Bubba's SPS Journey

justingraham · Dec 20, 2019

lbacha said:
Yeah I learned the hard way about not checking your kalk stirrer nozzle, took me a couple days and some water on the floor to figure out why my Alk was dropping. Now it’s part of my weekly checklist

Every two weeks when I fill my kalk I check the nozzle because this has happened to me also

bubbaque · Dec 20, 2019

Yep that’s what I mean with any equipment. No matter what it is you have to maintain it and if you don’t you could experience some issues.

lbacha · Dec 20, 2019

bubbaque said:
Yep that’s what I mean with any equipment. No matter what it is you have to maintain it and if you don’t you could experience some issues.

Couldn’t agree more, the calendar on my apex is just as important as the monitoring and control it provides.

bubbaque · Dec 22, 2019

I tried to grow Cheato but how my sump is setup it kept getting pulled into my skimmer pump. I had to go and get some eggcrate to separate it more. @AlgaeBarn was kind enough to send me out some pods, phytoplankton and chaeto.

I am still waiting to get the sulfur Denitrator running as the pump came with a broken part. The part should be here tomorrow.

Graffiti Spot · Dec 22, 2019

I am what to see how things look with normal nitrate levels! Love the tank and the idea to use the reactor. What is your po4? Will you dose some nitrate to bring it down if it’s high?
Speaking of the 90s, my friend was running bioballs on his tank for the past year and was getting pastel zeovit like coloration. I loved it but he pulled them last week.

erk · Dec 22, 2019

bubbaque said:
I tried to grow Cheato but how my sump is setup it kept getting pulled into my skimmer pump. I had to go and get some eggcrate to separate it more. @AlgaeBarn was kind enough to send me out some pods, phytoplankton and chaeto.

I am still waiting to get the sulfur Denitrator running as the pump came with a broken part. The part should be here tomorrow.

I just checked @FarmerTy 's thread and his denitrator came with a broken pump part as well. Did you guys get the same model? From looking at Ty's image of the break, looks like the manufacturer overtightened the NPT fittings.

bubbaque · Dec 22, 2019

erk said:
I just checked @FarmerTy 's thread and his denitrator came with a broken pump part as well. Did you guys get the same model? From looking at Ty's image of the break, looks like the manufacturer overtightened the NPT fittings.

Same model and mine broke in the same spot. :(

Charlie’s Frags · Dec 22, 2019

Pedoconfuego said:
I am what to see how things look with normal nitrate levels! Love the tank and the idea to use the reactor. What is your po4? Will you dose some nitrate to bring it down if it’s high?
Speaking of the 90s, my friend was running bioballs on his tank for the past year and was getting pastel zeovit like coloration. I loved it but he pulled them last week.

Pedo is tired of looking at our dark and ugly
Higher nutrient acros

acesfull44 · Dec 22, 2019

@bubbaque Hey bud, been a while. I will look to get some more stuff from you (if your selling :)) after the holiday. Can you shoot me a message with your list available when you have a chance please, thanks. Hope you have a good Christmas.

erk · Dec 22, 2019

bubbaque said:
Same model and mine broke in the same spot. :(

Sounds like a recall may be in order.

bubbaque · Dec 23, 2019

acesfull44 said:
@bubbaque Hey bud, been a while. I will look to get some more stuff from you (if your selling :)) after the holiday. Can you shoot me a message with your list available when you have a chance please, thanks. Hope you have a good Christmas.

I will send the list over.

erk said:
Sounds like a recall may be in order.

Somebody is tightening the piece that goes on the front of the pump too hard and cracking it. It seems to be a common issue as marine depot said they carry several of the front plates in stock just for replacement.

erk · Dec 23, 2019

bubbaque said:
Somebody is tightening the piece that goes on the front of the pump too hard and cracking it. It seems to be a common issue as marine depot said they carry several of the front plates in stock just for replacement.

The fact that it is a common issue and the manufacturer hasn't rectified it is not good. I don't know how most companies work, but at the company I work for if an issue like this was found we would start a recall and retrain all the operators who build this component. Then we would blame the manufacturer of the pump housing for making the wall too thin around the threads, even if it was really our fault for overtightening.

The major worry is if it arrived and was overtightened, but hadn't cracked. Change in temperature or the plastic swelling due to some water absorption would cause it to crack during operation.

MrWheelock · Dec 23, 2019

erk said:
The fact that it is a common issue and the manufacturer hasn't rectified it is not good. I don't know how most companies work, but at the company I work for if an issue like this was found we would start a recall and retrain all the operators who build this component. Then we would blame the manufacturer of the pump housing for making the wall too thin around the threads, even if it was really our fault for overtightening.

The major worry is if it arrived and was overtightened, but hadn't cracked. Change in temperature or the plastic swelling due to some water absorption would cause it to crack during operation.

Bam correctomundo. At my company, if we get a few RMA's for the same reason engineering is called. If it hits my desk in quality and I find a trend, the floor supervisor is called, the quality engineer is called and the operators are retrained. If its an engineering issue "material thickness" we either find a new vendor or we work with them to rectify the issue.

Graffiti Spot · Dec 23, 2019

Chaswood79 said:
Pedo is tired of looking at our dark and ugly
Higher nutrient acros

No not at all I just find it refreshing when I see light colors since it feels like everyone is running their tanks with darker colors. There is nothing ugly about any of the saturated colors I just find it a little more pleasing to see a natural looking tank. Main reason is because a uln pastel colored tank takes a lot of experience to run correctly. A tank with low nutrients is easier of course and I prefer that look since it is more natural. I still love looking at any acro tank regardless, there are not to many around my area anymore.