Norwegian Fjord

dimidragos · Jul 30, 2018

Hello, everyone!!
After a very short experience with a 40g tank with internal sump and a longer experience with Malawi i decide to play in the next league. My new toy it's 490liter - 129 Gallons with 90 liter - 24 gallon sump.

The tank its built with optiwhite glass on three sides and black glass on back. The glass its 12 mm. The size of the tank its 100x70x70 cm or 40x27x27 inch. May be not a usual size but i wish to be like this. I like a lot the cube look and fit perfect in the place i have.
I have bought the tank second hand with a good price ... i hope

Harware list :

Deltec TC 2060 wit upgraded air pump from 2560 model (Deltec 1700)
Deltec PF 601 calcium reactor with solenoid, co2valve++
Deltec KM 500 kalk mixer
Deltec NF 509 nitrate sulphure reactor
Deltec UV 20 W
2 x Delec FR 509 media reaktors
ATO Tunze 3155
Sander Ozone 25mg
4 x Tunze 6095 power heads powered by Aquatronica computer
Aquatronica Computer last generation with 2 Redox, 2 Ph, temperature, 2 water level, licking sensor,
2 dosing pump with 3 heads each, powerhead control, internet module.
2x New jet 1200 feeding pump

I bought new :

Light Orphek V4 Atlantic
Main pump: Sicce Syncra SDC7 (7000liter-1800g)
ClariSea Filter SK 5000

I drive 20 hours go and back to get this tank....that was madness

)). And this is just begin of my storry, one and half month before....

i will not say that every time i will post something but
SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH PLEASE!!!!

count krunk · Jul 30, 2018

on the road to a great setup it looks like! Don't worry about your english, anyone can see you are from Norway and that it is your second (or even third) language. Much better than most of us Americans.

dimidragos · Jul 30, 2018

Few days, after some water lickage test, plumbing, etc i start to do the aquascapeing. I start with 75lbs-34kg live rocks from: http://realreefrock.com/ and 50 lbs Carib sea live sand. I glue the stones between with AquaForest stone fix.

I add the sand after and i feel the tank half with RO water. I install a powerhead, i set up the heater on 27C and i add 40 ml of Microbacter 7.
I use the light only for photo and for inspection. To days after that on 26 june i start the tank with sump and feeding pump on. I didn't add any bio media in begin because i decide late what i will use and i order late.In begin i use the Sicce pump on half but when i measure the flow in tank was around 1800-2000 liter.
I continue to add one day Microbacter7 25ml and next day Seachem Stability 25ml. That i have done for 8 days in row.
The 4th day after start i add a table shrimp around 2-2,5 inch (5-7 cm) to feed the bacteria.
I was not happy with the result of aquascape and i order some more stones. After i get the stones this is the result:

I just add more rocks in the left corner to create a elevated level for SPS or other corals who require more light. I'm not soo happy with what i see because in my opinion i have too less sand and i live too much space between the back window and rocks. First 16 days i didn't notice any trace of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. I use Salifer test. On 12 of july i notice first change, a very small trace of nitrate: 0.2-0.5ppm
In 14 july the nitrate was 5 and i start to reed nitrite also, in begin 0,025-0,005. Ph value was all time 8,2 according Hanna and 1.025-1.026 salinity. After that the value of nitrite, nitrate continue to rise, in 20 july i reed nitrate 30, nitrite 0,5 and that was the maximum value, after all value start to go down.

dimidragos · Jul 30, 2018

In between i was working to the sump because i didn't like how i do the set up first time. I have changed all plumbing and i change a ball valve also.

This is what i manage to do...
I add also 2 liter Seachem matrix, 2 liter AquaForest BioFil and half XPort Bio Brick from Brightwell.
You can see how dirty is that clarisea filter. I'm very happy with this filter, i have cristal clear water with no stress.
I add also sera silicate remover https://www.sera.de/en/product/sera-marin-silicate-clear/
I start to check the alkalinity also , on first check was 7,4 dKH. I begin to add 15 ml of Seachem Reef Fusion2 to rise alkalinity.
I start to add Ammonia Solution 35% to see how fast my tank can processes amonia. Like this i see that my Salifert Ammonia test it's totaly out of range. The test didn't read 0,2 ammonia solution mixed in one liter of water!!! Show 0 and that's bad! In the last day i add ammonia in my tank nitrate value was 10ppm. Next day after almost 24 hours nitrate 25ppm
In all that time i ask questions and receive very good advice and i want to thanks to everybody but especially to @Brew12 , @Lasse , @Diesel. I'm very happy to be here.
Last week i decide to add first two clown fish and three corals to the tank...and from sunday my clowns have a new home...
Now they are ok but they look stressed, they stay more or less only in one corner of the tank. My feeling is that they don't like something but i don't know what.
I hope that i have take the right decision to add the fish

Brew12 · Jul 30, 2018

dimidragos said:
Now they are ok but they look stressed, they stay more or less only in one corner of the tank.

