drummereef's 180g in-wall build

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Here's a time lapse over the last 15 days since the algae cycle went into full bloom. I attribute most, if not all ,of the algae reduction from the Mexican Turbos doing their thing. I manually harvested a little but the snails have done a tremendous job. I don't believe the ecoBAK has really kicked in yet so I hesitate to make any correlation there. There's still quite a ways to go but it's getting there.


8-17-2010

8-22-2010

8-25-2010 Day 1 of ecoBAK

8-31-2010 Current FTS

It was time to replace the GFO so I decided to take the reactor off-line. So currently I'm only running 750 ml of ecoBAK bio pellets and approximately 2 cups of ROX 0.8 Carbon. I added another 250 ml of ecoBAK to the reactor tonight so I'm running a total of 750 ml. I don't know how good of a job the GFO was doing but I should be able to tell in the next few days if the phosphates start going up, or if the algae starts coming back. In that case I will bring it back on-line. Here's a pic.

I also adjusted the effluent tubing of the ecoBAK reactor to terminate as close to the Askoll volute as possible. Right now it's about an inch away. I would presume it's sucking at least 90% of the reactor effluent now, which is supposed to really help with nutrient export.

 

[Scuba Steve]

Very nice setup. Good job on the build.

 

[drummereef]

Very nice setup. Good job on the build.

Thank you Scuba Steve.

 

[Scuba Steve]

Your welcome took me 1 1/2 to read everything you are doing a great job!

 

[drummereef]

Your welcome took me 1 1/2 to read everything you are doing a great job!

I'm sorry I put you through all that. :lol: No seriously, thank you for the kind words.

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Well, there might be a glimmer of hope... I decided to scrub the algae off the overflows tonight. To my amazement it was almost effortless to get the algae to come off. Before, at the beginning of the cycle, it was almost impossible to get the stuff off the overflow covers. This time I could have almost used my hand and brushed the stuff off it was so easy. So, either we are nearing the end of the algae cycle or the ecoBAK pellets are starting to kick in - or both. Honestly I don't know.... But I have read that once the pellets start really working, algae becomes weak and then basically dissolves. That's what seemed to be happening tonight. :bounce2:


On another note - Mr Tang is still not eating. I bought some Selcon today to soak his favorite Nori but he's still not interested. I also put a large piece of leafy green lettuce and a piece of carrot on a clip in the tank to try and entice a feeding response. Doesn't seem to be working. Hopefully he'll make it through the rest of this algae stuff if that's really what's irritating his gills 'cause I'm out of ideas. I'll keep trying though...

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Late night update... :rollface:


Here's an updated video now running 750 ml ecoBAK in the NextReef SMR1 reactor. Seems to be tumbling even better with more pellets. I dialed the flow rate back a bit and am getting a nice, even tumble now. Go bacteria GO!!!


<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=14631435&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=14631435&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/14631435">750 ml ecoBAK NextReef SMR1</a><a href="http://vimeo.com/user3881098">drummereef</a><a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a></p>

 

[platax88]

drummereef -- I've been thinking of going the ecoBak route and hopefully eliminate GFO and it's maintenance.

The only thing stopping me is not knowing long-term results. Do you have any concerns?

 

[110galreef]

Is running gfo and ecobak together redundant? Or does each do something different or the same just differently?

 

[drummereef]

drummereef -- I've been thinking of going the ecoBak route and hopefully eliminate GFO and it's maintenance.

The only thing stopping me is not knowing long-term results. Do you have any concerns?

At this point I don't know if anyone really knows the long term results of using bio pellets. People have been dosing all kinds of carbon sources for quite a while now with success, this is the same thing in a more 'user friendly' form imo. The biggest risk is to the pocket book. :lol: Does the stuff really work...? It can be a costly investment but if it proves to really do what it claims the cost benefit vs GFO could be great. Other than that there's the risk of a mild bacteria bloom but from what I've seen only lasts a couple days and isn't detrimental to the tank's inhabitants. That said, I have not experienced any bacterial blooms using ecoBAK unlike what I've seen with other pellet brands.

Is running gfo and ecobak together redundant? Or does each do something different or the same just differently?

Yes, basically it's a more "natural" way of reducing NO3 / PO4 through beneficial bacteria vs chemical means. One of the benefits of running bio pellets is to lower of dependency on phosphate reducers such as GFO. Ideally, in my system, I would only like to run the pellets and Carbon 24/7. That way I'm not spending big bucks on costly GFO for my system each month. You would just replenish the pellets as they are consumed by the bacteria.

