IM 100 EXT, the one and only

[MakingMistakes]

I’ll probably post this in a main thread but struggling with PH and not sure why, temporarily using Kalkwasser via ATO. I would assume with the lack of coral at the moment I would have a high PH but it struggles to be above 8.0.

Checked CO2 level in the house and it’s not high. Have not done a water change yet, as I’m not really setup for it. Putting in the mixing station when I come back from vacation next week.

I know ways to fix it but I’m just struggling with the why of it.

 

[X-37B]

I’ll probably post this in a main thread but struggling with PH and not sure why, temporarily using Kalkwasser via ATO. I would assume with the lack of coral at the moment I would have a high PH but it struggles to be above 8.0.

Checked CO2 level in the house and it’s not high. Have not done a water change yet, as I’m not really setup for it. Putting in the mixing station when I come back from vacation next week.

I know ways to fix it but I’m just struggling with the why of it.

I run kalk only in my 112. System is 3 months. I started at 0.5mlm and now at 1mlm to hold alk at 8 currently. Running a Kamoer.
A slow drip 24/7 works well for holding ph at 7.9-8 nightime and 8.2-8.3 daytime.
I do the same on my 170 to keep ph the same. It helps offset the carx low ph.
When you need more just turn up the Kamoer.
When the system gets to 4mlm of kalk I will start A4R. I run 4mlm in the 170 and just turn up the carx when needed. 4mlm is almost 6 liters daily.
System has 35lbs live rock and around 28 frags no fish.

 

[MakingMistakes]

Would probably update.

Lots of things in progress.

Building the mixing station up. Many parts to this, added lifts to the garage to take up what I’m removing from the room. Building much better storage shelves to use the room better and adding better lighting. When done it will house the ATO, Kalkwasser, Fresh, and water change saltwater. Will also have quarantine and hospital tanks that I need before corals go in.

Been busy so things are slow going.

Percula picassos are in. Yellow tang goes in today.

 

[MakingMistakes]

Update:
The saltwater mixing station is up and running and I’m now doing automatic 3 gallon daily water changes, in an attempt to make up for not doing one the first two months. I’ll get some pictures tonight.

Also have a new ATO bin with a lid that I’m using for Kalkwasser. Once that runs out I’ll calculate my evaporation and start dosing Kalkwasser separate from my ATO before I kill my Tunze.

Ph has been better since learning that you can’t leave Kalwasser open to air. Hovering in the 8.1-8.3 range, spiked the other day to 8.5 so I added a line in the Apex to stop the ATO with pH above 8.3.

Added some AI blades to get some better coverage under the aquascape. Also added a Kessil tuna sun for the refugium.

Added some Zoas from Tidal, one had an Aiptasia so I pulled it and tossed it in the bin. Others are doing well. Also added a long tentacle anemone and bubble tip, in an attempt to lure my clowns into them. One of them likes the long tentacle so I’m happy.

Current fish, 3 chromis , 2 percula clowns, 1 yellow tang, one orange spotted goby. Had a clown jump out before I could get a lid on it. She was so dang gorgeous too, dang shame and my fault.

Ton of inverts.

Issues:
Fighting bottomed out nutrients. Increasing feeding and have more diverse frozen foods coming. I designed the setup to be overbuilt so I could feed a lot, and it’s tough dumping in food that isn’t even going to be eaten.

Got some diatoms I think, they aren’t too successful so I’m letting it go for now.

To do
1. switch my ATO to fresh water and start dosing Kalk.
2. consider installing an automatic feeder
3. Install lids so I don’t lose another fish.
4. Do a manual water change and get the detritus out of the sump.
5. Sit back and let the tank age.

 

[JumboShrimp]

#5 is more important than people think. Less fun-- but so necessary. Great job so far with everything.

 

[Randomstylez]

Do you happen to know the dimensions of the sump area inside the stand without the door latch ? The black area of this picture

 

[X-37B]

Do you happen to know the dimensions of the sump area inside the stand without the door latch ? The black area of this picture

Its the width of the stand minus 3". Slightly under 1.5" per side.

