150 Redux

[Ah64av8tor]

Rich,

It would not be the first school project I have had to help (do) for the kids late on a Sunday night.

I cant wait to have it covered with corals.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Getting ready for the big cut in the morning lots of work to do around here, my mom is coming for a few days and I really need to clean the house or Ill just have to play like I'm in pain and she wont give me any grief and do a better job cleaning than I would have done

Sunday is my normal day to clean the tank and do maintenance so I got at it this morning knowing I wouldn’t get any thing done on the tanks for a week or two. The hair algae in the 65 is pretty thick and it needed a good scrubbing and blasting. I cleaned the skimmer and put in a new sock, changed the carbon and PhosLock in the reactor.
I noticed that the Velocity T4 was not putting out the flow as normal and the tank was about 2 degrees warmer than normal, so I figured it was a good time to clean the pump. I pulled it apart for cleaning and this is what I found. This is the impeller from my Velocity T4 and it has been running for almost 4 years now.

I would not have that it would go out like this, it was last apart 6 to 8 weeks a go and all was fine, the housing still doesn't show any sign of wear. Well I had no choice but to put it back together and reinstall it. It seems to be running fine let’s hope it last a little longer.

Its running fine and the tank is looking good after the dust settled.I need a large cleanup crew to tale out the rest of the hair algae.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Update: I made it through the surgery fine and have not been in to much pain that the drugs couldn’t handle. I have kept Ice on it most of the time and the swelling is going down; the knee is now only the size of a softball not a volleyball.

I haven’t gotten any thing done in the last week understandably.

65 gal:
I have lost a few Peppermint shrimp after molting, it looked as if their shell didn’t harden and they kept falling over because their legs go out from under them (kind of like me now). It really needs some cleaning right now I got the sock changed and the skimmer cup emptied on Sunday. The hair algae is dieing back and on its last leg. I'm looking for a large cleanup crew to finish it off. I was looking at making an order from Keys Critters and hope it works out.

120 gal:
The rock looks good; things are popping up that made it through the cooking process. It looks as though some Anthelia and some Zoanthids may have survived the crash and cooking. I added another hundred Nassarius snails and about 20 right-handed hermits last week. It looks very good except there are a few aiptaisa anemones coming back.
I added a shop light with NO daylight bulbs and hope to get some coralline growth on the rock.

150 gal:
I haven’t been able to do any wood work and am running out of stuff that I can do right now. I think Ill start wiring up the lighting I have 2 IC 660’s to wire up.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Yesterday I ordered a large cleaner crew from Keys Critters, it was to be a club order and we needed $500 to get the discount. This is a long story Ill cut it down a bit. During the course of several Emails.... I kept asked them to work up what a $500 order would look like, but he kept saying its best just to order what you need and pay the shipping. I got the order up to $500 and this was the response.

If we apply the club discount prices, this order is still a lot less than the min for club buys. Plus, every time you add more, it takes a bigger box, and all of this makes your shipping charges go up. We are still the cheapest on livestock. I suggest you just order what you need.

I was at $80 in shipping and it was going to double at least for me to get to the magic $500 after the discount, but he would never tell me what the discount would be so I could raise the order to get there.
Any way I made the order for 500 astrea snails ,700 blueleg hermits and 300 cerith snails for the club @ $500 plus shipping and from that I shoud have 100 astreas ,200 bluelegs, and 100 cerith snails next week. Im happy with the deal I got sofar, we'll see how it goes.

I’ve been working on the lighting as best as I can. I just finished unpacking the lights I got from Aquarium Specialty. I was very happy with the service I got from them, Scott does a great job of packing, they have been through 3 moves in the last year and not a scratch on anything. The T5s were packed in 2’ PVC pipe.

