Mike's 140 Cubish Build
- Thread starter miwoodar
- Start date
scaryperson27
New member
Do you have a cover for the top of the automated maxi-jet semi directional stationary flow making device?
I would be worried about salt creep getting into the motors and wires.
I would be worried about salt creep getting into the motors and wires.
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Automated maxi-jet semi directional stationary flow making device...that's a mouthful. 
Agreed - these things need covers! That's full wall current in there...not 12v DC. I actually plumbed in an air line to keep a positive pressure on the inside as extra insurance against salt creep getting in. Necessary? No. I had an extra air pump laying around though and an extra outlet to plug it into.
Here's a thread summarizing the parts list if you're interested in knowing more...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1483439
Agreed - these things need covers! That's full wall current in there...not 12v DC. I actually plumbed in an air line to keep a positive pressure on the inside as extra insurance against salt creep getting in. Necessary? No. I had an extra air pump laying around though and an extra outlet to plug it into.
Here's a thread summarizing the parts list if you're interested in knowing more...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1483439
scaryperson27
New member
I didn't know what to call it so I winged it 
Kieth71
New member
To be honest i thought i knew what i was getting into after reading so much and making a budget.My budget has long since gone bye the wayside and am about to purchase t5 lighting(i have power compacts right now) and have asked for a controller for christmas(acjr i am thinking at this point).I am very much enjoying the hobby and hopefully thigs will continue to go as well as they have so far.
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Welcome to the hobby! I hear you...I went over budget on this upgrade. The structural wood stand idea was replaced with a steel stand. The idea of splicing together two glass 65's to make the cube was replaced by the acrylic design. Lastly, the wood and doors cost a few hundred more than initially planned. Those three items alone add up to nearly four digits. It's all worth it though - I won't be upgrading further on any of these items for some time. A nice controller would be awesome to have but there is no way I can convince the family that now is the right time to get one...our second child is due in four weeks.
Coral Update
Still having STN on the corals mentioned in the last page of the thread. It has been getting worse. I haven't had a chance to do a water change yet (story of my life). After reviewing some of RHF's articles and a few threads about GFO, I've decided to take my GFO reactor off line for a few weeks to see if that makes a difference.
I caught my flame angel and my hippo nipping sps a little more the other day. They don't appear to be nipping everything that is ailing so I am still hesitant to call them culprits. I'm pretty sure that they are not doing it frequently enough to be the source of my problems anyways. I started feeding nori sheets to the tank to keep their attention away from the corals.
Coral Update
Still having STN on the corals mentioned in the last page of the thread. It has been getting worse. I haven't had a chance to do a water change yet (story of my life). After reviewing some of RHF's articles and a few threads about GFO, I've decided to take my GFO reactor off line for a few weeks to see if that makes a difference.
I caught my flame angel and my hippo nipping sps a little more the other day. They don't appear to be nipping everything that is ailing so I am still hesitant to call them culprits. I'm pretty sure that they are not doing it frequently enough to be the source of my problems anyways. I started feeding nori sheets to the tank to keep their attention away from the corals.
spleify
Premium Member
Ok, I am finally all caught up. Sorry to hear about the string of bad luck, and the loss of corals.
I have also been reading and wondering if the GFO reactor is a culprit in my case too(pale and pastel colors on my SPS). I am also contemplating taking the GFO reactor off line for a while.
It has got to be SO FRUSTRATING for you Mike to be having these problems now, after having SUCH a successful reef before. I wish you the best and hope things turn out well.
As mentioned before I would be more than happy to take a frag of two off you're hands to see if they do any different in my tank. LOL
P.S. to get the welcome banner do this:
[ welcome ] but with no spaces.
[welcome]
Good luck pal.
Spleify
I have also been reading and wondering if the GFO reactor is a culprit in my case too(pale and pastel colors on my SPS). I am also contemplating taking the GFO reactor off line for a while.
It has got to be SO FRUSTRATING for you Mike to be having these problems now, after having SUCH a successful reef before. I wish you the best and hope things turn out well.
As mentioned before I would be more than happy to take a frag of two off you're hands to see if they do any different in my tank. LOL
P.S. to get the welcome banner do this:
[ welcome ] but with no spaces.
[welcome]
Good luck pal.
Spleify
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Thanks Leif. I'm hesitant to let frags go into other tanks until this is cleared up. I read a handful of threads wherein a reefer had two tanks - one with STN and one without. Often the second tank started to STN after frags were transferred between the two systems. You're welcome to take a few but I won't be letting anything go without that caveat. I had hoped to bring a few frags to some of the upcoming reef club meetings but definitely won't be doing so until things are fully up to snuff again.
veloboy
New member
Any updates on the corals? ....Hoping for a full recovery.
Fully impressed with the final product. Even your choice of lighting seems to perfectly compliment the stand stain.
I'm learning (quickly) that this isn't easy...makes your build all the more impressive.
For the canopy, did you use some sort of hinge to support/hold open the main top panel (think your MH's are anchored to it) so that you can work inside the tank and not worry about your lighting getting in the way?
Fully impressed with the final product. Even your choice of lighting seems to perfectly compliment the stand stain.
I'm learning (quickly) that this isn't easy...makes your build all the more impressive.
For the canopy, did you use some sort of hinge to support/hold open the main top panel (think your MH's are anchored to it) so that you can work inside the tank and not worry about your lighting getting in the way?
Okay I found your build and have been reading for a long time. I must say that you have done an incredible job on your build. Congrats!!! However I am sorry to here that you are having the problems you are. I really hoped that it would be an easy fix for you when you had mentioned it to me. I hope that you get the time to get it cleared up. That is a lot to....... well I wont say it. God Luck.
