My new 135 build!!

[Jedi1199]

Class A with tanker here! No dub/trip though.

I have all the endorsements. I ran super heavy/ oversize for a while a few years ago.. that was fun. Not many people know that there is such a thing as a "72 speed" rig.. Basically its a standard 18, with a 4 step splitter.

 

[Mschmidt]

The YT I have I got from Biota. It was about the sise of a 50cent piece when I got it... its easily 4 inches now. He LOVES the new tank.

Him and the blue tang looked quite happy.

I have all the endorsements. I ran super heavy/ oversize for a while a few years ago.. that was fun. Not many people know that there is such a thing as a "72 speed" rig.. Basically its a standard 18, with a 4 step splitter.

I'm going to choose to understand this. Is that like a 4x18 if it were bike gears?

 

[tbrown]

Him and the blue tang looked quite happy.

I'm going to choose to understand this. Is that like a 4x18 if it were bike gears?

More or less, yes.

 

[Mschmidt]

More of less, yes.

I'm smrt

 

[tbrown]

I'm smrt

Truth!

 

[Jedi1199]

Him and the blue tang looked quite happy.

I'm going to choose to understand this. Is that like a 4x18 if it were bike gears?

Yes everyone is very happy with the new digs...


OK, now, a standard 18 speed rig has a simple 4 position gear pattern. There are 2 splitters on the shifter knob itself. 1 splits each gear, and the other splits between upper and lower range.

Think like this, A standard 4 speed car has 1-4 in a H pattern right? the first splitter goes between each gear... 1l, 1h, 2l, 2h ect. Then you hit the range splitter and repeat the same H pattern for 5-8. Wait, you say, 4x2x2 is only 16??? true enough, reverse only has low and high, can't double split that one.. lol...

On the super heavy hauler, you have a 2nd stick that has its own H pattern that splits all the gears into those ranges. Effectively you can run 1-16 on each of the 4 ranges. PLUS, the 8 reverse gears. There's your 72 speed rig!!

 

[Mschmidt]

Yes everyone is very happy with the new digs...


OK, now, a standard 18 speed rig has a simple 4 position gear pattern. There are 2 splitters on the shifter knob itself. 1 splits each gear, and the other splits between upper and lower range.

Think like this, A standard 4 speed car has 1-4 in a H pattern right? the first splitter goes between each gear... 1l, 1h, 2l, 2h ect. Then you hit the range splitter and repeat the same H pattern for 5-8. Wait, you say, 4x2x2 is only 16??? true enough, reverse only has low and high, can't double split that one.. lol...

On the super heavy hauler, you have a 2nd stick that has its own H pattern that splits all the gears into those ranges. Effectively you can run 1-16 on each of the 4 ranges. PLUS, the 8 reverse gears. There's your 72 speed rig!!

So you would either cycle through the low or the high, depending upon need with smaller jumps in gear ratio to ease transition?

 

[Jedi1199]

So you would either cycle through the low or the high, depending upon need with smaller jumps in gear ratio to ease transition?

Pretty much yes.

The split gears are mostly used for climbing grades. Even on a standard 18 speed, you rarely use the splitter between gears until you get to 15th, then you split the top gear for 16th and run. When you start to climb a grade, you generally split each gear as you downshift till you find the best gear for pulling the grade.

 

[Mschmidt]

Only way I know about high/low is from my time in the lumber yard. the 2 tons had a high and low, except the one with the broken low that my boss refused to replace. Until he had to when I shredded the transmission. Fun times

 

[Jedi1199]

Hi guys... so it's time to update here... I have finished the FluxRx treatment, done several water changes and brought the refugium back online last weekend.

The hair algae is gone but cyano has reared its ugly red head.

Did a water test today and things look good. I may or may not do a water change today.

Current parameters are:

NO3 between 5 and 10

pH 8.15

PO4 0.25

Mg 1290

KH/Alk 7.15 (this is up a lot from last test at 5.9)

Ca 430

Overall the parameters are about right. Not seeing anything that is an immediate concern.

Now, if I can get this cyano under control, I will be a happy reefer again.

 

[Jedi1199]

Wow... Has it really been almost a year since I updated here? So much has changed, most of it for the worse to be honest. *sigh*

My beautiful tank has really taken a downward trend for a while. Started when I began losing a few corals and it has gotten really bad since the Aiptasia took over.

All of my acros are dead and gone. All of my Goni's and Alveaporas are dead.

The fish are all still alive and happy at least. Most of my softies are fine. Did have a torch throw off a head last week... Is that even a thing? The head is on the sand in a corner near one of the overflows and appears to still be alive??? WHAT THE????

As for the Aiptasia issue... @Queenofreef is right!!! Aiptasia X is worthless! I use it, they die back a bit and then regrow twice as bad. I have tried Berghia a couple times but I suspect that I might have a predator loose in the tank I didn't know about. I am going to try and find that darn hermit crab and toss him into the sump.

The newest addition, a beautiful CBB has not helped with the Aiptasia at all, but honestly, that does not bother me much. It is a beautiful enough fish to be in the tank regardless if he eats Aiptasia or not.

