Devoted Reefer 250

[Scurvy]

Looks good! Curious to see if this will totally control N3/P4 readings.

I have the componants to do an algae reactor but havent set it up. Cant decide which tank needs it more so it collects dust LOL.

 

[pelphrey]

Looks good! Curious to see if this will totally control N3/P4 readings.

I have the componants to do an algae reactor but havent set it up. Cant decide which tank needs it more so it collects dust LOL.

I'm really interested to see what happens, my plan is to MAYBE run the tank without the skimmer once the ATS is established. Just to see how well it does. I've had luck with cheato before so we'll see what happens!

Like you I had this scrubber collecting dust for a long long time. All I need to do it test my water this weekend and turn it on. I do still need to make some very minor configuration changes to my apex for the light schedule on the ATS.

Get that reactor going!! I'm one to talk! hahaha

 

[sithrico]

Last weekend I noticed a small drip coming down from my reefer return standpipe. After talking to @Broadfield I drained the overflow, pulled the standpipe and made sure the o-ring was still intact. After verifying that there was no damage to the 0-ring I re-installed and turned the pump back on. The leak was minimized to a much slower drip, on Sunday I entered a ticket with Red Sea. On Monday Amanda with Red Sea emailed me, I provided pictures of the parts and the leak and she sent out a new return stand pipe. I haven't installed the new pipe yet, the leak has since gone away for now. I wanted to be pro-active and get the ticket entered and a new pipe in just in case.

I got a leak at the bulkhead nut at the same pipe. Amanda said to silicone it and see if it stops otherwise it would have been a whole tank exchange. You can see it on my build.

 

[pelphrey]

I got a leak at the bulkhead nut at the same pipe. Amanda said to silicone it and see if it stops otherwise it would have been a whole tank exchange. You cans see it on my build.

I saw that, I guess I can see both sides. If silicone fixes it then so be it, and with it being on the bottom of the tank no one will ever see it anyway. I really expected a blanket response similar to what you got when I entered the ticket, I just wanted to get the ticket entered for reference. I'm going to hang onto that standpipe, if it does it again I'll swap them out. The standpipe that came with my tank has a black o-ring on it and the new one has a red o-ring. Wondering if they changed that for any specific reason.

I can say that the customer service has been and continues to be excellent!
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[sithrico]

Yeah she seemed very concerned about it and because of where mine was leaking it wasn't as easy as just changing the pipe. It has the black silicone all around it when you take off the bulkhead. I guess she knew it would take longer for a tank swap than me just doing the fix. I know no one will see it, but I know it's there. Good luck to you.

 

[pelphrey]

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[pelphrey]

April 30th 2017 RAIN2 Algae Turf Scrubber Startup. Running 1 GEM5 light 24/7. Tested water with Hannas Phosphorus tester, test came back at 4, phosphates really low. I did test nitrate with my Red Sea kit (which was expired) but it was zero. I threw it away, all future tests will be phosphate tests only. I'll pickup another nitrate test kit eventually.

Added a piece of 1" PVC with a 90 to push the flow away from the output of the scrubber

 

[pelphrey]

I'm up a few hours before work each morning with the kids, I was completely unaware that the natural sunlight would provide a different perspective of the tank. The sun is starting to come up earlier and over the hill behind our house, so I decided to turn the pumps off and snap some shots. No fancy camera here, just the iPhone 6.

Top down view with the Gyre pumps off, return pump still running

Not ready to wake up

 

[pelphrey]

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[pelphrey]

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[pelphrey]

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[pelphrey]

Haven't updated this thread in awhile now. My family and I went to Florida for a week and while we were gone I setup a laptop with teamviewer installed so I can log into my laptop from my phone and view the tank. Was nice to be able to see the tank and run the Neptune AFS at the same time and make sure the fish were fed. Aside from that the RAIN2 has been in the tank for awhile now and it is growing algae. It took it a few weeks to start the process, I haven't opened the hood and looked for a week or so now. Was running the RAIN2 off of a MJ1200, redid my manifold and now have it running off of my VarioS-6 pump along with the Marine Depot XS AquaMaxx reactor.

