............heater, 1000W titaniums, 4 Bag filters(pretty useful), large sump and fluidized bed filter(2 meters tall). For CO2, there are 2x 3/4" mazzei venturi valves. These add 30ppm CO2 in less than 40 minutes. Pretty good for a tank this size.
We have a refrigeration unit in the hood area, but it no longer comes on much, maybe 45-60 minutes to cool the MH after they have been on for 1 hour or so.
Energy wise, it could be improved some, but it's pretty good.
This same client has a 450 Gal tank I'll start work on later this month. The light is all FL and will be lower light than this tank.
We chose 4 large Ehiem filters instead for this tank, so the efficacy will be higher, lower input.
Mostly moss and Anubias again.
I am using Manzanita which is native, with every species occurring in CA naturally. Very nice wood to work with and it's all over here, a brush weed tree, and a fire hazard. I have some very nice pieces and have a nice plan for the "office" 450 Gal tank. It's 240 Cm long 80 Tall, 90 cm deep.
Nice size, less back ache than the above :bonk:
Regards,
Tom Barr
I've now started to work on reducing things for better management for the client.
He only trims the tank maybe 1x every 1-2 months now.
It has 4000W of metal halide light, but we only use it about 2 hours per day and then only in a staggered manner, so there's not 4000W at any one time. The rest of the time there are low light FL's. I think the total watt use is about 20,000= about .12 x 20kW= 2.50 per day for electric cost.
If you factor the light, it's 2000 w/1200 gallon(400 gallon sump is not included here), about 1.6W/gal really and for only 10 hours.
So it's a low light tank by most standards.
If we ran the full MH's, then it's a 3.4w/gal range.
We also have screens for the each MH's, so we can reduce the intensity.
It would be best to use 8x 400 HQI with electronic ballast, but the client will not change the lighting now.
He's use to it and it works.
The pumps where also replaced early on, mostly due to noise, 2 iwaki MD 100's. He loves UV, I honestly have never been a big fan, 480 W worth............heater, 1000W titaniums, 4 Bag filters(pretty useful), large sump and fluidized bed filter(2 meters tall). For CO2, there are 2x 3/4" mazzei venturi valves. These add 30ppm CO2 in less than 40 minutes. Pretty good for a tank this size.
We have a refrigeration unit in the hood area, but it no longer comes on much, maybe 45-60 minutes to cool the MH after they have been on for 1 hour or so.
Energy wise, it could be improved some, but it's pretty good.
This same client has a 450 Gal tank I'll start work on later this month. The light is all FL and will be lower light than this tank.
We chose 4 large Ehiem filters instead for this tank, so the efficacy will be higher, lower input.
Mostly moss and Anubias again.
I am using Manzanita which is native, with every species occurring in CA naturally. Very nice wood to work with and it's all over here, a brush weed tree, and a fire hazard. I have some very nice pieces and have a nice plan for the "office" 450 Gal tank. It's 240 Cm long 80 Tall, 90 cm deep.
Nice size, less back ache than the above :bonk:
Regards,
Tom Barr
