Electrobes' K.I.S.S. 40Br Thread

[Electrobes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14342567#post14342567 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Do you ever see any bubbles in the incoming water? Ever get "air" trapped in the resin or other filters? I am not sure how to test for CO2 but I am pretty sure I have some in my incoming water depending on the season (well water). It came up in a discussion with Scott @ SpectraPure.

I luckily have no air in the incoming water, no bubbles in the DI resin too. I also have city water, the only thing bad about it is the low pressure.. I have to use a booster pump.

sounds like J probably nailed it. no way 7 months would run through a membrane with that tds. good luck with the search man.

Who knows.. I still won't complain as my reef is doing well and I have a ton of DI resin left. I will look into the city water's makeup and try to identify any red flags. Maybe it's more chlorine than usual... though I am not sure of that would do anything to the DI resin. Least my TDS is still zero.. even with the DI resin visibly half-spent.

 

[Electrobes]

I forgot to mention.. after installing the Phosban Reactor and cleaned everything up it occurred to me... the tank is dead silent. This is going to freak me out often.. I can already see the future.

 

[Electrobes]

Well.. it's picture time!

Main Display:

This photo may end up looking wierd... photobucket is acting up. These are the Dragon Eyes:

My Toadstool who finally got puttied to a better place in the tank:

A couple shots of another leather that just got puttied into place, though this has always been his spot.

A bad picture of the Purple Deaths:

The Purple People Eaters looking good and multiplying:

 

[Electrobes]

A couple Mushrooms that I really want to over take the finger leather rock:

The Torch coral just hanging out:

The Finger Leather doing dandy:

The other Toadstool Leather that doesn't like to open up during the day:

The Kenya Tree doing really well and poised to take that rock over:

The Striped Mushrooms giving the Kenya Tree the finger by multiplying:

 

[Electrobes]

The other Striped Mushrooms sharing a rock with the Red Mushrooms:

The Red Mushrooms multiplying like they do:

The Acans that I got at a great deal at a club meeting, I forgot to take pics of the other frag:

The little Frogspawn that could:

The Ricordea finally thinking about multiplying:

The Tubbs Blues being happy:

 

[Electrobes]

The ______ (Brain fart), that's where my patch of Bryopsis is worst but it's dying:

The Green Metallic Mushroom in the back also being happy:

The Yellow Fiji Leather not in the mood to pose:

A bad pic of the Orange Zoos with Bryopsis coming from the plug (The source of it all! Argh!)

 

[ron69]

Looking good! When you get ready to part with some of those zoas let me know

 

[Electrobes]

Will do Ron! They are most certainly growing well.. actually I think they are the fastest growing buggers in the tank aside from the ____ from above (Brain fart again).

Since I have nothing else to do with the tank (I am buying a bi-color blenny and a cleaner shrimp to finish the stocking of the tank soon) I've decided to focus on the one thing really left to do that is an eye sore. I have two small patches of bryopsis that haven't really grown much. It's prob due to the fact I have been dosing Kent-M (It's always been the Mag sup I've used) bumping the reading to over 1500ppm (Salifert test doesn't go higher). The Bryopsis is looking like heck, but I tried something else when I was dosing the typical amount today. I used a turkey baster, filled it with the usual amount I add, and just laid waste right on the two patches. You could see it fall directly on the patches.. and I hope it does a number on them. Again the patches are fairly small and came from frag plugs but I am a neat freak and they need to DIE DIE DIE!

Aside from that, the Dual Ranco is no longer on the floor of the stand, it's now hanging, keeping all the wires that end into something off the floor. It looks more professional and tidier now which is a plus.

I also now use the white board (In the stand door) to note down duties for the tank: carbon/pumps cleaning, each light bulb (They get changed at different times to avoid light shock), and water change/sand stirring. The test results are all in my notebook instead of the white board so I can keep a far longer history.

So far so good.. after the Bryopsis dies, and the duties taken care of.. I'll have nothing to do anymore for the tank. Patience is a virtue I lack.. and the temptation to mess with something is going to kill me.

 

[Electrobes]

It's been a while since I have last posted, and to be honest nothing much had changed till today. I don't know what it was, but after browsing the reef forums looking at reef pics and what not, plus being bored and having the time to undertake a project... I decided I didn't like my current rock structure or my flow/filtration set-up anymore and that it needed to be changed.

So as you've seen in the prior pictures, I had two MJ-900's with a phosban reactor (Another MJ-900) plus was doing weekly water changes using IO for the majority of the time, but lately switched to RC without problem.

