jemw's 90 gallon

Liking the progress you have been making. Going to be doing a 90 SCA myself and have enjoyed your insight. Got any pictures of the tank to show off?

Here is FTS and under the hood as of today. Note: I'm still working on setting up my Jabeo doser and still need to tidy up all the loose power cords and cables. The tank on the right is my 5 gallon ATO. I received my Chemi-pure Elite today will put in the center chamber of the sump tomorrow.


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Water Parameters

Water Parameters

After a week of chaos with some equipment, I was surprised at my parameters.
Date: 08/26
Temp: 78.1
Salinity: 1.026
Ph: 8.19
Ammonia (NH3/NH4): 0
Nitrite (NO2): 0
Nitrate (NO3): 0
Phosphate (PO4): 0.16 ppm Need to work on this
Calcium (Ca): 400 Could be higher
Alkalinity (Kh): 9.8 dKH 3.5 mg/L
Magnesium (Mg): 1400 Seems high test error?

Looks like I could set up some dosing for Ca and need to add my Chemi-Pure Elite to help with the PO4. Interestingly I don't have any algae growth on my rock.

Looks like another week before more stabiity.
 
I'm loosing 1-1.5 gallons to evaporation daily. Most of which occurs at night. Went to Home Depot and picked up one of these today (http://www.homedepot.com/p/24-in-x-36-in-Twinwall-Plastic-Sheet-COR-2436/202090128). Will cut around the light stand and install tonight. It should reduce the evaporation quite a bit. Will see and report.

It works! :dance: Topped off and marked the level in my ATO reservoir then installed the cover at sundown last night. There was no measurable loss of water due to evaporation. The ATO level was the same this morning, and after removing the cover, I was able to wipe the very small amount of evaporation from its surface with a paper towel.

The sheet is corrugated which gives it a level of insulation. The cut outs to fit my tank were so easy, a sharp knive and scissors were all that was needed. For those running an topless tank, I highly recommend this as a night time (whenever your tank goes to sleep) assist. I also found that there was less usage of the heater during that time.

With the fall and winter months approaching, at my house the temp will drop into the low 60s at night which will create a condition for heavy evaporation from the tank at night. Since I don't have a canopy with glass cover, this makes for a great assist at reducing the evaporation.
 
Working on Phosphates

Working on Phosphates

Received my Chemi-Pure Elite yesterday and into the sump it went. Will give it a week and see what it does to remove PO4.

As an additional note, from nowhere (I suspect the Reef Frenzy food) I have a display tank full of copepods. Like thousands of them. There was a time that this was a signal that the tank is ready for corals. I guess it's time to set up my doser for calc/alk/etc.
 
Lost one of my clowns to the MP40 - found it adhered to the side. Thought it might make it, but alas not. It was constantly being attacked by the other Clown, so it's fins were pretty chewed up which probably led to being sucked in to the MP40.
 
new algae growth

new algae growth

Noticed a sudden growth of algae on the rocks. Looks like it was seeded from the coraline algae seeder rock I picked up from Vivid Aquariums. Picked up a Sailfin Tang from my LFS who spent the afternoon yesterday feasting. The little guy cleaned every sprig of it and there was a lot.
 
SCA supplied plumbing

SCA supplied plumbing

Can't speak for others, but the green 1" tubing supplied with my system has been a problem. It's too rigid for proper installation for the return pump connection and it has a curve which is difficult to deal with. It would constantly reposition my return pump and move it in contact with the glass of the sump which is not good. I finally gave up on using it and ordered the White Soft Silicone Tubing from BRS. Just my 2¢.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/white-soft-silicone-tubing-sold-by-the-foot.html
 
Issue with new Apex

Issue with new Apex

Having issues with the Apex web interface shutting down. It's becoming more and more of a problem. Started out as once a week issue, now almost a daily issue. I have a trouble ticket open, but they are on Holiday until Wednesday. It appears to happen sometime during the night which makes it even more perplexing. I have a ReefLink right next to it with no issues, so I don't think it's a network issue. Hopefully there will be a resolve when the tech support person gets involved.
 
Finished installation

Finished installation

Final item installed and configured yesterday. The Jebao doser is in place calibrated, programmed and dosing. I'm only using 3 of the pumps as I suspect I may have to add calcium at some time in the future.

Fish in tank are: Sailfin Tang, Ocellaris Clown, Six Line Wrasse, and two Firefish Goby. The BlueGreen Chromis I added a while back disappeared two days after I added them and have never came back, a real mystery to me.

