Pete's 110 build

[drummereef]

Forgot to add...

Along with eliminating the needle valve I am using the small valve included with the reactor on the effluent tubing, valved down slightly to put a small amount of back pressure on the reactor. I'm running about 50-60ml/minute on the effluent at this point. Hope all that makes sense... I have noticed that all internal bubbling has gone away by setting the reactor up this way.

 

[psteeleb]

Hey Pete, thank you so much for the information!! Sorry I've been out of pocket for the last couple days but I'm back now. So it's obvious now that these reactors are to be run with some level of internal pressure to avoid excess bubbling inside the chamber. I still have the reactor plumbed to my manifold but have removed the needle valve to pinpoint where the vacuum is coming from.

With that said, if you remember my manifold design, I have a recirc/bleed valve at the end of my manifold - that dumps back into the sump. I typically keep it half open. Would this be enough of a bleed as to avoid over pressurizing the reactor? That and I'm using 1/4" tubing as the feed-size tubing anyway - with the valve to the manifold half open at this point. Thoughts? Just don't want to over pressurize the thing, but I have a feeling considering the internal bubbling I'm not even close...

Forgot to add...

Along with eliminating the needle valve I am using the small valve included with the reactor on the effluent tubing, valved down slightly to put a small amount of back pressure on the reactor. I'm running about 50-60ml/minute on the effluent at this point. Hope all that makes sense... I have noticed that all internal bubbling has gone away by setting the reactor up this way.

Did you find the vacuum leak yet? and yes without some backpressure (assuming it's not the needle valve) and with the C02 off you could likely pull in air from the suction side of the recirc; be it at the pumps seal, piping or bulkhead as any where in the configuration would see a negative or below atmospheric pressure.

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Despite the backorder on the APEX stuff, I did get a new pump in that I plan to use on my CaRx. I currently run a MJ but will be changing it out for a small Scicec pump. It will be my first experience with this brand so I hope it works out well (no leaks and quiet).

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I was at one of my local reef tank stores last Friday in hopes a stand I ordered for my 29 (soon to be 37gallon tank "“ new build log) was in. It wasn't, but I did talk to a guy (the stand manufacturer/supplier) that was there introducing a new skimmer. I forgot the name but I'll be back there and repost later this week. The skimmers were small footprint, DC motors, slide gates and appeared to be a high quality build and the nicest thing about them was price. I expect this new brand will take off assuming they can market the product and meet initial demand. The company making the new skimmer is a local supplier but I don't know if they make them local or farm the manufacturing out.

 

[drummereef]

Did you find the vacuum leak yet? and yes without some backpressure (assuming it's not the needle valve) and with the C02 off you could likely pull in air from the suction side of the recirc; be it at the pumps seal, piping or bulkhead as any where in the configuration would see a negative or below atmospheric pressure.

I never specifically found it, but I did however find with lowering the feed significantly and using the small ball valve on the effluent I can get a consistent rate of flow without creating a vacuum (and not have excessive pressure inside the reactor). I've got one of those little needle pinch valves on order as I've heard they do a better job at fine-control on the effluent. Those little ball valves are kind of "sticky" so it's hard to really dial in a specific flow rate. I think I'm pretty close though, just some dialing in to do over the next couple days/weeks to get it right and I'll get'r there.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23076&catid=662

 

[awais98]

Pete, Im enjoying your build thoroughly, what a beautiful way to do things. Still havent finished reading through all the 49 pages, but its absolutely amazing.
Im loving it. I aspire to get close to your tank if I ever can.

 

[Taqpol]

I was at one of my local reef tank stores last Friday in hopes a stand I ordered for my 29 (soon to be 37gallon tank "“ new build log) was in. It wasn't, but I did talk to a guy (the stand manufacturer/supplier) that was there introducing a new skimmer. I forgot the name but I'll be back there and repost later this week. The skimmers were small footprint, DC motors, slide gates and appeared to be a high quality build and the nicest thing about them was price. I expect this new brand will take off assuming they can market the product and meet initial demand. The company making the new skimmer is a local supplier but I don't know if they make them local or farm the manufacturing out.

Can you give us any more information on these skimmers? If I end up downgrading I definitely won't need my beast of a skimmer anymore and I was trying to look into more DC pumps.

 

[drummereef]

Can you give us any more information on these skimmers? If I end up downgrading I definitely won't need my beast of a skimmer anymore and I was trying to look into more DC pumps.

