Electrobes' K.I.S.S. 40Br Thread
- Thread starter Electrobes
- Start date
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
So to update...
Display Tank: 40Br (Glass)
Stand and Canopy: Cherry standard (Nothing special about it).
Sump: None
Water Movement: 2 X MJ900's
Lighting: 3 X 95watt VHO (2 actinics + 1 Aquasun)
Skimmer: Octopus BH-100F (Unmodded)
Temp Control: Dual Ranco
Cooling: 6 inch Lasko vent fan (Love this thing, just about all plastic!)
Heater(s): 1 X 75watt Stealth (Summer) or 2 X 75watt Stealth (Winter)
Calcium and Alk Addition: ATO using Kalkwasser mix (1 tablespoon/gal)
Substrate: Sugar-sized Aragonite (1-1.5 inch sand bed)
Filtration and supplements: Reef Crystals Salt
Daily: Mag-float glass.
Weekly: 12% (5G) water change.
Monthly: Vinegar all equipment
Display Tank: 40Br (Glass)
Stand and Canopy: Cherry standard (Nothing special about it).
Sump: None
Water Movement: 2 X MJ900's
Lighting: 3 X 95watt VHO (2 actinics + 1 Aquasun)
Skimmer: Octopus BH-100F (Unmodded)
Temp Control: Dual Ranco
Cooling: 6 inch Lasko vent fan (Love this thing, just about all plastic!)
Heater(s): 1 X 75watt Stealth (Summer) or 2 X 75watt Stealth (Winter)
Calcium and Alk Addition: ATO using Kalkwasser mix (1 tablespoon/gal)
Substrate: Sugar-sized Aragonite (1-1.5 inch sand bed)
Filtration and supplements: Reef Crystals Salt
Daily: Mag-float glass.
Weekly: 12% (5G) water change.
Monthly: Vinegar all equipment
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Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Things that may change or am considering:
- I consider the 2 X MJ900's eyesores. They do provide adequate flow for the most part (I count only one slight dead spot). I am seriously considering a MP10 from Ecotech Marine. The motor and wire would hide well behind the plant in the room, and the wet side is small, especially against the MJ's.
- On a whim, and wanted to get my shipping monies worth, I ordered a bag of Seachem salt. I use Reef Crystals, and still have a full bag left, but I may give seachem a try before starting that new bag. I have no good reasoning for it, just heard good things.
I want to state that I have never had problems with Reef Crystals. I do get the brown stuff in the bucket (A slight dusting) but my tank has never showed problems because of it.
- I have an Octopus BH-100F skimmer. It uses the Resun 225F pump and apparently is known for failure and a short life span. My choices are to either get a new skimmer if my skimmer breaks down... or get a needlewheel sedra 2500 for about 70 bucks.
I'll most likely get the Sedra 2500 as I like the skimmer body, it's huge, and with the resun it skims well, but with a sedra, I'm led to believe it will do even better.
- I am done with the fish stocking, but am going to start actively looking for more coral. Unfortunately I live in the boonies (I love it) and the nearest decent shop for corals is about an hour or more away. I did have great luck on frags.org (Seller is an RC member) the last time I bought online... I may do so again.
- I am going to replace one pile rocks, and switch it out for another. It's related to my new business venture. I look forward to the change, but I am not looking forward to moving the coral from one rock to another. :lol:
- I consider the 2 X MJ900's eyesores. They do provide adequate flow for the most part (I count only one slight dead spot). I am seriously considering a MP10 from Ecotech Marine. The motor and wire would hide well behind the plant in the room, and the wet side is small, especially against the MJ's.
- On a whim, and wanted to get my shipping monies worth, I ordered a bag of Seachem salt. I use Reef Crystals, and still have a full bag left, but I may give seachem a try before starting that new bag. I have no good reasoning for it, just heard good things.
I want to state that I have never had problems with Reef Crystals. I do get the brown stuff in the bucket (A slight dusting) but my tank has never showed problems because of it.
- I have an Octopus BH-100F skimmer. It uses the Resun 225F pump and apparently is known for failure and a short life span. My choices are to either get a new skimmer if my skimmer breaks down... or get a needlewheel sedra 2500 for about 70 bucks.
I'll most likely get the Sedra 2500 as I like the skimmer body, it's huge, and with the resun it skims well, but with a sedra, I'm led to believe it will do even better.
