Come with me on my Custom 77 Gallon setup

[Stile2]

Not really an update but I got some goodies.

The CL pump installed. I will probably hang the pump by some wire instead of by the bulkheads.

Here is the leak around the CL input bulkhead. I got a new one yesterday. I will fix it tomorrow.

MH lights, so cool!!

I went ahead and got the return pump that I will use once the garage is built and I build the fish room out there. It is a monster. Pan World 200PS

And finally a American Marine pH Controller. I will eventually have a calcium reactor.

I have to work on the back room today, but I will work on the tank tomorrow.

Keith

 

[melev]

Please remember to remove the blue film in your reflector before lighting that bulb.

 

[Stile2]

LOL!!!

I lit one of the lights up today, yes I took off the blue flim. Man that thing is bright!!

I do have a question about the pH controller. melev, you said on one of the reefcasts, yes I actually listen to them, that pH monitors with a AC adaptor can read wrong because of interference. Is that also true with pH controllers?

Tomorrow I want ot fix the darn leak in the bulkhead. I don't really feel like I can start building wood stuff until that is done.

Keith

 

[melev]

The pH controller works fine plugged in, but the pH Pinpoint Monitor will give you a false reading at times. That is why I use the 9v battery instead.

 

[Stile2]

After watching my DIY skimmer run for almost a month. I am having to put the water level about 1/2" below the top of the riser to get any skimate and it is very wet skimate. I am not happy with the amount of bubble output.

So I order a Sedra 9000 yesterday, should be in today or tomorrow. I plan on running both the Sedra and the Ocean Runner. I have to be honest that I will probably rebuild the entire skimmer when I move the sumps to the garage. I will probably go with a 11" body (surprising how much cheaper 11" is vs. 12", its like half the price).


I also ordered a piece of soild PVC rod. From which I am going to make a better venturi. I will have pics of the process.

I got all the wood (probably not all but most, there are always last minute runs to HD) for the skin of the stand and canopy. I will start on the canopy this weekend. I'll get pics as always.


Have fun,

Keith

 

[Stile2]

I have a question my RBTA. I will get pics tonight but he has been deflated for a the last couple of months. He still eats like normal, but just won't get big anymore. I thought I was under feeding so I doubled his feeding schedule, no effect.

Then last night I noticed that a bristle worm was coming out from right next to the RBTAs foot. Could the worm be effecting the RBTA? Could this be the reason why he is not inflating? I have never had problems with Bristles worms.


Thanks
Keith

 

[melev]

It could be stealing any food right out of the BTA's mouth.

Check on the BTA late at night and see if it is inflated and happy in the darkness. Mine did that for a long time.

 

[Stile2]

Cool I'll check it out tonight.
Keith

 

[Stile2]

Well I have checked the RBTA at around 4:45 am, when I get up, and it was still deflated. I will try and check it around 1-2 am.

I am pretty sure I fixed the leak around the bulkhead. I replaced it with a new one and smeared silicone around the gasket and tighten it as much as I could. I am letting it dry and then we will see.

Keith

 

[melev]

Are you feeding it, and how much exactly and what kind of food? What is your nitrate level and salinity? Here's a great article if you've not read it already (I'm not one of the authors):

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm

 

[Stile2]

I feed every two or three days. I feed Ocean Plankton, shrimp, krill, mysis shrimp (all frozen and thawed). Each time just smaller than 1/4" cube. I feed the tank and when everyone else is busy I target target the RBTA.

Ammonia O ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
PO4 test reads 0 ppm but I have bubble algae, so I must have some
Alk 8.0 dKh
Cal 420

Salinity 1.025 (refractometer)
Mag 1350

Temp 78-80.5 (more swing than I want, but I am waiting for the new set up to use the new heater. It is tough to get into my current sump.

I will read the article.

Thanks
Keith

 

[Stile2]

I guess I am going to try and feed the RBTA daily and see what happens with it.

Slight update.

Since I am going to eventually move the sump to the garage I am going to have more flow through the return pump, and that means bigger drain.

I got a 1 1/2" bulkhead but that meant that I had to drill a 2 1/2" hole through the glass overflow that already had a 1 1/2" hole.

I whipped out the rotozip and the water spray bottle. Part of my worries was that I had to use the rotozip upside down with water dripping on it, but it worked out.

First I put a pattern around the current hole.

Here's the piece I cut out.

The hole, kinda rough but I ground it out until it was smooth.

New bulkhead, I need to get a 1 1/2" union to finish it all the way.

Have fun.
Keith

 

[Stile2]

A little bad news.

After all my efforts to get rid of that gorilla crab. I took the rock out of the tank and poured seltzer through it. Well I hadn't seen the crab since then, until last night. :mad2: :mad2:

He must have jumped out of the original rock as I was pulling it out of the tank to pour the seltzer. :mad2:

I am going to try and trap him again. But worst case, when I change tanks to the new 77 gallon I will take out each rock very carefully and watch if he jumps ship. If he does that to every rock then he will be in an empty tank and easy to catch. If he doesn't jump then I will do the seltzer trick. We'll see how it goes.

Keith

 

[gkarshens]

I hope you get him. When do you anticipate the switch taking place?

 

[reefarchitect]

That is so frustrating!!!

A glass cup leaned up against a rock with some bait might work. It couldn't hurt.

The crab goes in for the bait, then cannot climb out because of the slipery surface of the glass.

Good luck

 

[Stile2]

Gabriel,
I hope so too. I am really pushing to do the switch during my spring break which is the first week of April, the week of the 3rd. It actually gives me 9 days at home. I will post a plan sometime later this month.

ReefArchitect,
I have a tall, 6", shot glass that I have tried. I need to put it in after the lights go out and my clown is asleep.

Thanks guys,
Keith

 

[xtrstangx]

Are you able to have both tanks running at the same time? If you do, I would put all the rock in the first day and monitor the levels... in 4 days start moving over the coral and fish making sure everything is still OK.

If you have to transfer everything in 1 day cause you can only have 1 tank going at a time, then you might run into problems.

 

[Stile2]

xtrstangx,
The new tank is going in the same location as the old one, so no to the running at the same time.

the very basic outline of the plan is:

1) get about 90 gallons of new saltwater is brute trash cans with heaters and powerheads.
2) move all rock without animals permenately attached to them into that water.
3) put the current tanks water into mid sized tupperware with all corals. It will have a 110 watss of PC light and hooked up to the chiller with heater.
4) move old tank out and new tank in
5) fill with new salt water, seed with sand from old tank, add rock (the ones without animals)
6) wait for several days while checking levels
7) transfer corals and fish.

The plan will grow into something more specific, but that's the basic outline.

So, in other words, I don't have to move everything from old to new in 1 day.

All we can do is hope for the best at that point.

Thanks
Keith

 

[gkarshens]

I did my switch over all in one day. You don't really have to worry about a cycle unless you have tons of sponge on your rocks. It basically ends up being a 100% water change. I followed the same basic outline you have but instead of waiting 4 days I did a 2 hour drip acclimation into the rubbermaid with all the livestock. I didn't lose anything. HTH.

 

[Stile2]

Gabriel,

Good to know. My main worry is getting rid of the gorilla crab.

Keith