40 Gallon Breeder reef tank build...
- Thread starter mmittlesteadt
- Start date
ZeeSparrow
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How are things, Mark?
mmittlesteadt
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Things were going fabulously...until...
Lost my Xenia due to two $#%#@$ Aiptasia attacking it. I threw out the frag plug with them (and my Xenia) on it. No sign of them anywhere else in the tank and I now have a couple of peppermint shrimp in the tank.
Everything else is doing great. All my fish are active and healthy. Last night my sump pump in the basement crapped out, draining my display tank down to just above the circulation pumps. All my fail-safes were in place and no harm done. I have circulating pumps and heaters in both my sump and my display, so right now they are each operating independently of each other. I had to turn off my skimmer because with the added level it was freaking out. But water is getting circulated and aerated in each system independently.
I had no other pump as a backup, but I'm at work holding a brand new one to replace it and the systems should be fine until I get home. Once I send my failed pump in under warranty I should get a new one back to keep as a backup.
Other than that...all is well. I haven't been active here because of working full time during the day and I went back to school full time so all i really have time for is sleeping...kind of.
Lost my Xenia due to two $#%#@$ Aiptasia attacking it. I threw out the frag plug with them (and my Xenia) on it. No sign of them anywhere else in the tank and I now have a couple of peppermint shrimp in the tank.
Everything else is doing great. All my fish are active and healthy. Last night my sump pump in the basement crapped out, draining my display tank down to just above the circulation pumps. All my fail-safes were in place and no harm done. I have circulating pumps and heaters in both my sump and my display, so right now they are each operating independently of each other. I had to turn off my skimmer because with the added level it was freaking out. But water is getting circulated and aerated in each system independently.
I had no other pump as a backup, but I'm at work holding a brand new one to replace it and the systems should be fine until I get home. Once I send my failed pump in under warranty I should get a new one back to keep as a backup.
Other than that...all is well. I haven't been active here because of working full time during the day and I went back to school full time so all i really have time for is sleeping...kind of.
ZeeSparrow
New member
Sorry to hear about the aiptasia and pump issues. I found some aiptasia in my tank as well but may not have mentioned it because peppermint shrimp took care of it in short order. Glad you didn't have any losses due to the pump issues!
mmittlesteadt
New member
Thanks. The aiptasia actually ticks me off more as my Xenia was gorgeous.
I haven't been home with my new pump so I don't know for sure yet if all is still well, but I think things will be fine short term. The display tank has a slightly lower water volume, but it has heat, circulation and aeration, along with a lot of aged rock for a biofilter. The sump does as well. I have circulation pumps and heaters in the sump, although the skimmer is off (due to freaking out at the higher water level). There will be some minor evaporation in the display tank, but it will be less than 24 hours of no ATO for it. I have both, the display and sump, each set up to run independently of each other for a time, just for this kind of issue. Makes me happy that I took the time in my planning stages.
It was good to find out my fail safes are, in fact, fail safe!
mmittlesteadt
New member
I got the new pump put in and everything is back to normal. What a PITA. I got a new pump, put it in and it too didn't work. Had to go back again today and swap it out for yet another new one and this one works perfect. I didn't lose anything thank God.
Now I just have to send in my old one and get a replacement under warranty so I have a backup ready when I need it.
Now I just have to send in my old one and get a replacement under warranty so I have a backup ready when I need it.
Swope2bc
New member
mmittlesteadt
New member
It's just an Aquatop 3600, which pumps about 450 GPH from my basement sump up to my display tank at about an 8-9 ft. head. I can get them for $50 my cost and it's all my LFS carries. Not anywhere close top shelf (more like bottom tier Chinese knockoff but sold by an American company), and yeah their QC must be limited to doing nothing more than putting a QC sticker on the pump. LOL.
It's been a great pump (when it worked), but man the other one I got to replace it was brand new and it pumped like it was a 200GPH pump trying to push it 9 ft. The new one I got this morning to replace that one works perfect (as my first one did). My original pump filled my 40 gallon tank full from the basement in about 8 minutes. The first replacement couldn't even top it off a few gallons in over an hour. Ugh!
At least I have one that works now, and will soon have another as a backup. In the meantime I'm going to look at some higher quality pumps and save up. I've heard Mag pumps are better quality and for my application I'd need at least a Mag 9.5.
Swope2bc
New member
mmittlesteadt
New member
This is one I have my eye on (for the future)...
Danner Mag 9.5 Good specs as it will pump about 500GPH at a 9 foot head.
I found one on evilbay, brand new in box for $60 (they normally go for around $90 +). I would have bought it, but I needed to replace mine ASAP and couldn't wait for shipping. So now I'll have two Aquatop 3600's while I decide on something better.
If I didn't have such a run from my basement to upstairs I'd have more reasonably priced options.
Swope2bc
New member
mmittlesteadt
New member
mmittlesteadt
New member
Updated tank shot from today (October FTS). This is after getting my sump pump replaced, so some of the corals are a still coming back out from that. Torch on the left is actually much bigger than pictured when fully extended. He's getting back to normal.
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ZeeSparrow
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Very nice. What's that in the center right... Kenya tree? Looks huge!
mmittlesteadt
New member
Thanks.
Yeah, those are all Kenya Tree. I love them. And they were even bigger than that prior to my pump failing. Now with full circulation they are coming back. They've colored up much more after growing out more. I also moved my mushroom rock up in the middle after my Xenia took a hit from the aiptasia.
stingeragent
New member
Those kenya's spread like wildfire. I got one as a hitchhiker on my first tank about 18 months ago. Now a few tank upgrades later, I have at least 20, some bigger than the original hitch hiker growed to be.
mmittlesteadt
New member
Yeah, they do. Good thing I love them. and GSP, and mushrooms and Xenia (gotta get another Xenia someday).
stingeragent
New member
I got a small frag of GSP that never spreads. Same with mushrooms. I had a ricordea that split in two, but besides that, none of my mushrooms have ever done anything except stay the same.
mmittlesteadt
New member
Just a few close-up shots of my corals. Nothing new to report here. Can't seem to get a good shot of my Coral Beauty. Hey, I wanted a big, colorful, active fish...and I got one in this fish. VERY active. So active I can't get a still shot of him!
My Torch, Zoas and GSP...
And my beautiful Kenya Trees and mushrooms. Hey, I love them!
My Torch, Zoas and GSP...
And my beautiful Kenya Trees and mushrooms. Hey, I love them!