RocketEngineer
Space is big.
I hope you learned something. For that alone it was time well spent.
RocketEngineer's 75g/125g Setup
- Thread starter RocketEngineer
- Start date
I hope you learned something. For that alone it was time well spent.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
Thanks. I hope all the details taught you something even if it was what NOT to do.
I have had several folks say the dog has Pit in her but I don't see it. One of the neighbors growing up bred pits so I know what they look like. Mine doesn't have the wide head like they did and all the lab/pit mixes I have seen are much shorter and stockier than mine. Doesn't matter in the end, she loves everybody and especially those that feed her.
The skimmer is working great. I especially like the smoked cone. I don't have to worry about algae in my skimmer like I did with my last one.
I emptied the cup earlier this week and had to clean the swabbie at the same time. With my old skimmer I would get a buildup of sludge in the neck and once this happened my skimmate production would drop. With the swabbie I had a cup full of dark tea colored skimmate while the neck itself was fairly clean. However, the wiper on the swabbie was caked with sludge. It seems to be doing a good job of keeping the neck clean. I just have to keep an eye on it and clean it more often.
In the end I think the swabbie helps keep the skimmer functioning consistently over time compared to not having it. Without it the neck would collect sludge and the skimmer would remove less over time. Since I prefer to let my tank go on autopilot it helps my setup. If you are more consistent with your maintenance it may not add much. Its up to you in the end.
Going with LEDs has definitely made certain corals pop. The only issue I have with it so far is the blue overwhelms the whites. If I would do it again I would have had fewer blues and more whites. For now I just use the dimming kit to get the color I want.
When you get a minute could you post the dimensions of the baffles. I am trying to build a 40g sump as well but it's difficult to get the right dimensions for the baffles. Also, do you use 1/4" glass or the 3/8" glass from Lowes will do?
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
The skimmer section is 10" wide. Because the skimmer is recirculating I got away with that section being 11" tall but you will have to adjust yours based on the skimmer you are using. There is 3/4" between the baffles in the bubble trap with the outlet baffle at 10" tall to give me enough drop. The refugium section is 15" wide and the baffle is 12" tall.
I used 1/4" glass both times I have done it. The first time I bought glass from a local glass shop but the second time around I cut the pieces myself from two tanks I got with the 125g and dismantled. I ended up with more bad pieces than good but it didn't cost me much beyond the $3 for a glass cutter.
The box stores around here don't carry 1/4" glass. If all they carry is 1/8" then you may have to look elsewhere as 1/8" glass just isn't strong enough for what we are doing with it. Using a 40B as a sump you don't need to go to 3/8" as the 1/4" glass is plenty strong enough for baffles.
Good Luck.
I used 1/4" glass both times I have done it. The first time I bought glass from a local glass shop but the second time around I cut the pieces myself from two tanks I got with the 125g and dismantled. I ended up with more bad pieces than good but it didn't cost me much beyond the $3 for a glass cutter.
The box stores around here don't carry 1/4" glass. If all they carry is 1/8" then you may have to look elsewhere as 1/8" glass just isn't strong enough for what we are doing with it. Using a 40B as a sump you don't need to go to 3/8" as the 1/4" glass is plenty strong enough for baffles.
Good Luck.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
That'ts pretty much what I did. Mine were about the same price. I got RTV 108 from McMaster-Carr for my latest one. It took less than one tube but well worth the $9.50 price as it's a high quality silicone.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
The reason I haven't posted anything recently is I came home from a trip to my parents house back in April only to find most of my corals damaged. Since then I have lost numerous frags and damaged many others. I think the LEDs burned them with too much light. I can't think of anything else that would do it. I have since turned the lights almost all the way down and am just letting things go. But I was able to snap some interesting pics over the last few weeks.
A while ago I spotted my serpent star in front of the rocks.
Earlier this week I came home to find one of the clowns in the overflow. Considering there is less water going over the lip as the fish is wide, I don't get how it got in there.
And last night I hear a thud behind me, turning around I find the cat on top of the tank.
It's definitely NOT where I want the cat.
I'm of two minds about the tank at the moment. First, the damage to the corals is very disheartening. Some of the frags I lost were one's I was lucky to get pieces of. I also damaged my big brain coral which I have had for several years. However, there are some corals that are still doing all right (the birds nest is going crazy) and the anemone is doing just fine. Add to that the reduction in hair algae overall and the tank itself is looking good. If only I can get the corals back into shape, the tank would look all right. For now it's a case of letting everything recover. Time will tell.
A while ago I spotted my serpent star in front of the rocks.
Earlier this week I came home to find one of the clowns in the overflow. Considering there is less water going over the lip as the fish is wide, I don't get how it got in there.
And last night I hear a thud behind me, turning around I find the cat on top of the tank.
It's definitely NOT where I want the cat.
I'm of two minds about the tank at the moment. First, the damage to the corals is very disheartening. Some of the frags I lost were one's I was lucky to get pieces of. I also damaged my big brain coral which I have had for several years. However, there are some corals that are still doing all right (the birds nest is going crazy) and the anemone is doing just fine. Add to that the reduction in hair algae overall and the tank itself is looking good. If only I can get the corals back into shape, the tank would look all right. For now it's a case of letting everything recover. Time will tell.
footballdude2k3
Active member
Sorry to hear about the corals, I was able to get moved and have a 125 cycling right now. I think that you are correct about the lights, if the anem and SPS is doing well and LPS was damaged, that seems to fit.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
Thanks. Just remember not to repeat my mistakes. While the scientific method is good for verifying results, wasting money repeating my mistakes will just cost you money.
Good to hear about the move. I lost several SPS and damaged several LPS. The anemone and birds nest are the two that don't seem to care.
I have cut back on feeding recently to try to get ahead of the hair algae problem. I fed last night and noticed my hammer is out a little more today than it had been. Certain LPS did fade out. Most of the lower ones just pulled back. I think getting back into a schedule will be key.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
I'm at a loss. The coraline algae is going nuts. The anemone is doing fine as far as I can tell. Yet every coral is showing signs of stress. The birdsnest corals are peeling off, the LPS are all pulled back in except for the torch.
Salinity :1.025 sg
Mg: 1320 (Working on this)ppm
Ca: 360 ppm
Alk: 9.0 dKH
Temp: ~78F
LEDs: Blue ~25% White ~50%
HELP! What am I missing?
Salinity :1.025 sg
Mg: 1320 (Working on this)ppm
Ca: 360 ppm
Alk: 9.0 dKH
Temp: ~78F
LEDs: Blue ~25% White ~50%
HELP! What am I missing?
dcantrall100
New member
Are your led at full power?
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
Not by a long shot. Even at their highest, they were never past about 75% White and 50% blue.
biecacka
Active member
2 things that could be culprit, double check your alk, I lost some LPS and couldn't figure out why. All my test looked ok, took a water sample to my local store my alk was 17!!!! OUCH
Maybe raise your calcium a little bit to 420 or so.
Sorry to hear of your losses but I'm sure you will figure it out buddy
Corey
Maybe raise your calcium a little bit to 420 or so.
Sorry to hear of your losses but I'm sure you will figure it out buddy
Corey
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
2 things that could be culprit, double check your alk, I lost some LPS and couldn't figure out why. All my test looked ok, took a water sample to my local store my alk was 17!!!! OUCH
Maybe raise your calcium a little bit to 420 or so.
Sorry to hear of your losses but I'm sure you will figure it out buddy
Corey
I use a Salifert test kit. I don't think it will be off by that much especially while still in date.
