Starting 90g Reef Tank Build... Finally!!!

[Tswifty]

I would recommend posting the unit you are looking at before you purchase it for reviews.

I also belive DE bulbs cannot be run without glass shields.

Here is the site:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm

 

[OwNeD162]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13003972#post13003972 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
I would rethink the glass tops btw... as that can inhibit oxygen exchange.

Does it really affect it that greatly??? :eek2:
I'll be running a sump, with fuge, trickle filter and skimmer... I'll have a Tunze Wavemaker, and i'll be aiming for lots of surface agitation...
I would just be worried about huge evap issues if i ran without the lids... I guess if i had to I would just setup an ATO...
Do you think I should plan to not have the lids on?

 

[OwNeD162]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004076#post13004076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
I would recommend posting the unit you are looking at before you purchase it for reviews.

I also belive DE bulbs cannot be run without glass shields.

Here is the sight:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm

Thanks for the link, i'll check that out as soon as I get home, leaving work now !

I will most definitely post the unit b4 purchasing, definitely want to get the clubhouse seal of approval...
The unit i'm looking at has the glass sheilds ...

 

[D to the P]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004026#post13004026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Haha... After going to the fish store with her, her little bro wants to set up a nano with shrimp... I keep advising her against it though, because they travel so much.

She has a name on here, but never posts... just checks in on my thread from time to time. :lol:

Yeah traveling would definitely put some strain on that fish tank. Especially because it's smaller and if they go away for a few days parameters could fluctuate (especially salinity).

Well it's good to hear that something Laura picked out has made it this long. Maybe the curse is over. I hope I didn't jinx anything there :worried:

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004077#post13004077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OwNeD162
Does it really affect it that greatly??? :eek2:
I'll be running a sump, with fuge, trickle filter and skimmer... I'll have a Tunze Wavemaker, and i'll be aiming for lots of surface agitation...
I would just be worried about huge evap issues if i ran without the lids... I guess if i had to I would just setup an ATO...
Do you think I should plan to not have the lids on?

There is no reason to worry about evaporation - it is nature's way of cooling off a system. The glass traps heat, and blocks light. I've not used glass tops in 9 or 10 years.

 

[OwNeD162]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004209#post13004209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
There is no reason to worry about evaporation - it is nature's way of cooling off a system. The glass traps heat, and blocks light. I've not used glass tops in 9 or 10 years.

Im thinking i'm going to run this system without the glass lids on now ...
I'll just have to add an ATO to my budget, lol...

 

[kar93]

If you're worried about evaporation then ATO is the way to go IMO. As said, the glass will be a pain. However if you do want a "cover" on the tank then maybe go with a mesh one. These won't stop evaporation but they will stop jumpers. Tunze ATO's are cool. They have lasers .

 

[OwNeD162]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004573#post13004573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
If you're worried about evaporation then ATO is the way to go IMO. As said, the glass will be a pain. However if you do want a "cover" on the tank then maybe go with a mesh one. These won't stop evaporation but they will stop jumpers. Tunze ATO's are cool. They have lasers .

I just checked out the Tunze ATO and I think that will be the way I go... A bit on the expensive side, but worth it for the overall automation, and reliability of the system ...

 

[kudora]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13004077#post13004077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OwNeD162
Does it really affect it that greatly??? :eek2:
I'll be running a sump, with fuge, trickle filter and skimmer... I'll have a Tunze Wavemaker, and i'll be aiming for lots of surface agitation...
I would just be worried about huge evap issues if i ran without the lids... I guess if i had to I would just setup an ATO...
Do you think I should plan to not have the lids on?

i took off half of my lids on the front part of the tank with the compact lights and saw a 2 degree drop in temp, i needed the back top to hold the lights, i installed the t5s the other day and took the rest of the lids off, my heater was comming on for the first time in who knows how long at night to keep it at 78 lol now my tank goes from 78.8 to 79.6 with attinics then up to 80.2 with all 4 t5s on.

 

[SCIFI_3D_zoo]

Everything is calibrated properly. It's just that swingarms are totally unreliable. A lot of pH kits are totally unreliable. I did it again last night and that Red Sea pH keeps saying 8.1. It's not, it's 7.67. Salifert is not perfect either.. I have "heard" their ALK test is not accurate. pH, salinity, ALK, these are not things that can be just a "little" off. 8.1 to 7.7 pH. 1.025- 1.029 salinity. THis is killing stuff in my tank b/c of these crappy kits. The Salifert comes with a ALK calibration fluid too. I think the moral of the story here is... buy a Refractometer, Pinpoint pH kit, and everything else you can get calibration fluids to verify their accuracy. Otherwise, don't trust these kits. I also heard that in general most kits or all don't do pH very well.

