Electrobes' sumpless 40Br

Electrobes · Oct 26, 2012

SeahorseKeeper said:
The tank looks great! I can understand why you went back to halides. I wonder if I should do the same thing.

Thanks, though to be honest the current unknown 10K bulb makes the tank pretty yellow (I just wanted to show off the new pendant!). I really can not wait till I get that Phoenix 14K on it. I'll be sure to make a new video once the bulb breaks in, in about two weeks.

It was hard deciding on going back to MH but honestly, the deal was too good to pass up and I have no regrets.. even with the yellow bulb!

Henry C · Oct 26, 2012

Christian, your tank looks awesome!!!Love the open rock stack.

Electrobes · Oct 26, 2012

Thanks Henry! The devil on my shoulder wants to fiddle with it some more, and the angel keeps telling me to let it grow out. Patience is a needed virtue in this hobby and after ten years... I still don't have much of it! :lol:

MarvinsReef · Oct 26, 2012

Electrobes said:

man, that's bright!

Wesley42079 · Oct 26, 2012

With all that light, don't you think you'l be bleaching your corals?

Electrobes · Oct 26, 2012

Marvin - Lordie is it ever bright. I am thinking the Phoenix 14K will be less so. Even so I love this power, all corners of the tank are getting light!

Wesley - I cut the lighting period in half to start with and will increase the photoperiod to about an hour a week. I am dosing iodine to help prevent/deal with bleaching, should it occur. After two days all is good. One interesting thing I've noticed though: The sps polyps are way more out than usual during the day. Go figure.

Electrobes · Nov 1, 2012

Update!

Hey all! So I've gotten some things done with the 40Br and here it is (Watch the video in HD!):

[video=youtube;ZFSdu-28uFM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFSdu-28uFM&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Some changes:

- Lighting: I've decided that my LED fixture was too blue and traded it for my current set up. I truly missed Metal Halides and am glad to have this set up. It's exactly what I was looking for in terms of color and power.

- Water Movement: This one was unexpected. The surface scum had been bothering me for ages and one of my two Vortechs was acting up. Thanks to Brett at Ecotech, I think I figured out what it was and so far so good. But in the mean time I threw a Koralia 3 to see what would happen to the surface scum. It worked beautifully, but was **** powerful.

I eventually realized I didn't need to have two Vortechs and took one of them out, plus re-adjusted the current one. I REALLY love this change, and I believe my tank does as well. Time, surely, will tell.

I finally Velcro-ed the foot power switch (Controls the Aerofuge (2 pumps) and the Koralia 3) to the back of my stand for ease during maintenance. I forgot to show it on video (doh!).

Things to do: This never ends!

- I need to soder the ballast wires permanently.

- I am currently building a cool RO/DI set up in the garage. My wife wants RO water to drink, so I am setting up a minor electrical panel to do all of that via a flick of a switch. I would love to use those large water containers (Official Salt Water Station), but I only have a 40Br... and plan on having it for quite a while. I think this will work best, and I will film it after I am done sometime this weekend... I hope.

Electrobes · Nov 2, 2012

I was reminded of a great tip as I was buying some items for the tank: Buy back ups of important things like pumps, if you can. I just bought both the feeder pump and aerator pump for the Aerofuge (I hate that name for it... it should be Aerosump). Having a small tank, $40 makes for a great deal to keep life-supporting systems online should one or both break!

I am also really excited about my new canopy arriving this Saturday! I'll be sure to post pics and/or video once it's on.

As for the light acclimation for the 250W HQI pendant: Everything looks great! I can not believe the change I am seeing, and all of it being positive. I have slight bleaching on one of the monti-frags, but overall I am loving this change of light!

Electrobes · Nov 4, 2012

So my weekend was awesome, but aquarium-wise.. it was a bit of a bust. The canopy was brought in, but I forgot to tell my dad what size blocks to bring in to sit on the actual tank. Plus, it was also decided I really should have a door in the front, and he didn't like the size of the canopy he made, based on my measurements... it was too big for his taste. He decided he is making a new canopy with his measurements and I am hoping to pick it up next weekend, when I visit for my sister-in-law's birthday.

While my weekend was crazy busy, I did manage to finish the new RO/DI station, and mount two frags (They have been in the tank.. but one needed it's own small rock, and the other wasn't mounted at all) to their permanent locations. Pictures will come tomorrow: Especially an explanation about the RO/DI station. I just need to clean up some of the piping, and label the three switches, and we'll be good to go.