ALEX!!! Good to see you back man. :dance:

 

[psteeleb]

I never specifically found it, but I did however find with lowering the feed significantly and using the small ball valve on the effluent I can get a consistent rate of flow without creating a vacuum (and not have excessive pressure inside the reactor). I've got one of those little needle pinch valves on order as I've heard they do a better job at fine-control on the effluent. Those little ball valves are kind of "sticky" so it's hard to really dial in a specific flow rate. I think I'm pretty close though, just some dialing in to do over the next couple days/weeks to get it right and I'll get'r there.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23076&catid=662

thank for the link Brett - I'll have to order a couple of them - the little needle valve that came with the reactor isn't that breat and more a pain then a fine control valve

Pete, Im enjoying your build thoroughly, what a beautiful way to do things. Still havent finished reading through all the 49 pages, but its absolutely amazing.
Im loving it. I aspire to get close to your tank if I ever can.

thanks for the kind words - I love you Avatar :lol:

Can you give us any more information on these skimmers? If I end up downgrading I definitely won't need my beast of a skimmer anymore and I was trying to look into more DC pumps.

great to hear fomr you Alex, next time I'm there I'll get some more information
or maybe I can find an email address and see if they have anything out on them yet

 

[psteeleb]

I did pick up the stand I ordered for my 37 gallon so expect to see a new build log soon

I still have APEX parts on back order so the dimmer control waits

 

[Brother D]

Needs me some more videos of your tank. Can't get enough...

 

[drummereef]

I did pick up the stand I ordered for my 37 gallon so expect to see a new build log soon

I still have APEX parts on back order so the dimmer control waits

Hooray! Can't wait to see what you come up with in the new build. Neptune has been weird with parts lately. I ordered a couple things from them and it was all on back order as well. I received the last of my stuff this week but it took a few weeks to make it happen.

 

[psteeleb]

Needs me some more videos of your tank. Can't get enough...

thanks - I'll be taking a bunch of new videos once I get these last two lighting mods taken care of I'll clean up the tank including pruning of some dead and over grown corals that are just hard to get to unless I have the canopy completly off.

Hooray! Can't wait to see what you come up with in the new build. Neptune has been weird with parts lately. I ordered a couple things from them and it was all on back order as well. I received the last of my stuff this week but it took a few weeks to make it happen.

Thanks Brett, it's a ice stand with lots of room for the tank size. The floor is not elevated giving more vertical space. It also has a full canopy that is hinged and alos has room to spare (at least for now)

I'll be using my old RK2 (at least for now)
I plan on going with a glass holes overflow but need to check the 37g for tempered glass, if it is tempered I'm not sure what I'll do as I don't like the converntional overflows but may have to go with one.

I also plan on running all the main electrical first then plumb it.

Not sure on sump yet, it may be a tank or a tuperware type

 

[psteeleb]

still waiting on parts for the manual over ride light dimming mod

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but here are a few pictures of some corals

this tenuis broke a small branch while I was cleaning the glass - within a hour it had 3 small polyps - I'm sure they were remnants of other polyps but still amazing

another of the tenuis

other coral pics from last night
rainbow stylo

pearlberry

pearlberry and birdsnest

strawberry tabling acro

kryptonite candy cane

undata - that was almost a gonner from bio pellets

with exception to may Tort all corals are looking better from the last light update. The tort has STN'd on about half the colony,it's on the side that is exposed to the light change out (more whites) so I think it was weakened by the lights being gone for about a month then cooked from the higher intensity lights installed.

 

[aquaph8]

Really nice Pete, that pearlberry looks huge.

 

[psteeleb]

Really nice Pete, that pearlberry looks huge.

thanks Brett

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I picked up a Montpora Setosa frag yesterday (pictures later)
Could anyone with experience with the coral give me some feedback on placement relative to light requirements and flow? If it has lower light requirements or if intolerant to intense light I need to know.

 

[drummereef]

Awesome Pete. All I get when I accidentally break off a piece of coral is algae that covers the broken part. LOL. You are a reefing master.

 

[psteeleb]

thanks Brett


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just put my name in for 2 of the Jeabo WP40's, not sure what I'm going to do with them yet but couldn't resist the group buy price

 

[psteeleb]

Since adding more white LED's I've been getting a huge increase in nuisance algae in the display where it the past it was confined to the sump were I run 5500k lights. I lowered the intensity to 60% and will monitor for a couple days. I’ll probably also end up reducing the light schedule on the white spectrum LED’s.

 

[aileen]

How do u feed the shrimp? I've read they eat baby starfish

 

[SushiGirl]

Since adding more white LED's I've been getting a huge increase in nuisance algae in the display where it the past it was confined to the sump were I run 5500k lights. I lowered the intensity to 60% and will monitor for a couple days. I'll probably also end up reducing the light schedule on the white spectrum LED's.

We had the same issue with our 20L. We just turned the whites down but left the same schedule & it cleared up pretty quickly. Too bad now we have bubble algae LOL.

 

[psteeleb]

How do u feed the shrimp? I've read they eat baby starfish

They get fed a 3" choc chip star about once a week
I tried the cut off the leg and re-grow routine but you would need about 20 starfish to keep up with the appetite these guys have. They are probably the single most expensive maintenance cost of the tank.