Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

[nineball]

Question for this thread community......

Question for this thread community......

We (Mr. Wilson, Drago, Brothers Grimm and I) have just tried to send a couple of bottles of ice wine to ChingChai in Bangkok. Two of the Canadian couriers (Purolator and UPS) refused to send either the ice wine or the best vintage maple syup overseas. Does any member of this community know how we can send this stuff to Chingchai? We are doing this on behalf of this thread community in recognition of the Four Grand Masters Award so I figure someone here might have some advice.......short of me and my fish room girl heading off to Thailand for the weekend to deliver it personally.........


Ideas??

Peter

 

[the_rider]

Hi Peter,

I've been following this thread since the beginning but didn't post a lot. Been mainly reading and learning

For the shipping, you could try talking with the airport if it is possible to send it in the cargo department ? I'm not sure if it is too small to be consider cargo ? If not maybe Canada Post international ?

Best Regards
Alex B

 

[ransomed4ever]

could you just pack really well yourself and and just tell ups that its a couple bottles (not mention the liquid in them) because I think they just don't want to be liable for spills.

 

[Flanders]

The mangrove hydroponic forest wall unit is plumbed into the system and is feeding the sump. It is lit with three plasma lights and looks fantastic. I am extremely pleased with the result. Mr. Wilson wants to wait until the automated misting system is set up to mimic life in the wild with a fog in the morning and a thunder cloud shower around 4pm. Once that regime is instantiated Mr. Wilson has said I can take pictures. I have secretly been taking pictures of the build process so that we can all benefit from set up experience.

Peter

This sounds beyond amazing.

 

[huskerreef]

Now that things have been up for a while, what is your report on the Abyzz 420? I am looking for an energy efficient alternative to my Reeflo Tiger Shark return pump. The Abyzz seems to be the cats meow of pumps but before I go out and acquire a couple fo them I thought I would ask for some feedback.

 

[dave.m]

Does any member of this community know how we can send this stuff to Chingchai?

I did a Google on "how to ship wine overseas" and got multiple hits with suggestions. I'm afraid I've never done it myself, nor know anything about the shipping business.

Dave.M

 

[CraigB]

Hi Peter

Regarding shipping from Canada, leave it to the vendors with existing export permits.

You could contact a large Canadian vendor and have them ship directly.

Maple surup, http://www.rideau-info.com/gibbons/order.html.

Ice wine ( a lot trickier) but try http://www.hernder.com/shop/index.cfm


Hth Craig

 

[nineball]

Now that things have been up for a while, what is your report on the Abyzz 420? I am looking for an energy efficient alternative to my Reeflo Tiger Shark return pump. The Abyzz seems to be the cats meow of pumps but before I go out and acquire a couple fo them I thought I would ask for some feedback.

I am a huge fan of the Abyzz 420. It is dead silent, cool running, significantly more economical to run, variable speed with no failures from a dead start and comprehensive programmability. The mean time between failures is supposed to be at least ten years (still to be proven). As a user who had high hopes for a good quality product I can't say enough positive about it. Mr. Wilson can comment about the engineering specs but I am still in awe as to how quiet and powerful they are.

Peter

 

[nineball]

Hi Peter

Regarding shipping from Canada, leave it to the vendors with existing export permits.

You could contact a large Canadian vendor and have them ship directly.

Maple surup, http://www.rideau-info.com/gibbons/order.html.

Ice wine ( a lot trickier) but try http://www.hernder.com/shop/index.cfm


Hth Craig

Thank you sir, very good suggestion.

Peter

 

[muttley000]

Isn't the piont of the misting the mangroves to rinse the salt crystals off of the leaves? I would think you would have to have a mighty large thunderstorm simulated to have any kind of problem in a system this large.

