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Dubs83
Valuable Member
I’ll keep trying. He seems like he’s warming up to it so hopefully by the end of the day or tomorrow I’ll have him out.
Paul’s 240 gallon upgrade!
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I’ll keep trying. He seems like he’s warming up to it so hopefully by the end of the day or tomorrow I’ll have him out.
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
How is that beautiful fish?
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Im always running late but I must say your build is fantastic, You do nice work! .....Hope your fish pull thew and congraz on the landing that keeper (girl-freind)
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
Hey whats up? No new updates? I was afraid your thread just dropped off my list.
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Dubs83
Valuable Member
Hello to anyone who’s still reading. It’s been March since the last update and I suppose I owe you all an apology for disappearing but life has truly gotten in the way and yes, it’s lawn season.
First things first. Our swallowtail angelfish has made a full recovery. After disappearing on you guys, I managed to coerce him into a colander and moved him into a 20 long and gave him several methylene blue baths over a period of about two weeks. He really is a tough fish. Never showed any sign of stress and ate like a pig during his stay in a hospital tank. His scales looked pretty gnarly after a few days as they started to fall off while the new ones were coming in but otherwise, his color is back and streamers have come in nicely. He’s even sizing up one our new additions, a magnificent fox face.
Yes, Neil inspired me! But also, I had a local reefer moving state and he had a hard time re homing the fox and a 5” hippo tang. I couldn’t help but volunteer to take them in!
Otherwise, the tank has been going through some miniature ugly phases but nothing like I’ve experienced with my previous build. The water parameters have stayed in check with PO4 never above the 0.1 concentration and Nitrates staying below 20.
I continue with daily AWCs via the DOS and manage to get changed just over 4 gallons per day. I also completed my big maintenance day which was a pain in the butt.
I’m talking cleaning the return pump, skimmer, heater and all recirculating pumps. It seems that no matter how easy and how much space I give myself, there’s always water on the floor. I’m sure that this is something that will take some planning in the future to make it flow a bit better.
Some equipment gripes- apex flow meters continue to need constant cleaning to keep running. One of the GFCI/AFCI outlets tripped when I experienced that accidental flood and now won’t stop tripping. I’ve read that once they trip, they become really sensitive so I plan on changing it for a fresh out.
The heat exchanger has worked INCREDIBLY well. It’s quick to heat the water up, runs about 4 minutes an hour due to the residual heat in the pipes and it only cost us $10 to heat the tank this winter!! We use oil to heat the house and water and I can’t say that I’ve seen an increase in oil consumption. Best thing I did with this tank for sure!
The fish room seems like it’s in a constant state of disarray. My plan, now that life has slowed a bit is to get things in order down there. First thing I tackled was the rising humidity levels that spring usually brings.
We already have installed a whole home ventilation system down there that pulls air from the upper floors and pushes it outside but it’s just not enough during these spring/summer months so I finished installing the dehumidifier just last night. Humidity in the fish room went from 75% to 40% over night. The sump is currently open top so I do plan on crafting some sort of top to keep evaporation to a minimum. We also had a whole house dehumidifier installed inline with our air conditioning unit which keeps our house at a comfortable 35% relative humidity.
Otherwise, the tank turned 6 months old and there’s barely sign of any nuisance algae before the tangs and fox face take care of it. So a few weeks ago, I placed an order for a battle box from Adam @Battlecorals and what a great transaction that was! Explained just what a newbie I am and he put together an awesome 10 pack for me. So, I set up a 20l as QT (HOB, viraspectra amazon light, Jebao power head) and awaited his shipment to come in. When it did, the pieces went directly in to be temp acclimated and naturally... I made a quick run to a LFS to get 15 more pieces. Mhmmm an hour later, I was home and started dipping! What a stressful process because again, I decided to over load myself instead of planning this out. Anyway, everything made it through but like an idiot... I tossed all the bags so I have no idea what I have. Oops. While everything is sitting in a fallow tank, I started to get my dosing regiment going.
Ordered 2 part from BRS and tested my water.
