Pete's 210 build
- Thread starter P.Kelly
- Start date
P.Kelly
New member
Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it. It took even longer to write!
I admit, I've been slacking lately. Something about the MBA classes and the work right now is kicking my but. Oh yeah, and some jack@ss volunteered me for president of the local reef club (that would be me...)And then there is the "other" stuff I care not to post about.
I'll post more when I have time. Thanks for stopping by!
P.Kelly
New member
March 23, 2009 - Still no FTS
Spent some time cleaning the tank this weekend, but didn't quite get around to a FTS. I did take a few macros and I'll be posting them over the next few days. My color balance is a little off. The Expodisc is good, but not great.
Here are the few I had a chance to stick borders on already.
Spent some time cleaning the tank this weekend, but didn't quite get around to a FTS. I did take a few macros and I'll be posting them over the next few days. My color balance is a little off. The Expodisc is good, but not great.
Here are the few I had a chance to stick borders on already.
P.Kelly
New member
Hmm... Thought I posted those pictures much earlier today, but I came back to find a nice "bonk" screen starring back at me. Tried again, same thing. One last time and it took. I went and processed a few more pictures while waiting for RC to take my post, so, here are a few more:
sweet
P.Kelly
New member
Changing light bulbs
Earlier today my lighting was as follows:
Maristar 3x250 DE
- Helios 20K
- SLS Bluewave HQI ballasts
- 2x39w Giessman Aquablue+ in the front (looks like an ATI Aquablue special, or 12k/white)
- 2x39w Giessman Actinic in the rear
After I took the pictures, I swapped the front T5s for ATI actinics. I'll take some more pictures on Tuesday to see how that changes it.
Earlier today my lighting was as follows:
Maristar 3x250 DE
- Helios 20K
- SLS Bluewave HQI ballasts
- 2x39w Giessman Aquablue+ in the front (looks like an ATI Aquablue special, or 12k/white)
- 2x39w Giessman Actinic in the rear
After I took the pictures, I swapped the front T5s for ATI actinics. I'll take some more pictures on Tuesday to see how that changes it.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
How do you like the look of the Helios bulb Pete? I thought really hard about going with it, but opted out because I wanted something closer to a 15k bulb. Oh and where's the FTS?! 
P.Kelly
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14672922#post14672922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bladeruner143
How do you like the look of the Helios bulb Pete? I thought really hard about going with it, but opted out because I wanted something closer to a 15k bulb. Oh and where's the FTS?!
Love the Helios bulb. FTS requires cleaning the tank and getting my frag racks relocated off the front glass....
bladeruner143
Premium Member
I dread cleaning the glass on my tank, I could only imagine the amount of effort it would take to cleans yours!
JRaquatics
New member
Pete, how easy was the litermeter to calibrate to your system. Can you explain any drawbacks of using this way of dosing as compared to a calcium reactor? How much and what kind of supplements do you dose (alk, calcium and mag)?
I am really debating on getting rid of my calcium reactor for a litermeter setup.
I am really debating on getting rid of my calcium reactor for a litermeter setup.
P.Kelly
New member
JR, I'm not a Ca Rx user, so I can't compare. I imagine that they aren't as hard to use as the instructions make them (Ca Rx) out to be, but the LM III is a piece of cake. If you're manually dosing 2 part (you don't use the LM III for Mag as it falls out of suspension) then you just set the LM III to dose the same amount you're already dosing.
Calibrating the LM III is as simple as filling a container with water and pumping .5 liters out and then pressing a button to stop it. This tells the LM III that .5 liters has been pumped and what rate to pump at. Then you set the quantity to dose per day, in fractions of a liter (be careful on the conversion .02 = 20 ml, .2 = 200ml).
If you aren't already using 2 part, then you should do some reading on one of Randy H-F's articles for a base-line place to start. But, basically, it goes like this.
Do these steps independantly for Alk and Cal (I'll write it up for Alk)
Day 1: Dose x ml Soda Ash and test Alk
Day 2: Dose x ml Soda Ash and test Alk (record increase or decrease in Alk)
Day 3: Dose x ml Soda Ash and test Alk (record increase or decrease in Alk)
Day 4: Go to 2partcalculator.com and figure out the increase or decrease in dose based upon the increase or decrease in Alk, dose x (+/-) ml Soda Ash and test Alk (record increase or decrease in Alk)
repeat.
Within a week or two you should be pretty stable and then you can move to weekly testing.
I know that is overly abbreviated, but it really isn't that hard. You just make small adjustments every day. DO NOT try to make large shifts.
The only things that happens fast in reefing are bad!
JRaquatics
New member
Thanks Pete. So you use 2 part by bulk reef supply? I just got back home from an extended period of time away from the tank and found the influent valve on my reactor clogged again which shot my alk below 7 again in a month and prior to that my CO2 tank went out and caused a drop in alk. This has taken a toll on my tank and am looking for other alternatives other than manually 2 part dosing.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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