Also thank you again for all your help!
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Sorry friends, it won't be good news. The photos are very exciting, but not in the ways you would wish. STN, RTN, entire colony losses (some have been with me for many years). That's the bad news. The good news, I will get to buy the corals I really, really want as replacements. There has been a long list of stuff I have had to pass on in the last few years for a lack of real estate. Now that I have it, I get to fill it!
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Anyone hungry?
How about an appetizer?
And a main course?
I'm pretty sure dessert will follow. If you want your check now, that will be 3 years, 200 runs to the LFS, and a tip (a big one please so I can buy new frags).
This has all been, and continues to be, extremely humbling. It's really OK though. I am *very* much looking forward to the future but right now I'm in a tail spin grasping at straws. Tonight it's an RTN purple efflo and a 30 gallon water change.
How about an appetizer?
And a main course?
I'm pretty sure dessert will follow. If you want your check now, that will be 3 years, 200 runs to the LFS, and a tip (a big one please so I can buy new frags).
This has all been, and continues to be, extremely humbling. It's really OK though. I am *very* much looking forward to the future but right now I'm in a tail spin grasping at straws. Tonight it's an RTN purple efflo and a 30 gallon water change.
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Ironically, a handful of my corals continue to grow at a break-neck pace.
Doing excellent and growing fast:
* magenta/blue mille is growing gangbusters
* pink hyacinthus 'woke up' last week
* tan/green/purple/blue efflo doubled in size since the move
* frogspawn, good as always
* crocea
* pavona
RIP:
* pink birdsnest
* gray w/ blue polyp cap
Going down hard (soon to be RIP):
* pink mille
* 20,000 lokani
* Hydnophora (not positive but RIP likely)
* Trumpet LPS
* Cyphastrea meteor shower (
)
* red/green pachyseris (this was going to be a feature in the new landscape)
Many, many frags thrown away:
* green slimer
* two tenuis
* sky blue mille
* cali tort
* hydno
* pink mille
* chips (NOT THE CHIPS! )
* Caps...where to start
Doing excellent and growing fast:
* magenta/blue mille is growing gangbusters
* pink hyacinthus 'woke up' last week
* tan/green/purple/blue efflo doubled in size since the move
* frogspawn, good as always
* crocea
* pavona
RIP:
* pink birdsnest
* gray w/ blue polyp cap
Going down hard (soon to be RIP):
* pink mille
* 20,000 lokani
* Hydnophora (not positive but RIP likely)
* Trumpet LPS
* Cyphastrea meteor shower (
)* red/green pachyseris (this was going to be a feature in the new landscape)
Many, many frags thrown away:
* green slimer
* two tenuis
* sky blue mille
* cali tort
* hydno
* pink mille
* chips (NOT THE CHIPS!
)* Caps...where to start
Last edited:
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
I'm turning to the notion of a contaminent of some sort. I was thinking bacterial or fish nipping before but I'm thinking it has to be a contaminent. I dunno TBH though - water changes are my current approach but it's really out of desparation.
Yes, I've posted in a handful of threads on similar situations and read many more. I don't mean to be leaving information out - if you have questions or ideas, please, fire away.
melev
Well-known member
Well, without knowing all the details, I would take it back to the basics:
Did you check your sump for any contaminants (metals, batteries (tossed in by a kid), rusting impellars)?
Did you check for stray voltage?
Did you verify that your tank's temperature is accurate with multiple devices?
Did you verify that your salinity is actually what you think it is, testing it both with other equipment as well as to have someone else confirm those readings?
Did you have someone else test your water with their kits to verify that your numbers are accurate?
Did you check your timers for excessive lighting, excessive heating, or excessive cooling periods?
Did you test your RO/DI water for Ammonia, Phosphate, Nitrate, and TDS? Did you test for chorine?
Did you test your newly mixed saltwater for everything, including Alk, pH, Cal, Mg, Ammonia, & Salinity?
Did you verify that all equipment is working correctly, including calcium & kalk reactors, making sure the media looks right and the pumps are functioning as they should?
Did you disturb your sandbed recently, unearthing anoxic zones?
Did you remove LR from your tank for a duration, exposing sponges to air which could die off and cause issues?
Did you have Xenia die-off en-mass? Flatworms?
Did you treat with anything lately?
Do you dose anything?
Is your tank grounded? Is it still grounded, or did the probe come loose?
HTH
Did you check your sump for any contaminants (metals, batteries (tossed in by a kid), rusting impellars)?
Did you check for stray voltage?
Did you verify that your tank's temperature is accurate with multiple devices?
Did you verify that your salinity is actually what you think it is, testing it both with other equipment as well as to have someone else confirm those readings?
Did you have someone else test your water with their kits to verify that your numbers are accurate?
Did you check your timers for excessive lighting, excessive heating, or excessive cooling periods?
Did you test your RO/DI water for Ammonia, Phosphate, Nitrate, and TDS? Did you test for chorine?
Did you test your newly mixed saltwater for everything, including Alk, pH, Cal, Mg, Ammonia, & Salinity?
Did you verify that all equipment is working correctly, including calcium & kalk reactors, making sure the media looks right and the pumps are functioning as they should?
Did you disturb your sandbed recently, unearthing anoxic zones?
Did you remove LR from your tank for a duration, exposing sponges to air which could die off and cause issues?
Did you have Xenia die-off en-mass? Flatworms?
Did you treat with anything lately?
Do you dose anything?
Is your tank grounded? Is it still grounded, or did the probe come loose?
HTH
