drummereef's 180g in-wall build

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Took a couple more shots tonight. Another FTS to show a base line for the ecoBAK testing. Also a new nog shot. Something is obviously working, I've never gotten nog as thick and dry as this.


FTS Day 1 using ecoBAK

That's some nasty nog!

 

[Rodrigo_BG]

Amazing build, really nice :thumbsup:

 

[drummereef]

Amazing build, really nice :thumbsup:

Thanks Rodrigo.

 

[drummereef]

Here's a short video to show the tumbling action of the ecoBAK pellets in my NextReef SMR1 Reactor. Looks a little more violent than in reality since my iPhone tends to blur moving objects.



<object width="400" height="533"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14441312&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14441312&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="533"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14441312">SMR1 Pellet Reactor</a> <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3881098"></a> <a href="http://vimeo.com"></a></p>

 

[solitude127]

UPDATE:


Took a couple more shots tonight. Another FTS to show a base line for the ecoBAK testing. Also a new nog shot. Something is obviously working, I've never gotten nog as thick and dry as this.


FTS Day 1 using ecoBAK

Do you know what kind of algae that stringy algae is on your rocks?

 

[drummereef]

Do you know what kind of algae that stringy algae is on your rocks?

My guess is brown hair algae. The Mexican Turbos are taking care of most of it. Look back a couple pages and there's a pic of how it looked before I added a cleanup crew. Kinda scary. LOL

 

[firereef]

Brett, I read somewhere that even tho snails eat algae away visibly, it still stays in your system and sooner or later can come back. Hopefully people can chime in and answer if this is true.

 

[solitude127]

My guess is brown hair algae. The Mexican Turbos are taking care of most of it. Look back a couple pages and there's a pic of how it looked before I added a cleanup crew. Kinda scary. LOL

The only reason I ask is because I went through a similar bloom myself with my build. That stuff was pretty long and thick. I "harvested" it probably every other day. It actually grew over my corals and suffocated a few. Eventually it started to die off and then about a month later it all came back thicker and longer. Thankfully that bloom only lasted a couple of weeks. Since then I've been algae free (well that type anyway).
Your build is amazing and keep us up to date on how the EcoBak pellets are working.

 

[110galreef]

Please refresh me:

What are you running for extra flow in tank?
What flow do you have going thru sump??
What all reactors and media are you running again???

Thanks..this will save me digging thru a FEW pages of info!:frog:

 

[cromedogg33]

I think he's running 2 mp40w, 2 tunze 6025's and his dart return feeding his reactors or carbon, gfo, ecobak I think

His return on his manifold stirs up the sump for more flow too.

I've been following this for far to long.

 

[drummereef]

Brett, I read somewhere that even tho snails eat algae away visibly, it still stays in your system and sooner or later can come back. Hopefully people can chime in and answer if this is true.

This is very possible firereef. That's where I'm hoping the boost in nutrient eating bacteria will help.

The only reason I ask is because I went through a similar bloom myself with my build. That stuff was pretty long and thick. I "harvested" it probably every other day. It actually grew over my corals and suffocated a few. Eventually it started to die off and then about a month later it all came back thicker and longer. Thankfully that bloom only lasted a couple of weeks. Since then I've been algae free (well that type anyway).
Your build is amazing and keep us up to date on how the EcoBak pellets are working.

Ewww. Glad the algae has gone by the wayside. People have been commenting on why I have no corals and this is proof positive on why I'm waiting. I want all this algae to be gone before I add anything else. I'm sure I'll find another way to kill a coral but I'd be ticked if it was from some stupid algae. :lol: I appreciate the kind words solitude127.

 

[drummereef]

Please refresh me:

What are you running for extra flow in tank?
What flow do you have going thru sump??
What all reactors and media are you running again???

Thanks..this will save me digging thru a FEW pages of info!:frog:

Flow is from 2x MP40x, 2x Tunze 6025, Dart Return.
I have a recirculation line plumbed back into the sump after the manifold, this adds some extra flow through the sump but can be turned off if need be.
Currently I'm running ecoBAK Bio Pellets, ROX 0.8 Carbon, and GFO (Bulk Reef).

I think he's running 2 mp40w, 2 tunze 6025's and his dart return feeding his reactors or carbon, gfo, ecobak I think

His return on his manifold stirs up the sump for more flow too.

I've been following this for far to long.

Chromedogg33, you have done your homework my brutha! :beer:

 

[110galreef]

Awesome....I am looking heavily into the Vortech 40's. How do you like them? Are you making waves w/ them or just steady flow? Any vids? Are they mpunted on the sides?

