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

[jnarowe]

So today I had Vicki (PSAS, Reef Frontiers) over and I was quite excited to show her my system and maybe learn a bit more about anemones. She has a massive anemone & clown collection with multiple tanks and even what she referes to as the "Big Nano". That is a tank much like what you will see in an LFS that has a number of cubes all tied together in a tiered tank.

Anyway, I went to do a tank room check and try to clean up a little this morning, and found disaster! My skimmer air pump, an Alita 100, was stopped and full of water. My only guess so far is that the fuse in the DC4HD blew and then the air pump back filled. I keep the air output hose above the tank water line, but I guess over time I have forgotten about it and it had slipped too low.

So I poured the SW out of the pump and poured in some alcohol. Then I ran it to try and flush out the SW. It is working now but I have to guess that it will seize fairly soon. I can't imagine it coming out of that unscathed. I never put a one-way valve on it because I didn't want to decrease the flow...

Today our two LFS had sales, one doing buy 1 get one half off, and the other doing buy one get one free on all corals. So I have two more corals in the QT plus a couple Sherman gave me as he is switching over to SPS. I''ll see if I can keep them alive.

I'll try to get pics as soon as I can.

 

[Enderrea]

you ust need more people to come over, then anything that could break would break, then you could fix it and all would be well.!:lol:

 

[sherm71tank]

I hope the air pump comes out of it ok. Thats some kalk stirrer you got there! Speaking of switching to the sps. Ryan told me this morning that my clown fish had gotten trapped in a whirlpool in one end of the tank and was just spinning around and couldn't get out! The shrimps had even gathered around to watch the show. I figured out that I have 8200 gph of flow in my 75 now

 

[melev]

Jonathan, you need to elevate the pump above waterl level to avoid back siphoning. That is safer than a 1-one valve.

 

[jnarowe]

First of all James, you know there's no way that would work. Anytime I invite someone over, there's going to be some kind of problem, no matter how many I fix! :lol: I am just glad Steve Weast hasn't dropped in while I am working on the store. My tank walls look terrible.

Sherman, yeah the stirrer is now keeping the pH high enough that the Ca reactor is running much more consistently. I just need to adjust my program slightly and I think I can achieve a nice steady pH and good Ca & alkalinity. It will take some experimentation but I am optimistc. BTW, thanks so much for all the cool corals. I am sure I can pass on some nice SPS frags...when you get your system stabilized I think a nice frag of the orange cap would be a good start.

8200 gph is a bit much right? 109 times??? You're lucky anything is still alive...and I still haven't quite figured out your change in direction, but I am interested in seeing the outcome.

Marc, yeah I know I should do that but it just wasn't convenient space-wise. After discussing it with Sherman though, I may make a radical change in the way I have it set up. It just means much longer air hoses and I still have to keep the thing cool. I may try to mount it above the fuge so that it can benefit from the airflow there.

 

[sherm71tank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8475666#post8475666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe


8200 gph is a bit much right? 109 times??? You're lucky anything is still alive...and I still haven't quite figured out your change in direction, but I am interested in seeing the outcome.

Thats why I said that the lps corals were "less than pleased" with the flow. I think I will take the 2600 out and put a 1500 in its place, otherwise I think I have it dialed in ( no 8 inch whirl pools sucking air into pumps and no clowns doing the spinning dance ) I hope you can make it over this weekend some time.

Your corals are looking great and coloring up so nice! I hope I will have similar results. You really do inspire me!

 

[jnarowe]

My problem riddled system really shouldn't be an inspiration, but hey, I did it while recovering from a stroke and taking some mind-bending meds! Your system on the other hand is definitely an inspiration. Any time I see a tank that doesn't look like it has water in it, I consider that an inspiration. And particularly since you are a 2-part doser.

Sat AM? I take Ari to the Dojo at 10:30 so before that? You could earn some points with your wife that way! Or maybe in the afternoon. I just did some more grinding and I want to seal the store floor tomorrow...I have to get that thing done. Want to earn some extra cash??

BTW, I forgot to ask you what those polyp eating thingys look like. Do you think there may be some on those LPS in my QT? Or maybe eggs?

