Fish Tank Room

DarkTang · Jan 17, 2015

Yep I have about 300 in my tank

143MPCo · Jan 17, 2015

current status... will it even be ready... :Cry:

prsnlty · Jan 18, 2015

Just stopped by to see what all you've done lately.... wow, it looks great!!!!

143MPCo · Jan 18, 2015

prsnlty said:
Just stopped by to see what all you've done lately.... wow, it looks great!!!!

Thank you Jackie! Sometimes I wonder if it will ever just get done... lol

Fishmania21 · Jan 19, 2015

Been following ur thread......I like the picture quality as well as those frag tank you have....keep it up

Coralsdaily · Jan 19, 2015

impressive set up sofar. would love to see it when you have it up and running

143MPCo · Jan 20, 2015

Fishmania21 said:
Been following ur thread......I like the picture quality as well as those frag tank you have....keep it up

Thank you, and thanks for following along... this has taken a bit longer then I would have liked.

stevenliu9 said:
impressive set up sofar. would love to see it when you have it up and running

Thank you, hoping to have it completely operation before April, have a trip in june to Florida for coral buy... so really need to get moving again!

Fishmania21 · Jan 20, 2015

Before u start out. Did u schetch a fish room diagram? Also in ur opinion what will u go with, mp vortech or gyre 143?

143MPCo · Jan 20, 2015

Fishmania21 said:
Before u start out. Did u schetch a fish room diagram?

I had a idea of what and how I wanted to lay everything out, it's a small room so space is at a premium and the 180 would really only work on the exterior facing wall... that kinda dictated the rest of the layout.

Fishmania21 said:
Also in ur opinion what will u go with, mp vortech or gyre 143?

If I had my way, I would use a closed loop system connected to an ocean's motion unit. That aside, and the fact that the price has drop on the vortech, I would stick with the MP40... rumor is ecotech is coming out with something to rival the gyre, and IMO, they've been in the game a little longer with a better track record, so I'm holding out for now.

gtbarsi · Jan 20, 2015

This build is awesome!

143MPCo · Jan 20, 2015

gtbarsi said:
This build is awesome!

Thank you for your kind words, it really is appreciated!

143MPCo · Jan 20, 2015

0ppm, really?

So just for the sake of saying I tested it... I placed a chunk of dryrock in a cleaned bucket and filled it with RO/DI water, 24hrs later I tested the water for phosphate... is this a valid reading?

I've done this with other types of dryrock (pukani from BRS) and the results showed 2.64+...
The reason the rock was shipped late was it was wet and need to dry out from all the rain it soaked up as it was outside for a prolong time and never covered , is it possible the rains leach out all the phosphate?

Trying to add a post from tapatalk is a pain, and the spell check is horrible...lol...:tongue:

s2nhle · Jan 20, 2015

Wow, have you test it again. I left my rock in the bucket before with rain water and several days later my rock is covered with algae.

prsnlty · Jan 20, 2015

I have cured brand new agrocrete rocks that I personally made. 0 phosphates. Yet once the cure water reached it's goal of 8.4 ph, algae began to grow. This cure tank was outside in the shade and had been rained in during cure time but no direct sunlight. Tested for phosphates and still came out 0. I don't think (IMO) that you have to have phosphates to grow algae. But you do need light.

143MPCo · Jan 21, 2015

I'm taking a phased approach to testing this one... why, because I'm bored?!?! :tongue: lol

Keeping in mind that this is reportedly fossilized ancient reef rock and mined from a once underground source, I would think it should have some PO4... Unlike pukani that is ocean harvested, dried, and contaminated with sponges and other soon to be decomposing material once added to saltwater (or freshwater) therefore accounting for the elevated levels of PO4, I would expect to see it in both samples of either rock.

I tested the water 3 times received the same results each time, next step is to place it in a heated, power-head circulating bucket of saltwater and allow it to cycle for a few weeks... will test it every 3 days to see if any change...

Also going to take another chuck, acid dip (I know there's way more to acid dipping, simplifying it for this post), and follow a similar process to see if any different results are achieved.

Going to take one more chuck and just let it sit in RO/DI for the entire time of the process, as a control.

My only regret, is I don't have additional types to test, so results will be 100% limited to what I have for dryrock.

143MPCo · Jan 21, 2015

s2nhle said:
Wow, have you test it again. I left my rock in the bucket before with rain water and several days later my rock is covered with algae.

prsnlty said:
I have cured brand new agrocrete rocks that I personally made. 0 phosphates. Yet once the cure water reached it's goal of 8.4 ph, algae began to grow. This cure tank was outside in the shade and had been rained in during cure time but no direct sunlight. Tested for phosphates and still came out 0. I don't think (IMO) that you have to have phosphates to grow algae. But you do need light.

The water in a raindrop is one of the cleanest sources of water available. Rainwater can absorb gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide from the atmosphere. It can also capture soot and other microscopic particulates as it falls through the sky. Nevertheless, rainwater is almost 100% pure water before it reaches the ground.

Could the "microscopic particulates" account for the algae growth soon after?

revhtree · Jan 21, 2015

143MPCo said:
current status... will it even be ready... :Cry:

Jealous of your tank room!

prsnlty · Jan 21, 2015

143MPCo said:
The water in a raindrop is one of the cleanest sources of water available. Rainwater can absorb gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide from the atmosphere. It can also capture soot and other microscopic particulates as it falls through the sky. Nevertheless, rainwater is almost 100% pure water before it reaches the ground.

Could the "microscopic particulates" account for the algae growth soon after?

I guess it could :D

None the less, once our systems are up and running, coral and fish eat and we add all kinds of stuff that inevitably puts phosphates into the system. Magnesium also needs phosphates to a degree as well to bind. I feel the bad algae is from unused phosphates that are not absorbed by mg or micro/macro algaes. One can still have phosphates in the system and not be able to get a reading since it is bound. So as long as it reads .02 or less it's a good thing :)

143MPCo · Jan 21, 2015

revhtree said:
Jealous of your tank room!

Thanks Rev!

143MPCo · Jan 21, 2015

prsnlty said:
I guess it could :D

None the less, once our systems are up and running, coral and fish eat and we add all kinds of stuff that inevitably puts phosphates into the system. Magnesium also needs phosphates to a degree as well to bind. I feel the bad algae is from unused phosphates that are not absorbed by mg or micro/macro algaes. One can still have phosphates in the system and not be able to get a reading since it is bound. So as long as it reads .02 or less it's a good thing :)

I agree... need to get busy and get it done...lol