Just pulled the trigger on LEDs! Goodbye PCs

[Aquanaut]

My stock biocube PC lights are nearing the spectrum shift associated with Power Compact bulbs, So after socking away a little cash I have purchaced the Lights I have been drooling over for months. I went with 2 Ecoxotic Panorama pro modules. 1 is 12000° K/ 445nm Blue and 1 445nm Blue/Magenta. I got the inline dimmer to not cook my corals from a rapid increase in light quality. I went with the Ecoxotics because I can easily retrofit the stock hood of the cube (I love rimless/hoodless but the hood greatly reduces top offs). I am getting ready for SPS, been really on top of my params (started using Aquaticlog.com<- f@ckin awsome site!) and just got some monticap fraqs from Huuta (Great Guy!). If anyone Has any tips for either the lighting transition or the dive into SPS I am all ears. Thought I would share with you all I love this place and am pretty amped about my first major mod to my system.

Thanks for reading! Just wanted to Share.

tl;dr--- Just got 2 Ecoxotic Panorama Pros and I am pretty excited.

 

[STiTCH87]

Very nice, congrats! Interested in seeing photos.

Welcome to the LED club. Never let the old-timers scare you away from LEDs. =] Do you dose anything into your tank? What params exactly do you check? Cal, Alk, Po4, Mag, etc?

Interested in seeing what the magenta will do for you. I always get opposing answers on whether or not coloured LEDs are good or not. This site most people say colors are neccessary because the spectrum lacks balance otherwise, while other sites say certain colors promote or burn colors lol. IDK. All I know is i'm going 7 months soon to be 8 with an EcoXotic EcoPico 5g with LEDs and have had nothing but complete success with it.

 

[kingfish62]

29g biocube or 14g?

 

[STiTCH87]

He has a 14g. So those two strips on a 14g should certainly give him any amount of lighting he'd ever need IMO.

IDK about you, but i'm still waiting to see photos of it myself. =]

 

[JonsReef]

Congrats on the LEDs. I've been running a home-brewed set up for a few years now and haven't looked back!

I did a retrofit on a BC14 so send me a PM if you need any advice

 

[Acan Sam]

Congrats on the leap , Once i Move i am breaking down my 14 setting up my 29 (Biocubes) and Buying some led strips.

 

[Aquanaut]

Thanks everyone! It is a 14g and has been running for about 4 months. I will take a FTS before and after the upgrades for comparison. I can't get a good shot right now with the moonlights on but I did manage to snap a good picture of my Randall's goby guarding his hidey-hole. I will take a good FTS tomorrow hopefully with the lights on.

Here is Mr. Goby (pistol shrimp not visible)

 

[JonsReef]

here is a FTS of my BC14 with LEDs

 

[jason401]

looks good! gsp growin like crazy! like the gsp wall look

 

[STiTCH87]

Looks good! Nice coloration.

 

[beelezebubba]

very nice

you've got good photography skills or a good camera or both

leds are pita to take pics under

 

[Aquanaut]

Ok, So I took some ********ty pictures with my iPhone camera, its all I have, Here is an FTS with the stock lights. We shall compare it to when the LEDs arrive and are installed.

Here is an album

http://imgur.com/a/T4HEy#0

It is better in person...or I am just biased lol.

 

[Aquanaut]

can I get some feedback on params? Thanks!

http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/dashboard?aquariumId=735

 

[JonsReef]

thanks! i have no photography skills nor do i have a good camera. its just an iphone 4s and no flash.

if i turn all the lights in the room off, the pictures turn out great actually.

 

[STiTCH87]

It's amazing the quality that cellphone cameras can have under perfect situations.

 

[HuuTa]

can I get some feedback on params? Thanks!

http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/dashboard?aquariumId=735

your PH is low and the mag is high.Alk is a little high imo but if it's stable then let it be.I try to keep 3 to 1 mag to cal ratio.Good looking tank bro.It's getting there.Also look like u have some cyano on your sand bed.How much are u feeding?Cut back on your light time and feeding a little.If you can,manually remove the cyano

 

[beelezebubba]

It's amazing the quality that cellphone cameras can have under perfect situations.

srsly. i use an old canon power shot and i have to adjust for white balance, then go back and mess with color temp and tint to get pretty accurate color. wish i could just point and shoot.

sorry aquanaut, didn't mean to jack your thread. agree with huuta, try to siphon out that cyano if you can. you're really gonna love this tank when you get those leds up