450 Hurricane Harvey Redemption build

[Dmax]

Turned the radion channels up to try and match the halide in the middle. This is with radions and halide running without the reefbrite XHO's.

 

[Dmax]

If anyone has any input on my nutrient situation, I'm all ears.

 

[backbayreef]

Nitrate: you can dose NeoNitro to bring it back to 10'ish
Phosphate: this is super easy - either manually dose PhosphateRx or auto-dose Brightwell PhosphatE daily (that's what I use) to keep PO4 low*

*Caution: both products are lanthanum chloride-based. Some reefers reported issues with tangs (specifically yellow tangs). I've been dosing these for almost a decade w/o issues: dosed into 5 micron socks, filter floss, or skimmer body... guess I've been lucky? And yes, I've had yellow tangs in all these tanks...

Good luck!

 

[Dmax]

A little tank maintenance Saturday during some much needed but inadequate weather. My Nitrates are elevated above 0 now every test I've taken. It appears the bacteria or algae that has been taking over the sand and rocks seems to be depleting. I've tried my hardest to leave the tank alone to determine if the nitrate dosing is in fact causing this to clear up.

 

[Dmax]

 

[Dmax]

 

[backbayreef]

Looking good though - everything looks healthy to me!

btw: very cool skimmer and refugium. You haven't skinned the bottom yet? ;)

 

[Dmax]

Looking good though - everything looks healthy to me!

btw: very cool skimmer and refugium. You haven't skinned the bottom yet? ;)

Bottom has magnetic panels. I just removed the panels during the maintenance when I snapped the pic.

Things are looking good and healthy. Really happy to see it working out. Nitrate test tonight was 5.4. Going in the right direction slowly.

 

[backbayreef]

Very cool

Also, I would monitor closely and not bottom out nutrients. Mine finally settled after fighting with high nitrate.

 

[Dmax]

Looking good though - everything looks healthy to me!

btw: very cool skimmer and refugium. You haven't skinned the bottom yet? ;)

I absolutely love that skimmer. It’s a SRO EXT 6000. My wife actually got it for me one Christmas years ago from BRS during a sale. I’m betting 12-15 years ago. Been such a great skimmer I have another one. lol. Ran it on the old frag system.

 

[backbayreef]

Wow - that’s a beast! I’ve never had external skimmers — all have been internal since I’m scared of leaks.

Is that a nem tank or an infestation of large aiptasias? lol

 

[KrisReef]

So we have recently picked up a 450 Planet tank. 3/4" glass 1" pvc bottom and a ghost overflow. Tank Dimensions 7' long x 42" deep x 30" tall. This is replacing my 300 we lost during Hurricane Harvey.

I was at a buddies home watching his shattered ankle heal after surgery yesterday and saw the news reporting that Jamaica was going to have some spinning weather. Then today I saw this thread and I didn’t read it because I wondered how much fear lingers in your head when you see a hurricane forecast in the news? (Especially before you know it’s predicted trajectory-)

This is going to be a long process and even wondering why I'm starting the thread now. The excitement is why and I'm ready to get this show on the road.

I’m excited to read how this went in the last couple of years. Thanks for posting it!

Which a lot of you know nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

And since I struggle to read cliches and “nothing good happens fast” is a frequent offender on this board, I must ask; how can you not see that the quick destruction via Harvey gave you the joy of an awesome upgrade?

But the 1st question about “PTSD” and weather reports is really what I am interested in.

The big weather report cliche is the use of the wrong headed term “@weather EVENT”

Weddings are “Events “ and you know this because often a wedding will have an EVENT planner who coordinates the wedding from start to finish.

Only God knows what the weather will do, but from a weather forecast or report perspective a hurricane is technically an incident, the thing may unfold and be reported on but we don’t get any information from the “Event” planner other then the aftermath.

Fires, Earthquakes, and other things are incidents but listen and you will hear the jackaz reports calling them “events.”

Frequent incidents of poor choices of words. EOR

Sorry you had to experience a Hurricane that they named Harvey.

