Away We Go - New Reef Set Up 230-250 gal
- Thread starter Gieser
- Start date
BigTuna321
New member
Nice tank,, i think the bar around the tank is very cool :thumbsup:
Gieser
Member
LiterMeter Help
LiterMeter Help
I have a LiterMeter III, Tsunami pressure top off switch, GEO Kalk Mixer.
Here is what I want to do...
When the sump needs water, the LiterMeter pulls water from RO Reserve, then pumps it to Kalk mixer, then into the tank.
Here is the problem...
The tsunami switch (as with any top off switch) is on or off. When it turns on to start the pump for top off, the Litermeter comes on, but when it turns off, the LiterMeter turns off.
Can the LiterMeter just be set to start pumping when it powers on?
What is the best way to accomplish what I am trying to do? Am I missing something?
LiterMeter Help
I have a LiterMeter III, Tsunami pressure top off switch, GEO Kalk Mixer.
Here is what I want to do...
When the sump needs water, the LiterMeter pulls water from RO Reserve, then pumps it to Kalk mixer, then into the tank.
Here is the problem...
The tsunami switch (as with any top off switch) is on or off. When it turns on to start the pump for top off, the Litermeter comes on, but when it turns off, the LiterMeter turns off.
Can the LiterMeter just be set to start pumping when it powers on?
What is the best way to accomplish what I am trying to do? Am I missing something?
Gieser
Member
Quick Update!
We added sand on Friday form Tampa Bay Saltwater . The first shipment of rock will be here this week some time. We ordered 300 lbs of sand and 360 lbs of live rock. We worked hard to finish as much of the tank room as we could, and flooded 3 times in the process LOL (not really LOL, but its funny now). Flood number one was when I was draining the sump and the hose came out of the sink on the floor spreading about 10 gallons of water onto our fish room floor (good thing we had the shower membrane down). Flood 2 was when the skimmer, out of nowhere, was overflowing and had also overflowed the 5 gallon jug we use for collection (another 3 gallons or so). Lastly, there is the final and most dramatic overspill where I had moved the return outlets (that are mounted in the front and push water toward the rear) up so I could clean...OF COURSE I forgot to move them back under the water, so when I plugged in the return pump (which is a Barracuda), I heard something strange. As I looked up the wall of the tank, over the edge came MUCHO water clearing the edge and drenching me, the floor, and causing the GFMI to kick off (GOOD THING!)... BUT, in spite of all of that, we got a lot accomplished and are excited! The sand has already begun to cycle the tank!!!
Another 50 LB bak af the most amazing sand I have ever seen from TBS
Yes, George (labradoodle) and Orvis (corgi) are wonderring what I am doing in the tank.
Sand is stirring up a mess. If you notice on the left, the light fixture is rolled out on a track that is installed on the door. This is so the main front fixture can slide back.
I have heard of hitchhikers on rock, but in sand>> HOW COOL!
There she is...Big Blue and ready for more goods...bit of settling needed.
This is the side view of the tank. That black piping is the drain for this side of the tank.
Here we are looking on the left side of the tank looking across the front.
Now standing in front of the tank looking toward the rear on the left side, or down the short side of the "L".
We added sand on Friday form Tampa Bay Saltwater . The first shipment of rock will be here this week some time. We ordered 300 lbs of sand and 360 lbs of live rock. We worked hard to finish as much of the tank room as we could, and flooded 3 times in the process LOL (not really LOL, but its funny now). Flood number one was when I was draining the sump and the hose came out of the sink on the floor spreading about 10 gallons of water onto our fish room floor (good thing we had the shower membrane down). Flood 2 was when the skimmer, out of nowhere, was overflowing and had also overflowed the 5 gallon jug we use for collection (another 3 gallons or so). Lastly, there is the final and most dramatic overspill where I had moved the return outlets (that are mounted in the front and push water toward the rear) up so I could clean...OF COURSE I forgot to move them back under the water, so when I plugged in the return pump (which is a Barracuda), I heard something strange. As I looked up the wall of the tank, over the edge came MUCHO water clearing the edge and drenching me, the floor, and causing the GFMI to kick off (GOOD THING!)... BUT, in spite of all of that, we got a lot accomplished and are excited! The sand has already begun to cycle the tank!!!
Another 50 LB bak af the most amazing sand I have ever seen from TBS
Yes, George (labradoodle) and Orvis (corgi) are wonderring what I am doing in the tank.
Sand is stirring up a mess. If you notice on the left, the light fixture is rolled out on a track that is installed on the door. This is so the main front fixture can slide back.
