Paul’s 240 gallon upgrade!

[Dubs83]

Hmmmm I have a tank like that but I think it’s just a sediment filter. Maybe next year.

 

[Dubs83]

Find the nylon nut holding this overhang together!

 

[User]

It helps with the hunt if you don’t put it right in the center of the pic, lol

Nice looking scape. It’s going to fill in beautifully

 

[Dubs83]

Lol. Dang. But all seriousness. These nylon rods worked perfectly! I finished adding the sand today. My new Exotic Marine Systems over flow came in and it’s a perfect fit. @TaylorPilot had been a tremendous help through the aquarium fub up.

Anyway, the plan today is the plumb it and continue making water. While that’s going, I’ll prolly start working on the control board.

 

[User]

Yeah, those ems overflows look good. Nice price for custom too. I’m going to run my shadow for a while to see if I really need the upgrade but I think I’m just delaying the inevitable


Was planning on sump work today, but weather is nice and I need to go fly a Cessna

 

[Dubs83]

Yeah, those ems overflows look good. Nice price for custom too. I’m going to run my shadow for a while to see if I really need the upgrade but I think I’m just delaying the inevitable


Was planning on sump work today, but weather is nice and I need to go fly a Cessna

Awesome. Another pilot?!

 

[User]

Sadly, no. It was an experience flight my wife got me for Christmas 2 years ago, but life got in the way and I’ve only just got time to schedule it.

At the time, we lived in Nashville, abc we had talked about it to fill the hole that being 2 landlocked semi-technical scuba divers with a 6 month old made. But then work, and moving, and now a second one, conspired against it. And now that I’m taking some time out as a sahd, there’s no way we can afford that, and reefing, and our other hobbies

We are only 5 hours out of Pensacola, perfect for wreck diving, so once the baby is a bit older, we are going to get back into the deep penetration dives.

Saying that- I did just find my retirement hobby for when my doctor cuts me off from the diving.

Doing figure 8’s over lake Lanier with 15 mile visibility was quite an experience though. Dude let me fly the plane the whole time other than take off and landing.

 

[mmw64]

As promised, some rock work today. Used nylon rods with nylon nuts. The rods are flexible but once cut to size they became pretty rigid. Anyhow, we’re currently splitting duty between this and cleaning the house for thanksgiving. I really wish I took pictures of the process but most of it was checking to see if it worked and then leaving it a lone lol. I’ll provide more details later when we settle in for the night. Here’s a sneak peak.

We’ll be filling the gaps in and covering the nuts with rubble and super glue a little later today. The aquafix is currently setting before we place it in the aquarium and build the remainder of the scape! Let me know what you think!

-Paul

I don't like it. I LOVE it!!!!!!

 

[Dubs83]

I don't like it. I LOVE it!!!!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[Dubs83]

Enough said

 

[Crabby48]

Water time!
How did you discover you had high co2?

 

[Dubs83]

Water time!
How did you discover you had high co2?

I was going through a ton of DI resin and couldn’t explain it until I read that CO2 won’t be removed by the RO membrane but the DI resin will and will exhaust fairly rapidly.

So from my planted tank days, I tested for CO2 using pH and KH test kit and it came up high. I don’t remember the numbers off hand but here’s a link explaining the test and a chart to find your CO2 level.

http://aquadaily.com/2009/01/29/co2-ph-kh-chart/

I then took the RO line leaving the membrane and filled a 35 gallon bucket and threw an air stone in there to degas the CO2. The next day, I used a PMUP to pump it through the DI resin and this has helped tremendously. I can make about 5-600 gallons of water this way where in the past, two canisters of DI resin wouldn’t break the 100 gallon mark before it exhausted.

 

[Dubs83]

40 gallons worth of RODI water, will be pumping a pretty potent mix of saltwater today.

 

[Crabby48]

I was going through a ton of DI resin and couldn’t explain it until I read that CO2 won’t be removed by the RO membrane but the DI resin will and will exhaust fairly rapidly.

