Owners Thread: Innovative Marine Fusion 40

[Reduck]

How's this performing? Tests all stabilized?

Only thing I've had to change so far is I HAVE to open my window where tank is at night.. The combination of Lights out and the low pH from CO2 had pH dip down to 7.8 overnight.. Opened a window and had a fan run for a bit and pH went back up to 7.95

 

[jguinn]

City water or well? I would guess city water pressure would drop this time of year from people filling their pools...it's been so long since we had city water...I don't know..

Oh yes. City water. After I got married a few years ago we decided to migrate into her house which is near the end of the line for municipal services. The state of Tennessee is blanketed by 95 counties (that act as tax authorities). Within the space of a county, there can also be cities (that act as additional tax authorities). Typically cities have more resources for schools, municipal services, etc... due to the additional tax revenues. Long story short, we are currently in the county that is serviced by the closest city's regional water, sewer, and solid waste services. My house prior to getting married was extremely close to the nearest booster pump station and I actually had a real need for the pressure-reducing backflow preventer there. Here at the "end of the line" we feel the effects of every upstream leak and pool filler. All that said, I'm thankful that we do have very respectable water/sewer services that consistently get extremely high ratings for water quality. Downside is I'm going to have to suck it up and do something on my own about the pressure until we get relocated back upstream into the city "proper".

 

[OsiViper]

How's this performing? Tests all stabilized?

Yea, Alk is pretty stable and calcium is rising up a bit (was low to start with).
Never was able to get it this stable with Dosing. Wasn't worried about low pH as much dosing, but seem to have it better under control now. Low at night is about 7.89 and High is 8.1

I ordered the replacement needle valve though. The cheap plastic ball valve that came with it has plugged up already to the point I gotta jam a stick in it every day to unclog it.

Needle valve I'm looking at has good reviews.. I ordered a backup in case the first ever plugs up, I can just swap it out while first one is cleaning.

 

[jguinn]

Have you guys seen the Neptune continuous PAR monitor and Advanced Sensor Module?

https://www.neptunesystems.com/pmk/

I read unofficially that pricing was going to be set at $299 for the sensor embedded in the rock and the ASM. Thinking this might be a good investment since there's no resource (that I've found) that equates - even in estimation or relative terms - intensity (as measured in percentage points in Apex Fusion) for the Kessil A360 to PAR levels. Also curious what other third-party sensors exist now that apparently can be used with the ASM. I don't imagine we would necessarily need the ongoing PAR monitoring, but being able to use different sensors with that module might get interesting.

 

[OsiViper]

Nice to see a new par meter. But not sure how useful a continuous measurement will be since if you get light schedule down and set, it shouldn't change too much.

 

[OsiViper]

Also, few updates.

Getting no polyp extension out of my acros since I got them, and little to no growth.. And they've been acclimated to light for well over a month. I started dosing AcroPower since I had heard good things. However I may have gotten carried away.. Started to get cyano coming back so slowed the dosing on that.

My digitata on the other hand was growing really well and had good PE, then got a outbreak of what looked to be brown algae of some type all over it and that stopped the growth. And closed up polyps. During a water change I used a very soft toothbrush and brushed it off. Got rid of most of the algae, within a few days I had some PE coming back, so hopefully it'll recover.

Had hair algae all over my zoa rock and acan plugs. Did a H2O2 dip on my zoas and it got rid of a good amount, may dip again tomorrow. Was going to do a H2O2 dip today for the Acans and went to go mix it up and I finally found my Tonga Fighting Conch who had disappeared for weeks.. Within the span of an hour he completely cleaned off one frag plug if hair algae (and it was COVERED) and stated working on the other. Surprised how well it cleaned the plugs, didn't need to dip them.

Anyhow, here's a FTS. hasn't really change much since last time, bit more algae though.

Also.. Today I discovered on the MP10's and flow nozzles I have Coralline starting to grow. Hopefully it will start on the rock and get rid if the brown/green algae on it. And I have more Chaeto coming in soon, hopefully this time it will grow instead of wither and die.

 

[Reduck]

yes. I am hoping that Neptune now releases other more useful sensors to go with this. I can see the need for a PAR meter for a couple of days, but after that, no. If I was running T5 or other lamps maybe more, but LED's pretty much stay consistent till they die..
But as you guys know...its a new toy..and I'll probably pop the 300 to get it..