I have heard of hitchhikers on rock, but in sand>> HOW COOL!
There she is...Big Blue and ready for more goods...bit of settling needed.
This is the side view of the tank. That black piping is the drain for this side of the tank.
Here we are looking on the left side of the tank looking across the front.
Now standing in front of the tank looking toward the rear on the left side, or down the short side of the "L".
Gieser
Member
Here are a few more of the tank room and some equipment
This is the Vertex Puratek RO/DI 100 GPD (it actually makes like 130 GPD)
This is our ACIII with PX 1000 expansion and Lunar Moonlight Module. We have 2 DC8 and 2 DC 4 HD connected.
The stand is an "L". This is under the larger side of the L. There is another RF Dart and OM 4-way on the other side as well. This is just a portion of the plumbing.
Here you see some shelving above the sink. Our 30 gallon QT. The shelf that holds our 4 ballasts..
Her is the lighting together form the room. The smaller rack is on a track that is attached to the door on the front, so it can move out when the door is open, then the larger rack can roll back.
Finally, if I can ever figure this thing out, I will be happy. I am glad to see bubbles, though. I feed it directly from the overflow through a gate valve, then it returns directly to the sump.
Just a couple of tank pics at night...sorry so blue...
This is the Vertex Puratek RO/DI 100 GPD (it actually makes like 130 GPD)
This is our ACIII with PX 1000 expansion and Lunar Moonlight Module. We have 2 DC8 and 2 DC 4 HD connected.
The stand is an "L". This is under the larger side of the L. There is another RF Dart and OM 4-way on the other side as well. This is just a portion of the plumbing.
Here you see some shelving above the sink. Our 30 gallon QT. The shelf that holds our 4 ballasts..
Her is the lighting together form the room. The smaller rack is on a track that is attached to the door on the front, so it can move out when the door is open, then the larger rack can roll back.
Finally, if I can ever figure this thing out, I will be happy. I am glad to see bubbles, though. I feed it directly from the overflow through a gate valve, then it returns directly to the sump.
Just a couple of tank pics at night...sorry so blue...
TRITON1
New member
Looking good.
Concerning your CUC....I wouldnt go too overboard. IMO it seems sites over suggest how many snails or hermits you should add. Alot will do good at if you have a major algae problem, but then once all the algae (food) is gone they start to die and foul up the water (creating more algae). That is also when the hermits start becoming more oppurtunistic hunters and eat snails out of the shells ect.
Being that your tank is just getting set up, I would order maybe half of what is suggested after you get you rock and cycle it. A couple of those fish that you have in quarantine will eat algae too.
At the end a big CUC for algae control is no match for consistent water changes, good skimming and monitoring what goes in the tank. Besides you can always add more
Concerning your CUC....I wouldnt go too overboard. IMO it seems sites over suggest how many snails or hermits you should add. Alot will do good at if you have a major algae problem, but then once all the algae (food) is gone they start to die and foul up the water (creating more algae). That is also when the hermits start becoming more oppurtunistic hunters and eat snails out of the shells ect.
Being that your tank is just getting set up, I would order maybe half of what is suggested after you get you rock and cycle it. A couple of those fish that you have in quarantine will eat algae too.
At the end a big CUC for algae control is no match for consistent water changes, good skimming and monitoring what goes in the tank. Besides you can always add more
Gieser
Member
I need to apologize about the previously posted pictures that are no longer on my build thread. I moved a bunch to make room for some others, and did not think about that they would no longer be there. I will get them re-posted as a consolidated "start to finish" this weekend. I am now using another means of photo hosting so I can keep posting more.
...AND NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF!!
The first part of our 360 lbs of rock arrived last night from Richard at TampaBaySaltwater. Picked up at the Northwest/Delta Cargo terminal. If this is his idea of base live rock, I can't wait to see the good stuff!!! This is about 150-180 lbs.
...AND NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF!!
The first part of our 360 lbs of rock arrived last night from Richard at TampaBaySaltwater. Picked up at the Northwest/Delta Cargo terminal. If this is his idea of base live rock, I can't wait to see the good stuff!!! This is about 150-180 lbs.
Gieser
Member
<click...click.click.click......click>
We have found some mantis and have set our mantis traps...these traps work great for just about everything small you want out. Take a water pottle (these are small Gaterade Propell bottles), cut off the top of the bottle about an inch below where the top becomes the same width was the rest of the bottle. Turn the top piece you just cut off over and place it back into the bottle. Lay the bottle on the bottom with some sand in it to weight it. Don't lay it down flat, try and angle it up, because you don't want Hermies in it. Try to place it next to the mantis hole.
