Gablami’s 260 gallon Rimless SPS Build

[rds85]

Did you do something specifically to kill the hair algae? I mean the nutrient spike makes sense. I just had ulva go sexual ( just released spores) in my tank last week and now it is in the DT. Tangs are going nuts, but cannot keep up. Urchins to follow soon, but I thinking I want to gradually remove it so that a nutrient spike doesn't happen. A couple shots of peroxide would do it in a week, but the acros look way to go to mess with them or have big changes/swings.

I am debating replacing two of MP 40s with 60s but the cost difference is a lot, so the justification is hard at the moment.
Did you ever debate a gyre located here on the back wall hidden by the overflow?:

 

[Gablami]

Did you do something specifically to kill the hair algae? I mean the nutrient spike makes sense. I just had ulva go sexual ( just released spores) in my tank last week and now it is in the DT. Tangs are going nuts, but cannot keep up. Urchins to follow soon, but I thinking I want to gradually remove it so that a nutrient spike doesn't happen. A couple shots of peroxide would do it in a week, but the acros look way to go to mess with them or have big changes/swings.

I am debating replacing two of MP 40s with 60s but the cost difference is a lot, so the justification is hard at the moment.
Did you ever debate a gyre located here on the back wall hidden by the overflow?:

No, didn’t do anything. I think it was just part of the ugly cycle. Seemed to coincide with when my chaeto really took off. But maybe the chaeto was just growing off the releases nutrients. My fuge’s walls are now clean except for pineapple sponges. Big change from how it was just a few weeks ago.

Im a big fan of the mp60. My first one. I had initially posted a thread to trade two of my mp40s for one mp60, but eventually decided to buy new instead. It’s a really nice pump, basically all the good stuff of the mp40 but more! And not that much bigger visually in the tank.

While gyres are very tempting, I’ve been turned off by how often they need to be cleaned and how cumbersome the cleaning is reported to be. If I really couldn’t have any pumps on the far end, and if this were a true peninsula tank, I think gyres would be my only good option.

What’s your experience with your gyre now that you’ve had it running awhile?

 

[rds85]

Then yeah, the downside to barebottom I guess. Those cycles taking a longer time.

Maybe I will shop the used market for now and if there isn't any good deals. Wait a w hile and proabably get a new pair.

I have cleaned them once since I have had them. It does lose efficiency within 2-3 weeks, but still works fine IMO. I did not feel the disassembly was difficult at all... Like four pieces. I would say cleaning was not an issue I would even consider. Maybe it is the new model that has been updated?

 

[Gablami]

Then yeah, the downside to barebottom I guess. Those cycles taking a longer time.

Maybe I will shop the used market for now and if there isn't any good deals. Wait a w hile and proabably get a new pair.

I have cleaned them once since I have had them. It does lose efficiency within 2-3 weeks, but still works fine IMO. I did not feel the disassembly was difficult at all... Like four pieces. I would say cleaning was not an issue I would even consider. Maybe it is the new model that has been updated?

Hmm, maybe the bad cleaning experiences have been overstated.

I kept an eye open for mp60 deals on the buy/sell forum for a couple months, but unlike other pumps, these don’t come up for sell or trade that often. But maybe you’ll find a good deal though...

 

[Hydrored]

The only gyre type pump I recommend is Reefwaves, they are silent and not bad to clean compared to the rest. I got rid of them when I went to MP60's as there was really no need.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Im right there debating mp60's on a 6 footer...

For what its worth, i resigned myself to just save and get them based on gyres being problematic in reviews everywhere

 

[Gablami]

Tank is still doing well. A few small updates.

Added some tester frags this past weekend and they are looking good. Hopefully in a couple weeks I’ll see rims of encrustation.

Added some Chromis a few weeks ago, a school of 5. Unlike my prior experience with Chromis, I didn’t have any Chromis homicides during treatment. The key I think is having a lot of hiding spots in your QT and offering plenty of food.

Chaeto is growing strong. Now this whole thing is full of chaeto and I’ve had to cut my lighting period to 6 hours to keep nutrients from going to low.

I also spent some time today setting my autofeeder to feed into a return pump intake. The feeder and feeding ring just looked obtrusive above the rimless tank. Motivated in part by @SkiCatTX, but I designed it a bit differently (my funnel is uglier). Added a PVC T attachment to the intake of one of returns:

Then drilled a hole in my lid with a stepper bit and drill press.

And added a funnel! Haha, that’s it. Low tech, but works great. And I am confident that all the pellets go into the DT, as opposed to sinking and hanging out in some corner of the return compartment.

 

[panic]

That's an awesome idea for the feeder. How does that not introduce a bunch of bubbles though?

 

[Gablami]

That's an awesome idea for the feeder. How does that not introduce a bunch of bubbles though?

It doesn’t suck in air. If it’s not sucking air in without the extension, then it shouldn’t suck it in with. At least I don’t think. If your water level is not too low, should be fine.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Happy New Year. Hope 2021 will see your tank really take off.

Love the pellet feeding tube idea. That is awesome.

But you can't tease us with tester frags and not give us at least some pictures.

 

[Gablami]

Happy New Year. Hope 2021 will see your tank really take off.

Love the pellet feeding tube idea. That is awesome.

But you can't tease us with tester frags and not give us at least some pictures.

Ok fine, twist my arm!

Here’s some photos of the new frags. Reminds me of the old black and white photos of taken of kamikaze pilots before flying on their missions.

SCOP, garf bonsai, palmers blue, RMF acid trip

and a last one of the tang gang.