Santa Monica RAIN2 has been installed and running for a few weeks now -

Temporary pump setup for the RAIN2

New manifold in place
Reactor - https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMax...te_Reactors-AquaMaxx-UJ45114-FIFRISPR-vi.html

Nyos 120 ran in my system for 6 months, time to pull it and clean it in vinegar

Back in the sump

24 hours later

DIY Screen top
DIY Screen Top Frame http://amzn.to/2rZOOcb
Screen Top Netting http://amzn.to/2sXLprY

Glued some plastic on the front corners for a flush mount. No support needed for the back, it rests on the overflow

Testing out a new nozzle
https://vividcreativeaquatics.com/

Comparison

 

[sromero287]

Congratulations on your spectacular build, yours is been an inspiration for me I've been learning a lot out of all of your changes, routine's and immaculate order through all your system.
Question in reference to your
NYOS 120 how do you like it? Would you change it for the 160 or do you think it's enough the 120, I am in the process to either 120 or the 160, total water volume in my system is 80 gallons what's your suggestion in my case. Thanks and keep up with the excellent job!!!! [emoji106][emoji225][emoji886]

 

[pelphrey]

Congratulations on your spectacular build, yours is been an inspiration for me I've been learning a lot out of all of your changes, routine's and immaculate order through all your system.
Question in reference to your
NYOS 120 how do you like it? Would you change it for the 160 or do you think it's enough the 120, I am in the process to either 120 or the 160, total water volume in my system is 80 gallons what's your suggestion in my case. Thanks and keep up with the excellent job!!!! [emoji106][emoji225][emoji886]

I also tossed around the idea of the 160 over the 120. After some research I found out that on a 65 to 70 gallon tank the 160 would probably have to be ran on a 12 on 12 off schedule, if ran 24/7 it may make your water "to clean". The 120 in my case has been the best option, plus it has a smaller footprint. The Nyos skimmers are a little tricky to get tuned in, I am still trying to dial it in perfectly since I pulled it for cleaning. Now in my defense I've not spent a lot of time adjusting it simply because I want my ATS to really take off. My thought it that if my skimmer isn't skimming 100% that my ATS will benefit from this.

Thank you for the kind words!

 

[cmcoker]

Initial thoughts on the new nozzle? been looking at those myself.

 

[pelphrey]

Initial thoughts on the new nozzle? been looking at those myself.

I am going to copy and paste the majority of this from a previous comment I made on my most recent YouTube video (Which isn't about this nozzle). I don't know if I will go back to the loc-line or not. Chances are high that I will. The RFG is a great nozzle and made well, the shipping was VERY fast! These nozzle's would be perfect for a peninsula style tank.

"I also have the RFG, the build on it is far better than the Y nozzle I got. My concerns with this nozzle is as you mentioned the distance between the nozzle and the front glass. Luckily the reefer series tanks allow us to adjust the return nozzle some but not enough. I've not had a problem with it blowing my sand yet, but I can see that happening if I add more sand to my tank. The second problem for me with the RFG is I have to point it down more than I would like, if I don't the turbulence created on the surface of the water is to much for me. With it pointed down so far I am concerned with the amount of water that will siphon into my sump before that siphon breaks. With that said I am still messing with the RFG, in all likelihood I will revert back to my loc-line return nozzle. It is the smallest form factor of all the options I've tried and I have better control over the direction of flow. "

 

[Scurvy]

Nice work in the sump, wasn't quite sure how you were going to make the ATS fit. Looking good!

 

[cmcoker]

Thanks for the input. The direction and issues with sandbed was my main concern. With the stock nozzle I was already blowing a hole in the sand. I have only a locline y on then return to split the flow away from the glass, and it's been ok.

 

[pelphrey]

Nice work in the sump, wasn't quite sure how you were going to make the ATS fit. Looking good!

Thanks! I used 1/2" piece of acrylic and super glued a PVC table cap then bought a 2" to 1/2" tee. I really wanted to hard plumb the reactor in, the more I got into it the more I stayed away. Using the 1/2" mur-lok line gave me the flexibilty I needed on the short run, a gate valve or true union valve would have taken up to much space. I originally had the scrubber in the skimmer compartment, it fits perfectly. I wanted to move it back to give me a little extra room. To be honest at this point the sump isn't as "pretty" as I would like and my cable cabinet is a complete mess, at this point I am not worried about it since no one will EVER see it! I was missing the point for a long time and wanted it to look nice and be functional, right now I don't care much about the looks as long as it functions!

I actually have two of the AquaMaxx XS reactors, and as you can see I am not even running any media in the one I installed. I have no plans to run gfo and I may not run carbon much at all. We'll see! haha I got some stuff coming in to make a new mount for my lights and I am done with equipment. Corals and fish, corals and fish, corals and fish! hahaha

Thanks for stopping by!

 

[pelphrey]

Thanks for the input. The direction and issues with sandbed was my main concern. With the stock nozzle I was already blowing a hole in the sand. I have only a locline y on then return to split the flow away from the glass, and it's been ok.

When I have the loc-line installed I have no issues at all, well the only issue I had was it shading some of the coral. I resolved that by pulling a link out.