Mattgsa 315 gallon build

GBRsouth

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The skimmer is still on the fritz, this was from this morning. Last night I tried to tune it to no avail. So figured it is something in the water, so I added a ROX carbon reactor. The water in the tank is also foggy, I'm assuming that it some sort of bacteria bloom, so I have ordered the parts needed to install the UV staralizer. The intresting this is, the only thing I have added to this RODI water is salt. I wonder if it got something while sitting in the guarge.
IMG_0399.jpg

@Wrangy used uv to fix his bloom on his new build thread. Check it out. Going without uv will work....eventually.
 
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mattgsa

mattgsa

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Just like many others on this form, I too have ups and downs, and this morning was a down. I woke up to my wife saying your tank is making a lot of noise. (Never a good thing) Upon walking out to the living room I noticed that half the house is flooded. The bad part about this is it was all my fault, more on that later. Several of my electronics were sitting in a puddle of water. Luckily they were not ruined. The water even got into the master closet and soaked the carpet. I may have to replace that carpet. I have decided to hold off on starting the tank until I get some leak detection in place. (And a shutoff valve) I'm feeling really stupid this morning.
Let me show you what I did wrong, the white line is supposed to go to the CalRX which is not in yet.
IMG_0403.jpg

I never got a shutoff valve for it, I just stuck it in one of the holes of the sump and said I will get a shutoff valve for it later. Well, last night it fell out of the sump.
IMG_0401.jpg


The good news is it gave me a chance to clean up.

IMG_0402.jpg
 
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GBRsouth

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Just like many others on this form, I too have ups and downs, and this morning was a down. I woke up to my wife saying your tank is making a lot of noise. Upon walking out to the living I noticed that half the house is flooded. The bad part of this is it was all my fault. Several of my electronics were sitting in a puddle of water. Luckily they were not ruined. The water even got into the master closet and soaked the carpet. I may have to replace that carpet. I have decided to hold off on starting the tank until I get some leak detection in place. (And a shutoff valve) If feeling really stupid this morning.
Let me show you what I did wrong, the white line is supposed to go to the CalRX which is not in yet.
IMG_0403.jpg

I never got a shutoff valve for it, I just stuck it in one of the holes of the sump and said I will get a shutoff valve for it later. Well, last night it fell out of the sump.
IMG_0401.jpg


The good news is it gave me a chance to clean up.

IMG_0402.jpg

Oh no! How many brownie points did you lose? :oops:
 
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mattgsa

mattgsa

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Oh no! How many brownie points did you lose? :oops:
Actually the wife was surprisingly not mad. Even when I had to pull up the carpet in the closet to remove the soaking carpet pad.
The good news is the tank is back up and running. I found a 1/4" cutoff valve in the guarge.
 
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mattgsa

mattgsa

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This hobby is very difficult for me for one main reason. I have a terrible need for instant gratification. I want things now, not weeks from now. Waiting for parts to come in, and waiting for the tank to cycle is very difficult. But I have to remind myself everything worth having is worth waiting for. All though it does not make it easier.
 
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mattgsa

mattgsa

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I ordered some ammonia chloride off of Amazon, hopefully, I will get it tomorrow. I need to get this cycle going in full swing. I had ordered some from BRS but they forgot to include it in the shippment. No worries, they were quick at getting me a refund. I love BRS.
 

GBRsouth

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This hobby is very difficult for me for one main reason. I have a terrible need for instant gratification. I want things now, not weeks from now. Waiting for parts to come in, and waiting for the tank to cycle is very difficult. But I have to remind myself everything worth having is worth waiting for. All though it does not make it easier.

I can cure you of the need for instant gratification if you like. ;)
 
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mattgsa

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Well despite ordering everything I could think of during customer appreciation week, I received nothing more or less than what I ordered. Oh well, I still love BRS. I'm sure one day I will win something. I have sighed up for every drawing they have come out with.
 
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mattgsa

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So I plugged in my skimmer, return pump, and the two heaters. According to the Apex, I'm up to 12amps on a 15amp circuit. That does not include the two maspect gyrs I have running on the circuit. Good thing I'm getting quotes for electricians to run dedicated power. I'm hoping that I can maintain the tank temp with on heater once it comes up to temp.