So from my planted tank days, I tested for CO2 using pH and KH test kit and it came up high. I don’t remember the numbers off hand but here’s a link explaining the test and a chart to find your CO2 level.

http://aquadaily.com/2009/01/29/co2-ph-kh-chart/

I then took the RO line leaving the membrane and filled a 35 gallon bucket and threw an air stone in there to degas the CO2. The next day, I used a PMUP to pump it through the DI resin and this has helped tremendously. I can make about 5-600 gallons of water this way where in the past, two canisters of DI resin wouldn’t break the 100 gallon mark before it exhausted.

Perfect I will do some reading. Thanks for your help

 

[Dubs83]

Perfect I will do some reading. Thanks for your help

This is from the Spectrapure FAQ regarding CO2 and DI

CALCULATING CO2 AND ITS EFFECTS ON DI WATER PRODUCTION

Procedure for Aeration of RO product water
for CO2 removal in well and other low pH waters

Introduction

One of the most common reasons for low DI cartridge life is high carbon dioxide content in low pH waters. CO2 levels in low pH waters like well waters can be as high 50-100 ppm. Since carbon dioxide is a small dissolved gaseous molecule it passes right through the reverse osmosis membrane. Carbon dioxide is weakly ionized and is not detected in conductivity measurements, however it occupies the anion-exchange sites in the deionization cartridge significantly reducing their expected life-time. Therefore, CO2 removal from RO product water significantly enhances the life-time of the deionization cartridges.



Procedure for determination of CO2 level

CO2 levels in your water can be measured in a variety of ways:

1. Using a test kit from Hach or Lamotte company.

2. Using the nomogram on next page (pH and bicarbonate alkalinity measurements are required) (Figure 1).

3. Click on this link to determine your CO2 level: www.fishfriend.com/aquarium_co2_calculator.html



Procedure for aeration for CO2 removal

RO product water is collected in a 3 feet tall PVC column with an air stone resting at the bottom. Air from an air pump is pumped into the column with RO product water. Degassed water (almost free of CO2 ) is collected from the top of the column and then gravity fed into the Deionization cartridge (Figure 2)

 

[Dubs83]

Very little progress the last two days as we prepared for thanksgiving. But, I started work on the junction box for the electric:

Basically a 12”x12” junction box where the power is distributed to the APEX and its respective EB

Drilled holes in the stand backing and plumbed the initial overflow pipe for the EMS overflow.

...and I continued to fill. This is taking excruciatingly long! We are at the 1/3 mark and all MPs running to mix the water and avoid stagnation

Tomorrow, I’ll try and finish the plumbing to the basement and run return plumbing. I’ll also finish up the electric for the recirculating pump and electric valve for the heater. Possibly assemble and lay out the control board.

We are doing some Christmas tree shopping so I only have until the fiancé gets home.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Paul

 

[Crabby48]

Thank you for taking the time in your busy schedule to give the rodi info. Your build is coming alone good with the exception of the water fill lol

 

[Dubs83]

Thank you for taking the time in your busy schedule to give the rodi info. Your build is coming alone good with the exception of the water fill lol

Yea of course! Let me know when you’re ready to start your build and if you need a hand with anything!

 

[Dubs83]

Sorry, but I have to use this as a shopping list so I don’t spend too much time at the hardware store on Black Friday.

3 x 1 1/2” coupling
1 x 1 1/2” tee
9 x 1 1/2” 45 elbow
3 x 1 1/2” pipe

Overflow plumbing

Thanks for understanding! Plumbing is almost done!

 

[Dubs83]

Okay, ALMOST halfway full. It’s a slown process having to degas the water before it’s healthy enough to pump into the tank. The salinity is 1.040 in the tank so I’m going to continue to push RODI water until it gets to 1.025-26 and top off with same salinity.

The plumbing up top is nearly complete and it’s still early so I should be able to get this done tonight.