New tank 125 (note: this may progress slowly)

[hillscp]

Hmmm, I was in the Navy too 1976 - 1980 so I know what you mean.

IDK why radio signals are still being used as controllers. Is that system digital? Seems like an IP network would be a better solution.

I have a project at work where the leadership wants some technology to send alpha pages to notify people (housekeepers) of events. Problem is, our in house paging system doesn't accept SMTP messages over TCPIP. So I started thinking . . "You know - You can do this with a stupid iPod that you can buy at Wallmart. Just send e-mail to the device from a program based on triggers over our existing wireless LAN" The telecom folks still want all their analogue radios and pagers and such to perform such a simple function. Cost a bundle too with all the transmitters and cabling.

I had the boss buy an iPod last week so we could pilot the project with iPods.

Part of the problem is the commodity market wants to bundle devices with service plans and stuff we don't need. There is no such thing as a cheap mobile device that can deliver simple SMTP messages without all the additional baggage of internet browsing and telephone and YOUTUBE.

-END OF RANT-

 

[boviac]

Nah... It uses the AC signal. assuming a perfect sinusoidal wave (i.e. noiseless) when the upswing crosses the zero an X10 signal is transmitted. Since there isn't much strenght to the signals they do not travel very far and/or are often mitigated by noise. So especially if you have a signal in one part of the house on one of the 120V legs and want to do something to a device on the other 120V leg, good luck. However I found a thrid party device that allows me to get signals across the entire house without any filters all over the place.

As far as what you are talking about, I agree using existing technology can often be cheaper and easier. But until one can get the aformentioned devices without the uneeded items, it can be frustrating.

Sounds like we could spend some time chatting outside of this subject as well. I look forward to talking to you more in person.

 

[boviac]

Two more PH's cleaned then I had to take the kid to Caper Acres to get the wiggles out. Pulled out all the frags that I had just been tossing off the trays today and it is sad to see how many I've lost.

Here are hopefully the last round of dead frags I've pulled out. The actual total would be like about 25% more. Very sad

and here is a very blue FTS.

 

[boviac]

I swapped out the left bulb a while back I'm not sure exactly when - probably some time in sept - with a used radium 14k bulb (stated about 4mo use). I know that bulb is a bit whiter than the AquaMaxx 14k bulbs, but to me the left side just seems noticiably brighter compared to the middle and right bulbs that have been in about a year. Does that much time 7vs12 months make that much difference?

Oh and I've read Sanjay's report on the 14k AquaMaxx. For the ones I'm using they more closely represent a other bulbs that claim a 20K spectrum

 

[boviac]

Ok back home now. Got back on Tuesday night 3/2 after a very long drive from L.A. Now have four in the car: me, Halli, Tatiana, and now welcoming Jack Preston Bovia! He was born 2/19/10 at 5:34pm at 8lbs 10.5 oz!!! A big boy! A neighbor was taking care of the house and tank and all is well upon arrival.

So far corals that have survived are coloring back up nicely with the new bulbs.

 

[krowleey]

congrats!!

 

[hillscp]

Babies got ya busy? Congrats on the new arrival.

 

[boviac]

Thanks!!! Things are coloring back up nicely with carbon changes, GFO changes, water changes and the new bulbs! CaRx is back up but leaking out of the second stage since I was hasty and didn't put tape on the threaded connectors. So many things to do -- not enough time.

I keep looking out in the garage behind somethings at the 29 gal with water still in it from Thanksgiving when I unplugged it and let it sit. I really need to clean it out and get the rock in there to begin curing. New job and baby certainly are taking some getting used to but things are getting better.

 

[hillscp]

Hey Chris,

What's the scoop? I know - it's hot.

I'm adding stuff to my tank

Maxima
FrogSpawn
Montipora
Acropora (Green)

Been waiting since April for RC(on) to get me some Bartlett's Anthias. I went over there day before yesterday to chew them out and walked out with the Acropora. Dohhhh

 

[boviac]

Hey Scott!

Yup but much more tolerable this week. ha ha. Yeah, I understand. We should get together soon. I haven't been to hardly any meetings this year. with the new kid time has been very short.

Tank is... surviving. if you can call it that. I'm quite certain i need to replace my old magnetic ballasts as I'm thinking things ran better on CF bulbs in the 29g than three 175w MH on the 125g!

 

[Bamm Bamm]

I'm running two 250 20k radium on my 125 and all my sps Los and zoas grow like weeds..post some pictures of your tank.. How are things up in Chico?? I just picked up a RR AGA 210 on Sunday moving into a new house in a few weeks but I probably won't set it up till next summer.. I need to buy more equipment and a chiller(150g sump/fuge and 60g frag tank will be in the garage

 

[boviac]

Thanks Dan,

I plan to put in some time cleaning up the glass of the bright green spots that take a razor to get off, as well as general tune-up: (clean PH's, change PO4 media, change carbon, clean the sump, clean the ATO bucket, clean the light cover, etc...) Maybe after that I'll post some pics. Yeah when the bulbs are new things do well but it's only after a short time like 4-6 months I see things start to drop off. I'm attributing it to the ballasts at this point (and somewhat to my lack of needed attention with the CaRx now). I have a phat 60g sump in the garage that simply doesn't fit in this stand so until I build another stand I have that sump, about 75 lbs of dead rock that needs curing in the 29gal once I clean that out since I've unplugged it around thanksgiving 09 - ekk! Also a great pump I plan to use to push nearly all my water around the sump to the tank and only two K4's in the tank hopefully. Right now I have those two and two old Sieos since the sump return is so weak and only out one side still.

