najer
Valuable Member
I am a Nikon user, have a look online for the Nikon D3500 package deal with the 18 - 55 zoom lens, should be near the top end of your budget for new equipment.
Mattgsa 315 gallon build
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I am a Nikon user, have a look online for the Nikon D3500 package deal with the 18 - 55 zoom lens, should be near the top end of your budget for new equipment.
jayoman
Community Member
Invest in lenses not camera bodies. You can buy a 50mm 1.8 prime lens for $125 that will improve the pictures you get from your old DSLR. The zoom lens that come with beginner DSLRs aren’t very good for taking tank shots with challenging light conditions. If you get a low cost 50mm and 24mm prime lenses, you will find they are sharper and allow a great deal more light than the stock 3.5 - 5.6 zoom lens that come with beginner DSLRs. Try those first and if you are still dissatisfied than just get a beginner DSLR of the same brand you currently have (I am assuming canon or Nikon, they are both about equal but switching does not allow you to use lenses you already own). you can keep good lenses forever so concentrate on investing in them.
OP
OP
Thanks, I have not tested mag yet. I will order a test kit today.
OP
OP
Just to confirm, is this what you are recommending, Link
jayoman
Community Member
Yes, there is a 24mm version 2.8 that is similarly priced also. They are better suited for tank photography because they allow more light in the lens and therefore take better images in darker conditions. It is especially helpful if you use orange filters to
Filter out some of the blues.
OP
OP
Sounds good, but I just want to let you know, I have a Canon EOS Rebel XSI. I think it was one of the first EOS models, that I bought over 10 years ago.
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Do you know it’s funny the first time I asked for a utility sink, the wife said no. After washing the skimmer in the kitchen sink a couple times I got a resounding yes.
HAHA! Nice sink!
OP
OP
Thanks Rev.
jayoman
Community Member
I had a canon EOS rebel xti originally which came out the year before your model. the better, later models generally give you faster shutter speed and better performance in ISO over 1600. A fast prime will alleviate both those issues because you can use fast apertures to take tank pictures. Today’s DSLRs, even the entry level ones give you higher potential ISOs and faster shudder speeds but that would only make a big difference if you are planning to shoot sports indoors. I am a sports photographer on weekends and my daughters are wedding photographers. we spend money on lenses first and bodies are secondary. I still use a canon 7d, which is 12 years old as a second body. The prime lenses will be useful even if you buy a better camera. The lenses are inexpensive because they have plastic bodies (less durable and not weather tight) but unless you are planning to shoot outdoors in bad weather that won’t matter. They are great value because they have Sharp optics, you just have to be careful not to drop them because they are not nearly as durable as some of the more expensive lenses.
OP
OP
Sound like you know a lot more about cameras than I do. I will try out some more lenses. Thanks
jayoman
Community Member
I would also recommend that you shoot in av mode with your aperture set as low as your lens will allow. Use single point autofocus and you should get much better results from your photos even with your current lens. Set ISO at 800.
OP
OP
I will certainly try that. Thanks
OP
OP
Alight since cleaning my salt water reservoir, I'm on my second bucket of Tropic marin pro reef salt, and the nasty ring and brown residue is back. So either this salt is really dirty too, or the dirt is coming from somewhere else. Either way it is getting really old. I don't do any work in the garage, however, the wife parks the car in there, do you guys think that the dirt is coming from the garage. Perhaps I shouldn't be leaving the container open. The only reason i don't think it dirt from the garage is because I don't have this problem with the rodi container.
My PH runs really low, we are talking 6.3-6.7, and my alk keeps going down even though I have no living corals. So I ordered this kalk reactor from geo. They say it could take up to 4 weeks for it to ship. I hope it doesn't take that long. I'm planning on using a DOS to feed it with. Hopefully it will kill three birds with one stone. I also ordered a PH probe for it as well. Let me know any of you have a recommendation on a starting dos.
My PH runs really low, we are talking 6.3-6.7, and my alk keeps going down even though I have no living corals. So I ordered this kalk reactor from geo. They say it could take up to 4 weeks for it to ship. I hope it doesn't take that long. I'm planning on using a DOS to feed it with. Hopefully it will kill three birds with one stone. I also ordered a PH probe for it as well. Let me know any of you have a recommendation on a starting dos.
GBRsouth
Valuable Member
When you cleaned your salt water reservoir, did you clean the circulation pump and plumbing at the same time? If not, that could be the source of the brown crud. I would clean it out again a couple more times over the next few months and see whether it comes back after that or not.
On your pH, I think that may be a false reading. I would use another means of testing the pH as that reading is extraordinarily low for salt water. That is in the realms of how low a CaRx would run with deliberately producing carbonic acid from mixing carbon dioxide in the water.
On your pH, I think that may be a false reading. I would use another means of testing the pH as that reading is extraordinarily low for salt water. That is in the realms of how low a CaRx would run with deliberately producing carbonic acid from mixing carbon dioxide in the water.
OP
OP
I'll try re-calibrating my PH prob.
As for the mixing station there is no plumbing, and only two maxpect Gyrs which I did clean.
OP
OP
Right now I'm leaning towards dirt from the garage. Time for some testing and experimenting.
I use Red Sea Blue bucket and get the same. The bottom inch or so of water I cant get out of my salt reservoirs leaves a brown film. I have read the same from several people and think is normal. Its the salt. Its not the container. My RO revivor is spotless and 0.0 tds.
OP
OP
Aright, I have no corals in the tank right now, however, I'm having to dos two part every day to maintain the ALk. I have the Calcium reactor, and I'm thinking about setting it up. I'm just wondering if it is a good idea. Because right now my Calcium reading is 520, and i don't have that much consuming it.
GBRsouth
Valuable Member
Please test your magnesium level first. Without magnesium calcium and alk will precipitate out of solution. Also there is a see=saw effect between calcium and alkalinity. If one is high the other will be low. Try reducing your calcium level and see if that helps your alk level to increase.
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