 

[110galreef]

Yes, basically it's a more "natural" way of reducing NO3 / PO4 through beneficial bacteria vs chemical means. One of the benefits of running bio pellets is to lower of dependency on phosphate reducers such as GFO. Ideally, in my system, I would only like to run the pellets and Carbon 24/7. That way I'm not spending big bucks on costly GFO for my system each month. You would just replenish the pellets as they are consumed by the bacteria.

Are you running both gfo & biopellets right now in addition to the carbon? Why both then & when do you plan to drop the gfo?

 

[drummereef]

Are you running both gfo & biopellets right now in addition to the carbon? Why both then & when do you plan to drop the gfo?

No, a couple of days ago I took my GFO reactor off-line. It was time to replace it with new GFO and honestly I didn't think it was doing much to reduce the algae bloom I had so I took it out. I'm only running ecoBAK and ROX Carbon right now. I'm hoping the pellets do what they claim so I don't have to implement GFO again.

Here's the post (pg 69) where I showed a time-lapse of the tank through the algae cycle. At the bottom of the post I described what I was going to do with the pellets and GFO.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17594014&postcount=1722

 

[reeferbro0622]

No more algae, congrats!

JT

 

[drummereef]

No more algae, congrats!

JT

It's definitely getting better JT. Still some remnants but no the huge feather-like growths that were all over the tank. The snails are kicking some serious butt. I'll try and get some close up pics of the rocks to show everyone what it's looking like. Hard to get a good perspective from just a FTS.

 

[drummereef]

UPDATE:


Algae cycle is looking better and better each day. NO3 is still 1 ppm, PO4 is 000 on the new Hanna Checker. Still don't know if this is accurate but there's only traces of algae left in the tank so if it's not I assume I'll start seeing some higher readings soon. Here's a couple pics...


This is a before and after shot of the middle island.

BEFORE (8-19-10)

AFTER (9-3-10)

Now that the biggest part of the algae is gone I'm left with this stuff. I guess it's what the snails pass over as they make their way around the tank. Some rocks are cleaner than others so I hope the snails go for round two.

There's a few small patches of Cyano too. Could be from the ecoBAK. Cyano apparently will bloom for a short while and eventually die off as the pellets mature. Don't know for sure but I could just be part of the algae cycle in general.

 

[psteeleb]

looking good

just place those snails where you want them and that stuff should be gone in no time

how as the mortality rate been on the mexican turbos? turbos in general like cooler waters and will burn out in a reef tank, but the mexican turbos seem to be more tolerant of the warmer water

 

[US Marine Coral]

Can you post a pic of what the tank looks like in the basement side. I think I rremember you talking about a ledge/shelf on the outside for drinks.

 

[drummereef]

looking good

just place those snails where you want them and that stuff should be gone in no time

how as the mortality rate been on the mexican turbos? turbos in general like cooler waters and will burn out in a reef tank, but the mexican turbos seem to be more tolerant of the warmer water

Funny you mention that because that's what I've been doing. One night I moved them all to the large island and said "OK guys, all hands on deck". The next morning they had decimated that stuff. :lol: Since then I've been picking them off the glass and putting them back on the rocks. I haven't lost any of the Mexican Turbos so far. All my Astreas are dead and 2 of 4 Trochus have died. This really leads me to believe there is something mildly toxic about this algae, as if it was a type of Cyano. But why would the Mexican Turbos like it...? I'm not sure. :hmm5:

Can you post a pic of what the tank looks like in the basement side. I think I rremember you talking about a ledge/shelf on the outside for drinks.

I'll get another room shot later tonight when the lights are on. I haven't trimmed out the viewing side yet but having a ledge was one Idea. Just haven't convinced the wife if it would look good or not.

 

[solitude127]

I bet youre taking a big sigh of relief that the algae is gone. I know I did. Be careful though, it may come back like mine did.
Do attribute the decline of the algae to the snails? Did they do a big part in keeping it check?

 

[drummereef]

I bet youre taking a big sigh of relief that the algae is gone. I know I did. Be careful though, it may come back like mine did.
Do attribute the decline of the algae to the snails? Did they do a big part in keeping it check?

I sure am Mike. My yellow tang seems to be responding nicely too. Today he started moving his mouth ever so slightly again which is a great sign. Haven't seen him eat yet but I hope he will again shortly. He seems more interested in everything too, swimming about like he used to. I do attribute most of the reduction to the Mexican Turbos. First time I've ever owned some of those snails since my other tanks were too small to support their appetite, but I'm a believer.

I plan on adding the rest of the ecoBAK maybe Monday night. I will then be running 1 Liter. Hopefully the algae will stay away for good.