40g Breeder
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Okay saga continues... picked up a hydrometer and it reads 34, did another calibration with RODI and 35ppt solution and it reads 32. Probe is reading 37.1... I'm going to assume I'm somewhere in the 32-34 area as I went light on my water change salt and should've brought it down.
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Well came home to disaster. Hooked up an Eheim feeder since I'm traveling 50% right now. Should come to an end soon. First day I monitored it and everything worked great. Second day and first away I decided to stop in to make sure everything had worked. Well it appears it dumped everything I put in it. Not running filter socks it sat in my sump and broke down. Tank was barely visible. Diatoms and algae sprouted. Quick 30gal water change and hooked up the gfo and carbon reactor. Two clowns dont seem phased yet, but they weren't hungry. Hoping it can clear up overnight.
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Everyone seems to have survived. Couple observations...
When building my stand I made the top sit so that it would cover the black trim around the bottom of the tank. My original plan was to use sand, but later decided to go another route. Having done so I now have a 2" area around the bottom of the tank in which the mag float glass cleaner will not get to. I will have to remove the 2" slab each time I need to clean it or go in the tank, which I would rather not do.
GFO and Carbon reactor cleaned up the water over night. I have around 55-65 gallons of total water volume and most of my equipment is made for two or three times that. Small issue with the bean animal not pulling syphon after feed mode without removing the main outlet pipe that connects from the sump to below the water surface. Believe it may be too long and will experiment this evening. Lights are still off. Two Mp10s running. Waiting on wireless driver so I can make them cycle back and forth.
Hoping to plumb UV Sterilizer through the return since that is oversized and can take more than what I will be pushing through it. Water change station in the works, but hoping to see a good deal on a DOS and have it change 1gal a day. Once everything settles and clears up I'll start monitoring the nutrients more and once stable, pick up a few easy sps.
When building my stand I made the top sit so that it would cover the black trim around the bottom of the tank. My original plan was to use sand, but later decided to go another route. Having done so I now have a 2" area around the bottom of the tank in which the mag float glass cleaner will not get to. I will have to remove the 2" slab each time I need to clean it or go in the tank, which I would rather not do.
GFO and Carbon reactor cleaned up the water over night. I have around 55-65 gallons of total water volume and most of my equipment is made for two or three times that. Small issue with the bean animal not pulling syphon after feed mode without removing the main outlet pipe that connects from the sump to below the water surface. Believe it may be too long and will experiment this evening. Lights are still off. Two Mp10s running. Waiting on wireless driver so I can make them cycle back and forth.
Hoping to plumb UV Sterilizer through the return since that is oversized and can take more than what I will be pushing through it. Water change station in the works, but hoping to see a good deal on a DOS and have it change 1gal a day. Once everything settles and clears up I'll start monitoring the nutrients more and once stable, pick up a few easy sps.
OP
OP
Slowly but surely
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
Looking good! You could get scraper for your mag float that would give you a little extra reach below counter top level
OP
OP
Nice!Looking good! You could get scraper for your mag float that would give you a little extra reach below counter top level
OP
OP
So I picked up some new wetsides for my mp10's and they are making more noise then the older ones. I'm curious if this is normal and maybe they have a break in period?
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Some testing tonight...
Mag - 1350
Cal - 425
Alk - 8.2
Phos - .04ppm
Nitrate - 5 ppm
Mag - 1350
Cal - 425
Alk - 8.2
Phos - .04ppm
Nitrate - 5 ppm
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Been a bit since I've updated...
Testing last night
Mag - 1500
Cal - 480
Alk - 8.3
Phos - .01ppm
Nitrate - 5+ppm
I'm pretty happy with these for the time being. Added a third mp10 across the back of the tank and made a scape change. More centralized that I can build off with SPS frags. Also finally settled on my flow and light schedule. Flow a modified Ecotech schedule(opposite pump runs opposite schedule) and light similar to WWC 900g tank schedule. Things seem to be going pretty well so far. Just waiting out for some biological build up.
Testing last night
Mag - 1500
Cal - 480
Alk - 8.3
Phos - .01ppm
Nitrate - 5+ppm
I'm pretty happy with these for the time being. Added a third mp10 across the back of the tank and made a scape change. More centralized that I can build off with SPS frags. Also finally settled on my flow and light schedule. Flow a modified Ecotech schedule(opposite pump runs opposite schedule) and light similar to WWC 900g tank schedule. Things seem to be going pretty well so far. Just waiting out for some biological build up.
