GoVols: Red Sea S-400

[GoVols]

one of best reefing lessons redundancy. Glad it all worked out for you.
and the pictures are where ;Snaphappy

lol, Ray
Got lazy about shooting reef shots.

Hope you've been doing well!!

 

[drawman]

I missed what happened to Brew12. Glad to hear all is well Freddie!

 

[ScottR]

Hey Freddie. Please update with pics of your acros!

 

[GoVols]

Hey Freddie. Please update with pics of your acros!

Alright, Scott

Moved the shroom to the back, it's doing well.

Feel like the coralline may need to be scraped off the back wall.

 

[GoVols]

Glad to hear all is well Freddie!

Thanks, Tim

Is your residency going well?

 

[drawman]

Alright, Scott

Moved the shroom to the back, it's doing well.

Feel like the coralline may need to be scraped off the back wall.

Thanks, Tim

Is your residency going well?

Acros and tank look great!

Residency is going well here too but about to get a lot tougher soon I think.

 

[Brew12]

Guys, it's been a while so let's do a quick update:

From looking at the above shots, acros have really grown. Hope to post some new shots soon.
Dealing with a tad amount of cyano, but really not at the concern level.

Really feel bad for Brew12 (Steven), the same thing could have happened to this reef.

The main heater went down on May the 16th inside the S-Series overflow box, but the backup heater inside the Tecco Chiller kicked in.

Angelia got on my case to replace the main heater asap.

So replaced the main heater inside the overflow with these two items:

HC-810M Digital Heater Controller

The HC-810M Finnex controller offers a precision digital control with a digital display for simple and reliable water temperature control*. Water temperature is one of the most critical and yet easily overlooked parameters in your reef tank, so it’s worth investing in a controller that provides...

www.marinedepot.com

Finnex TH Deluxe Titanium Heating Element with Plastic Guard

Titanium heating tubes are virtually unbreakable, and corrosion resistant allowing the use in salt or freshwater aquariums. The titanium housing will resist damage a traditional heater would normally encounter while also providing another level of protection with the use of a plastic guard which...

www.marinedepot.com

Run the main heater inside the S-Series overflow box, so if the return pump goes down in the sump the reef's temp will stay stable because it has two built-in 500 gph recirc. pumps cycling flow (water) all the time.

The controller's readout comes within .5 to the chiller's readout and Apex's temp probe, all three are in different spots in the reef's system.

They have done a great job and the 800 watt keeps the temp super stable.

Since we've been dosing Seachem's strontium with the Red Sea colors, coralline has pretty much covered the back wall and bb floor.

Put back in some Siporax media about six weeks ago, have not seen diatoms at this time. Need to test nitrates to get a feel to where those are.

Stopped tumbling GFO, been using Purit in a big 150-micron bag inside the reactor. Holding it down inside the reactor with a large yellow zip tie from an old bucket of salt mix. Seems to last a long time between recharging. Been slowly risning in the sink, then getting out the last fines inside the reactor as we do with GFO.

Today, the Abyzz A100's driver box went down, submitted a ticket to CoralVue. We'll see how long it takes them to get the driver repaired. Still got 8 years left of the 10-year warranty.

Got out the old... ;Oldman main return, which's still pre-plumbed, worked like a charm with the switch out. Just screwed it into the manifold's main bulk head and plugged it in.

Work has really been busy, but at the same time, it's nice to be able to spend time with our entire family again since covid hit.

Guess this post is about having (investing in) backups in place, to be able to avoid a really bad situation.

Bout it over here...

Hope all of you are doing well!!

Glad to hear your reef is doing well! I'm a little surprised the Abyzz controller failed. Hopefully you get that resolved quickly.
My heater failure was with a finnex with the guard. Of course, the real problem was my laziness. It tripped the GFCI when it failed, exactly like it should have. My backup heater maintained temperature just fine.
I unplugged it and started to remove it but it was stuck in my special heater holder. I told myself I would get to it later..... later turned out to be a month. What I didn't notice until later is that the heater had blown a weld. I'm sure it was releasing something toxic the entire month I left it in. Definitely nothing against the heater, it was over 2 years old.

 

[GoVols]

Glad to hear your reef is doing well! I'm a little surprised the Abyzz controller failed. Hopefully you get that resolved quickly.
My heater failure was with a finnex with the guard. Of course, the real problem was my laziness. It tripped the GFCI when it failed, exactly like it should have. My backup heater maintained temperature just fine.
I unplugged it and started to remove it but it was stuck in my special heater holder. I told myself I would get to it later..... later turned out to be a month. What I didn't notice until later is that the heater had blown a weld. I'm sure it was releasing something toxic the entire month I left it in. Definitely nothing against the heater, it was over 2 years old.

Steven,
Thanks for taking the time.

It sure is a bummer, you've handled the situation better than I would have.

Can't believe the Abyzz driver went down either, but glad we made both pumps to be able to swap within 5 mins. Just sent in the last document that CoralVue needed, so hopefully, their support picks up. Unmounted the driver box, plugged it in a kitchen outlet, pretty much a dead brick.

