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Mike and Ashley's 150g reef tank (our first)

So I figured out the Stenner issue. I timed how long it took to deliver 1.00 gallon of water from each pump head with very short lengths of 1/4" tubing, using the same 1/4" tubing for each head. The inside head took an average of 17:22 (min:sec). The outside head averaged 16:26. Hence, the substantial difference in volume delivered. I checked to ensure the compression/roller tubing in both heads were "sealed" and there was no blowback past the rollers. There was none.

I anticipated it likely had to do with the actual tubing that was being compressed by the rollers, and not the rollers themselves. I replaced the outside pump head compression tubing with a new piece - they come pre-assembled with fittings that hold it into the pump head, so I couldn't just go cut a piece and put it in, like with a Masterflex. I then ran it three times and the average was 15:43 (+ 0:03, -0:05). Hmmm, think I found the problem. So I then installed a new piece on the inside pump head and ran that several times and the average was 15:39 (+0:01, -0.01). Well within my measurement error.

So, lesson learned, always swap compression tubing in both heads at the same time and, the wear/deformation/age of the compression tubing will affect the output. I'll track this over time and see how evenly they wear / maintain consistent output as a pair. Hopefully I didn't just get lucky with this pair of tubing and they deliver the same amount. Time to order up another four compression tubing assemblies as some spare sets and that also gives me the ability to mix and match if need be when this tubing goes away.

Traveling for a few days so I won't get any useful data until mid next week on if the actual water exchange circuits affect the volume delivered.

On anther note, the DOS is pretty close to being dialed in for Alk and Ca. Going to let it run for a few days while slowly bumping the Alk baseline (still a bit low at 7.8 dKH, aiming for 9+ as this will also help bring up my pH) and the Ca (running right at 400, aiming for 420-430) and see where we stand. So far I really like the ability to control dose like this versus manually. This part going very smoothly with no hiccups. Nice to have this running so the family doesn't have to measure/dose while I am traveling.

Phosphates still at 0.00, my chaeto is all but gone. We'll see what happens when the the fish go in.
 
Thanks very much. I still have 0.00 phosphates, but that said, maybe I can get some the 23rd or 24th if you are around as I expect my bioload to increase.

Traveling this weekend, really bummed I am going to miss the swap as I need to start adding some red, yellow, and orange to the tank as I have lots of green at this point. Maybe a bit of blue as well, seeing my german blue is far from blue (maybe it is really a german brown ;)?).
 
Question, so I came home from a several day business trip and my sodium carbonate (for dosing) seems to have completely come out of solution. The temperature in our house is pretty stable from when I mixed it about 10 days ago. I used the recommended 2 cups/gallon. Thoughts? Here is a look (don't mind all the tubes running behind the reservoir). The Ca mix is clear.

Also, woke up this morning without power. It was out for 5 hours before it was restored. Fingers crossed everything survived. We'll see as the tank lights start to come on in a bit.

Advice on a good battery backup system?

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Sodium carbonate. Don't think that there is any contamination. I emptied it and put in a fresh mix. Will monitor it closely.

All the corals have polyps out now. Whew, I was worried after the power outage. What are people running for battery backups?
 
If you have a dc pump like a vortech then there are a number of options as far as a battery to run it for some time. If you have AC power then a UPS is probably your best bet. Either way don't need to run anything more than a pump to keep things moving. There are a few airpumps on the market that are battery powered that will turn on in the event of a power outage.
 
On the doser, is the output line under water? Wonder if when the power went out, the water rose and you got some tank water siphoned back into the container.
 
+1 on somehow getting water siphoned back in.
That looks like precipitate when it gets mixed with calcium.
It should not come out of solution.

FYI:
A lot of people use half-solution or so, mostly to make it mix easier.
I use one box of baking soda per 1.5 gallons.
 
I'm catching up on the forum, and your tank in particular. I love how you end so many with how much you love watching the tank! Even after talking about diatoms.

I feel the same way.

(betsy)

WCKDVPR said:
Been running scuzy's mitras lighting project (thanks scuzy) for 2 days now at 60% of his power level - planning to ramp up at some point.