 

[Randomstylez]

From IM website:
APS Stand:

• Stand DIMS: Length 47.50” Width: 23.50” Height: 35.81”

If the stand is 47.5" then the inside is 44.5 ish

Its the width of the stand minus 3". Slightly under 1.5" per side.

 

[MakingMistakes]

Ok, haven’t updated in a while and the last month or so has been a whirlwind of fun.

I went on vacation which should have been simple enough, I notice day one the pH starts climbing. That’s ok my Kalkwasser is finally working. Then it keeps on climbing, hitting above 9, I have no one to see what’s happening. I program the ATO to only run when the pH is below 8.3 and shut off the refugium light, skimmer and blades. It slows it some but it stays high.

I get home and the tank is coated with brown slime. The algae bloom ate up all the CO2. Lost my goby and pistol, my sps test corals and my bubble tip.

First diagnosed as cyano under my microscope but under better sampling it was Dino’s. Of course because I misdiagnosed I did all the wrong things at first. With the correct diagnosis I started adding a lot of phyto and finally got around to putting on my UV. It took about a month and it’s now under control.

It was definitely rough. Softies are now recovering and things are looking healthy again.

 

[Learntoreef]

Awesome build. I m thinking about the 100 EXT too. How far is the tank from the wall? Whats the distance from the wall to the ext box?

 

[Fish Fan]

Awesome build. I m thinking about the 100 EXT too. How far is the tank from the wall? Whats the distance from the wall to the ext box?

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

 

[BostonFisher]

Goals:
I think it is important to have certain goals in mind before starting a tank and plan in a way to achieve those goals.

1. As hands off as possible, robust monitoring and backup systems. Redundancy, I want a backup for everything. Being a poor reefer in the past didn't allow for much of any monitoring or control, I am going to take full advantage now.
2. Radianthus Magnifica, I want my magnificent anemone! The tank will is being designed to make this anemone happy. It will go in before any coral and probably only after I get a happy bubble tip thriving. I am reading everything I can find on this anemone. Quarantine tank will be setup with good lighting and flow and plenty of antibiotics when it arrives. Once it is in the tank and thriving I will add other corals.
3. Leaning SPS dominant, personally kind of love the softies but I am forced in this direction because of my Magnificent, which is essentially an SPS as far as requirements goes. I hope to find ways to sneak as many softies around the bottom of the tank as I can.
4. No Aiptasia, minimal pests. My coral quarantine methods will be extensive and extreme. If i see anything I don't like, I don't care what I paid its going in the trash. If a fish or invert has a reputation for eating Aiptasia you will find it in my tank.
5. If I can see it with my eyes and I didn't put it in the tank it dies.
6. Workers, previously I bought fish for their looks, that will be minimized, my fish are going in to work for me. This will be like a farm, everything has a job to do and if it isn't doing its job it will be going to a new home.
7. I want to be able to feed a lot. Heavy feeding allows for happy fish and happy reefers. Feeding is fun. So will need a robust system to get all that food back out, filter rollers, a good sized skimmer a large clean up crew, a lot of copepods and a thriving biome.

Cycling update:
Well turbo start hasn't been so turbo for me. Neither was the 2 bottles of PNS or the microbacter. Ammonia is slowy creeping down.

Gear:
I looked a few months back and couldn't find any option for a filter roller in my IM RFS39 sump. Not sure how I missed it but they do have the 4 inch filter cup ones. I found the Klir and nature dimensions yesterday. I decided I didn't really need it right now until I have some fish to feed. I was able to make it about 6 hours before I ordered them.

2 of the N-Clear M Fleece Roller Filters are on the way.

I wanted to throw in a shout out to my son who crawled up and through a very narrow gap in the basement ceiling, through choking dust and sharp metal to retrieve the end of the tube that is allowing me to run all my wires and more tubes to the basement.

Thanks for the tip on the The Nature Dimensions N-Clear M Fleece Roller - I will be setting up an IM EXT100 with their RSF 39 sump. Looks like these are a perfect fit.

Kudos to your son - my grandson helps me with these tight squeezes (and really heavy boxes). Good luck with your build.