quiksilver
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Definitely! Come by any time.
Quiksilver's Ultimate 29g Tank Thread
- Thread starter quiksilver
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Definitely! Come by any time.
chrismunn
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i just cant believe you were able to get all that caulerpa out of there! i had some in my last tank and couldnt get rid of it. i finally just built a refugium and moved what was growing in the display, into the fuge. after that it stopped growing in the display, but i would grow about as much as you had in your tank, in about 3 weeks in my refugium. i would always prune out the parts that lookes like they were about to start getting clear, as that is a sign of asexual reproduction, and the plant will release spores into the water column that will settle and grow everywhere!
you really did a great job at removing all that you could! but i bet no matter what you do, you will always see some return from time to time. ive heard from so many people why caulerpa isnt a good cantidate for the refugium despite its export properties. what i saw in this thread really displayed that warning to its fullest potential! keep us updated on the reoccurances of the caulerpa if it does come back. ide like to hear somebodys first hand account with the eradication of caulerpa after a full out reproductive takover! what happend in your tank was amazing! im sorry it happend to you, cuz it sucks i know, but its truley astonishing just how quikly it dominated over everything in the tank, spreading from the sump, all the way up to the display!
but in spite of that disaaster, all the corals in your recent pics look great! i really like how that monti is spreading right over the snail shell like that! it'd be pretty funny if the snail was still in there!
you really did a great job at removing all that you could! but i bet no matter what you do, you will always see some return from time to time. ive heard from so many people why caulerpa isnt a good cantidate for the refugium despite its export properties. what i saw in this thread really displayed that warning to its fullest potential! keep us updated on the reoccurances of the caulerpa if it does come back. ide like to hear somebodys first hand account with the eradication of caulerpa after a full out reproductive takover! what happend in your tank was amazing! im sorry it happend to you, cuz it sucks i know, but its truley astonishing just how quikly it dominated over everything in the tank, spreading from the sump, all the way up to the display!
but in spite of that disaaster, all the corals in your recent pics look great! i really like how that monti is spreading right over the snail shell like that! it'd be pretty funny if the snail was still in there!
quiksilver
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Hehe thanks!
Yeah, it will always be coming back if I don't cook the rock since the roots are in there. I pluck out a little caulerpa everyday for about 10 minutes and that pretty much takes care of it.
I'm on the lookout for another baby hippo tang to get the rest of it so I can stop worrying about it. Needless to say I will never use grape caulerpa in a fuge ever again.
very cool build thread, final product looks great. question about the 29g tank. Do you notice any slight bowing in the front and back pain towards the top. I have a 29g and I noticed that it bowed maybe 1/8 of an inch on the front and the back. It is noticable by eye. Please let me know.
quiksilver
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Thanks!
I looked forever all over my tank and can't see any bowing even in the slightest. Your tank acrylic?
Thanks! LOL you are right about Marc
Eklikewhoa
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One sweet build!
quiksilver
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Thanks so much
More DIY coming up guys guaranteed. Ordered a ton of crud that I need last week and I expect it will all come in tomorrow and the next day. So get ready for tons more pictures.
quiksilver
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Delivery 1 of 5 came
It was from Champion Lighting via UPS and was well packed and arrived 2 days early.
I ordered a Magnavore Simplicity Chemical Reactor, a new pump sponge prefilter, 1 gallon of ESV Granular Activated Carbon, and a Lifeguard Big Digital Thermometer w/ Temp Alert.
The thermometer will replace my old small one so I can see it from across the room. I also had a terrible suspicion that my old one (5 years old) was lying. I was right and have been running my tank 3 degrees or so colder than I wanted to... UGH! Time to crank the heater.
It was from Champion Lighting via UPS and was well packed and arrived 2 days early.
I ordered a Magnavore Simplicity Chemical Reactor, a new pump sponge prefilter, 1 gallon of ESV Granular Activated Carbon, and a Lifeguard Big Digital Thermometer w/ Temp Alert.
The thermometer will replace my old small one so I can see it from across the room. I also had a terrible suspicion that my old one (5 years old) was lying. I was right and have been running my tank 3 degrees or so colder than I wanted to... UGH! Time to crank the heater.
quiksilver
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The Chemical Reactor is SOOO cool. It is so easy to use. You just remove one side, fill it with any media you want to run, put it together, add a pump and put it in your sump.
The chamber comes off the base and is identical on both sides so you can just remove it and flip it over.
Both sides have a grate to allow water to easily pass through the media.
You attach a pump to the base via a 1/2" hose. The base has suction cups on the bottom and has a quick release for the chamber.
I added about 2 cups of carbon to the chamber.
I then rinsed the carbon residue with about 2 gallons of RO/DI water that I just poured in the reactor until dust stopped coming out.
Once the water coming out was clear, it was ready for use.
The chamber comes off the base and is identical on both sides so you can just remove it and flip it over.
Both sides have a grate to allow water to easily pass through the media.
You attach a pump to the base via a 1/2" hose. The base has suction cups on the bottom and has a quick release for the chamber.
I added about 2 cups of carbon to the chamber.
I then rinsed the carbon residue with about 2 gallons of RO/DI water that I just poured in the reactor until dust stopped coming out.
Once the water coming out was clear, it was ready for use.
quiksilver
New member
I put the reactor in the skimmer section of my sump. In this picture you can see the water pouring slowly out of the top grate as it's running. My Ebo Jager 150w heater had to be relocated to the return section to make room for the reactor.
For the reactors inlet, I used a Maxi Jet 1200, which I was worried at first would be too strong. I figured I would have to use a ball valve to tone it down a bit as the reactor is rated for about 100 gallons in Mode 1 the way I have it set up. However, the hole for the inlet of the reactor is very tiny and restricted flow making the 1200's output perfect for the use. If I were you and using a smaller pump, I would probably drill out the inlet hole on the reactor a bit as it is very restricting.
Here you can see that I placed the Maxi Jet just in front of the skimmer output to push skimmed water into the carbon.
For the reactors inlet, I used a Maxi Jet 1200, which I was worried at first would be too strong. I figured I would have to use a ball valve to tone it down a bit as the reactor is rated for about 100 gallons in Mode 1 the way I have it set up. However, the hole for the inlet of the reactor is very tiny and restricted flow making the 1200's output perfect for the use. If I were you and using a smaller pump, I would probably drill out the inlet hole on the reactor a bit as it is very restricting.
Here you can see that I placed the Maxi Jet just in front of the skimmer output to push skimmed water into the carbon.
quiksilver
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The only disappointment of this delivery was the prefilter sponge. It was open on both sides and therefore I used an all plastic clip to close one end. This would force all water to get filtered before entering the pump.
It ended up that it was such a pain to try and make it work on the Mag7 return that I just scratched the idea. The intention was to try and keep future macro algae from getting to the display. Guess I just need a tang like I used to have to eat the pieces as they pass through the display.
Now I'm not so patiently awaiting shipment two which has livestock WOOT!
It ended up that it was such a pain to try and make it work on the Mag7 return that I just scratched the idea. The intention was to try and keep future macro algae from getting to the display. Guess I just need a tang like I used to have to eat the pieces as they pass through the display.
Now I'm not so patiently awaiting shipment two which has livestock
WOOT!
bklynmet
New member
The thermometer will replace my old small one so I can see it from across the room. I also had a terrible suspicion that my old one (5 years old) was lying. I was right and have been running my tank 3 degrees or so colder than I wanted to... UGH! Time to crank the heater.
I just found out the other day that mine started reading 84 deg - four degrees higher than actual temp - verified by two independent themometers! After 2+ years I guess it's time for a new one!
quiksilver
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You can run basically any kind of media. That's the beauty of it. Phosphate sponges, carbon, anything.
quiksilver
New member
Yeah MODE 1 and MODE 2... The directions are not the best but it says "MODE1 - fluidizes up to 8 oz. of media at flow rates up to 100GPH. MODE2 - up-flows up to 16 oz. of media at flow rates up to 500GPH." Then it goes on to state that the reactor is self-regulating and fluidization characteristics are dependent on flow rate and media type.
So basically if you have denser or more fine material you need more flow. And if you have more than 8oz. of material in the reactor at the time you need more flow. It's job is to just continually provide bypass free chemical filtration through a big range of flow rates.
It can even be partially exposed or fully submerged and work equally well. But the only catch I can find is it has to be right-side up (can't work sideways, which answers your question you asked me on the phone Marc).
The best part is you don't have to clean the little screens out when they get clogged with media debris. You just flip the chamber over and it restores the flow rate!
This thing is awesome.
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