- I am done with the fish stocking, but am going to start actively looking for more coral. Unfortunately I live in the boonies (I love it) and the nearest decent shop for corals is about an hour or more away. I did have great luck on frags.org (Seller is an RC member) the last time I bought online... I may do so again.
- I am going to replace one pile rocks, and switch it out for another. It's related to my new business venture. I look forward to the change, but I am not looking forward to moving the coral from one rock to another. :lol:
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Electrobes
Montipora type guy
terryagi posted this older, but absolutely great article in a recent thread: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/ac/index.php
I consider myself lucky to be a K.I.S.S. follower in this article's respect. If any method helps keep you grounded KISS will. The sentence that does it best is "Using less means to achieve the same ends". With all the gadgets and trends out there, so little is needed for a healthy reef, but has to be done well.
One major trap that KISS does not protect us in this articles respect is this: When we shoot for simplicity and use only a couple machinery... and we often times use pretty premium stuff. I know I've done it. You won't catch me mentioning specifics here (Last thing I need is to get people angry) but there are plenty of over-priced items that could be done by another much cheaper item for half (If not more!) the price.
When it comes to corals, I know I definitely fell into that trap. Though I got lucky on the price, I had to be cool and get the Purple Deaths, PPE Paly's, and Tubbs blues. They are pretty corals no doubt, but I sincerely think I got them to be trendy.
I hope the revisited article re-strikes a nerve in a lot of reefers. I can't honestly say we didn't need that reminder, and I hope we don't need another one in the future. :rollface:
I consider myself lucky to be a K.I.S.S. follower in this article's respect. If any method helps keep you grounded KISS will. The sentence that does it best is "Using less means to achieve the same ends". With all the gadgets and trends out there, so little is needed for a healthy reef, but has to be done well.
One major trap that KISS does not protect us in this articles respect is this: When we shoot for simplicity and use only a couple machinery... and we often times use pretty premium stuff. I know I've done it. You won't catch me mentioning specifics here (Last thing I need is to get people angry) but there are plenty of over-priced items that could be done by another much cheaper item for half (If not more!) the price.
When it comes to corals, I know I definitely fell into that trap. Though I got lucky on the price, I had to be cool and get the Purple Deaths, PPE Paly's, and Tubbs blues. They are pretty corals no doubt, but I sincerely think I got them to be trendy.
I hope the revisited article re-strikes a nerve in a lot of reefers. I can't honestly say we didn't need that reminder, and I hope we don't need another one in the future. :rollface:
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
After reading the above article, I happened to look back on some of the TOTM's, in particular the ones that inspired my tank today.
Brad Whitney's: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/totm/index.php - This is my favorite tank of all time. I always find myself re-reading this TOTM and still can't get enough!
Therman: http://www.reefcentral.com/totm/2001-10/index.php - An oldie but a goodie, some people may recognize this tank from Paletta's Ultimate Marine Aquariums book. It's facinating what he was able to achieve with so little space and water volume.
Archie Luz: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php - This is yet another true inspiration. I love reading this TOTM because to me it's the hallmark of K.I.S.S. and it's success.
MUCHO REEF: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/totm/index.php - You can't mention Archie's tank without including this TOTM. Yet another true hallmark of the KISS method, this tank is the epitamy of a beautiful tank that uses less... a lot less!
Spike (Aquabucket): http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1506957&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 - If you want to see a current tank that has it all using less, you'd be hard press to find a tank better than this one. Spike's tank is truly a wonder and inspiration and I consider myself lucky that he's still around the forum to share his advice.
Brad Whitney's: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/totm/index.php - This is my favorite tank of all time. I always find myself re-reading this TOTM and still can't get enough!
Therman: http://www.reefcentral.com/totm/2001-10/index.php - An oldie but a goodie, some people may recognize this tank from Paletta's Ultimate Marine Aquariums book. It's facinating what he was able to achieve with so little space and water volume.
Archie Luz: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php - This is yet another true inspiration. I love reading this TOTM because to me it's the hallmark of K.I.S.S. and it's success.
MUCHO REEF: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/totm/index.php - You can't mention Archie's tank without including this TOTM. Yet another true hallmark of the KISS method, this tank is the epitamy of a beautiful tank that uses less... a lot less!
