my new baby... AKA The Café

[DiefsReef]

Anyone have AWC setup? Wondering where in sumps to put the intake/outtake lines?

edit: (AWC) Auto Water Change..

 

[GHOSTLY]

Late morning!

 

[fishguy242]

Anyone have AWC setup? Wondering where in sumps to put the intake/outtake lines?

edit: (AWC) Auto Water Change..

@sp1187 @LRT @danieyella ??
edit..sorry, thought algae scrubber...;Facepalm

 

[fishguy242]

Anyone have AWC setup? Wondering where in sumps to put the intake/outtake lines?

edit: (AWC) Auto Water Change..

@Billldg @Susan Edwards ??

 

[DiefsReef]

@sp1187 @LRT @danieyella ??
edit..sorry, thought algae scrubber...;Facepalm

@Billldg @Susan Edwards ??

Thx Frank, was thinking water out at sump skimmer area, and water in at the sump return pump section.

 

[Soren]

I hope that you end up with two bonded pairs. Especially since your dream is eventually to attempt captive breeding of them.

Thanks for the encouragement toward my dream! I hope for 2 bonded pairs as well, though I want to be careful to not dive in over my head and lose too much before building my experience.

One of the Mags, and the Bicolor are for the man @fishguy242 one is mine, and one is for @Erin O

I'm always glad to hear about the spread of more foxface joy, especially if Frank will finally have some again!

I Don't plan on having more than one in the 180. I have already had to remove the one spot fox face as it was tearing up my tangs. I hear all the time how they have such a great disposition but this one spot was literally taking chunks out of the sides of other fish

Too bad about your one-spot. It seems like many can be fine, but there is always the chance a fish becomes aggressive, possibly regardless of the species! So far, my foxfaces get along well-enough, but they flash to each other every once in a while and chase each other a bit. They also are not yet housed with any other similarly sized fishes to know how they will do in the end...

Did you print one side of the plates with a texture? I'm wondering if you printed one side smooth, or even sanded one side of the existing plates smooth moving up through the grits, If you could have your smooth side up mimicking a bare bottom, and half inch spacers underneath the plates elevating them with a small in tank pump moving water under them if it would be more effective. You would still obviously have food under there and decay and need to pull them once a week but it would be easier to clean for the fish.

Currently, they are open on top and bottom with just a mesh of hard plastic. The part for printing was created in the 3D-printing software with just a frame with gyroid infill. Each plate is about 1/2" tall. It seems that this open-mesh design is pretty bad for trapping detritus, though regular maintenance might help with the issue. I already dislike the option, since the pelleted food sinks right into the mesh immediately if the fish do not catch it as it falls, and the mesh prevents the fish from reaching it once inside. I'm considering a redesign that has a more solid top surface similar to a BB that would make the mesh more like a plenum similar to what you suggest, but I am coming to the belief that sponge filters are better for biofiltration and BB might be better for my QT's.

The plates right now look nearly identical to this framed gyroid-infill picture:

The design is a literal food and detritus trap, which keeps the tank looking clean but hides issues and demands very regular maintenance.

BB Definitely has some advantages in my opinion. I personally don't like the look so I wouldn't want one in a display tank, But for my quarantine and frag system, I found that's what I like and what works for me.

I also think BB has advantages for a QT but don't like the look, so would not want it for my reef. I like the look and function of sand too much for that, but I want to be able to medicate my QT's effectively if necessary, so don't want real rock or sand in the QT's. My current pursuit is to use flat plastic sheet, such as ABS or PVC in black, to cover the bottom without trapping detritus or food. This seems a nice compromise between looks and functionality for a QT for me.

no worries about rehoming foxy's... i will always have a spot for them...

Great, I'll keep that in mind if I am ever able to part with a foxy in needing to re-home one... maybe it will work like Lost mentioned and I will just end up with 2 bonded pairs!

Just ordered two small mags from my lfs, be interesting to see what happens, not been available over here, they are still looking for another fish for me also.

Wow, I hope all goes well for you with your pack of foxes! I'm looking forward to seeing them through your excellent photography skills!

 

[Susan Edwards]

@Billldg @Susan Edwards ??

Mine isn't set up yet but I'll pull from the skimmer area and return to the return pump chamber. That's the plan.

 

[DiefsReef]

Mine isn't set up yet but I'll pull from the skimmer area and return to the return pump chamber. That's the plan.

Awesome, thats what I was thinking as well.

 

[SPR1968]

I take water out in the skimmer section and fresh saltwater in, in the return section if it’s any help

 

[DiefsReef]

I take water out in the skimmer section and fresh saltwater in, in the return section if it’s any help

Great Thx!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

My current pursuit is to use flat plastic sheet, such as ABS or PVC in black, to cover the bottom without trapping detritus or food. This seems a nice compromise between looks and functionality for a QT for me.

