Playing around with my Top Down

[Zibba]

Bob from Reefmania was kind enough to build me a top down and I've been trying to take pictures with it since they day I got it. Today, a few finally turned out to be pretty decent. It's definitely a learning curve because just like shooting through the front of the tank, the camera needs to be pointed perpendicular to the glass (or acrylic). I'm also very limited because the light fixture that I have doesn't leave me a lot of room to maneuver the camera. Anyway, hope you like these:

These are three monti caps that are all growing into each other:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown7of13.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown3of13.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown4of13.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown5of13.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown6of13.jpg

Bonsai that I got from Mary awhile ago:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown8of13.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown8of13-2.jpg

Green Slimmer extending over the monti caps:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown1of13.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown2of13.jpg

Not sure what this one is - Bright Green Acro:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown10of13.jpg

Tri-Color from DG - not nearly as colorful as his:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown11of13.jpg

Green/Yellow Mille from Glen:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z187/zibba02/TopDown13of13.jpg

Hopefully I can get some more down the road to share.

[benihana]

wonderful, as always!!

[steve1600cc]

:beerchug::biggthumpup:

[wolmutt]

Yellow milli, green slimer, and blue cap are of interest to me :biggrin:

[Zibba]

Yellow milli, green slimer, and blue cap are of interest to me :biggrin:

Haha...noted.

Didn't you get a green slimmer from me awhile ago?

[Fish'InMN]

Man we need to see your tank some time. :biggthumpup:

[Zibba]

Man we need to see your tank some time. :biggthumpup:


I'd love to host a meeting, but my townhouse is way too small. The pictures of my tank are better than seeing it in real life, I promise! Either way, it's always fun to see a tank in person.

What's really cool is using the top down on the tank in general. There are a lot of cool shots that I wish my camera would focus on, but it's just not possible with the angle. There have been a few members who have seen my tank in person so they could probably comment on how dissimilar my pictures are from it. haha...

[wolmutt]

Haha...noted.

Didn't you get a green slimmer from me awhile ago?

Never made it to me....I slept through that meeting :biggrin:

[Zibba]

Never made it to me....I slept through that meeting :biggrin:


You would! I'll hack off another chunk of that coral for ya.

[coralreefer]

I like that bonsai a lot. It's nice to see the polyps so close. It would be cool to get a box that would hold the camera in place.

[Zibba]

I gave Bob specific dimensions for a top down viewing box that would attach to the side of my tank. It does a great job at holding it in place while viewing. However, for taking pictures, it would work better if the box was shaped so that the camera was more of a form fit. That way, the box could be held at an angle, there wouldn't be as much glare and you wouldn't have to worry about having the lens be perpendicular to the acrylic. Still, it's fun to play around with.

The bonsai is really not much too look at from the side. Mostly it's still brown. I'm wondering why the tricolor and the bonsai almost look white below the main tips. Not sure if it's too much light, not enough light or something else. Crazy SPS...so damn finicky sometimes.

[NandKBlock]

Excellent pics. :beerchug:

I was shocked when I first took some top-down pics at the vivid bright colors of the corals. I think the sides (top) of the corals that gets hit directly with the light must color up the most.

[Zibba]

Thanks NandK,

One of my favorite things to view "top down" is clams. I wish that mine were in a better place to try and get some pictures of. Just another reason to upgrade my tank and redo my rockwork!

[David Grigor]

I'm wondering why the tricolor and the bonsai almost look white below the main tips. Not sure if it's too much light, not enough light or something else.

Based on my bulb experiences, if your using ATI Aquablues for your days you get the more pastel looks that you are seeing. This is why I use UVL Actinic/Whites instead. I could care less what PAR a bulb has......I don't like the pastel results. I was also getting the more yellow green too from the ATIs which I don't particularly care for. No clue if it's because they are brighter or because of some spectrum concentrations.

[Zibba]

I've noticed the color change on about 6-7 different corals. Maybe it's something to do with the bulb combination. Overall, I really like the "look" of the current bulb combo, but if the corals aren't reacting well to it, I'm open to suggestions. What other bulbs are you running with the UVL A/W?

I'm just having a difficult time determining why a few select corals are changing colors while others are starting to look even better.

[fivesmallworlds]

Excellent pics. :beerchug:

I was shocked when I first took some top-down pics at the vivid bright colors of the corals. I think the sides (top) of the corals that gets hit directly with the light must color up the most.

One of the RC TOTM tanks had his lights positioned in a way to come from the front viewing panel towards the corals at a 45 degree angle. He said the reason for it was the side that gets the most light also gets the most color and he wanted all his pieces to pop from the front, not the top.

I'm trying to keep that in mind a little as well.