o00brandon00o | 50 Gallon Build Thread

[myaniz24]

Hi. Can I ask if the white box with red lights is an algae scrubber?

 

[o00brandon00o]

Hi. Can I ask if the white box with red lights is an algae scrubber?

@myaniz24 Hello, yes! If you are a distributor there is a price discount at orders > 1,337 truckloads!

 

[o00brandon00o]

@myaniz24 Hello, yes! If you are a distributor there is a price discount at orders > 1,337 truckloads!

@myaniz24 ...well, it's supposed to be an algae scrubber.

 

[myaniz24]

Hi Brandon. I’m confused with your first response. You bought it or did you make it yourself? Can you send me the link where you bought it if you did buy? Thanks

 

[o00brandon00o]

Hi Brandon. I’m confused with your first response. You bought it or did you make it yourself? Can you send me the link where you bought it if you did buy? Thanks

@myaniz24 The build thread details how I built it. My comment came from red, white, and blue American capitalism, my friend.

If you want one I will build one for you, $$.

That being said, wait and see results 1st ;Yawn;Bookworm!

 

[o00brandon00o]

Finished the stand panel, real nice fit. Cut piece of foam from my DT shipment in case I need to buffer more sound, 55 db in the sitting area pre-panel. Post panel to come.

Hood panels all have hinges for access. Kept back hood panel off for ventilation.

Checking FedEx every 10-min for Aquamaxx 1.5 status.

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[o00brandon00o]

First test to see how high temp and humidity get inside stand with new panel.

Panel provides a 12db reduction in sound from sitting area. I think that is pretty cool, appx 25%!

• 55db at the living room with the stand access panel removed
• 43db with styrofoam backed panel installed

According to app I was teetering between:

• 60db - Normal conversation at 3ft
• 50db - Quiet office, Moderate rainfall

...I am now at a SOLID:

• 43db - Quiet library, Bird calls

Well, I don't know any bird calls.

 

[o00brandon00o]

Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB is finally here! The quality in design and manufacturing is top notch!

I was able to keep all four (4) dosing containers in a row behind the sump once the skimmer sat in place.

Custom fit acrylic sump lid, so clear you can barely see it!

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[o00brandon00o]

 

[o00brandon00o]

Started Test Thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/posts/4788176/

June 1, 2018
Temp 81.2/27.4
SG 1.026/35
pH 8.4
NO3 4.0
PO4 0.04
Ca 435
KH 14
Mg 1600
50% WC (yesterday)

 

[o00brandon00o]

Moved the diamond watchman goby (no family name yet) to the DT this morning!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/and-so-my-watch-begins-diamond-watchman-goby.403248/#post-4809626

 

[hwntunda]

Tank is coming along nicely!

 

[o00brandon00o]

Tank is coming along nicely!

@hwntunda Thanks for the compliment and for stopping by!

 

[o00brandon00o]

Living and learning - many changes since I've last updated this thread. I've been stalking but recently came back from under my snail shell. I'll try to take what I've learned one-at-a-time. What a journey -

• Micro bubbles were ri-dic-u-lous. Figured it was due to an unbaffled 10-gal swirling bubble mess tank, (can't even call it a sump.) The flow did not have direction. Size brought me to settled on:

Eshopps Cube Medium Refugium

http://www.eshopps.com/products/filters/refugium/cube-medium/

...whose 18" width was not going to fit through a 17" opening. I had to empty the tank, slide it forward and have help lowering the fuge in from the top. I love the design (mostly) and how quiet it is. The 4" filter socks are stocked by my LFS. Only negative I have so far is the channel design under the skimmer compartment collects detritus. Need to figure out how to keep it in the water column.

 

[o00brandon00o]

I admit defeat in this next arena. DIY ATS in this case lead to DIYFTBFSWDIB:

Do-It-Yourself-First-Then-Buy-From-Someone-Who-Does-It-Better

• Turns out I was great at growing Red Turf Algae - in the display, I mean really great at it! The DIY ATS was too cumbersome/clunky to bring to the new fuge, but cannot ditch ATS method for nutrient export. Still was an uphill battle against my professionally grown RTA, I am very pleased with the progress, albeit slow. @SantaMonica has been a great help dialing it in, it has serious nutrient uptake competition to deal with.

DROP 1.4x Upflow Algae Scrubber

https://www.santa-monica.cc/DROP14x...-surfaces--14-cubes-feeding-per-day_p_72.html

 

[o00brandon00o]

Red Turf Algae, ughhhhh! Long and short of it was taking all but 2 of the base live rocks out and soaking them on the patio in a dark rubbermaid with salt water, a pump, and heater, for a couple of months.

• I canabalized the DIY ATS for the LEDs and used it over the fuge growing a tumbling ball of chaeto, around and around it goes. Nothing else in the compartment but a small powerhead. I think the chaeto is competing for nutrient uptake with the ATS now that the RTA covered rock is in time-out.

 

[DSC reef]

What a seriously nice tank! That algae scrubber is serious. Well done my friend.

 

[o00brandon00o]

What a seriously nice tank! That algae scrubber is serious. Well done my friend.

@DSC reef Thanks man! All kudos goes to my very supportive wife ;Happy!

 

[o00brandon00o]

The new fuge left little room for the HOB 1.5 or dosing containers under the stand.

• Upgraded protein skimmer to smaller, Aquamaxx WS-1 in-sump design, saving the HOB 1.5 as a part of the as needed QT setup

• Plumbed the chiller, 5-channel doser, and dosing containers (ATO, Ca, KH, Mg, spare) through the adjacent wall in the office (very.supportive.wife). Having to fill up the 2-gal ATO appx every 5 days, looking for bigger container options

• Hard plumbed a new manifold for chiller bypass. Main drain 1" gate valve should be here Thursday (ball valves are terrible for main drain adjustment)

• Masked and rolled black acrylic paint on top 2" of DT where water level let light leak out. May seal depending on how acrylic holds up

• Added (2) Innovative Marine media reactors that were on sale to run Carbon & GFO; both fit in the fuge next to the skimmer and ATS. Can take each off-line independently as-needed

 

[o00brandon00o]

...Main drain 1" gate valve should be here Thursday (ball valves are terrible for main drain adjustment)...

Thanks @Bulk Reef Supply, should have had one of these from the beginning!