Scooterman
Well-known member
If I could catch the sixline I probably would but haven't been so lucky, maybe I'll just get something else, with only two fish in my 5ft 100g, it looks a little on the bare side.
A 750g SPS system is born
- Thread starter dgasmd
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nbd13
Well-known member
oh ok is the aquascaping still the same as the pics i saw in the previous pages? or did you cahnge it?
thanks!
Nick
thanks!
Nick
Nick:
Same aquascape. I know it doesn't look like much now, but when the corals grow and fill the space above, it will look pretty cool. Patience..................
UPDATE
Well, things seem to be doing well and progressing along.
CORALS:
They are definately very growing well. The benefit of having a tank that can be viewed from two different sides is that you feel like you have 2 different tanks when you look from each side. Sometimes I don't look at one side for a few days and then notice the significant growth from some things in only one week. 90% of the corals have colored very nicely. Some, the other 10%, I will have to relocate to make them happier. Some of those have colored up very well too, but they are not growing as much though.
Having the tank in a room that gets lots of daylight is a huge benefit. In the morning, you can see the fish coming out as the house gets brighter and having a behavior that you just don't see with MH/VHO only. I can't describe it, but I am sure TomD having a tank in the same conditions can attest to it.
FISH:
Having a much smaller bioload from having smaller fish makes such a huge difference. All fish are getting a long and they are all eating well so far. I added another 6 female squamipinis anthias a couple of days ago to the lonely 2 females that remained and male that were there. They are all eating well and look nice together. I will add another 6-10 later on or just end up adding 10 barletts instead. In addition to some more fairy wrasses and a a pair of mandarin gobies in the future, I don't forsee a lot more being added. I will remove the single A. Seabe clown eventually though. I will ahte to do it, but even though he is so fat, big, and with such strong coloration to him, he needs a tank with no other clowns.
TANK IN GENERAL:
Everything looks really good. All the algae I had before has completely disappered. I have never had such clean rocks in my life. They do shed quite a bit and I have been syphoning out quite a bit from time to time. This end up becoming a 50g water change everytime. I just can't tell you how happy I am with this aspect of the tank. Coralline is everywhere too.
EQUIPMENT:
I am hooking up the chiller today finally. With the cooler temps here as of late, the tank has remained pretty stable at 80-81F. However, it got to the 80's a couple of times last week and it promptly got up to 83F. The cabinetry construction/assembly should start a week from monday. I am also ordering the air extraction fan for the garage today so it can go on before the cabinetry cover is finished. Lots of work in the next couple of weeks.
I still have not re done the close loops to add the other 2 pumps. That will take me more than just a day, so I have been waiting for a free weekend to do it.
The tank has been so darn clean using the low bioload, syphoning, and filter sock that the skimmer has tremendously slowed down. It does foam, especially after a feeding, but it takes so much longer to produce enough gunk. This is a good thing I guess. I would still like to swap this skimmer for a Deltec AP1004 in the future, but that is one expense that wil have to wait for maybe a long while.
Post-Update:
OK, to my own amazement, I actually got something done today. I plumbed the pump for the chiller, the chiller, the line to feed the Ca reactor, and the 2 media reactors. I got the reactors filled and running too. They work much better than expected
I also plumbed the return from the chiller so it is right where the return pump for the sump is. So, when the return pump takes water fromt he sump, it will return first cold water coming from the chiller. I wanted to incorporate the chiller into a close to make it the most efficient, but I couldn't do that with the current lay out of things.
Same aquascape. I know it doesn't look like much now, but when the corals grow and fill the space above, it will look pretty cool. Patience..................
UPDATE
Well, things seem to be doing well and progressing along.
CORALS:
They are definately very growing well. The benefit of having a tank that can be viewed from two different sides is that you feel like you have 2 different tanks when you look from each side. Sometimes I don't look at one side for a few days and then notice the significant growth from some things in only one week. 90% of the corals have colored very nicely. Some, the other 10%, I will have to relocate to make them happier. Some of those have colored up very well too, but they are not growing as much though.
Having the tank in a room that gets lots of daylight is a huge benefit. In the morning, you can see the fish coming out as the house gets brighter and having a behavior that you just don't see with MH/VHO only. I can't describe it, but I am sure TomD having a tank in the same conditions can attest to it.
FISH:
Having a much smaller bioload from having smaller fish makes such a huge difference. All fish are getting a long and they are all eating well so far. I added another 6 female squamipinis anthias a couple of days ago to the lonely 2 females that remained and male that were there. They are all eating well and look nice together. I will add another 6-10 later on or just end up adding 10 barletts instead. In addition to some more fairy wrasses and a a pair of mandarin gobies in the future, I don't forsee a lot more being added. I will remove the single A. Seabe clown eventually though. I will ahte to do it, but even though he is so fat, big, and with such strong coloration to him, he needs a tank with no other clowns.
