Lost Creek 270
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You can talk about percentages all you want, I just do what has worked for me.
I am not gonna scream, I personally think it is just a cycle, probably brought on by a number of things, and it seems we were all guilty of the same thing, ignorance. And remember, I said we. I only post my parameters for something to do, I have been doing it for a little over a month, and this is the first time that anybody besides Kelan has mentioned it, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, what does that say?????
I contacted the Spokane forum and I will probably be posting them over there, once they get a forum set up for just that sole purpose.
Just my .02
I am not gonna scream, I personally think it is just a cycle, probably brought on by a number of things, and it seems we were all guilty of the same thing, ignorance. And remember, I said we. I only post my parameters for something to do, I have been doing it for a little over a month, and this is the first time that anybody besides Kelan has mentioned it, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, what does that say?????
I contacted the Spokane forum and I will probably be posting them over there, once they get a forum set up for just that sole purpose.
Just my .02
DevonM
Mantis Shrimp
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2010
- Messages
- 643
You can talk about percentages all you want, I just do what has worked for me.
I am not gonna scream, I personally think it is just a cycle, probably brought on by a number of things, and it seems we were all guilty of the same thing, ignorance. And remember, I said we. I only post my parameters for something to do, I have been doing it for a little over a month, and this is the first time that anybody besides Kelan has mentioned it, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, what does that say?????
I contacted the Spokane forum and I will probably be posting them over there, once they get a forum set up for just that sole purpose.
Just my .02
Charlie, I like your parameter posts. I compare them to my results that I post on my own site. Thanks again Charlie, keep up the good work.
I guess that is the point, what part of what volume are folks changing...a percentage ...of their system. Not trying to stir something up, I thought the post was more in a tone of soliciting suggestions, taking a poll. Water changes for me, prior to setting up these matched pumps was mixing up about 50 gallons every 2 - 3 weeks (about 18 - 25% a month)> I was just asking what folks here do; I can get plenty of recommendations from books & on-line forums! which also vary all over the place. I think you, Rob & Devon seem to be doing a better job for the most part on larger system volume set-ups
I just have not bothered with the parameters...time factor again. If i could not manage water changes on time this summer, I wasn't going to measure parameters that never changed and never were a problem over the previous 2 years. Seemed like an effort in futility, wasted time, why bother? In retrospect, I would call that stupid on my part (not ignorant...I knew better) but there had never been a problem, so the "what, me worry"??? bit me in the butt! Measuring once a month like Rob might have given me a heads-up that things were going in a bad direction; actually sounds like a good idea, a practical middle ground that could be used once things are stable again. Live & learn, right?!!
I contacted the Spokane forum and I will probably be posting them over there, once they get a forum set up for just that sole purpose. Just my .02
Charlie - I am always up for your $0.02 worth...we're talking about the same thing. I guess you can be thankful I don't call you every time a fish looks at me cross eyed anymore!
My water changes take 1/2 hour, total time, I get up at 4:30 in the AM, and I am done by 5:30 at the latest, and that includes 2 cups of coffee. I guess what I am saying is, I am old fashioned, and I am trusty that way. If one on your pumps malfunctions, what the effects? Just a question Kevin, not arguing just a question.
I realize I have been known to say that your critters will tell you when it is time to test, but here we are, struggling with hair algae, (mine is still around, just less). your blown out lite over the refugium had alot to do with your, IMO. I guess what I am saying is that non matter how easy we try to make it for ourselves, we still have to sit down and take the TIME, to do regular maintenance, whether we like it or not. Clean the skimmer thoroughly??? I do mine every six months, should probably do it more often. I am always blown away when I clean the becketts out, the skimmer performs like it did 5 years ago. I have almost taken my tank down 3 times in the past year and a half Kevin, and I finally sat down and looked at myself in the freaking mirror and said get your sh** in a bag and get to work. You have to do this or you might as well have a 20 gallon freshwater tank with guppies, sorry Rob.
And last but not least, I have caller ID, and I use it to its fullest extent
I realize I have been known to say that your critters will tell you when it is time to test, but here we are, struggling with hair algae, (mine is still around, just less). your blown out lite over the refugium had alot to do with your, IMO. I guess what I am saying is that non matter how easy we try to make it for ourselves, we still have to sit down and take the TIME, to do regular maintenance, whether we like it or not. Clean the skimmer thoroughly??? I do mine every six months, should probably do it more often. I am always blown away when I clean the becketts out, the skimmer performs like it did 5 years ago. I have almost taken my tank down 3 times in the past year and a half Kevin, and I finally sat down and looked at myself in the freaking mirror and said get your sh** in a bag and get to work. You have to do this or you might as well have a 20 gallon freshwater tank with guppies, sorry Rob.
