Addiction wins, 450 gallon system begins

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Well I just tested my ammonia test kit. I ran three tests 1 from the tank, 1 from a 1.5 day old batch of salt water and 1 from RO/DI only. Both the tank and fresh SW tested 0.25 and the RO/DI water tested less than 0.25. So either the test kit is bad or I have ammonia naturally occurring in my water... I doubt it:) It's a bit of relief...

I also placed some carbon on the exhaust from my skimmer, the smell in the wetroom was getting a bit foul. Seems to have worked!
 
Very nice pictures, Hop. Your daughter is adorable. My wife's grandfather was Cherokee. You can see it in my son's complexion.
 
ohioreefer: Thanks. You know growing up I wasn't so keen on the native american thing, but as I got older I began to appreciate it. I've passed this on to my kids and they are so proud! My daughter always tells people in the store "I'm an indian" LOL. And to think her great gandmother did everything possible to hide the color of her skin...
 
that is the way my familywas. we have been off the Indian reg. for 4 generations now because it was a embarrassing to be an Indian. I myself am half Cherokee half creek Indian
 
I had an ammonia test that always showed .5 ppm. It was Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I bought the Nutrafin test and it works great. BTW, I have Cherokee from my mom's side. Her maiden name was Cheek.
 
Ahhh...country living! My friends visiting us after we split Kalifornia were perplexed by our choice of surroundings. They asked why the hell would I move to the middle of nowhere...funny thing is that there is a Costco 10 minutes from my house. My neighbors have haired sheep. Another has a complete stable/riding arena etc. and who knows how many horses he boards. I love it 'cause there is no way for my son to run out into the street and get hit by a car.

The shots of the "retiree" are great...well, your daughter is cute too!

My wife wants to move even farther away from town but complains that our son doesn't have enough friends...I can't win, so I am installing a giant tank. he he...move? I don't think so!--J
 
BTW, changes in environment for your rock will produce the ammonia, and that's why it is so important to do continuous water changes until you get a zero reading. Don't let it go up!--J
 
gkarshens: Yeah it's definitely time to pick up a new kit. I wonder if there is anything fun you can do with old expired kits. Sort of like burning magnesium shavings and adding a bit of water:)

jnarowe: Yeah I must admit I love living here. We live basically in suburbia, but on the edge, right up against the open space. We get deer, elk, bears and Mnt. lions in the yard and close by. So far this has been close enough:) My wife always wants to move further out where we can put horses on our own property, but I really like it where we are at. I guess that will work itself out someday.
 
Hop said:
Thanks guys! And yes that is her handprint.
The meaning of the hand print is a little long so I'll try to sum it up shortly. According to legend during the land rush the Native Americans were not allowed to partake in the land auction. The Lumbee Indians at the time were not listed on the national registry of recognized tribes, so my wife's great-great grandfather (I think or great-great-great) put in for land in the south-eastern portion of Kansas. Long story short is that it came between he and another man and the first one to lay claim to the land by occupancy etc would obtain the acreage. So to mark the land, he apparently cut his hand off and left it on the property. So this is the LEGEND and a red handprint was entered into my wife's, mother's side in the family crest. But they didn't have any red horse-safe paint so it wound up being blue:)

This is actually not one of our horses, we have two quarter horses that are retired cutters. This horse, Pawnee, is a retired ranch horse that is more of a pet and took to my daughter a couple years ago. This horse has protected her in the pasture when a Mustang stud got a little too aggressive with her. As my wife picked my daughter up, Pawnee stepped in and started kicking the snot out of the Mustang. This horse also gets physically ill when my daughter dosen't make it to school, just stares at the county road waiting for my wife's car to drive up, won't eat or drink. They have some strange bond, the horse realizes she's a child and takes the most precautious, gentle temperament with her.

Very moving and beautiful.

As far as Chaeto, did you mean it is a sinker not a floater? I plan to have some but I prefer floating algae.
 
Thanks it's my wife's story, I just get to tell it once in a while:)... And the Chaeto would have floated, but the design of the fuge kept blowing it to the bottom. That's why I have it floating in a strainer now:)
 
Well it's funny where we live because until recently it was wooded and farmland. No lots under 2.5 acres. Now the Empire is oozing right through town. There are 3,000 sq. ft. houses selling for $600K, and the only house that expensive when we moved here was a mansion on huge grounds with panoramic views, and no one would buy it.

It's somewhat embarassing to think that in 98 we paid so little for our place compared to what it's worth now, and we haven't remodeled it yet.

Pawnee is not that unusual in that she has taken to your daughter. Animals are extremely sensative to manerisms, heart, etc. because they don't talk like we do. They have to base their trust/judgement entirely on what they see. Horses can't lie.
 
simonmr said:
/\/\ Just courious what has been going on with the tank lately hope all is well

Thanks for enquiring!

Well basically I have been working my tail off trying to get the bank account fat again:) Just a hectic time around here and everyone has been sick in the family.

As far as the tank goes; things have been going OK. I had a diatom bloom, but it was not that bad and has since gone away. Now I'm beginning the next algae battle, but it's not as bad as tanks past. I just ordered 100 turbo snails, 200 ceriths, 3 emerald crabs and a star from keyscritters.

The tang and the foxface have one more week and they will be added to the main display:)

The issues I have had so far was that my OM quit turning and I didn't notice it for who knows how long. The problem was quickly resolved thanks to Paul at OM! Then the GFCI keeps tripping in the middle of the night and killing the return pump as well as the quarantine tank. I was going to run another dedicated circuit this weekend to the wetroom. I have all the wires ran, I just need to plug it in to the main box, then I can split some circuits up and hopefully not have any more issues. I may replace the GFCI outlet, as I think it's the culprit. There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it's tripping, but the first time I almost lost my FF and Tang. Now, since I'm working nights, I try to swing by the house a few times a night and check on things.

Essentially that is all there is to update. I've been trying to get out and work outside lately and have not been spending too much time in front of the computer. A few hours in front of the tank and the rest of the time with the kids... Hopefully I'll get some pics up in a few weeks, but there has not been much change in appearance. I just noticed some coraline on the omniflex nozzles, so hopefully I'll be getting some color soon:)

Take care!
 
when you get a chance, can you post more about keyscritters? I have never heard of them. What is your experience with them?--J
 
If you'll look in the Vendor's Feedback forum, there is a post by me that I wrote less than a month ago. It contains everything including images.
 
I had the same problem with one of my GFCI as soon as i split up the load on the Main breaker I no longer had that problem with the GFCI


my 2 cents
 
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