Muzz's Zeo SPS reef

[muz_z]

Well I have been around here for a little while but never posted a tank journal so here it goes.


System Objectives: Colourfull Sticks!!

System Type: SPS

Strike up Date: reboot 16/11/14. Or 11/16/14

Display Tank: 41.3x41.3x20 or 1050mmx1050mmx500mm 3 side starfire in 15mm polished and rimless internal weir

Display Lighting:ATI 8x39w Sunpower dimmable

Stand:custom metal 50mmx50mm box section with polyurethane cladding

Hood: none

Sump: 950mmx620x350. Home made

Refugium: N/A

Refugium Lighting: N/A

Support systems:Avast Vibe zeo reactor, Deltec Calcium reactor with mag in the mix running IKS vario,dosing pump for feed, carbon run in a Avast marine reactor

System Water: Natural salt water ( I collect my own)

Display Water circulation: 3x 6095

Return Pump: Royal Exclusive RD3 70w

Skimmer: ATB Small Deluxe

Evaporation Top Uprofilux


Chemical Support: Calcium reactor, with Zeomag mixed in


Well I think I have some ok photos to show, I have half worked out the camera and using picasa 3 and only use the auto colour function and this what I got, it almost looks as it is


I cleaned the bottom of the tank today as I added some Extra and it turned the bottom brown, I had a problem getting the particles to get into the weir so added a canister filter intake pipe to the weir, and to my amusement I just put it under the water till all the air was put put my thumb over the output and placed into the weir and away it went had to slow down my full siphon in the weir to keep the sump level right but now it sucks crap out from the bottom of the tank, it dosent need to get to the weir to be removed from the tank( make sure if you do this up put a siphon break ten ml below the water level incase of a power failure that way you won't have your entire tank on the floor best thing I have done so far.


Calcium reactor running now but slow PH in Reavtor is 7.00 Ph and 30ml a minute flowing through reactor. There isn't a big Alk consumption at the moment.
I am running this off my return ( which changes all the time un it'll my vario blue 2 arrives to controll The flow through reactor, and the carbon doser from aquariumplants.com to electronically control the bubble count).

Engine room pic, all cable trays are exposed and PH probe running In Temporary position till my order from Seawatec arrives with new PH probe and additional PH port with card for Profilux

FTS

And the rest of the pics

Hope you enjoy the pics

 

[muz_z]

Well few updates

Carbon doser electronic bubble counter for Co2 added
IKS vario dosing pump to pull water through CA reactor
Removed the Deltec bubble counter and installed a Cal Qaua glass Co2 bubble counter as the Deltec was feed from the top and Co2 released on the bubble counter from the bottom of the pipe going downward into bubble counter the Cal Aqua bubble counter is feed from bottom on bubble counter and released from bottom now as the carbon doser release a bubble only one bubble comes up as with the Deltec one sometimes two bubbles would be released ( same amount of gas )
Also I have installed a new PH/Temp expansion card for the Profilux with a new PH probe ( thanks to a forum member for the expansion card), now I have the new calibrated probe in the CA reactor and the old and also re calibrated probe back in the tank, so now I can see both PH in the reactor and tank with the Profilux and email alerts

Also my GHL doser 2 arrived and is now running
Zeostart3
Coral booster

 

[xixau]

Looking Good Muz :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[worm5406]

I agree. Looking good.

How was the setup on the bubble counter? Quick simple? I know it is just a knob. Some where I heard you can control the size of the bubble, but I did not see where, unless it is based on pressure.

 

[rodneyri]

Finally on here bud!

 

[muz_z]

I agree. Looking good.

How was the setup on the bubble counter? Quick simple? I know it is just a knob. Some where I heard you can control the size of the bubble, but I did not see where, unless it is based on pressure.

Very simple to setup just a small issue with the nut that connects to the bottle here in Australia, it needs to be changed

Apart from that it's very simple and easy to use
The size of the bubble can be changed by changing the pressure in the line I don't have a big ALK consumption at present so I have it set to 3 psi


Yep finally have a journal here Rod!

 

[muz_z]

Well I said I won't keep changing equipment in this set up but have taken the ATB small deluxe out and put a KZ revolution S in I have run one of these in the past but didn't know enough about Zeo, but this time for a test I want to see if running a becket injector style skimmer instead of a pin wheel, needle wheel skimmer actually made a difference.
So let's see of this is a wife's tale or a fact!!

