My 29 Gallon build
- Thread starter dwolson2
- Start date
saltjohnswharf
Conscientious Member
OK it looks like you have a good handle here. Is the front going to open? On my old system I used weatherstrip from a door to block light leaks. It eliminates it. Also makes the cover close softer. Win win. Just make sure it attaches with adhesive and then use marine goop to attach it. This build has a lot of potential. Although I am not a fan of the maxi-mod. If it works it works. What kind of flow are you looking at here? From powerheads and return? Looks like you actually understand that there is a lot of flow necessary. In my old 29 it started out with a total of 600 GPH and I thought it was a lot. Later I upgraded to real powerheads and was pushing 1000 GPH. Everything just got better. Keep the pics coming.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Alright, start testing ammonia daily and if after a week it doesn't get above 0 then you can start slowly stocking the tank.
Alright already!!! Move it in the house and add the water? Did I say, "now"? I meant, "right now!"
Make sure you cycle the tank before you add anything. Even if you're moving things over from that other tank there may be a small cycle. so test ammonia and nitrites to verify the cycle.
SLP,
you beat me to it!
DW,
here's a good thread to read through....
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074
dwolson2
New member
Yes the fronts will open, right now, they are taped down, but as I put the shell on it, then will come doors. That part of the project is going to take months. I like the idea about weatherstrip, I will definitely look into that. I am not sure of the flow, however I assume its pretty good, eventually I will try to figure it out.
SO I was talking with sister yesterday, and I couldn't tell if the ammonia was 0 or 25, but the color never changed... so I don't know. Also that zoanthid hasn't opened up yet, so I can only assume it has something off. I checked salinity and it was lower than what it was in the old tank(1.023~) so I added some saltwater and hope to bring it up.
Right now, I have about 7 corals waiting over at sisters house. some SPS and LPS.
As for fish, I put in 2 clowns yesterday, a little premature, but they are doing well. I have had Patience, however it has been running short and I needed something active to look at. I can hold off for a while now.
I am going to eventually put:
mandarin goby
2 blue eye anthis
some sort of goby for cleaning the sand
a cleaner pack
mantis shrimp...just kidding
Not sure what else yet.
dwolson2
New member
I had a bunch of copepods on my rock before I switched it over, but have yet to see them, any thoughts? I had the rock out of the water long enough to let the majority of water drip, then right into the new tank.
Also, found what I think to be the reason my zoanthids aren't doing well. I went to check the salinity in the last bucket(which I thought to be RODI, not SW) and found it was 1.026!
Well I also checked the tank, and it was 1.023(not sure if I posted it) so what I am thinking is that I misplaced my RODI water for salt water when I filled it up, lowering the salinity drastically. I added SW from that 1.026 and it brought my tank up to about 1.024, so I will check again tomorrow and add as needed. Also my RODI will be in tuesday so I won't have to worry about misplacing my RODI bucket(going to walmart and picking up a bucket that I can seal up)
Wish me luck!
Also, found what I think to be the reason my zoanthids aren't doing well. I went to check the salinity in the last bucket(which I thought to be RODI, not SW) and found it was 1.026!
Well I also checked the tank, and it was 1.023(not sure if I posted it) so what I am thinking is that I misplaced my RODI water for salt water when I filled it up, lowering the salinity drastically. I added SW from that 1.026 and it brought my tank up to about 1.024, so I will check again tomorrow and add as needed. Also my RODI will be in tuesday so I won't have to worry about misplacing my RODI bucket(going to walmart and picking up a bucket that I can seal up)
Wish me luck!
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
1.026 is ideal. that's where you want it, My tank is at 1.025, when you raise it back up only go 0.001 a day. So if you're diligent, it will only take a few days. I doubt that lowering it to that would have caused problems for the zoas. It may very well be ammonia, or the stress of moving from 1 tank to the other. However, keep testing ammonia daily and be ready if it ever rises. I'm pretty sure you realized the error in your ways and hope no one scolds you too bad for it.
As for the corals, lets get things stable and be darn sure that the cycle has passed. Feed the fish lightly until you're certain the tank has cycled, no need to add unnecessary waste to a small bioload.
Once you get a robust colony of beneficial bacteria, we can concentrate on getting your alk, calc and mag levels stable once we do that, then we can add a few hardy LPS corals to test the waters (pun intended), if they show good signs then we can get some SPS in there something hardy like the red montipora.
As for the corals, lets get things stable and be darn sure that the cycle has passed. Feed the fish lightly until you're certain the tank has cycled, no need to add unnecessary waste to a small bioload.
Once you get a robust colony of beneficial bacteria, we can concentrate on getting your alk, calc and mag levels stable once we do that, then we can add a few hardy LPS corals to test the waters (pun intended), if they show good signs then we can get some SPS in there something hardy like the red montipora.
dwolson2
New member
got the RODI set up!
Also, tested my water. Although I never can read that test, it was lime green after the shrimp, looked like zero only once in the 10 or so tests of both tanks, and last sunday it was lime green again. now it looks like its halfway between 1 and 25 ppm. so i think that it is around 10ppm amonia. does that mean I am on the downward slope?
Also, figured out I use about 1.5 gal a day in evaporation, good thing for the RODI!
Also, tested my water. Although I never can read that test, it was lime green after the shrimp, looked like zero only once in the 10 or so tests of both tanks, and last sunday it was lime green again. now it looks like its halfway between 1 and 25 ppm. so i think that it is around 10ppm amonia. does that mean I am on the downward slope?
Also, figured out I use about 1.5 gal a day in evaporation, good thing for the RODI!
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Congrats on the ro/di.
Hmm, having a hard time reading the ammonia, bring a sample of your saltwater and the test kit into work tomorrow and we'll test it together.
again, I think you're missing a decimal point in your reading. In terms of if you're on the upward or downward slope, that reading doesn't tell you that. You have to wait for it to peak and the start to descend. that's when you know you're on the downward slope.
That link that billabong sent you is a great thread. It's compiled by the great Waterkeeper. Chalked full of great info that every hobbyist NEEDS to know. It's well worth the read.
Hmm, having a hard time reading the ammonia, bring a sample of your saltwater and the test kit into work tomorrow and we'll test it together.
again, I think you're missing a decimal point in your reading. In terms of if you're on the upward or downward slope, that reading doesn't tell you that. You have to wait for it to peak and the start to descend. that's when you know you're on the downward slope.
That link that billabong sent you is a great thread. It's compiled by the great Waterkeeper. Chalked full of great info that every hobbyist NEEDS to know. It's well worth the read.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Does that blue waterline that is going into the jug on the floor have a tight fit through the cap?
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
If so, you'll need a way to vent the trapped air from when you add the water, you may build pressure and pop the waterline out causing the line to run water onto the floor.
dwolson2
New member
I think your right, is it .25ppm? its the one right off of 0. Have to recheck. Also I have checked out a good chunk of that site. I haven't gotten to all of it yet though.
Just snug, didn't seem to have problems with air escaping
will do that just to be safe...
saltjohnswharf
Conscientious Member
time to get a float
dwolson2
New member
Thats what I was thinking, but can you use a float on a 5 gal jug(like the office ones)
