PPBlimpy's S1000 downsize / upgrade

[Nate Chalk]

Yes I do use DIY reagent.

I use common HCL from the hardware store (your acid concentration may vary) and mix between 4.08ml and 5.02ml HCL with 1000ml rodi water. I test every batch to ensure consistency.
To test your solution you need a pH measuring device. You can use your KHG to measure the solution if you want.
To test your solution put 10ml of rodi into a vessel, then add 0.01ml of your newly mixed solution and stir. Use your pH probe to measure the pH. The value should be between 3.6-3.9 to be within the acceptable range.
Here is a video showing the process: How to test your KRS
If your tested value is too high then add more HCL to your solution (a little bit goes a long way). I only add 0.01ml of HCL, mix, and test again.
If your tested value is too low then add more rodi water 10ml at a time, mix, and test again.

What you are trying to accomplish is to create a 1 molar (1 mole/L) HCL solution.

After your initial testing on your first batch, you should be able to get very close or at least within acceptable range on your first try for the second batch.
I always aim for a pH of 3.75 to be right in the middle of the acceptable range. That way if any of my measurements are off a little then I should still be good.

My reagent cost me less than $0.05/L

Isn't there an issue with firmware that folks are trying to figure out how to revert?

 

[Sean Clark]

Isn't there an issue with firmware that folks are trying to figure out how to revert?

Reportedly yes, but that has not been my experience. I keep an archive of the firmware revisions on r2r for people to easily pick and choose from. My unit is one of the early devices and has not given me any issues using DIY reagent.
I think that the people having issues are not being diligent to ensure their batch is diluted properly leading to damage (like lanthanum chloride and tangs).

Here is my firmware archive.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Reportedly yes, but that has not been my experience. I keep an archive of the firmware revisions on r2r for people to easily pick and choose from. My unit is one of the early devices and has not given me any issues using DIY reagent.
I think that the people having issues are not being diligent to ensure their batch is diluted properly leading to damage (like lanthanum chloride and tangs).

Here is my firmware archive.

Same but I've updated mine and currently pay for reagents.

Haha

 

[PPBlimpy]

Haven’t made much progress on the lanthanum chloride front. Hesitant because of the possibility of harming the fish.

Decided to move my water change station from the laundry/utility room on the back of the house to the basement.

My wife is thrilled to get the space back in the laundry room and I am happy to get the extra room to spread out the fish stuff. Bonus - She also does not like going into the basement. I can see extra tanks being set up in the future.

So I have started moving things and collecting all the fish stuff in one place. Don’t mind the insulation and paneling. I will be replacing that shortly.

Painted the stand of the WC station since I was moving it.
Had a leak at the pump and got that fixed.
Added a float valve to the RO side.
Going to run a dedicated water line to the RODI and finish plumbing. need to pick up a ibc tote for the waste water so we can use it for the garden and horses.

Looking to order 2x IO boards for the apex so I can control some aspects of the mixing station and also ATO.

Making a cable so I can move both of my DOS to the basement.
One will do ATO and Kalk dosing.
The other will do AWC.

This will give me room in my stand to place my bubble magus 3 head doser when I am ready to add other stuff.

Tank is doing fine. The recently Added torches, hammer, Duncans and about 150 discosoma red mushrooms are all doing fine.

The new engineer goby is fun to watch swim around.
The tomini tang and flame angel seem to have settled in nicely.
My bristletooth tang was chasing the tomini around for the first week but things have settled.

Been busy with the property, have 40 chickens and 2 ducks in the brooder, added 3 Nigerian dwarf goats and building a large raised bed garden for my wife that will double as a pen for my sulcata tortoise come spring. He has outgrown his indoor enclosure. On top of everything else I need to build another chicken coop and and expand the goat area.

oh yea.. and lost a cylinder in my little beater jeep. cylinder 3 is bleeding badly, so much blow by. Pushing oil into the air cleaner box. poor air cleaner looks like its from the 1930s/40s. Original bottom end made it to 460K miles. Going to pull the head and measure the bores. 20K miles ago when I did the head, the cylinders looked and measured good. If I didn't cause any damage I am going to order rings/ bearings and gaskets and do a quick in chassis ball hone and re-ring. Really want this thing to hit 500k.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Haven’t made much progress on the lanthanum chloride front. Hesitant because of the possibility of harming the fish.