 

[jnarowe]

And I really can't take much credit for the healthy corals. I really attribute that to water volume and 1000W lamps. I haven't even had consistant Ca & Alk number since the start of teh system. That will now change so I am hoping growth and color will go into over-drive!

Update: As usual I jumped to conclusions. The DC4HD did NOT blow a fuse and is working normally. So then I have to wonder what happened with the air pump. The only program statement that controls the air pump is the float switch in the collection bucket but that was only about 1/4 full. So I really don't know why the pump shut down in the first place.

I think I need to call the Hardy Boys.

 

[sherm71tank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8475999#post8475999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Any time I see a tank that doesn't look like it has water in it, I consider that an inspiration.

Thank you.

Sat AM? I take Ari to the Dojo at 10:30 so before that? You could earn some points with your wife that way! Or maybe in the afternoon. I just did some more grinding and I want to seal the store floor tomorrow...I have to get that thing done. Want to earn some extra beer???

I thought you would never ask!


BTW, I forgot to ask you what those polyp eating thingys look like. Do you think there may be some on those LPS in my QT? Or maybe eggs?

They look like pretty green nudi's. But they are not pretty! They are EVIL!!!!!!! EVIL EVIL EVIL . . . . .

 

[jnarowe]

so they easy to see at any rate right?

you want to be paid in beer? Maybe you should see the work first!

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8474260#post8474260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe

So I poured the SW out of the pump and poured in some alcohol.

I think you did that all wrong. Alcohol goes down the gullet when you find your equipment soaked in saltwater. :beer:

 

[jnarowe]

:lol: No kidding...I was too distressed to even grab a beer. Plus I found it right before I had to take my son to school. I also cut my hand pretty bad on the pump housing and managed to douse it with the alcohol too... It's like the Three Stooges around here, only I am just one man. "Oh, a water letter-outer, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."

 

[sherm71tank]

Hey Jonathon, my cold has gone from bad to worse and I don't think I'm doing much of anything today. If you wanna stop by(which I cough cough don't recommend) to see the tank your more than welcome.

 

[jnarowe]

Ari is sick too and will not be going to the Dojo. I, however will be going to the store and dragging him with me. We'll skip the visit today.

BTW, I am can't believe how stupid I am: I had been waiting for fittings for those new air stones and realized today that the ones I am currently using with the wood stones fit...they just looked too small but they are the same thread. So I can go on the skimmer deal but would like some help if you are up to it. Maybe Sunday? I can do it myself, but the damn thing is so heavy it would be much better with two people. Give me a call when you are feeling well.

 

[jnarowe]

So I took a break from the store for a couple hours today and got my sump level sensor hooked up. So now the doser comes on when the water level gets low. The relevant code for the Ca reactor and doser follows:

If pH > 08.25 Then CO2 ON
If pHA1 > 6.22 Then CO2 ON
If pHA1 < 6.20 Then CO2 OFF
If pH < 8.07 Then CO2 OFF
If SwitchA3 CLOSED Then DOS ON
If pH > 08.30 Then DOS OFF

pHA1 is the Ca reactor probe. It is all working well but I may need to go to a dual level sensor to allow longer run times for both the kalk and Ca reactors.

Noticed again tonight a bit of a tank social problem. One of the yellow tangs has not been coming out to eat. So I watched closely before feeding time and saw that one yellow tang and a purple tang have teamed up to harrass another yellow tang.

The victim has figured ouot a place to wedge and defend itslef, but I can see that it is getting a lot of attention and I am sure will die of starvation. It doesn't look thin at all right now but I can't figure out a way that won't happen.

 

[Brad524]

could some point me at some pics of this tank

I've been looking for 15 min. lol

 

[jnarowe]

OUCH! That hurts...hey I have other things to do right now...believe me there are about 40 things I want to take pics of!

 

[Brad524]

I just ment that there has to be some in here some where
wich page are they on?

didn't meen to offend

I appreciate the time you give to us all

 

[jnarowe]

Well I dunno...most of the pics posted in this thread can be seen (without text) in my "pics garage" by clicking on the red house. Post or PM with any questions! No offense taken...

 

[sherm71tank]

Just wanted to say it again, I love that skimmer of yours Jonathon - at your house! :crazy1: I sure hope it works out. What do you think could be causing the dosing pumps problem? Maybe someone on here could help.