New 220 gallon build
- Thread starter KurtsReef
- Start date
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Here is the shot of my bubble tip that was thought to be dead for about 6 months before being found under a rock about the size of a quarter fully expanded in April or May. It has steadily grown and for the first time ever shows signs of both color and actual bubbled tips. It may be the 'better' lighting it is now getting or even better water conditions, but its a welcome change.
The green is actually more than what appears in this shot, there are 'veins' of green spreading down into the mouth of the anemone.
The green is actually more than what appears in this shot, there are 'veins' of green spreading down into the mouth of the anemone.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Lets see if I can remember this from yesterday...
I tested ALK/Ca/Mg in the morning with readings of 2.0, 300ppm, and 1350. I also tested the PH which was good but do not remember the exact reading.
I mixed the new 4 gal buckets of Bionic 2 part with RO water early in the morning and around noon put in 2 cups of each part.
Tested the ALK again around 4pm and it was 2.4 or near there.
Picked up some Kent Super Buffer KH (Will have to double check the name on it) and put about 3/4 a cup of that into some RO water mixed it and dumped it into the sump.
This morning the ALK reading was around 3.0
I plan on testing all parameters again around noon today.
I also changed the media in the phosban reactor yesterday. I added the same amount of PHOSBAN and also some carbon.
I tested ALK/Ca/Mg in the morning with readings of 2.0, 300ppm, and 1350. I also tested the PH which was good but do not remember the exact reading.
I mixed the new 4 gal buckets of Bionic 2 part with RO water early in the morning and around noon put in 2 cups of each part.
Tested the ALK again around 4pm and it was 2.4 or near there.
Picked up some Kent Super Buffer KH (Will have to double check the name on it) and put about 3/4 a cup of that into some RO water mixed it and dumped it into the sump.
This morning the ALK reading was around 3.0
I plan on testing all parameters again around noon today.
I also changed the media in the phosban reactor yesterday. I added the same amount of PHOSBAN and also some carbon.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
A little over a month up and running and the coraline is beginning to grow on the overflows and other fittings.
The ALK/PH/Ca have been held higher the past couple days, the Ca could still go up a bit more its been holding at 360.
Clams and SPS must take up a lot more calcium than soft corals do. :eek2: a whole lot more.
The ALK/PH/Ca have been held higher the past couple days, the Ca could still go up a bit more its been holding at 360.
Clams and SPS must take up a lot more calcium than soft corals do. :eek2: a whole lot more.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Hooked up the night lights tonight. With the luminarcs and the stupid solid braces on the aquarium there really was no where to put them, so I ended up using a two sided sticky things to put them on the end of the luminarcs.
Now we have the blue lights at night, may end up getting one more as this aquarium is much larger than the previous and 4 would work better.
Now we have the blue lights at night, may end up getting one more as this aquarium is much larger than the previous and 4 would work better.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Coraline algae is growing pretty quick, the rockwork is looking better for it. Here it is growing on the overflows and fittings.
Think this coral has grown a bit, need to take some full tank shots from a position and then do the same every month or so.
crazy.
Still have not hooked up the Ca reactor so going through two part like
Think this coral has grown a bit, need to take some full tank shots from a position and then do the same every month or so.
crazy.
Still have not hooked up the Ca reactor so going through two part like
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KurtsReef
Premium Member
The ocean motion device quit turning about a week ago. Finally had time to disassemble it yesterday and had to soak the drum in some vinegar to get rid of the calcification (Spelling on that?) and its operating properly again.
Bought a pump yesterday to get the Ca reactor up and running, will not have time to try and do that until tomorrow or Wednesday though. Went through about 4 gallons of 2 part solution last month.
I also want to vaccum the bottom of the sump, a media bag exploded putting some carbon and other media into the sump. It sets too low to get a siphon going, if I try using a power head or pump they simply get clogged with the media.
Any idea's other than draining the tub? I may do that option for a large water change...or when I am due a large water change but would hate to waste 200+G of saltwater just to clean the sump.
Bought a pump yesterday to get the Ca reactor up and running, will not have time to try and do that until tomorrow or Wednesday though. Went through about 4 gallons of 2 part solution last month.
I also want to vaccum the bottom of the sump, a media bag exploded putting some carbon and other media into the sump. It sets too low to get a siphon going, if I try using a power head or pump they simply get clogged with the media.
Any idea's other than draining the tub? I may do that option for a large water change...or when I am due a large water change but would hate to waste 200+G of saltwater just to clean the sump.
SkiFletch
New member
Ah, this one's a little tricky. IMO the only way to do it well is to use an air-powered vaccum pump to draw a vaccum on the top of a large sealed cylinder/bucket. Then use a second line that seals at the top but goes down to the bottom, attach a hose to that, and use it as your vaccum.
thriceanangel
New member
Kid of like a mini DIY wet-dry vac?
