Getting the ich!!!!!!

Well it has been awhile but I am getting the ich again. I have the 46 bow front sitting in my shed. I think I am going to start looking for some lights and skimmer to go with it. Any thoughts on it? I am thinking of LED lights but not sure yet.

I plan on comming to the swap to check stuff out!!!

Lol, you didn't last long. You want to buy some of your rock back?

I love my LED lights. Wish I had invested slightly differently (stronger) but they work rather well and are getting decent growth.

Come back, set up now and you'll be ready by the swap >.<

You being as crafty as you are u should DIY led for a bowfront. I'm sure u could make something sweet. If I recall u already have some led experience on your old tank.

It's going to be a little while before I get it going, I am going to do more research on the led stuff.

Ya Tiffany I might take you up on that when the time comes.

Swan- what kind did you get? and were?

its a panoramic from ecoxotic (or.. whatever, lol) Forget where I got it from. I like it, but really wish I had waited a few months and invested in another full strength strip for it rather than piddly away money on stunner strips. I really DO like it though. Worth the investment, for me. It comes out at about a 10,000 k the stunners have it at about a 12, I'd like to have it at 14-16.

Just in case you'd be interested, I know Joyce has her empty setup sitting at her place a few feet away from you. It has a skimmer and LED's already..you may get into that cheaper than buying seperately. However, I agree with Andre, you would be a good candidate for a DIY. It may be more fun to build your own.

yeah a 46 gal bow, Yep I'd go LED's Garrett, I'm looking at Jimmy's over at TCMAS LED work for my recovery tank for my portable fragging table I'm working on.if you ain't got the time like I haven't lately he's pretty fair and he can build them from 3 watt to 100 watt, I'm thinking of having him build me one with 2-10watt 20,000k and 1-3watt red it would be equal to a 68 watt MH, but then I'm looking for a nice luminescent coloration ,not a growth light.

I would go with 3w Cree LEDs. Seems to be the best for growth without the spotlight effect. I really like that power consumption is way less and bulb life is longer It sucks buying halide bulbs at 80 a crack and every 9 months

Cree LEDs are great ,but limited to 3w, Which my tank will only be 7" deep so 3w will do great but would have to use a lot more plus would have to use optics on each LED, the 10w chips jimmy uses I wouldn't need optics because they have a nice flare and great PAR readings on the bottom of the tank, plus less LED chips create less heat and longer Chip life and longer performance.one more thing I noticed was on the 3w verses the higher wattage LEDs the shimmer you get is from the light waves bouncing off the waters current, were the shimmer on the 3w still the same shimmer but you can see the breaks between the beams on each LEDs. I'm just basing this on what my eyes like and my cheap oh Milwaukee lux meter readings,coloration and growth.
and by far not bashing Cree's.
there again LED's,MH's, T5's,VHO's,PC's all are great aspects to our hobby for the type of reefing we're doing,it all depends on what one is looking for weather it be room issues,heat issues,power consumption issues, all do there jobs well and for this the Day after Thanksgiving I am thankful for the options we have now verses what we had 20 years ago.....LOL

I really like that power consumption is way less and bulb life is longer It sucks buying halide bulbs at 80 a crack and every 9 months

Amen! to that note.

So I been looking around and found these ones on ebay and they are comparable to cree.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-3W-Blue-HIGH-POWER-LED-Star-60LM-140-light-/120723765942?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1bb27ab6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-3W-White-HIGH-POWER-LED-Star-170LM-140-light-/120723758390?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1bb25d36

2 of these
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-26/Mean-Well-ELN-dsh-60-dsh-48P-dimmable/Detail

2-3 of these
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-78/4.25%22-x-9%22-Aluminum/Detail

And these for optics
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-195/55-Degree-CREE-XP-dsh-E/Detail

Any thoughts?

I like the idea of the dimable drivers Could get neat Simulation possibilities with that , I really don't know know much about them though

how about a skimmer what would be a good one for it?

I believe people are fairly satisfied with reef octopus. They seem affordable and I believe you can mod them up.

I have a 160 SWC cone and it's been flawless.

I think that is what I had on my 125, would that be over kill on a 46?

There is a guy on tcmas that has a euro reef rs-80 it needs a new impeller are they a good skimmer? he wanted to trade but I have nothing, what would be a fair offer for this?

I wouldn't, personally, buy anything that needs fixing. Even if its 'just an impeller'

I invested in a psk-100 from eshopps for my skimmer. Darn cheap (cheaper than octopus) but has just as good reviews. For me its working better than my old octopus did that's still circling around somewhere out there.

Home_Depot wrote:I think that is what I had on my 125, would that be over kill on a 46?

The 120 SWC wouldn't be, use a 20 gal sump.

Euro reef is good construction and well known for being great, but I would be prepared to buy a whole new pump just cause.

Just throughin my 2 cents I'n ! I really like my led's ! From the reviews i have read eco-tech has an awesome led fixture people seem to really like it and the options on the setup I's endless Radion i believe they are called they r kinda spendy though ! I got into my led's for about $150 it was a fairly cheap led setup but hasn't let me down yet !! My xp2000 cone reef octupus skimmer I's the best skimmer i have owned to date '

Also just adding I'n that reef octopus skimmer pump has a three year warranty!! Both Eco tech and reef octopus have outstanding customer service ! My pump on my skimmer doesn't start up sometimes on first plug I'n not a big deal but they sent me a back up pump just because i still have it Chillin I'n box brand new! Eco tech replaced my dry side on my vortech two months outta warranty !!! Two amazing companies I'n my eyes and both have gained a customer 4 life ! Also adding on with the Eco tech LEDs they come with software i believe and are totally programable so your tank lighting changes constanly through out the day kind of a cool feature i thought ! But have only seen the lights I'n action on video ! If i had the extra money that's were i would invest it '! But just my opinions And dreams lol

I did some checking and the impellers have a lifetime warrenty on them so I should be able to get a new one, but not sure if I want to go through all that bs for a skimmer.

Well at least you have time , they are pretty much identical builds to deltic skimmers and they are known for being very good.

Ya I am not going to rush into it, I want to take my time and do it right...lol I have to sweet talk my wife still but I have been bring it up alot and she says " you are not getting the ich back are you" I said yep.. "oh great".....lol