Griev's IM-200 Mangrove Lagoon

OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So my ALK kept creeping lower, even after I bumped up the dosing of All 4 Reef, so I decided to investigate.

When I hit the manual dosing button on the DoS, nothing was coming out. Turns out the lid on my dosing container was a little too snug! Had literally caused a vacuum preventing more liquid from being dispensed!

PXL_20210803_145806210.MP.jpg


Luckily an easy fix;

PXL_20210803_150014340.MP.jpg


We'll see if ALK starts to go back up!
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So after a bit more fiddling I figured out that the DoS head was allowing the All 4 Reef to drain back out into the container.

I worked around it temporarily by measuring how many ml it took to prime the system, then setting it to dose twice a day with extra mls set to prime the line.

Longer term I decided to add a check valve right above the reservoir. I could have also swapped out the DoS head, but the check valve is cheaper. The trick was finding one that had an ultra low crack pressure, and I had to get a little... creative... but it works!

PXL_20210812_232825795.MP.jpg
 

TheWB

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
2,315
Reaction score
3,575
Location
Puyallup,WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So after a bit more fiddling I figured out that the DoS head was allowing the All 4 Reef to drain back out into the container.

I worked around it temporarily by measuring how many ml it took to prime the system, then setting it to dose twice a day with extra mls set to prime the line.

Longer term I decided to add a check valve right above the reservoir. I could have also swapped out the DoS head, but the check valve is cheaper. The trick was finding one that had an ultra low crack pressure, and I had to get a little... creative... but it works!

PXL_20210812_232825795.MP.jpg
I like the ingenuity, well done.
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Picked up a couple of corals from a local reef club member. Pink lemonade, Joe's Rainbow, and Starry Night.

PXL_20210815_210441938.MP.jpg


PXL_20210815_210429337.MP.jpg
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It was time to make a better version of this old drawing.

Here's the plan for how I'll be adding frags. Red are SPS, yellow are LPS or maybe softies. Still deciding on what the other side will be.

Reef Coral Plan.png


I guess I should start keeping track of what I'm putting where.

A: Green Frogspawn
B: Indo Gold Torch
C: TBD SPS
D: TBD SPS
E: WWC Yellowtips
F: Joe's Rainbow
G: TBD SPS
H: Tyree Pink Lemonade
I: TBD SPS
J: SSC Starry Night
K: TBD LPS
L: TBD LPS
N: TBD SPS
O: TBD SPS
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Getting some rows "planted"

PXL_20210818_202946268.MP.jpg


PXL_20210818_202933278.MP.jpg


Watching the ALK carefully since I added so much SPS at once, so far only had to bump up the dosing a little bit.
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PXL_20210821_002808513.MP.jpg


PXL_20210821_002755241.MP.jpg


It'll be interesting to see how the colors differ within frags of the same type at the different PAR levels as they go up the rockwork.

PXL_20210821_002743617.MP.jpg
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
New FTS;

1629675670623.png


First "harvest" of the clearwater scrubber today;

1629675790035.png


While I was messing with it, I had an idea for a "nozzle" of sorts to go around the assembly and better direct the water down the screen, hopefully more quietly! Spent a few minutes making a rough proof of concept;

1629675879383.png


It's printing now, so we'll see if it works in a few hours.
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It works even better than I'd hoped!

PXL_20210823_015637323.MP.jpg


PXL_20210823_015703083.MP.jpg


Before video at about 40% flow;



After video at 80% flow;



It's hard to tell from my phone's microphone, but it's probably half as loud at double the flow. The stream down the mesh is now perfectly uniform as well!
 

TheWB

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
2,315
Reaction score
3,575
Location
Puyallup,WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It works even better than I'd hoped!

PXL_20210823_015637323.MP.jpg


PXL_20210823_015703083.MP.jpg


Before video at about 40% flow;



After video at 80% flow;



It's hard to tell from my phone's microphone, but it's probably half as loud at double the flow. The stream down the mesh is now perfectly uniform as well!
Yet another very useful 3d printed accessory you’ve created. Not quite the Pinky trap but I like it :)
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Shop local! Picked up some beautiful ASD Rainbow and Cali Tort frags today from a local reefer. :)

1630083485789.png


1630083587010.png


Now where should they go...
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maintenance Sunday, a perfect excuse to show off these little Hanna checker trays I printed.

PXL_20210829_190007193.MP.jpg


Nutrients are getting low with no fish in the tank. I've been feeding the tank daily with some pellets for the shrimp and snails, but apparently not enough for nutrients to be measurable. Dropping in a cube of frozen food today to keep things from bottoming out.

I also "planted the Cali Tort and ASD Rainbow frags I picked up earlier in the week;

PXL_20210829_191124279.MP.jpg


PXL_20210829_191259985.MP.jpg
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been having to toss in a frozen cube every 3 days to keep any detectable N/P in the tank for the corals. The SPS seem to be settling in well.

This weekend is officially more than 6 weeks of fallow, so I reintroduced the clownfish. Keeping my fingers crossed that the velvet is gone.
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Second harvest from the algae scrubber was about 2x the first one. I think the nozzle helped!

PXL_20210912_190543685.MP.jpg


I also finally swapped my trident over to the trident mini shell by @jjb. Amazing how much better it looks, and how much easier it is to swap the reagents.

PXL_20210912_193617475.MP.jpg


PXL_20210912_193639599.MP.jpg


PXL_20210912_193821646.MP.jpg
 
OP
OP
Griev

Griev

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
587
Reaction score
1,315
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
PXL_20210918_190800384.MP.jpg


New FTS!

So far so good on reintroducing the clownfish. No signs of the velvet returning, so far. I'll wait another week to be sure before adding anything else.

I also did a little project to attach a blinking LED to my Apex 24V connection that turns on alongside any email alerts. That way I can see that something's not right, even if I don't have my phone on me.

PXL_20210918_195750367._exported_stabilized_1631995215684.gif
 

Operator Wrasse

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 20, 2021
Messages
257
Reaction score
400
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Wow, great job on your build! So many questions... Great work with all the DIY prints. I ran a Santa Monica turf scrubber for awhile. If you're having nutrient issues, you could turn off the scrubber for awhile. It looks like you're burning the algae, anyways, since it's so white.

How do you like the 2 mp40s? Do you think you get adequate flow? Sources told me the tank might be too shallow and the wetside might pull a vortex from the surface.

Can you show us how you fit the mangrove in the overflow? That is such a great unique idea.

What is that flowing on the back wall? Hair algae? It looks pretty cool waving around in that gif!
 
Back
Top