OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef

[jnarowe]

Absolutely! Chocolate is better than cash...

I figure a bar/podcast is better than no thanks at all!

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

Here is the atlantic blue, i never realized how pretty they really were untill i saw an adult in my LFS, pictures don't due them justice. If i could only have one tang that would be it

http://www.marineaquarium.nl/images/Nickjones/Nick040.gif

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/fish--tangs.html

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=328

 

[jnarowe]

Hey Amber! Yeah I did find them after you mentioned them. Very nice loking fish and temperment looks very good too. Cool face on them.

 

[exoticaquatix]

wow, just got done reading all 42 pages, took me a while! had to watch the NHL play-offs and the soprano's at the same time. : D i have to say, im very impressed. that is quite a project you have going. just be happy you dont have downstairs neighbors like i do with all that flooding. of course they can be a nice alarm of sorts when your not in the house. mine were. again, awesome tank, good luck with the HA, the flooding and everything else. cant wait to see this tank mature.
-nick

 

[jnarowe]

Thanks! I went collecting on a minus tide today and brought back blennies, chitons, snail eggs, shrimp, pods, tube worms, and lots of macro algae. Great day on a NW beach!!!

I'll post some pics tomorrow. Imagine that every rock on a completely rock-covered beach had multiple blennies under it mixed in with pods, bristle stars, sea stars and lots of crabs of all different types and sizes.

I am very interested in seeing what if any of these will acclimate to my system.

Finally saw the blue eye kole out in the open today. Talk about a long shy period. He still darts for cover when he realizes he is being watched, but man what a beautiful fish! Lots of action on the reef today and water quality is excellent. Just a bit high on pH and I haven't been able to bring it down. Maybe someone can chime in with suggestions?

I have tried baking soda and that will drop it a tenth or two but it doesn't stay down long. It is running between 8.40 and 8.50 (which is the highest I have ever seen it). I know Marc said not to worry about it but it is definitely affecting the filter feeders. Looks like I will lose one of the scallops and a clam already bit the dust. The strange thing about it is that the others are vibrant, healthy and growing. Anyone know where the dead clam went? Those cleaner shrimp are wicked Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to a meaty meal!!:lol:

 

[exoticaquatix]

im assuming your ACIII is capable of controling pH. have you thought of using it to run CO2 or anything like that? also are you dosing straight RO water or lime water? i have noticed my pH dropping when my top off kicks on and is feeding RO/DI water into my sump. (pH below 7 at least) only problem with your tank vs. mine it that you have 1000 or so more gallons, haha. im sure melev, yourfishman or these other guys will have better info for you. i have no idea what to do with a tank this size. i guess its just my ideas x 10 which sounds like a bad idea to me
-nick

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7264925#post7264925 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Cool Marc! How did the Fazer Mints make it? Where they ruined? (First time with the new vacuum, and it's way more powerful than the old one)

What's you favorite so far???

The Fazer Mints were crushed substantially, making the wrappers inside very sticky inside and out. Still edible though. I've been inhaling the marzipan though, and the one bar that was full of hazelnuts. Mmm.mm. good. I'm opening up the Santander now, that you compared to single malt.

The only thing that really was 'ruined' was the small tray of marzipan shapes. They were compressed so much that each group of three became solid masses. But I'm not complaining.

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7270180#post7270180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
I have tried baking soda and that will drop it a tenth or two but it doesn't stay down long. It is running between 8.40 and 8.50 (which is the highest I have ever seen it). I know Marc said not to worry about it but it is definitely affecting the filter feeders. Looks like I will lose one of the scallops and a clam already bit the dust. The strange thing about it is that the others are vibrant, healthy and growing. Anyone know where the dead clam went? Those cleaner shrimp are wicked Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to a meaty meal!!:lol: [/B]

Vinegar will drop pH if necessary, and doesn't cost much. I really don't know that I believe you have such high pH. It would be nice if you could have someone else confirm those numbers are true. Anyone else in your area own a pH meter that could come over and see if their meter agrees with yours?

 

[jnarowe]

exoticaquatix I tried injecting CO2 but I think that torqued the star polyps and filter feeders. It also didn't lower the pH by much...I guess it's good to go slow anyway. I have not been topping off for the last 5 days in an effort to get salinity gradually up so that may be part of the problem with pH. It's a good point.

Marc, I have no reason not to believe the pH numbers. I verify with chemical tests also. Bummer about the Fazer and Marzipans...I figured they might not be too good. Problem is I couldn't mentally make the adjustment. I had to give up and toss it in the box. That friggin new vacuum machine is scary!

Question is how much vinegar? I am concerned about adding too much.

Current numbers 3 hours after lights out:

Apr 29 2006 00:25:38
Temp pH ORP Cond
76.8 8.45 437 47.9

Graph shows pH movement throughout the day. The drop just after 6pm was when I dosed baking soda.

 

[melev]

Nice graph.

Since I've never had a 1000g system, it would be hard to say. You can add a teaspoon to the tank, and watch your meter 5 minutes later. Add another one, and check it again 5 minutes later. The trick is to do this gradually, rather than dump in a cup and see what happens.

