240 gall Reef to Cichlid

[cmcpart0422]

If you bleach them you should be fine. I take rocks from all over and soak them in bleach water for a few hours and I have had no problems.

Just had to add that Tony had some great advice on fish a few posts ago! Keep us posted on the build.

 

[gliebig]

I've been thinking about my lighting lately. I'd rather not run halides because of energy consumption, but I like the shimmer effect.
I started thinking about LED's. What do you guys think about using these strips. Maybe a mix of blues and whites?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/120C...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

[cabinetmkr39]

i think they would be fine as accent lighting but no to light a 240 gal tank.

 

[Tony]

24" is pretty deep. The new Marineland LED fixtures are pretty nice and have more punch than the Ebay LEDs from what I've seen. Not sure if you'd get the shimmer from those flexible strip types.

If I had your footprint, I'd go with two of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Double-Bright-LED-Light/dp/B0032536R4

 

[gliebig]

I'm sure it's something that I'll play around with. I ordered 6 of the flexible strips. They're pretty cheap, so I figure why not give it a shot.

I can't wait to start making some progress on this thing. :wacko:
My background should hopefully be shipping out today and that's kinda the major thing I need to get this thing movin.

 

[gliebig]

I got the LED's in yesterday. I hooked up one of the strips and put it up over my 125 here at work. I have 6 of these strips, but judging from how the one lit up the 125, these may just be good for supplemental lighting.

So, I was thinking....

Have these 6 LED strips on for "x" hours each day just to give the tank some light, then for viewing, I could use 2x250 halides. That way I won't be running expensive halides all the time.

Does that sound good?

 

[cabinetmkr39]

Hey Greg the fish dont need light ,only for you to view. no need to leave the lights on other then for plants.

 

[Travis]

Decent ambient light is priceless...

 

[gliebig]

My background finally shipped out today!!! arty0038:

 

[minifoot77]

so get it in the tank and where are the pictures

 

[Tony]

Awesome. Can't wait to see it in the tank!

I only have the lights on on my big tanks downstairs from 6:00 PM to midnight every day (when I'd be down there). Many of my tanks in the fish room don't have any light on them, only ambient lighting from the other tanks.

Halides are sick.

 

[gliebig]

Do you guys have any experience with using CFL bulbs on tanks? I found this tank and he is using CFL's. Looks like they give off a decent "halide shimmer" which is what I am looking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz93_N0p2GA

 

[Tony]

Mine don't do that on my planted tank...

 

[gliebig]

Mine don't do that on my planted tank...

Do you have much surface agitation? I think that's the key to getting the shimmer...at least with halides anyway.
I didn't think they shimmered either. Here's a link to his setup...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=218012