And now I am a reefer (it had been too easy thus far) - I am sitting here almost literally watching diatoms spread across the tank like someone spilled hot chocolate on a clean white tile floor. Their reproduction rate must be insane. Anticipating they get taken over by the next tank invader.

Corals are all doing great. Water parameters look good, except calcium is really high (580). Slowly bringing up the alkalinity and getting the dosing dialed in. Switching from RPM Prime to Coral Sea Pro Salt as, at least for me, the Coral Sea Pro just mixed at 10.5 dKH and the RPM Prime has been mixing at 6.5 dKH. Tank is only using up Alkalinity so far, so starting with something higher is a plus. I have just been adding sodium bicarbonate to the Prime to bring up the Alkalinity level (my calcium is high, so avoiding anything like kalk, etc). I have about 15-20 lbs of RPM Prime left if anyone wants it for free.

Should be receiving my Stenner dual head pump next week and then I'll be doing a decent sized water change and after that will set it up for automatic water exchange as previously discussed.

The tank is so fun to watch.
Click to expand...



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
HI All,

Thanks for the input. Looking into the various backup options (I have a DC pump).

My dosing lines do not go into the water. I mixed up a new batch and it seems to have stayed dissolved.

Happy to report most of my corals are doing well. The tricolor tortusa is really growing as is the German (not) blue. Seeing some new edges on the green monti. The red monti is pink and seems to be doing nothing. It is located very close to the green which is very happy. Go figure? Maybe not enough of some spectrum of light? Toadstool is growing. Tyree Lyng Sy monti doesn't seem to be doing much and doesn't have much color. Bird of paradise you almost can't see the underlying structure through all the polyps. The pair of clowns seem happy and eat a bunch of food. One of the cleaner shrimp molted.

Other than that, water parameters are hanging in there. I don't see how people do it without dosers, my tank is nearly empty of life and it is sucking up a bunch of Ca and Alk. Got my first signs of phosphate this week, now at 0.03 ppm. Time to get some more chaeto now that is has something to eat. Flagg77 - I'll take you up on that kind offer if it is still available.

I find this very funny, a few of my astrea snails were covered in green hair algae. Only other place in the tank that has any green hair algae is the refugium, which I scrub out the algae each week. Today, I scrubbed down the snails as well. Should I be vacuuming the sand (1" bed) and if so, how often?

Current parameters:
Temp: 77.7 - 78.2
pH: 7.85 - 7.95 is the range it varies throughout the day don't have the CO2 scrubber running right now, was waiting to see if the Alk affected it
Salinity: 34.0 - 34.4 it varies a bit
Alk: 8.5
Ca: 397 (on the way up to a target of around 420, I am slowing increasing the dosing)
Mg: 1320
Phos: 0.03
Nitrate: 2.5
Ammonia: 0

Family wants some really red or orange coral (or bright blue/purple) in there to balance all the green (which are all very bright except the Lyng Sy) and the other colors that aren't so bright. Thoughts?

Lousy cell phone images with poor color, but fun nonetheless.
Clowns.jpg
Bird of Paradise.jpg
German not Blue.jpg
Tricolor.jpg
 
Thanks, the setosa looks pretty cool. Maybe AC will have them? If not, is the there a recommended place to order from?

Spoke too soon yesterday, I see some tiny strands of an unknown entity (hair algae) starting to appear all over the rocks. Might be time to add more snails!
 
WCKDVPR said:
Thanks, the setosa looks pretty cool. Maybe AC will have them? If not, is the there a recommended place to order from?

Spoke too soon yesterday, I see some tiny strands of an unknown entity (hair algae) starting to appear all over the rocks. Might be time to add more snails!
Click to expand...

I broke a small piece of setosa this weekend. Around 1/2-3/4" in size. You're welcome to it. Not a super fast grower, so it may test your patience.

If you want to start off with a bigger piece, I don't recall AC having them, but Neptune's did have some as of last week. Try calling or Facebook messaging AC. AC will usually answer FB messages within an hour.
 
Thanks, I'll contact them and check Neptune's. Let's see what they have before making a decision on your piece of setosa. Thanks for the kind offer.
 
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