TANK IN GENERAL:
Everything looks really good. All the algae I had before has completely disappered. I have never had such clean rocks in my life. They do shed quite a bit and I have been syphoning out quite a bit from time to time. This end up becoming a 50g water change everytime. I just can't tell you how happy I am with this aspect of the tank. Coralline is everywhere too.
EQUIPMENT:
I am hooking up the chiller today finally. With the cooler temps here as of late, the tank has remained pretty stable at 80-81F. However, it got to the 80's a couple of times last week and it promptly got up to 83F. The cabinetry construction/assembly should start a week from monday. I am also ordering the air extraction fan for the garage today so it can go on before the cabinetry cover is finished. Lots of work in the next couple of weeks.
I still have not re done the close loops to add the other 2 pumps. That will take me more than just a day, so I have been waiting for a free weekend to do it.
The tank has been so darn clean using the low bioload, syphoning, and filter sock that the skimmer has tremendously slowed down. It does foam, especially after a feeding, but it takes so much longer to produce enough gunk. This is a good thing I guess. I would still like to swap this skimmer for a Deltec AP1004 in the future, but that is one expense that wil have to wait for maybe a long while.
Post-Update:
OK, to my own amazement, I actually got something done today. I plumbed the pump for the chiller, the chiller, the line to feed the Ca reactor, and the 2 media reactors. I got the reactors filled and running too. They work much better than expected
I also plumbed the return from the chiller so it is right where the return pump for the sump is. So, when the return pump takes water fromt he sump, it will return first cold water coming from the chiller. I wanted to incorporate the chiller into a close to make it the most efficient, but I couldn't do that with the current lay out of things.
Scooterman
Well-known member
WOW think you have enough equipment there lol, that is one heck of a set-up, looks commercial, I think I'd break my bank trying to keep up with you
Yeah, it looks commercial alright. A commercial for crazy idiots that is :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:Scooterman said:WOW think you have enough equipment there lol, that is one heck of a set-up, looks commercial, I think I'd break my bank trying to keep up with you
UPDATE:
I finally, after of months of delay for one reason or another, got to wire in the chiller and turn it on. I must say it is very nice. I must admit that is is a bit louder than I expected, but it is a soft loud. Most of the noise comes from the fan blowing air through it. You cannot hear inside the house at all when the garage door is close, which normally is. We'll see how it performs, but for now it seems to work well.
Tomorrow I am getting the eductors off the return line from the sump. Although they create a significant amount of flow being pushed by an iwaki 100, they also restrict flow through them, and therefore restrict the turn over through the sump. I am guessing I have about 900-1000 gph going through the sump now, which should at least double when I take them off.
I am just blown away by how much cleaner the water looks with the carbon running. It is a night and day difference. What I would like to know is how is it that people use fraking carbon without having a pound of dust released into the tank and then collect in the skimmer. I actually rinsed the carbon with a hose in a bucket prior to putting it in the reactor and still got tons of carbon dust. ??? ??? Anyone???
I finally, after of months of delay for one reason or another, got to wire in the chiller and turn it on. I must say it is very nice. I must admit that is is a bit louder than I expected, but it is a soft loud. Most of the noise comes from the fan blowing air through it. You cannot hear inside the house at all when the garage door is close, which normally is. We'll see how it performs, but for now it seems to work well.
Tomorrow I am getting the eductors off the return line from the sump. Although they create a significant amount of flow being pushed by an iwaki 100, they also restrict flow through them, and therefore restrict the turn over through the sump. I am guessing I have about 900-1000 gph going through the sump now, which should at least double when I take them off.
I am just blown away by how much cleaner the water looks with the carbon running. It is a night and day difference. What I would like to know is how is it that people use fraking carbon without having a pound of dust released into the tank and then collect in the skimmer. I actually rinsed the carbon with a hose in a bucket prior to putting it in the reactor and still got tons of carbon dust. ??? ??? Anyone???
Last edited:
Scooterman
Well-known member
Your using a carbon chamber right? I usually hand rinse in a large bucket filled with lots of water in the sink, water continues to flow over it, I rake it with my hands until most of the dust is gone, rinse with a little ro/di then I use a sock which I know isn't the best way but I'm a poor mid class Cajun so that will have to do loll. I don't sweat the rest, maybe not the best way but I'm still waiting for the book instead of hear say!
