Our Mini 425 Ocean
- Thread starter erics3000
- Start date
Bax
Premium Member
An absolute in reefing to be sure! My equipment area is refered to as "The Lab" by everyone who dares to enter it.
erics3000
Active member
J-
Lately it has been all about him. He is pretty cool and growing fast. If I can just get him to stop trying to get into the tank like daddy, that and to stop throwing pennies, toys, tools and whatever else he finds in my sump. Glad to see you still around can't wait to see what you come up with for your next tank with all your previous experience. I am sure it is nice to take a break and relax.
FFrankie-
Thanks. We need some updated pics on your site too.
Last Version-
Thanks
Bax-
So true!!!!!!!!!!! With my new son, work, studies, wife, home projects, too many other toys, economy making things simpler and faster really helps.
NoHooks-
Tell me about it 3 years goes by fast. I have changed so much after my initial planning and learned a lot. I am really glad my wife pushed me to do it while she was pregnant. With my work schedule travel and a new baby, if I didn't start it before I might have went a whole different route. Which might now heave been too bad an idea anyway. Her are a few of the top of my head
A few things I have learned from hopefully you might get some ideas or help you others realize they might have not at the beginning.
It would have been easier to concentrate on my home improvements first before I started the tank and finished what I wanted to do and leave the tank empty. I could have just put my 150 in the garage and used it to grow frogs until all mw other stuff was done. It would have been a little easier with a new born.
Just like bax mentioned maintenance has been an issue. Having a good w/c system ready to go from the start is a plus. With my 100 gpd R/O and low pressure I was never able to make water fast enough. Keeping extra salt defiantly a good idea
Width on a tank and aquascape. Will that huge rock give me access to clean the glass, and is easy to get to all areas to blow out built up detritus. A good plan for flow.
Having properly trained reliable people to maintain your tank if you travel a lot.
Electricity consumption. Do I need extra pumps or can I use gravity to save some here and there. This made me change my fuge from being feed by a pump to gravity.
Mechanical filtration how can I make it easier, did I have enough spare floss, and socks to rotate properly with out have to clean them every week. Time is a big factor for me also.
Tattoreef-
Last time I checked yours, I think you were gona post some new pics. I wanted to keep things simple in the beginning but I guess stuff does add up. Sometimes mw wife just looks at everything inside and out side and says to me who does this type of stuff? Crazy indeed.
Bax-
I love walking by and seeing the fuge and skimmer going. I just said that is it with humidity and I am putting a dehumidifier in there this summer. I would be cool to close it off and put glass doors, but I think I have plenty other places to waste my money. I am just extra careful using chemicals in my garage.
Well I got some salt in last nigh with my booster pumper. I got the big one 8880. So hopefully my dual tds meter will get her soon with some other stuff I ordered so I can finalize my R/O layout. I think I will need to end up getting a new membrane. The line that feed my r/o is brown from all the hardness of our wel water. I was thinking about cleaning it out and filling it with vinegar and using my compressor to blow it out. I do want to put a little filter in from of the booster pump. I guess I will hit HD tomorrow and see what I can find. I got help my little brother today fix his truck. Off to work. Hers is the little booster pump.
Lately it has been all about him. He is pretty cool and growing fast. If I can just get him to stop trying to get into the tank like daddy, that and to stop throwing pennies, toys, tools and whatever else he finds in my sump. Glad to see you still around can't wait to see what you come up with for your next tank with all your previous experience. I am sure it is nice to take a break and relax.
FFrankie-
Thanks. We need some updated pics on your site too.
Last Version-
Thanks
Bax-
So true!!!!!!!!!!! With my new son, work, studies, wife, home projects, too many other toys, economy making things simpler and faster really helps.
NoHooks-
Tell me about it 3 years goes by fast. I have changed so much after my initial planning and learned a lot. I am really glad my wife pushed me to do it while she was pregnant. With my work schedule travel and a new baby, if I didn't start it before I might have went a whole different route. Which might now heave been too bad an idea anyway. Her are a few of the top of my head
A few things I have learned from hopefully you might get some ideas or help you others realize they might have not at the beginning.