KurtsReef
Premium Member
I had not thought of using my shop vac, wonder what kind of damage the saltwater would do to the inside even for the short period of time it would be used for saltwater...I do have the hose output for the shopvac but never used it the kind you hook a garden hose up to drain.
. You can go a little too fast with a shop vac. But yeah that's basically what I was suggesting. After reading Chris's idea though, a faucet operated python is DEFINITELY an easier and safer option.
acdraindrps
New member
Store as much saltwater as you can and drain the rest in your sump. Use the shop vac to get the little water you cant pump out along with the carbon at the bottom. I am not sure if a python is strong enough to suck up the media.
Saltwater won't hurt your shop vac. I use one at RC all the time. Make sure to remove the filter inside your vac and empty any solid material in the vac. This way you can just dump whatever you suck out of your sump down the toilet.
Saltwater won't hurt your shop vac. I use one at RC all the time. Make sure to remove the filter inside your vac and empty any solid material in the vac. This way you can just dump whatever you suck out of your sump down the toilet.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
I "wet skimmed" 100g of water today, the water needed it as the skimmer had been off for three weeks before yesterday. I did not mean to skim that much and added 35g of saltwater right away. Should do a water change as there was some medication added to the system the last three weeks anyway so I am making some more RO/DI water now and once I have 100g of saltwater sitting there will shop vac the bottom of the sump and replace 100g immediately and another 50-100g the day after.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
During my lunch time I used the shop vac to get the debris off the bottom of the sump. In the process it sucked out about 50-75g of water, and I kept having to pause the operation to wait for the vaccuum's canister to empty.
When done, there was about 1/8" of crap at the bottom of the shop vac...seemed like there would have been much more looking at the sump but I guess some could have travelled on through the garden hose attached.
That and all the skimming I have been doing the past couple days makes today about a 25% water change and over the past week another 25% water change.
When done, there was about 1/8" of crap at the bottom of the shop vac...seemed like there would have been much more looking at the sump but I guess some could have travelled on through the garden hose attached.
That and all the skimming I have been doing the past couple days makes today about a 25% water change and over the past week another 25% water change.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Interesting reefkeeping week.
Picked up an Aquacontroller III, decided that I really needed one as I am tired of trying to control lights with three different timers and would like to truely simulate the sun and moon cycles.
I only have the ORP, Temp, and PH probes hooked up right now. Did not have the time yesterday to hook up the DC8 and figure out the programming of the lights. I think I will be trying to move my ballasts into the cellar for the MH lighting simply to lessen the noise in the room as well this weekend.
I did not pick up the additional moon light kit that Neptune sells and hoping the programing works with the moon lights I own as far as dimming etc.
Anyway, after hooking it up found out that my PH was running quite a bit high which I think has been the issue with water parameters and keeping my Ca above 350ppm. Having an exact number instead of a color chart that I was always either at or near the top of will be very useful. Now it would be nice to have an ALK probe, do not think Neptune makes one so may invest in a seperate unit if they are available.
I also have actually set up the Ca reactor which should help quite a bit, need one fitting that I will be picking up on the way home from work today. You can see it on the far side of the 300g tub, not too sure if that will be its final resting spot or not yet.
Looking at these shots seems pretty lame compared to many of the more seasoned reefs, but there were some changes to the rockwork. Picked up another piece of braching live rock to build up one side a bit more and some other pieces were moved a bit.
The guy doing the cabinetry stopped by to show me one of the doors the other day, has one more to build he said so hoping to see some progress on that soon.
Since I bothered to get a camera out, here is a shot of a Favia that I picked up at RC a week or two ago.
And my sun coral
Picked up an Aquacontroller III, decided that I really needed one as I am tired of trying to control lights with three different timers and would like to truely simulate the sun and moon cycles.
I only have the ORP, Temp, and PH probes hooked up right now. Did not have the time yesterday to hook up the DC8 and figure out the programming of the lights. I think I will be trying to move my ballasts into the cellar for the MH lighting simply to lessen the noise in the room as well this weekend.
I did not pick up the additional moon light kit that Neptune sells and hoping the programing works with the moon lights I own as far as dimming etc.
Anyway, after hooking it up found out that my PH was running quite a bit high which I think has been the issue with water parameters and keeping my Ca above 350ppm. Having an exact number instead of a color chart that I was always either at or near the top of will be very useful. Now it would be nice to have an ALK probe, do not think Neptune makes one so may invest in a seperate unit if they are available.
I also have actually set up the Ca reactor which should help quite a bit, need one fitting that I will be picking up on the way home from work today. You can see it on the far side of the 300g tub, not too sure if that will be its final resting spot or not yet.
Looking at these shots seems pretty lame compared to many of the more seasoned reefs, but there were some changes to the rockwork. Picked up another piece of braching live rock to build up one side a bit more and some other pieces were moved a bit.
The guy doing the cabinetry stopped by to show me one of the doors the other day, has one more to build he said so hoping to see some progress on that soon.
Since I bothered to get a camera out, here is a shot of a Favia that I picked up at RC a week or two ago.
And my sun coral
