My Tank Thread (Take3) ★Total AUTOMATION★ DIY Doser, Sump, AlgaeScrubber, WaterChnges

[Wally.B]

I like option c best.

Oui Maître Matt


- (OPTION A) --------> So may pick LOW PH time (0.5ml x12) (Midnight to 6am)
- (OPTION B) --------> Just before Consumption Time (which appears to be When MAIN Lights (MH) come on 3pm-9pm)
- (OPTION C) --------> Or can dose evenly 24 doses ( 0.25 ml once a hour)
- (OPTION D) --------> Other

OPTION C was my preferred choice as well (Even Distribution)

After thinking......
I may decide on 12 doses 0.5ml each (every 2 hour across 24 hours) ** FOR THE TOTAL AUTOMATED DOSING **
----> Reason is if I'm doing a water change or maintenance (I have a 2 Hour window and not worry about Interference, since Doser+ does Water Changes Too)
----> And better accuracy since no worry about 1/2 drops.

 

[Wally.B]

This setup blows my mind!

Thanks.

If you just joined this thread, it's getting close to the fairly Tale ending (I hope)

You missed all the Horror Scenes.
But that is part of learning.

 

[reefmutt]

Oui Maître Matt


- (OPTION A) --------> So may pick LOW PH time (0.5ml x12) (Midnight to 6am)
- (OPTION B) --------> Just before Consumption Time (which appears to be When MAIN Lights (MH) come on 3pm-9pm)
- (OPTION C) --------> Or can dose evenly 24 doses ( 0.25 ml once a hour)
- (OPTION D) --------> Other

OPTION C was my preferred choice as well (Even Distribution)

After thinking......
I may decide on 12 doses 0.5ml each (every 2 hour across 24 hours) ** FOR THE TOTAL AUTOMATED DOSING **
----> Reason is if I'm doing a water change or maintenance (I have a 2 Hour window and not worry about Interference, since Doser+ does Water Changes Too)
----> And better accuracy since no worry about 1/2 drops.

I see nothing wrong with 12 doses.
How does the frag that got dewormed look?

 

[Wally.B]

I see nothing wrong with 12 doses.
How does the frag that got dewormed look?

Thanks for the reminder, I forgot about the Green Horrida (Deworming).

It looks a bit upset at the base where I scraped.
But the ReVive Dip didn't hurt it since it rest of it look fine.
I'm sure it's now safer with the Worm Gone.

Hey, it's looks better than when I brought it home Aug 30th.

It did survive all the Abuse over the last month. Not all were so strong.

 

[reefmutt]

Yup! It does look better.

 

[Wally.B]

I'm Becoming Paranoid (Since all Corals doing Great) Another Frag Creature thing.

This spot has been there since I got it.
Doesn't move.

Not one of the dangerous things (don't want to mention the name).

Egg of some sort?

pluck it before it hatches?

sorry for all the paranoia. I used to look at corals rotting slowly, now they are all getting better, so other things stand out. (I even see colors coming out. Never seen that before)

 

[reefmutt]

Looks fine to me.. I’d leave it alone..
Is it moving around?
Can you get a clearer shot?

 

[Wally.B]

Looks fine to me.. I'd leave it alone..
Is it moving around?
Can you get a clearer shot?

No NOT moving around.
That spec has been there since I brought the Frag home.
I thought it was a polyp, but it's not.

Here is a better photo.

 

[reefmutt]

Looks like a bare patch of skeleton with some algae growing there. Pretty harmless.
Give it a week or so. If it’s still there, you could gently brush it with a toothbrush or something.

 

[Wally.B]

Looks like a bare patch of skeleton with some algae growing there. Pretty harmless.
Give it a week or so. If it’s still there, you could gently brush it with a toothbrush or something.

Yes, it does look like that.
Same kind of color on some fresh part of the plug.

So that's it, all my corals on in good shape.

BTW. I did the first water 5% Auto W-change. I'll do a water test to see impact (I halted every two hour dosing to see Water tests after WC). I can resume right away (ensuring dosing amounts don't need adjustment).

After that, I can breath a bit easier, and take more of a step back (from micro managing this Reset Phase).

 

[Wally.B]

Water Change (Frag Tank) Reuse as it Matured

So things are coming together.

That' Frag Tank was totally neglected during the DT fixes.

But it matured.

Since it Grew some Green Algae, I threw in that Nasty SPS Polyp Eating Tiger Cowrie in there.

He is cleaning in better than I could.

And today I used the DT Water change (5 Gallons) for the FRAG Tank, since it's pretty good water.

So with TWICE a week 5% DT changes, it will be perfect to keep the 35 Gallon FRag Tank refreshed and close to DT.

Not sure if it's my shift in Attention, but I just noticed that it's matured to the point where Coraline is started nicely.

Cowrie can't stay there forever, but I'm in no rush to throw in Frags yet. That will be cut off from the Colonies in DT when they Grow UP (Someday).