 

[swissgaurd]

mangrove leaves should be misted atleast once a day,also it doesnt hurt to spray the trunk of the plant as well .by spraying twice per day wont hurt the mangrove plant.if you see salt on the leaves you need to spray more as the salt will burn the leaves. if you dont have any leaves yet you should still be spraying. i have done a few tests with mangrove plants and the best results were to spray a couple times per day and also clipping the tips of the leaves ,this will encourage growth of new leaves and the plant will grow bushy instead of straight up.
basicaly it is good practice to keep any dust and salt creep off anything above waterline. the last plant i gave away was 3ft tall.
i have none growing at the moment but will be getting back into mangroves shortly again as i have found your reef benifits greatly from a mangrove plantation.

vic

 

[Chago09]

Go to your local TSC farm supply store or feed store and buy some dolomite (chicken feed, not the Rudy Ray Moore character). Add 10-20% dolomite to your calcium reactor (that you were supposed to buy). Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate. Magnesium is more likely to swing due to haphazard dosing than depletion by corals. Buy some Dow Chemical mag flake or Dead Sea Works "Pet friendly ice melt". Better still, wait for me to buy a bag and come buy for your cut

Again, water changes take time and money. For some, those resources are better spent in other areas. If your nitrate and phosphate levels are zero, nuisance algae is limited to a 2 times a week glass cleaning, and your corals are healthy, then skip the water changes.

you want me to get chicken feed and add it to my tank???? ummmm right, I'll let you buy it and I'll buy what I need from you. I will end up buying like corn meal or something.

 

[Chago09]

as per the shipping, just pack it and go to ups and say its a gift for a friend. Don't say its alcohol. Not going to lie whenever my parents come back from Croatia (where they are born) they bring back cheeses, cured meats and Loza which is a moonshine that is as powerful as jet fuel. I'm pretty sure its what Ferrari uses on their F1 cars.

By no means am I suggesting anyone to bootleg LOL

 

[AQD_ottawa]

My biggest tip is to contact Univar they sell Pharm grade calcium carb - mag Hex and sodium bicarb, I think it is about $40 for a 50LB bag.

http://www.univarcanada.com/industrialchem.htm

I am not a big fan of over the counter grocery stuff as you dont know the source or the impurities, not saying its wrong just my personal preference.

Univar sell Dow pharm grade.

A buddy has been running Univar pharm grade for 2 years with zero issues. They do two grades food and Pharm.

 

[nineball]

My biggest tip is to contact Univar they sell Pharm grade calcium carb - mag Hex and sodium bicarb, I think it is about $40 for a 50LB bag.

http://www.univarcanada.com/industrialchem.htm

I am not a big fan of over the counter grocery stuff as you dont know the source or the impurities, not saying its wrong just rmy personal preference.

Univar sell Dow pharm grade.

A buddy has been running Univar pharm grade for 2 years with zero issues. They do two grades food and Pharm.

I agree with you 100%. Great info and thanks very much for the link.

Peter

 

[swissgaurd]

you want me to get chicken feed and add it to my tank???? ummmm right, I'll let you buy it and I'll buy what I need from you. I will end up buying like corn meal or something.

my first plenum was made with chicken feed which was crushed oyster shells

 

[mr.wilson]

you want me to get chicken feed and add it to my tank???? ummmm right, I'll let you buy it and I'll buy what I need from you. I will end up buying like corn meal or something.

Okay, then turkey grit

 

[mr.wilson]

Here are some long awaited update pics...

Here's a shot down the canyon showing the infinity wall.

Full tank shots...

 

[mr.wilson]

Partial shots...

Here is our anti-backsiphon device. The check valve is in the shut position when the sump return pump is running, then opens when the pump is off. When it opens it breaks the back-siphon by allowing air into the line. Clear true union check valves make it easy to check status and potential failure issues such as snails, algae, seal hardening or calcification. As a failsafe, the effluent/out line is pointed down into the tank. This type of siphon break works horizontally or vertically and is much more reliable than messy holes drilled in the effluent pipe (salt creep, air cavitation, and clogging).

Here's a shot of the size difference between the original RK2 feed pump and the new brushless DC feed pump. The old "giant" uses 980 watts and the new one is running at just 75 watts. There is also a huge difference in noise and operating temperature. The DC pump is a prototype from a company in The Netherlands, and is the only 120V, 60hz model on the planet.

 

[mr.wilson]

We picked up some nice corals from Oakville Reef Gallery just around the corner from Peter's place. Our main goal was to pick up some Acanthastrea sp. to "pave" or "carpet" the floor of the canyon. It sure coloured the place up, while giving the acans a suitable and realistic looking home. Too often you see them scattered in the sand like lawn ornaments

Here they are in place under just MHL with no (cheater) actinics.

Here are some more new additions from Sea U Marine, ORG, and a few very generous visitors (you will see we are taking good care of the purple tort Vic)...