Everything is looking good!

Don't worry about the clowns... they are clowns after all!

Mine spend most of their time hanging out by the return nozzle in my system. It isn't unusual for them to pick out a specific section of the tank (their host) and only wonder from it occasionally.

dimidragos · Jul 30, 2018

under the Orphek light....first fish into the tank

dimidragos · Jul 31, 2018

A short review about my new light Orphek Atlantic V4. I was a bit skeptical about using only one light over my tank but Orphek didn't disappoint me. This light have an amazing coverage and i don't think that any Radion 30pro, Hydra 52HD or Mitras LX7 can mach or come closer to the power and coverage of this light. My tank it's pretty tall (27 inch-70cm) but still i can't use this light on full power in 25k preset-ed mode for example. The actinic full spectrum and actinic violet are my favorite quick preset-ed mode but to be honest i like more the look of my ATI actinic in combo with blue plus because is more natural, it's not soo much high tech. I'm agree that i'm more use with Ati and maibe this is the reason i like more. The internet connection thru the gateway was fast and simple. And i have a strange internet, i couldn't connect the Sicce SDC pump until now. I see that some people ask if the light can be used without gateway. The answer is no. The light just start and that's all without gateway. I like also that the light continue to work with your personal settings even when internet it's off. I don't know how competitors model are now but one older AI Vega forget all settings when lose internet connection. What i didn't like at all it's the aplication. Looks old and it's hard to set new programs. If you will use preset-ed one with same ramping time will be very easy to use, but to set new once it's tricky...I don't like also that you don't have a moon light. The aplication from my 5 year old AI Vega was a lot more high tech and friendly. But not that stable, it's true. I can't speak about PAR or spectrum because i don't have the right device to check, i just wait too see if Seneye launch something new this year. But what i see make my happy and i'm sure that i can grow some SPS also if i will chose the right place for them. The build quality it's top, and the design it's fantastic. The price it's a bit bigger that competitors range but in my case if i consider that i need to light from any other top brands, Orphek V4 make me save a lot of money. More or less this is until now, i will start to use the light more and come with some updates after i will see what my corals believe about this light....and will be tough i think because they are use with ATI....

dimidragos · Jul 31, 2018

And short update about my water parameter in this tank. What i see make my happy...Values goes down for nitrite, almost i can't reed them something like 0,01-0,02ppm from 0,5 few days before. Nitrate also go down from 25ppm yesterday to 10 today but that's because of the nitrite i believe.

I start to add some calcium and alkalinity and and reef trace. I'm really confident to add one more fish tomorrow...

Brew12 · Jul 31, 2018

dimidragos said:
And short update about my water parameter in this tank. What i see make my happy...Values goes down for nitrite, almost i can't reed them something like 0,01-0,02ppm from 0,5 few days before. Nitrate also go down from 25ppm yesterday to 10 today but that's because of the nitrite i believe.

I start to add some calcium and alkalinity and and reef trace. I'm really confident to add one more fish tomorrow...

Yup, looking good! And I agree, nitrates indicate lower because of less interference from the nitrites.

Going great!

dimidragos · Aug 11, 2018

Last week, just before i live in holiday i receive the algae reactor. The brand its Pacific Sun made in Poland. The build quality it's very good in high quality cast acrylic and nice design also. I like the original ball valve witch comes together with reactor. The light included it's pretty powerful, i was afraid that will be to powerful. The size i order was size M rated for tanks up to 1000 liter - 260g size. A nice feature it's the special inlet for the calcium reactor with 5 mm pipe and a small ball valve included. it will help remove the rest of c02 from effluent and incise Ph level in final effluentI think it's a smart idea to connect the calcium reactor in the algae reactor for more stabile PH levels . The real volume of cylinder its around 9.2 liter. Now the only regret is that i didn't order the large one because in this i need to collect the chaeto often...

I was lucky to find some time and i install the reactor last thusday before i live in holiday. I fill with all chaeto i have and when i see the amount i was really skeptic....I set the reactor to work in only 8 hour running, reverse daylight cycle, from 11pm to 7am.
the recommanded flow it's 1000-1500l/h, pipe in /out 20mm, bottom up flow patern, green plant grow led light with 23W power, size 190x190x550mm

I come back yesterday and i was happy to see some chato growth inside but only today i open the reaktor and i really didn't believe my eyes...you can see the result!

