Tigebell's Build

2017 update :beer:

The display has water slightly lower then the overflow and the maxspect gyres working. I don't quite need water in the sump since I am still waiting on my Vectra return pump that UPS has weather delays. As of yesterday, the pump was in Reno, NV.

I added a few shelves in the sump area. The sump area has a shelf for the reactors. The right side of the stand have shelves for the dosing pump, containers, and test kits.

Everything is coming along and I have to get to the mixing station today or tomorrow. So, how does it look? :D
 

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FoothillCorals said:
Nice. Very clean. I see three dosing containers is the third for Mag or...?
Click to expand...

Yes, the alk, calc, and mag will be dosed from the containers. If other supplements are needed for dosing, then those will probably come from bottles in which they were shipped in. I will also have additional pumps available just in case one goes out. with this build, I am not taking a chance without having a back up to the primary. My last build, I got frustrated because I couldn't get the backup stuff for that "just in case" moment.

Overkill... Yes
Preventive planning... Yes

Okay, I don't want to get caught off guard again. ;)
 
Man you have a lot of gear in the sump! Did you build those shelves? I put a plastic drawer in mine. But then again, mine is a more rudimentary system then yours.

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Yes, my friend had some left over 3/4" melamine board that i cut and screwed the supports into the cabinet.

I am thinking of redoing my shelf that my reactors sit on. It is only sitting on eggcrate and the reactors are not as stable as I like. Might hit Taps Plastic and get some 3/4" starboard that will server as the shelf. Cost looks to be around $25. hummmmmm
 
Vectra is installed, water is flowing, heaters are on, and I am not adding salt yet. Will probably run the tank without salt for a day just to make sure the plumbing isn't going to leak but as of right now, no leaks. The Vectra pump is very quiet but I also have the pump on the first LED light and the flow seems to be good. I can't wait to add salt tomorrow and start the cycle. Today is a great day :D
 
Looks great. I pulled the trigger on a reefer myself and am trying to plan out the controller area. You setup looks nice with the shelves. I haven't seen that yet.
 
Diamond Jack said:
Looks great. I pulled the trigger on a reefer myself and am trying to plan out the controller area. You setup looks nice with the shelves. I haven't seen that yet.
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Thank you. there are three shelves 6 inches apart. The top two shelves are attached to the stand while the bottom shelf can be removed if needed. I didn't want to attach the bottom shelf because I wasn't sure what else I would be adding into the cabinet that I would need space for. Right now, my test kits are there but I think I will be moving them into a plastic storage container and storing them in the garage where my mixing station is. But for now, we will see what happens.
 
The cycle has started. The skimmer was a PITA to get broken in because of the JB Waterweld that was used to join the rocks. At this time, I have cycle progressing. I went to Your Reef and dug into the rock sumps that John has and got the oldest live rubble that he had and added that rubble to one of the filter socks. The shimp that was added helped get the ammonia to .5 and backed off to 0 where it is today. I added another shrimp last night in hopes to raise the ammonia back up a little but again, the original shrimp is still there. The Nitrites are at .25 and haven't dropped yet while Nitrate is still at zero and hasn't moved up. The cycling has been very very fast and I can confirm that Microbacter 7 does help with cycling the tank.

The next step for the tank would be to order some copepods and Phyto from AlgaeBarn and wait a few days before adding a small clean up crew of cleaner shrimp, snails, emerald crabs, and/or urchin (not entire sure I will be doing the urchin anytime soon but it is an option).
 
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The cycle is coming along good with nitrate still reporting at 0 with the API test kit. I think I can see a slight change in color with the test but it could be a hope that it is changing ;). I will be gearing up for a 25 gallon water change this weekend and having it ready for that day that the cycle is completed.
 
Tank is still coming along. Ammonia is .5 ppm and nitrites are 2 ppm. Nitrates are at 50 ppm. I just stopped dosing Microbacter7 (MB7) today.

My issue that I think I found was the bottle of MB7 went bad on me 5 days ago. After I removed the second raw shrimp (1/19/17), my ammonia spiked to 1 ppm and didn't lower. Yesterday, I was thinking where my ammonia source was and wasn't sure why ammonia was still high. Then I had an idea that the MB7 was bad. I grabbed the second bottle that I have and dosed that into the tank last night. Low and behold my ammonia dropped to .25 to .5 in a 24 hour period and my nitrates from 5 ppm to 2 ppm. So I believe that my dosing of MB7 was my source of ammonia (dead or dying bacteria) and the reason why the cycle stayed consistent without a change during the last week.
 
Ammonia is showing zero and nitrates are finally dropping. I ordered 5280 Copepod pack and OceanMagik from AlgaeBarn today to start with part of the clean up crew. Looking to do a water change Wednesday or Thursday and then the copepods go into the tank. thngs are going well right now.
 
TigeBell said:
Ammonia is showing zero and nitrates are finally dropping. I ordered 5280 Copepod pack and OceanMagik from AlgaeBarn today to start with part of the clean up crew. Looking to do a water change Wednesday or Thursday and then the copepods go into the tank. thngs are going well right now.
Click to expand...

I ordered two of those 5280 copepod packs after New Year's and I think they were either dead or nowhere near the amount stated. Let me know your thoughts when you get them.
 
Brieninsac said:
I ordered two of those 5280 copepod packs after New Year's and I think they were either dead or nowhere near the amount stated. Let me know your thoughts when you get them.
Click to expand...

I got the 2 for 1 deal since it was my first order. Algae Barn says that there is a ton of copepods that you can't see since they are very small. But I will check it out and see how things are. Then I will report back to here and tell everyone :)
 
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