New Saltwater Aquarium Owner

My 5.5gallon tank that i started on April 02, 2009. It has gone through 1 cycle, going through another one because i added more live rock (a lot more)

There are 4 Nass. Snails in there.

No Flash

With Flash

nice coral skeletons, what are you planning on stocking it with?

Jack wrote:nice coral skeletons, what are you planning on stocking it with?

Not sure, lol. Corals will not be added until the tank is fully stabilized, and new gear is bought (need a "weaker" heater, and need to finish making my lights appropriate for coral growth)

I may add a crab (hermit or emerald?) or shrimp (peppermint or sexy?) after the cycle.

Welcome to the forum MadWorld!
Keep us posted on your progress. Love to watch a new tank "grow up"!

Matt

Welcome to our site...Love the pico tank.. Cant wait to follow along and watch it flourish.

Alright sorry for not posting the picture so late lol. I just wanted my LEDS ready.

FTS



He is Pseudocorynactis (Orange Ball Anemone), he has grown a lot! I heard they get up to 6 inches, he is around 2 cm closed, 4-5 cm opened.I also found another one of these guys, he is more of a reddish colour, but small, 2-4mm.



This was him (Orange ball anemone) like 4 months ago!, look how small he was lol.





Bubble corals are annoying, i had to move this guy a billion times until i found a spot till he opens. And there are ricordeas in the back, dont ask why there in a unusual spot lol, because i dont know.



Deep water zoanthids, and a frag of a frag (it broke off, so i glued it on a rock)



And my ghetto looking LEDS lol. Im probably going to get a bigger heat sink, so i can spread them out for better lighting, then get an encloser.

Hey Madworld, did you build the LED's yourself. If so, care to share some info on the build as well as any "if I had to do it again" info? Maybe some plans, component supplier, total build cost?


Matt

Cookieman888*Admin* wrote:Hey Madworld, did you build the LED's yourself. If so, care to share some info on the build as well as any "if I had to do it again" info? Maybe some plans, component supplier, total build cost?


Matt

Yeah, i built it. It is still technically not done, because i dont like how it looks, and the light is too concentrated in one area of the tank, bigger heat sink will solve the problem. It cost me around 120 -130 dollars or so.

Anyways,

This is how it works.
For ever 6 Cool White leds you need a 1000ma buckpuck/constant current driver and a power supply that can supply 24 volts (4 volts for each led), and 1 amp (.167 amps per led)
So if you want to run 3 sets of 6 cool white leds in series you need 3 buckpucks, a power supply with 24 volts and 3 amps or more.
The connection would be powersupply (24v 3am) - buckpuck - 6 leds series
- buckpuck- 6 leds in series
- buckpuck - 6 leds in series
The Blue leds are the same, but your going to use a 700ma buckpuck.

Cool White Cree Q5 Leds ($5.36) = http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2394
Royal Blue Cree Q5 Leds ($7.49) = http://ledsupply.com/creexre-rb.php
700ma driver/buckpuck ($14.99) = http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-n-700.php
1000ma driver/buckpuck ($14.99) = http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-n-1000.php
24v 4.5 amps power supply ($18.13) = http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8854
Heat sink i got off ebay for 10 dollars.
Fans i got off ebay, but it was for my xbox 360 (intercooler), which i dont have anymore.
Some cheap epoxy, i recommend you use thermal epoxy, and not all purpose epoxy.
Or you can punch some holes and use screws, whatever floats your boat.

Nice looking DIY led light fixture. I saw a similar build on another forum site that walked you through the construction process and was thinking about building one myself....If I ever find the ambition...lol