 

[kudora]

when i got my refractometer my salinity was 1.026, but my swing arm was saying 1.024. i had read they were usually off by .002 so i kept it on the low side. i am glad i didnt rely on the swing arm for salinity it would have been 1.028 or higher

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13005902#post13005902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCIFI_3D_zoo
buy a Refractometer, Pinpoint pH kit, and everything else you can get calibration fluids to verify their accuracy.

Yep. :thumbsup:

 

[Tswifty]

Well had a power outage for 4-5 hours this morning... I'm guessing the cat stepped on the powerstrip.

So I'll be mounting those on the wall today.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13005902#post13005902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCIFI_3D_zoo
Everything is calibrated properly. It's just that swingarms are totally unreliable.

I don't think anyone will debate the fact that hydrometers are notoriously innacurate.

Purchasing a refractometer, and actually calibrating the refractometer with calibration fluid is the way to go. Otherwise you're just getting ballpark readings... if even that close.

 

[kudora]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13006319#post13006319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Well had a power outage for 4-5 hours this morning... I'm guessing the cat stepped on the powerstrip.

So I'll be mounting those on the wall today.

Thats the 3rd or 4th time i had heard of that happening to someone on these boards.

that reminds me, we had a bad Tstorm last night, i heard my UPS go off at 6 am.
i picked up a couple from a friend a couple of weeks ago that didnt want them since he needed a huge one for his server. i had them charging with out any equipment, going to do a test soon to see how long it will power a K3.

 

[kar93]

Here is a little discussion, if you're interested.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1434668

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13005902#post13005902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCIFI_3D_zoo
Everything is calibrated properly. It's just that swingarms are totally unreliable. A lot of pH kits are totally unreliable. I did it again last night and that Red Sea pH keeps saying 8.1. It's not, it's 7.67. Salifert is not perfect either.. I have "heard" their ALK test is not accurate. pH, salinity, ALK, these are not things that can be just a "little" off. 8.1 to 7.7 pH. 1.025- 1.029 salinity. THis is killing stuff in my tank b/c of these crappy kits. The Salifert comes with a ALK calibration fluid too. I think the moral of the story here is... buy a Refractometer, Pinpoint pH kit, and everything else you can get calibration fluids to verify their accuracy. Otherwise, don't trust these kits. I also heard that in general most kits or all don't do pH very well.

All I'll say is that I have used API & Salifert and have had no issues.

If you are having issues and losing livestock, perhaps you should post the link to your build thread, and solicit some advice/opinions from some experienced reefers.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13006385#post13006385 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kudora
Thats the 3rd or 4th time i had heard of that happening to someone on these boards.

that reminds me, we had a bad Tstorm last night, i heard my UPS go off at 6 am.
i picked up a couple from a friend a couple of weeks ago that didnt want them since he needed a huge one for his server. i had them charging with out any equipment, going to do a test soon to see how long it will power a K3.

Yeah up to this morning I've never seen him venture back there, but once is enough for me to fix it.

I may also put some type of barricade or gate across the back so he can't get back there anymore.

One good thing is that my return pump and powerheads are split on different powerstrips. So even though the cat killed the return pump, 2 of the powerheads stayed on.

 

[SCIFI_3D_zoo]

But how do you know? I mean it wasn't until I started messing with SPS that I even thought about verifying these kits. My Fiji leather is a little sensitive... he lets me know when something ain't right.. and it's been in there for a year. Not to mention all the other softies, polys, LPS. There was no indication that my API, Red Sea kits, and swingarm were OFF. Those API bottles have no EXP. date on them either.

The only way you'll know is if you use some sorta calibration on your kit. I'm doing that tonight with my ALK... even Salifert's kit. And I'm gonna see if there's cal's for Ca, Mg, too. I have pH, Salnity, and Alk cal fluids.

 

[Tswifty]

Honestly I just don't dig into it that much SCIFI.

...and I haven't had any reason too, I keep primarily SPS in my tank, and everything has been doing great thus far.