Ryan's 300 Gallon Starfire Journal

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15712555#post15712555 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by roktsintst
So, do you think with the tank circulating for a week, it is too soon to move all my coral and fish from the other tank??? I would really hate to rush it, but i really need to move that stuff out of the other house!!!

I was thinking of it as a 50% waterchange and adding some new rock and sand because i took most of it from the other house.

What do you guys think???

Just make sure you're not having any kind of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate issue in the new tank... and I think you'll be safe in starting to move your fish and coral...

When I was moving into my new tank, I had to do the transfer in one day! (The old tanks and equipment were sold and needed to be moved out). I did the same with water - transferred from old tank into new, plus added new saltwater to the mix.

I didn't lose any coral and the only fish I lost was a purple firefish that got caught under some LR...

Jump in there! Looking forward to pictures of the move!

LL

 

[roktsintst]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15714358#post15714358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eagleONE
I think I would do it in parts. I know that's a pain to do, especially how you're traveling between houses.... but for me, that would allow me to test things out.

Speaking of tests....test your water and pull up some numbers. Have you thought about using probiotics to help seed the tank?

Looks good though!

-Jay

edit: Just saw your adding start2... I'd add the bak along with it.

Thanks Jay. I have thought of that, but i determined that it would stress the old system out too much if i take out any more rock. I am going to move a couple of frags over today that arn't a big deal if i lose (duplicates). And i thought of testing the water w/ new fish. But, I dont want to add any fish to the tank that arn't on my "list" and all the ones on my list need QT and are $$$$ (Tinkeri, Conspic, Black Tang). I ran out of Bak last week so i ordered anotehr that will be here tomorrow. I'll get some test results today. Oh and i ddin't have an ammonia test kit so that will be here tomorrow as well...

 

[roktsintst]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15715084#post15715084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lightsluvr
Just make sure you're not having any kind of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate issue in the new tank... and I think you'll be safe in starting to move your fish and coral...

When I was moving into my new tank, I had to do the transfer in one day! (The old tanks and equipment were sold and needed to be moved out). I did the same with water - transferred from old tank into new, plus added new saltwater to the mix.

I didn't lose any coral and the only fish I lost was a purple firefish that got caught under some LR...

Jump in there! Looking forward to pictures of the move!

LL

That is Exactly where my head is at. As long as i have no nitirite/ammonia, i think im gonna go for it. Im also gonna have a 100 gallon water change ready to go if i need it. Like i said, im cool w/ a smaller cycle, i just dont want a "crash" cycle. I've also talked w/ some other people i really trust, and most of them are ok with it..... I'll keep you posted...

Keep your thoughts commin!!!

 

[roktsintst]

So, i now that the lights and pumps are running, i've gotten a feel for how the room temp is goign to be. I hooked up the Chiller to see the temp and it was at 83 this mornign, now 9pm, it is at 85!!!! Im not really happy. I thought the vent fan woudl do much more for the room.. I did buy a 12000 btu AC Unit from costco for the room. When i used teh chiller to chill, it ended up putting more heat in the room than cooling the tank. Im gonna try to use teh AC unit as a room cooler to always keep the room at 74 and use that to cool the water.

What idea's do you have for keeping the room cool and the tank cool???

 

[bullitr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15719996#post15719996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by roktsintst
So, i now that the lights and pumps are running, i've gotten a feel for how the room temp is goign to be. I hooked up the Chiller to see the temp and it was at 83 this mornign, now 9pm, it is at 85!!!! Im not really happy. I thought the vent fan woudl do much more for the room.. I did buy a 12000 btu AC Unit from costco for the room. When i used teh chiller to chill, it ended up putting more heat in the room than cooling the tank. Im gonna try to use teh AC unit as a room cooler to always keep the room at 74 and use that to cool the water.

What idea's do you have for keeping the room cool and the tank cool???

hopefully it work
i run my light at night for 5.5 hours each 1 hour apart .
unfortunately mine is in-wall so i can't run a a/c unit underneath
so good luck my room temp is always 78 -82 during this hot summer
i run a fan underneath the sump and my temp runs 81 to 83 with no problem
here is a old picture

 

[Dejavu]

Ryan,

I recently setup my 270. I use prodibio and still havn't gone though any cycle. The PO4 went from .18ppm to .02 in 10 days after I started dosing. I would wait a few week before adding corals, but I think probiotics seed will help.

 

[roktsintst]

Thanks. I added some sps yesterday. I just threw some in the tank and they are still looking good with good polyp extention!

 

[roktsintst]

I had it planned out but then it didn't work like i thought it would.

Anyway, after talking to some friends, (and thinking about it some more) I realized that my vent fan isn't working right. I was doing the math and the Vent fan pulls 110 cfm. The room is 650 cfm so every 6 minutes it should change all the air. But my room is air tight! I didn't put any way for new air to get in the room! So tomorrow im gonna trim 1" off the bottom of my door and see what kind of differnce that makes.

Also, there is a house AC vent inthe room. When the house AC goes on, the room cools down within 5 minutes. So i was looking at power consumption. The 12000 BTU portable AC unit i just bought uses 1550 watts. My ac compressor is only 350 watts! So i was tryi9ng to figure out a way to make the two work together.