The Aqua Controller has pH compensation settings, and that may be giving you a faulty reading. Also where the probes are located in relation to each other can affect the numbers. And what is this about salinity? What is your current level?

 

[jnarowe]

Well conductivity is right there on the graph. I think the current conductivity corresponds to 1.022 but I can't remember and I am too lazy to go downstairs right now.

Add a teaspoon? Are you kidding me?? I can toss a cup in and nothing happens. The probes are correctly installed to isolate the conductivity probe from the rest. And regarding the pH compensation settings, I would look to that if it had been bad all along but I have had a significant amount of time the tank has been running at or near 8.20. I am sure you remember I fought dropping pH early on in the cycle and now I am dealing with higher values. Judging by the reactions of more sensative creatures like dusters, clams, and scallops, I have to believe the pH readings are correct.

 

[melev]

I didn't know what conductivity is for, since I've never had one nor seen one in use. So that is how you measure salinity? Huh.

You can add a few teaspoons at a time (like three or four) and see what results you get. I wouldn't pour in a cup at a time though. It doesn't take much to lower pH. Most of us never want it lower, so there isn't a lot of talk about how to do it nor how much it takes per gallon.

Sorry I can't be more help in this case.

 

[jnarowe]

So in the table below you can see the left column is conductivity and the right colume is the associated SG. The AC III compensates for temp. variance.

Conductivity/Specific Gravity Table (@25C/77F)
Conductivity Salinity Specific
(mS/cm) (ppt) Gravity
35 22.1 1.0160
36 22.8 1.0165
37 23.5 1.0171
38 24.2 1.0176
39 24.9 0.0181
40 25.6 1.0187
41 26.3 1.0192
42 27.0 1.0198
43 27.7 1.0203
44 28.4 1.0209
45 29.2 1.0214
46 29.9 1.0220
47 30.6 1.0225
48 31.4 1.0231
49 32.0 1.0236
50 32.8 1.0242
51 33.5 1.0248
52 34.3 1.0253
53 35.0 1.0259
54 35.7 1.0265
55 36.5 1.0270
56 37.2 1.0276
57 38.0 1.0282
58 38.7 1.0288
59 39.5 1.0294
60 40.2 1.0300

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

how is the stuff doing that you collected from the beach, can you post pics please

 

[jnarowe]

such a demanding chick eh Amber? :lol: Lights don't come on until noon PST so I will post later today.

couple teasers:


Beach snail

Beach snail egg mass

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

wow thoes snail eggs are neat...................just cerious how do you actually know they are snail eggs

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7271206#post7271206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
So in the table below you can see the left column is conductivity and the right colume is the associated SG. The AC III compensates for temp. variance.

Conductivity/Specific Gravity Table (@25C/77F)
Conductivity Salinity Specific
(mS/cm) (ppt) Gravity
35 22.1 1.0160
36 22.8 1.0165
37 23.5 1.0171
38 24.2 1.0176
39 24.9 0.0181
40 25.6 1.0187
41 26.3 1.0192
42 27.0 1.0198
43 27.7 1.0203
44 28.4 1.0209
45 29.2 1.0214
46 29.9 1.0220
47 30.6 1.0225
48 31.4 1.0231
49 32.0 1.0236
50 32.8 1.0242
51 33.5 1.0248
52 34.3 1.0253
53 35.0 1.0259
54 35.7 1.0265
55 36.5 1.0270
56 37.2 1.0276
57 38.0 1.0282
58 38.7 1.0288
59 39.5 1.0294
60 40.2 1.0300

jnarowe,

I work in the field of water treatment chemistry. The graph you have above should only be used as a guide. Your conductivity will increase and decrease under many different variables. So, I would suggest to use it as a guide. Also, salinity probes should also be used as a guide because they work under the same principle as the guide above. I just don't want to see anything happen to your beautiful tank! Just looking out for a fellow LARGE tank reefer!!:rollface: :rolleye1:

 

[1SickReefer]

marc, you have a pic on how you setup your Tunze 7095? sorry off topic but i cannot seem to find pics of ppls setups

Thanks,
1SR

 

[jnarowe]

Amber I know they are snail eggs because I had a marine biologist with me who spotted and identified everything for me.

I work in the field of water treatment chemistry. The graph you have above should only be used as a guide. Your conductivity will increase and decrease under many different variables. So, I would suggest to use it as a guide. Also, salinity probes should also be used as a guide because they work under the same principle as the guide above. I just don't want to see anything happen to your beautiful tank!

I can't quite translate that. I realize that salinity changes but it is my assumption that as it changes so will the reading. Do you think I am misunderstanding what the reading is or how to react to it? If the conductivity is low, isn't it safe to assume that the salinity is low too?

BTW, I do use a refractometer to check salinity and verify the conductivity reading. Whenever I do a water change I test both volumes with a refractometer and adjust the incoming water accordingly.

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

wow thats awesome. Kjnwing me i would have thrown them into my tank just to see what would happen, then they would hatch and baby mantis would be everywhere lmao (i know that mantis don't hatch from eggs like that, but still knowing my luck lol)