Building up the Ice cap SLRs and end caps has been a real ordeal first I had to screw the bulb clips onto the brackets that go on the end of the reflectors and then snap the ends on the reflectors my fingers got a real work out after doing 8 SLR setups. I could not get 4 of ends that the lamp clips are screwed onto to stay on the SLR, when I try to install the bulb the clip pops off the SLR.
The end caps are a 2 piece type not the 3 piece German types I’m used to, and seem to be harder to get them on. You have to tighten them real well or the bulb will fall out, not to mention they won’t hold out any water. Well 4 down and 4 more to go.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

I worked on the Ice Cap SLRs and couldn’t get them to stay together until late least night, so I posted on their forum with this pic.

As usual I got a prompt reply.

Call Dave at IceCap, 800-742-3227 ext. 25 .
I think you're a victim of mixed revisions. The latest rev. doesn't use or need those braces.

Andy

The new and improved version will go out in the morning, I just love the product and service you get from Ice Cap, thats why I buy no other.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

I had raised the Alk on the 65 in an effort to hold back some Cyano and a small pach of Dinos, found my test kits to be out of date and had been adding to much buffer over the last month along with daily additions of kalk.

On Friday I was going to do a water change so I went to the LFS to have them test the water. I could not believe that the tank waters Alk was 5.5 and the Ca was 200. The new IO tested as Alk 4 and Ca 350. I knew that I was going to do a %50 water change I wasn’t to worried so I went and picked up a few frags from a local Reefer that was tearing down his prop tank. I got 6 SPS and a bunch of small Zoanthids that were stuck to what was left of his racks.

Corey (a2fire2i here on RC) came over to help with the water change and do some more test (thanks) After we did the water change he left and I forgot to check how the #s turned out, so I thought I would shoot over to the LFS and get some Calcium Chloride and have the #s run again. The Alk was 5.7 and the Ca was 300 I still wasn’t too worried and picked up some Seachem reef complete calcium. When I got home I ran the #s on the chemistry calculator, and added half of the dose.

Saturday morning I added the rest of the dose, and headed to Brian’s to pick up the Acros I got from the auction, once I got there and looked around I had to get a few other pieces. I got 6 SPS 5 of which are very large for farmed corals.

On the way home I called another reef club member to see if he would come over to check my water. Mike (lookout888 here on RC) came in half way through the acclimation and while I was gluing up the frags that broke off in transport, he ran the tests.

OMG the Alk was still up at 5.7 and the Calcium was at 200 how could this be. We re ran the #s again and it was correct. Mike had brought me a birds nest frag so we tested his water to make sure, his water tested fine as usual. I ran the #s through the calculator and I would need $50 of Seachem reef complete calcium to bring it back, so I decided that I needed to get a large bag of Dowflake.

As of this morning I had added 200ml of Seachem reef complete calcium in the last 36 hours, and the Alk was still only 5.4 and the Ca was 250 using the Salifert Ca and Alk kits. So now I'm looking for a 50lb bag of Calcium Chloride and there aren’t a lot of pool places open at 10:00 am on a Sunday morning during the winter, the closest one would open at 11:00 and I don’t even know if they have any. After a few frantic posts in the chemistry forum it was 11:00 and I made the call they had 1 bag of Dowflake left, I asked them to hold it and jumped in the truck.

When I got home I mixed up Randys Recipe #1

Ran the #s on the calculator it said to raise from 250 to 400 add 767.6 ml or 25.9 fl oz of recipe #1.

I thought that half of 25.9 fl oz would be a can of coke so I grabbed a drinking glass and filled it about to the top. After I slowly turned the glass over and pulled it out of the sump I saw it had 500ml on the bottom so I figure I added 400ml.

2 hours later I ran the #s again; Salifert Alk 5.0 Ca 350 much better!!!!!!! I will test tonight and tomorrow (with the Salifert) and recalculate the dose.

I did a test with my old Aquarium Systems Fast Test, Alk was 3 no wonder I drove the Alk so high I kept adding buffer and no rise over 3.