Through some internet searching, i found a wireless dual stage thermostat. So, i think im gonna try to use that and have my house ac cool the room. My house will stay cooler and it uses way less wattage. The other problem it that the vent fan will then constantly pull all teh cool air and put it outside... So im gonna install a dehumistat to regulate when the 110 cfm vent fan runs...

What do you guys think????

 

[JagerEinheit]

should be fine, do consider moving the chiller outside of the room though if possible. a chiller works just like an A/C unit, so all that heat its creating (to make the water cold) has to be dumped out. in a small room like that it will not help.

glad to hear your house A/C can keep up. cheaper solutions that are effective are always a plus.

 

[roktsintst]

Well ive got a bunch of smaller things done the last few days. I got the rock built and epoxied for the most part and im very happy with the way it came out.

My water is now good. Friday, the nitrite was 1 or 2 and the ammonium was .25. Satruday to now, they are all at zero which is good. The move is now scheduled for Saturday, so be sure to stay tuned for pictures....

I got the net for the wrasses built, but im not totally happy with it. I made 2 4' sections for easy removal. But with the wavy sea, i tried to leave a gap in one of the screens and it just doesn't work the way i thought it would. So im gonna make a very small permanent one that stays under the wavy sea and then two others taht are removable.

I got the manifold done as well.

My biggest challenge so has been cooling and humidity control. So, here is my current plan. The portable AC i bought was 1550 watts and should be here tomrrow. my house AC ( which cools the room in just a few minutes!) is only 350 watts.

So, im getting a wireless dual zone thermostat for my house. The wireless extra zone thermostat will be in the fish room and turn on my house AC to keep the fish tank room cool. Now it will also cool my house but it will use a far less amount of electricity.

However... my vent fan will remove all of the air in the room in 6 minutes, so if i just keep taking the cooled air out, my ac will never turn off. So, i'll put the vent fan on a dehumistat to only run when the humidity is high!

I put a house fan in the room and it really helped move the air and keep the room more cool. I found an 11000 cfm wall mount fan @>100 watts for $60! I'll mount that on teh wall and have that circulate air.

I was also considering getting a 1/2hp chiller to help keep the temp down. Well right now i have a 1/4hp chiller. I did the math and it would take like 3 years of saved electrical cost to make up for the added expense of the new chiller, so i'll just run teh 1/4 hp and have it run longer to keep the tank cool. Im also going to put it outside in an enclosure that is drilled w/ holes and a 4" fan to keep the chiller from overheating...

I know its a lot!

Please let me know if you have any input for my plan!

 

[bullitr]

i run my fan directly on the sump for almost 18-22 hours a day using a controller neptune apex (the fans is only 32 watts) compared to 695 watts JBJ 1/3 hp artica chiller that can runs up to 2 hours
and i keep the window open @ noc when temps are down
also i run the metal halide during the noc for 5.5 hours each with hour interval X 4. with my house thermostat temp @ 80-82 and my chiller have not run for 2 weeks now.only downside my evaporation is about 5 gallons still cheap!
and just like you i can't wait till fall and winter!

 

[mpoletti]

Ryan, I know you already have the 1/4 hp, but I will be upgrading to a 1/2 hp tradewinds next summer if the tank is still running then. The 1/4 can not keep up with the demands during the warmer days when the lights are off. I know you have more water volume than me, but I just thought I should let you know. A new chiller is $800, the loss of corals would be a little more than that.

 

[roktsintst]

haha That is quite similar to my plan. Im just gonna use that HUGE fan to circulate the air.

what temp do you keep your tank?

I want to get my tank to 74-75 if possible...


Also, because of the enclosed room, im not sure what it is gonna be like in the winter. Those 400 watters put of a rediculous amount of heat! I think im only gonna run 2 at a time because i still get good coverage, and im only gonna run them 5.5 hours a day as well...

 

[roktsintst]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15741623#post15741623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mpoletti
Ryan, I know you already have the 1/4 hp, but I will be upgrading to a 1/2 hp tradewinds next summer if the tank is still running then. The 1/4 can not keep up with the demands during the warmer days when the lights are off. I know you have more water volume than me, but I just thought I should let you know. A new chiller is $800, the loss of corals would be a little more than that.

Hmmm... That is what i was wondering about... It is worth it to have the 1/4hp run twice as long and not spend the cash on a new chiller, but it the 1/4 hp can't keep up, then that wont work. I am thinking that im trying to do too many things before i know what works and what doesn't. So, i think i'll plumb the wall w/ 1" in and out and just run the 1/4hp until next years heat wave ( unless it can't even keep up with that!)

Mark, what temp do you keep your tank at?

 

[mpoletti]

I've plumbed mine in with 1" and when its towards the the end of the light cycle, the temp actually goes up even though the chiller is running.
I shoot for 78 during the winter and during the summer months, I run my tank around 81.

 

[roktsintst]

Thanks Mark.

I may have to give up the idea of an interruptus. I would really like to get my temp down so i can keep some neat deepwater fish...

 

[mpoletti]

I decided against them as well. That and the fact that they get so big. I also went away from a bandit pair as well.

 

[roktsintst]

Did you forgoe the bandits because of the cooler temp requirements?

I also want ot keep a pair of Tinkeri's...

 

[mpoletti]

That and the fact that I was not completely sold on any more damage to the tank caused by angels. The centropyge do enough as a pair.

 

[roktsintst]

Here are a couple current FTS's...

Right Side