PO4 .06
Nitrate 10
Calcium 438
All...5.47. No good.
Over the next few days, I got it up to 8 and am being successful holding it there. Another 3 weeks and everything comes upstairs.... including the pair blue jaw triggers Katrina picked up yesterday!
Anyway, that’s it. Sorry about the lack of photos but I’ll lost some later. In the mean time... it’s lawn season and my neighbors hate me!
Paul
First things first. Our swallowtail angelfish has made a full recovery. After disappearing on you guys, I managed to coerce him into a colander and moved him into a 20 long and gave him several methylene blue baths over a period of about two weeks. He really is a tough fish. Never showed any sign of stress and ate like a pig during his stay in a hospital tank. His scales looked pretty gnarly after a few days as they started to fall off while the new ones were coming in but otherwise, his color is back and streamers have come in nicely. He’s even sizing up one our new additions, a magnificent fox face.
Yes, Neil inspired me! But also, I had a local reefer moving state and he had a hard time re homing the fox and a 5” hippo tang. I couldn’t help but volunteer to take them in!
Otherwise, the tank has been going through some miniature ugly phases but nothing like I’ve experienced with my previous build. The water parameters have stayed in check with PO4 never above the 0.1 concentration and Nitrates staying below 20.
I continue with daily AWCs via the DOS and manage to get changed just over 4 gallons per day. I also completed my big maintenance day which was a pain in the butt.
I’m talking cleaning the return pump, skimmer, heater and all recirculating pumps. It seems that no matter how easy and how much space I give myself, there’s always water on the floor. I’m sure that this is something that will take some planning in the future to make it flow a bit better.
Some equipment gripes- apex flow meters continue to need constant cleaning to keep running. One of the GFCI/AFCI outlets tripped when I experienced that accidental flood and now won’t stop tripping. I’ve read that once they trip, they become really sensitive so I plan on changing it for a fresh out.
The heat exchanger has worked INCREDIBLY well. It’s quick to heat the water up, runs about 4 minutes an hour due to the residual heat in the pipes and it only cost us $10 to heat the tank this winter!! We use oil to heat the house and water and I can’t say that I’ve seen an increase in oil consumption. Best thing I did with this tank for sure!
The fish room seems like it’s in a constant state of disarray. My plan, now that life has slowed a bit is to get things in order down there. First thing I tackled was the rising humidity levels that spring usually brings.
We already have installed a whole home ventilation system down there that pulls air from the upper floors and pushes it outside but it’s just not enough during these spring/summer months so I finished installing the dehumidifier just last night. Humidity in the fish room went from 75% to 40% over night. The sump is currently open top so I do plan on crafting some sort of top to keep evaporation to a minimum. We also had a whole house dehumidifier installed inline with our air conditioning unit which keeps our house at a comfortable 35% relative humidity.
Otherwise, the tank turned 6 months old and there’s barely sign of any nuisance algae before the tangs and fox face take care of it. So a few weeks ago, I placed an order for a battle box from Adam @Battlecorals and what a great transaction that was! Explained just what a newbie I am and he put together an awesome 10 pack for me. So, I set up a 20l as QT (HOB, viraspectra amazon light, Jebao power head) and awaited his shipment to come in. When it did, the pieces went directly in to be temp acclimated and naturally... I made a quick run to a LFS to get 15 more pieces. Mhmmm an hour later, I was home and started dipping! What a stressful process because again, I decided to over load myself instead of planning this out. Anyway, everything made it through but like an idiot... I tossed all the bags so I have no idea what I have. Oops. While everything is sitting in a fallow tank, I started to get my dosing regiment going.
Ordered 2 part from BRS and tested my water.
PO4 .06
Nitrate 10
Calcium 438
All...5.47. No good.
Over the next few days, I got it up to 8 and am being successful holding it there. Another 3 weeks and everything comes upstairs.... including the pair blue jaw triggers Katrina picked up yesterday!