And last but not least, I have caller ID, and I use it to its fullest extent
My water changes/clean probes/change carbon took 2 - 2-1/4 hours (I did get it done in 1:45 once)...start to finish, with the water being made the previous day so it could cure. It just took longer & once started I had to finish (try explaining that to an emergency call....I gotta change fish water...some people just don't understand!
4:30 AM won't happen here - I envy your 'quieter' life...we had 3- 4- 5 kids at home all summer, construction, spring football, then football season in Dillon or other localities (=totally scratch all of Saturday on those weeks) triathlons, work, emergencies all that jazz. Life just happened (and happened & happened ad nauseum)...and the water changes did NOT happen :frown:
Wait!...I DO have a 29 gallon tank with tetras...I represent that remark!
I know the light is REALLY hampering nutrient export..just had to figure out what the heck was going on. Now I look at the refugium & last night while working on the skimmer (a mesh wheel pump died yesterday morning after the 2 power outages with the heavy wet snow...perfect!) I realized I can see the reflection of the light on the surface of the water. I'd been LOOKING at it but not seeing what was there. Duh!
I am still adjusting the Kalk & 2-part drips by hand every morning for that reason, just to slow down & give it all a once over. but ya still miss stuff... But this is when I'm looking at what the water change pumps are doing every day. The sump level is pretty predictable day to day. Totally predictable based on basement temp, wood stove intensity, how much 'other stuff' I am dripping. So when the pumps did get out of whack after the initial 2 batches of 50 gallons (much worse on the last day), the AM sump level was off (low)...for no good reason (other than those pumps). So I made a new batch of SW & recalibrated the pumps. I figured one was the problem. Actually both were a problem, but to my surprise (so much for what you think you know) BOTH had changed their flow rates (in cc's/minute), one pumping more, the other less and they changed different amounts. SO I just recalibrated them started up again & the expected sump level has not changed since.
Any suggestions on what to replace it with? The sole purpose of that light is to grow algae...lots of it!
And last but not least, I have caller ID, and I use it to its fullest extent
Kinda like I know who you are & I know where you live??? :suspicious:
I really do enjoy these discussions, let's keep it up.
I will add more to it now...Tunze & Echo-tech (spelling???) pumps. Does anybody do routine maintenance on these babies?
I do...I must!
Kevin, I very rarely answer the phone, I spend all freaking day talking on one, I need to answer it at home like I need a hole in my head. Leave me a message, I am dumb enuf to call back...................................lol. I guess you could take the pumps out and let them run in vinegar for about half a day and then take a toothbrush to them. Geez, cleaning pumps, now you are talking a giant PITA. But the more you use Kalk, the more it should be done. I am glad Duane doesn't get on here much anymore because he would read me the eternal riot act about this. The only pump that I have seen that is about Kalk proof is the Iwaki that runs my skimmer.
As far as the lite on your fuge, I just replaced the VHO on mine, and I hauled out 10 lbs of macro the last water change I did. That was 3 weeks, really scary how dependent on lite things are isn't it????? It was a definite eye opener Kevin.
As far as the lite on your fuge, I just replaced the VHO on mine, and I hauled out 10 lbs of macro the last water change I did. That was 3 weeks, really scary how dependent on lite things are isn't it????? It was a definite eye opener Kevin.
No Charlie... I wasn't saying that you don't answer, I just don't call...don't you remember how ANYTHINGstrange happening in the tank would freak me out!?!
Pumps..had not thought of the return pumps...crap! My Tunze 6105s get soaked in vinegar every 4-6 weeks, depends. I have an extra pump, so i clean one & then replaced one that needs to be cleaned...takes a week to work through all 4 pumps, not a bad way to go & then wait for one to slow or stop & do it again. I was reading a Reef Central thread and the guy started talking about Boyle's Law (solubility & how it changes with temp) ***eyes glazing over warning***. So these pumps get warm/hot inside the calcium precipitates out better where all the heat is...at the base of the impeller, so it jams. Anyhow, this schedule works great for me, do abit of work & let the vinegar work...better living through chemicals...
Lights: what do you think about LEDs? Everybody (well, lotsa people) are starting to like them even Dr Sanjay:
AquaticLife Expandable LED Fixture
24" or 36" would work 2 or 3 of them? no T5's to replace....
As far as the LED's go, someone will have to prove to me long term that they are good for SPS. 3-4 years ago Sanjay said they they were the equivalent 175W halides. I know in the long run they are cheaper because of the replacement factor.