MarvinsReef · Nov 5, 2012

Electrobes said:
So my weekend was awesome, but aquarium-wise.. it was a bit of a bust. The canopy was brought in, but I forgot to tell my dad what size blocks to bring in to sit on the actual tank. Plus, it was also decided I really should have a door in the front, and he didn't like the size of the canopy he made, based on my measurements... it was too big for his taste. He decided he is making a new canopy with his measurements and I am hoping to pick it up next weekend, when I visit for my sister-in-law's birthday.

While my weekend was crazy busy, I did manage to finish the new RO/DI station, and mount two frags (They have been in the tank.. but one needed it's own small rock, and the other wasn't mounted at all) to their permanent locations. Pictures will come tomorrow: Especially an explanation about the RO/DI station. I just need to clean up some of the piping, and label the three switches, and we'll be good to go.

at least you'll be getting a better fitting canopy.

I have also been pondering about the switching to MH but I'm concern about the extra light. you almost need a canopy for a MH set up since there seems to be a lot of light leakage. I think I'll try hanging my light fixture to see if it'll help with ease of maintenance. anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing what the new canopy will look like.

Electrobes · Nov 5, 2012

Thanks Marvin, I'll be posting pics tonight once my son goes to bed, I'll show what the Original canopy looks like. It'ss be exactly the same, but with a door in the front and slightly less wide.

I agree with you about the extra light.. what's interesting about my new canopy is that it has no top. The light's reflection on the ceiling is pretty cool!

I am surprised to hear you're thinking about going to MH, when did that happen!?

teags120 · Nov 7, 2012

That's a sweet tank!

MarvinsReef · Nov 8, 2012

Electrobes said:
Thanks Marvin, I'll be posting pics tonight once my son goes to bed, I'll show what the Original canopy looks like. It'ss be exactly the same, but with a door in the front and slightly less wide.

I agree with you about the extra light.. what's interesting about my new canopy is that it has no top. The light's reflection on the ceiling is pretty cool!

I am surprised to hear you're thinking about going to MH, when did that happen!?

ceiling reflection sounds cool. I've always been a fan of the Radium bulb. I still believe that you cannot beat the color of a Radium bulb along with some T5 supp. actually nowadays, I think a LED strip would work out just fine to get the supp lighting to simulate dawn and dusk effect. keep us posted on the canopy when it arrives.

LVE · Nov 8, 2012

Great looking tank.

Electrobes · Nov 8, 2012

Teags - Thanks!

Marvin - I decided on the Phoenix 14K, but with no supp. I may try the Radium 20K next.. but I like the almost natural look of the 14K... go figure.

LVE - Thanks for the kind words!

Electrobes · Nov 8, 2012

So I will be in my parents city this weekend, and I am hoping to finally get my new-new canopy for the tank. I did take pictures of the RODI set up, but of course another problem came up. My DI resin chamber needs to be twice the size, thanks to my well water chewing it like nothing. I am waiting for it to come in, but may post up the pics I've already taken as I think it has the old DI chamber. I'll look tonight, once kiddo goes to sleep for the night.

Electrobes · Nov 9, 2012

Finally the slightly automated RODI set up!

Here are some pics... basically one switch turns on the pump, and two solenoids to get RO water (Drinking) and the other switch turns on the pump and two other solenoids for RODI.

Here are some construction pics:

Initial set up before actual wiring took place:

Wiring's done!

And the finisher.. it works!

This sure beats undoing and closing up all the valves when getting water!

Electrobes · Nov 21, 2012

So I have a big update coming tonight (Video showing the, finally, new canopy and some equipment changes! Plus a disastrous event!) but wanted to highlight a couple things:

- The above mechanism (RO/DI) is functioning very well and has made getting water so much easier! I love it!

- I feel like a total idiot, considering how much reef stuff I read, but I never used vinegar in my kalk bin before. Why? I haven't a clue. I just read an old article about it, and realize it's something I should have done years ago... literally. Anyway I've started with 200mL Vinegar per 10 tsp of Kalk, mixed together, and then dumped into 5G of RODI water. This will be a new consistent routine for me, as opposed to just dumping kalk into the bin and nothing else. We'll see how this affects my dosing regimen with 2-part.. here's hoping I won't need it anymore... but I somehow doubt that!