Gilroy 425g Build Thread (All Apex, all the time)

[markstubb]

His graph is in hundredths of decimals... that’s pretty stable

 

[Newb73]

His graph is in hundredths of decimals... that’s pretty stable

Right you Are! You forced me to go back and look at mine since I moved the probe.

Here is the problerm......our gas log fireplace place HAVOC with the PH so my winter graph looks pretty bad in comparison but I digress.

 

[markstubb]

Gas logs or not, most folk would be pretty happy with that graph. Myself included.

 

[Newb73]

Gas logs or not, most folk would be pretty happy with that graph. Myself included.

Minor PH factors.... but I also just noticed that Terrence and I are both running both sulfur denitrator and large Kessils grow lights in our sumps.

Great minds? I also do ozone, no skimming and daily water changes spread out over 12 hrs per day.

So many variables I don't know if we will ever figure Out "the recipe"....

 

[Newb73]

Feeding like crazy lately and yet my Nitrates continue to drop and are now back to where I want them, between 0 and 5. All params are looking good. Triton dosing starts this weekend. I have two scratch-and-dent DDR that I have reconditioned and will be used for the 4-part system. Still running my CaRx and my AquaMaxx Denitrator on the DOS. Going to have to make a change on the CaRx soon, the one pipe is seeping pretty bad and I am sick of adding chewing gum and bandaids to keep this point of sale Deltec going.

So you are using the DOS as a feed pump for the denitrator?

Curious...i didn't think even the DOS could handle 24/7 use (I'm using the $20 aqualifterd on my aquamaxx denitrator and it seems to work fine)

Was thinking about using a DOS on it the other day but then I just assumed the continuous use would probably kill a $300 unit in a year or just over.

 

[rob safron]

I would kill for that pH graph.

 

[rob safron]

I am running CO2 scrubber that is also piped to outside air. Window next to tank open. Located in the basement where we don’t spend as much time as upstairs. Hate to say it but I give up.

 

[Newb73]

Please keep us posted on the Triton method. I know people hate to talk about it, but just imagine how much drinkable water we as a community could save if we manage to eliminate water changes altogether. Plus if we switch to this type of method, sooner or later Aquaforest and red sea will migrate to "no water changes methods" too. I am glad to see a big system migrating and giving this a try.

I agree but not 100%.

I use about 8g water per day on my tank.

Now that's a lot and it needs to be conserved....but when my teenage son is here he uses prob 20 gallons with a shower, figure 3g per toilet flush 4 times a day for another 12g. About a gallon per day at the sink and drinking (if not more), not counting the extra for cooking and laundry!!!

If you just wear the same raggedy jeans around the house every day for about 4-5 days before grabbing a new pair you made 30% of the water back in laundry cycles alone. (What a a washing machine hold? 15 gallons...so with the rinse cycle that's 30 plus gallons)

So now that he is out of the house...his use minus the tank is a net SAVINGS of 25g to 30g per day!!

So if triton isn't working....just evict your Milenials (not big on the parental dependence trend any way)...ha.

And we won't even get into my neighbors sprinklers always running WHILE it's raining.....

Honestly the 8gpd seems minimal to me....maybe cause I'm on east coast and we have more water than the drainage system can even deal with anyway (flash flood warnings are a COMMON occurrence here).

 

[RobertP]

Agreed. Water evaporation uses more water than a water change would and we have plenty of water here in southeast Texas...sometimes too much!

I am one of those watching and waiting for Triton reports from real world people. I have read one report where it was a bust but glad to see more and more people trying it out. I am curious to see which option will be cheaper in the long run, Triton or the salt for water changes (since my water is very cheap).

 

[Teddyboy16]

I've been in the process of gathering components for my aquarium for some time now. The tank will be ordered soon. It's a 187. I am interested in triton but the cost of the supplements is daunting. Especially when the coral growth is booming. I do intend to run a Vertex CaRx because CaRx tend to work reliably Deltec not withstanding . I can easily have a properly sized refugium made to go with the sump I already have. I like the Triton Method, but they haven't really worked out a clear roadmap for those that already have a calcium reactor installed or are going to use one in a new setup. Aquaforest has a roadmap, but I haven't really looked at it closely yet. What I'm after is apex integration, the ability to reliably use a CaRx with Triton and to be able to dial in Triton supplements in conjunction with a CaRx with out guess work.

 

[Terence]

So I did serious pruning of the macro-patch when I put the two new Kessil 380 in a few weeks back. Well this morning it was time to prune again! I could not believe how thick the patch was. I dug out two or three sections to leave holes for it to grow back into. These pics are of what I tossed out and patch after pruning (it is about 20"x48" and about 10" thick). Oh, got my latest ICP back - PO4 = .0071 so I think I am doing ok with all the food I am throwing at this thing - need to feed more I guess!

 

[fabutahoun]

Terence is it Possible to share your wav settings and program?

 

[Terence]

Terence is it Possible to share your wav settings and program?

Some of my WAV are already shared as schemes in Apex Fusion. Search for them there.

 

[Terence]

So I did another prune to the macro yesterday. Pulled out a ton and it doesn't even look like I touched it. I need to do another nitrate and phosphate test. I have been dumping tons of food in lately too. Took off the filter socks. Skimmer is not pulling much. Look at these photos - the filter is there for scale - and my sump is 4'x7' .

This is AFTER the pruning:

 

[Terence]

I picked up a pair of these at RAP last weekend. 1" Slip fittings. Going to remove the 1"->3/4" loc-line on my sea swirl and put a 1" thread->1" 45 slip a short piece of pipe, and then this device. The demo really looked cool and it will be nice not to have the loc line there.

 

[justingraham]

Be careful with enductors on a sea swirl with the added back pressure (mines a older sea swirl so it could be because it’s worn) the fitting fell off of the nipple of the sea swirl. After I made a set screw to hold the 90 fitting to the seaswirl nipple the pressure was to great and water was shooting out between the nipple and the 90 fitting and also my syphon break hole on the back of the fitting

I have seen this happen on about half the sea swirls with enductors on them

Also u need it to be about three or four inches under water or it will continually draw air in from the surface I don’t rember how u set up ur plumbing but if u have a syphon break drilled in ur return plumbing a lot of the water will go out of that hole reducing the water flow thru the enductor.

 

[Terence]

No siphon break hole - it is higher enough for it not to matter.

I don't know about the back-pressure issue. I will have to see. I think this is more likely on those who are using higher pressure pumps and ratcheting down the diameter to 1/2 or 3/4". I think at 1" it will be fine. There will be about 600gph to each side going through 1" so there should not be much. But good tip. Thanks!

 

[jml1149]

I forget, do you run GFO as well or strictly the sulfur and chaeto?

 

[Terence]

I forget, do you run GFO as well or strictly the sulfur and chaeto?

No GFO. Just macro and sulphur.

 

[Newb73]

No GFO. Just macro and sulphur.

Do you ever run GAC?


Not trying to copy you, but I run those same grow lights with chateo, sulfur and ozone.

Been wondering if I can dump the GAC or switch to intermittent.

How much food are you putting in?