This one is the biggest I have ever seen. He is about the size of my thumb. We also have a peacock.
Here is his tail..
Here he is debating to go get that fish in there or not...
Here is the other trap we have set for another mantis
We have found some mantis and have set our mantis traps...these traps work great for just about everything small you want out. Take a water pottle (these are small Gaterade Propell bottles), cut off the top of the bottle about an inch below where the top becomes the same width was the rest of the bottle. Turn the top piece you just cut off over and place it back into the bottle. Lay the bottle on the bottom with some sand in it to weight it. Don't lay it down flat, try and angle it up, because you don't want Hermies in it. Try to place it next to the mantis hole.
This one is the biggest I have ever seen. He is about the size of my thumb. We also have a peacock.
Here is his tail..
Here he is debating to go get that fish in there or not...
Here is the other trap we have set for another mantis
Photo_John
New member
he is very pretty, I am sure someone would buy him
Gieser
Member
So I decided to make my skimmer overflow-proof! I have a Reeflo 200 and the extended size cup and needle wheel upgrade (WHICH ROCKS!!!!!). I thought it would be enough to have a 5 gallon water jug for the skimmer to flow into, but I was SOOOO WRONG!!! Anyway, if it helps anyone out there (I am sure there are several like this), here is what I did.
I paid $$$ for a Tunze Top-off system (worth it to never find 20 gallons on the floor again). These are controlled by air, the higher the water rises, the more pressure to the switch. When the water gets high enough, the switch powers off.
First, I cut a small 5/8" hole in the top of the jug.
I then took the cap and drilled a 3/4" hole to fit a 1/2" bulkhead. I used a 1/2" thread to 1/4" hose barb to screw into the top of the cap. This I fed the tubing that connects to the Tunze box through.
The water pressure rubber tubing fits in the inside of the 1/2" bulkhead, but needed some rubber silicone to hold it into place. I filled the extended part of the bulkhead up with black silicone (GE II) and pushed the tubing in about 1/2 of the way i the bulkhead.
And here it is again.
Finally, let the silicone dry, and snap the top back on the water jug. Then plug the skimmer into the top-off box, and the top-off box into an outlet, and you are safe! If the water ever gets up to the the rubber, it will shut off the skimmer. If your skimmer is used on a controller, like mine, then plug the top-off box into the place you had the skimmer plugged in on your controller. It will act the same.
No more skimmer scum on the floor...just in case, of course! :thumbsup:
I paid $$$ for a Tunze Top-off system (worth it to never find 20 gallons on the floor again). These are controlled by air, the higher the water rises, the more pressure to the switch. When the water gets high enough, the switch powers off.
First, I cut a small 5/8" hole in the top of the jug.
I then took the cap and drilled a 3/4" hole to fit a 1/2" bulkhead. I used a 1/2" thread to 1/4" hose barb to screw into the top of the cap. This I fed the tubing that connects to the Tunze box through.
The water pressure rubber tubing fits in the inside of the 1/2" bulkhead, but needed some rubber silicone to hold it into place. I filled the extended part of the bulkhead up with black silicone (GE II) and pushed the tubing in about 1/2 of the way i the bulkhead.
And here it is again.
Finally, let the silicone dry, and snap the top back on the water jug. Then plug the skimmer into the top-off box, and the top-off box into an outlet, and you are safe! If the water ever gets up to the the rubber, it will shut off the skimmer. If your skimmer is used on a controller, like mine, then plug the top-off box into the place you had the skimmer plugged in on your controller. It will act the same.
No more skimmer scum on the floor...just in case, of course! :thumbsup:
Gieser
Member
As we have been observing our Tampa Bay Salstwater live rock, we have noticed about 4 Mantis, of which we have caught 1. We then realized we had a Tiger Goby!!! HOLY COW, we never heard of a fish hitchhiker. There I was observing the little fellow when I told my wife,"Hey, this little guy is really cool", to which she said, "How can you see him from way over there?" I told her because he was on the rock I was looking at. She said, "THAT MEANS WE HAVE TWO!!!" Shortly thereafter, they got in the same rock together and we believe they might be a mated pair!
Here is a picture of one...hopefully we can get a picture of them together.
Here is a picture of one...hopefully we can get a picture of them together.
Gieser
Member
We have just learned today that one of our tiger gobys has decided to lay eggs. The other night, we saw hundreds of tiny little somethings swimming in the tank. This morning, we saw the goby crawling the corner of the glass laying more eggs. We will be shooting a few pics to se if we can capture this. Our hitchhikers brought their family LOL...
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