 

[rds85]

Ok fine, twist my arm!

Here’s some photos of the new frags. Reminds me of the old black and white photos of taken of kamikaze pilots before flying on their missions.

SCOP, garf bonsai, palmers blue, RMF acid trip

and a last one of the tang gang.

Something about the bushy millies are just so eye catching to me! Finally we get to see some life.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Ok fine, twist my arm!

Here’s some photos of the new frags. Reminds me of the old black and white photos of taken of kamikaze pilots before flying on their missions.

SCOP, garf bonsai, palmers blue, RMF acid trip

and a last one of the tang gang.

Nice tester frags and great shot of the tang gang. I love the Palmers Blue milli and the SCOP is a classic.

As far as the tang gang, it looks lie the CBB is more interested than the white tail bristletooth tang is though.

Can't wait to watch this continue to grow in and fill up.

 

[sdreef]

Tank is still doing well. A few small updates.

Added some tester frags this past weekend and they are looking good. Hopefully in a couple weeks I’ll see rims of encrustation.

Added some Chromis a few weeks ago, a school of 5. Unlike my prior experience with Chromis, I didn’t have any Chromis homicides during treatment. The key I think is having a lot of hiding spots in your QT and offering plenty of food.

Chaeto is growing strong. Now this whole thing is full of chaeto and I’ve had to cut my lighting period to 6 hours to keep nutrients from going to low.

I also spent some time today setting my autofeeder to feed into a return pump intake. The feeder and feeding ring just looked obtrusive above the rimless tank. Motivated in part by @SkiCatTX, but I designed it a bit differently (my funnel is uglier). Added a PVC T attachment to the intake of one of returns:

Then drilled a hole in my lid with a stepper bit and drill press.

And added a funnel! Haha, that’s it. Low tech, but works great. And I am confident that all the pellets go into the DT, as opposed to sinking and hanging out in some corner of the return compartment.

Hi, everything is looking great. I was wondering how you dialed in your refugium lighting schedule. What was the starting point for the lighting schedule? How often are you checking nitrates / phosphates and what are your target values? I'm trying to sort this out for myself currently and interested in your approach. Thanks

 

[Gablami]

Hi, everything is looking great. I was wondering how you dialed in your refugium lighting schedule. What was the starting point for the lighting schedule? How often are you checking nitrates / phosphates and what are your target values? I'm trying to sort this out for myself currently and interested in your approach. Thanks

Well, basically early on, I just focused on establishing my chaeto and keeping it alive. During the ugly phases when my nutrients dropped low, I fed the chaeto directly with pellets. I didn’t let my photoperiod get shorter than 8 hours and I didn’t go over 18. At some point, the uglies went away and there was a nutrient spike. That’s when the chaeto took off (not sure which one came first) and I knew I was in the clear.

Currently, I check phosphate daily (every morning after my coffee). I certainly don’t need to, but I just like to...strangely enough. I like using the Red Sea pro kit, and I also check with the Hanna periodically. It’s currently around 0.05-0.06. I don’t want it to get too low right now since it’s a young tank. Nitrates I check about once a week or two. I use the Nyos kit, and I was at 12 last time I checked a week ago.

Hope this helps!

 

[sdreef]

Well, basically early on, I just focused on establishing my chaeto and keeping it alive. During the ugly phases when my nutrients dropped low, I fed the chaeto directly with pellets. I didn’t let my photoperiod get shorter than 8 hours and I didn’t go over 18. At some point, the uglies went away and there was a nutrient spike. That’s when the chaeto took off (not sure which one came first) and I knew I was in the clear.

Currently, I check phosphate daily (every morning after my coffee). I certainly don’t need to, but I just like to...strangely enough. I like using the Red Sea pro kit, and I also check with the Hanna periodically. It’s currently around 0.05-0.06. I don’t want it to get too low right now since it’s a young tank. Nitrates I check about once a week or two. I use the Nyos kit, and I was at 12 last time I checked a week ago.

Hope this helps!

Yes, thank you, that's very helpful. I've used some of Red Sea's other test kits in the past and have like them. I'm using the hanna for phosphates currently, but I'll have to check out the Red Sea too.

 

[Gablami]

Yes, thank you, that's very helpful. I've used some of Red Sea's other test kits in the past and have like them. I'm using the hanna for phosphates currently, but I'll have to check out the Red Sea too.

My Hanna phosphate just isn’t consistent enough for me. I think the variation is too wide for my liking. If you are doing phosphate tests daily, and see the Red Sea pro color stable and the Hanna phosphate number jump around, makes it hard for me to use Hanna ulr solely.

 

[sdreef]

My Hanna phosphate just isn’t consistent enough for me. I think the variation is too wide for my liking. If you are doing phosphate tests daily, and see the Red Sea pro color stable and the Hanna phosphate number jump around, makes it hard for me to use Hanna ulr solely.

I hear you, I always wonder if the hanna phosphate reagent is adequately dissolved. I like the redundancy for a more confident result too. Plus, you make the red sea test kit sort of sound like fun.

 

[Gablami]

I hear you, I always wonder if the hanna phosphate reagent is adequately dissolved. I like the redundancy for a more confident result too. Plus, you make the red sea test kit sort of sound like fun.

Well, you certainly don’t need to check daily. And don’t let the 15 minute wait scare you off. I can usually tell what it’s going to end up being after about 5 minutes. The mixing steps are quick, less than 30 seconds. Just be careful with the second solution. It stains like crazy if you spill or splash it.

 

[Gablami]