Have you guys seen the Neptune continuous PAR monitor and Advanced Sensor Module?

https://www.neptunesystems.com/pmk/

I read unofficially that pricing was going to be set at $299 for the sensor embedded in the rock and the ASM. Thinking this might be a good investment since there's no resource (that I've found) that equates - even in estimation or relative terms - intensity (as measured in percentage points in Apex Fusion) for the Kessil A360 to PAR levels. Also curious what other third-party sensors exist now that apparently can be used with the ASM. I don't imagine we would necessarily need the ongoing PAR monitoring, but being able to use different sensors with that module might get interesting.

 

[Rtankster]

What is everyone doing for cleanup crews in their 40's?

 

[bizacon]

Just did a water change...tank is looking great even after the emergency trip.

I am going to skip ROP....As much as I want to go, after spending father's day at a funeral, I am just going to lay low and spend time with my daughter.

Maybe I can talk Mark into another father's day sale and just pick up some stuff through him.

 

[Reduck]

What is everyone doing for cleanup crews in their 40's?

I've been doing small groups of snails. Maybe 5-10 tops. A few blue legs and 2 peppermint shrimp. I find snails don't last long. Once they flip, the shrimp and hermits eat em...

Just did a water change...tank is looking great even after the emergency trip.

I am going to skip ROP....As much as I want to go, after spending father's day at a funeral, I am just going to lay low and spend time with my daughter.

Maybe I can talk Mark into another father's day sale and just pick up some stuff through him.

Booo! But you are doing the right thing. We've had a bad couple months here too, but I know the mrs is looking forward to doing something different...so we will go Sunday ...and "window shop" tanks and stuff..I'm starting to think 75g saio now..or the 68g versa w/25g sump...space restrictions were imposed...

 

[OsiViper]

How's this performing? Tests all stabilized?

For 3 days now the Alkalinity has been stable at 8.91 dKH and Calcium at 430.
Never had it stable before on dosing - Probably could have gotten it close with more tweaking. However with the amount I was dosing I would need to buy a new set of ESV B-Ionic every 60-70 days at about $40.

On this, the CO2 Tank will last me about a year or so; $17.99 to fill. The Aragonite will last at least that long (only used about 1/8th of the bottle to fill the reactor) and that is $20. So less than $40 a year to run this. And for the setup it is about the same price as the Neptune DOS.

 

[Reduck]

They are pretty good numbers. Hopefully it stays stable for you now. I guess the tell will be how it rebounds after a wc...

For 3 days now the Alkalinity has been stable at 8.91 dKH and Calcium at 430.
Never had it stable before on dosing - Probably could have gotten it close with more tweaking. However with the amount I was dosing I would need to buy a new set of ESV B-Ionic every 60-70 days at about $40.

On this, the CO2 Tank will last me about a year or so; $17.99 to fill. The Aragonite will last at least that long (only used about 1/8th of the bottle to fill the reactor) and that is $20. So less than $40 a year to run this. And for the setup it is about the same price as the Neptune DOS.

 

[Reduck]

Just a heads up if you are coral shopping. Ultimate Corals extended his fathers day sale through tonight. 30% off...
His stock is insane for the show. Going to go visit tomorrow if anyone wants me to have a look at an item...

 

[jguinn]

Just a heads up if you are coral shopping. Ultimate Corals extended his fathers day sale through tonight. 30% off...
His stock is insane for the show. Going to go visit tomorrow if anyone wants me to have a look at an item...

Thanks much for the update and offer! We just somewhat unexpectedly re-roofed the house, did a front brake job on my wife's car, and are heading to CLT next week for a few days to visit some of her friends. Oh, and there's that whole RODI thing I gotta solve. So I'm going to have to forego this round unfortunately.

Question for you guys on water chemistry. This is an odd one. All in all, everything is going great. Immeasurable nitrogen compounds & phosphates. 9.5dKH. About 375mg/mL of calcium (lower than ideal, but should be solved relatively soon). 1300mg/mL of magnesium. pH, of course, swings a bit at night but is holding relatively steady between 8.09 and 8.20. Last week I changed out the Rox carbon, bag of Purigen, and filter floss in my media basket. And as soon as I did that, the pH shot WAY up to like 8.45. It was alarming to say the least, to watch it rise from about 8.2 almost immediately after reinserting the media basket. Any thoughts about what in the world could have caused that spike?!? I rinsed everything off like I normally do in RO water. Same filter floss I've always used (actually cut off the same sheet). Same brand of carbon (BRS) but it was a freshly-opened container. I've gone through this same routine probably three other times and saw absolutely no change in pH whatsoever, as expected. Any thoughts at all about what might have caused the pH to spike??? Luckily the livestock didn't seem to care and I got it back down to around 8.25 by adding 8mL of distilled white vinegar to the top of the media basket and it's been fine ever since. Normally I wouldn't try to buffer the pH suddenly with a "supplement" but in this case I was really concerned about the incredibly sudden, dramatic spike caused somehow by changing the filter media and wanted to try and get it back down close to where it had been just as quickly as it had risen.

