Pete's 110 build

[psteeleb]

Pete, tank is looking great. What bulbs are you running?

thanks

the lights are
12 Royal Blue Cree XRE LED's - DIY LED strip
UV - VHO Super Actinic (built in reflector)
UV - Actinic White 12k T5 w/ reflector
UV - 454n T5 w/ reflector
moonlight LED
UV - 454n T5 w/ reflector
UV- Actinic White 12k T5 w/ reflector
UV - VHO Super Actinic (built in reflector)
12 Royal Blue Cree XRE

on my next bulb change out I may change out the VHO's to a white LED strip or move the Actinc whites to where the VHOs are and add in some purples

 

[vthondaboi]

Hey Pete, this is Dien over at Mid-Cities. Nice build log you have going on here. When its time to replace bulbs check out the Indigo Sun instead of Actinic White if you don't switch them to LEDs.

 

[psteeleb]

Hey Pete, this is Dien over at Mid-Cities. Nice build log you have going on here. When its time to replace bulbs check out the Indigo Sun instead of Actinic White if you don't switch them to LEDs.

thanks Dien

and I'll have to check out those bulbs, do they help bring out the rdd colors? - thanks for the info

 

[psteeleb]

I just ordered a TLF inexpensive Kalc reactor
I am evaporating/dosing too much with my ATO. My Ph is hitting 8.6 at times and my ACANs are suffering for it. I'm going to set up something like I did with my 300 where I limit the dosing amout (probably to 2 gallons a day) and time the dosing to where it runs mainly at night. The ATO will supliment any more water I need for evaopration replacement durring the day light hours.

 

[drummereef]

I just ordered a TLF inexpensive Kalc reactor
I am evaporating/dosing too much with my ATO. My Ph is hitting 8.6 at times and my ACANs are suffering for it. I'm going to set up something like I did with my 300 where I limit the dosing amout (probably to 2 gallons a day) and time the dosing to where it runs mainly at night. The ATO will supliment any more water I need for evaopration replacement durring the day light hours.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Still not enough demand for the Ca Reactor?

 

[psteeleb]

Sounds like a good plan to me. Still not enough demand for the Ca Reactor?

There is probably enough of a demand now, it's just I haven't been home long enough to set it up and tune it in. It's a challenge running much less setting up reef tank when you're only home every other weekend.

I'll be off the whole week after Christmas so I will have time to get it running and to tweak it. I'm seriously considering only running it during the lights on cycle to see if it will keep up with the demands of the tank. My thought is to keep the tank feed on and to keep it circulating and tie in the low Ph off solenoid to a timer. This way I keep the Ca reactor running, but by cutting off the CO2 feed, Ph rises to tank norm and stops dosing the low Ph effluent while in the tank is in it's night cycle.

So:

Lights on = natural tank cycle increases Ph ---> I'll dose effluent from the CA reactor with a low Ph

Lights off = natural tank cycle to decrease Ph --->I'll dose Kalcwasser with a high Ph.

Time for a controller upgrade

 

[drummereef]

There is probably enough of a demand now, it's just I haven't been home long enough to set it up and tune it in. It's a challenge running much less setting up reef tank when you're only home every other weekend.

I'll be off the whole week after Christmas so I will have time to get it running and to tweak it. I'm seriously considering only running it during the lights on cycle to see if it will keep up with the demands of the tank. My thought is to keep the tank feed on and to keep it circulating and tie in the low Ph off solenoid to a timer. This way I keep the Ca reactor running, but by cutting off the CO2 feed, Ph rises to tank norm and stops dosing the low Ph effluent while in the tank is in it's night cycle.

So:

Lights on = natural tank cycle increases Ph ---> I'll dose effluent from the CA reactor with a low Ph

Lights off = natural tank cycle to decrease Ph --->I'll dose Kalcwasser with a high Ph.

Time for a controller upgrade

If that works it will be freakin' genius and basically fully automated, besides replacing media or mixing more kalk. Nice!!

 

[PurpleMonster]

Amazing! i cant belive how incredibly clear the water is... colors are so great! awesome work buddy

 

[psteeleb]

If that works it will be freakin' genius and basically fully automated, besides replacing media or mixing more kalk. Nice!!

Thanks Brett - I like the concept of using the alternate dosing methods to off set Ph swings and don't see why it wont work. I'll keep you posted on the progress but I wont get to it till after the holidays.