 

[reefmutt]

That cowrie is a machine.. I could use one in my sump..

 

[Wally.B]

That cowrie is a machine.. I could use one in my sump..

Sump may be ok, and that is where he will probably retire to.
I'll move him between the Refuge/WC chamber and the Skimmer compartment.

Not much to eat there after he polishes things quickly.

But you did mention that Nori poo is good for Coral Nutrients, and he can polish off a sheet of Nori overnight. NO WASTE.
So that may be a good idea for the long run.

But he can't be a DT resident (Since he like SPS polyp more than anything else). I have video of him going nuts on a SPS frag.

There are other choices for DT, and if you recall I did that Hunger Games Experiment (For best Natural Algae Scrubber)

The Cowrie came in First Place after first round or Time Lapse Observation.
But the Nija Star Astrea's came in 2nd Place.

In Round two the Sea Hare won by a mile. (But he died eventually). Cowrie lives on.

I still have one Turbo Snail in my DT. I get worried. He did knock over a Frag a few weeks ago. I make extra efforts to Glue Frags down better, and space so he has room to pass by.

 

[Wally.B]

DIY (Viewer Box) For Overhead (Under Water) Photo's

I got this Photo Tip from you Matt.
Your photo's are amazing.
I don't have the beautiful subject you have,

but my photo's were blury, so not the best way to monitor coral progress.

I used that Clear Ferror Rocher Chocolate Box.
Did the job but was Scratched, Blury and almost got my lense wet twice since not deep enough.

I looked around to buy one......Eshopps makes a nice once, but it's designed more for Personal viewing.

With some spare acrylic kicking around, hacked this together.
Custome sized for my SLR, so I can reach in and manually focus.

Haven't tried it yet, letting it Cure properly....Clear front, and dark sides should be much better.

 

[reefmutt]

Nice Wally. Much better than the ferrer rocher cover. That’s for sure.
Fyi, that idea actually came from Bulent (discusheckel) he thought of it first and I have just been spreading the idea around..

 

[Wally.B]

FRAG TANK (TRIAL) Restart Low Risk

I removed the Beaten up Pollicipora from DT since it's the only bad looking Frag. (Eye sore/distraction, in new Refreshed tank)

Was going to place in Frag tank since the other Small piece did well there.

But the Cowrie is in there, so I got an idea.

I put the Cowrie in the Baffle Box section of the Frag Tank.
He can't get out.

And I put a Nori Feeder in there (which he polished off last night in main section).

He'll be happy with endless food, and as he eats and breaks the Nori Down, it will feed good nutrients to the Frag Tank Corals.

I don't want to risk any of the NEW 777 Frags in Frag Tank.
-> Not touching them yet
-> Frag Tank is still not maintained properly

ALSO: I haven't put on the BLACK Acrlyic Cover plates on the Baffle box yet. I want coralline to grow on the inside, and then Cover will go on.


AND: I'm going to try the Soda Lime (CDX CO2 Scrubber) Product on the Frag Tank Skimmer. See how we'll it does for raising PH (just like my DT Fresh Air Line)

So basically (IF/WHEN) the Pollicipora Frag Fully recovers, the Frag Tank will be proven and ready for some more frags.

 

[Wally.B]

Tank Clarification (POM/DOM Filter) Maxi-Jet and Some Floss

I keep siphoning the Sandbed and due to the Flow, the Left-over Sand keeps creeping out from under the rocks.

That's a good thing (Good Flow everywhere), but the Detritus and fine sand is always suspended in the Water Column. (The sump drain isn't taking enough out of the system).

Tank should be clearer.

It got this idea from SIGH87.
Just use a power-head and put some filter floss on the input.

Working great, since I can see the floss getting Dirty after a couple of hours.
Tank clear up so I booster the GYRE to stir up some more.

 

[sensei]

as you know acros feed from particles in water column, mechanical filters are not a good idea in sps tank.

when your acros get big you will not mind the particles.
Things are doing good so I would not run this filter more than 1 hour.

 

[Wally.B]

First Sign of Bleaching FRAG ( Past Damage Probable) * NO Panic (All other Frags OK ) *

I never paid attention to this Frag since not my favourite. It was cheap.

I noticed today some bleaching.

Then after review of Past Photo's, it appears it ORIGINALLY came with some damage.

No worries at this point with anything.
But watching very closely.

 

[Wally.B]

as you know acros feed from particles in water column, mechanical filters are not a good idea in sps tank.

when your acros get big you will not mind the particles.
Things are doing good so I would not run this filter more than 1 hour.

hmm. Good to know that.

Are you saying that an Acro Tank doesn't have to look crystal Clear?

It's not so noticeable with T5 and LED, but when MH lights come on, there is lots of particulate.

But you are right!! I have mostly empty space. If there were large colonies, they would distract me from the stuff floating around.
Now it's the other way around.