SunPod 70W vs. 150W - Pics for you.

[DAHansen]

Ok, yes my tank is wicked algaefied. The good brothers over at ReefCleaners.org have sent me an awesome CUC (at my expense of course) to help out with that. BUT, this is not a post about my dirty tank.

This is a post about Equipment! Lighting Equipment! Specifically, a SunPod 70Watt DE (Double Ended) Metal Halide that's about 4 months old vs. a brand spankin' new 5-minutes of burn-in SunPod 150W DE MetalHalide.

I really really really really need to get a sump online... (as in "in use" not buy one from the internet).

70 Watt (The light was sideways on the tank, which is why the right side is dimmer.)

150 Watt (on the tank like it should be )

And of course CROPS!

And because I know we have sticklers for methodology. These images were taken with a Canon Digital SLR, and was matrix metered in camera for a "proper" exposure of 1/30s using a 50mm lens at f/4.0 with an ISO of 400. All the photos above were taken with the same exposure (1/30s at f/4.0) and from the approximate same position (no cropping in the first two photos, so I got fairly close) as I can't find the camera plate for my tripod. The in-camera meter indicated a 1-stop overexposure with the 150Watt SunPod - so about twice as much light - though the tank was more evenly lit because of lighting position - to my eye a negative .87 stops of exposure adjustment leveled out the images when compared side by side. (So basically I have to do this all over again after the 150Watt finishes burn-in in a few weeks.)

Anyway, I'm wicked excited in anticipation of the upcoming colorification of the pocillopora on the left (and hopefully my tank will be MUCH MUCH cleaner the next time I post photos of it).

 

[BigAl07]

I think you're gonna LOVE that new light!

has water TEMPS changed any?

How much "Flow" do you have in that tank? It might need some more as it looks like you may have some "slow flow" areas leading to more algae growth. Just an idea

 

[DAHansen]

Al, The difference between those photos and what it looked like this morning is AMAZING. Of course, I've done some scraping since then, and my CUC from reefcleaners.org has helped ALOT.

I'm running a Koralia 1 and a Koralia Nano - I have no where near the flow as seen in Lynn's video in her 20 Gallon Chronicle thread. I think I might be too gentle with my softies on the bottom.

Oh, there is also the overflow return pump, but it puts out measly amounts of current.

I'm thinking of adding another Koralia nano, or a Koralia 1 and hooking them up to a wavemaker so I don't blast everything constantly. (WOW the tank looks horrible in those photos.)

 

[SeahorseBT]

Clean your tank!

 

[DAHansen]

Oh yeah! Temps. They seem to be doing well. I took the lid off. They range from 79.4 to 81.1. (Guess who just bought a digital electronic thermometer.)

What would you recommend for flow in a 34Gallon cube?

Oh, and both Koralias were added AFTER the algae attack. I was waiting to see what flow and CUC would do to it, then it just got too depressing.

 

[SoccerBum474]

what size is ur tank? i have the 70w 14k sunpod on my 12g and its amazing compared to the 24w cf i had on there before... my coral has exploded except a toadstool which has bleached a little but it coming back already..

 

[DAHansen]

My tank is a 34 Gal Solana (20" Cube). I'm thinking of making a hood and retrofitting both SunPods into it, for a total of 220Watts of Halide. Probably go with a 20k 70Watt bulb and keep the 14k 150Watt bulb.

Here is a photo for SeahorseBT to prove I cleaned my tank!