Mhucasey's SPS obsession

[mhucasey]

Bulent, your reading is 0.046 if you want to compare it to Matt's. On your kit Matt would be seeing a pale blue close to the 0.092 color dot on the Elos chart. I hope that answered your question, if not then too bad because we're moving forward now and getting back to Matt's AF adventure :thumbsup:

What are the acros looking like Matt, showing any visible signs that they know something's up with the new water parameters developing mate.

Plenty of polyp extension, and corals are growing. Not too much different than before in terms of color at this stage yet. I'm interested to see what the corals do when I am able to use everything at full dose.

 

[glaukos]

Pics show that your corals liked the new stuff matt:beer:
Can't wait to see what comes next in terms of colors and even growth!
To be honest i liked them even before the AF turn buddy

 

[mhucasey]

Look what came a day early!:

I know what Im doing tomorrow

 

[reefmutt]

Nice!! I like that regulator.
What media are you going to use?

 

[mhucasey]

Nice!! I like that regulator.
What media are you going to use?

Reborn - by two little fishies

 

[mhucasey]

Busy day today, I got the Calcium Reactor into operation!

First off, let me give you a little insight into how incredibly stubborn I am. I searched all over Ebay trying to get a digital brushless peristaltic pump, and I did a lot of research about which models of Cole-Parmer pump to buy. I came across a pump that looked like it fit the bill, for only 219 bucks, so of course I pulled the trigger and bought it. I got it home and first off, no fuse and no fuse holder. It must have popped out when they were packing the pump:angryfire:

Did I call the seller? No. I opened the pump up and soldered in a couple of bypass wires and a fuse holder and started that bad boy up!:dance:

Ugh its not brushless:facepalm: Its LOUD:headwalls: But why is it so loud? I took it apart and started looking for the noise. Before long I had the pump and gear case completely apart and realized that the motor's noise is a fairly low hum, but that it resonates through the plastic case and is amplified significantly. I tried to put in some type of grommet to isolate the motor, but no dice. So I pulled the motor out completely, and found I could isolate it when out of the case. So I rewired the motor as a remote motor with an umbilical. The pump case and motor can be put in different places and it's quieter than the skimmer pump:thumbsup:

I swapped the CO2 cylinder out for a full one, and got the initial recirc going, everything appears to be working as it should. I will bring the Calcium reactor pH down to a steady 6.5, with a constant 35mL/min effluent rate, then I will adjust the effluent rate as needed.

The Calcium reactor and Peristaltic motor(bottom right under the skimmer):

I took this pic inside the sump, you can see the Pump control and the CO2 Cylinder and Regulator:

 

[nemodan]

Amazing job and incredible what you have done with that pump.

Daniel

 

[PederP]

Love your corals. Great work

Regarding the noise. Think our reactors use the same pump. It helps to make it quiet if submerged.
I've got mine outside the sump, but placed in a small tub. It's really worth trying, if you can live with that solution.

Happy newyear

 

[markalot]

I know you have this under control but I'm scared for you Matt. Hopefully everything continues to go smooth.

Just got back from the LFS that runs the 20K radiums. *sigh*. They also switched to T5's over their other tanks and they came to a similar conclusion that you told me about. 5 blue+, one purple+ and 2 actinic seemed to best replicate the color. It still wasn't it, but it was close.

 

[mhucasey]

Amazing job and incredible what you have done with that pump.

Daniel

I know you have this under control but I'm scared for you Matt. Hopefully everything continues to go smooth.

Just got back from the LFS that runs the 20K radiums. *sigh*. They also switched to T5's over their other tanks and they came to a similar conclusion that you told me about. 5 blue+, one purple+ and 2 actinic seemed to best replicate the color. It still wasn't it, but it was close.

Thanks guys! Nothing to worry about Mark! This thing is rock solid!
Based on my initial effluent KH and flow rate I fed the numbers into the calculator and I'm almost right on for what I need with the first setting:dance:

Interesting about the bulb combo- the 20K Radium was running without supplementation?

 

[markalot]

Thanks guys! Nothing to worry about Mark! This thing is rock solid!
Based on my initial effluent KH and flow rate I fed the numbers into the calculator and I'm almost right on for what I need with the first setting:dance:

Interesting about the bulb combo- the 20K Radium was running without supplementation?

Yes, no supplementation. It was fricking gorgeous. They had a tiny slimer whose color put mine to shame. I'm going to get a blue stag in that tank to see what happens.

 

[mhucasey]

Yes, no supplementation. It was fricking gorgeous. They had a tiny slimer whose color put mine to shame. I'm going to get a blue stag in that tank to see what happens.

