My 300g to 130g upgrade!
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
Haven't tested it yet, but it isn't as long as it sounds. About 8' of head and about 15' of 1/4" tubing. The nice thing is I can always move up to a 900 or a 1200. And you can never have too many Maxijet powerheads laying around!
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Haha! I could not agree more. If you really need to move some water with one, put the rc boat prop mod on it. It can only be used as a power head at that point, but I think a 1200 moves something close to 3000 GPH... its pretty awesome. I have on in my sump.
Brandon
It can only be used as a power head at that point, but I think a 1200 moves something close to 3000 GPH... its pretty awesome. I have on in my sump.Brandon
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
Tonight all I did was added a piece of egg crate to cover the bottom of the tank and 45lbs of Special Grade Seaflor sand. It is just enough to barely cover the egg crate. I am hoping that I can start assembling the rock structure tomorrow evening. I also ordered another RKM-HUB and a new ph probe from DA. I should have them Monday. The HUB is going in the garage and it will be connected to a DC power supply on a UPS so I can receive warnings if I lose power. I have a Shuttle computer running to access myReef and make network changes if needed and it is connected to my RKE system with the SID. I'll post some pics when I get some rock in there.
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
A couple updates...
I got my rock work done. Can't get any decent pics until tomorrow so I will post up some pics tomorrow. I'll give it a couple more days, but I think I am satisfied with how it looks. I have also added another 30lbs of sand. This time, oolite sugar fine sand. I want a good mix of different grain sizes. Makes for a healthy sandbed. I also used two sticks of Coralife Hold On putty to make the rock nice a solid. I don't need any avalanches.
Second, I have decided that I will not use Scripps water for the initial fill up. I picked up a bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro salt from Pet Kingdom and I will probably use that salt for now. I have about 90 gals of RODI waiting to get mixed so I may do that tomorrow. Work is keeping me busy during the day so my time has been somewhat limited.
Third update...I got my Avast Marine ATO switch mounted and connected to my RKE system. This ATO uses air pressure in a rigid tube to switch a relay. It came pre-wired to connect to a switch input on my SL2. When the water level drops enough in the rigid tube the relay will trigger a pump in the RODI reservoir to pump top off water up to the tank. I was going to use a MJ600, but it can't handle the head pressure. I'm going to switch over to using a different pump, just haven't decided which one yet. The line going up to the tank is a 1/8" poly line so it is pretty small. The Avast switch came with a very nice magnetic holder for the rigid air tube and the water line.
This is a great ATO unit. It works great and seems to be very well built.
I got my rock work done. Can't get any decent pics until tomorrow so I will post up some pics tomorrow. I'll give it a couple more days, but I think I am satisfied with how it looks. I have also added another 30lbs of sand. This time, oolite sugar fine sand. I want a good mix of different grain sizes. Makes for a healthy sandbed. I also used two sticks of Coralife Hold On putty to make the rock nice a solid. I don't need any avalanches.
Second, I have decided that I will not use Scripps water for the initial fill up. I picked up a bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro salt from Pet Kingdom and I will probably use that salt for now. I have about 90 gals of RODI waiting to get mixed so I may do that tomorrow. Work is keeping me busy during the day so my time has been somewhat limited.
Third update...I got my Avast Marine ATO switch mounted and connected to my RKE system. This ATO uses air pressure in a rigid tube to switch a relay. It came pre-wired to connect to a switch input on my SL2. When the water level drops enough in the rigid tube the relay will trigger a pump in the RODI reservoir to pump top off water up to the tank. I was going to use a MJ600, but it can't handle the head pressure. I'm going to switch over to using a different pump, just haven't decided which one yet. The line going up to the tank is a 1/8" poly line so it is pretty small. The Avast switch came with a very nice magnetic holder for the rigid air tube and the water line.
This is a great ATO unit. It works great and seems to be very well built.
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Cool!
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
Here is the shot of my rock work:
I'm pretty happy with it. I have decided to keep the back of the tank black instead of allowing coralline algae to grow on it. I have always had coralline on the back of the tank but I figured I would try something different this time. The rock is at least 2" from the back glass so I have plenty of room for scraping the glass back there. I have plenty of room for corals and fish swimming space. 20lbs more sand went in as well. Hopefully water will go in tomorrow or the next day.
I'm pretty happy with it. I have decided to keep the back of the tank black instead of allowing coralline algae to grow on it. I have always had coralline on the back of the tank but I figured I would try something different this time. The rock is at least 2" from the back glass so I have plenty of room for scraping the glass back there. I have plenty of room for corals and fish swimming space. 20lbs more sand went in as well. Hopefully water will go in tomorrow or the next day.
