crusso1993
7500 Club Member
You know me, always learning new stuff.
If I can sneak in the cost of a new powder gun before the wedding without the Sheriff knowing...
Perfecto! (That's some other language for great or somethin'!)
93 Cube for under a grand. It can be done... I think. UPDATED GRAND TOTAL! :)
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Perfecto! (That's some other language for great or somethin'!)
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
Just ordered a mix of 30 snails from Aquarium Depot.
Always good stuff from them.
This should knock out the diatoms really quickly.
I also added GSP to the order since they had it for $1.99 again.
I usually miss it when it's on sale.
Always good stuff from them.
This should knock out the diatoms really quickly.
I also added GSP to the order since they had it for $1.99 again.
I usually miss it when it's on sale.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Why are you trying to knock them out? I'm of the philosophy that I want the extra silicates that drive diatom growth to be consumed as quickly as possible. Get the bloom over quick instead of having it dragged out.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
Just the way I have always done.
It has served me well and it always seems like the coralline kicks in faster on the rocks this way.
Plus, I don't use a huge CUC. I believe in a balance to keep it alive over the long term. (well snails don't live a long time to begin with)
I notice a lot of folks will get a very large population of cleaners and they die off from starvation.
It has served me well and it always seems like the coralline kicks in faster on the rocks this way.
Plus, I don't use a huge CUC. I believe in a balance to keep it alive over the long term. (well snails don't live a long time to begin with)
I notice a lot of folks will get a very large population of cleaners and they die off from starvation.
I think I always do the opposite, two small of one afraid to add too many. I’ve got maybe 8 turbos, 4 asteria (spelled wrong I’m sure), and maybe 4 hermits, oh and a sea cucumber.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
In non-reef related news (but still fish) I am rescuing a few butterfly koi today. Been missing having them. I have a couple koi in my pond and some fancy goldfish but, I have been missing butterfly's. So beautiful!
That's a poster I downloaded just to show you what they look like.
That's a poster I downloaded just to show you what they look like.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
Holy crap! I just looked at the countdown timer. 51 days until the wedding!
I have to cook enough food for 90 people, finish building the food trays and cake stand (rustic barnwood) and build the wedding arch. I also have to finish setting up the photo booth software and laptop for it.
The boys and I have to get shoes (gray Chucks) and ties and new dress shirts. (we already took care of suit pants and suspenders)
OK, I think I need a valium. LOL!
I have to cook enough food for 90 people, finish building the food trays and cake stand (rustic barnwood) and build the wedding arch. I also have to finish setting up the photo booth software and laptop for it.
The boys and I have to get shoes (gray Chucks) and ties and new dress shirts. (we already took care of suit pants and suspenders)
OK, I think I need a valium. LOL!
crusso1993
7500 Club Member
In non-reef related news (but still fish) I am rescuing a few butterfly koi today. Been missing having them. I have a couple koi in my pond and some fancy goldfish but, I have been missing butterfly's. So beautiful!
That's a poster I downloaded just to show you what they look like.
Did you say, "Butterfly?"
crusso1993
7500 Club Member
If I lived closer, I'd be giving you a hand. Really, I would.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
So, I do product testing when I get offers to do so.
In return I work out the kinks in the manuals (if it even has one) and write my recommendation/review of the equipment.
Here is the review of a water change/ATO unit that I just worked on. (This one wasn't an official one. They couldn't figure out how to use it and offered it to me to figure out. The manual was less than useless)
This consists of two micro pumps (70gph), a sensor/control panel (the dang bezel was upside down! I think this led to not being able to figure it out.) and a remote optical sensor for low water shutoff, hose for input and output and hose clamps to attach to the rim of the sump or aquarium.
So I got it working.
It's ok. As an ATO it works very well. It tops off about 6oz. at a time on my system. So it should keep salinity rock solid. (My DIY unit does about 8oz at a time)
As a water changer, meh. It's manual. You have to stand right there with it basically and still tote buckets. The one cool thing it does is shut off the ATO while you are doing the water change. Basically, you hit a button, it shuts off the ATO and then it pumps out water to the low sensor, then pumps new water back in to the full sensor and then turns the ATO back on. This whole process takes about 8 minutes or so. In my tank the most I could get it to change was about 3 gallons because you have to have it in your return chamber for it to work correctly. If you had a larger return section, then this would be fine. I have contemplated combining my fuge and return section via drilling holes since I don't use the fuge section for anything right now. It would almost double the water change volume if I did.
I could see where this would be useful if you had a nano tank and a drain handy so you only had to tote one bucket.
The problem with leaving it hooked up is, you can't just use it as an ATO. if you unplug the second pump, an alarm goes off. I guess you could just leave the pump hooked up and hide it because it doesn't run unless you tell it to.
