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Thread: My 120gal scrubber

  1. #1

    Join Date
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    My 120gal scrubber

    I guess this will be my build for my scrubber for my 120gal tank. I will post pics and ask questions here.

    First off. I am just setting up the 120gal. I have 50lbs of live rock and just a handfull of fish (damsel, couple clowns, tang, cleanup crew) going in right away (Transfered from a 30gal). I will add liverock, fish and corals as time goes but very slowly (as, imo, should always be done slowly in a reef tank)

    First question. I don't know what I will be feeding per day. In the beginning it will be very light, and as the tank matures it will get heavy. I don't plan on overstocking my tank, but I do want to be able to feed the fish when company is over, not stress when I overfeed, etc.

    So how do I know how big to size my scrubber?
    Do I need to design it so I can increase the size as the tank matures or do I just oversize it in the first place?

  2. #2
    Administrator
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    Good question. The feeding-guideline is relatively new, so everything is not worked out yet. I'd say to plan on 2 cubes a day, for a reef of that size, if you are not feeding liquid coral food. Oversizing will not help, since it will never get to the high-filtering green stage.

  3. #3

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    Ok, sounds good.

    I'm almost done setting up the rest of the tank, now getting to the point of ordering LED's.

    Based on some previous posts from ace25, I'm thinking 660nm for reds and then a couple 445nm for blues? Anything else?

    On a 24 sq in screen, how many reds do you recommend? I'm assuming just one blue per side.

    I'm thinking of buying from statisled on ebay. Mainly because the price is right.

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/10pcs-3W-High...#ht_1830wt_887
    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1pcs-3W-Extre...#ht_2185wt_887
    They carry drivers too (not dimmable)

    I'm not so much worried about quality of the LED's, I don't mind replacing the occasional burnt one and I don't think PAR is much a concern for an ATS. Any other suggestions for LED's on a budget?

  4. #4
    kotlec's Avatar
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    Nov 2010
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    You dont need dimable drivers for ATS that much. Its more easy to move light unit away to adjust PAR. Or you can add or remove few leds.
    Cree are not making 660nm leds unfortunately. The only alternative to ebay ones is Osram . Not budget price level though.
    I have bought reds on ebay that have not isolated path on them. It means cathode or anode has contact to LED base. You can not attach all LEDs to single heatsink this way as they will short. I am not expecting many manufacturers to make leds that way, but just be careful.

    Good luck with your build.

  5. #5

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    good luck fellow canadian! led us know how much it ends up costing for LED to ship to canada for us other folks!

  6. #6

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    Feb 2012
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    Thanks for the replies.

    Ya, not planning on using dimmable drivers, my design will allow moving leds closer or further. And I definitely think that cree and osram are overkill for an ATS. I just need the cheapest I can find. If you click on the links I provided you'll see what I plan on ordering. And mess777, the best part is shipping is free!

    Can anybody advise me on best starting distance for led's to screen? Also how many reds do I need for say 5"x5" screen or 4"x6", and is there better/additional wavelengths I should be considering? I'm assuming that if the LED's aren't isolated I can just use isolating pads to mount them to the heat sink. I've dealt with this lots for transistors in the past, never seen it on LED's though...

  7. #7
    kerry's Avatar
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    May 2011
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    I have mine at about 1.5" on one of them and its just a bit to close as it burns just a touch. The other is about 3" and I think that is to far away but it still grows ok.
    150G. Reef/Mix
    125G. 3 Regular Oscars/1 Jack Dempsey
    75G. 20+ Africans
    40G. Fish/Reef. Algae Scrubbers on ALL my SW
    10G. SW Fish/Reef.
    10G. SW Hospital/new fish quarantine/pod breeder tank
    6 stage RO/DI system 200 GPD.

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