Parameters

No3 - undetectable
Po4 - undetectable

Ca - 480
Alk - 8.2 Dkh
Mg - 1350

I top off 2-3g of kalcwasser a day and dose 3/4 oz of 2 part and the readings have been dead on the past 3 weeks, so demand is still fairly low (compared to my 300g before I went to a Ca reactor, I was toping off with Kalc and dosing 16oz a day of 2 part)



I'm getting some algae blooms and with the heavy feeding I do for the LPS and zoas and thought I may get some trate buildup, so it's good to see that the natural filter feeders and bacteria levels are keeping up (so far). I'm going to bring my Mg levels up some and see if that helps with the algae’s, but I also think I need to add to me clean up crew.

I also just about convinced myself I want to add a wave box to help with water movement to keep the rock clean in all the hidden places.

I'm ready to update controllers and so far I'm leaning heavy to the Apex. I may even order one tonight so that it gets hear next week.

Happy holidays everyone

Amazing! i cant belive how incredibly clear the water is... colors are so great! awesome work buddy

thanks

 

[psteeleb]

I bit the bullet and bought the Apex today, hope it comes this week so I can get it set up before new years

The TLF Kalc reactor came in so I'll be testing it out for flow rates to determine timing and run cycles to dose Kalc only at night. I'll also be hooking up the Ca reactor and start it running this weekend so there will be several updates and pictures coming

 

[wireefman]

updated fts???? loving the progress so far

 

[psteeleb]

updated fts???? loving the progress so far

how about a FTV! (ful tank video) the tank could use a a cleaning but I'm working on installing the Kalc and Ca reactor today.

As you can see, things are still small but everything is very healthy (except my ACANs). Eventually I hope to have the face of the rock wall covered in LPS, ricordia and zoanithids with SPS on the top

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[psteeleb]

Here is a video of me flow testing the new TLF Kalcwasser reactor.
I had a concern as they recommend a 200-300gph pump and was thinking there is no way I want that much flow. But as part of the design the flow is significantly reduced to operate a small rotating sprinkler like device to stir up the Kalc powder and deliver about 5.5 gph of saturated kalcwasser

I'm running a 150 gph small pond pump and I'm getting about one gallon every 12 minutes or 5 gph. I have a timer that can program 8 on/offs a day in one-minute intervals so I'll run 8 dosings at 3 minutes each. This should give me right at 2 gallons of Kalcwasser a day and I'll let the ATO handle the balance of the 3-4 gallons I evaporate each day. I will probably start with some one and two-minute dosings and keep an eye out on my Ph to make sure I don't get to much Ph swing

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[wireefman]

wonderful videos, not being able sit and chat, the play by play comes in handy.. tank is looking good, everything seems very happy!!

 

[drummereef]

Great vids again Pete. The commentary is awesome. :thumbsup: I'll be watching closely how the Kalk reactor scheme pans out for you. Looks great.

 

[psteeleb]

wonderful videos, not being able sit and chat, the play by play comes in handy.. tank is looking good, everything seems very happy!!

thanks

Great vids again Pete. The commentary is awesome. :thumbsup: I'll be watching closely how the Kalk reactor scheme pans out for you. Looks great.

Thanks Brett

I got the Ca reactor up and running and found a very small leak in the bottom around the Uniseal. It was hardly worth dealing with but being away most of the time, I wanted nothing to chance, so I took it apart. I thought it might have been this small crack that I filled with superglue so I brought the whole unit to Marc's (Melev) place to have him take a look at it. I was planning on visiting Marc anyway as I wanted to see his new tank and fish room.

Marc put some acrylic glue on it but he thought it might be the Uniseal was wore out as the rubber was very tough and had some ridges in it where it needed to hold a seal. Anyway, after spending a couple hours talking about his new set up I headed home and remembered someone posting about refreshing rubber seals by heating them in the microwave in a glass of water, so I nuked it a couple times and sure enough it became more supple and is now holding (keeping fingers crossed)

Almost forgot; I also picked up a couple Maxima clams from a favorite local fish store in Marc's neck of the woods.

The Apex is schedule for a Wednesday delivery

 

[wireefman]

ya see ya go and tell us about purchases but then dont show pics......

 

[psteeleb]

ya see ya go and tell us about purchases but then dont show pics......

can't I catch a break here - they were aclimating durring my last post lol

here you go, they are just starting to open
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[syedjilani]

I love pulse xenia in your tank.....very beautiful.....

 

[Korrine]

Awesome tank! You made me fall in love with the sunset montipora! I'll have to read about those

Fantastic job