ChadTheSpike

Hey. I just caught your LED DIY build thread. Someone bumped it today. Did you finish it? Can you update the thread with some pics or updates?

Hi Chad, How's everything going? haven't heard from you for a while. How's your sea grass bed doing?

Hi - thanks for responding. I am in mourning! My spotted sea hare got sucked onto the bottom of a PH and died. I'm very sad - I really liked him.
Now re: DSB, I think I am going to have it in the DT (tank is 24"high so depth is no problem) and do BB in fuge (chaeto can get messy). That said, I found I like my fuge better than my DT - go figure! I like the plants. I also like "critters" like my sea hare as much, or more than fish.
I see these really beautiful reefs, but not so sure anymore that's what I want. I mean I would like to have SOME corals, but I like diversity, and would like other things as well - not just a coral tank. I want a tank active and alive w/all kinds of things.
Yes I'm getting outside - have real nice garden going - already have some small tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers started.
Talk to you later. Carolyn

HI - noticed you were on line this morning. So here's an update: have HA BAD - got a spotted sea hare (also 2 turbo snails, ceriths, 3 hairy chitons) - . When he's cleaned it all up, will I have to buy red & ulva algaes (he will eat chaeto as a last resort) to feed him? Do you shut down water pumps when you feed to keep food from going down overflow? What I have now is 2" to 4" sugar sand in DT and about 3 1/2" slightly courser aragonite in fuge. Followed a discussion on whether RDSB in fuge was as effective as DSB in DT. What do you think? Should I move aragonite from fuge, leaving that BB, and put in DT to raise sand level to 5" to 6"? How will adding sand affect the surface bacteria/critters.
Could not find an Eheim 1262, so ended up buying a Mag 1200. gph. also bought 2 Korallia for more water movement. Is there any way to hook a timer up to a RODI unit? I've only flooded the room about 6 times, and Steve is not a happy camper!

Hi, The chaeto came in yesterday smelling horrible! All the critters in it had died. I rinsed it several times in SW and it is in my fuge now. Thanks. It is good chaeto. I had a small amt. from LFS but it was much finer textured. Guess there's more than one kind. I like what you sent much better. Thanks a lot. BTW did you get pmt?

Tell me what you did with your sump upgrade, and why please. Also are the white thing & red things sponges? And what is the thing that is white & yellow w/ purple on it? Do they provide some benefit? Are they in your sump or your fuge? Thanks, Carolyn

Hi, Well things are still going slow! I bought a used SWC 200 skimmer. Looked at the picture on line but had no frame of reference re: size, read the footprint dimensions, but guess they didn't register - I've had brain-fog lately! Received it today and it is HUGE! Set it in the 29g tall and it takes up 3/4 of the tank! I only have about 8 1/2" left to work with. I have 3 partitions to work with. Will the skimmer release bubbles into the tank? Does it matter if some bubbles make their way into the fuge as long as they are dispersed prior to going into the DT? Can the sump intake pipe from the DT be in the same compartment as the skimmer? The skimmer is only suppose to be in 8-10" of water. Suggestions on how to set up sump with these specs? Also will there be anywhere for grape calerpa now, or is it too risky to keep (weed)? Thanks.

Hi Chad, well I'm close to getting my fuge set up. I have an assortment of old VHO strip lights and Steve is going to remove the lights and install as many as he can in the hood for the fuge - probably one 36" & 2-3 24". I have some grow light bulbs which I'd used for plants - would they be suitable or beneficial for the fuge? Also a 36" blue, but don't think that spectrum is as beneficial as daylight bulb would be? I have a 5800 MH bulb (the large bulbs) which cast a yellowish light - could possibly raise the hood some and use it, IF it would be more beneficial than VHO daylight. At the moment I have a tiny bit of chaeto & grape calerpa that I bought at LFS and all I have on it is a 100w incandescent shop light. The grape calerpa is growing, but the chaeto doesn't seem to be. The way the grape calerpa is growing I don't think I want it in my fuge. Maybe I'll put it in my sump as a bubble diffuser betw my over & under partitions. Good idea or bad?

Hi, I'm in the market for a skimmer and looking on used. I see some, but they are rated for larger systems than I will have. Does that make any difference? LIKE MSX250?

Small brown anemone came on some grape algae - good, bad or ugly?

how hard are the seahorses?

I hope tomorrow I can take the 30g to be drilled and panes cut for baffles. I guess I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a 1262 Eheim (my Christmas present). I know there are less expensive pumps - Mag 7 for instance; but the 1250 I have is VERY OLD, but when I plugged it in, it started immediately and ran almost silently. IMHO they're just the best! I looked at plumbing today at the hdw. store and 1"ID was the largest in flexible clear tubing, and 1 1/4"ID in PVC - small hdw. store - might be able to find larger at Lowe's or Home Depot. Don't know how to figure head loss, but w/1262 rated at 900gph and having to pump up almost 5' to fuge - what will flow be then and what size hole do I need to have drilled in tank?

Lots of questions I know - thanks for all your help. I'm configuring my whole set-up after yours. BTW I have a old MH - big bulb type 5800K I think. How would that be over the fuge?

Chad, What's going on? Took all my LR out, got the CC out, replaced w/LS over 2 day period in which there was only about 6" water above sand. The rest of the water and the LR was in a tupperware trash can and my 30g tank. FORGOT TO PUT PH IN TRASH CAN & 30G TANK FOR 2 DAYS!!! Put most of the water back into the tank except for what's still in trash can w/LR. Put in 10g fresh made SW. Have Skimmer running, 2 PHs, and HOT Magnum w/sleeve b/c water was VERY cloudy. Water is clear. It was an old sleeve that had been cleaned and had been packed up for years. Tested today - Am.0, Nitrite .10 - .15, but Nitrate up to 20., and Phos. up to 2.0. SG1.026, Temp around 76, and PH 7.8, but added 2 tsp. Kent super buffer to raise PH. Oh BTW - on the last test I did on 12/7 they were rising some - Nitrate from 5.0 to 10. & Phosphate from 0.5 to 1.0. I have been feeding the clown 2-3 times a day, but a small amt.

Hi, Guess you're not on line much these days. You must be working too hard! Well I finally have everything set up - DT, sump & fuge. I have a MSX SWC 200 skimmer which I've finally figured out how to regulate. I can sure use some chaeto now and copods, etc. to get my sump going. I got the SG too high 1.033, and my chaeto & lettuce algae turned white in places.. What would cause that? Ever had that happen? Hope all is going well w/your fuge upgrade. Are you planning on having sea grass? Hope all is well w/you & your girlfriend. My address is Carolyn Lovelace, 906 Unity Church Rd., Kings Mountain, NC 28086. Thanks

Hi Chad - I'm going to get the MA - will there be a chemical reaction betw clorox/acid - do I need to rinse & clean rock before putting into the MA solution? How much MA (per 5 g) should I use? Soak 'til Sunday - then what?