Here’s a shot I forgot to include last update. I couldn’t resist, and I had to try out my vortechs. These things are awesome! They generate incredible water movement, and I can’t wait to play with the controller (if it ever comes out)… They are a little loud, but the directions say they should quiet down.
I tried out my MH lighting today. I went with a PFO HQI ballast, a 14,000k Hamilton bulb, and the cheapest pendant I could find.
The pendant is a cheap retrofit that would be pretty good for a rectangular tank, but I wanted something more along the lines of a lumenarch type pendant for my square tank. My pendant cost $25, and the only reason I bought it is so I could canabolize it to build my own lumenarch type pendant. I am going to use some sheet aluminum to make an octagonal reflector that will be about 20” or so in diameter. I probably won’t get started on the reflector anytime really soon, but for now I knocked up a ¼ scale model out of computer paper….you get the idea.
I plan on picking up some bristle board to knock up a full scale model first, and I will use those pieces as a template for when I cut my aluminum.