Coral Mag Sept/Oct, interesting read: about LED lighting
Coral - September/October 2011
and:
Coral - September/October 2011
and:
Coral - September/October 2011
Coral - September/October 2011
and:
Coral - September/October 2011
and:
Coral - September/October 2011
A very interesting read, thanx
sarmo
aka Rob
hey Charlie, it's a 500 gallon guppy tank not 20!!!!! you SW snob.....
great discussion. i think auto change is the way to go. as a double check, i think i'd want a salinity monitor as well as a daily visual check of the sump level. i think Kevin hit it on the head when he said you need to "look and to see" what is going on with your system. i totally understand how different times in people's lives can effect the time you have to spend with your hobbie.
i think one of the best additions to my system was the 3 pump dosing system for calcium, ALK and Mag. once that was working i didn't have a lot of trouble with levels. the one level that i should have paid more attention to was Mag. that will help with your Boyles Law and pump maintenance more than anything. i use to have Mag 18's stop running once every month until i got my Mag up where it should be.
with the "right" salt mix you may not need to add anything, or maybe only one or two of the big three, with your dosing pumps by using an auto change method. i remember how doing a 100 gallon change would effect all my parameters. some went to high some lagged behind and had to be made up. if that change is constant then you are adding the extra calcium or whatever with the salt mix constantly.... much better than dowing it a cup at a time as i use to before the dosing pumps.....
yes, i miss my SW tank but coming here lets me live it through your systems, thanks.
great discussion. i think auto change is the way to go. as a double check, i think i'd want a salinity monitor as well as a daily visual check of the sump level. i think Kevin hit it on the head when he said you need to "look and to see" what is going on with your system. i totally understand how different times in people's lives can effect the time you have to spend with your hobbie.
i think one of the best additions to my system was the 3 pump dosing system for calcium, ALK and Mag. once that was working i didn't have a lot of trouble with levels. the one level that i should have paid more attention to was Mag. that will help with your Boyles Law and pump maintenance more than anything. i use to have Mag 18's stop running once every month until i got my Mag up where it should be.
with the "right" salt mix you may not need to add anything, or maybe only one or two of the big three, with your dosing pumps by using an auto change method. i remember how doing a 100 gallon change would effect all my parameters. some went to high some lagged behind and had to be made up. if that change is constant then you are adding the extra calcium or whatever with the salt mix constantly.... much better than dowing it a cup at a time as i use to before the dosing pumps.....
yes, i miss my SW tank but coming here lets me live it through your systems, thanks.
hey Charlie, it's a 500 gallon guppy tank not 20!!!!! you SW snob.....
Ok fine.................................. lol
Well I needed to get my refuigium functioning better...an older T8 light finally had one of the 2 fixtures in the housing croak, necessitating a replacement of some sort. Looking at all of the choices & suggestions (from here (all of you), magazines, Dan @ ReefMissoula), I drank the cool-aid & have installed 3 of the Aquatic Life 24" 10, 000K/460nm lights (15-10K & 15-blue LEDs) I did the 'huge-fuge' cleaning & dusting, scraping & left it at that. The 3 fish that live down there did not come back out by the time I went to bed, musta not like me stirring things up so much. This morning they were out & acting like nothing had changed. The soft corals (Zoas & a torch) and a candy-cane LPS also looked like they were acting/functioning normally. What is very noticable is the much dimmer light given off to the surrounding environment (my basement does not look like mid-day light levels any more) . The T8s are like any tube or bulb...light is transmitted every which way. These LEDs emit the light away from the diode, so there is way much less light overall, but all of the light emitted is basically going into the water straight down (like a 30 degree +/- spread). Looks way different, also is a bit more blue than the other lights. Not bad just different...I will be curious to see how the algae & corals do in the fuge now.
Pictures: 3 of the 24" lights attached together to form one unit
Lights on - yes they are bright
Old light over fuge...you can CLEARLY see that just one tube is working :nerd:
New light on & yes it is more toward the blue end of things (3 strips working)
Happy fish & corals this morning (well hungry fish wanting to be fed...NOW!)
Pictures: 3 of the 24" lights attached together to form one unit
Lights on - yes they are bright
Old light over fuge...you can CLEARLY see that just one tube is working :nerd:
New light on & yes it is more toward the blue end of things (3 strips working)
Happy fish & corals this morning (well hungry fish wanting to be fed...NOW!)
Attachments
I had to turn lights on in the room this morning to do the look over & get drips going. It was actually kind of funny!
I don't wnat to shock the crap out of anybody...I measured some parameters in my tank tonight. Really! I am going to watch the OT in the OSU vs Stanford game, then I'll post; this will give Charlie a chance to sit down & get his heart rate back down to normal... :faint:
Poor kicker for Stanford!
1.2.2011 Tank parameters @ 10PM:
1.2.2011 Tank parameters @ 10PM:
Temp = 78.0 pH = 8.16
SpGr = 1.027
Ca = 420 ppm
Alk = 11.4dkH (! Salifert & Hanna)
Mg = 1200ppm
Phosphate (PO4) = 0 ppm (Salifert)
= 0.11 ppm (Hanna)
Nitrate = 0 ppm
Good luck with the alk Kevin, let us know how that turns around. And no, I didn't fall down and hurt myself, but I am rather impressed that you still remembered how to use the kits