Bud I hope you take this as intended, which is inquisitive.

What's the end game of the plates aka what's the point?

I understand their purpose is to add the space for bacterial colonization. Have you had issues with ammonia build up due to overload?

I have overloaded the 40g qt and have never run into an issue but I'm also utilizing a few different avenues.

Main filter on the hob is a 4x4x2 sponge.

Because I am almost always medicating at some level in this tank, I run a sponge filter with airline as well.

I suppose the point being is are you tinkering out of necessity and a Need, or just having some fun with it (which I'm super into)?

Those plates to me look like a "good in theory, bad in practice" sort of idea. Given the nature of printed elements, I am doubtful an entire tank worth of plates would add as much colonization surface for bacteria as a single sponge filter would.

 

[Billldg]

Thx Frank, was thinking water out at sump skimmer area, and water in at the sump return pump section.

I have my waste line in the skimmer section/2nd section of my sump and the supply line in the return/3rd section.

 

[sp1187]

Bud I hope you take this as intended, which is inquisitive.

What's the end game of the plates aka what's the point?

I understand their purpose is to add the space for bacterial colonization. Have you had issues with ammonia build up due to overload?

I have overloaded the 40g qt and have never run into an issue but I'm also utilizing a few different avenues.

Main filter on the hob is a 4x4x2 sponge.

Because I am almost always medicating at some level in this tank, I run a sponge filter with airline as well.

I suppose the point being is are you tinkering out of necessity and a Need, or just having some fun with it (which I'm super into)?

Those plates to me look like a "good in theory, bad in practice" sort of idea. Given the nature of printed elements, I am doubtful an entire tank worth of plates would add as much colonization surface for bacteria as a single sponge filter would.

poor fishies.
look at the fear in those eyes.

 

[DiefsReef]

I have my waste line in the skimmer section/2nd section of my sump and the supply line in the return/3rd section.

Thx @Billldg

 

[Soren]

Bud I hope you take this as intended, which is inquisitive.

What's the end game of the plates aka what's the point?

I understand their purpose is to add the space for bacterial colonization. Have you had issues with ammonia build up due to overload?

I have overloaded the 40g qt and have never run into an issue but I'm also utilizing a few different avenues.

Main filter on the hob is a 4x4x2 sponge.

Because I am almost always medicating at some level in this tank, I run a sponge filter with airline as well.

I suppose the point being is are you tinkering out of necessity and a Need, or just having some fun with it (which I'm super into)?

Those plates to me look like a "good in theory, bad in practice" sort of idea. Given the nature of printed elements, I am doubtful an entire tank worth of plates would add as much colonization surface for bacteria as a single sponge filter would.

You've hit the crux of my issue/considerations exactly.
Initially, I added the plates for 2 purposes:
1. To improve the visual appearance and block the reflections on the bottom to hopefully stress the fish less.
2. To increase potential surface area for biological filtration in lack of live rock.

The plates were a response to the stress of some of my first fish and loss of the first fish (raccoon butterflyfish) since I noticed that my QT had high nitrites and was not cycled. As I discovered since then, these plates were not necessary for such, since I just needed to let my sponge filter increase in bacteria population enough to eliminate ammonia and nitrite completely. It was mostly a scare due to lack of experience and false assumption that the tank was already cycling due to the piece of live rock I added initially.

After my recent wipe-out, I am nearly certain that the plates contributed to my problem and just make maintenance more of a pain.

I will probably continue to experiment with 3D-printed plenums (which is essentially what these are or should be geared towards replicating), but for now I am convinced that my QT's would be better off without them. Tinkering out of an incorrectly perceived need seems more dangerous than beneficial. They do indeed seem to me as well like a "good in theory, bad in practice" sort of idea. Now I just keep sponge filters cycling in a separate tank that will be moved to my sump in my main observation QT (75-gallon tank with 75-gallon sump) and will eventually be included in my reef sump as well.

For appearance/reflection issues, I think matte ABS sheet might be one of the best options when cut to size and placed on the bottom of the tank. I'm already working on a design that may be an option for 3D-printed puzzle plates that are solid rather than porous and would just make the bottom of the tank a bare black surface with a bit of texture.

I really appreciate your input and think we are on the same page with this.

 

[GHOSTLY]

It's almost time for fishguys nap. Wish him good dreams

 

[fishguy242]

"HUH"...

Mid 50's ,time to go outside n play...;Wootpoppin..

 

[sp1187]

It's almost time for fishguys nap. Wish him good dreams

it's time for afternoon cocktails.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Wonder if he's asleep yet...

 

[Soren]

Oh no, the sales are back up on top of the home page!