It would have been easier to concentrate on my home improvements first before I started the tank and finished what I wanted to do and leave the tank empty. I could have just put my 150 in the garage and used it to grow frogs until all mw other stuff was done. It would have been a little easier with a new born.
Just like bax mentioned maintenance has been an issue. Having a good w/c system ready to go from the start is a plus. With my 100 gpd R/O and low pressure I was never able to make water fast enough. Keeping extra salt defiantly a good idea
Width on a tank and aquascape. Will that huge rock give me access to clean the glass, and is easy to get to all areas to blow out built up detritus. A good plan for flow.
Having properly trained reliable people to maintain your tank if you travel a lot.
Electricity consumption. Do I need extra pumps or can I use gravity to save some here and there. This made me change my fuge from being feed by a pump to gravity.
Mechanical filtration how can I make it easier, did I have enough spare floss, and socks to rotate properly with out have to clean them every week. Time is a big factor for me also.
Tattoreef-
Last time I checked yours, I think you were gona post some new pics. I wanted to keep things simple in the beginning but I guess stuff does add up. Sometimes mw wife just looks at everything inside and out side and says to me who does this type of stuff? Crazy indeed.
Bax-
I love walking by and seeing the fuge and skimmer going. I just said that is it with humidity and I am putting a dehumidifier in there this summer. I would be cool to close it off and put glass doors, but I think I have plenty other places to waste my money. I am just extra careful using chemicals in my garage.
Well I got some salt in last nigh with my booster pumper. I got the big one 8880. So hopefully my dual tds meter will get her soon with some other stuff I ordered so I can finalize my R/O layout. I think I will need to end up getting a new membrane. The line that feed my r/o is brown from all the hardness of our wel water. I was thinking about cleaning it out and filling it with vinegar and using my compressor to blow it out. I do want to put a little filter in from of the booster pump. I guess I will hit HD tomorrow and see what I can find. I got help my little brother today fix his truck. Off to work. Hers is the little booster pump.
erics3000
Active member
I have a topoff kit from Bulk Reef with a float and check valve. I was wondering how do people turn off there booster pumps? I could use a float in the r/o tank to kill power to the booster pump. I remember seeing a pressure switch somewhere. Any other ideas? here is a pic of the basic law out.
FFrankie
New member
I never used a booster pump before but I would think the back pressure from the float switch would shut the pump off once the top off was level. You could test it by hooking it up and seeing if that is what happens by lifting the float to it's cut off point and hopefully the pump will turn off.
What's with that sig Jonathan, you took down that huge tank? Sounds like a lot of us have gone on the lamb from this recession.
What's with that sig Jonathan, you took down that huge tank? Sounds like a lot of us have gone on the lamb from this recession.
jnarowe
New member
The back pressure switch will probably not work. Didn't for me.
I had to shut down my system due to a series of medical problems, most notably my back getting really screwed up. I decided to take it down while everything was still healthy rather than wait until it had gone too far. I just could not maintain it, but rest assured, I am always thinking about my next tank!
jnarowe
New member
all depends on what you are trying to do. you can always contact Scott @ SpectraPure. He really knows his stuff. Explain what you are doing and he will give you good advice. Or PM and I will try to help. I still have mine and can explain it fairly well. I went with the SpectraPure LLC because my back pressure switch didn't work (the extra one I bought) nor the one that was on my RO/DI unit. That may ultimately have been because I had 2 RO/DI units in parallel, and that could have caused a differential in line pressure. Just an assumption on my part though.
Whatever the case, I got an LLC from Scott and it worked extremely well. No worries at all, superb float switches, and complete control of water filtration. Yes, you pay a little more, but IMO, really worth every cent.
Whatever the case, I got an LLC from Scott and it worked extremely well. No worries at all, superb float switches, and complete control of water filtration. Yes, you pay a little more, but IMO, really worth every cent.
erics3000
Active member
Wo..I missed your post guys. Yeah I don't think the switch will kill the pump. i was thinking of hooking it up to another float switch that would kill the power to the booster pump with stuff I have lying around.
