North Dakota Mini-Ocean

[H20ENG]

A decent way to check for fitting leaks is with paper towels, or better TP. Dry each one very well. Come back and methodically wipe each one with a small piece TP and you will know immediately if you even have a drop. Lots of crawling for you, unfortunately. Been there

 

[lost in it all]

Hey dave i would like to come back by and see your system again and look at a few things a little closer if I could.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Jon,

I will take it!! I will PM you.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

I am 99% sure its not the plumbing. I think its either the holding tank or one of my sumps. I will get a better look tomorrow.

 

[jnarowe]

Replied...it's not that easy! :lol:

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Found the dang leak...One of the Uniseals from the skimmer sump to the main sump FAILED...So I replaced it and put some aquaputty around it and it seems to be working again. The aquaputty is the same putty i have around a few of the bulkheads in the display overflows and they have been watertight since the beginning.

I also made my first batch of food. I bought fresh wild krill, mysis, shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster, and 3 kinds of nori/wild algae...I also added some garlic, reef chili and coral frenzy. I did not add any liquid aminos or vitamins this time.

 

[jnarowe]

My Lord, you are using Uniseals on your sump??? You got NADS!! :lol:

Good to hear you have come over to the dark side on the food.

BTW, something I should have mentioned before is that while we all give you our opinions on this and that, they are based on our own experience and philosophy. I have my philosophy, Marc has his, Chuck his, and of course there are many more. So whatever advice you get would have to be filtered through your own goals and philosphy of reef keeping. And these philosophies are not static. They change as we grow in the hobby.

How did the fish react to the new food?

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Yep, that was another Scott thing...I actually could not use a hayward on the new sump as the room between the sumps did not permit a large sch 80 bulkhead.

I haven't fed them yet...I am going to try feeding once per day, right before lights out.

I always like advice and comments! I have very thick skin, so I take everything with a grain of salt and read between the lines most of the time.

 

[jnarowe]

Wow...on that kind of project he spec'd Uniseals? I would only use them in-sump myself. I know a lot of people use them on external stuff, but for me, it's just not worth the risk.

Can you post about the feeding? Maybe a vid? I am interested to learn how they react when faced with it for the first time. SInce you have been feeding brine etc., they may take to it right away.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

I sure will post a video.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

I just fed my tank and HOLY is it crazy in there!! I forgot to grab my video camera. I also forgot to mention I did add a couple filets of salmon and halibut in the food mixture. Its literally 20 seconds and everything is gone. i broke off a 1" x 4" chunk that was probably 1/4" thick. Since i quadruple rinsed the food in RO/DI water as i was cleaning and chopping it up, I should have very little phosphates.

The leak is 100% fixed and the tank is in working order again!! I will be gone this weekend, but will post some more pictures Monday.

 

[jnarowe]

so good reaction. that's great. did you use any seaweed? I break off a piece of the food, and also soak more seaweed with it. With all the tangs you will have, I think that will be the only way to go.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Yup, I was thinking I would soak the algea in the food soaks and vitamins and then add the food.

 

[jnarowe]

Don't forget to drain it before you feed!

 

[jnarowe]

Hey there! Empty your message box! :lol:

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

Done, sorry

 

[Ian]

did you buy that Tinkeri I mentioned in the selling forum? I noticed he sold it soon after I mentioned it.....

 

[jnarowe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15079988#post15079988 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefaquariumnut
Done, sorry

No worries. I can't tell you how many times I have let mine get full.

 

[Reefaquariumnut]

A couple updates:

I got Jonathan's ABT yesturday and wow! Not only is it huge, but its very beautiful. My wife actually pick him up from the airport and even acclimated him by herself. No signs of stress what-so-ever and he is eating like a champ. I also got a monster green coral from Jonathan too. I will take pictures once lights come on.

Also, I did get the Tinkerii Butterfly that was on RC for sale. He actually made an even further trip than the ABT. He came all the way from Hawaii and took 2 days to reach my system. My wife also acclimated him, but he is in the QT for a few weeks. He is also very stunning!

The Gem tang should be here in a week and the conspic a week behind that. The rhomboids and blacks will be end of the month. I think that will help tremendously to space out the fish a few weeks apart and not crowd my QT system.

Pictures soon!!

 

[cdness]

that ABT souns SWEET!!! I need to come check it out