I think this product has it's uses but, for me, I wouldn't carry it, it's a very niche product.
The company who made this does have an automatic version of it that I would very much like to try. Until then, my search for cool new gadgets continues...
I will take pics if anyone is interested but, I wonder if this thing will ever even hit the market. It's not even available on Alibaba. And, you can get everything on Alibaba. LOL!
If you all want to see something tested or are having trouble figuring out a new product, drop me a line. I will try to get a manufacturer to send me one for testing/review.
In return I work out the kinks in the manuals (if it even has one) and write my recommendation/review of the equipment.
Here is the review of a water change/ATO unit that I just worked on. (This one wasn't an official one. They couldn't figure out how to use it and offered it to me to figure out. The manual was less than useless)
This consists of two micro pumps (70gph), a sensor/control panel (the dang bezel was upside down! I think this led to not being able to figure it out.) and a remote optical sensor for low water shutoff, hose for input and output and hose clamps to attach to the rim of the sump or aquarium.
So I got it working.
It's ok. As an ATO it works very well. It tops off about 6oz. at a time on my system. So it should keep salinity rock solid. (My DIY unit does about 8oz at a time)
As a water changer, meh. It's manual. You have to stand right there with it basically and still tote buckets. The one cool thing it does is shut off the ATO while you are doing the water change. Basically, you hit a button, it shuts off the ATO and then it pumps out water to the low sensor, then pumps new water back in to the full sensor and then turns the ATO back on. This whole process takes about 8 minutes or so. In my tank the most I could get it to change was about 3 gallons because you have to have it in your return chamber for it to work correctly. If you had a larger return section, then this would be fine. I have contemplated combining my fuge and return section via drilling holes since I don't use the fuge section for anything right now. It would almost double the water change volume if I did.
I could see where this would be useful if you had a nano tank and a drain handy so you only had to tote one bucket.
The problem with leaving it hooked up is, you can't just use it as an ATO. if you unplug the second pump, an alarm goes off. I guess you could just leave the pump hooked up and hide it because it doesn't run unless you tell it to.
I think this product has it's uses but, for me, I wouldn't carry it, it's a very niche product.
The company who made this does have an automatic version of it that I would very much like to try. Until then, my search for cool new gadgets continues...
I will take pics if anyone is interested but, I wonder if this thing will ever even hit the market. It's not even available on Alibaba. And, you can get everything on Alibaba. LOL!
If you all want to see something tested or are having trouble figuring out a new product, drop me a line. I will try to get a manufacturer to send me one for testing/review.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
I know bud. I will get it done. Just freaking out for a second. I am nearly 51 and getting married... AGAIN!
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
Much respect for chucks at a wedding, I like it. I cooked at our wedding as well, but backyard bbq style. Borrowed a big trailer mounted pit, and fired it up just before the ceremony. Afterward just went got to cooking, it was a lot of fun. I'm with @crusso1993, If I wasn't a 12 hour drive away I'd come lend a hand.
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
If you did come you would have to bring brisket. LOL!
We are doing spring food. Chicken and pasta salad, fruit and veggie trays and relish trays. So not a ton of cooking but any cooking for 90 is a bunch. The original plan was for prime rib but we ruled it out after the stroke. I cold still do it but something about me taking it easy and not being a spring chicken, blah, blah, blah....
crusso1993
7500 Club Member
You're 12 hours West and I'm 12 hours North. I guess together we're Northwest...
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
My clean up crew and parts for my acrylic topoff are out for delivery!
Gonna be a busy fish weekend.
I have to acclimate the CUC, build the reservoir, rescue the rest of the koi and finish of 12gallonsofhex retro light retrofit.
I also have to squeeze in some wedding woodworking in between rain drops.
I would love to be able to paint the canopy and doors but the humidity would just kill it.
Gonna be a busy fish weekend.
I have to acclimate the CUC, build the reservoir, rescue the rest of the koi and finish of 12gallonsofhex retro light retrofit.
I also have to squeeze in some wedding woodworking in between rain drops.
I would love to be able to paint the canopy and doors but the humidity would just kill it.
crusso1993
7500 Club Member
Sounds like a fun-packed weekend!
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dantimdad
7500 Club Member
You are invited down to join in the fun.
It's only 11 hours start driving now and I will have a late dinner ready for you.
I am SURE Sherry won't mind if you just showed up.
crusso1993
7500 Club Member
You are invited down to join in the fun.
It's only 11 hours start driving now and I will have a late dinner ready for you.
I am SURE Sherry won't mind if you just showed up.
Dude... I would possibly take you up on that offer. However, I am sure Katherine would mind if I left while she's still sick. I could offer to bring her with but, well, pneumonia is a little serious. Plus she cancelled her patients for today and I'm playing doctor!
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I think going to visit @dantimdad is a great excuse for a road trip one day.
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