Acer new 150 build

acer · Nov 25, 2016

I lost a Trigger some time last night - stuck to power-head screen feeding the mini skimmer when I checked this AM. So, must have in the night and floated into it. ONE down - 2 to go. Considering the circumstances - I cant belive I have 2 left.

acer · Nov 26, 2016

Ok , got all fish and corals moved from the downstairs 75 gallon to the new 150.

Corals already looking better. Got the 2 used WP25 Jaboa pumps mounted and wiring into stand. Need to get mt Apex up so i can "control" everything. If anybody can walk me thru Apex Setup please contact me.

acer · Nov 26, 2016

Installed supplemental 2 x 24 inch T5HO lights. Used ATI superblue plus bulbs. Only slight difference, but should help corals grow "full" by speading/bouncing light all over.

acer · Nov 27, 2016

Lost the Hydrid dwarf angel today . Both it and the trigger looked fine and ate yesterday.

acer · Dec 9, 2016

Have been busy with real life lately, but getting back to thread this weekend - think I will do the good news/ bad news thing.

Good news= The Male trigger is doing well. Still very shy, but has good color again, and eats like a pig. The corals that were starting to brown out and die when they were in the temporary housing 75 gallon ( now the refugium) are coloring back up and seem much happier. All fish transferred well and picked up some new fish from people moving or getting out in our area. So now have 4 percular clowns ( one that is nearly black) and all are getting along so far. Picked up a very nice coral beauty Angel and he and the pigmy Angel seems to be OK with each other so far. Pics coming

Bad news _ well not really bad- but the main system needs some "tweaking" = had several power outages 2 nights ago and I miscalculated on the consequences of that situation= water draining from the main floor display via return and drain plumbing down into the sump/ refugium has a greater volume than anticipated. I believe this is due to the Reeflo Barracuda pump not being on the floor in the basement- but 30 inches off the floor- so it is sending more water up into the display than I had figured because of the decrease in Head pressure. Also, because the sump is on a stand, that is on a counter top - there is less "drop" between the external overflow box and the end of the pipe draining into the sump = less gravitional force on the siphon coming thru the drain - so it pulls less water out of the external overflow box. Therefore, the volume the Reeflo is pumping is too much for the one 1 inch full siphon drain that I had figured would handle all the water being pumped into the display from the basement. So, I have had to use both 1 inch drains and dial down one of them to create a super quiet system. However, this leaves only the one 1.5 inch drain as a backup/emergency. Also, because there are now 2 x 1 inch drains with water in the pipes rather than the originally planned 1 full siphon drain with just a trickle into the 2nd 1 inch drain - when a power outage occurs there is more water int he plumbing = more water drains down into the basement part of the system and it overflows the 75 gallon refugium. I have and emergency overflow out of the refugium - so I did not still water all over the floor. However, the 10 gallon of water that goes into the emergency area must be put back into the system when the power comes back on - otherwise the Reeflo pump starts "sucking air".

Fix Options:

It is possible the situation could be fixed by reducing the volume of water being pumped up into the display by the Reeflo pump in the basement - thus allows only one 1 inch drain to handle nearly all the water flow and therefore reduce the volume of water that is in the plumbing that will flush down into the refugium. I can think of two ways to do this. : by either using the Gate valve on the return plumbing after the reeflo pump or by re-plumbing it and putting it on the floor and crease more head pressure. I have heard that the main issue with Reeflo pumps is the seals in the pump - so putting more pressure on it by using a gate valve seems unwise. Re-plumbing the pump may work- but not positively - and it will also be a pain in the backside, and when ever I want to do any maintanence it would require me being on my hands and knees = NOT unless absolutely necessary.

Another way to fix this is to lower the water level of the 75 gallon refugium tank to allow the extra volume of water that "flushes" down into it when there is no power or the pump gets shut off for maintenance or for feedings. This entails the removal of the last baffle which will then allow me to reduce the entire tank volume when the system is running and still provide full water to the return Reeflo pump.

