Aquabacs' Cadlights Artisan 50 Azooxanthellae Tank build

Thanks!

Hook the chiller up, it does no good stting by the tank ;)

The temp on my tank has been stable at 72. What is interesting is that the digital temp reading on the chiller was 4 degrees off (tested it agains 3 other sources) So the setting on the chiller is actually set to 68 to be at the correct temperture I want it at.

Mike
 
First time posting in your thread, but I love following this tank. I have a couple questions I couldn't really find the answers to. I saw you have two Neo arms + PAR 38 lights, but what other lights do you have on the tank to highlight corals/bring out colors? Also what were you using over your previous 24g tank?

Also a quick request. Any chance you could provide an updated stock list for what fish you have in your tank still and maybe a new pic or two of them? I loved the rare stuff you were stocking in there and you literally seem to be the only person with some of those fish (as your thread is one of the main things that comes up on Google if you search them).

Once again kudos on the great tank and I can't wait to see an upcoming FTS.
 
On my 24 I had an inexpensive CFL fixture, from current USA. That and 2, 6500K household CFL bulbs. Most of the time no light was used, so it is more for viewing pleasure. Then I bought from Clive the first PAR38's he made. I used them in clamp on desk lamp holders with the cover around the bulb trimmed off. After that I picked up the Neo Lamp hoders from Aquatouch. For lights I have a few bulbs: PAR38 all red, all blue, 20K, 14K, and LeDio 9 mystery purple. Since there are only 2 lamp holders, the bulbs are changed back and forth. My favorite is still the LeDio 9. Besides me liking it, when I have friends come over (SPS Zeoheads) the words that come out of there mouth when that bulb comes on is priceless.

For fish, no other way to put it...I am a fish dork too, so you can thank Jason at Greenwich Aquaria for locating them ;)
The current fish list is:
Pseudoplesiops rosae (Rose Island Basslet)
Lubbockichthys multisquamatus (Finescale Dottyback)
West African Serranus sp.
Centrogenys vaidiensi
Plesiops oxycephalus
Odontanthias borbonius (Borbonious Anthias)


The Odontanthias borbonius may get shipped out to my aquarium in my office if a nice male Pseudanthias hawaiiensis or something else pops up :)


Mike
 
My wife will tell you my favorite fish is the one I dont own yet :) They are all interesting an each are unique. The first time anyone sees the tank they always ask...are there any fish in there? Then the first fish everyone immediately notices is the Borbonious swimming around, that is the fish everyones favorite. The Plesiops oxycephalus is beautiful but the only way I get to see him is by flashlight because he lives in a cave. The Pseudoplesiops rosae and Lubbockichthys multisquamatus are cryptic as well but fun to watch pop in and out of the rocks. The West African Serranus acts like every other hawkfish, has opersonality and is a pig. So out of the fish that are currently in my tank now it would be the Centrogenys vaidiensi is my favorite. It mimics a scorpion fish, always is changing colors/patterns, and even I have to search to find him. To me I think he is a cool fish.
 
Another question about the auto feeder,
is it plumbed directly into the return line, or with a tee looping back into the sump? Do you keep the fridge next to the tank, or in the stand? Could you post a far away shot?
also which type tee fittings did you use in the fridge?
thanks
 
I will work on getting the pictures up this week. The refrigerator plumbing is part soft plumbed and part hard (pvc). It is on a seperate pump teed into the return line (3/4" slip x 3/4" slip x 1/2" threaded with a threaded 1/2" barb fitting conected to it). I want to drill out the side of the stand this week and run the pvc pipe through the side versus the back. The plumbing needs to look a little more professional. Inside the refrigerator the tees that are used are 1/2" slip x 1/2" slip x 1/4" threaded. Into the 1/4" threaded is a 1/4" JG threaded quick release RO fitting. I addeded the unions inside the refrigerator just in case I need to service the section or. If it needs to get removed to add more tees.
 
So you have a separate pump that pushes water into the fridge, and then afterwards it connects with the return line?

What is the gph of the pump? Are you worried about the pressure from the pump causing backflow problems going up the 1/4" tubing into the dosing pump?

edit: also check out the vid I posted in my thread you will like it :)
 
I should keep my mouth close because I don't want to jinx myself. The pump for the refrigerator is a mag5 which is less gph than the Tunze return pump. I have not noticed a back flow problem yet...and I repeat yet. I have considered adding 3 mini check valves to the lines. The issue with the check valves is that since food is going through the line that the valve has a high rate of failure. I have toyed with the idea of putting the pump to the frig on a timer and have it coincide with the dosing pumps instead of running all the time. This where also the 3 way actuated valve Steve used would come in handy. It is still a work in a work in progress. I am off on Thursday and Friday so I might change a thing or two. The video you posted is pretty sweet, I have to watch it on the bigger screen when I get home from the office.
 
There should be no issue with back pressure given how peristaltic pumps work :) It's also not "the path of least resistance" so you will not be getting full PSI from the pump pushing back against the feed line. At least that is my experience in plumbing such things over the years :D
 
That is good to hear, Gresham. Once less thing I might have to worry about ;) Any word when the new food is going to be ready for sale?

Mike
 
There should be no issue with back pressure given how peristaltic pumps work :) It's also not "the path of least resistance" so you will not be getting full PSI from the pump pushing back against the feed line. At least that is my experience in plumbing such things over the years :D

100% correct one of my job duties is backflow testing and installations, I do not see how there can be a backflow situation here given the hydraulics involved with the pumps used, the perialstatic pumps by there design are great backflow preventers
 
Right now we're shooting to release 2 - 4 new products this fall :) I'm working like a mad man on the label aspect :lol:

Gresham, 2-4 products! Thats just crazy! I cant wait to see what is coming down the pipe from Reef Nutrition. Looks like I am going to have to re-drill out my frig and get another doser this fall. As long as the products are available in liter bottles, I am cool with it :)

Mike
 
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Mike
 
Just promise me if you start a frag tank you will not start naming the corals ridiculous names like the rest of the hobby ;) I can understand the part of where the frag originated from to track the lineage but everything else...is just distracting.

Mike
 
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