Anyways:
Just tested nitrates and phosphates

Nitrates - 1ppm (NYOS) / Phos - .02 ppm (ULR checker)... ;Wideyed, too low for comfort over here.

Going to pull out the Siporax and cut the flow going through the Purit way back.

Just dosed up phos and nitrates, trying to hit 5ppm and .05ppm

Have you made any headway with your reef or hanging back for a while?

 

[Brew12]

Steven,
Thanks for taking the time.

It sure is a bummer, you've handled the situation better than I would have.

Can't believe the Abyzz driver went down either, but glad we made both pumps to be able to swap within 5 mins. Just sent in the last document that CoralVue needed, so hopefully, their support picks up. Unmounted the driver box, plugged it in a kitchen outlet, pretty much a dead brick.

Anyways:
Just tested nitrates and phosphates

Nitrates - 1ppm (NYOS) / Phos - .02 ppm (ULR checker)... ;Wideyed, too low for comfort over here.

Going to pull out the Siporax and cut the flow going through the Purit way back.

Just dosed up phos and nitrates, trying to hit 5ppm and .05ppm

Have you made any headway with your reef or hanging back for a while?

Just did another 50g water change this morning. It's still not ready for coral, not by a long shot, but it's getting closer. As of this morning, for the first time in months, every piece of equipment is working. Got the 4th gyre working an hour or two ago. It's been a lot of neglect to overcome.

Post water change my NO3 was around 50ppm and PO4 around 3.0ppm. I've got to run some errands but I'll be putting GFO online soon. With my refugium light replaced, I'm less worried about the NO3. Another large water change or two and it should be fine. Can't believe my brittle starfish and urchins are still doing well. Heck, I watched one of my urchins spawn last week.

Hope you and yours are having a good week!

 

[GoVols]

Just did another 50g water change this morning. It's still not ready for coral, not by a long shot, but it's getting closer. As of this morning, for the first time in months, every piece of equipment is working. Got the 4th gyre working an hour or two ago. It's been a lot of neglect to overcome.

Post water change my NO3 was around 50ppm and PO4 around 3.0ppm. I've got to run some errands but I'll be putting GFO online soon. With my refugium light replaced, I'm less worried about the NO3. Another large water change or two and it should be fine. Can't believe my brittle starfish and urchins are still doing well. Heck, I watched one of my urchins spawn last week.

Hope you and yours are having a good week!

You got me thinking about your gyre.

My flow could be better, so pulled the trigger on a ReeWave-45. Took all day Saturday and some of yesterday to dial in the flow. Right now pushing one RW-25 with the new RW-45, not including other recirc. pumps and the return. When I added the RW-45 the Red Sea app did a great update.

Got everything going and cyano started to release from the live rock with a ton of detritus... ;Wideyed When things settled down re-tested nitrates, came into about 35 ppm, but phos. did not budge.

Just took a 500 gph Eheim and blasted most of the live rock today. Wound up being a total detritus white out. Thinking the dead spots have been collecting detritus, fueling the cyano.

I use to blow over those rocks once a week the day before a water change and looks like I'll be going back to that routine. lol, don't want to keep adding more crabs.

To be honest, let down on weekly maintenance and paying the price.

Got a lot of water changes coming up and will keep an eye on the po4.

Anyways:
Got the new Hanna High Range Checker heading this way with 3 - 25 packs of reagent.

A100:
CoralVue says that I have to pay the shipping cost, just don't feel like that's right on a two-year-old pump that cost $,$$$.00. Was on another thread last night and Alex with Germany jumped in for help, so shot him an email for his customer support. Lol, might have to pay to ship, but waiting to see if Alex can help with that matter.

Don't think pushing Purit all the time is a long-term answer, but don't have room for a drip-down scrubber over the sump.

Thinking about the Pax Bellum ARID N18, but that thing costs a small fortune as well.

Might go back to Rowa, and swirling Purigen inside the big AquaMaxx reactor.

JMO:
Don't like the BRS buyout of MD... ;Facepalm We need good competition in reefing.

Crazy that your two inverts can handle those parameters... ;Writing

Have you made any more advances with your 180?

 

[PanchoG]

Alright, Scott

Moved the shroom to the back, it's doing well.

Feel like the coralline may need to be scraped off the back wall.

Looking good my friend, love the regal in the background.

 

[GoVols]

Looking good my friend, love the regal in the background.

Thanks, Pancho
Saw that Shuan could pull one off when we were on Reef Central, so followed his lead when one came up on Reefwise's website.

Your reef is looking great!

lol
That Regal would have a wide-open buffet with some of your super nice lps.


___________________________________________________________________

We'll do an update:

The new Hanna high-range nitrate checker is a winner.
Can sure recommend that device.

Did the first test this morning while cross-checking against Salifet

Hanna HR came in at 27.7pmm and looks spot on to Salifert's color card.
Fairly close to a drop of 10ppm over the past week.

From viewing forums it seems to hold tight with Hanna's LR until you get at 5ppm, then it reads about 5ppm where the LR reads closer to 4ppm.