It was put in the tank Friday night after a all day vinegar bath, then cleaned in Ro/ di water then cleaned with paper towel.

If it hasn't broke yet it's doing a awesome job, great foam and dark skimmate already, emptied the cup once already( even though they are a small cup) this is the second collection from 10 hours ago

The test has started

 

[dave.m]

You appear to be running your new skimmer very "wet." Try to slow it down a bit so that the bubbles take longer to collect at the top. They should be darker and drier. The skimmate in the collection cup should be opaque and almost black. This should also help reduce the amount of good stuff in the water that the skimmer removes, too.

Dave.M

 

[muz_z]

LWell update on how the KZ skimmer is going

It is now broken and running the way I wanted it to DRY!

Running a week now an I notice a bit better polyp extension not much in colour but it's been only a week!

Let's see what happens in another couple of weeks

All corals growing well focuse is on growth not colour at the moment even though there is some great colour at the moment in most corals.

Purchased some caribsea special garage sea floor substrate now the reboot is at 4 months old, so going to rinse the substrate in Ro/di then put in a tub in NSW with heater and pump with a reactor running rowaphos for three weeks before I ad it to the system.

Also made a normal style exit pipe, the KZ skimmer one is to hard to adjust so copied my ATB skimmers outlet pipe

I a have also run the air intake to the outside of the house due to the wife always having the A/C on And the ph in the tank getting lower, it is now much higher and much more stable, going to silicone around tuning and make a pre filter so no creepy crawlers or dust gets into the intake of the Beckett

Couple of pics

 

[muz_z]

Well this weeks update!

KZ skimmer going well no major notice in corals from running the Beckett style skimmer, give it a few more weeks before Aquabella convince me to buy a RE skimmer lol!

The skimmer cup was cleaned 18 hours earlier

Sump pic, carbon doser holding AlK very stable great investment

Some coral pics

Hope you enjoy the pics!!

 

[muz_z]

More pics

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[muz_z]

Last lot of pics

 

[muz_z]

Well little update

Have added sand to the tank got sick of cleaning the bare bottom but always planned to add sand once the reboot got to about six months but has been added at the four month mark.

So I thought I would get a pic while it was still nice and white as it will go a bit a brown with diatom for a little while till the bacteria gets hold of it.

PH seems to be much more stable, ALK has been dropping don't know if the coral are happier with the sand and growing or are just having a growth spurt, so have been dialling the CA reactor down to keep the alk at 6.7 DKH, it is so easy with the carbon doser just a slight turn of a dial and it's done.

The KZ skimmer is out and the ATB is back in!

Well couple of pics

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Great looking tank Muzz. Great polyp extension also.

 

[dave.m]

You'll want to get some sand cleaners/stirrers added to your clean-up crew. Nassarius snails and conchs do a good job on sand.

Dave.M

 

[gordonheimer]

Looks great! Why did you ditch the KZ Skimmer?

 

[muz_z]

Thanks for the comments everyone

Looks great! Why did you ditch the KZ Skimmer?

I noticed a elevation in nitrate over the 3 weeks, since I put the ATB back in nitrates are back to 0

 

[muz_z]

Update time!

Now 9 months on from the reboot

Well tank has been running well and settling nicely
Growth had slowed had me thinking then got Rodneyri to drop in and run some par tests on the bulbs and they were shot

Thanks to Rodneyri for showing me how to use my camera that I had for 3 years now and couldn't take a good pic previously

new Bulbs are now 4 x ATI aquablue special and 4 x KZ super blue little bit whiter around 14k hoping for a big growth spurt
Also still running the 2 x AI primes great for the early morning late night pop

All XiaXiu frags are nicly coloured and growing, haven't lost 1 out of about 20 or more maybe went a bit crazy with frags at the beginning of the reboot

Anyway here is a few pics

Corals:

Left hand side:

Right hand side:

FTS:

Some engine room pics:

Enjoy!!

 

[dave.m]

Engine room is far too clean looking. There must be something seriously wrong! :eek1:

Dave.M

 

[launchnukes]

tank is looking great!