Barely made the club but time for my 180 upgrade (Warning: Progress may be slow)

[nightOwl]

OK.. Maybe I'll pick it up from you when you are ready to get rid of it. Ill get it repaired and all to.

I go to annandale about once a week in the evening on Fri or Sat.

worm5406 - Sounds like a plan. I am a little further out than Annandale but can discuss the details.

 

[ipaul]

very nice tank

 

[nightOwl]

I really like your aquascape, all of the sps looks amazing. how long has your system been running? following along!

joe

Joe - Thanks for the compliments. This tank has been running/cycled since May 2011. Most of the larger corals came over from my 90. In the next week or so I am going to do a picture recap to show the progress.

very nice tank

ipaul - Thanks for the kind words.

 

[nanoohio]

cool excited to see the progress you have made.

 

[nightOwl]

General Updates - New UV Sterilizer for Frag Tank

So my frag tank has been having some issues lately and I plan to eliminate some of the issues by adding an UV on the frag tank. I just wanted to give it a try and see if it helps. This is the unit I purchased. Its a 13w UV and should keep some of the algae at bay on the frag tank. I also ordered new UV bulbs for my main UV unit on the DT. I will post the results over the next few weeks or so.


13w UV by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


13w UV by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr
​

 

[Brando457]

LOOKING GREAT!

once they start putting the motor on the outside with the wire I will pick a few up of those JD40s. After switching my koralias to the MP40 I can't have wires in my tank! I JUST CANT DO IT!

So we're both wrasse folk I'm thinking of doing a Rhomboidalis and Lineatus and calling it a wrasse. Those 2 fish caught my eye, but would probably be the very very last 2 since they'd be the most expensive in my tank :x.

 

[nightOwl]

LOOKING GREAT!

once they start putting the motor on the outside with the wire I will pick a few up of those JD40s. After switching my koralias to the MP40 I can't have wires in my tank! I JUST CANT DO IT!

So we're both wrasse folk I'm thinking of doing a Rhomboidalis and Lineatus and calling it a wrasse. Those 2 fish caught my eye, but would probably be the very very last 2 since they'd be the most expensive in my tank :x.

Thanks man! I doubt they will make one with the power cord on the outside of the tank but I really like them. I have not updated the thread in a while but I ordered another one .

Both of those wrasses are on my list but like you said they are expensive!

 

[nightOwl]

Its been a while since my last update but things in the tank are coming along nicely.

General Updates - UV Sterlizer

I added the new UV Sterilizer to the frag tank and also since my last update I replaced my UV bulb for my main sterilizer on the MD. Between the two of them the nuisance algae in the frag tank and in the MD has been reduced. The frag tank which had an abundance of hair algae is almost completely gone. The few places it still exists are on pumps where the snails have a hard time to get to. I plan on ordering a small clean up crew and they should be able to remove the rest.​

General Updates - Second WP-40 Arrived Today

My second WP-40 arrived today and there has been an abundance of research done to make it controllable by the Apex. The pump took a little longer to arrive due to the Easter Holiday. I think they also have been taking their shipping into consideration as well. The first one arrived in bubble wrap wrapped by some paper packaging. This one was shipped in a box with bubble wrap a little better . The box still had a few dents but everything was in good shape.

The guys over at Reef Angel (an open source controller) have it working with their controller and have even made a connector that is compatible with the Apex from what I understand. Now that I have my second unit I will install this weekend and really start looking at getting them controlled.


IMG_4185 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


IMG_4189 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


IMG_4193 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


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General Updates - Frag Tank

Well I have not posted a picture of the frag tank in forever (December) since I really was embarrassed at the algae issues. Now that both UV Sterilizers are working the tank is looking better. The frags are growing and that is always good. The last Tunze's I purchased are now in the frag tank.



IMG_4198 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


IMG_4197 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


IMG_4195 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr



IMG_4194 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

​

 

[nightOwl]

General Updates - Fire adverted

So about a week ago I was messing around with the frag tank and thought I smelled something weird when I did not have the light harness level. I cut the lights out for a few days since I did not want to have anything happen while I was at work. Well a few days ago I was testing my theory when I saw smoke. I shut down all the lights on the frag tank and thought I had ruined my ballast. I took everything down and rewired the light harness and made sure there were no wires touching the frame to cause a short. I have been testing the last day or so and so far no new smells and everything is working. I will put them back on the timer this weekend when I can monitor it more closely. Until then I just cut it on and off each day.


IMG_4227 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

​

General Updates - Large Green Pocillopora Colony Sold

I am one step closer to finding a new home for my frags on the frag rack in the MD. A fellow reefer came by today and picked up the colony along with some other frags. I was fun getting in the tank and trimming back a few corals.


