I'm back!

[grizfyrfyter]

Nostalgia about my old tank.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

More

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Ammonia is holding steady at 0
Nitrite is 1ppm
Nitrates at 20

Brought calcium and alk in line with kalkwasser today.

Magnesium supplement and test kit will be here tomorrow.

I ordered some bottled coraline that will be here Saturday. Clean up crew and macro algae from reefcleaners should be here Saturday too.

Shopping around for a pair of clowns. I tried to reach Kimmie's Clowns but no response yet. Thinking about ordering from ORA, my local petco will order for me.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Decided to build another cheap kalkwasser reactor. $30 magnetic stir plate on a timer. Air tight container with push fit bulkheads and barb adapter hooked up to an empty head on my dosing pump.

Precise control with a total cost of about $50.

 

[L/B Block]

Welcome back.

 

[Coral reefer]

Decided to build another cheap kalkwasser reactor. $30 magnetic stir plate on a timer. Air tight container with push fit bulkheads and barb adapter hooked up to an empty head on my dosing pump.

Precise control with a total cost of about $50.

What’s the interior part of the stirrer made of? How do they hold up in the kalk solution?

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Food grade plactic. Kitchen storage.

Same thing I used last time, I had no issues after a year of use when I sold that system.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Well, now I'm really down the rabbit hole.

I picked up an SCA 100 gal tank, stand and skimz sump today. It's going to be a long project since I can't afford a return pump for it yet. 3 month cycle isn't going to be difficult.... Luckily, I have over 100 lbs of dry rock in the garage and a spare heater.

 

[Apon]

easy, dont use sump yet......fill tank half way with water and rock. add heater and power head for the cycle. add return pump and more water later on when you can.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

That's the plan.

I ordered a big bottle of CA glue. I'm going to try the sand/glue/sand/glue aquascape method. Once the rocks are together, I'll cycle in the tank while I wait.

I need to find more reliable work.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Did a little cleaning.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Simple kalkwasser reactor

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Here's the plan for lighting.
It's time to sell off some stuff around the house.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

 

[Coral reefer]

@Bruce Spiegelman might have some orpheck lights for sale

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I'm months away from that point.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I also considered a pair of the 4 puck GHL Mitras. It would be cheaper but not as much light.

The other option was a kessil ap9x and 4 bulb T5 but that's the same price as the orphek combo.

I would be happy to put 3 of the kessil a360we over the tank if they were still in production. The x series is too expensive and not having built in wireless just irritates me.

I wish I still had to number for the guy at kessil who bought all the rock, corals and fish from my 170. He offered me a discount when I set up my next tank

 

[H2OPlayar]

Any reason not to start out with a couple used ap700's instead to save some cash? I know led deterioration is a thing, but for an early tank, I don't see the loss of par affecting the tank negatively. And it comes in at less than half the cost. With lots of people upgrading, this is something to consider. I have thought a lot about upgrading my 2x ap700's or adding to them and I keep coming back to the same conclusion that the ap700 is a really good light. I only run it at 80% peak for an hour or two a day, so my time cranked up isn't that long, and it is nice having the small footprint of the two lights so I can reach inside my tank easier. I am pretty sure that the ap700 is just 2 of the a360's put together.

Edit, I just saw this is for a "new" 100 gallon. I update my recommendation to 1x ap700. I think you'll have plenty of coverage and will look very clean with the single light over the tank.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I have had too many issues with used leds, even kessil and I've been piecing together systems with repaired or patched equipment for 6 years of reefing. I prefer to buy new this time.

I'd buy a pair of ap700 new if that was an option, just like I prefer to buy 3x a360we.

If a single ap9x (25% brighter) isn't going to give me the coverage I want (without running at 100%), a single ap700 definitely isn't going to do it.

I will probably get one piece of lighting at a time, I don't need full coverage on a tank with just a few frags in the beginning. I'll add the other piece(s) of equipment as time goes by.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

The 100g is 48x24x20