FB's 120 Tank Build

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12891149#post12891149 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dooly
I wouldn't put your fish in the tank

no live rock, new water, new sand?

The live rock in the bin will go into the tank. I can't just leave my fish in the middle of the floor for a week. So they are going to have to go into the tank.

I am going to start to acclimate the rubbermaid soon with a drip system. I have 3 anemones on the rocks, a couple of possibly still alive corals (were not doing well before the move)

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12891315#post12891315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
"2 X 60W PC light (Planning on using these for the refugium)"

That's way overkill for growing chaeto. You can get the same result with 1 40w spiral lamp.

The tank is looking good. I like the stand. Have you made the rock yet?

I suppose it might be. Maybe I will use them for my juvenille clowns.

I have not starting making rock yet. So the new rocks is still atleast 8 weeks out, probably more. The tank will have to do with 30 lbs for now. I don't have the money to buy rock!

 

[FB]

The tank is almost 77 degrees. and probably only 10-15 gallons more of water.

 

[rkelman]

How many fish do you have in there? I understand the no money for rock thing.. I thought breeding clowns was supposed to MAKE money.. I know it costs lots...

 

[phil519]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12886737#post12886737 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
The long painstaking process of adding water to the tank. 5gal / hour. I am also waiting for the water to start to clear. This coudl take a while.

We mounted my 1 250W MH on the top of the hood with the ballast next to it. I still have to order another one.

Next time add a plate of some sort on top of the sand, then when you pour the water in, hit the plate first. This will reduce the amount of sand getting agitated and clouding the water so much.

Also - isn't it a little risky to place the ballast next to the MH light like that? Why can't you mount the ballast in the back of the stand or canopy? I'm thinking the concerns are heat and possible salt spray.
I could be totally off since maybe a lot of people mount their ballast next to their light - but I didn't think so.

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12891470#post12891470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phil519
Next time add a plate of some sort on top of the sand, then when you pour the water in, hit the plate first. This will reduce the amount of sand getting agitated and clouding the water so much.

Also - isn't it a little risky to place the ballast next to the MH light like that? Why can't you mount the ballast in the back of the stand or canopy? I'm thinking the concerns are heat and possible salt spray.
I could be totally off since maybe a lot of people mount their ballast next to their light - but I didn't think so.

I'm not sure about the placement of the ballast. I will wait and see what everyone else says. I does get hot so maybe not the best place for it.

FB

 

[FB]

Just did some water tests. All tests were done with Salifert test kits

Salinity 1.027
Alk 7.9 dKh
Cal 390
Mg 1245
Nitrate 0
PO4 0

I'm a little suprised by the Cal results. I am using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt which is supposed to mix to 480 @ 1.026. It was almost my last test for this test kit so the kit could be off.

It's also good to see no Nitrates and PO4 in fresh water.

I tried one of my old Nutrafin PH test kits and it turned a colour not even on the chart It's about 3 years old so I threw it out.

I still have more RO water to add so the salinity should come back down a little.

 

[sooja]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12891470#post12891470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phil519
Next time add a plate of some sort on top of the sand, then when you pour the water in, hit the plate first. This will reduce the amount of sand getting agitated and clouding the water so much.

Works like a charm, I use a frisbee or the lid from a salt bucket

 

[FB]

Almost there. Tank has overflowed and I am now filling up the sump.

 

[FB]

Well 1:00 am and the tank is running. Still need to add more water but the water is flowing

The water is starting to clear up

The skimmer is pulling a lot of silt out of the water.

No fish in the tank yet but I am debating it.

 

[FB]

I was debating putting the fish in. But when I went to take a look at them the Blue Tang's black stripes had almost turned white. IMO she would have died in the tank overnight there was just not enough room for her. So all fish are in their new home. The male clown went straight for the eggs and the female went off into a corner. I directed her with the net to the end of the tank with the male and she found 1 of my 3 aneomoe's not far from the male. My clam looks good and opened up under the light like normal. My coral banded shrimp handled the transfer as well.

Within 20 minutes in the new tank the Tang got her colours back and was in her old home (wedged into the smallest hole in the rock)

I have turned my pump of several times and there is enough room in the sump to handle the complete overflow from the tank. Tomorrow I will mark my MIN and MAX lines on my sump for reference.