Interesting. AquaSD uses a ton of 400W Radiums over their frag tanks and to me they are very bright and very white. No hint of blue. Their corals tend to be very pale(Very low nutrients) and I don't see much in the way of color to be able to judge. Perhaps they are running the ballasts that overdrive the bulbs a bit, making them whiter.

 

[markalot]

Interesting. AquaSD uses a ton of 400W Radiums over their frag tanks and to me they are very bright and very white. No hint of blue. Their corals tend to be very pale(Very low nutrients) and I don't see much in the way of color to be able to judge. Perhaps they are running the ballasts that overdrive the bulbs a bit, making them whiter.

PO4 in this tank tests at .14 so it's not low nutrient. PAR is 600 half way down. It may be an example of super bright light and elevated nutrients but they did not run any test besides PO4 with a Hanna standard checker.

 

[mhucasey]

I agree its probably the nutrients that are the difference. Even so, the way they are running the Radiums at AquaSD I wouldn't think that they were Radiums. They don't look "bluish" at all to me.

 

[markalot]

I agree its probably the nutrients that are the difference. Even so, the way they are running the Radiums at AquaSD I wouldn't think that they were Radiums. They don't look "bluish" at all to me.

These don't look bluish either, very white, yet all the coral colors jump out at you as if they are under blue lights. That's the best way I can describe it. The closest T5 gets is still much bluer to the eye IMO and trying to get a whiter look introduces too much ugly yellow/green.

 

[mhucasey]

Love your corals. Great work

Regarding the noise. Think our reactors use the same pump. It helps to make it quiet if submerged.
I've got mine outside the sump, but placed in a small tub. It's really worth trying, if you can live with that solution.

Happy newyear

I think you mean a different pump. The red and black pump is the skimmer pump and it's not loud or a problem. The pump I was working with is the peristaltic pump under the shelf below the skimmer pump. You can see the pump head only in the picture.

Happy New Year to you!

 

[scrapz]

These don't look bluish either, very white, yet all the coral colors jump out at you as if they are under blue lights. That's the best way I can describe it. The closest T5 gets is still much bluer to the eye IMO and trying to get a whiter look introduces too much ugly yellow/green.

That and if they are using any other light that is blue, it will trick the eyes into looking like its yellower compared to the rest. My radiums are crisp purple when its the only light on, once my t5 turn on, it looks yellow.

 

[mhucasey]

That and if they are using any other light that is blue, it will trick the eyes into looking like its yellower compared to the rest. My radiums are crisp purple when its the only light on, once my t5 turn on, it looks yellow.

They run them un-supplemented, but they set aside two tanks that they run with 8 Bulb T5 Sunpowers. They use 5 blue, two purple, and one ABS on those tanks. I also use that combo on my flubber tank and its a really nice white, balanced light. It seems a bit bluer than the Radium tanks when looking side by side.

 

[mhucasey]

Happy new year everyone!

 

[reefmutt]

Busy day today, I got the Calcium Reactor into operation!

First off, let me give you a little insight into how incredibly stubborn I am. I searched all over Ebay trying to get a digital brushless peristaltic pump, and I did a lot of research about which models of Cole-Parmer pump to buy. I came across a pump that looked like it fit the bill, for only 219 bucks, so of course I pulled the trigger and bought it. I got it home and first off, no fuse and no fuse holder. It must have popped out when they were packing the pump:angryfire:

Did I call the seller? No. I opened the pump up and soldered in a couple of bypass wires and a fuse holder and started that bad boy up!:dance:

Ugh its not brushless:facepalm: Its LOUD:headwalls: But why is it so loud? I took it apart and started looking for the noise. Before long I had the pump and gear case completely apart and realized that the motor's noise is a fairly low hum, but that it resonates through the plastic case and is amplified significantly. I tried to put in some type of grommet to isolate the motor, but no dice. So I pulled the motor out completely, and found I could isolate it when out of the case. So I rewired the motor as a remote motor with an umbilical. The pump case and motor can be put in different places and it's quieter than the skimmer pump:thumbsup:

I swapped the CO2 cylinder out for a full one, and got the initial recirc going, everything appears to be working as it should. I will bring the Calcium reactor pH down to a steady 6.5, with a constant 35mL/min effluent rate, then I will adjust the effluent rate as needed.

The Calcium reactor and Peristaltic motor(bottom right under the skimmer):

I took this pic inside the sump, you can see the Pump control and the CO2 Cylinder and Regulator:

Ha! Love this story.
Your new name is MacGyver!!
Nice job. I would never have the courage to do that.
Happy new year, Matt. The tanks are looking great!