Here is the list of acquisitions this week end.
Green Digi Montipora digitata
German Blue Digi Montipora digitata,
Raspberry Digi Montipora digitata
ORA Green Birds Nest Seriatopora guttatus,
Birds Nest Seriatopora spp
Tri-Color Porcipilla,
Tri-Color Acro, Acropora spp
Tri-Color Valida, Acropora valida.
Yellow Table Acropora Acropora spp
Ridge coral Hydnophora exesa
Green Pavona Pavona decassuta
Colt
Zoanthids
And a tiny GBTA

Ill get pics up as soon as I learn how to take a decent one.

 

[InvaderJim]

I like where you decided to put the tank. Looking very promising so far.

 

[lookout888]

Some Pics of Greg's 65.

Mike

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Jim,

The main viewing side will be from the living room, from there it will be only 6' shorter than the 65 at 30' except that it is 4" deep from front to back.

Mike,

Thanks for the pics, I still need to learn how to use my camera.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

I ran the #s again on the Salifert test : they are much better and the #s are as follows.

Alk 4.4
Ca 300
Mg 1110

They should be right on target tomorrow evening.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Quik up date.

I just checked the #s and it looks good.

Alk 4.3 Dkh 12
Ca 380
Mg 1320

I'm going to give one more shot of Ca in the morning befor I start back with the Kalkwasser and both parts of Randys 2 part.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

One of these days Ill get my money out of this camera......until then Ill just keep trying.

Let me know what they look like to you.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Things are settling down and the #s are looking good.

Alk 3.7 Dkh 11
Ca 380
Mg 1400

I've started back dripping Kalkwasser and am watching the #s to determine a consumption rate for dosing Randy’s 2 part.

The SLRs came this afternoon from Icecap as promised. The new design is much simpler and sturdier than the first batch and a whole lot easier to assemble. It took longer to take apart the old ones and pack them up to send back than it did to assemble the new set.

The old set is on the left, the bracket that held the bulb clip was held in place by the two little holes, the new design the bulb clip screws directly on the reflector.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

The order from Keys critters came to day. It got here at 9:00am Via FedEx and the package was in good shape. I ordered 700 Blueleg hermits 300 Cerith snails and 500 Astrea snals. I put 200 Bluelegs 100 Ceriths and 100 Astreas in the 65 and most of the rest will go to other club members who went in on the order. What isn’t taken by the guys from the club will go into the 120.

Every thing looks good so far there were only a few DOAs. The inverts were shipped dry from the keys and were very lively and in excellent shape, there is no complaint over the quality of their livestock....perhaps the best I have ever gotten.

I think they could have gotten twice as much in the same box or gotten away with the smaller box. I just think I could have gotten a few hundred more in the same box and saved on the packaging and shipping. Overall I’m very happy with the quality of the product and the prompt shipping. I will learn from this order before the next one.

 

[jeffbrig]

I'm still disappointed that you won that purple acro and not me. How is that green tenuis frag doing in your tank? Mine has colored up very well in the last month, I'll have to get a picture of it to show you...

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Jeff,
Its put on a little around the base but not much, the Monti is doing great, although I think the chemistry problems I had have stunted the growth. All is good now and it hasnt looked better.

I have been working on the light fixture to house 2 Icecap 250w HQI and 4 T5s powered by an Icecap 660. I used 1’ X 1/8’ angle aluminum and pop riveted the rails that the fixtures will attach to. I am incorporating PC fans to keep the temp down. I'm looking at some 120mm fans and was wondering what is the quietest with the most CFM.

The Icecap 120mm fan runs around $45.00, the 2 that I have now have been running great for about 5 years.

*Variable speed control (based on ambient temperature)
*Air based temperature controlled probe
*12 Volt DC operation with quick disconnect transformer included
*Ball bearing and conformal coated for harsh environments
*Fan guard with mounting hardware included
*50 â€"œ 102 CFM
*Maximum decibels: 48 dBA

Vantec ThermoFlow 120mm fan runs around $15.00 but I will still need a power supply.

