Coral reefer
Past President
Always room for an(other) mp40 on the back wall (says the guy that uses 7...)
Michael's 168 build
- Thread starter H2OPlayar
- Start date
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
I am on the hunt for a used one since they seem to be so loved. I might be getting one from a tank breakdown in SJ this week!
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Today I attached the "Jon Guest" fittings onto my DOS and set up the DOS with Trident Controlled Dosing! That you @svreef for the images and going in on the 10-pack. It is true that you need to slice ~3/16" to 1/4" off from the end of the grey piece to get the tube to sit all the way into the Mur-Loc fitting. I figured that out by installing them without cutting it, and not getting any solution to flow into my first dosing head. After removing the material with a razor blade, the fitting went on deeper. Also, I used a bunch of Teflon tape to make the seal better. We will see how it performs, but I like the information it gives me so far about its dosing algorithm and the ability to have more dosing biased during the day.
Tomorrow, (hopefully) I help with an install down the block and get an MP-40 on my tank. Because more flow is what I need!
Tomorrow, (hopefully) I help with an install down the block and get an MP-40 on my tank. Because more flow is what I need!
acro.jordan
Guest
Swung by @H2OPlayar house while I was in the area and wow! The tank looks amazing and everything seems to be flourishing! I appreciate tanks like Mikes. He proves that you do not need to fill your tank with big name brand corals in order to have a beautiful tank. For example, I saw a stunning iridescent acropora colony protruding from his rockwork and asked him what it’s name was. He responded by saying “green acro” lmao. Another classic piece that stood out was a Space Invader Chalice maybe 7” across, I commented on its size and once again Mike answer by saying he got that at the size of a dime for about $10. Proof that you don’t need to spend ridiculous amounts on tons of designer coral in order to have a beautiful tank! Focus on what you enjoy and the rest will fall into place.
acro.jordan
Guest
10/10 setup, I look forward to your next build
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
So...there might not be room exactly how I had planned. Yesterday I got the MP-40 from @acro.jordan and it had loads of coralline! Not a problem, I keep citric acid on hand, and this was a good opportunity to clean all of my powerheads. One of my Gyre impellers is not spinning when it should, even after an initial disassembly and cleaning. I let the MP-40 soak for an hour or so, stirring it around to help get the crust off. The citric acid worked great for dissolving buildup, but acid burns open cuts. In other news, water is wet!
The MP-40 had a really big backside (ahh thank you). But this prevents it from occupying the same space as plumbing. That coupled with the fact that the MP-40 barely has enough magnetic strength to hold through 1/2" of glass when not turned on makes the slightest bump during install detrimental. For final positioning, I might need to get a friend over to help with powerhead spacing, and then holding the powerhead in place inside the tank, while I crawl under the sump and reach up with my arm to get the magnet in place.
Also, the tank has been running for about 2 1/2 years...and it was last night I downloaded the Mobius app to talk to my Vectra L1 main pump. I didn't play with it too much, but having status on my phone is nice. If only I could get the Neptune Apex app to run on my galaxy 8 active, but that is one of the models that it does not work with, so I continue to use my (only apple device since 2007, which was the 80 gb ipod video) ipad mini 2 with only one app on it.
Coral reefer
Past President
I think there are adjustments for tank thickness you can make based on which spacer you use.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
I do not think I am using a spacer, unless there is something inside the unit. It is my first mp-40, so I accept there may be some user error going on.
Coral reefer
Past President
Google mp40 spacer, it will show you what’s up. I think for 1/2” it’s just the super thin rubber one.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Yep, that is the one I am using. It works, but I can't tug on the cable any or else it separates. In the setup video, it does say to hold the cord in place with a cable tie adhered to the glass, so I think this is just the design, and I need to be careful once I get it in place. It is pretty tight back there!
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Haha, if I can't get it on my back wall, I may be trading it in for a nero 5 or something.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Here are my ICP results from May 2020, ~1.5 years after starting the tank. I had been doing basically no water changes at this point, with minimal dosing.
From seeing the elevated heavy metals, and some of the trace elements off made me start more occasional water changes. I evolved this to better dosing, and my occasional chemiclean water change. I added bromide, and a combo strontium and molybdate solution. I do 1 and 2 caps full every time I add a gallon of calcium solution to my reservoir.
I sent in my second ICP test this week and they just received it today. I tested everything I could the day I sampled my water, so it will be interesting to compare the results.
I have been spending a lot of time lately cleaning my powerheads, and trying to figure out the flow I want for my tank long term. The MP-40 was cool, but just won't work for my peninsula style tank. Who wants to buy an MP-40, recently cleaned! So another Tunze 6155 is in the mail, as well as an Ecotech L2 to become my main pump, with my current L1 being relegated to backup status.