Will do a large water change today and clean my skimmer. Should be able to test parameters tomorrow and start shopping for corals next week.
 
Having issues with the Apex web interface shutting down. It's becoming more and more of a problem. Started out as once a week issue, now almost a daily issue. I have a trouble ticket open, but they are on Holiday until Wednesday. It appears to happen sometime during the night which makes it even more perplexing. I have a ReefLink right next to it with no issues, so I don't think it's a network issue. Hopefully there will be a resolve when the tech support person gets involved.

Still having the same issue after spending an hour with tech support and loading new software for both the base and power unit. They have elevated the issue to "Engineering" hope they can resolve soon.
 
A word to the wise

A word to the wise

Just a heads up on the Nutrient Transport mode of the VorTech MP40wQD Propeller Pump w/Wireless QuietDrive Driver. I decided yesterday that it was time to set this mode up. It initially wanted 2.5 hours and was tricky to set back to 1 hour. Also, I set the unit at 80% which was too much for my 90 gallon tank. As I saw the wave it creates as part of the export about to crest the top of my tank, I intervened and set it back to 75%.

Just a heads up, be sure to monitor for the entire period the actions performed when setting up the Nutrient Transport mode.
 
A few corals next week

A few corals next week

Ordered some zonathids and ricordea from Vivid Aquariums for next week along with some additional clean up crew items. Parameters for this week:
Temp - 77.7 (replaced 200 watt with 250 watt - still adjusting)
Salinity - 1.026
Ph - 8.07 (don't know why this is dropping as I'm dosing kalsawater)
Amomonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 410
Alk (Kh) - 9.8
Magnesium 1300

I'm starting to get algae so the Sailfin Tang when it arrives can go straight to work along with the other cleanup items.
 
Still having issues with Apex dropping web interface

Still having issues with Apex dropping web interface

Still have Apex issues. I suggested that the unit may have a faulty component, but they aren't willing to accept that yet. I have a signal strength of 100% and a quality of 89% and it still randomly drops the web interface - which means no control/monitoring. When I do a ping of the device in this faulted condition, it responds with no packets dropped.

This issue is becoming a real nuisance. If I were not at home to do the physical reset, I would be without the "control" that they advertise. I will give them one more week, then I will raise the issue from Tech Support to management and then to my credit card company.
 
It works! :dance: Topped off and marked the level in my ATO reservoir then installed the cover at sundown last night. There was no measurable loss of water due to evaporation. The ATO level was the same this morning, and after removing the cover, I was able to wipe the very small amount of evaporation from its surface with a paper towel.

The sheet is corrugated which gives it a level of insulation. The cut outs to fit my tank were so easy, a sharp knive and scissors were all that was needed. For those running an topless tank, I highly recommend this as a night time (whenever your tank goes to sleep) assist. I also found that there was less usage of the heater during that time.

With the fall and winter months approaching, at my house the temp will drop into the low 60s at night which will create a condition for heavy evaporation from the tank at night. Since I don't have a canopy with glass cover, this makes for a great assist at reducing the evaporation.

Tanks looking great man, I have a question so are you just covering your tank at night with that stuff you got from home depot? I have a 120 and i lose a ton of water from evaporation have to refill 5 gallons like every other day. Thanks!
 
Tanks looking great man, I have a question so are you just covering your tank at night with that stuff you got from home depot? I have a 120 and i lose a ton of water from evaporation have to refill 5 gallons like every other day. Thanks!

I only put the cover on at night when the room cools down and is subject to higher evaporation. It is very opaque and doesn't allow much light through it. When I take it off in the morning, I find that there is a light film of evaporated water on it which I remove with a couple of paper towels. Hope it works as well for you as it does for me.
 
More additions

More additions

Replaced my SailFin tang which didn't make it. Also added an Emerald Crab, Cleaner Shrimp (the tang really likes to be cleaned), more Trochus Snails and finally some corals.

Making a Zoanithid colony on the right side, and Florida Ricordea Mushrooms on the left side. Added a large colony and two 3 polyp frags of the Zoanithids and a 4 mushroom colony of the Ricordea.
 
Noticed beginning of Coraline Algae today

Noticed beginning of Coraline Algae today

When cleaning the glass this afternoon, I noticed spots of Coraline Algae starting to appear on the rocks. I will take this as a good sign.
 
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