The economy has been tough on a lot of people. I just got hit with some unexpected family stuff too, it took a little of my play money.
I don't have that pressure thing on the waste water side of R/O. I read somewhere it adds a little back pressure to your waste water to also help with water production. I need to get one of them.
Well I am out of town again for training and figured I would give a little update.
The booster pump for my R/O has really helped with water production. Now I am thinking on having all my display water go to my skimmer than skimmer feed my fuge. I have it split now, half goes to sump and half to fuge and the rocks in the fuge get a lot of detritus build up. Mechanical filtration helps but I am not consistent with it. I need to make it easier. I am really beginning to want to rip out the rubber maid 150 and build a real sump with baffles. Right now I will make it due since I wan to get some corals.
The algae outbreak has seamed to calm down due to changing my sand for a larger grain size aragonite. I think I may put some more in the tank. I really like the larger grain sand for coral purposes. I have been doing weekly w/c to see I could get my nitrates down. It seamed like they were going down but than back up. I changed my resin and am my tds is 0 from my R/O water now. It wasn’t to bad it was in the 20s. With me dual tds I see 500-600 tds coming in. I think the culprit besides my fish bioload could also bee my self going crazy and trying to kill off all my manjos. I also lost some snails. I bought about 50 turbos and I hate how they cant turn over like the bigger turbos. I forgot about that from the past. When I get back I am going to get my Q/T back up and try and get some manjos in there so I can get a Cooper Band. I did try putting in a few peppermints after acclimation with the lights out but I think they were just live food. When I put my cleaner shrimp in After acclimation I am going to float them in a bucket and see how my fish react to them. They will be bigger than the peppermints but want to make sure I do everything I can possibly due so they don’t wind up as food.
I wanted to try and get my nitrates down before any new fish. My fish really have been rock solid even with last year pennies and metal that was in my sump for a month when I was at training. I just lost my corals and my clam never recovered. My wife and I are both on top of the little one when he around the sump or fuge now. Last week before I left I found a match box car in my display. It still makes me laugh a little. My little part time fish feeder slipped that one by me.
I figured I might as well add my current fish list.
2 yellow tang 3 ½ and 4 ½
1 scopas tang 3
1 Orange Shoulder tang 5 ½ (really cool seeing his colors change over the years)
1 Sail Fin tang 5-6
1 Blue Spot Vlamingi (2 years ago he was about 3 and now he probably around 9-10)
He is a massive pooper
1 Fox Face 5-6
1 anthia 3
1 blue damsel 2 ½
1 blue green chromis 1
1 purple pusdeo
1 Pajama Cardinal 2
2 tank raised common clown fish
2 banded clown fish
1 yellow Coris Wrasse 5 (1 ½ years ago I lost my cleaner wrasse with putting him in)
He keeps the bristle worm population under control in my display
1 Lunar Wrasse 5
Some fish I would love to add down the line are
Cooper Band, Purple Tang, Achilles Tang, Mandarin, Goby, a few more anthias, Blue striped cardinals, Flame hawk, Flame Angel, cleaner wrasse, and a couple cleaner shrimp.
I really see a nitrate reactor in my future.
The reason I went with a lot of rock was to give my fish some hiding places. I hope to over the year remove some rock with larger corals. I will just put the rock in the fuge when they come out.
The economy has been tough on a lot of people. I just got hit with some unexpected family stuff too, it took a little of my play money.
I don't have that pressure thing on the waste water side of R/O. I read somewhere it adds a little back pressure to your waste water to also help with water production. I need to get one of them.
Well I am out of town again for training and figured I would give a little update.
The booster pump for my R/O has really helped with water production. Now I am thinking on having all my display water go to my skimmer than skimmer feed my fuge. I have it split now, half goes to sump and half to fuge and the rocks in the fuge get a lot of detritus build up. Mechanical filtration helps but I am not consistent with it. I need to make it easier. I am really beginning to want to rip out the rubber maid 150 and build a real sump with baffles. Right now I will make it due since I wan to get some corals.
