Alex’s IM 150 EXT

[Alexander1312]

By far my least favorite reefing related activity, skimmer deep cleaning.

I bought another second hand DELTEC 1000i while I was in Germany. In my opinion one of the best and quietest skimmer for tanks with 150-250 gallons.

The second hand skimmer was in a rather bad visual condition but looked great after 5 days in sulfamic acid and another 40 minutes of scrubbing:

This is how my current skimmer looked like after 6 months - need to increase my cleaning intervals to 3 month apparently, this was just too dirty:

This is what I am only using for cleaning, nothing else (except some hydrogen peroxide to remove stains):

 

[PjFish]

Do you bring empty extra suitcases on trips?

 

[Alexander1312]

Do you bring empty extra suitcases on trips?

The Zeolite reactor I purchased last time was even bigger, and yes, it does limit the amount of chocolate I can bring with me .

 

[MichaelB]

Cool, lol bringing something like that through tsa has to get you a extra long look.

 

[Alexander1312]

Cool, lol bringing something like that through tsa has to get you a extra long look.

I had it in my check in luggage so no issues with TSA , but had to put zeolite in my carry on since my check in luggage weight was maxed out and that led to a bunch of questions…

 

[PjFish]

When I was younger in college brought back a baby dwarf caiman alligator through TSA from a trip one time I had bought from a pet store. However at checkpoint I slid the alligator down my pants inside a mesh bag then tossed in my backpack on the plane. Did a few trips to the restroom during flight to let him swim around in the sink. Figment grew and prospered after college donated him to a local zoo who was happy to accept lol! During that time had a 90 Hex acrylic with a dogface puffer, clown tang, and Fu Manchu Lionfish.

 

[spuri87]

When I was younger in college brought back a baby dwarf caiman alligator through TSA from a trip one time I had bought from a pet store. However at checkpoint I slid the alligator down my pants inside a mesh bag then tossed in my backpack on the plane. Did a few trips to the restroom during flight to let him swim around in the sink. Figment grew and prospered after college donated him to a local zoo who was happy to accept lol! During that time had a 90 Hex acrylic with a dogface puffer, clown tang, and Fu Manchu Lionfish.

no f*** way.. you were adventurous and wild.. cant imagine myself ever trying something like that, even back in the 80s!

 

[PjFish]

no f*** way.. you were adventurous and wild.. cant imagine myself ever trying something like that, even back in the 80s!

Smoking was still allowed on airplanes! you got the dates correct lol plus back then flight attendants were super lenient with the liquor carts!!

 

[BAYMAC]

Smoking was still allowed on airplanes! you got the dates correct lol plus back then flight attendants were super lenient with the liquor carts!!

yeah, it was allowed, but that little fabric screen kept it all in the back

 

[Kensington Reefer]

I put a 5’ boa constrictor, a 2’ boa constrictor and a corn snake that were in a carry on duffel through the tsa back in the mid 80’s
It was even easier in the 70’s when I would bring a bagged fish on the plane.
Was a very different time...

 

[MichaelB]

I put a 5’ boa constrictor, a 2’ boa constrictor and a corn snake that were in a carry on duffel through the tsa back in the mid 80’s
It was even easier in the 70’s when I would bring a bagged fish on the plane.
Was a very different time...

Wow. I guess that sci-fi movie snakes on a plane put a end to that.

 

[Darkxerox]

I feel like @Alexander1312 's threads always go off the rails even though he does nothing wrong lol

 

[Alexander1312]

I feel like @Alexander1312 's threads always go off the rails even though he does nothing wrong lol

We should probably update our club rules to not allow stories from the past beyond the 2000s - anything before that appears to be too wild .

 

[Darkxerox]

We should probably update our club rules to not allow stories from the past beyond the 2000s - anything before that appears to be too wild .

We're not banning kalk and GFO Alex

 

[H2OPlayar]

We should probably update our club rules to not allow stories from the past beyond the 2000s - anything before that appears to be too wild .

Then you would miss out on all of my mom's cool stories from her time on a whaling ship and what the first thing they cut off a male fin whale then they drag it on the ship is. Hint, her major professor picked it up and swung the 8 foot piece around. You are right, the 80's were a wild time.

 

[Alexander1312]

This is a reminder to myself, what acceptable nutrient levels are, after some more in-depth discussions this morning with the owner of this tank as per picture.

 

[spuri87]

This is a reminder to myself, what acceptable nutrient levels are, after some more in-depth discussions this morning with the owner of this tank as per picture.

View attachment 79599

Please don’t post my tank pictures without asking, thanks for understanding!

 

[Alexander1312]

I am considering buying this. I have a recirculating scrubber, which works perfectly with the Reef Octopus Elite, and the media lasts for approx 4 weeks.

Since I switched to the DELTEC, I have been looking for a scrubber with the ability to keep the media moist easily for an extended time period.

AF Air Scrubber - Aquaforest

AF Air Scrubber from Aquaforest - the perfect solution for raising the pH in your aquarium. Provide a healthy environment for corals!

aquaforest.eu

[Price is ridiculous in the US (180 USD on BRS), but I have found someone in Germany who sells this used for 50 EUR/60 USD.]

 

[Alexander1312]

Added a new maintenance task, every 6 months, to clean the ATO water level sensor, given some of the horror stories I read only with these sensor not working as intended.

The mix of sulfamic acid and hydrogen peroxide in this solution removed the dirt on the sensor so quickly, I was too slow with the picture. Half of the sensor was covered in some brownish residue, which I could not just wipe off with a cloth.

 

[psidriven]

Can you explain or share some links about why veegee refractometer is better than the tm hydrometer? I didn’t find a comparison specifically between the two.