bluenose990
New member
Name of the other store is Aquarium Oddities, definitely worth checking out. Great staff, great selection and growing every time I go in.
Electrobes' K.I.S.S. 40Br Thread
- Thread starter Electrobes
- Start date
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thank you bluenose, it was seriously starting to bug me that I couldn't remember it! I look forward to going to the stores once I get the rock and sand (Hopefully the 12th), cure it (About a month or so), and stick it in the tank.
Also really looking forward to meeting reefers in the area and buying frags from people... this state (Well... both Carolinas) seems to be a lot more active than when I was living in Gainesville, Fl!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Well I am off to soder the wires for my lighting.. I guess I'll just have to leave the canopy to the side of the tank if I want it off...
cashman95
New member
My good friend "finless" has a grow out tank with many pieces of SPS zoa's and some ricordia. That is where I put all my corals when I shut down my old tank for the move. We have recently given some samples to a fish store in Columbia SC for him to start growing out/selling.
Chuck owns Aquarium Oddities and is VERY knowledgable in this buisness. He is my "go to" guy when I have a question. I think Finless and I will also be giving him a couple of frags to grow as well.
I have not started a thread on my build, mainly due to living in an apartment temporarily and having nowhere to start on it. All of my aquarium items, including live rock/dead rock now, is in storage, but I think I will be getting it out soon to start. I recently received my custom made tank, so I now have to build a stand, and sump.
Chuck owns Aquarium Oddities and is VERY knowledgable in this buisness. He is my "go to" guy when I have a question. I think Finless and I will also be giving him a couple of frags to grow as well.
I have not started a thread on my build, mainly due to living in an apartment temporarily and having nowhere to start on it. All of my aquarium items, including live rock/dead rock now, is in storage, but I think I will be getting it out soon to start. I recently received my custom made tank, so I now have to build a stand, and sump.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Saw your build thread cashman, very nice tank. I am very interested to see how the build turns out.. tell the house builders to move it! 
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
I just finished most of the lighting (The sodering part) and I swear... if God didn't invent soder to punish people then I don't know why it exists! I burned myself (I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but a tool none the less ) many times, but can honestly say it looks clean and much better than wire nuts.
I am tired, but am uploading the pics onto photobucket... pics should be posted tomorrow as to how the canopy and lighting all went down.. till then
) many times, but can honestly say it looks clean and much better than wire nuts. I am tired, but am uploading the pics onto photobucket... pics should be posted tomorrow as to how the canopy and lighting all went down.. till then
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
Electrobes... You got PM 
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Let there be light... and a canopy!
Let there be light... and a canopy!
Okay let's begin, here is mister canopy in need of some work:
I want the inside waterproof so I painted it with Kilz water-based acrylic paint (interior/exterior) white color. I sanded it THEN painted it:
After the painting was done (wasn't my best work...) I used wood-filler to fill the holes I created on the side because intelligence failed me. In short the first hole was from a misplacement of a ballast, and the second was where the ballast went during my freshwater days:
Now's here's a day spent on the reef tank.. strated with the reflector. In hindsight I placed it a bit too in front of the tank, but I'm not sweating it:
First checked to see how the end caps and light bulbs would fit... and it was very VERY close:
Let there be light... and a canopy!
Okay let's begin, here is mister canopy in need of some work:
I want the inside waterproof so I painted it with Kilz water-based acrylic paint (interior/exterior) white color. I sanded it THEN painted it:
After the painting was done (wasn't my best work...) I used wood-filler to fill the holes I created on the side because intelligence failed me. In short the first hole was from a misplacement of a ballast, and the second was where the ballast went during my freshwater days:
Now's here's a day spent on the reef tank.. strated with the reflector. In hindsight I placed it a bit too in front of the tank, but I'm not sweating it:
First checked to see how the end caps and light bulbs would fit... and it was very VERY close:
Last edited:
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
More on lighting build
More on lighting build
I wired the right side first. What you don't see is that I messed up because I was hoping to have enough room on the outside channels of the end caps to fit the wiring. I didn't so the two outside end cap's wiring went in the middle while the middle en cap got to use the outside channel. Sound confusing? It isn't but I'll see if I have a pic of it...