*Variable speed control (based on ambient temperature)
*Air based temperature controlled probe
*12 Volt DC with Molex connecter / transformer not included
*Dual Ball bearing
*Fan guard with mounting hardware included
*54.3 â€"œ 92 CFM
*Maximum decibels: 29 - 39 dBA

Should I get the variable speed temp controlled fans like the Icecap or just go for the high CFM fan and use a separate speed controller and power supply?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Well if it isn’t one thing it’s another. My new clean up crew needs cleaning up after.
They are starting to make a dent in what is left of the hair algae. You know the old saying what goes in must come out, there is poop everywhere! I have to get more flow to keep it all suspended so it will go overboard, that means rearranging the rock and corals so they don’t get blasted by the return.

The total crew now is.
1 Red Sea Sailfin Tang
1 Lawnmower blenny
2 Black Mollies
2 Peppermint shrimp
2 Brittle starfish
5 Star snails
7 Trochus snails
12 Emerald Crabs
50 Nassarius Vibex snails
200 Blueleg hermit Crabs
100 Cerith snails
100 Astrea snals.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

This weekend was the Reef Club meeting, and I got a few frags of a brown and orange Monti cap and an orange Monti Digi. They all look brown now I hope they color up.

The Euro Reef 5-2 skimmer on the 65 stopped working Sunday morning as I was doing my normal Sunday maintenance so I pulled it out of the sump and gave it a good cleaning. The Sedra 3500 has been running for almost 5 years and the impeller and housing had some ware. It lasted until this morning and failed again so I called Euro Reef and ordered a new pump and rubber for it should last another 5 years now.

I'm still working on the light rack for the 150 and am pondering the placement of the fans. The hood will be completely open above the lights and the back will have a sliding door to allow access from the back. The ends will be closed so there is not enough room on the sides of the hood to get air in behind the fans unless they are under the lights creating shadows. There is plenty of room in the rack for at least 3 120mm fans. Having them in the rack blowing up, down or at an angle will work best with the current layout.

The 2 Icecap 120mm fans in the 65 have been running great for about 5 years, so it’s time to get some new ones for the 150. I still need some Stainless Steal screws to mount the blocks for the T5 end caps so it’s off to the HD.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Local Reefer comes to the rescue!

Local Reefer comes to the rescue!

Yesterday as I was leaving the doctor’s office another local reefer (boydx6) called me on my cell phone wanting to know if I was home so he could come buy to get some of the extra clean up crew from the order I made from Keys Critters. I told him I was in Tampa and would not be home for a while. We talked a little more and as I was telling him that the pump on my RE skimmer died, and he asked if it was a Sedra KSP 3500? It was like he had it in his hand (he actually did) as fast as I said yes he said I got one here I'm not using now you can borrow it.

What is funny is I was only about a mile from him and it was on the way home. So I stopped by and picked it up Thanks Stephen. It is working like a champ again; the new pump shipped yesterday and should be here right after Christmas.

I got the remaining hardware for the light fixture so I should get back to working on that.

Here are some pics of the light rack.

This is the end I still have to cut and bend the arms that the T5s are on down at a 45 degree angle and cut the end panel from 3/32 T4 aluminum and pop rivet it on.

From the top # 1&3 will be 120mm fans pointed down at a 45 degree angle and #2 will be 120mm fan pointed up.

I still have to cut the end panels that will hold the 120mm fans from 3/32 T4 aluminum and bend the ends down at a 45 degree angle so they will connect the end of the rack, the top of the MH and pop rivet it on, it will also connect to the mounting bolts that will hold the entire thing up. Then I have to cut the center panel that will hold the 120mm fan and rivet it into place.

This is the only way I can see to get full coverage of the water surface and exhaust.

Comments would be good about now!

 

[gkarshens]

The light rack looks great! I need to add some T5s for actinics to my setup.