James’s 29g Nano Build

[shadow_k]

Would a refractometer or a digital salinity tester be better? (Like the one @F i s h y has?)

I agree I got the one from BRS it’s a good tool to have on hand. I had a hydrometer as well if there are are bubbles or if you don’t clean it well salt could still be in it which will throw off your readings everytime

 

[LRT]

Some Shplam for James

 

[F i s h y]

I like refractometer and calibration fluid. Makes it more personal and builds character for me. I keep my calibration fluid rubber banded to my refractometer so I have to calibrate it before I use it lol. Epsecially during water changes.

Everything with us is personal E....

I like the redundancy of both. Calibration fluids can be off so using more than one thing to check is always a good bet. Even with my fancy one I fried a bunch of coral because I hadn't calibrated it in a while.

 

[Goaway]

The algae is something to work on, but it’s something most reefers deal with at some point, I feel like people are making you think it’s a bigger deal than it is. Again, it’s something to work on correcting and it can negatively affect some corals, but panicking and tearing your whole tank apart isn’t the answer. I would work on lower nutrients and taking one coral or rock out every few days to scrub clean (in tank water, scrub the rocks/bigger pieces when you do water changes, after scrubbing in old tank water, rinse with new saltwater, I wouldn’t use tap water), you don’t have to do it all at once, and if your nutrients are still high it’s just going to come back. It’s going to be a slow process. You could also try running some fluconazole, I’m having pretty good results with it so far, but that’s up to you, it would maybe be a good idea to try more natural remedies first. Frag rack would be helpful.

I don't agree with this. Not with him lacking a protein skimmer and no sump. As the algae dies, it will release even more nitrates and phosphates into his system. GHA is a destroyer of worlds.

Edit: I would rather his system survive and thrive. Than have to struggle through gha, competing for space and nutrients.

 

[LRT]

Everything with us is personal E....

I like the redundancy of both. Calibration fluids can be off so using more than one thing to check is always a good bet. Even with my fancy one I fried a bunch of coral because I hadn't calibrated it in a while.

Great point bro. I actually did get a batch of calibration fluid that was off by point a a half. Luckily I had old batch still. Ordered another and sure enough new one matched original batch. 100% agreed. Redundancy 100% of the way you cant lose. Ive fried up my share of shrooms with salinity swings when I had my rodi hard wired to float valve in sump so don't feel bad. Everyone told me it was going to happen eventually and it did lol.

 

[Goaway]

Sorry james. I forgot to mention. After rip clean, even though you blasted most of your rock. You removed a lot of detritus. Making the water more "clear" this will cause the light (par levels) to be higher than usual.

 

[James_O]

Sorry james. I forgot to mention. After rip clean, even though you blasted most of your rock. You removed a lot of detritus. Making the water more "clear" this will cause the light (par levels) to be higher than usual.

Didn’t even think of that! Good point.

I agree I got the one from BRS it’s a good tool to have on hand. I had a hydrometer as well if there are are bubbles or if you don’t clean it well salt could still be in it which will throw off your readings everytime

This is why I want the digital one.

Even with my fancy one I fried a bunch of coral because I hadn't calibrated it in a while.

So I gotta make sure to calibrate it after every use, gotcha.

——

So what would be the MOST important thing for me to get now? A skimmer was mentioned, along with the digital salinity checker.

 

[Goaway]

I am sure you don't have a .001 gram scale. However... I trust this formula. Another guy had made it and did an icp test. Randy's DIY sg calibration fluid was spot on. BRS fluid was off. I will try to find that thread. I probably will fail.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

This will work with a swing arm. Problem with swing arms, macro bubbles can cause huge reading errors.

 

[Goaway]

Didn’t even think of that! Good point.



This is why I want the digital one.



So I gotta make sure to calibrate it after every use, gotcha.

——

So what would be the MOST important thing for me to get now? A skimmer was mentioned, along with the digital salinity checker.

SKIMMER

And a good one. I did say octopus, but if you can't afford it. maybe ask around.


Randy's solution saved my old reef way back when. I was at 1.032 and didn't even know it. People said calibrate with ro/di water. I knew things were off from my test kits. I scoured looking for accurate calibration fluid as they can be faulty. I somehow ran into this
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm
After making that solution, I was in shock at what my refractometer said. It helped me understand why some corals were dying.

Here's the calibration fluid thread, one of a few.

Question regarding Refractometer calibration fluid

Hi Randy, I consider myself an advanced aquarist but I'm just stumped by 35 PPT calibration fluid. I have three bottles of calibration fluid, two of them brand new, one- brightwell aquatics the other Aquacraft. The third is roughly half empty after using it for a couple months, it's...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[shadow_k]

I here this is a good one

 

[danieyella]

I here this is a good one

I ran something very similar to this on the 20 gallon I got from a friend and it made a tremendous difference.

 

[James_O]

I here this is a good one

So definitely not as expensive as the octopus, that’s good.

So does it go inside the tank? Or can you hook it up outside?

 

[James_O]

SKIMMER

And a good one. I did say octopus, but if you can't afford it. maybe ask around.


Randy's solution saved my old reef way back when. I was at 1.032 and didn't even know it. People said calibrate with ro/di water. I knew things were off from my test kits. I scoured looking for accurate calibration fluid as they can be faulty. I somehow ran into this
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm
After making that solution, I was in shock at what my refractometer said. It helped me understand why some corals were dying.

Here's the calibration fluid thread, one of a few.

Question regarding Refractometer calibration fluid

Hi Randy, I consider myself an advanced aquarist but I'm just stumped by 35 PPT calibration fluid. I have three bottles of calibration fluid, two of them brand new, one- brightwell aquatics the other Aquacraft. The third is roughly half empty after using it for a couple months, it's...

www.reef2reef.com

Gotcha. I just need to get a good tester. I know @F i s h y has this one, and he says it’s really good:

Anyone else have experience with this one?

 

[Goaway]

I just posted a cheap calibration fluid for you. Works with everything

 

[James_O]

I ran something very similar to this on the 20 gallon I got from a friend and it made a tremendous difference.

Awesome.

Could someone please give me a brief description of what a skimmer actually does for the tank?

 

[James_O]

I just posted a cheap calibration fluid for you. Works with everything

But I don’t have a refractometer… only a hydrometer.

 

[Goaway]

But I don’t have a refractometer… only a hydrometer.

Read.

 

[Goaway]

But I don’t have a refractometer… only a hydrometer.

Your swing arm would need marked.

 

[LRT]

Awesome.

Could someone please give me a brief description of what a skimmer actually does for the tank?

Proper aeration and help manage, maintain your PH. If done right would be the biggest thing. Alot of people don't use skimmers. I dont see any difference in nutrient levels with mine on or off. Ph is huge though

 

[Goaway]

Awesome.

Could someone please give me a brief description of what a skimmer actually does for the tank?

removes organics from water. Broken down waste and food.