Okay so I couldn't find a pic of it, but in short... the way I now have it wired benefitted me with more space and being able to find the wires quickly when it came to identifying them.
After I wired the first ballast... light test!
After I wired the middle ballast... another light test!
I forgot to mention: I have three bulbs in my set up. I originally was going to have 4 X 95 watts but they didn't fit. This unintentional accident did reap its rewards though: I like the color, I have plenty of light 7.125 watts/gallon on a softie tank, cheaper light expenses, and cheaper electricity bill.
Here is the set up on the tank, but is the job done yet? Oh no.. of course it's not... that would be just too easy! My whole perspective on this build was to do everything neatly and cleanly. In this picture you can barely see the wires as I've channeled them and seperate them based on right before I combined them.
Pic of the lid closed.. I really like the color!
More on lighting build
I wired the right side first. What you don't see is that I messed up because I was hoping to have enough room on the outside channels of the end caps to fit the wiring. I didn't so the two outside end cap's wiring went in the middle while the middle en cap got to use the outside channel. Sound confusing?
It isn't but I'll see if I have a pic of it...
Okay so I couldn't find a pic of it, but in short... the way I now have it wired benefitted me with more space and being able to find the wires quickly when it came to identifying them.
After I wired the first ballast... light test!
After I wired the middle ballast... another light test!
I forgot to mention: I have three bulbs in my set up. I originally was going to have 4 X 95 watts but they didn't fit. This unintentional accident did reap its rewards though: I like the color, I have plenty of light 7.125 watts/gallon on a softie tank, cheaper light expenses, and cheaper electricity bill.
Here is the set up on the tank, but is the job done yet? Oh no.. of course it's not... that would be just too easy! My whole perspective on this build was to do everything neatly and cleanly. In this picture you can barely see the wires as I've channeled them and seperate them based on right before I combined them.
Pic of the lid closed.. I really like the color!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
... the dark side of lighting
... the dark side of lighting
So if I dread anything in this part, it was the sodering. I know how to soder, but it always goes wrong.. prob because I suck at it
Here's the set up. Sorry if the image isn't rotated... photobucket is being wierd:
So many things to soder and shrink tube!
Success! After burning myself quite a few times... swear I could have just been sodering myself to something...
After one ballast was done,the second needed love too:
The ballasts get a home. I should note that I will probably make a housing for them or maybe just for the initial wires coming out of them...:
Apparently I have a zip-tie fetish:
I am going to Lowes to get tube covering for the set up and possibly a housing unit for the ballasts/initial wires. Once that's done the canopy and lighting is done... Woohoo!
... the dark side of lighting
So if I dread anything in this part, it was the sodering. I know how to soder, but it always goes wrong.. prob because I suck at it
Here's the set up. Sorry if the image isn't rotated... photobucket is being wierd:
So many things to soder and shrink tube!
Success! After burning myself quite a few times... swear I could have just been sodering myself to something...
After one ballast was done,the second needed love too:
The ballasts get a home. I should note that I will probably make a housing for them or maybe just for the initial wires coming out of them...:
Apparently I have a zip-tie fetish:
I am going to Lowes to get tube covering for the set up and possibly a housing unit for the ballasts/initial wires. Once that's done the canopy and lighting is done... Woohoo!
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Got back from Lowes and finished up the lighting... only thing left to do are the power wires, but that won't be decided until I get my timers and surge protectors purchased. I'll need to measure and cute to make everything look neat and not tangled. I blame Steve Weast for this inspiration :lol:
bill-fit
New member
Hey Electrobes just read through your thread and was wondering if you have seen the Aqua medic sp 3000 top of system at marine depot. I use one and its had about seven months use with no problems.
I think it works with your kiss philosophy for this tank as it should be about as comlicated.
And after you get an accurate figure for top off gallons each day, you can put the power supply for the pump on a timer. Then if the float stays on for some reason the pump cant flood the tank to fast for you to catch the problem.
I think it works with your kiss philosophy for this tank as it should be about as comlicated.