Spike (Aquabucket): http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1506957&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 - If you want to see a current tank that has it all using less, you'd be hard press to find a tank better than this one. Spike's tank is truly a wonder and inspiration and I consider myself lucky that he's still around the forum to share his advice.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thanks Snakebyt, I see you have a 40Br in the works yourself! 
Do you have a build thread? I'd love to see it!
Do you have a build thread? I'd love to see it!
unbreakable
D:
what's the cone skimmer waiting for? so far the tank looks really clean
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thanks unbreakable 
It's actually a prototype made by a friend of mine. Since I'll be visiting a couple LFS for my own business, I'm dropping it off at one of them, for them to test. Kinda wish my tank was big enough to test it!
It's actually a prototype made by a friend of mine. Since I'll be visiting a couple LFS for my own business, I'm dropping it off at one of them, for them to test. Kinda wish my tank was big enough to test it!
Snakebyt
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15689400#post15689400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Electrobes
Thanks Snakebyt, I see you have a 40Br in the works yourself!
dont really have a build thread yet, but i will be starting one soon to get to the point i am at now
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
:lol: on the pic whore.
I started a company called "Reef on the Rocks LLC", making man made rock (Three different lines) and also selling aragonite sand (All wholesale). I'm starting fairly small, but the paperwork, research, testing, and what not ate up all my time till now.
Thanks on the nothing looks wrong comment, it was exactly what I was hoping to achieve. I am hoping the bryopsis is finally gone, and with my maintenance back online I'll make sure it is. I'm really excited to get some more corals... thinking mainly zoos. :inlove:
I started a company called "Reef on the Rocks LLC", making man made rock (Three different lines) and also selling aragonite sand (All wholesale). I'm starting fairly small, but the paperwork, research, testing, and what not ate up all my time till now.
Thanks on the nothing looks wrong comment, it was exactly what I was hoping to achieve. I am hoping the bryopsis is finally gone, and with my maintenance back online I'll make sure it is. I'm really excited to get some more corals... thinking mainly zoos. :inlove:
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Looking forward to it, let me know when you start it!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
I've been looking for Ron, between classes, his job, and family he's must be slammed busy.
I am (From my garage), my wife graduates from residency next June and we'll either stay in our current home for an extra year or two (And I may rent out a warehouse) or we'll move and I get to build a warehouse on our property to expand operations. Granted this is assuming business goes positively.
You should see the looks I get when I have my garage door open and working as my neighbors walk on by. I'm surprised I haven't been visited yet by the local PD! :lol:
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Come on by man, I am almost always home and now the tank is showable!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15692201#post15692201 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrismunn
thats pretty neat, i hope you have great success in your new buisness venture! good luck.
Thanks!
I just pulled out some rock from the finishing container and am testing it now, I suspect these next few weeks are going to be fun!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Some minor updates with good news and.. well just news I guess... I'll explain below.
First off I started this early morning with some maintenance on the tank. I got some tunes on the computer going, and it was time to get worky. I was going to do a water-change but then noticed my DI cartridge needed changing. While the beads weren't completely converted (In color) I changed them out once the color changes over the half-way mark in the cartridge.
Here's a pic of the cartridge cleaned out and with new beads. It didn't occur to me to take pics till after the change out. : )
This pic is just showing what my "station" looks like. It's convinient and I use the timer on my fridge to warn me when the bucket is pretty full.
Here's a closer shot inside where the RO/DI actually is. As you can see I hang the DI cartridge so that the water is forced to go from bottom to top.
I let the unit pump out 5G before I started using the new water for water changes.
First off I started this early morning with some maintenance on the tank. I got some tunes on the computer going, and it was time to get worky. I was going to do a water-change but then noticed my DI cartridge needed changing. While the beads weren't completely converted (In color) I changed them out once the color changes over the half-way mark in the cartridge.
Here's a pic of the cartridge cleaned out and with new beads. It didn't occur to me to take pics till after the change out. : )
This pic is just showing what my "station" looks like. It's convinient and I use the timer on my fridge to warn me when the bucket is pretty full.
Here's a closer shot inside where the RO/DI actually is. As you can see I hang the DI cartridge so that the water is forced to go from bottom to top.
I let the unit pump out 5G before I started using the new water for water changes.
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