Other than that there really is nothing new. I have the tank cycling with Microbactor 7, and some ammonia. The tank is all cloudy due to a bacterial bloom. I'm not worried about it (normal for bare bottom), once I get the UV installed that will no longer be a problem. However, I think that will have to wait until I get enough power. Also once again I don't have enough plumbing so I have an order in with Supplyhouse. I'm sure once I get that in, I will discover I don't have enough of something else. That's just the way my projects go. LOL
 
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Been away from the forums for a bit and you have made some real progress. Tank has water in it and running. You avoided death after your first flood, and you have started the cycle.

See, if life gets in the way and you just live vicariously through others build threads instant gratification can be had.
 
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mattgsa

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Alright, nothing really new to report. I got a makeshift ATO in place since I have not run all the tubs and wires from the garage. I was rather surprised by how much water is evaporated every day from the tank. I was having to add a lot of water every night just to silence the sump. I'm still waiting on plumbing parts for the UV.
I also realized I'm going to have a problem with my plans for ATO. My ATO reservoir is higher than my tank. So you can see the problem I'm going to have with siphoning. Which got me thinking about using a peristaltic dosing pump for the ATO. However, I have read mixed reviews. Does anyone know of a siphon break for an ATO?
 

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Alright, nothing really new to report. I got a makeshift ATO in place since I have not run all the tubs and wires from the garage. I was rather surprised by how much water is evaporated every day from the tank. I was having to add a lot of water every night just to silence the sump. I'm still waiting on plumbing parts for the UV.
I also realized I'm going to have a problem with my plans for ATO. My ATO reservoir is higher than my tank. So you can see the problem I'm going to have with siphoning. Which got me thinking about using a peristaltic dosing pump for the ATO. However, I have read mixed reviews. Does anyone know of a siphon break for an ATO?

How about a Tee fitting in the high point of your ato tubing, with more tubing off the Tee to run much higher. That can act as your siphon break. And maybe have an empty container under the end of the siphon break tube just in case. The siphon break direction of the Tee would need to point up to ensure water runs in the direction you want it to.
 
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mattgsa

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Or run the ATO into your DT or overflow. You can also try a 1 way Rodi valve with that T, which can help break a siphon.
I will try it because I really don't want to use a dosing pump for it. The only thing I have to figure out is how to connect .25" tubing to the Tunze pump. The tubing that comes with it is thicker than normal tubing. Thanks
 
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Well, this will not come as a surprise to any of you. After a couple of weeks of running the tank is still not cycled. :confused: I tested the water last night, and the ammonia came up around 2 or 4, I'm sorry, I really don't remember which. I had no Nitrites or Nitrates. I was really hoping there would be but I knew there wouldn't be. OH Well.

I did get a little work done on the control panel. Sorry, no picture. I painted the board black last night.
 

GBRsouth

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I will try it because I really don't want to use a dosing pump for it. The only thing I have to figure out is how to connect .25" tubing to the Tunze pump. The tubing that comes with it is thicker than normal tubing. Thanks

If the tubing is close to the right size and just a bit too tight, you can heat the end of the tubing in very hot water til it softens. Once soft you can push it on easier.
 

GBRsouth

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Well, this will not come as a surprise to any of you. After a couple of weeks of running the tank is still not cycled. :confused: I tested the water last night, and the ammonia came up around 2 or 4, I'm sorry, I really don't remember which. I had no Nitrites or Nitrates. I was really hoping there would be but I knew there wouldn't be. OH Well.

I did get a little work done on the control panel. Sorry, no picture. I painted the board black last night.

If the ammonia is 2ppm, all good. If it is 4ppm it's getting close to toxic levels for the bacteria and will become more difficult for the cycle to get going.
 

Ashish Patel

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This build thread is amazing. Its a bummer when you know its your fault but in our reef tanks, murphy law wins every time. Don't let this get you down and keep the good posts coming. Following along!
 

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