How did that happen.......there is a 260 gallon aquarium in our walkout basement family room now....Not anymore

Jeto2004 · Dec 15, 2019

Worked on my dosing set up. Currently the tank for whatever reason only consumes alkalinity, however set up CaCl2 too. New power strip on top powers now the battery charger and the two DOS. Just using simple mixing jugs as reseviors for the moment. Maybe looking into something more high tech at a later point.

Jeto2004 · Dec 15, 2019

Yesterday I went to the INDMAS holiday party club meeting. Walked away with my first coral from the gift exchange. A chalice! I know not necessarily the best beginner coral, but I‘m stoked, that the tank is now officially a reef aquarium....

Jeto2004 · Dec 15, 2019

Last week also got out of QT:
2 additional purple fire fish
1 Royal Grammet basselet
1 Lawn mower blenny

And finally got a good shot of the yellow watchman goby.

Jeto2004 · Dec 15, 2019

My girl helped clean the glass today! It’s quite enjoyable seeing her tell all about inhabitants of the tank to friends visiting. She as almost more excited having a coral in the tank than myself!!

Jeto2004 · Jan 6, 2020

Got back from our holiday break and family visit. First time away from the new set up for an extended time. Before leaving I set up my AFS, but had a friend come over every other day to feed some frozen food. I have to say that I loved it that I could check the general status via Apex fusion and didn’t have to worry about it to much. Knowing Alk, Ca and Mg levels via Trident and if needed adjust dosing if out of initial setup range. Tank was looking good upon return. Just having a collection of hydroids (I believe) on the back glass - an other stage of the uglies?

Chalice was looking good to, looks like growth is setting in....

Jeto2004 · Jan 6, 2020

Stopped by the LFS store on Sunday and this Favia was screaming at me - get me get me I want to be in your tank.....

So here it is....

samson78945 · Jan 18, 2020

Very exciting process! Excited to see this one mature!

Jeto2004 · Jan 20, 2020

samson78945 said:
Very exciting process! Excited to see this one mature!

Thanks!!! Yeah, same here! While I still working on fish stocking list over the the next months I will also start to add more coral. Taking my time.....

Jeto2004 · Jan 20, 2020

Over the last couple of weeks I had the chance to finish my first set of doors (access to overflow and control panels and canopy doors). Had to glue up the access door quite Tall at 82 inches. And than on to sanding, staining and applying finish. Sanding is one of my least favorite jobs of woodworking. Once that was done I had to overcome two challenges I had - first figuring out the hardware for an angled door, second finding hardware that can prop (holding open) the 16 pound canopy doors - both are solved. However, I had to try three different hardware solutions for the canopy doors.....once again why do in theory simple task always take longer than one anticipate. Next will have to work on my lighting schedule and intensity to dial in par.

Here are a few pics of work in progress and final install....

Jeto2004 · Jan 27, 2020

Before we left on the holiday break it dawned to me that the tank sitter doesn’t have a way to shut anything of in case the needs arises. We had an old iPad laying around that I thought I could use, but the iOS that was still able to run on the iPad did not support the Apex fusion app. So after I a quick brush up and learning that the new Amazon Fire HD doesn’t do three columns in the Apex fusion so I got an RCA tablet for 70$ with the hope that it supports three columns based on it‘s resolution. Luckily it work. It’s not an iPad and is a bit a slow but as an beside the tank dedicated display it should work. Mounted it on the overflow access door.

Jeto2004 · Jan 27, 2020

Changed these against random flow nozzles from VCA. Much less back pressure on the DC pump which mend I had to reset the IQ level on the COR as flow dramatically increased.

So far I like the flow pattern it generates.

Mr bigolsworth · Jan 27, 2020

very nice build

Jeto2004 · Jan 27, 2020

Over the last few weeks I started to increase the intensity of the radion’s from 20% to 50% with the canopy doors installed that although mend raising temperatures. At max speed I reached 90+ degrees in the canopy. This was a little to much for my taste.

The flow rate was rated at 52 cfm. So I decided to go larger on the fan to 154 cfm

So I had to cut a lager opening in the canopy. Was a little nervous to do it in place, but it did work out nicely......

Now on medium fan speed I can keep the temp below 90...

Jeto2004 · Jan 27, 2020

Mr bigolsworth said:
very nice build

Thank you very much Sir!

Jeto2004 · Jan 28, 2020

New additions to the tank....

gig 'em · Jan 29, 2020

I experienced the same thing when ramping my Radions up for the first time. I walked into my fish room and it was 91.4 degrees in there. The entire room was 91.4! They really pump out heat...

If I may make a suggestion, I would remove those stylish black honeycomb covers on the fans. I had something similar in the hood of my last tank and they rusted real bad. I'm curious now how many bits of metal fell into my tank over time, but there were nice rusty drip lines on my lights right below them. Yours are on the side, so may not be an issue, but when the paint starts to blister off, it may look unsightly.

Jeto2004 · Jan 29, 2020

gig 'em said:
I experienced the same thing when ramping my Radions up for the first time. I walked into my fish room and it was 91.4 degrees in there. The entire room was 91.4! They really pump out heat...

If I may make a suggestion, I would remove those stylish black honeycomb covers on the fans. I had something similar in the hood of my last tank and they rusted real bad. I'm curious now how many bits of metal fell into my tank over time, but there were nice rusty drip lines on my lights right below them. Yours are on the side, so may not be an issue, but when the paint starts to blister off, it may look unsightly.

Thank you for the heads up! Certainly will be on the look out for any arising issues. Currently I run the tank with Glas lids so humidity in the canopy is fairly low. So see and wait and check periodically will be the mantra

Rhydder_Reef · Feb 5, 2020

Jeto2004 said:
Over the last couple of weeks I had the chance to finish my first set of doors (access to overflow and control panels and canopy doors). Had to glue up the access door quite Tall at 82 inches. And than on to sanding, staining and applying finish. Sanding is one of my least favorite jobs of woodworking. Once that was done I had to overcome two challenges I had - first figuring out the hardware for an angled door, second finding hardware that can prop (holding open) the 16 pound canopy doors - both are solved. However, I had to try three different hardware solutions for the canopy doors.....once again why do in theory simple task always take longer than one anticipate. Next will have to work on my lighting schedule and intensity to dial in par.

Here are a few pics of work in progress and final install....

Love the wood finish look! I almost went that route on mine. Nice build. following!