 

[Dmax]

Wow - that’s a beast! I’ve never had external skimmers — all have been internal since I’m scared of leaks.

Is that a nem tank or an infestation of large aiptasias? lol

That was a anemone tank that started with like 3 and turned into that.

 

[Dmax]

And since I struggle to read cliches and “nothing good happens fast” is a frequent offender on this board, I must ask; how can you not see that the quick destruction via Harvey gave you the joy of an awesome upgrade?

That is a way to look at it, but I still think about all the animals I lost during that time. I consider myself a prepared person. We evacuated due to my wife and kids. If not for them I would've never left. When we evacuated I took my high water fording vehicle along with the aluminum boat and generator. I had a camera on the tank and would log in very often to ensure the power was still on. One morning at like 4-5am I woke up and checked the camera. It was offline... Jumped in the truck loaded with the boat and generator and enough extension cords to wrap around my home. Got to the Hwy and the National Guard was there blocking any thru traffic. Thought I'll show them my drivers license and be able to proceed to my home. Well I was wrong and they wouldn't budge. I even tried to come in another way and they had it blocked as well and apparently was notified about me trying to access my property. The Guard and State Troopers weren't having it. 3 days later my neighbor asked to go check on his cattle. He knew I took my vehicle and boat so I could access them. They let us right thru and went to my home to find the destruction.

I would have much rather sold it all and started over than go thru what we did during that time. Wasn't fair to the animals that rely on me to take care of them. Don't wish it on my worst enemy.

Praying for Jamaica.

We now have a generac that runs the home. I told momma I wouldn't set up another large tank without it. Almost just stuck to my nano 10 gallon because of cost and able to grab it off the counter and run out the door. lol

 

[Dmax]

Also the amount of money lost. Insurance told me to kick rocks and they don't insure pets. A phone call I never thought I'd have to make with a insurance company.

 

[Dmax]

Really having a hard time telling myself to leave the lights alone. I really want to put the other two halides back on. I actually have a case of Actinic VHO's 72" I want to add on with the halides. I used to run 3 400 watt halides with 2-72" Actinic VHO's on ice cap ballast. I still have all the equipment. I remember the VHO look but need to see it again. lol

Leave it alone. lol

 

[KrisReef]

Really having a hard time telling myself to leave the lights alone. I really want to put the other two halides back on. I actually have a case of Actinic VHO's 72" I want to add on with the halides. I used to run 3 400 watt halides with 2-72" Actinic VHO's on ice cap ballast. I still have all the equipment. I remember the VHO look but need to see it again. lol

Leave it alone. lol

I’m jealous of your generac. I live in California and we don’t get hurricanes but once every 200 years. What we have is government that shuts down the freeway for political purposes and doesn’t stay in town during fire season to support the suppression of real emergencies.

I support your desire to set up the halide/Cho combo! It’s a beautiful thing to watch.

 

[Dmax]

I’m jealous of your generac. I live in California and we don’t get hurricanes but once every 200 years. What we have is government that shuts down the freeway for political purposes and doesn’t stay in town during fire season to support the suppression of real emergencies.

I support your desire to set up the halide/Cho combo! It’s a beautiful thing to watch.

I'll be honest it was a lot of money up front. But know owning it for almost 7 years it was well worth the money. Especially with the kids. Just have to stay on top of maintenance which is super simple compared to a reef tank. Lol


We had a "winter storm" last year and everyone lost power in our area for 3 days to a week before power was restored. I remember going to pick my father up in his house. I walked in and it was 40 F in his home. Loaded him up and took him to our place. He was at his home for 2 days without because they kept saying it was about to be restored. He came to our home and my wife was watching the news, cooking, and running laundry. In those times I feel bad for having it because of most struggling we never missed a beat besides internet being out. No one on the roads when I went to kidnap my hard headed father.

 

[Dmax]

I did just add a reefcleaners order to the tank yesterday for a birthday present. Ended up getting a descent size package. Unboxing them it seemed like a lot floating all the bags. Then put them in the 450 and they disappeared. Hahaha

 

[Dmax]