High Tide Aquatics

Julius' CDA 150 Build

Coral reefer said:
Interesting read. I recall @Thales saying he didn’t believe they would release spores when smashed. Must depend on type I guess. The article does point out it’s not a given that any released spores will successfully grow into new bubbles, and they will release spores eventually if not removed or smashed anyways. So it seems you have little to lose if you smash some during removal. I also feel that it will encourage animals to eat them when they’ve been ruptured.
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I had a small patch of bubble algae and tried my best to remove it without rupturing any of the bubbles. I think I only removed a couple successfully that way. All the rest popped. I didn’t see any new patches though. I guess I may have just lucked out though.
 
Turns out the effluent's alk is only 8.1 dhk.

Ph probe in ca reactor reads ~6.50, 18 bubbles/min, and flow rate was 60ml/min.

I think my ph probe reading is probably not correct. Plan to keep co2 on 24x7 regardless ph probe reading, and reduce flow rate down gradually until alk for effluent climbs up to 15~20 dhk. Any flaws in the plan of action?

Also thinking to add a 2nd chamber to Geo612. Question is whether to go with SMC415 whose chamber is similar in size to Geo612, or go with larger SMC618? What are the downsides of having 2nd chamber so much larger than first? Will 2nd chamber has ph much higher than 1st chamber and thus ineffective in dissolving media? Will taller height of 2nd chamber create extra pressure forcing peristaltic pump to work harder?
 
it sounds like to me... you are over thinking this. I would not worry about adding a 2nd chamber until you get the single unit running right. If you don't have much of a load in the tank, you should be able to keep up just fine. Now a days, most people rely on the PH reading inside the chamber to dial in a CARx. Once you know the PH is low enough to dissolve the media, you set it and forget it. Then, adjust your effluent drip rate till your tank DKH holds steady.
 
I am probably over thinking, which sometimes is the fun part of the hobby :)

Yeah, I will try to get the effluent dhk right before considering adding 2nd chamber.
 
Any recommendation of how to mount a cooling fan that look clean on top of euro braced rimless tank? There is a DIY screen top.

It is my CDA 150 gallon.
 
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I have Synergy sump, which is also "euro braced" and both fuge and return chamber have acrylic lid. The skimmer chamber has no screen, so I could mount a small fan there. But I wonder if adding fan to top of display tank will be more effective.

Attached is a photo of the top of display tank. I am thinking:
1. Add a 18" long fan strip to the far end of the tank, with one end somehow attached to the light post further way;
or
2. Make a small wood structure, attached to the top surface of euro brace by 3M dual lock reclosable strip. Then mount the fan onto the wood structure.

Comments?

Top View.jpg
 
Have a strange problem - too many air bubbles in co2 reactor.

Do not think there is a leak of air.

Increase effluent flow rate from 20ml/min to 30ml/min will help but reactor’s ph goes to 6.50+. The ARM media I use seems to need as low as 6.2 to dissolve well. At 6.50, effluent’s alk is below 10dhk.

Bottom line is I am in a bound, unable to keep alk high well eliminate excess bubbles.

Before I switch to a different brand of media, any suggestions?
 
Geo 612

After purging co2, I did 30ml/min with 20 bubbles/min overnight. No excess bubbles this morning (yet) but effluent’s ph is high at 6.50. It needs to go down to 6.2-6.3.
 
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Turn off your feed pump. Keep your recirculating pump on. Turn down your bubble count.

Let it run until the CaRx ph is at the level you need then slowly ramp up feed pump and tune the bubble count.




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I saw some good varieties of see weeds washed up at beach. Would u add them to refugium?

I collected some and add sea water to a bucket. Noticed many pods little critters, just tad larger and darker in color.
 
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