On another note... apparently I am a horrible reef dad.. lol... Got down the test kits today and looked at the last page in the log.. Ummm March 10th... yikers!! Supprisingly enough, aside from nitrates a bit high, and Alk and Calcium a bit low.. most things are in range...

Big water change on for tonight and tomorrow and probably another next weekend.

Took a few pictures of the stuff I DO still have that are doing well... After I finish the WC I will get into post processing them and start posting...

And the saga continues...

 

[tbrown]

Sorry to hear it! My torch threw a head and it was surviving in the sand bed for a while then my fish buried it and it died ...

 

[Jedi1199]

Here are a few pics from the last couple days...

 

[colemanlepage]

As many of you know, I have a 55g mixed reef tank that I have been running for about 16 months. This is an exceptionally beautiful tank, and I am so very proud of what I have accomplished with it so far!

Unfortunately, as my experience and knowledge has increased, so has my desire to add inhabitants to expand my base. My 55g now has 16 fish and over 90 corals!!! I desperately need more space!

Today, I took a drive up to my nearest LFS and placed an order for a new 135g reef ready tank and stand. Also, ordered a new Eshopps R300 sump.

The new tank is an "Aquarium Masters" 135 with dual corner overflows. Stand is a stock prefab stand, unfinished. Sump as I said, will be a Gen 3 Eshopps R300. Identical to the Gen 4 AR300 for less than 1/5th the price!!

I have an old Bubble Magus curve 7 that I can use for the skimmer if I decide not to repurpose the current skimmer I have on the 55g.

The new tank is at least 2 weeks out, so I have time for acquiring the new items I will need. Probably going to have to add at LEAST one new A360X light, probably 2. I may be able to supplement with the old Wills 165's I have on hand.

Updates will be coming as the equipment arrives and I begin the transfer. I am so excited to begin this new build!!!

Im new to the A360x and registered just to ask you some questions since you seem to have that dialed in. Do you still have violet light at “0” ? My lights are at similar height as yours but I did add a light shade. Mixed reef as well but I was running at 65 intensity before and my anemones are not blooming so hopefully 90 will change things around. My ‘expert’ fish guy also told me 70 for violet and 5-10 for red/green which I have discontinued after reading your 2022 notes. Something hasn’t been working so I hope now after following your lead, life will be restored.
Note- I had another assembly LED that worked really well for many years but started shorting out so I went to the Kessil A360x (2) and was expecting incredible returns which I haven’t had yet so I think you’re steering me in the right direction.:

 

[Jedi1199]

Im new to the A360x and registered just to ask you some questions since you seem to have that dialed in. Do you still have violet light at “0” ? My lights are at similar height as yours but I did add a light shade. Mixed reef as well but I was running at 65 intensity before and my anemones are not blooming so hopefully 90 will change things around. My ‘expert’ fish guy also told me 70 for violet and 5-10 for red/green which I have discontinued after reading your 2022 notes. Something hasn’t been working so I hope now after following your lead, life will be restored.
Note- I had another assembly LED that worked really well for many years but started shorting out so I went to the Kessil A360x (2) and was expecting incredible returns which I haven’t had yet so I think you’re steering me in the right direction.:

I wish I could report to you that my lighting setup has resulted in explosive growth and a beautiful thriving reef tank. Unfortunately, since my last update, My tank has spiraled into purgatory. ALL of my corals are dead and gone except for a thriving colony of mushrooms, gsp and my RFA's. The fish are fine, but all of the other corals are gone.

This is due to my work schedule changing and not allowing me the time to perform the maintenance that I was able to do before. Also I had a MASSIVE outbreak of Aiptasia that I am still to this day battling.

I finally have the water parameters back in line and today I placed a large order from the LRO live sale so I can begin to restock many of the corals I have lost.

As I return to step one, I will begin updating again as I have news to report.

I hope all is going well with your setup and best wishes to you. I do hope that my suggestions are helping.

 

[colemanlepage]

I wish I could report to you that my lighting setup has resulted in explosive growth and a beautiful thriving reef tank. Unfortunately, since my last update, My tank has spiraled into purgatory. ALL of my corals are dead and gone except for a thriving colony of mushrooms, gsp and my RFA's. The fish are fine, but all of the other corals are gone.

This is due to my work schedule changing and not allowing me the time to perform the maintenance that I was able to do before. Also I had a MASSIVE outbreak of Aiptasia that I am still to this day battling.

I finally have the water parameters back in line and today I placed a large order from the LRO live sale so I can begin to restock many of the corals I have lost.

As I return to step one, I will begin updating again as I have news to report.

I hope all is going well with your setup and best wishes to you. I do hope that my suggestions are helping.

This is all part of the journey … not lol…
If you can’t just throw up $200 (times dozens of times) in the air and see it magically disappear…and be ok… then reefing is the wrong hobby … which I know you get.
keep grinding and when things get dialed in again , you’ll be experiencing a new renaissance of sorts.. always feels that way.