System Up-date 11/29/12
System Up-date 11/29/12
Hello Reefsters...........Well things have progressed nicely in the last month. I have aqua-scaped the DT, built the duplex Refugium, added 340g of salt water started the cycling process and purchased and installed a Reef Keeper Lite reef control system. I used 250#'s of Marco Dry Rock in the DT. as I have always read here at ReefCentral, the Marco Rocks were beautiful, large, very porus and each and every rock in 5 boxes (250#'s) were individually wraped in bubble wrap, almost no rubble, great packaging and great rock. I added to the DT, to seed the "dry rock", about 25#'s of Live rock from Florida Live Rock in Tampa. I purchased my substrate from Marco also, I added 200#'s of course Bahama Argonite sand, it also is very nice. In the Refugium I built a structure from black egg-crate, to create a benthic zone that supports an egg-crate tray that holds approx. 20#'s of dry rock rubble and 25#'s of live rock rubble. When the tank cycles and I start to add live-stock, I will add "Cheato or Culerpa" to the Fuge. I put my water production system to the test, producing and mixing 300+ gallons of Salt Water to fill the system. I was able to produce and mix 300+g's in about 3 days, 55g's at a time, about twice a day. The system configuration makes it very easy to produce, mix and distribute water where and when needed. I am cycling the system "fishless". I placed in the C/C overflow, 3 raw shrimp to decompose and start the cycle. The Amonia levels are currently at about 1.0ppm and nitrite levels about the same, so the cycle has started. There are conflicting opinions about skimming during cycling, but I have chosen not to, trying to promote maxium bacteria growth as soon as possible. Because I used such a large amount of dry rock and dry rubble, the seeding and cycling phase of this project may take a while, however, a clean-up crew can not be too far in the future!
While waiting through this process I decided it would be a good time to add my Reef Keeper controller. I have purchased and installed the Reef Keeper lite, with two power control units (PC4's). I have managed to get the temp. and Ph probes functional, programmed the controller to monitor my heaters, set to sut them down in the event they fail, and have successfully installed a float switch and programmed the controller to manage auto top-off, with no lack of difficulty and frustration. This baby is not easy to use, very cool, but very difficult to understand. First off it comes with virtually no instructions, you have to go to a web site and download a series of manuals for each component. I guess if your young and have been raised in the digital generation, the logic behind this device would be understandable, but being an old analog head, I just don't get it. With the help of some fine Reefsters on their Forum, I was walked, step by step through these processes and have started to catch on. In the future I will program the controller to manage the skimmer, manage cooling fans, create stand-by periods for feeding and maintainance, and provide monitoring and alarms for critical parameters and functions.
I have made my decession on a lighting configuration. I have decided to bite the bullet and use LED lighting on my tank. I have ordered from Salty Supply, two Maxspect Razors, a new Led fixture from Maxspect maker of the Mazzara LED system. In researching the "expert opinions" on the subject, I decided this new fixture provided all the necessary specs., and then some, at the best price, actually less than comparable ATI Sunpower T-5's. I was sold on the LED concept just couldn't justify the price till I discovered these. The catch? high demand, not availiable till mid december, O well, I can wait. I have also ordered the last of my major expenses, 2 Vortech 40's, should arrive any day now. Based on the difficulty and lack of understanding of the Reef Keeper system, I will use the programable features of both these products to manage their functions, both have extensive capabilities, and can be incorporated into the Reef Keeper system for monitoring and alarm functions.
Kind of got carried away up-dating this project, I hope you can bear with me, kind of excitied about getting this thing going. I have not finished triming the display side of the tank, and building the bar-top under the tank and adding four stools, for viewing, but when I do I will provide some pics. of the "business side" of the tank....................Budster:bum:
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