​

 

[maddmaxx]

are you goin to use the second WP40 on the same mode as your first one? i would love to see a video of both of them running....

 

[worm5406]

General Updates - Frag Tank

Well I have not posted a picture of the frag tank in forever (December) since I really was embarrassed at the algae issues. Now that both UV Sterilizers are working the tank is looking better. The frags are growing and that is always good. The last Tunze's I purchased are now in the frag tank.​

​

I was too at first when my GHA spiked... but you know what... I had to bite the bullet and show people... Yeah it is gross and I hated it.. but I conquered it and want to keep it away.

Nice pics BTW!

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Great progress and update. So do you think it was bad wiring? I see the part was melted. This may sound crazy but in all honesty I think pics should be shown of either the display or frag tank. No body like to show an ugly tank but its worth it to show progress whether it was clean and then algae appeared and then receded. I believe it is a learning curve and experience for other reefers also.

 

[nightOwl]

are you goin to use the second WP40 on the same mode as your first one? i would love to see a video of both of them running....

maddmaxx - I am not sure how I will use it just yet. I plugged it up last night and tinkered around with some of the settings and with two pumps in the tank a lot of water is being moving around! I will get a video of both pumps in action in the next few days and post the video.

[/INDENT] I was too at first when my GHA spiked... but you know what... I had to bite the bullet and show people... Yeah it is gross and I hated it.. but I conquered it and want to keep it away.

Nice pics BTW!

worm5406 - I hate biting bullets...lol. The taste of metal I do not find too appealing...lol. I am sure it will happen again so maybe next time I will take a picture.

Great progress and update. So do you think it was bad wiring? I see the part was melted. This may sound crazy but in all honesty I think pics should be shown of either the display or frag tank. No body like to show an ugly tank but its worth it to show progress whether it was clean and then algae appeared and then receded. I believe it is a learning curve and experience for other reefers also.

Wayne - It was combination of loose wiring/metal touching. I used rubber grommets on each side and when I redid the wiring a while back some of the grommets were misplaced. Also the end-caps when screwed down pinched the wires. I think that was the real reason. To fix that I created a small gap by cutting some acrylic. Now the wire does not get pinched.

Like I mentioned to worm5406 I am sure it will happen again. In all honesty when the tank does not look good I don't really spend much time looking at it. And hardly have my camera downstairs.

 

[nightOwl]

General Updates - Long Fin Flasher Dead

A few days ago I came home an noticed that the netting was brittle on my cover and figured I would fix it this weekend. This evening when I came home I had three flashers as of 30 minutes ago I have two. I found the flasher on the top of the tank baking . Lesson learned if you have wrasses at the first sight of a small hole or potential hole fix it!​

 

[Ojos22]

Hey Henry,

I hope all is well with you and your tank. It has been 3 months since your last update. How is everything going? Add anything new?

 

[RJT]

Yes Henry I was just thinking of your build yesterday. I hope everything is alright and you were too busy to update...until now

 

[nightOwl]

Hey Henry,

I hope all is well with you and your tank. It has been 3 months since your last update. How is everything going? Add anything new?

Yes Henry I was just thinking of your build yesterday. I hope everything is alright and you were too busy to update...until now

Jon and Richard,
Sorry for the lack of updates. I my schedule has changed and I am trying to find that balance between the tank , real life, and work. So far the tank is loosing badly. I will post some pictures this weekend. I have been neglecting the tank and because of that two of my monties have died off. Nuesince algea is taking over and on top of that a few SPS have RTNed but are coming back in some places where others have died completely. Thanks for checking up on me. This may be the motivation I need to start cutting out a few minutess a day to get things back on track!

 

[RJT]

If you need any help I'm not that far away

 

[worm5406]

Yes Ashburn is not that far away from me either.

Maybe we could all just get together on a Sat am for breakfast and some saltwater therapy.

I found it best sometimes to go look at some of the other builds, not always the big and flashy ones, but those that are having my same problems and see how they worked around them.

As most know, life comes first. This hobby is not for the high speed/paced type person. It is a slow down and watch, one. Frankly I like to go outside and watch the sunrise over a beach. I can sit for an hour, daily, every morning, on vacation. While most get bored or want to find something else to do. I enjoy watching the little details.

I am headed on vacation starting this weekend other wise I would say "I'll bring Krispy Kreme's for Saturday...." hahaha


Any updated pictures?

<edit>
I just looked at your pictures...

Do you need some help next time? I can carry your bag and swap out lenses. I know how to carry memory cards and have no problem being a step stool.

 

[RJT]

That's sounds like a plan. Henry let us know when you want us over. Ill bring beverages.