I really like the flow they put out, low energy consumption and no plumbing, plus all the control features. These maybe my flow solution opposed to a CLS and an Ocean motion.,

 

[110galreef]

Also any plans for a Calcium reactor or anything else media wise in the future?

 

[drummereef]

Awesome....I am looking heavily into the Vortech 40's. How do you like them? Are you making waves w/ them or just steady flow? Any vids? Are they mpunted on the sides?

I really like the flow they put out, low energy consumption and no plumbing, plus all the control features. These maybe my flow solution opposed to a CLS and an Ocean motion.,

Absolutely love them. I have no qualms with the mp40s at all. I don't do waves in the tank simply because I prefer lagoon mode more than anything. It provides extremely random flow and doesn't go down to almost nothing like reef crest. Maybe once I get corals in there I'll use reef crest more. They are mounted on the side glass, you can probably see them in the last FTS.

I did however try a wave when I first bought them as I was plumbing the tank. Here's a video I took a looooooong time ago. 180g wave was just a little too scary for me.


<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid661.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu338%2Fdrummereefvideos%2Fvid.flv">

 

[jefathome]

I recently set up an in-wall 150 and I too am contemplating how I'm going to do my water changes.

Ideally I could plumb a 55g drum (Cryptic fuge) into the system to hold 100lbs of live rock that I've had curing. Then I would just use some valves to isolate from the main tank, empty the 55g drum, re-fill, heat/test and then open up the valves to start circulation into the fuge/main system.

55g out of 200 would be about 25%... which I would do monthly. Much better than the 30% changes I was doing every 3-4 months on my last tank.

 

[Taqpol]

I personally would not drain a cryptic fuge unless I had too once I had it up and running. The purpose of a cryptic fuge, besides more rock surface area, is to create a zone full of filter feeding sponges that pull particulates out of your water to "polish" it. If I recall, most sponges do not like to be completely dry at any time.

My plan for a water change system was to have some type of container with overflow holes plumbed into it that lead back to the sump. I would then fill the container with fresh saltwater and use my return manifold or a separate pump to pump water into the tank . This way it allows old water and new water to mix slowly over the period of a day or so and when you turn off the feed pump the water in the mixing tank is the exact same as in the main tank and you dump it. Takes a day or so to perform but you never get your hands wet.

 

[drummereef]

I recently set up an in-wall 150 and I too am contemplating how I'm going to do my water changes.

Ideally I could plumb a 55g drum (Cryptic fuge) into the system to hold 100lbs of live rock that I've had curing. Then I would just use some valves to isolate from the main tank, empty the 55g drum, re-fill, heat/test and then open up the valves to start circulation into the fuge/main system.

55g out of 200 would be about 25%... which I would do monthly. Much better than the 30% changes I was doing every 3-4 months on my last tank.

Yep, I'm always in favor of smaller more frequent changes. Good thoughts jefathome.

I personally would not drain a cryptic fuge unless I had too once I had it up and running. The purpose of a cryptic fuge, besides more rock surface area, is to create a zone full of filter feeding sponges that pull particulates out of your water to "polish" it. If I recall, most sponges do not like to be completely dry at any time.

My plan for a water change system was to have some type of container with overflow holes plumbed into it that lead back to the sump. I would then fill the container with fresh saltwater and use my return manifold or a separate pump to pump water into the tank . This way it allows old water and new water to mix slowly over the period of a day or so and when you turn off the feed pump the water in the mixing tank is the exact same as in the main tank and you dump it. Takes a day or so to perform but you never get your hands wet.

Sounds like a solid plan, almost like a semi-continuous water change. I agree about completely draining a cryptic environment but I would do it in a way where only the above water layer is drained. Your plan sounds a lot cleaner and worth looking into for my sump room for sure. I wonder what adding 30g (approx) of reservoir volume would do to the rate of dilution on a whole, as in, if it would take longer to remove organics than just a plain siphon water change - since dilution from a siphon water change is basically 100% of the transferred water.

I'm soooo bad at math. :lol:

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Tested NO3 and PO4 tonight. Nitrates are still running about 1 ppm or less. Not quite as bright yellow as the chart shows but just slightly darker on my API kit. PO4 is still undetectable but still leery about the kind of testing I'm doing.

Seriously considering picking up a Hanna Pocket Photometer Phosphate tester. Anyone use these yet?

 

[Taqpol]

Yeah, the method I described is definitely not as efficient since you add to the total water volume, but I think it makes up for it by making it easier to do more frequent water changes. Basically, if you had a 30g water change reservoir on your system it would be like changing 30g out of 210g instead of 180g, but that is still a 14% water change vs. a 16% water change if you did it the direct way.