If anybody has opinions on this - please chime in. Looks like my best option will be draining the 75 gallon refugium tank and try to get the last baffle out without damaging other baffles.

hybridazn · Dec 10, 2016

If it were me I would just replumb the pump. Sure it could be a pain when having to do maintenance on it but hopefully that will be few and far between.

acer · Dec 10, 2016

Well- true hopefully having to do maintenance on the pump will be only one a month or less. I am thinking of doing both solutions - as I am not convinced that just moving the pump down to the floor will be enough because of my sump being placed high and the decrease in the gravity force on the siphon. So , even if I do this I may still have too much flow from the pump to the display for a 1 inch siphon drain to handle it all. Will attempt the baffle removal this weekend. If that goes well - then will also begin planning on how to change up the pump plumbing and move the Reeflo pump to the floor. I do have extra 1.5 inch flex PVC so that is not a problem- the issue may be the area around the true union valve that is between the pump and the refugium - not much room to make a cut in the current plumbing and still have enough PVC to re-attach new plumbing.

acer · Dec 12, 2016

Ok, got the baffle out this weekend, but had to keep it in the refugiun as i cant get it out due to it being installed first and there is not enough room to angle it enough. So had to prop it up and against the other baffle. I was able to reduce water level in refugium without the last baffle and no longer have the issue of overflow in a power outage= yeah... the wife is happy.

I am getting new rank syndrome with hair algea. Dog gone it. Had hoped to avoid that. Checked my RoDi= yep , new resin/ filters ordered.

Fish are happy.

acer · Dec 12, 2016

I got the Jaboa pumps hooked up to the Apex. They are pulsing 3 seconds on, three second off. Since i dont have Ethernet to the tank , they will stay that way for now. But, at least i got them hooked up and working.

acer · Dec 14, 2016

Well the RODI filters were indeed in need of changing= 4 PPM - its amazing how you don't notice this stuff until its too late. So - installed new Resin, 1 micron filter , and both carbon filters. Now RODI reading zero PPM . Also Changed out my GFO reactor in the sump, 7 inch filter socks, and cleaned the skimmer. Used the iffy stored RODI water to clean the filter socks before they went into the bleach water and for rinsing the new GFO. Unfortunately , I have 25 gallons of pre-made salt water , ready for a water change scheduled today - that was made from RODI water that was about a 4 PPM. SO, not sure what to do. I think I will run that new salt water thru a dual reactor with GFO and Carbon for a day before I do the water change.

Hopefully get the CAT6 cable run from my network switcher to the APEX later today or tomorrow.

I need to pick up a cheapo LED light for my refugium to grow out my Macro - any suggestions.

revhtree · Dec 14, 2016

Looking great!

acer · Dec 15, 2016

Thanks Rev.... finally coming together....

PlanB · Dec 15, 2016

Very cool, very inspiring setup.

acer · Dec 15, 2016

Thanks. Ordered 2 cheap led lights for the refugium yesterday. Got a 20 gallon 3 way ( display -> 40 quarenteen tank -> water out of QT is thrown away and then new water goes into display) water change finished.

Also spend an hour picking algea if substrate and rocks today.

justingraham · Dec 16, 2016

acer said:
Have been busy with real life lately, but getting back to thread this weekend - think I will do the good news/ bad news thing.

Good news= The Male trigger is doing well. Still very shy, but has good color again, and eats like a pig. The corals that were starting to brown out and die when they were in the temporary housing 75 gallon ( now the refugium) are coloring back up and seem much happier. All fish transferred well and picked up some new fish from people moving or getting out in our area. So now have 4 percular clowns ( one that is nearly black) and all are getting along so far. Picked up a very nice coral beauty Angel and he and the pigmy Angel seems to be OK with each other so far. Pics coming

