Steps to BB?

[King-Kong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10294424#post10294424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
Just an update, I cut the starboard today, and routed the edge on the bottom against the glass at 45 degrees. So here it is, should I calk the edges? and the seems? Since there are braces on the tank I can't have one solid piece. So I have to cut it, should I caulk those seems where I cut it? Just caulk around the edges or both? If both how does water get under there? or does it? If it does will it become toxic due to no flow?

Also, Kong I know that you posted this either in this thread or another one. Do you still think you need a CL with those Vortech's? Just a spray bar across the bottom or something to give a steady stream across the board to keep anything from collecting?

That's a tricky one on the caulk..

First, I would be sure that the overall length and width of your boards is less than the measured with and length of the silicone running a long the edge of the glass. If your board is resting on this, it will inconsistantly raise it, and that will allow detritus to get underneath it. I went overkill, and set mine in 1.5" from the edge of the tank, and then threw in the bevel.

I didnt silicone it down, though, cause I couldnt (fish were still in it!), but I do not believe that it would be necessary. But, to be honest, I dont know. My only concern with the silicone is it slightly raising the board off of the bottom. If the silicone isnt close to the edge of the board, then youll def. get detritus under it then.

Bomber has said that the tiny gap created between the boards laying on the glass is so ridiculously thin, hes not concerned with whatever may get trapped there.

Now, as to the CL; After my latest redesign, I have used my return line to hit the mounds of poo that form. Most of these mounds are behind the rock work (which is still very open), and the only poop that settles there is Astrea poop (very very dense). What I would do is setup your 'techs, give yourself good open rock space, and then leave your return such that you could come back later and insert a spray bar. Otherwise, just try using longer runs of pipe to get your return down to the bottom and aim at those poo piles.

If you look at my full tank shot ( http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/a11-full-tank.jpg ) you can see my return line coming right down the middle. Before I positioned it that way, I had two piles of poo. One of the left side of the overflow, and one on the right side. Placing that ONE return nozzle aiming almost perfectly straight down was enough to blast both piles. Now, I dont have any piles, anywhere. If it hadnt worked in getting rid of both, I would have run a Y fitting at the end, and pointed one return to the right, and one to the left.

 

[King-Kong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10294618#post10294618 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
Also, since this is a DIY stand do I need to use styrofoam under the tank to distribute the weight more? or is just trim that comes on the tank OK? Its almost level all the way across, but it dips ever so slightly in the middle. The edges are flush though. Any thoughts?

I dont trust my wood working ability to make a stand, so I cant help . They make me nervous since theyre so important, and for that reason I probably would look to stand the rest of the stand down so everything was flush.

 

[hurleycr]

have been away at work for the past freakin month. So I havn't been able to do much with the system. Since I'm off the rest of the week though I'm planning on getting it finished, at least moved into the house. I will need to dip and scrub the rocks again, once I get home. Not looking forward to that, but they should be really clean by now. I have some pictures of the stand in my gallery and my now useless canopy that was built for my other tank. I will be finishing the canopy Sun. And plan to move the tank in house monday or tuesday. Lots of work to be done this week. so look for updates.

Kong, hows that skimmer going for ya? I think i'm leaning toward a beckett I just started a thread to get more information about it. But i'm going big, i'm tired of messing with skimmer none stop. This time getting a really large one and tune it down if I have too....

 

[King-Kong]

So far, it seems to still be true that I am just not giving it enough dirty water. The problem is, I need to basically remove 1/2 of my fish, if I want to be able to fit 20+ without serious aggression issues.

Ill give you an example; the other day I fed PE mysis. As usual I rinsed it very thoroughly. Turn off return pump, and feed. Wait a few minutes for all pieces to be eaten, then turn on return pump.

Skimmer loses head due to all the oils. 3 hours later, the head was still gone, and it was slowly trying to build itself back up. Also at that time, it had been a week since I had cleaned the glass, and I had a slight film of diatoms so I cleaned it. Almost instantly, the skimmer had a head forming again that was brown from the diatoms, and within 20 minutes had pulled all of those diatoms out of the water and created a proper foam of head again.

So, the skimmer really just needs dirtier water to maintain it's head, otherwise, im getting little skimmate, but an incredibly dirty neck/top. After 24-48 hours I get very thick mud collected on both.

edit: and I feed 2-3x a day, and each serving is enough to stuff each fish until they cant eat anymore!

 

[Aqua Keepers]

Not sure if you can do this with the BM, but would it helped if you skimmed a bit dryer?

 

[King-Kong]

no.. all i would would be an extremely dirty neck and no skimmate.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

COULD YOU JUST RUN ONE PUMP?

 

[King-Kong]

I tried that, but the water level drops waaaaaaaay too much.. even w/ the outlet virtually closed! The bubble popping level is incredibly low with just 1.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

Ok, I'm just curious. Besides adding more fish and feeding more is there anything you can do? Maybe feed corals pappone with or without sugar?

