A 750g SPS system is born

[ldrhawke]

Alberto,

Great shots and camera. I was given some good advice from Sherman Tank on this list on camera settings and using a tripod. I'll pass it on.

I have the Nikon D-70 and a 105 macro lense, very similar in performance to your Rebel. Try these settings as a starting point using your tripod and macro lense. (ISO 200, A 9.5, 1/3 sec exp) . My results attached. I'm sure your camera will do everybit as well. I'm learning like you. I have learned it as much the guy behind the camera, than it is the camera, when it comes to getting good macro photos. Have fun....great camera the Rebel

 

[LoneStar]

Awesome Stuff!

 

[AcroSteve]

Are you planning any changes to your skimmer?

 

[dgasmd]

The shor tof it is yes, I am.

First of all, you have to keep in mind that I am using my previous skimmer, an aerofoamer 848 (becket based) with an iwaki 100 as my gold standard for comparision of performance and electrical usage. When I went to this skimmer, I had an initial investment that was significantly lower than the BK, Deltec, RK2, or H&S available for this size system. I also went to 1/3 of the electrical usagecompared to my previous skimmer. Perfomance has drastically improved too, but there is a lot of room left for improvement. I am in the process of testing out a new needle wheel pump retrofitted to my skimmer. I am doing this for someone developing it. Based on what I have seen so far, I am convinced that the performance will make this one look like crap!! At least that is my hope. Because of agreements with the manufacturer, I will not be able to post any pictures of the impeller or pump arrangement, but I will post pictures of the bubble size and such. It will be a few weeks before I have it done and installed, so there will be nothing to see until then. Sufice it to say that these new pumps and neddle wheels are intended for big tanks mostly, although I am sure there will be something for smaller tanks too at some point. Electrical usage should be about 1/2 of my previous one.

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Alberto,
Most Planaria sp. will not tolerate freshwater dips and explode in a few min. Maybe it has already been done but have you tried shaking the corals in freshwater or have these flatworms been determined not to be from the Planaria Genus?

Regards,
Kevin

 

[RGibson]

Alberto looks like you are trying out the new needle-wheeled Sequence pump for skimmer.

 

[zemuron114]

beautiful as usual!! Are you worried at all about the angler eating some of the smaller fish?

 

[dgasmd]

Angler is in a different tank.

 

[zemuron114]

are you getting more fairy wrasses??? I noticed a few posts of yours on RC on Arubas thread. Are you planning as many fish as him? It is crazy how many fish he has in his system! lol

 

[dgasmd]

No more fairy wrasses for me. The more I add, the more get killed within 24 hours by my current fairy wrasse population. So, I am done for now.

 

[zemuron114]

that stinks... which fairy was killing everything again? Maybe if you put that one in the sump for a time out for a while, you could add some more.. but then again.. u would have to get him out.. lol... What about big fish? triggers/tangs etc? or are u just going to add anthias?

 

[Aussie Koi]

Alberto thank you!
It has taken me a while to get through this whole thread but well worth the time and nagging.
Anythinng since Jan 2006???
Regards
Tim
Australia

 

[dgasmd]

Tim:

Thanks for the words. I appreciate them.

This tank has been a huge challenge int he last 14-16 months I've had it. I certainly have had every pest and problem I never had all in one. Very frustrating too. I have, however, learned a lot from it too. Unfortunately, because of work and other reasons, I will be moving in the next couple of months to a nearby city about 1 1/2 hours away. Therefore, the tank will ahve to come down likely. I am in the process of selling my house, and although the tank may be included as an option on the house, I seriously doubt anyone will want it. If I do sell it with the house, I will leave it behind as is and just start all over in a few months. If I take with me, I will tear it all apart and re set up in the new house. I have allt he plans made to do it, and have made arrangements with a few people to house the livestock and such in the meantime.

Starting again is never a bad thing, especially when one has had such bad luck and problems. I will be doing a few things differently though. One can't ever say that it is perfect I guess.

 

[big t]

Wow, moving that beast would be quite the chore. It would be real nice if whoever decides to buy the place wants the tank too, since it is built in so well with all that wonderful carpentry. Good luck with all that Alberto.

 

[Krish]

Good luck with the move Alberto...Second time's the charm

 

[Scooterman]

wow what a move, you can always hope they want it & start over all new designs!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Good luck Alberto and keep us posted!

 

[Travis]

Wow Alberto, I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it would be to move a system that large. Good luck to you, whichever you end up doing.

What are some things that you would like to be able to do differently with the new system?

 

[asnatlas]

Alberto, I hope everything goes well... Keep us posted...

 

[dgasmd]

Thanks guys. Moving this tank in the grand scheme of things will be easier than most of you imagine really. Plans are in motion. Good thing is I am not in a hurry to do it.

What are some things that you would like to be able to do differently with the new system?

One thing is to increase the return flow to increase turn over through the sump. I am running now about 1800 gph, maybe less, and I would like to increase that to about 3000 gph. I already have the pump, so it is a matter of swapping it out. Another thing is to decrease my electrical consumption in my house. We -redid a few things around the house to this end and the tank is one of the things that has to be targeted. I am taking out my 4 close loops with sequence 5800 gph pumps and replacing them with 8 tunze streams 6200. Although I can barely stomach the look of the tunzes and I still believe the close loops are more versatile in set up, this is something that has to be done. I still will have the spray bar close loop below the rocks and such. Another thing is to improve the chilling. The current chiller I have is a 2 HP PCI unit, which does mantain my temps at what I set it at, but at the price of running 5 min. on and 5 min. off 24/7. Nothing I have done to this chiller has fixed this problem. The company keeps telling me and everyone else that calls them with the same issue saying you need more flow. I have nearly 4000 gph going through it and apparently that is not enough according to them. However, all chillers in the market rated at 2 HP have flow recommendations in the 1800-2400 GPH MAX!! So, I plan to have a 2 stage chiller built on site by an AC friend of mine and will put it in line with the close loop. I will however leave the current chiller as a back up set at 3-4 degrees higher in case the first one craps out. Lastly, I will go back to what I said so many times I would do and failed miserably: NO LARGE FISH!!! Although the only current ones are a red sea desjardini tang, an achiles tang, a naso tang, and a regal angel, the only one staying is the naso!! The regal has picked at too many things here and there. So did the moorish idol I had, which misteriosly died overnight after doing so well and eating like a champ for months!! The regal will go in my small cube tank (60g) or may get sold altogether. That small cube will turn into a quarintine tank connected to the main system via a UV in and UV out sump connection. I am still very undecided as to whether to add a refugium or not. However, the biggest change of all will be the location of the tank. I plan to close off an entire 1 car garage and turn it into a fish room. The back of the tank were all the equipment will be is going to be closed off too, so the tank will sit by itself in an area with chairs and such. Although I completely enjoy the tank inside the house, I seriously doubt I will find a house this large and with the convinience to do it the same way as I did it this time around. If I do, it will go in the house, but I seriously doubt it.