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
I should be putting the first 50gals of saltwater, made with Red Sea Coral Pro, in the tank tonight. I had to change plans for my tipoff pump. Brandon was right, the MJ pump didn't have enough power to deal with the head of going up to the tank. I have a couple others laying around so I am sure one of these pumps will do the job. I'll play with that tonight as well. Overnight my RODI will make me another 50 gals of water and I'll start mixing that tomorrow. Should need a third run of water and everything will be up and running.
I have a little bit more to do on the control side. I am adding a second RKM-HUB and SL2 in the garage to facilitate monitoring and control of my top off system and anything else that I need in the garage. I have the parts, now I just need the time away from work to get things wired up and going. Tonight I may be able to get my second webcam up and running. It will be directed at the front of the tank.
I have a little bit more to do on the control side. I am adding a second RKM-HUB and SL2 in the garage to facilitate monitoring and control of my top off system and anything else that I need in the garage. I have the parts, now I just need the time away from work to get things wired up and going. Tonight I may be able to get my second webcam up and running. It will be directed at the front of the tank.
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
I am finally getting water in my tank!
My RODI unit is currently making another 50gals for me and I'll add the salt in the morning and get it mixing. Again, I am using Red Sea Coral Pro salt and have decided to only use mixed saltwater in this tank. I am doing this only for reasons of consistency. I have absolutely nothing against using Scripps, but I don't have an effective means of transporting the water. No truck and my back is so messed up I really don't want to be lifting 5g water jugs. I did not rinse the sand that I put in so far, so when I get things circulating I will be running micron socks for a while to filter out the sand dust.
I am so happy to finally get this tank wet. I bought this tank from AquaSD exactly one year ago! How's that for a slow build?
My RODI unit is currently making another 50gals for me and I'll add the salt in the morning and get it mixing. Again, I am using Red Sea Coral Pro salt and have decided to only use mixed saltwater in this tank. I am doing this only for reasons of consistency. I have absolutely nothing against using Scripps, but I don't have an effective means of transporting the water. No truck and my back is so messed up I really don't want to be lifting 5g water jugs. I did not rinse the sand that I put in so far, so when I get things circulating I will be running micron socks for a while to filter out the sand dust.
I am so happy to finally get this tank wet. I bought this tank from AquaSD exactly one year ago! How's that for a slow build?
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
So I got another 50gals of water in the tank today. Another 50gals is brewing right now. Tomorrow the system will be running for sure.
On another note, I am having trouble finding a workable solution for my ATO situation. I want to have my RODI reservoir, which is a 50gal plastic drum, down in the garage. The tank is directly above it. I ran a 1/4" line up to the tank but I can't find a pump with enough balls to push water 10' up to the tank through the 1/4" line. I know that I can run the output of the RODI unit up there and it will work, but I don't want to kill my RO membrane too fast. I also don't like the idea of having the topoff connected directly to a nonstop water source. Tomorrow I will continue experimenting.
On another note, I am having trouble finding a workable solution for my ATO situation. I want to have my RODI reservoir, which is a 50gal plastic drum, down in the garage. The tank is directly above it. I ran a 1/4" line up to the tank but I can't find a pump with enough balls to push water 10' up to the tank through the 1/4" line. I know that I can run the output of the RODI unit up there and it will work, but I don't want to kill my RO membrane too fast. I also don't like the idea of having the topoff connected directly to a nonstop water source. Tomorrow I will continue experimenting.
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Looking good bro!
Some of your bigger pumps may work if you can use larger tubing. Other than that, I think a peristaltic pump will be your best bet... Perhaps a BRS ATO peristaltic pump?
Brandon
Brandon
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
Got the rest of the water in my tank and it is officially up and running. Still no lighting yet, but that's ok since nothing is in the tank yet other than sand and rock that has been outside in the sun for 2 months drying out. Since I will be working in Aspen for 10 days starting wednesday, my wife will be keeping an eye on things. I don't have a working ATO solution yet so she will have to top off the tank old school. Bucket of RODI sitting next to the tank. She can handle it though.
I love how quiet the Bean Animal drain is along with my Diablo pump and the CADlights skimmer.
Can't hear them at all even with the fact that I have no canopy or front skin to the stand. Everything is still wide open. Once the stand is 100% complete the system will be truly silent all around.
I also started out this system using Prodibio.
I dosed half the recommended dose of Bio Digest and Stop Ammo, mostly because that is how much I had on hand. Even though Prodibio claims that you will have no cycle and you can add fish after 12 hours, I will be waiting until I get back from Aspen to put my Naso, clowns, dart fish and RBTA in the tank. I don't want to rush things. The naso has survived quite well in adverse conditions, I want to make sure I don't kill him in the transfer because I rushed something. I put 300ml of Vertex bio pellets in the reactor which is a medium amount in the range that they recommend. I have them tumbling nicely.