OP
OP
Been a couple of weeks. Couple updates...
Added a CUC from reefcleaners. I was skeptical about the packaging, but everything seemed to have lived, so i'd recommend them to anyone looking. I put half in my dt and half in my sump and have slowly moved them all into the dt. Had a bit on an algae outbreak so I picked up some NoPox since Po4 wasn't registering on my Red Sea test kit. It seems to have recessed nicely since.
Tank now has two clowns and a yellow tang. Trying to keep my fish to ones that will contribute to the tank remaining healthy. Besides the clowns. Will probably pick up a wrasse of some sort next. I've always had six line, but want to go another route. Something slightly more appealing, but will need to upgrade security as currently I do not have a top on my tank.
Bare bottom has really grown on me. Rocking high flow with three mp10s at 100% and two of them in anti-sync. Picked up a grafted monti, pink lemonade acro and an Oregon tort from a respected R2R member @vuqchu . If you get a chance to buy, I'd highly recommend doing so. All are doing well with great PE.
I'm finding that the Red Sea Blue Bucket isn't mixing to the nutrient levels specified on the package. After some reading I've learned it may be best to buy in 55gal size buckets and mix all at once, so I'm going to give it one last try. Otherwise I've been wanting to switch to Red Sea Coral Pro or Reef Crystals. Otherwise, everything is coming along, as slow as we don't like it to be, but as necessary as it needs to be.
Happy Reefing.
Added a CUC from reefcleaners. I was skeptical about the packaging, but everything seemed to have lived, so i'd recommend them to anyone looking. I put half in my dt and half in my sump and have slowly moved them all into the dt. Had a bit on an algae outbreak so I picked up some NoPox since Po4 wasn't registering on my Red Sea test kit. It seems to have recessed nicely since.
Tank now has two clowns and a yellow tang. Trying to keep my fish to ones that will contribute to the tank remaining healthy. Besides the clowns. Will probably pick up a wrasse of some sort next. I've always had six line, but want to go another route. Something slightly more appealing, but will need to upgrade security as currently I do not have a top on my tank.
Bare bottom has really grown on me. Rocking high flow with three mp10s at 100% and two of them in anti-sync. Picked up a grafted monti, pink lemonade acro and an Oregon tort from a respected R2R member @vuqchu . If you get a chance to buy, I'd highly recommend doing so. All are doing well with great PE.
I'm finding that the Red Sea Blue Bucket isn't mixing to the nutrient levels specified on the package. After some reading I've learned it may be best to buy in 55gal size buckets and mix all at once, so I'm going to give it one last try. Otherwise I've been wanting to switch to Red Sea Coral Pro or Reef Crystals. Otherwise, everything is coming along, as slow as we don't like it to be, but as necessary as it needs to be.
Happy Reefing.
OP
OP
Love seeing this...
Tanker1961
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
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Definitely going to follow this thread. I've read through it and can see it's going to be helpful. Started me a 55 gal mixed reef approx 8months ago. Coming along nicely. Had a saltwater aquarium years ago, fish only and decided now that I'm retired to get back in it. 
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Welcome! Made me think to write an update.
I bought a Skimz Chaeto reactor off a fellow member that I will be hopefully getting online this evening. Hoping to do some cord management this weekend. I also gave in and bought a battlebox from @Battlecorals , I can't wait until Saturday, thank you for working with me on shipping. Any questions or if I can help at all please let me know.
I bought a Skimz Chaeto reactor off a fellow member that I will be hopefully getting online this evening. Hoping to do some cord management this weekend. I also gave in and bought a battlebox from @Battlecorals , I can't wait until Saturday, thank you for working with me on shipping. Any questions or if I can help at all please let me know.
OP
OP
@Tanker1961 you should start a build thread as well. a lot of people here to help 
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Excited!
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Awesome battle box!
OP
OP
Highly recommend picking up a box from @Battlecorals if you haven't already. I may stock my whole tank from Adam.
Just saw this build, looking forward to following along. So many people going bare bottom, seriously making me consider it for my next build. Excellent job on the stand, I really like it.
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