Travis
SPS Obsessed
Yup, I use a filter sock and rinse it under the sink first. I have to rinse for several minutes to get 4 cups of carbon clean. I never notice any dust in the tank or skimmer. Is your carbon reactor fluidizing the carbon? If so, I wonder if the fluidizing action doesnt cause the carbon release small particles as the pieces are always bumping into each other. It could also be that the rinsing action in a fluidized reactor is much more effective. Maybe you could put your carbon in the reactor and pump tap water through it until it is clean. Then drain the reactor and put it in-line.
Angelscrx
Import Fish
Welcome to Reef Frontiers AcroSteve.
Alberto I was going to ask the same question as AcroSteve?
Alberto I was going to ask the same question as AcroSteve?
merlock116
New member
setup is looking better and better.
why did you finally decide to plumb the chiller inside instead of in some sort of shed outside?
why did you finally decide to plumb the chiller inside instead of in some sort of shed outside?
Scooterman
Well-known member
Hey Alberto, where can I get one of those heavy duty drums like the two white ones I see in your photos?
I do use it in a fluidized chamber. I did the same as you. Put it in a bucket first (half filled 5g bucket) and rinsed it with a hose pretty well. I guess not well enough though :lol: :lol:
Travis:
I do think the fluidizing of the carbon is getting more particles out. It coated the skimmer 3 times and the foam has been pitch black since. I flushed the skimmer several times to get it out and it has now, a week later, stopped.
AcroSteve:
This first time around I used 5 Lb of the bulk carbon sold by North Coat Marine. I was and still plan to use TLF hydrocarbon, but I already had this one and figured I give it a go. Next time I am using the TLF, as expensive of a proposition as that will be. I will use a bucket of their hydrocarbon per month and another half a bucket of phosban per month too.
Tankgirl:
Thanks.
Many reasons combined. I live in a gated community with more rules than communist China. For me to put something outside completely out of view would take some serious money. Think custom building a small shed with large ventilation to it (it is a 2 HP chiller you know!), quiet, painted to match the house, and sorrounded by plants. Also, it would involve putting holes though a concrete wall, which I would avoid as the plague anyway if I could help it. Lastly, I may be moving LOL............
Scooterman:
I got these from a friend while I lived in Baltimore. He worked in a Chemical company where the would get corn syrup on these things. They are very nice, strong, and very light too. I am using one (55g) for my top off and another 2 to make water for chamges. The 2 for water changes will be replaced by a 300g tank similar, but obviously much bigger. If you want one of these, I would give it to you. Just take the short drive from LA to FL :badgrin:
:badgrin:So far I am having pretty good luck with the fairy wrasses. Their behavior is kind of funny and peculiar too. just added an oragen back and a possum wrasse a couple of days ago. Have not seen the possum wrasse since, but I see the orange back feeding. Not uncommon at all.
Since there is such a huge amount of room under the rock/crates, most of the wrasses stay down there most of the time, except in the morning when the sun is coming out and the lights are not on yet. They are in and out then. When the lghts are on, the only ones that are out commonly are the mystery wrasse and the labouti, although the labouti is more in and out frequently. You feed and they are all out to eat and then not to be seen again. That is how I know they are still alive LOL........... All their colors so far as much better even thatn when I got them. My tank is not covered and I don't plan to do that either. I know it is a huge risk, bu I think that with the large amount of hiding and secure places under the rocks and the large amount of open space on top combined with no harrasing fish will be more than good enough. At least I hope LOL...........
Since there is such a huge amount of room under the rock/crates, most of the wrasses stay down there most of the time, except in the morning when the sun is coming out and the lights are not on yet. They are in and out then. When the lghts are on, the only ones that are out commonly are the mystery wrasse and the labouti, although the labouti is more in and out frequently. You feed and they are all out to eat and then not to be seen again. That is how I know they are still alive LOL........... All their colors so far as much better even thatn when I got them. My tank is not covered and I don't plan to do that either. I know it is a huge risk, bu I think that with the large amount of hiding and secure places under the rocks and the large amount of open space on top combined with no harrasing fish will be more than good enough. At least I hope LOL...........
Scooterman
Well-known member
Mine jumped at night, more than once.
Maxx
Staff Housemonkey
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
- Messages
- 2,935
Scott,
I dont know where Alberto got his from, but you can get some here...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=25&Page=1
or here
http://www.bayteccontainers.com/barrels.html
Nick
I dont know where Alberto got his from, but you can get some here...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=25&Page=1
or here
http://www.bayteccontainers.com/barrels.html
Nick