The algae outbreak has seamed to calm down due to changing my sand for a larger grain size aragonite. I think I may put some more in the tank. I really like the larger grain sand for coral purposes. I have been doing weekly w/c to see I could get my nitrates down. It seamed like they were going down but than back up. I changed my resin and am my tds is 0 from my R/O water now. It wasn’t to bad it was in the 20s. With me dual tds I see 500-600 tds coming in. I think the culprit besides my fish bioload could also bee my self going crazy and trying to kill off all my manjos. I also lost some snails. I bought about 50 turbos and I hate how they cant turn over like the bigger turbos. I forgot about that from the past. When I get back I am going to get my Q/T back up and try and get some manjos in there so I can get a Cooper Band. I did try putting in a few peppermints after acclimation with the lights out but I think they were just live food. When I put my cleaner shrimp in After acclimation I am going to float them in a bucket and see how my fish react to them. They will be bigger than the peppermints but want to make sure I do everything I can possibly due so they don’t wind up as food.
I wanted to try and get my nitrates down before any new fish. My fish really have been rock solid even with last year pennies and metal that was in my sump for a month when I was at training. I just lost my corals and my clam never recovered. My wife and I are both on top of the little one when he around the sump or fuge now. Last week before I left I found a match box car in my display. It still makes me laugh a little. My little part time fish feeder slipped that one by me.
I figured I might as well add my current fish list.
2 yellow tang 3 ½ and 4 ½
1 scopas tang 3
1 Orange Shoulder tang 5 ½ (really cool seeing his colors change over the years)
1 Sail Fin tang 5-6
1 Blue Spot Vlamingi (2 years ago he was about 3 and now he probably around 9-10)
He is a massive pooper
1 Fox Face 5-6
1 anthia 3
1 blue damsel 2 ½
1 blue green chromis 1
1 purple pusdeo
1 Pajama Cardinal 2
2 tank raised common clown fish
2 banded clown fish
1 yellow Coris Wrasse 5 (1 ½ years ago I lost my cleaner wrasse with putting him in)
He keeps the bristle worm population under control in my display
1 Lunar Wrasse 5
Some fish I would love to add down the line are
Cooper Band, Purple Tang, Achilles Tang, Mandarin, Goby, a few more anthias, Blue striped cardinals, Flame hawk, Flame Angel, cleaner wrasse, and a couple cleaner shrimp.
I really see a nitrate reactor in my future.
The reason I went with a lot of rock was to give my fish some hiding places. I hope to over the year remove some rock with larger corals. I will just put the rock in the fuge when they come out.
erics3000
Active member
Little update. Finally back at home. I am still working in my garage and getting things situated. I got 2 of my new breakers up and going and it is such a relief to not have extension cords going all over my garage. I’ll post some pics when I get a little more done.
I got a few little additions. I picked up this coral from a local reefer.
I also got a mated pair of banded shrimp. The last couple times I put peppermint shrimp in they became a snack. So after drip acclimating I put them in a little plastic box so my fish can get use to them. Tonight when the lights are off I will release them. Hopefully they will hold there own and not become an expensive snack.
I got a few little additions. I picked up this coral from a local reefer.
I also got a mated pair of banded shrimp. The last couple times I put peppermint shrimp in they became a snack. So after drip acclimating I put them in a little plastic box so my fish can get use to them. Tonight when the lights are off I will release them. Hopefully they will hold there own and not become an expensive snack.
erics3000
Active member
Thanks Bax. After changing out the sand the algae issue didn't last too long. I got my water changing station complete yesterday but have a little leak on one of the bulk heads. I am out of silicone so I'll get it a little later. I feel I made some real head way with getting the electric in my garage and my W/C system complete. A few late nights was all it took, and of coarse a little extra $.