 

[King-Kong]

yeah.. if i didnt want to add fish, i'd have to find an alternative nitrogen source, and the truth is, I dont know anything about these different methods.

It may be worth examining them, though, since I am having a lot of difficulty in finding a good combo of 20+ fish.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

I would look into pappone or giveing me your skimmer.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

I think leo over at TRT feeds pappone.

 

[King-Kong]

haha... sure, here it is!

edit to add: yeah.. he runs pappone... great color/growth on his stags, too.

 

[hurleycr]

Ok its been a long week of DIY heaven, and I have been taking picture after picture.

The stand is done and in the house that was no easy chore let me tell you. Ripping the door and frame out was no fun task. Wifey got a new door out of it though.

Everything is coming together, the canopy gets its first coat of varnish tom. and I will continue that through the weekend. Until Sunday where I will poly coat it and then i'm done. Just have to order the doors and all will be well.

However, I'm def. in the mix of the skimmers on the market. I have decided that this skimmer will be external and will not consider anything else for multiple reasons.

So I have decided that I am more than likely going to go with a massive huge way overkill beckett. I do like the Barr Aquatics, however I like the new MRC's better. Most for looks, but also it seems andy keeps re-inventing the wheel to make it smoother and nicer with each round.

The only thing holding me back is I might have to add another 250 MH. IF I do then no beckett, that will just be to much electricity. I have decided that I will get the beckett if I can keep my electric bill even with what it is now. I just won't know until I get the lights installed and over the tank.

The new Reef-flo looks good, but I really don't know about going with something that new that is 1500 dollars. In the NW market I can get a BK250 for close to that. I know those are tried and tested and people have a great opinion of them almost everywhere. However I don't like that is close to 2 G's.

For less money I can get the new MRC MR-3R dual stack, and be able to process tons and tons of water. Also for less money. Once again as I have seen it is tried and true. I have been communicating with andy and he seems to think for what i'm wanting to do it will be great.

Any other top notch skimmers out there.....I'm not crazy about the HandS skimmers. There is something I just don't like about them.

 

[hurleycr]

also, i have been adding pictures to my gallery take a look. Its mostly of the stand and canopy. I'm going to start a build thread soon and will post all of them. I will link this thread to that one when I do. You guys have been a great help and would like for you to continue to follow the thread once I start getting water back in it.

I've already been looking at fish. I think I'm going to go with lots and lots of fish. I've always wanted tons of em and was always afraid of destroying the sand bed.

BTW, the rocks look freakin great!!!! No die off at all now... nothing but clean good smell'n water and rock.....

 

[King-Kong]

With such a huge skimmer, and BB, you HAVE to go tons of fish. Otherwise, you'll need to supplement nitrogen demands with something else, so begin finding lots of schools.

Im going through the same thing (even started a thread about it):
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1168899

Right now, Im looking to do ~6 Dispars, ~10 threadfin cardinals, and ~5 chalk bass, ontop of my 2 chromis, tang, and wrasses (getting rid of my Bartlett Anthias, and 2 clowns).

 

[hurleycr]

why getting rid of anthia's..... i've always liked them. Compatibility?

Yeah its not going to be easy to come up with that many fish that get along well.

I'm def, going to have two to three tangs, and the ton of chromis, after that I just don't know yet.

 

[uhuru]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10422937#post10422937 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
I'm not crazy about the HandS skimmers. There is something I just don't like about them.

H&S skimmers are nice, you can feed the external models directly from your overflow like you planned to do with the MRC.

 

[uhuru]

I'd rather have this problem than not enough nutrient export!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10424217#post10424217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by King-Kong
With such a huge skimmer, and BB, you HAVE to go tons of fish. Otherwise, you'll need to supplement nitrogen demands with something else, so begin finding lots of schools.

Im going through the same thing (even started a thread about it):
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1168899

Right now, Im looking to do ~6 Dispars, ~10 threadfin cardinals, and ~5 chalk bass, ontop of my 2 chromis, tang, and wrasses (getting rid of my Bartlett Anthias, and 2 clowns).

 

[King-Kong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10424860#post10424860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
why getting rid of anthia's..... i've always liked them. Compatibility?

Yeah its not going to be easy to come up with that many fish that get along well.

I'm def, going to have two to three tangs, and the ton of chromis, after that I just don't know yet.

My Bartlett's attack other fish in the tank. Theyre too aggressive, so I am replacing them with more passive anthias: Dispars.

Also, I would reconsider the chromis. Not because of aggression, but because they have a poor track record of long term survivability. Youll find a lot of posts about people having their schools dwindle down over time. Mine did. All I have now is a pair (who still fight, and have for almost 2 years).

Just try to find a few really beautiful and large show piece fish, then fill them in with large groups of supplenting species for bioload. I dont have the room for large fish in my 90g, so my showpiece is my purple tang, and 2 fairy wrasses. The other fish will be mostly for the bioload.