Bad news _ well not really bad- but the main system needs some "tweaking" = had several power outages 2 nights ago and I miscalculated on the consequences of that situation= water draining from the main floor display via return and drain plumbing down into the sump/ refugium has a greater volume than anticipated. I believe this is due to the Reeflo Barracuda pump not being on the floor in the basement- but 30 inches off the floor- so it is sending more water up into the display than I had figured because of the decrease in Head pressure. Also, because the sump is on a stand, that is on a counter top - there is less "drop" between the external overflow box and the end of the pipe draining into the sump = less gravitional force on the siphon coming thru the drain - so it pulls less water out of the external overflow box. Therefore, the volume the Reeflo is pumping is too much for the one 1 inch full siphon drain that I had figured would handle all the water being pumped into the display from the basement. So, I have had to use both 1 inch drains and dial down one of them to create a super quiet system. However, this leaves only the one 1.5 inch drain as a backup/emergency. Also, because there are now 2 x 1 inch drains with water in the pipes rather than the originally planned 1 full siphon drain with just a trickle into the 2nd 1 inch drain - when a power outage occurs there is more water int he plumbing = more water drains down into the basement part of the system and it overflows the 75 gallon refugium. I have and emergency overflow out of the refugium - so I did not still water all over the floor. However, the 10 gallon of water that goes into the emergency area must be put back into the system when the power comes back on - otherwise the Reeflo pump starts "sucking air".

Fix Options:

It is possible the situation could be fixed by reducing the volume of water being pumped up into the display by the Reeflo pump in the basement - thus allows only one 1 inch drain to handle nearly all the water flow and therefore reduce the volume of water that is in the plumbing that will flush down into the refugium. I can think of two ways to do this. : by either using the Gate valve on the return plumbing after the reeflo pump or by re-plumbing it and putting it on the floor and crease more head pressure. I have heard that the main issue with Reeflo pumps is the seals in the pump - so putting more pressure on it by using a gate valve seems unwise. Re-plumbing the pump may work- but not positively - and it will also be a pain in the backside, and when ever I want to do any maintanence it would require me being on my hands and knees = NOT unless absolutely necessary.

Another way to fix this is to lower the water level of the 75 gallon refugium tank to allow the extra volume of water that "flushes" down into it when there is no power or the pump gets shut off for maintenance or for feedings. This entails the removal of the last baffle which will then allow me to reduce the entire tank volume when the system is running and still provide full water to the return Reeflo pump.

If anybody has opinions on this - please chime in. Looks like my best option will be draining the 75 gallon refugium tank and try to get the last baffle out without damaging other baffles.

What about a check valve or do u have one and the overflow is coming from the drain?

ReefQueen · Dec 16, 2016

Wow, looking great! Isn't it just so fun to get a new system running smoothly lol

want to come pick some HA off my rocks next? I just noticed today I badly need to change my rodi filters as well.

acer · Dec 16, 2016

Justin - NO check valve- too much reduction in flow in my opinion - I solved the problem of the overflow a different way. Thanks for the suggestion - I may have had to do that. I still have the issue of too much flow for my planned one inch drain- so I think I will install a manifold in 1.5 inch return line downstairs to run GFO/Carbon reactors places over the refugium to pull some water volume from going up into the display tank. That should reduce the water flow enough so the one 1 inch drain should be able to handle the system with just a trickle into the second 1 inch drain and leave the emergency 1.5 inch drain dry.

Other news: Well just received my Reef Cleaners $95 order- only one small hot pack on the top of the 6 bags/paper packing in a 12" x 12" box. All contents very cold- as in less than 40 degrees. Dont they realize where they are sending the package and look at the weather? Limpet and Emerald crabs stiff and lying upside down. NO movement from snails/hermits. What a waste. Ya, like I am going to put all these dead animals in my tank and spike my ammonia and nitrates - nope. Have bags floating to see if anything comes to life= zero chance. Really one 3 x 2 inch hot pack lying on top of the paper. I already emailed them, well see....

Also-due yesterday was an replacement order from Algae barn = Pods. Shipped Monday. Same type of thing happened 2 weeks ago - it took a full week - got here the day before Thanksgiving - yep the cold day, and yep - DOA. SO this one is probably DOA as well. I love this weather!! I was hitting golf balls at the range this date last year. Global warming - NOT. LOL

acer · Dec 16, 2016

Well to my surprise- some of the hermits and snails actually made it form my Reef Cleaners package - and they already contacted me after I emailed them= good service. The Emeralds/Limpet are definitely DOA.

The Algae barn order is still not here. SO I emailed to let them know- what ever they pay UPSP - its too much.