Almost full with nice, green and compact chaeto, i really think that was 10 times more that i add!!

dimidragos · Aug 11, 2018

My only desapointment was regarding my water parameter... bigger nitrate and nitrite, phosphate levels that one week before i live. Smaler ph...A friend of mine feed the fish but only one time in day and just small amount of food...i really don't see the reason

I perform a 30% WC i add new Seachem Matrix Carbon and 400ml Seachem Purigen. I don't know if i should add some GFO also...
I see that the calcium value go low pretty fast and i start to plan to install the calcium reactor in two three weeks from now...also the kalk wasser mixer
If someone fave some explanations about the higher nitrate, now when i start to use the algae reactor i will appreciate a lot!

dimidragos · Aug 28, 2018

Hello, again, my reef adventure go well like i believe...I have good water parameter, still some small issue with alkalinity witch go up and down between 9.2-9.5 but i really hope to install a kalkwaser mixer soon. Maibe today if i have time....I install a small sulphur-calcium reactor combo two weeks before in order to reduce the nitrate level...in the mean time the nitrate level its pretty fine 5 ppm but i don't think that's because of the sulphur reactor. If i test the efluent with Salifert No3 test show same level like the DT water. This is the reaktor:

https://www.whitecorals.com/en/-aqua-light-sulphur-calcium-reactor-for-fresh/seawater-als00105

I have a bigger real stuff Deltec combo for later but now i think this is enough, i don't want to stripe out all nitrate from the tank, i believe if it stays around 5-10 will be ok. Po4 still 0 and i feed alot, i can't feed more...i have two small talbot damsel ready to explode...For this Po4 level i experience some diatoms on the sand and glasses but i don't mind so much, i just clean them each 2-3 days. I have al wish that soon they will go away. Any way i think to deal with the low phosphate level and i order this produkt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253622479669

I don't know if it's right but i really hope to rise phosphate at least at 0.02.
I add a lot of new corals to the tank, i know that was risky, maybe still is but i couldn't wait. Plus, the closes FS is 7 hours to drive one way...and i can't order the corals one by one a soon as i pay 100$for shipping. I really hope that things will go ok and i compensate this "mistake" with a lot of work and good maintenance also...
Some more changes in my technical room, i have build a manifold but i see after that the pump i have didn't give enough flow...
This is my technical room...

annd few foto with my tank also

Thanks for watching, i will apreciate any oppinion, sugestion

Brew12 · Aug 28, 2018

dimidragos said:
Hello, again, my reef adventure go well like i believe...I have good water parameter, still some small issue with alkalinity witch go up and down between 9.2-9.5 but i really hope to install a kalkwaser mixer soon. Maibe today if i have time....I install a small sulphur-calcium reactor combo two weeks before in order to reduce the nitrate level...in the mean time the nitrate level its pretty fine 5 ppm but i don't think that's because of the sulphur reactor. If i test the efluent with Salifert No3 test show same level like the DT water. This is the reaktor:

https://www.whitecorals.com/en/-aqua-light-sulphur-calcium-reactor-for-fresh/seawater-als00105

I have a bigger real stuff Deltec combo for later but now i think this is enough, i don't want to stripe out all nitrate from the tank, i believe if it stays around 5-10 will be ok. Po4 still 0 and i feed alot, i can't feed more...i have two small talbot damsel ready to explode...For this Po4 level i experience some diatoms on the sand and glasses but i don't mind so much, i just clean them each 2-3 days. I have al wish that soon they will go away. Any way i think to deal with the low phosphate level and i order this produkt:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253622479669

I don't know if it's right but i really hope to rise phosphate at least at 0.2....
I add a lot of new corals to the tank, i know that was risky, maybe still is but i couldn't wait. Plus, the closes FS is 7 hours to drive one way...and i can't order the corals one by one a soon as i pay 100$for shipping. I really hope that things will go ok and i compensate this "mistake" with a lot of work and good maintenance also...
Some more changes in my technical room, i have build a manifold but i see after that the pump i have didn't give enough flow...
This is my technical room...

annd few foto with my tank also

Thanks for watching, i will apreciate any oppinion, sugestion

Your tank is amazing! My mind cannot accept that this system is only 2 months old! What you have done is remarkable!!!

As for chemistry, I like my nitrates between 5ppm and 20ppm. I also think 0.2ppm phosphate is high. I try to keep my system between 0.02ppm and 0.08ppm.

dimidragos · Aug 28, 2018

Sorry , my mistake i want to say 0.02-0.03.....i forget a 0.
Thank you very much

dbl · Aug 28, 2018

Wow...not sure how I've missed this one. Your tank looks amazing. Thanks so much for sharing the details of your journey as well. Definitely will be following this one.

Crabs McJones · Aug 28, 2018

Your tank looks awesome! Your coral looks happy, and that purple rock! Amazing setup following for future updates

Chrisfish · Aug 28, 2018

Beautiful tank, thank you so much for sharing it with us, wow it’s hard to believe it’s only 2 mos. old!!

HotRocks · Aug 28, 2018

Very very imressive for a 2 month old tank. Nicely done!

saltyhog · Aug 28, 2018

Beautiful tank. Hard to believe it's only two months old! Incredible start!

dimidragos · Aug 29, 2018

Thanks so much for your appreciation. I feel more confident in my work after all this nice words from people with so much experience end knowledge like you !!