Also, since I have been working on the Fiesta Vallarta tank, I have had an opportunity to upgrade some other equipment. I found a used Reef Octopus SS200 Regal protein skimmer, and I really like the DC control and the gate valve for water height is very precise. I am selling my ATO and upgrading to the Tunze Ozmolator 3155. I cannot believe that this fancy ATO does not come with a syphon break or a way to keep the pump upright in my ato container! Both of those features were included on my previous ato which cost almost 1/2 as much new. At least I don't need the break with where I fix my ATO line at the top of my sump, shooting into a wall and falling down into the 3rd chamber.
From seeing the elevated heavy metals, and some of the trace elements off made me start more occasional water changes. I evolved this to better dosing, and my occasional chemiclean water change. I added bromide, and a combo strontium and molybdate solution. I do 1 and 2 caps full every time I add a gallon of calcium solution to my reservoir.
I sent in my second ICP test this week and they just received it today. I tested everything I could the day I sampled my water, so it will be interesting to compare the results.
I have been spending a lot of time lately cleaning my powerheads, and trying to figure out the flow I want for my tank long term. The MP-40 was cool, but just won't work for my peninsula style tank. Who wants to buy an MP-40, recently cleaned! So another Tunze 6155 is in the mail, as well as an Ecotech L2 to become my main pump, with my current L1 being relegated to backup status.
Also, since I have been working on the Fiesta Vallarta tank, I have had an opportunity to upgrade some other equipment. I found a used Reef Octopus SS200 Regal protein skimmer, and I really like the DC control and the gate valve for water height is very precise. I am selling my ATO and upgrading to the Tunze Ozmolator 3155. I cannot believe that this fancy ATO does not come with a syphon break or a way to keep the pump upright in my ato container! Both of those features were included on my previous ato which cost almost 1/2 as much new. At least I don't need the break with where I fix my ATO line at the top of my sump, shooting into a wall and falling down into the 3rd chamber.
Last edited:
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Got my ICP test back today. Noteworthy items are that my calcium was a little low, so I will recheck my testing meters against other somewhat known samples. Lithium was high, which I had in my last test a year ago. From some googling, it appears some salts may have Li in them, which IO reef crystals may. I am not noticing any detrimental effects, so I will just monitor this with my annual ICP test, or maybe up it to semi annual ICP testing. Iodine is also reading high, so IO may be supplementing more Iodine, or my tank is not consuming it at the rate that my Red Sea trace element dosing system is replacing it. Finally, phosphate was high, but I know this and am lazy about changing my hc gfo out regularly enough. Nothing was going wrong, so I didn't expect anything too weird.
If there are any additional thoughts from the group on the readings, I would love to hear them.
If there are any additional thoughts from the group on the readings, I would love to hear them.
reef89
Supporting Member
What two part apoxy did you use.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Any of the sticks that you mix up together work fine. They are my favorite for scaping in real time. I am not as big a fan of super glue, but I hear the sandwich of super glue, epoxy, super glue works really well for getting immediate stick, but also having long term strength.
It is pretty cheap on amazon, but I always support going to your LFS and getting it there, unless you plan on getting 10x for a huge scaping project and even then, many LFS owners will work with you on bulk purchases. For example, when I was sourcing my rock, I was able to get dry rock for $2.50/ lb, but only because I asked for a bulk order of 200 lbs, and another 50 lbs or so of crushed coral.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
For a few weeks now, one of my Maxspect gyre fans was not spinning. After taking apart and cleaning the Gyre a couple times, I got patient and found the root cause. My theory is when a snail shell got caught, the impeller driver wore a groove into itself from the impeller. I have found that Maxspect sells upgraded impeller drivers, likely out of polycarbonate (clear) instead of ABS (black). They also have ruggedized impellers, so why not order these too and try them out. I also spent the weekend doing reefing maintenance so my L1 pump got a cleaning in citric acid and is running like new again (minus the sticker, I guess citric acid dissolves the glue they use).
Here is my new to me Reef Octopus Regal SS-200. It is really good for making precisely the skim level you want. I think I have found tthe biggest skimmer I can fit in my space without heavy modification.
I also started messing around with the orange glasses in front of my phone camera, here are some results
Last edited:
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Another top down shot of the space invader chalice, grown from a fingernail sized frag.
This was a cool shot of what came off of the MP-40 that I cleaned in citric acid.
I had ordered some coral dip, and when @nly04 came over, we dipped some of his mushrooms and zoas. Lots of flatworms, a chiton, spaghetti worms, and a brittle star were what we were able to identify.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
Lettuce Leaf Nudibranch
Red Blastomussa
Green Candy Cane/Trumpet Coral
Maxi-Mini Carpet Anemone
Decorator Crab
Duncan Coral
Goniopora
My backup pump came! Well, maybe the L2 will become my main pump with the L1 becoming my backup. I also got another Tunze 6055 because that will fit on my tank, and with that, I am likely done with adding flow to my tank.
Arvind
Guest
ok I have seen this tank 2x already. Once about 2 years back when I bought a 13.5 fluval and then again today when I bought some bird nest corals. its utterly amazing! Honestly pictures dont really do the tank justice. Its well maintained, clean and just thriving. Im jealous of all these reefers who are engineers. They have the best setups. I cannot wrap my non engineer brain around half of this stuff! Great tank!