Alex’s IM 150 EXT

[Coral reefer]

What alk solution are you using? Can it be made more concentrated?

 

[Alexander1312]

What alk solution are you using? Can it be made more concentrated?

It is mostly sodium bicarb (plus traces and some proprietary polymers) but messing with the balling light solution is not advised, since all the dosing recommendations including their nifty calculator are based on that. 400 ml is rather high so I assume it will come down eventually.

Edit: I never clarified this as I assumed it was known but balling light KH / Alk is highly diluted with RODI when mixed, and it is only 1/10 of the amount so a 400 ml solution is only 40 g bicarb.

 

[Alexander1312]

I really like these. They hold 5L and are very space efficient:

5 Liter Space Saver Deluxe Dosing Container

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Yes I have a 4-pump versa rail for sale still.


That is an astronomical amount of alk to be dosing every day though, you need a brute garbage can not a dosing container.

Thank you. I am looking for a smaller, clear, graduated one.

I might need up to two additional versas, but not four. Makes sense though that you are selling them as a set, no problem. I would anyway prefer the sole but, it needs its own mounting, I would like to add it to my existing rail, and you complained about the way the connects to the tubes. Maybe I should just try one.

 

[Alexander1312]

Mixing new Fauna Marin Balling light CA solution - 2kg are in 5L RODI - and lasts over 70 days as per my current consumption.

 

[Alexander1312]

Hydros Collective setup:

Bought two of the command bus terminators yesterday @Neptune - https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-command-bus-terminator - to be finally able to create a Hydros Collective with the three devices I have so far - the Control X4, XP8, and Wave Engine.

Seems like I did not read the fine print that adding devices to a new collective does not carry over the existing settings - which is pretty frustrating, but maybe I did something wrong.

AVAST Feeder Setup

Keeping this in case this gets lost again in the future.

The pump is set to be on 24/7.

The drum is set to feed for 30 sec, every hour, for 4 hours, starting at 11 am.

 

[derek_SR]

Bought two of the command bus terminators yesterday @Neptune - https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-command-bus-terminator - to be finally able to create a Hydros Collective with the three devices I have so far - the Control X4, XP8, and Wave Engine.

Seems like I did not read the fine print that adding devices to a new collective does not carry over the existing settings - which is pretty frustrating, but maybe I did something wrong.

The pump is set to be on 24/7.

The drum is set to feed for 30 sec, every hour, for 4 hours, starting at 11 am.

View attachment 64338View attachment 64339

That doesn’t sound right - I just added several devices (2x soles and a minnow) to my collective with no issues like that. It was not the most intuitive process though, that is for sure.

 

[Alexander1312]

That doesn’t sound right - I just added several devices (2x soles and a minnow) to my collective with no issues like that. It was not the most intuitive process though, that is for sure.

So you had them programmed while not being in a collective and than added to the collective and the settings remained?

 

[derek_SR]

So you had them programmed while not being in a collective and than added to the collective and the settings remained?

No I added them to an existing collective, I misread your issue. I can’t recall when I set the original collective up (I added the xp8 to a c4, IIRC) if I had to redo everything or not.

 

[Alexander1312]

Response from CoralVue support, that new devices will be added blank into the collective:

In there, we state that ONLY the first device imports the settings when creating the collective. Any subsequent device added to the collective import blank. You must manually configure the devices after they are added to the collective.

https://www.coralvuehydros.com/product-support/hydros-control/hydros-collective-101/

 

[Darkxerox]

Good to know, probably should start with the most complicated device as the first then.

 

[Alexander1312]

Good to know, probably should start with the most complicated device as the first then.

Yes, coincidentally, I picked the X4 for main device so it carried forward all the light settings from the 0-10V connectors. These are rather ‘complicated’ settings (due to BOLUS light schedule) and I did not lose them.

 

[Alexander1312]

Completed collective setup:

 

[Alexander1312]

I do like our Tubastreas. We bought both of them at the last two CFMs and will probably buy more at the upcoming CFM.

 

[Alexander1312]

I have given away one of the two large toadstools and moved other corals from the frag tank into this tank now, including:

1. the golden rod originally received from Andy / @ReyDeFarts (which hopefully is ok with the light, it is the only lower light area in the tank),
2. the super healthy SBB gorilla glue colony from James / @jstiltne - polyps extended immediately in both the frag tank and this tank, and
3. one of the many frags I got from Dan / @dandemeyere, i.e., a TCK Master Holy Grail Torch - which also opened up instantly in the frag and this tank.

I also moved the larger toadstool from the back to the area where the other toadstool was previously but still needs to get used to its new place (and it's also shedding).

[No filter used and I know I still need to learn how to take better pictures - maybe this could be its own workshop?).

 

[Alexander1312]

Replaced the Innovative Marine Might Jet XL return pump with the Reef Octopus VarioS 6. I got this pump at a 50% discount during the amazing Thanksgiving sale.

The reason why I have replaced the return pump is a bit unclear to me . The Might XL worked fine for 13 months, and still looks very clean even though I have never cleaned the pump (picture just taken out of the sump).

I think I initially thought it would be a good idea to connect this return pump with the Hydros system and dial in flow more precisely. However, I would need another Wave Engine for this since all four slots on my current Wave Engine are used up with gyres.

I will be running this at the lowest level, assuming that I will get approx 560 gallon from this (6 feet water height; assuming 53% of 1056 gallon), which would be 3.9 times the estimated 145 gallon net tank volume turnover per hour.

 

[derek_SR]

I have several varios pumps and they have served me very well, I am a fan!

 

[Darkxerox]

Nice pump upgrade! Is it quieter? I'd probably recommend having some control over the return in case you have leak sensors trip while you're away. Probably can get a wave engine LE to run two gyres to make room on the big wave engine for the return.

 

[PjFish]

Alota people outgrow their tanks and upgrade to larger ones. It appears your soon to be outgrowing your sump and stand real estate!

 

[Alexander1312]

Nice pump upgrade! Is it quieter? I'd probably recommend having some control over the return in case you have leak sensors trip while you're away. Probably can get a wave engine LE to run two gyres to make room on the big wave engine for the return.

Both are super quiet. Even on higher settings - the entire tank is super quiet anyway. So not much of an improvement there. And agree, getting another wave engine - just got an LE from @boun11 but will use this with a gyre on my nano tank - will be on my list of items to purchase. Getting another XP8 is a higher priority though.

 

[Alexander1312]

Alota people outgrow their tanks and upgrade to larger ones. It appears your soon to be outgrowing your sump and stand real estate!

Cannot upgrade the tank in this house unfortunately - I am glad the floor was able to carry the weight of this one. Sump has still an entire compartment empty and I might be adding the AVAST ozone generator at one point. Also, I am using a separate cabinet for most of the electronics, not the stand.