Now I am using this current set up:

- Taking everything out and starting new, I first decided to install my AC500 with a fuge light. I made this a bit ago but never really used it. I stuck the heater and thermometer in there, plus the Ranco's probe.

- After realizing the 500GPH flow coming from the AC500 wasn't going to be enough, I added back a MJ-900 (cleaned with a vinegar bath, like everything else) and liked the results.

The rockwork was the main reason for all this change. I wanted a shallower look. When I started I hadn't planned on having two mounds, but it happened anyway... and I love it.

I now have a more open, more water environment. I removed the two bastard damsels that are as evil as they come. Thus far my plan is to get credit from my LFS for my excess rock, fish, and some corals. I still am not completely sure which fish I plan on getting.. but right now I am thinking the following:

- Sixline wrasse

- Coral Beauty

- Bi-Color Blenny

- Cleaner Shrimp

Anyway.. to the pictures! I apologize for them... the water was still a bit cloudy and I stink at taking pictures.

 

[Electrobes]

 

[Electrobes]

After the tank clears up, and I'm able to borrow a friend's nice camera I'll have better shots to show.. maybe of the fish too!

 

[ron69]

I like it better. Makes your tank look bigger.

I am waiting on some pics of the cuve though lol

 

[Electrobes]

Thanks Ron - Curve?

I am really looking forward to the next few weeks as the corals get happier and fuller after light acclimation.

I can't wait to get the new fish in there, now that those dreaded damsels are gone.

I still have slight bubbles in the tank due to the AC500's output splashing into the water. I need to get a small piece of plastic and plastic screws and add an anti-splash plate to prevent those pesky bubbles.

 

[ron69]

cuve lol

I meant cube
the bio cube

 

[jnarowe]

looking a lot like The Great Danh Nguyen's tank!

 

[Electrobes]

I have no idea what yer talkin' about Jon!

Oh got it Ron! I am hoping it's ETA will be August 1st

 

[Electrobes]

Things with the tank are going very well. I am hoping tonight I will do a write-up on the tank of it's current state and equipment. That and, memory loss not interfering, I am going to my friend's house today for some water sports fun but I'll also try to pick up his nice camera and take some pictures!

Yesterday I went to my regular CMAC meeting (Columbia Marine Aquarium Club) and scored 2 X short stalk xenia frags (Pom Poms) and a Blastomussa Merletti frag.

As soon as I make my tank ALL softy, is that much sooner I broke said policy. One of my most favorite corals is the Merletti. I never see it live except for here and theres whereas the owners aren't interested in fragging them... and who could blame them? Not only were they often times frag themselves but fragging a delicate coral like that would make me queasy too.

Anyway the Merletti seems dandy but what really makes me angry is what the peppermint shrimps did immediately upon arrival of the xenia frags. The bastard came out and just started lopping off xenia heads for no freakin' reason! He wasn't eating them.. just lopping off heads! ARGH! And here I thought kicking the damsels out of the tank (I currently have no fish... yet) would have made me happiest

I have another reef meeting June 6th, and I am hoping to pick up some fish for the tank. I am still tossing the idea of having a bi-color, small or pigmy angel, and a six-line wrasse.

See y'all tonight for the write up!

 

[Electrobes]

Well I am sad to say that I am a forgetful monkey. I just recently came back from my friend's house and naturally I forgot the bloody camera! Argh!

Here's hoping I remember tomorrow...

 

[dwd5813]

looks good like that. i can see a ton of spots that a blenny would be all over, and i think you'd enjoy the fish a LOT. i love mine. keep up the good work.

 

[Electrobes]

Thanks dwd, I am so looking forward to getting some fish finally!

I finally got a hold of the camera and took some night shots (Actinics on) as I was too late coming home for the day light. I also need to find a compact flash card adapter as that is what the camera uses and I have non of the cables for it here.. friend forgot to pack those. :lol:

I'm hoping to get the adapter today, not to mention the battery charger and take some day shots. I should learn how to use it properly.. I am not even sure of the night shots came out well!

On a side note as I am cleaning my Octopus BH-100F Skimmer to sell, it occurred to me that I haven't a clue how "dirty" the tank is. I haven't used the skimmer in months in the hopes of getting the tank a bit more nutriated (sp?) for the soft corals. I tested all the dirty specs... ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. They were all undetectable.. :hmm:

I have no filtration on the tank at this moment. I still am needing to get chaeto for the HOB refugium, so for now I just have flow on the tank and I do my regular 12% (5G) water changes. Go figure. :lol:

I'm sure once the fish are put in the "funk" will climb. This weekend can't come any faster, I tell you.