After adding way more flow and going over the scape with the Eheim 500gph pump the cyano is breaking down and had a ton of detritus on the BB floor. Have hit this reef with four water changes from last weekend until this weekend one more WC coming in tomorrow.

So, have gone back to hitting the scape with the heavy flow (Eheim pump) on Thursdays a making the main water change on Fridays.

Replaced all four t5's (KZ super blues) and pilled up on salt mix and other things. Lol, BRS has made a killing with my stockpile order.

Stopped dosing Reef Energy back during the dino stage. So, just bought some of the new RE AB+. The new Reef Energy has really helped color up the corals, including bringing the ducan's polyp extension back to life.

We will be shipping the Aybzz for repair in the next week or two. (Don't like Abyzz Germany's shipping terms, but I sure tried) Work is humming so it's been on the back burner. Lol, not used to hearing the original pumps loud hum.

Grabbed some Julian Sprung's seaweed sheets, it's the only thing outside of Sally's seaweed that the fish are willing to eat. Heading to the Critter next weekend, getting low on LRS Reef Frenzy.

Would like to begin to add more acros, it will come in time.

Hopefully, the S-400 is truly getting back to being nice and staple, sure has been a long ride since the summer of 2020... ;Dead

...

 

[PanchoG]

Good update Freddie, looking forward for the nasty cyano to disappear.

I hope that thing with Abyzz is sorted out.

P.S. Regals are not allowed in my tank for the same reason your mention but I can see a new flame angel in the horizon.

 

[GoVols]

Good update Freddie, looking forward for the nasty cyano to disappear.

I hope that thing with Abyzz is sorted out.

P.S. Regals are not allowed in my tank for the same reason your mention but I can see a new flame angel in the horizon.

Thanks, Pancho

Yes,
If you own an Abyzz you're going to eat the shipping since Abyzz America is gone, but CoralVue has been great on their end.

A flame would be cool fish, might want to check with Simon about their temptation to fleshy lps...

Your family sure had a long waiting period in the states.
Are you guys settled in, back being at home?

 

[PanchoG]

We are doing great my friend, our stuff is still in the border. The moving company told us it will take a month to get the things here. Due to corona customs are extremely slow. But we left our house in MX with enough furniture to live in without problems. So step by step we are getting closer to be fully settled, thank you for checking on us.

 

[najer]

A flame would be cool fish, might want to check with Simon about their temptation to fleshy lps...

Mine was a model citizen but I did get it as a 10 mm baby and my thinking was that if well fed it shouldn't see corals as food.

 

[PanchoG]

Thanks, Pancho

Yes,
If you own an Abyzz you're going to eat the shipping since Abyzz America is gone, but CoralVue has been great on their end.

A flame would be cool fish, might want to check with Simon about their temptation to fleshy lps...

Your family sure had a long waiting period in the states.
Are you guys settled in, back being at home?

I had a flame angel before, he was nipping things from time to time but no real impact on my LPS. He was aggressive though, so it would have to be one of the last fish to add.

 

[GoVols]

GoVols / Dairy log / 10-24-21

This has been the worst / longest / reefing experience that I have ever endured. Kinda makes you question your capabilities and sure is humbling.

Every time this reef is just about stabled out it just will not stay in balance. Might be harder to get a BB Reefer stabled back out than one with a sandbed?

It's kept jumping from dinos to cyano with a mix of gha.

Anyways:
Lost the big green acro on top. green slimer just went into RTN, might have nuked the slimer with a water change. The direct flow of putting in new water crashed into the g-slimer yesterday.

Alk, cal and mag parameters have been holding tight. Holding phos right at .03 ppm to .08 ppm, but nitrates are at about 45ppm.

Bought the Pax Bellum n18 back in July and put in Chaeto two weeks ago. It does have some new growth, but nitrates have not budged, so we'll just play it out... ;Writing

Testing nitrates and phosphates all the time, Lol trying not to go into dinos anymore from bottomed out phosphates.

All other corals and fish are doing very well.

The Abyzz A100
It's been at CoralVue since August the 17th... ;Wideyed Evidently, CoralVue has had some changes and just stopped the correspondence. Guess the work order fell off their books??? I have contacted Abyzz Germany. They have made contact with CoralVue, but it is sure not a high priority to CoralVue.
We'll just ride the A100 with Abyzz Germany.

Hoping this reef does not need to do a total reboot, but will address that option after the new year.

Have had a lot of time to think things out over this past year:
At this point, still have the itch for this hobby (not ready to bail), going to stay patent.

If it comes to a point of letting our reef go, I'll still be active on R2R

Thanks so much for tagging along...

GoVols

 

[Raege]

Been there done it got the tshirt Freddie if I coulda sold gha and Dino’s be a millionaire
hang tough it will snap into place. Glad your still itching and enjoying whats thriving and working.
as for bb vs sand bed I lean to a sand bed being helpful. My tanks happier since I keep hands out mostly but I think last addition of some live mud and sand from Fla. added missing bacteria, nutrients,and filtration help down in sump.

 

[Jason mack]

Freddie have yiu done an icp test ...I would recomend one and correct any halogens or metals that are off ..things like zinc , nickel vanidium ,molybdenum , potassium, iodine ..