Congrats on the RR210! Yeah one thing I am feeling with a larger tank comes larger costs to maintain! However, my 5 month old Jack loves to sit in his high chair and watch the tank!!! Worth it right there!

 

[Bamm Bamm]

Right it sounds like the tank is doing really good in the above pic it looks great..yeah my fiancé saw how much mybpower bill went up when I went from the 40- the 125 and with the 210 I'll be running 4x250watts lights three on the DT and one on the frag tank.. Plus chiller etcetcetc... What kind of ca reactor do u have? I need to get one still I'm dosing bionic but when my colonies start getting big dosing won't be enough...

I was at a neighbors house yesterday he has an inwall 120 th entire tank is 95% sps andthe colonies are huge growing into and on the glass and even up out of the water... I picked up some huge frags from him... I'm actually downsiZing to a 60g RR lee mar I picked up last week when we move so I can save some money...the hard part will be fitting all my corals in it my 125 is jammed full... So u already made a few frag racks for the sides of the tank w black eggrate and some old magnet cleaners-) The stand for the 60g I built it 40.5" tall overthr weekend tank is 36/20/20 built it tall so I don't have to bend down to look at it-) and a lite oversized I have a 40g acrylic breeder I hacked up yesterday so I could fit my ASM G4 skimmer in it(rated at 350gallons) a bit oberkill I bought it for the 210-) it has a sedra 5000 w/mesh mod for recirculation and a sicce pak-2500 w mesh mod for water feed to the skimmer and I also put a gate valve on it-) should be good since the tank will be crammed with corals and about 7 or 8 fish-)

 

[hillscp]

I'm supposed to pick up 6 Bartletts Anthias tomorrow at RC. I hope they are eating when I get there. I have been waiting since April and the fish have been at RC since last Wednesday.

I want them to be the center fish for my tank.

 

[boviac]

I type single-handed as my 6mo old son is asleep on me. I apologize for my absence: new job, new kid, low interest im tank, missing website, club drama, all kept me away.

Tank is ok. Life is on the upswing. And I'm looking forward to the fall MARS swap in Oct!

 

[boviac]

I type single-handed as my 6mo old son is asleep on me. I apologize for my absence: new job, new kid, low interest im tank, missing CRC website, club drama, all kept me away.

Tank is ok. Life is on the upswing. And I'm looking forward to the fall MARS swap in Oct!

 

[boviac]

STAR WARS - Me winning! Only 17 taken out tonight. I started out with more than 100 for each of the first three nights a few weeks ago. Now I wait until the lights go out for a few hours, push the lights back and start picking with my Stainless Steel frag tongs. Then on go the lights to help find the smaller, more camouflaged ones. The few zoas I have left appeared to be stable along with the rest of the tank now that it's getting some attention.

Alas, the corals that have survived are doing well and have several multiples. Others are only a few surviving heads or colonies. Alas my tank appears to be rather bare.

I am still on the fence about T5 vs. MH for me. Bulb costs seem to be similar due to the number of bulbs needed to compare to MH. But tend to run for less energy demand and generally cooler. The color options are more due to the more bulbs you can place in at one time. But MH lighting is by far the standard still. But for me, I'm all about efficiency and that includes cost. So I'm thinking T5's are in my future. But now I just need $$$.

I have two fans that kick on with my ACII controller at 81.5 down to 81.1 Chiller comes on at 82.0 down to 81.0 Only on hot days does it come on. The fans do most of the tanks cooling – and do so much cheaper I might add, but surely my make up efforts are certainly increase.

 

[beex215]

the old 125 wasnt that bad. it just had a chip. mine has several chips and its still fine. he could have just used that and saved the money for fish.

 

[boviac]

the old 125 wasnt that bad. it just had a chip. mine has several chips and its still fine. he could have just used that and saved the money for fish.

Ahh. assuming you've read back from posts around two years ago about my initial '125G'... it wasn't just the old 125g chip that was the issue. it was that 1) it had oversized glass leaving a green tint when looking through it. 2) Had a beefy 12" wide 1/2" thick glass centerpiece which would have been located right under the center MH, 3) dimensionally not quite the same as my current 125g and 4) I got a good deal on this one with built in megaflow overflows (i.e. predrilled bottom and the post-drilled tempered). Other than a mated pair of clowns I think I have all the fish I want. Plus, did I really want to go forward with all the build only to find out after a few weeks or a month, a leak or worst-case; catastrophic failure? Wasn't worth it to me. I sold it to someone who felt the chip was worth the price.

Thanks for posting here however. Tanks in general are built pretty good, but each chip is potentially like that next straw on the camel's back when the tank is loaded under pressure. Good luck with your tank!

 

[boviac]

FTS:

One night of star fishing:

Neon Green Anchor/Hammer - Euphyllia:

Raffle Miami Orchid: