muttley000
MTS Sufferer!
Should work!
Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank
- Thread starter jason2459
- Start date
jason2459
Well-known member
I hope so and I hope to never need it!
My anemones are doing awesome. The mini max is even redder then when I got it but its in a crevice right now I can not get a good picture of. He's slowly moving around.
The bubble tips are still right where I put then and the reds gotten bigger or at least filling out more.
My anemones are doing awesome. The mini max is even redder then when I got it but its in a crevice right now I can not get a good picture of. He's slowly moving around.
The bubble tips are still right where I put then and the reds gotten bigger or at least filling out more.
jason2459
Well-known member
So, there's one more thing I've been wanting to get going again that I just haven't gotten to since setting up my 180 is some form of algae growth and harvesting. I used to have a hob refugium that I would light at opposite hours from the tank and just let whatever wanted to grow back there grow. Then I would periodically harvest stuff out of there.
Today I have spent way to much time looking at algae turf scrubbers that was making my head spin. I wish I had the time I used to have as a water fall type seems very easy to setup. But it took me about a year to just get a simple T adapter and turn on my ozone generator.
Basically I just want to be like PaulB and this is just one more thing that's on his tank that I really like. His setup uses an algae tough to grow algae but I don't have the length in my sump area he has on the back of his 100.
With my sump room now adjacent to our guest bedroom I need to be aware of noise and light leaking over threw the door which has slats on it for ventilation. So if I want to do the alternate light schedule again, which I want to do, I have to make sure what ever I do doesn't allow for light leakage into that room at night. So just tossing in some chaeto and lighting it up won't work so well. I also dont have room for that in my sump unless I take something out which I don't want to do.
My first chamber is my drain, probes, and filters which right now is my skimmer(ozone) and GAC, and where I pull water out for the AWC. Second biggest chamber separated by a baffle from the first chamber is the reversed under gravel filter covered in dolomite and then a bunch of rock covered in sponges, various worms, dusters, more and more pods and what ever else grows in the dark. This is also where I add my top off/kalk from ATO, vinegar, and new saltwater from AWC and a couple ehiem jager heaters. Then several baffles go to my return section with just the mag 1800 and several float switches and a pressure switch to check high low sump levels.
I looked for several ways to add in the algae harvesting with out disrupting what I have going already and not have any bleed over of light and the waterfall algae turf scrubber seems perfect. Now to just make one or get one made. I'm looking at getting one made as I 1) just don't want to think about it anymore as I already spent to much time on researching this 2) time or lack there of
I found one I really like due to being compact, able to fit on top of the sump not messing up what I've got going on, and made to have minimal bleeding of light. Plus it seems pretty efficient at growing algae.
https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/video-overview-of-the-turbo-hf-rev-3-algae-scrubber.384/
Its really not more then I just like algae and always have. I don't think a healthy tank or any body of water should be with out it. I like some in my display tank as well but it just doesn't always cooperate on where you want it to grow there. And it eventually dies out.
I would keep doing everything I'm doing now but I would cut back on the carbon dosing. I'm right around 100ml per day now and would cut that in half. I don't use gfo unless I have too and growing algae would just reduce that need even more.
Right now the GHA I had is basically brown goop now and receding and the cyano is dying off. I never did put my hands in the tank this time around to pull anything or blast anything away.
Here's some updated pictures of the die off.
The purple cyano is turning gray
Right side is pretty well cleared off with a few patches of cyano fading away too
The patch of cyano on the right side about to go away
Very top of right side with cyano about gone
Here's the left side which was the worse area where what's left is this brown goop
Basically, just have to have patience.
Today I have spent way to much time looking at algae turf scrubbers that was making my head spin. I wish I had the time I used to have as a water fall type seems very easy to setup. But it took me about a year to just get a simple T adapter and turn on my ozone generator.
Basically I just want to be like PaulB and this is just one more thing that's on his tank that I really like. His setup uses an algae tough to grow algae but I don't have the length in my sump area he has on the back of his 100.
With my sump room now adjacent to our guest bedroom I need to be aware of noise and light leaking over threw the door which has slats on it for ventilation. So if I want to do the alternate light schedule again, which I want to do, I have to make sure what ever I do doesn't allow for light leakage into that room at night. So just tossing in some chaeto and lighting it up won't work so well. I also dont have room for that in my sump unless I take something out which I don't want to do.
My first chamber is my drain, probes, and filters which right now is my skimmer(ozone) and GAC, and where I pull water out for the AWC. Second biggest chamber separated by a baffle from the first chamber is the reversed under gravel filter covered in dolomite and then a bunch of rock covered in sponges, various worms, dusters, more and more pods and what ever else grows in the dark. This is also where I add my top off/kalk from ATO, vinegar, and new saltwater from AWC and a couple ehiem jager heaters. Then several baffles go to my return section with just the mag 1800 and several float switches and a pressure switch to check high low sump levels.
I looked for several ways to add in the algae harvesting with out disrupting what I have going already and not have any bleed over of light and the waterfall algae turf scrubber seems perfect. Now to just make one or get one made. I'm looking at getting one made as I 1) just don't want to think about it anymore as I already spent to much time on researching this 2) time or lack there of
I found one I really like due to being compact, able to fit on top of the sump not messing up what I've got going on, and made to have minimal bleeding of light. Plus it seems pretty efficient at growing algae.
https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/video-overview-of-the-turbo-hf-rev-3-algae-scrubber.384/
Its really not more then I just like algae and always have. I don't think a healthy tank or any body of water should be with out it. I like some in my display tank as well but it just doesn't always cooperate on where you want it to grow there. And it eventually dies out.
I would keep doing everything I'm doing now but I would cut back on the carbon dosing. I'm right around 100ml per day now and would cut that in half. I don't use gfo unless I have too and growing algae would just reduce that need even more.
Right now the GHA I had is basically brown goop now and receding and the cyano is dying off. I never did put my hands in the tank this time around to pull anything or blast anything away.
Here's some updated pictures of the die off.
The purple cyano is turning gray
Right side is pretty well cleared off with a few patches of cyano fading away too
The patch of cyano on the right side about to go away
Very top of right side with cyano about gone
Here's the left side which was the worse area where what's left is this brown goop
Basically, just have to have patience.
jason2459
Well-known member
I got that huge float switch in and was insanely easy. Literally drop in and go. I will have to play with the level in the water the weight should go but I have it in a good high spot and will wait for it to reach the turn off point and then slowly lower it to get to the level I want.
Here's a pic if this very complex setup....
I just clipped on that weight and dropped it in. I have it higher then the picture as that was right after I did the hardest part of the install of clipping on that weight and dropping it in the water. The second hardest part was plugging it in and the stenner pump piggyback off that.
After I get it to the right level I'll mark off the point on the wire where it needs to be on the edge of the extremely expensive and lab grade mixing vessel.
Though it looks like its about due for a cleaning as I haven't touched it since I think 2009. That's most likely residue from back when I had used reef crystals. I use basic IO now which seems rather clean and clear as can be seen there.
That other thing down on the bottom is the weighted strainer that came with the stenner pump and there's another one just like that in my sump pulling water out of there.
Here's a pic if this very complex setup....
I just clipped on that weight and dropped it in. I have it higher then the picture as that was right after I did the hardest part of the install of clipping on that weight and dropping it in the water. The second hardest part was plugging it in and the stenner pump piggyback off that.
After I get it to the right level I'll mark off the point on the wire where it needs to be on the edge of the extremely expensive and lab grade mixing vessel.
Though it looks like its about due for a cleaning as I haven't touched it since I think 2009. That's most likely residue from back when I had used reef crystals. I use basic IO now which seems rather clean and clear as can be seen there.
That other thing down on the bottom is the weighted strainer that came with the stenner pump and there's another one just like that in my sump pulling water out of there.
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Aquarist007
New member
What are the levels of nitrates and phosphates in your system? That will dictate the method you use
jason2459
Well-known member
Nitrates last I checked with an API kit, which was a couple weeks ago, were somewhere between 0-5. Phosphates via hanna ulns egg checker just recently were .06.
If I cut my carbon dosing in half both of those will raise up particularly the phosphates. That's where I'd like to start harvesting some algae.
jason2459
Well-known member
That was in 2008 and we lost everything we owned. We didn't get any notice or warning as we weren't even in a flood zone and the flood water level senors/gauges on the river started failing and the last reading they had was only for a few more inches per hour of water height raising. The river didn't get that memo and decided to start rising at feet per hour pace. Took out our basement and foundation walls.
I had quite a few pictures of my rebuild of that 55g I had but looks like reefcentral doesn't like t i ny pic urls anymore and replaces that with ****** so many of my old pictures are no longer working. It was a really cool stand and canopy I sanded back down and stained.
I'm currently recovering from a different disaster now on my 180. It was going great on cruise control and growing out for a couple years when some cleaning supplies used on my basement walls caused a massive die off of all my inverts that weren't buried under the sand and a few fish deaths most likely due to spike in ammonia. That was a few months ago and sparked my interests in posting back on here again which I kind of got away from doing as well as I really had no updates on my tank besides really basic maintenance.
jason2459
Well-known member
Also, I've been messing around with my setup while I'm at it like getting a new skimmer I hope to be more stable and setting up an automatic water change system. Looking to start harvesting some algae again soon like I had done on my 55g. Plus I have a bunch of stuff going through QT and about ready to hit the tank soon so will have more pictures and updates to come.
Aquarist007
New member
Skimmer can do a better job at removing phosphates and or running some Rowaphos for a few days
jason2459
Well-known member
GFO products are definitely very effective but just not something I want to run all the time. Right now my levels are good enough for me and not concerned with them. I took the gfo offline about a month ago I think? I was up to just one 1.0 after the die off. Before that crash I was always around .04-.06 so it's not like I have to do anything different and probably shouldn't but why not.
jason2459
Well-known member
Oh and skimmer wise
The new skimmer is doing awesome and so far very consistent with out any overflowing yet.
After about 4 days worth I'm getting just about a cup a day. Each of those lines is 1 cup and that's just over 4 cups of nice dark thick skimmate and about to clean it out.
The new skimmer is doing awesome and so far very consistent with out any overflowing yet.
After about 4 days worth I'm getting just about a cup a day. Each of those lines is 1 cup and that's just over 4 cups of nice dark thick skimmate and about to clean it out.
jason2459
Well-known member
And here's the first round coming out if QT.
I've never had chromis of any kind before and thought they would be fun to watch. I have 7 of them.
I love my bubble tips. They are either getting bigger or just inflating more. The green one still goes into hiding periodically not sure why but he hasn't moved and I'm not going to try to move him if he doesn't want to. The red is out all the time. I still feed them some krill, mysis, or clams a couple times a week.
I've never had chromis of any kind before and thought they would be fun to watch. I have 7 of them.
I love my bubble tips. They are either getting bigger or just inflating more. The green one still goes into hiding periodically not sure why but he hasn't moved and I'm not going to try to move him if he doesn't want to. The red is out all the time. I still feed them some krill, mysis, or clams a couple times a week.
Aquarist007
New member
You don't run gfo all the time. If you do the phosphates it absorbs will eventually difuse back into your tank when the media becomes saturated and the level in the tank decreases.
If my phosphates rise above .03 then I run a very small amt of it for three days and then take the reactor off line.
Carbon dosing will take care of the nitrates, a little gfo and a good skimmer will take care of the phosphates.
No need for algae scrubbers and macro algae etc.
You are pulling out some nasty skimmate there.
jason2459
Well-known member
Well, I just realized my internal overflow and back glass is almost completely clean. A few small patches on the overflow and small patch on the right bottom but that's about it. I was really hopping for it to stay on the overflow.
I think I can blame the gyre for that every time it changes direction to blast along the back of the tank. And would make since the bottom right the opposite end still has a little left as the flow gets weaker by that 6' mark and is sweeping forward already. The box overflow as well as most of the current channels I under it.
I think I can blame the gyre for that every time it changes direction to blast along the back of the tank. And would make since the bottom right the opposite end still has a little left as the flow gets weaker by that 6' mark and is sweeping forward already. The box overflow as well as most of the current channels I under it.
jason2459
Well-known member
And here goes that largest patch of cyano thats in the middle of the tank on a rock bridge.
Starting to rip apart
And this is now in my tank.
I just hope he survives all the handling. He's been acclimated, dipped, and observed. He's got some nice polyps I'll have get some pictures when they come back out. He does not like being moved.
Starting to rip apart
And this is now in my tank.
I just hope he survives all the handling. He's been acclimated, dipped, and observed. He's got some nice polyps I'll have get some pictures when they come back out. He does not like being moved.
jason2459
Well-known member
I love this skimmer. One day and one cup later. Foaming machine.
And cyano is gone off that bridge for the most part and much of the rest of the rock is clearing off as well. Coming along
One rock completely cleared off now
Even the worse side is looking a ton better. That's a huge sponge growth on the left front side of the rock
And cyano is gone off that bridge for the most part and much of the rest of the rock is clearing off as well. Coming along
One rock completely cleared off now
Even the worse side is looking a ton better. That's a huge sponge growth on the left front side of the rock
jason2459
Well-known member
Here's some of that large sponge growth.
And some new additions. The one spot fox face and a yellow eye kole tang. I exchanged the sailfin in and picked up the kole tang. The sailfin would have gotten huge and most likely a bit more aggressive down the line then I'd like. My yellow belly blue tang is going to get big enough as it is. Then my favorite tang of the bunch is a bit passive the pyroferus mimic lemon peel. He just glides around ignoring everyone. The yellow belly annoys everyone as he darts around waiting for them to poop and eats it. Its rather gross but he just never stops eating.
The kole has been hiding. But hasn't been attacked at all by either of the tangs. He's just hanging out in the rocks and the back right now. Crappy picture but the best I could get right now.
Foxface seems to be right at home and as soon as the other fish saw him flicking his spines they left him alone.
And some new additions. The one spot fox face and a yellow eye kole tang. I exchanged the sailfin in and picked up the kole tang. The sailfin would have gotten huge and most likely a bit more aggressive down the line then I'd like. My yellow belly blue tang is going to get big enough as it is. Then my favorite tang of the bunch is a bit passive the pyroferus mimic lemon peel. He just glides around ignoring everyone. The yellow belly annoys everyone as he darts around waiting for them to poop and eats it. Its rather gross but he just never stops eating.
The kole has been hiding. But hasn't been attacked at all by either of the tangs. He's just hanging out in the rocks and the back right now. Crappy picture but the best I could get right now.
Foxface seems to be right at home and as soon as the other fish saw him flicking his spines they left him alone.
jason2459
Well-known member
I love foxfaces. I really miss my magnificent. They will eat anything.
Also really like this guy a lot. He's been slowly changing colors. Or more like just getting slightly darker. He was bright yellow when I first got him and has probably doubled in size. His fins have this really nice hue to them that matches the front of his face and some nice black highlights on his face now. I don't think I've given him enough picture loven in the past. He's is very calm and peaceful. Just glides around slowly in his own world.
Also really like this guy a lot. He's been slowly changing colors. Or more like just getting slightly darker. He was bright yellow when I first got him and has probably doubled in size. His fins have this really nice hue to them that matches the front of his face and some nice black highlights on his face now. I don't think I've given him enough picture loven in the past. He's is very calm and peaceful. Just glides around slowly in his own world.
