My custom 233

[mfinn]

I dont think I've ever seen pictures of your newest tank Marty. Looks awesome!! I finally took a few shots of mine and feel your pain with less than friendly computers. My lap top is so old pictures look horrible on it so I cant tell if what I'm posting actually looks good or bad.

Thanks.

I am actually going to make a couple changes too.
I bought a new Vectra L1 pump for my closed loop. The Reeflo dart/Snapper hybrid is pretty quiet for the flow it puts out, but I do hear a whir and a low end hum once in a while. So after hearing ( pun) the reports of how quiet the new Vectra pumps are I got one.
Hopefully I'll get to swapping them out early next week.

Plus I've been experimenting on a new hood, that is supported by the light rack.
Tried a couple looks so far and not happy yet.

I'm on the lookout for some 3/8" hardwood plywood. I'd like to find oak because that's what my stand is, but not having any luck.

 

[mfinn]

@mfinn How about an update?

I haven't updated this in a long while.

Last winter I saw a ad for some red macro algae that I haven't seen before. Looked a little like chaeto, but red. So I ordered 2 bags.
A couple days later it arrived when I was at the store.
my wife called and asked me if I wanted her to put the macro in the refugium.
I said sure. I was a little distracted and busy so I didn't give her specific instructions on what I would have done.
I got home a few hours later and I didn't notice anything. Was busy.
Later when I went to feed the tank I noticed there was a red tint to the water. I looked carefully at all the fish, which ate normally, and all the corals looked fine.
The next morning when I got up early I remember not seeing any of the anthias. There were 7, and one or two usually come out when the kitchen lights come on.
A hour later I saw there were no fish swimming around. Usually by this time I see most of them swimming .
So I looked a little closer and the first thing I noticed was bare lps skeletons. A couple big frogspawns ( 20+ heads each) and a hammer that was 20+ heads were completely dead. No tissue left at all.
I bumped the lights on and then I started seeing dead fish.
I lost all the anthias, lawnmower blennie and a couple other fish. 10-11 fish, a bunch of lps and nearly all the mushrooms in the tank.
I'm sure there were others, can't remember right now.

I did a 70 gallon water change ( had it already mixed ) and added a quart of carbon. Started mixing another 70 gallons and did that late that night.
I did another 70 gallons the next day and changed out the carbon with another quart.

Near as I can figure the macro died in the bags and when my wife dumped it in the refugium water and all, the decaying matter caused a low oxygen situation in the tank, among other things.

It really bummed me out. I've never had a large scale die off like that before.

 

[mfinn]

This is my newest addition.
Hopefully I'll get to it Monday.

 

[drstratton]

I'm so sorry to hear that . My tank crashed 4 years ago. It's taken me that long to get restarted again! Have you gotten it stocked again?

 

[mfinn]

I'm so sorry to hear that . My tank crashed 4 years ago. It's taken me that long to get restarted again! Have you gotten it stocked again?

Yeah, I picked up a few things here and there. Stuff is growing.

One other fish I lost a couple months ago was my Coral Beauty angel.
Had it through 3 tanks. A 180 for almost 7 years. My 240 for 8 years and then more than a year in the 233.

I do have a Flame angel in quarantine right now that will go into the big tank in a month.

 

[drstratton]

I really would like to come see your tank sometime! I'm glad that you're getting it filled up again. Sad news about your Coral Beauty, I'm thinking about getting one for my tank! Flame Angel is another one that I was looking at! Beautiful fish!!! I don't have much in the way of coral yet, I have 5 Zoa's, 3 Paly's, Clove polyp and a Blue Sympodium Sp, if they grow well and I can frag them, I would be happy to share some with you when I get over that way!

 

[drstratton]

I was just looking at your overflow, did you paint the PVC black?

 

[mfinn]

I was just looking at your overflow, did you paint the PVC black?

I did paint the pvc pieces inside the overflow black.

 

[drstratton]

Thanks!

 

[rayn]

Stunning build! Sorry about the losses. You said last winter for the losses, any updated pics?

 

[mfinn]

After trying to shut off my closed loop valves, I found they have a defect.
One or both failed to shut and when I pulled the pump out of the water, water came gushing out of the 1-1/2" pvc lines.
Made a big mess with about 20-25 gallons of water inside the stand, across the dining room floor, kitchen floor and out into my living room, before I could get the fittings on the single union valves re-installed.
Got shocked by the something, probably the connection to the heater.
Plus I fried the power supply to my VorTech MP40QD.

 

[drstratton]

After trying to shut off my closed loop valves, I found they have a defect.
One or both failed to shut and when I pulled the pump out of the water, water came gushing out of the 1-1/2" pvc lines.
Made a big mess with about 20-25 gallons of water inside the stand, across the dining room floor, kitchen floor and out into my living room, before I could get the fittings on the single union valves re-installed.
Got shocked by the something, probably the connection to the heater.
Plus I fried the power supply to my VorTech MP40QD.

Oh no, not a good way to start the day! So sorry!!!

 

[mfinn]

Yeah, it was a real bummer for maybe a minute or more.
Knealing down and pulling the reeflo pump out of the way after I loosened the fittings and suddenly having 2 pipes gushing water like small fire hoses.

 

[drstratton]

So, I'm assuming that your sump and floors were not the only things that got soaked!

 

[mfinn]

So, I'm assuming that your sump and floors were not the only things that got soaked!

Pretty much from the belt buckle down. Atleast in the front. lol

 

[drstratton]

Lol. And I'm also assuming, no video!!!

 

[mfinn]

Lol. And I'm also assuming, no video!!!

lol
I actually wish there would have been video.
Then I could go back and see what I did wrong. Has to be some sort of user error.
2 relatively new valves failing at the same time?

I really kick myself for not installing back valves. Something that could be used if I needed to really make drastic changes.

 

[drstratton]

lol
I actually wish there would have been video.
Then I could go back and see what I did wrong. Has to be some sort of user error.
2 relatively new valves failing at the same time?

I really kick myself for not installing back valves. Something that could be used if I needed to really make drastic changes.

Yeah, that is kind of strange to have both fail at the same time!

 

[mfinn]

I finally got brave and gave it another try.
This time I shut all the valves and went inside the tank and put plugs in the suction pipe for the closed loop.
I added a plain pvc ball valve in the suction line.
But I got the Vectra L1 up and running.
Very happy with it.
Totally silent unless you put your ear up next to it, then it's a slight whir.
Always thought my Ehiem 1262 was quiet, but not compared to the Vectra.
Plus now my Bubble Blaster 5000 skimmer pump is the loudest thing on my tank. I need to find a different pump to replace it with.
And I think I may replace the Eheim 1262 with a Vectra M1 as soon as the funds are available.

This isn't the prettiest sump area I've seen, but it is a quiet one.

 

[drstratton]

And, no more floods!