Smite's Stout CDA - 205G

[deaclauderdale]

I picked up a 10x54w t5 power module today. It came with brand new reflectors, the catch? The protective plastic sat on there far too long an made them impossible to pull off. Literally tiny crumbs after minutes of work. I tried wd40 to loosen them up. That actually helped some but still a pain and everything was slippery. So I sprayed a citrus based cleaner on top of the blue plastic, I got from the PO. After sitting for a moment I went to start peeling, not hoping for much but it made all the difference. Still very difficult and left all the glue on the reflectors but I was able to get all the blue film off in decent sized pieces. It seems to rehydrate the blue film enough to hold together.

10 reflectors took me about 2 hours of solid work and 4 IPAs. I was left with what I thought were stains/tarnish. WD didn’t pull them out, the spray didn’t pull it out. What did? My IPA soaked spit and those blue shop towels, a literal spit shin. I’ll be surprised if me fingers can pick me undies out me bum tomorrow but hell, she’s looking purdy!
The demoed reflectors
View attachment 92749

Ready to grow some sticks!
View attachment 92750 View attachment 92751

This fixture is pretty heavy. I’m gonna weigh it tomorrow but it’s gotta be in the 40lb ball park.
One fan isn’t working so that’s on the to do but all ballasts fired right up. My new lamps arrive from premium aquatics tomorrow.

That's some good ol mountain man stuff right there. IPA infused spittle...lol.....good job!

 

[Smite]

Man I can’t wait to see this thing light up that tank.

Blend looks good on the wall but hard to tell how corals gonna look under it.

 

[TeoTheCoral]

Don’t stare at the light….

 

[Smite]

Don’t stare at the light….

I'm trying not to, but damn it looks so good

 

[Smite]

Doors are done. I added finger groves up top since these magnets are very strong.

 

[deaclauderdale]

Coming along nicely. You expect her to be wet by Christmas?


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[Smite]

Coming along nicely. You expect her to be wet by Christmas?


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I was thinking two weeks but we changed holiday plans for turkey day and are out of town a week. I want it ready to swap the week we get back.
If it’s not wet by Christmas we won’t have a spot for a tree, ha!

 

[Smite]

Light is up. Went with a toggle on the wall side. As I was raising this light on that end I decided I’d be taking it back down and putting a piece of wood up for more support. I plan to use the same toggle that is there and just send the bolt through the wood. I’ll then be hitting an addition stud between the two anchor points of the ati.

the spectrum came out way more blue than I expected . I was thinking those 6500 would really overpower blue but that’s not the case. Nice crisp blue, similar to a radium color. I’ll play around with lamps more once I see coral under it.
Coverage is spot on!

 

[spiderguardnano]

Beautiful Matt

 

[deaclauderdale]

Looking good. I don’t see much of a glare on the TV. Does it look different to you?


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[Smite]

Thanks guys.
No looks like that in person. The spread front to back is spot on. There is still quite a bit of spill to the couch so I’ll have to figure that out. A 36” would have been plenty but I’m pretty stoked on the way it’s looking now.

I bought this par app. I’m sure values are way off, kinda hope, but it showed me my spread is very even throughout the bottom glass.

approx water line

Bottom glass center

Corners all read around 1300 so fairly even. I’m sure the values are actually around a 1/4 of those readings.

 

[Smite]

Unless it’s in the wrong format/scale? I know nothing about or meters

 

[sharkbait]

Yes whenever I’m buying frags I feel like I’m doing something sneaky

lol so true

 

[Smite]

Now I can sleep at night

 

[Smite]

Note to self, don’t guess paint color jackass

 

[drexel]

Looks good.


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[Smite]

So I picked up some used reefbrite xho strips. They are longer than the fixture. Not a huge deal but got me looking back at kessil.

Kessils would be nice for ramping up and down in different spectrums as well as supplement. Here is how I’ll be mocking them up. It’s low profile but I’d have to figure out how to make it cleaner looking if I keep it this way.

 

[Smite]

Man I might be sold on this. I’ll have to figure out how to hide the wires. The all blue with true actinic t5 might be a good combo

 

[deaclauderdale]

I’m digging it! Which Kessil is that?

 

[Smite]

I’m digging it! Which Kessil is that?

It's the older A360we. I've been collecting them when they pop up used. One crapped out on me, so I'll need to find a fourth. I've been running one on my frag section in my sump and the colors great in there. Heal well too.