I did wait about ten minutes before dosing the vinegar to see if maybe physically moving the basket had dislodged a clump of precipitated kalkwasser powder that might have gotten somehow jammed up in the sump and then stuck to the bottom of the probe or something equally crazy, but the pH showed absolutely no signs of getting back to normal on its own! I realize that's exceptionally highly unlikely - if not entirely impossible - but didn't want to go screwing around with the water chemistry if it was really just a faulty measurement.

This is really the first minor cause for concern I've had yet, and what really bothers me is that I have absolutely no clue what I did while changing the filter media to impact the pH *at all*. Anything else you guys can think of that I might have overlooked??

 

[mystikal]

Guys what do you think about a Radion Xr30 gen 2 for $200? Good deal?

 

[Reduck]

It was probably the carbon. But I still would have waited it out a bit longer. Everything else was inert. Unless you set something on the countertop and there was a contaminant present.

I'm dealing with a light cloud in my tank today. I think I'll do a wc and add some fresh carbon too...might just do the carbon first..thinking coral warfare caused it.......
I'll note any ph swing to see if it trends the same and let you know later...

Thanks much for the update and offer! We just somewhat unexpectedly re-roofed the house, did a front brake job on my wife's car, and are heading to CLT next week for a few days to visit some of her friends. Oh, and there's that whole RODI thing I gotta solve. So I'm going to have to forego this round unfortunately.

Question for you guys on water chemistry. This is an odd one. All in all, everything is going great. Immeasurable nitrogen compounds & phosphates. 9.5dKH. About 375mg/mL of calcium (lower than ideal, but should be solved relatively soon). 1300mg/mL of magnesium. pH, of course, swings a bit at night but is holding relatively steady between 8.09 and 8.20. Last week I changed out the Rox carbon, bag of Purigen, and filter floss in my media basket. And as soon as I did that, the pH shot WAY up to like 8.45. It was alarming to say the least, to watch it rise from about 8.2 almost immediately after reinserting the media basket. Any thoughts about what in the world could have caused that spike?!? I rinsed everything off like I normally do in RO water. Same filter floss I've always used (actually cut off the same sheet). Same brand of carbon (BRS) but it was a freshly-opened container. I've gone through this same routine probably three other times and saw absolutely no change in pH whatsoever, as expected. Any thoughts at all about what might have caused the pH to spike??? Luckily the livestock didn't seem to care and I got it back down to around 8.25 by adding 8mL of distilled white vinegar to the top of the media basket and it's been fine ever since. Normally I wouldn't try to buffer the pH suddenly with a "supplement" but in this case I was really concerned about the incredibly sudden, dramatic spike caused somehow by changing the filter media and wanted to try and get it back down close to where it had been just as quickly as it had risen.

I did wait about ten minutes before dosing the vinegar to see if maybe physically moving the basket had dislodged a clump of precipitated kalkwasser powder that might have gotten somehow jammed up in the sump and then stuck to the bottom of the probe or something equally crazy, but the pH showed absolutely no signs of getting back to normal on its own! I realize that's exceptionally highly unlikely - if not entirely impossible - but didn't want to go screwing around with the water chemistry if it was really just a faulty measurement.

This is really the first minor cause for concern I've had yet, and what really bothers me is that I have absolutely no clue what I did while changing the filter media to impact the pH *at all*. Anything else you guys can think of that I might have overlooked??

 

[Reduck]

Yes, it is. Then order a G3 update kit from ecotech and upgrade it and you have the latest version for a lot less than new! You don't even have to send it in..just buy the kit and diy.
Or use it as is...still a great light at a great price.

Guys what do you think about a Radion Xr30 gen 2 for $200? Good deal?

 

[bizacon]

I would just wait it out and see. Could be the carbon, but I also get a little jump with PH when I do a wc. That is why I started cutting down on filtration, so I know what is causing what. My Ph has been steady, more importantly my tank looks good. Some reefers run their ph lower and others on the high end. I would just see how your tank looks and see the inhabitants response.

 

[Reduck]

Can't blame it on the carbon unless it was contaminated somehow....I saw not a point change in ph, orp, or conductivity after an hour of use...ok a point or two on orp but that's always changing depending on my mp program and flow..
I think the carbon already cleared the cloudiness...must have been the clam or hairy mushroom..

 

[Rtankster]

I finally got my tank wet! I used dry sand but got some live rock from a local reefer that was tearing their setup down. Would it still be good to seed my sandbed with a cup from an established tank or since I have the live rock is it unnecessary?