North Dakota Mini-Ocean

[Reefaquariumnut]

The water line in the picture is about 1/4" below the darkness in the neck.

 

[jnarowe]

frustrating to say the least. I have completely lost control of my system with some kind of AquaController failure that I cannot figure out. Taking a break now, but I am pretty dumbfounded myself. I hate when stuff works for a year straight and then for whatever reason goes South fast and I cannot get things back online. NOT very relaxing! :lol:

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

I am lost as well.

 

[Dansin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13376668#post13376668 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefaquariumnut
Wow, Pretty sick pictures!! All things were kept the same except lights?

Local reefer is coming over today around noon to deliver me all my creepy crawlers (crabs, snails, etc). Also, my Ice Cap male adapters should be here around noon.

Lastly, I ordered a dual chamber media reactor that has JG fittings!! Next Reef MR-1 Monster is what I ordered.

I have a question about calcium reactors...What is the ideal pH in the calcium reactor? Bubble count? How about the drip ouput into my sump?

I started this tank up in feb. Before the birdsnest was from a reefer in rockford i purchased that from him he had it under 175 10k xms. The table was under 250 watt 10 k xms. The corals have really taken on a total diff. look. The growth is unreal. You will love the fast growth that you will get from the 400 watt. I think you said you have 12 ks you are using? A local in my area has 12k 250 watt. on the outter side and 1 400 watt in the middle everything grows fast for him also. I like the color that he gets from the 12 k. I will be switching to 12 or 14s by mid. 2009 as long as we don't nothing goes wrong. Can't wait to see how yours turns out.

 

[Chrisrush]

Reefaquariumnut,
Great thread. I'm very impressed.

Did you add the 3 braces after you took delivery of the tank? What was the reason behind this? Did you experience some bowing? I really liked the eurobraced look.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

The reason for the two braces was because of the lighting arrangement and aquascaping. The lighting works perfect this way and the aquascaping is much easier to access.

 

[Chrisrush]

I thought that in some of the earlier pictures, you didn't have the braces. Why did you add them? Was it suggested by the builder?

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

There was one brace in the original tank build (there was one brace in middle of tank). But because my lighting changed I needed to remove that brace and added two braces for safety.

 

[Chrisrush]

Gotcha. That makes sense. Good luck with the rest of the build. I have book marked it so when my wife and I move, I have some good references.

Any updates on the skimmer?

 

[Bax]

Things are looking good.

I think you're on the right track with the skimmer. Less water more air. Are you running the standard ORCA NW impeler? Maybe the RS NW would give it a boost?

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

I am using the standard needle to my knowledge. When I crank down the water input into the skimmer the output also suffers (hardly any water goes into the sump). I hope to get a custom needle by scott in the next few days...Also, I think the diffuser plate needs to have smaller and more holes. So as for right now, I basically don't have a skimmer online.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13407578#post13407578 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefaquariumnut
I hope to get a custom needle by scott in the next few days...

So you have spoke with him in the last few days ??

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Well if you call text messaging talking, then yes. And only after 10 of them to his one. He told me he had to get another job too.

 

[tgunn]

Hey, what kind of flow through the skimmer are you pushing?

The reason I ask is that I was previously feeding my 3 pump recirculating Octopus skimmer with a very slow feed rate. Only 100 GPH. The skimmer ran very similar to yours with the water level extremely high, but no real decent foam head formation, and not a lot of skimmate pulled out.

I've since started pushing around 900GPH through the skimmer and the difference is remarkable. I get a good amount of skimmate out of the skimmer now.

My hypothesis is that with less flow through the skimmer didn't have enough crud to build a stable foam head, but with more flow through there's theoretically more available crud to help form the head.

Dunno if this is "valid skimmer theory" or not, but it worked in my case so might be worth giving a shot if you haven't already.

I'd love for there to be a "works out of the box without any tweaking" skimmer. I'd be signing up real quick!!!

Everything's looking great though! Keep it up! You've got an amazingly planned setup and are incorporating a lot of really cool new idea into your setup!

Tyler

 

[FiSHy sAy HeY]

Nice Build! That tank is HUGEEE!

 

[jnarowe]

another job? geez...I thought he was on his way to stardom. That's a bummer indeed.

 

[hahnmeister]

tgunn, that is a valid theory, but you are compensating for the skimmers inability to work with much by just supplying it with more of what it can work with... still doesnt make up for all the stuff it misses.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Well, This thread will not mention the name Spazz or Volcano anymore...Well atleast by me.

I am on to bigger and better things.

Thanks Hahn, I can't keep telling the same story over and over

 

[Tangwich]

From one Vette brother to another, very nice tank and great build Reefaquariumnut...keep up the great work.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Thank you sir!! What kind of Vette do you have?