And after you get an accurate figure for top off gallons each day, you can put the power supply for the pump on a timer. Then if the float stays on for some reason the pump cant flood the tank to fast for you to catch the problem.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thanks man, as I told Marc I am taking it slow this time around as I have all the time in the world. I don't pick up my rocks and sand till the 12th (Hopefully everything works out) and they'll be curing for a month or so... ouch I just had to remind myself of how much longer I have to wait
At least I know it'll all be worth it at the end bill-fit: I have seen it and have been using the SP-3000 for years, it's a fantastic dosing pump IMO. I did DIY the float switch wiring to it and never had a single problem with it.
I did not think of the last sentence... and funny you should mention this. I have been debating about what to do with my auto top-off. Both involved the use of my Kalk Reactor I made, but after re-reading many... MANY of the chemistry literatures (Randy is the man!) and speaking to some other RC chemists (Many thanks Bertoni!) I am starting to sway towards hand mixing a kalk container and dose from it instead of using a direct link to the RO or the Kalk Reactor itself.
Reasons include:
- I have a smaller tank so a container would last a while, but in the event of an overdose it wouldn't completely mean my tank would be screwed.
- The self-purification of kalk article convinced a big part of me to possibly use a mixed-container. If y'all haven't read this I highly recommend it: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/chem.htm
(I also HIGHLY recommend reading the other articles in the Chemistry forum, you'll learn a whole lot more, and gain an understanding of your reef like never before).
- Less machinery to worry about. What sucks is that I have the machinery already purchased but at least it'll make for a nice project for something. What also sucks is that I already made my Kalk Reactor.. doh!
I guess we'll see.. it's definitely something to think about. I may have to design a "container" if I go with this new train of thought. The only design spec I speak about is a floating cover to minimize air + limewater interaction.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thanks! It feels SO good to be back, honestly it was just sad how much I missed my reef tank. Any hobby that makes me want to learn more chemistry, biology, and mechanics is a powerful one
My goal with this set up, aside from being a successful one, is that all of it is neatly done and not conjured on the spot. As for being industrious... heck anything I do I consider a success as long as the house is still standing and divorce papers aren't served! :lol:
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
I have had my DIY kalk reactor on my 30L for a while now and I have only seen good things. I vote for the reactor.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
MeuserReef: I haven't decided yet as I still have one question for the chemists... What happens to the metals in the tank, and what can be the long-term effects of these metals?
In the article the main metal of worry was copper. For obvious reasons copper precipitating out of solution and not going into the tank is a bonus. What I would like to know from this aspect is how damaging is the copper going into the tank in it's quantities, and is there anything outside of the Reactor that takes all or some of it out (Like water changes as an example).
Speaking of I better go ask this
On a side note my RO/DI comes in two days supposedly... very excited!
In the article the main metal of worry was copper. For obvious reasons copper precipitating out of solution and not going into the tank is a bonus. What I would like to know from this aspect is how damaging is the copper going into the tank in it's quantities, and is there anything outside of the Reactor that takes all or some of it out (Like water changes as an example).
Speaking of I better go ask this
On a side note my RO/DI comes in two days supposedly... very excited!
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
I'll be honest, Im not the Kalk guru nor have I read alot on the subject (shame on me,... I know). Kalk is so widely used in this hobby that if there were major concerns with metals in the Ca(OH)2, it would be well known by now (all of this is just MY thoughts on the situation. You are doing the right thing for YOUR Reef by doing your home work... )
I have my reactor setup so that it stirs the kalk for 15 min once every 24 hrs and then allows the kalk (and hopefully the impurities) to settle to the bottom of the reactor. The time between stirring and the first "dose" is 4 hrs. Only the saturated kalk water is dosed to the tank. All of my top-off water goes through the kalk reactor on its way to the tank.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
That's a valid point, leaving it still for 23hrs and 45mins should be enough time (I can't remember) for it to precipitate out of solution.
The only draw back to using the Kalk Reactor in your situation would be the entering of new water possibly stirring it up a little.
Actually there may be two: How often do you clean out the Kalk Reactor... the chances of the metals entering your tank increase with more metal staying in the Reactor... and unless it is physically cleaned out I would guess the metals stay in the Reactor until then?
My head hurts
The only draw back to using the Kalk Reactor in your situation would be the entering of new water possibly stirring it up a little.
Actually there may be two: How often do you clean out the Kalk Reactor... the chances of the metals entering your tank increase with more metal staying in the Reactor... and unless it is physically cleaned out I would guess the metals stay in the Reactor until then?
My head hurts