So after two complete days (Saturday 9:30 am to Monday 2:00 am) the tank transfer is complete now its time for bed. I have to go to work in the morning.

FB

 

[FB]

Placed my order today

1 250W XM20K Icecap retro kit
Phosban reactor package. 2 reactors, tubing, MJ400, Black Diamond Carbon and 300ml of Opti-Phos.
Salifert PH test kit
Salifert Alk test kit
Salifert Cal test kit
5 bulkhead kits for my breeding setup sometime in the future.
454 Grams of Brine Shrimp Eggs for my breeding.

Should be here in a couple of days.

I went to the LFS tonight to buy some more clean-up crew and they had nothing. However they did have the Blue-Green Chromis on sale 2/$10.00, so I bought six. They are in the tank and look amazing. I've always wanted to have a schooling fish.

FB

 

[FB]

It has now been a full day up and running. My temp went as high as 82.4 and the low this morning when I woke up 79.4. This seems to be a very healthy temp swing and is probably pretty close to the temp swings found in the ocean. Although this is with only one MH light. We will have to see what happens when I get my second.

I started the Co2 in my calcium reactor last night. Adjusted the Co2 tank PSI to 12. Currently the settings are 1 Co2 bubble every three seconds and the drip rate into the tank was set at 1 dps. I will take a new measure of alk and calcium tonight and see what happens. My previous reading was Alk 7.9 dKh
Cal 390.

My skimmer pulled a lot of stuff out for the first couple of days and has now basically slowed to almost a standstill. I think it pulled all of the organics out that it could and now their are none left.

I currently have the 2 Koralia 4's, 1 Seio 620 and the return pipe which is split into two Loc-Line returns. I have now feed the tank three times and have not seen any food remain on the sandbed. After feeding what does not get eatan has remainded in suspension for over 2 hours until it is either consumed or goes over the overflow. I still have another Seio 620 to use but as of right now it dosen't look like I need it.

I do have one concern. My overflow is very loud when it gets to the sump. The plumbing itself is not loud but the turbulance in the sump is making a lot of noise. I have tried turning the ball valve, this stops the noise but then the return pump (Mag 9.5) pumps more than is returned and starts to suck air as the water level drops drastically. I was thinking about buying another ball valve and placing it on the return hose and possibly dialing back the pump a little. My question is will this harm the pump or cause any other problems. My other concern with this is that the amount of bubbles going to the sump is creating an enormous amount of salt spray under the stand. I don't want to have to clean the stand once a week.

Any help or suggestions you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

FB

 

[rkelman]

I don't understand why your overflow is loud at the sump.. Can we get a shot of how its entering the sump? Is the overflow hose under the water? I had mine go to 2" from the bottom of the sump and had no issues. I wasn't running as much flow as you though either with my 90.

 

[FB]

Test results for today

Salinity 1.024
Alk 7.3
Cal 340
Phos 0 - 0.03
Nitrate 5

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12906092#post12906092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
I don't understand why your overflow is loud at the sump.. Can we get a shot of how its entering the sump? Is the overflow hose under the water? I had mine go to 2" from the bottom of the sump and had no issues. I wasn't running as much flow as you though either with my 90.

The overflow hose goes almost to the bottom of the sump

Here is what it looks like wide open

And here is what it looks like dialed back after adding another ball valve tonight. This seems to have fixed the problem.

 

[FB]

I turned up my effluent rate last night as it appeared not all the Co2 was dissolving and my Alk had decreased yesterday. This morning I tested my alk and it was 8.4 dKh. I will measure again tonight and see how high it has gone.

 

[bkwudzjeep]

Throttling back on the output of the pump is fine, just don't do it where the pump is sucking the water in ( I have read that is where the pump can be damaged).

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12911497#post12911497 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bkwudzjeep
Throttling back on the output of the pump is fine, just don't do it where the pump is sucking the water in ( I have read that is where the pump can be damaged).

I thought it would have been the opposite. It is kind of like adding more head pressure. I could be wrong. It is currently plumbed on the output side not input.

Thanks

FB

 

[FB]

I am starting to get some cyano on the sand bed

My tank parameters

Temp 82.7
Salinity 1.024
Alk 8.6
Cal ?? - Kit is finished
Nitrate 5
PO4 0-0.03

Looks like my calcium reactor is settleing in nicely.

Later

FB