The only thing not working right at the moment is my carbon reactor. I have had nothing but trouble getting this thing set up. I just can't seem to get the plumbing bits to stop leaking. I think I am going to pull the canister off and replace the JG fittings going into the canister. That is the part that is currently leaking. For now, I'm just not using it. Thats one of the nice things about feeding each of these things with a manifold. I can just shut it off for now. I'm going to try to fix it tomorrow before I leave. I'd love to have carbon running for the next couple of weeks.
I also did something that most of us never do. I actually kept track of the water that went into the system and I know that my real, true water volume is 145 gallons. I have always guessed in the past and while I think I have been close enough, I didn't want to take the chance on this system.
Now to get that lighting done....
I love how quiet the Bean Animal drain is along with my Diablo pump and the CADlights skimmer.
Can't hear them at all even with the fact that I have no canopy or front skin to the stand. Everything is still wide open. Once the stand is 100% complete the system will be truly silent all around.
I also started out this system using Prodibio.
I dosed half the recommended dose of Bio Digest and Stop Ammo, mostly because that is how much I had on hand. Even though Prodibio claims that you will have no cycle and you can add fish after 12 hours, I will be waiting until I get back from Aspen to put my Naso, clowns, dart fish and RBTA in the tank. I don't want to rush things. The naso has survived quite well in adverse conditions, I want to make sure I don't kill him in the transfer because I rushed something. I put 300ml of Vertex bio pellets in the reactor which is a medium amount in the range that they recommend. I have them tumbling nicely.
The only thing not working right at the moment is my carbon reactor. I have had nothing but trouble getting this thing set up. I just can't seem to get the plumbing bits to stop leaking. I think I am going to pull the canister off and replace the JG fittings going into the canister. That is the part that is currently leaking. For now, I'm just not using it. Thats one of the nice things about feeding each of these things with a manifold. I can just shut it off for now. I'm going to try to fix it tomorrow before I leave. I'd love to have carbon running for the next couple of weeks.
I also did something that most of us never do. I actually kept track of the water that went into the system and I know that my real, true water volume is 145 gallons. I have always guessed in the past and while I think I have been close enough, I didn't want to take the chance on this system.
Now to get that lighting done....
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
Thanks!
Yes, I feel that you are correct suggesting a peristaltic pump. I have a buddy that has one ear marked just for me. Once I get back in town from working in Aspen, I'll hook up with him and get it installed. That should take care of it.
Thanks for the compliments. I wanted it to be neat and tidy. Everybody always concentrates on the display tank and usually the under belly looks horrible and disorganized. When it is neat and clean it makes finding problems and fixing them so much easier. And since the doors on my stand will have frosted glass on them I have to keep the under side clean since you will be able to see it...sort of.
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
I have a reef cam up on my tank now, thanks to Reeftronics.net. Here is a link:
Reefcam 2 « Reeftronics
It has night vision, so when the room lights are down, it looks like it is black and white. I am still working on my lighting so the tank will look kinda bare for a while.
Reefcam 2 « Reeftronics
It has night vision, so when the room lights are down, it looks like it is black and white. I am still working on my lighting so the tank will look kinda bare for a while.
wowkingjames
Well-Known Member
Nice job so far will keep an eye on this thread.
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DaveMorris
MACNA2016 Co-Chair
I added 3 chromis to the tank today. And no, it isn't because I "use" them to cycle the tank. I actually love them and will add the other two that I already have in my holding tank for a nice little school of them. One thing that I have noticed is the water in the tank is a bit cloudy. I believe, based on reading a lot about using Prodibio, that this is because the bacteria that I added do not yet have a sufficient food source. The sand was new, the rock was dead from being outside in the sun for two months so the bacteria didn't have anything to clean up. I have fixed a small leak in my carbon reactor so I am now running carbon so we'll see how much that helps to clear up the water. My CADLights skimmer is working great. I'm very happy with it so far.
My lighting project is very close to being done. I just have to make the wiring harness that will go from the drivers in the power supply box up to the lighting rig. Hopefully I can get most of it done tomorrow. We'll see. I'm so anxious to start getting corals in this tank. Every time I walk into AquaSD I drool over tons of coral that I would like.
My lighting project is very close to being done. I just have to make the wiring harness that will go from the drivers in the power supply box up to the lighting rig. Hopefully I can get most of it done tomorrow. We'll see. I'm so anxious to start getting corals in this tank. Every time I walk into AquaSD I drool over tons of coral that I would like.
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