My fish always seam to be fine even with the consistent nitrates. In the last 2 months I did about 15% weekly w/c. I went through 3 boxes of 200 gal reef crystals. Cleaned my fuge but still working on rearranging the plumbing so only skimmed water goes to my fuge. I am also trying to get something I like to keep my algae out of fuge and in my sump. That should also help detritus build up in my fuge. Soon I should be finished with this. I have also picked up the materials to build my nitrate reactor. I really want get more fish and SPS so I am going to give it a try. So I figured since I was planning on bring my Kalk, Bed fluidizer, and Phosband back on line now is the perfect time to add the Nitrate Reactor. This brings me to a question. Do you think a quiet one 3000 780 gph at 10.5 head 40 watts is enough to feed all my reactors??? Petsolutions has them for $50 and since they have a sale on reef crystals 200 gal box for $47 I was going to order my sulfur, aragonite, salt and a pump. Once I have the pump feeding my reactor of the manifold I am going to add a spot for my RKE probes there too.
Down the line I might turn the 150 fuge into a predator. I would love to move it into my sons play room and put an eel, lion fish, and puffer. My wife relay liked our puffer and predator fish. My last puffer ate my snails but was a cool fish. The poor guy didn't make it when I moved fish from the 150 to my new 300. I really now understand how the big guys talk about bio type tanks. Hahah Similar to your new office law out. It just would be cool to have some fish my wife like and another tank in my sons play room. The one good thing is that wall in the toy room backs up to my garage. I have no desire on adding more pop to my system until nitrates are down and I am sure not going to work on moving and creating a new tank until all my projects are completed wit this tank. It might be cool project next year. I guess time will tell.
My fish always seam to be fine even with the consistent nitrates. In the last 2 months I did about 15% weekly w/c. I went through 3 boxes of 200 gal reef crystals. Cleaned my fuge but still working on rearranging the plumbing so only skimmed water goes to my fuge. I am also trying to get something I like to keep my algae out of fuge and in my sump. That should also help detritus build up in my fuge. Soon I should be finished with this. I have also picked up the materials to build my nitrate reactor. I really want get more fish and SPS so I am going to give it a try. So I figured since I was planning on bring my Kalk, Bed fluidizer, and Phosband back on line now is the perfect time to add the Nitrate Reactor. This brings me to a question. Do you think a quiet one 3000 780 gph at 10.5 head 40 watts is enough to feed all my reactors??? Petsolutions has them for $50 and since they have a sale on reef crystals 200 gal box for $47 I was going to order my sulfur, aragonite, salt and a pump. Once I have the pump feeding my reactor of the manifold I am going to add a spot for my RKE probes there too.
Down the line I might turn the 150 fuge into a predator. I would love to move it into my sons play room and put an eel, lion fish, and puffer. My wife relay liked our puffer and predator fish. My last puffer ate my snails but was a cool fish. The poor guy didn't make it when I moved fish from the 150 to my new 300. I really now understand how the big guys talk about bio type tanks. Hahah Similar to your new office law out. It just would be cool to have some fish my wife like and another tank in my sons play room. The one good thing is that wall in the toy room backs up to my garage. I have no desire on adding more pop to my system until nitrates are down and I am sure not going to work on moving and creating a new tank until all my projects are completed wit this tank. It might be cool project next year. I guess time will tell.
erics3000
Active member
Thanks J. Yeah I figured it was big something to look at for now. My colt coral is spitting off little branches. Hopefully when I get the time I can frag some and maybe get a little store credit or something.
Last night I was thinking what would I do if I wasn't working on my tank with the little spare time I have? Than I actually thought I wonder what J is doing now. hahhaahahha
Last night I was thinking what would I do if I wasn't working on my tank with the little spare time I have? Than I actually thought I wonder what J is doing now. hahhaahahha
Bax
Premium Member
Eric
The QO 3000 is a good utility pump.
My TLF 150's only flow about 80-90 gph
What Kalk are you runnig and di you feed it SW or does it run from your ATO?
Never had a nitrate reactor so I can't even comment there.
A predetor tank in the play room sounds cool. No baseballs allowed though!
The QO 3000 is a good utility pump.
My TLF 150's only flow about 80-90 gph
What Kalk are you runnig and di you feed it SW or does it run from your ATO?
Never had a nitrate reactor so I can't even comment there.
A predetor tank in the play room sounds cool. No baseballs allowed though!
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