greg's 150 build

[schooleyosis]

Thanks for the info. I'm running the full 2 cups as recommended by BRS in a reactor and I watch my P04 hover right at 0.08... Can't seem to get it lower.

 

[bknapp]

Thanks for the info. I'm running the full 2 cups as recommended by BRS in a reactor and I watch my P04 hover right at 0.08... Can't seem to get it lower.

Remember with GFO once it's exhausted it will start leaching phosphates back into the water. The best way to check if your GFO is exhausted is to test the water straight from the output of the reactor. And if you're using a Hanna checker they have an error range of .03 so you could be at as high as .11 or as low as .05.

 

[schooleyosis]

Yeah, I've just been checking water from the DT and I replaced the GFO less than 2 weeks ago. I've been using the Red Sea Pro test kit but need to get a Hanna Checker to compare again. Last time I used the Hanna it showed 0.04 one day and a week later showed 0.00 but i never compared it to my RSP test kit..

 

[bknapp]

I am curious as to when I will know that the GFO is exhausted.

You should be testing the water straight out of the reactor once a week to check what the phosphate level of the output water is. If they are equal to or greater than that of the tank than your GFO is exhausted, once GFO is exhausted is starts leaching phosphates back into the water column.

But as a general rule of thumb is two weeks.

 

[schooleyosis]

Thanks!

 

[greg0385]

Just replaced my GFO yest.
Last phos test was 0.06
Yest phos test was 0.09

I will test again Wed to follow up on the results of the new gfo

 

[schooleyosis]

Greg, how long did that last batch of GFO last?

 

[greg0385]

Brs calculator said to use 2cups. I have read that to use half the amount as recommended. So i went with 3/4cup just to be on the safe side. I use a mesh filter sock which isnt as effecient as a reactor which is what i wanted as i didnt want to strip the water too quick.


I test every sunday with my hanna phosphate checker (PPM).

im watching my phosphates slowly drop now vs when it was just added, so it might be getting close to be exhausted. I may only add 1/2cup next time.

Test results:
Took biopellets out around Oct 9th

Oct 13- 0.37(did a 30gal W/C)
Oct 20- 0.27
Oct 27- 0.38(cut feedings from 4x to 2x a day and added 3/4cup gfo)
Oct 29- 0.18
Oct 31- 0.17(did a 30gal W/C)
Noc 1 - 0.11
Nov 5 - 0.06


Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2

Since Oct 27th

 

[schooleyosis]

I see. Sounds like were are on the same GFO replacement schedule as I swapped mine out on the 26'th. I'm going to replace it every 2 weeks regardless for the next couple of months though.

 

[greg0385]

Its time I bring this thread back to life with a huge update.

The tank and I turned another year older last week. The tank is 2 years old and is doing amazing!

Since my last update I hit hard times with the tank with December/January losing around half of my acro collection. After many test and having local members over, I discovered that my salinity was way too high and was the leading factor to all my troubles.

In the last 3 months I have made some serious equipment changes and its really starting to pay off. Here is a list of changes that I have made:
*2nd WP40 wavemaker
*Digital refractomter
*Bubble Magnus NAC7
*Handheld TDS meter
*2- BRS 50ml/min dosing pumps for Automatic Water Changes 2gallon/day
*New T5 reflectors
*New ATI T5 bulb combo
*24"x24"x6" frag tank
* New RODI filters
* Started dosing Acropower Amino Acid
* Feeding ReefRoids& Reef Chilli in my auto fish feeder

I contribute my success to all the above, but narrow it down to really 5 major changes.

* Digital Refractometer- as I described above, my salinity was off 1.040. The refractometer I was using had a small display and was difficult to read, leading to over time the increase in Salinity.

*Automatic W/C 2gallons/day using 2-brs 50ml/min dosing pumps. After several test, I found the actual ml/min per pump and set the pumps up on my Apex Jr. I make 30gallons of saltwater and use one pump to add new saltwater to my return section of my sump, while the other pump pulls old saltwater out of the 1st chamber of the sump. This has helped alot by supplying a fresh daily supply of trace elements and keeping my params stable along with exporting nitrates/phosphates and other harmful things.

*adjusting the 2-wp40 wavemakers for a swirling flow. I got this idea from a local member Poolkeeper-Bill. The wp40 on the left is toward the back blowing across the backside of the scape and backglass. The wp40 on the right is toward the front glass and blows across the front of scape.

* Put 20ml of AcroPower Amino Acid in my ATO every 3-5 days. Since starting this AA I have noticed better PE,coloration and growth.

* I recently started putting dry ReefRoids and Reef Chilli in my Auto Fish Feeder along with Flakes,Pellets and Freeze Dried Cyclopeeze 3x/day. My thoughts are that Fish and Corals are having abundance of food available in the wild and dont see why they shouldnt have the same in my tank.

The time had come to remove "the beast" SWC 300 skimmer from my system as it was WAY too big and had a hard time keeping a foam head. This skimmer is rated for a 300-600 gallon system pending bioload. When originally setting up my system i had read that the bigger the skimmer, the better off you will be. This may be true to a point but i discovered that you can go too big. I found a Bubble Magnus NAC7 skimmer body with no pump for a great price. With a little "jerry-rigging" i was able to plumb a eheim 1262 modded skimmer pump to power the new skimmer.

Here is a picture to show the size difference. The new skimmer has been online for 2 days and has already started pulling better skimmate out then the 300.


Another neat little item i have discovered are these little Red Films. These films act as filters to make for better accurate picture colors without photoshop. It filters out the "blue hue" with losing the coral's actual color.

Here is a RAW picture of my tank with LED/T5 lights both on and no adjustment on camera.

Here is with the same settings on camera with one Red Film Sheet infront of camera lens.

This is with the same camera settings but with 2 Red Film Sheets infront of camera lens.

Here is a picuture/video of my tank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYiEBtbVe2k&feature=youtube_gdata_player

In the next few days I will be posting a progression video of my coral's growth since the begining.

Thanks for viewing
Greg

 

[schooleyosis]

Glad to hear that things are turning around for you Greg!

 

[gmoney243]

Awsome good to hear greg

 

[roadrashpaul]

Great update. Glad everything has turned around for the better.

 

[Dowtish]

Good news. I'm glad you managed to get that skimmer out of there.

 

[greg0385]

Good news. I'm glad you managed to get that skimmer out of there.

Ha ha, that was a nightmare! It took me and Daniel a few hours to finally get it out, but thats after i broke barbed fittings and a seal on my return pump. My tank was running on life support(heater,two circulation pumps and a airstone) for nearly 48hours while i tried to fix everything.

In the end everything worked out fine and the new skimmer is already doing a awesome job.

 

[NeveSSL]

I have that same skimmer, I'm 99% sure. It looks a lot like mine, anyway. The large one, that is.

Thanks for outlining all that you have automated on your tank, Greg. Great info.

Brandon

 

[meintn]

I have the Bubble Magnus NAC7 and love it. I still have the stock atman 2500 pump though. Glad the tank is doing better!

 

[bknapp]

Glad to see that things have improved dramatically, I've been meaning to text you but life has just been hectic lately.

 

[greg0385]

Finally got some time to finish my progression video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bviQOroicOI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[bknapp]

How are things going Greg?