Anyway, that’s it. Sorry about the lack of photos but I’ll lost some later. In the mean time... it’s lawn season and my neighbors hate me!
Paul
Dude dude dude dude dude!!!
Awesome update!! Glad Gil is doing well, and you should send that dude who told you about the heat exchanger a gift or something. Like a rainbow nem maybe?
I hear you on the state of the fishroom. I’m taking two days next week to mail a couple things in mine, humidity control being one of them. Take a look at greenhouse roofing panels from greenhouse megastore. Easy ship twinwall polycarbonate , 8mm thick. Comes in 2x6ft. I’ve used it for tank covers down in mine. #CPC-STES-08-0206
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/easy-ship-2-ft-wide-twinwall-polycarbonate
Awesome update!! Glad Gil is doing well, and you should send that dude who told you about the heat exchanger a gift or something. Like a rainbow nem maybe?
I hear you on the state of the fishroom. I’m taking two days next week to mail a couple things in mine, humidity control being one of them. Take a look at greenhouse roofing panels from greenhouse megastore. Easy ship twinwall polycarbonate , 8mm thick. Comes in 2x6ft. I’ve used it for tank covers down in mine. #CPC-STES-08-0206
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/easy-ship-2-ft-wide-twinwall-polycarbonate
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
Paul, my friend, IT HAS BEEN SO LONG I HAD TO REREAD TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE ANGEL! You can not do this to me. I missed you! Pictures would maybe make up for the too long absence...
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
Oh yeah, so glad he is good after all that! And it was an excellent update! Xo
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Do urself a favor now that ur in the sps game go with kalk the ph boost is amazing
I’m dosing a gallon a day of kalk and the rest with triton corals grow noticeably weekly
I’m dosing a gallon a day of kalk and the rest with triton corals grow noticeably weekly
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Maybe
But the difference between 8.1 and 8.3 in growth is noticeably different
But the difference between 8.1 and 8.3 in growth is noticeably different
Noob on the dosing front- no sps yet, just softies in QT. Been 15 years since I last had a tank, and dosing wasn’t standard practice in UK back then.
So- Q- how would one normally boost pH to get it to 8.3?
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Dubs83
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I don’t typically have issues with low pH. Currently at 8.39 and it only dips to the mid 8.20s at night. Alkalinity was a different story but I managed to fix that over the last few days. Can I ask how much your spending on triton additives? I liked it quite a bit on the 125 but at 300 gallons I thought it maybe easier to just upgrade to a CaRX and supplement with triton/kalk
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I don’t know haven’t broken it down
But last Black Friday I bought the big jugs so I didn’t have to worry about anything for awhile and it seems like it will last me the whole year possibly longer with the addition of kalk
I have about 200 gallons total now
Also I would recal your ph probe while I believe those are the numbers your seeing I don’t believe those are your true numbers unless your co2 scrubbing with outside air and every window open or horrible insulation plus u run oil heat that ads some co2 into the air
I’m dosing kalk scrubbing air with my windows open with a refuigium with people only in the house for 12 hours a day and I am only at 8.3 as a high with 8 as a low plus I don’t know of anyone who only has a point 19 swing that’s really odd
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
Paul happy your fish made it. I haven’t had time to read threads between mowing lawn and work so I understand.
Working on boats for a living was a bad thought. You are the busiest when life requires more time
Working on boats for a living was a bad thought. You are the busiest when life requires more time
OP
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Dubs83
Valuable Member
Good point regarding the probe. I’ll get a more reliable checker and report back.
Hmmm, I’ll see how the two part goes and may add kalk. I like triton when I switched but I got tired of being on the hunt for it all the time. Not sure if availability has improved.
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Dubs83
Valuable Member
Yea totally. I work on airplanes so it’s hard to handle maintenance and the home stuff and the tank. And then posting. Appreciate the support!
Quality over quantity is what counts bro. And you’ve got consist high quality posts *going back years*
Your original fishroom thread is what got me on the path to starting mine- huge inspiration. That’s what counts
Victoria M
5000 Club Member
That and mine too, right?
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