Decided to move my water change station from the laundry/utility room on the back of the house to the basement.

My wife is thrilled to get the space back in the laundry room and I am happy to get the extra room to spread out the fish stuff. Bonus - She also does not like going into the basement. I can see extra tanks being set up in the future.

So I have started moving things and collecting all the fish stuff in one place. Don’t mind the insulation and paneling. I will be replacing that shortly.

Painted the stand of the WC station since I was moving it.
Had a leak at the pump and got that fixed.
Added a float valve to the RO side.
Going to run a dedicated water line to the RODI and finish plumbing. need to pick up a ibc tote for the waste water so we can use it for the garden and horses.

Looking to order 2x IO boards for the apex so I can control some aspects of the mixing station and also ATO.

Making a cable so I can move both of my DOS to the basement.
One will do ATO and Kalk dosing.
The other will do AWC.

This will give me room in my stand to place my bubble magus 3 head doser when I am ready to add other stuff.

Tank is doing fine. The recently Added torches, hammer, Duncans and about 150 discosoma red mushrooms are all doing fine.

The new engineer goby is fun to watch swim around.
The tomini tang and flame angel seem to have settled in nicely.
My bristletooth tang was chasing the tomini around for the first week but things have settled.

Been busy with the property, have 40 chickens and 2 ducks in the brooder, added 3 Nigerian dwarf goats and building a large raised bed garden for my wife that will double as a pen for my sulcata tortoise come spring. He has outgrown his indoor enclosure. On top of everything else I need to build another chicken coop and and expand the goat area.

oh yea.. and lost a cylinder in my little beater jeep. cylinder 3 is bleeding badly, so much blow by. Pushing oil into the air cleaner box. poor air cleaner looks like its from the 1930s/40s. Original bottom end made it to 460K miles. Going to pull the head and measure the bores. 20K miles ago when I did the head, the cylinders looked and measured good. If I didn't cause any damage I am going to order rings/ bearings and gaskets and do a quick in chassis ball hone and re-ring. Really want this thing to hit 500k.

To say you've been a busy guy would be an understatement. Not an unusual scenario, in the spring, on a little (or big) farm. However, you've been busy with all positive and good things! Good call on making your basement your fishroom. So much you can do down there!

 

[PPBlimpy]

Been trying to figure out some things with the tank. I had a single Goni survive the crash back in Oct 2025, and the coal rolling incident early February. But this Goni has been closed up prior the big crash. Its never thrived in this tank just sort of survived.

I have been lacking regular water changes with my schedule. Its why I am trying to get this changing station up and going. should make my life easier.

Between the Goni struggling and never being able to grow chaeto I am starting to think I have a mag / iron deficiency. Last week I stumbled across a big bottle of mag I picked up with a tank a couple month back and started adding a cap full daily. This is way less then the instructions advise....I think.. I need to reread them
Last night when I was feeding to my surprise the Goni was actually stretching its polyps a bit. Not extended but out a tiny bit more.

And to answer future questions bout it - I do not have a mag test.

Also I never fully cleaned out my two chaeto reactors I was experimenting with. they are behind my ATO 5G bucket and really a pain to deal with.
I shoved my head in the stand and got a good look and I may be imagining things but it looks like I have chaeto growing.

I know I probably should do an ICP but feel its a waste right now. I may after I get back to doing a couple normal water changes and implement the daily WC I am hoping to do.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Been trying to figure out some things with the tank. I had a single Goni survive the crash back in Oct 2025, and the coal rolling incident early February. But this Goni has been closed up prior the big crash. Its never thrived in this tank just sort of survived.

I have been lacking regular water changes with my schedule. Its why I am trying to get this changing station up and going. should make my life easier.

Between the Goni struggling and never being able to grow chaeto I am starting to think I have a mag / iron deficiency. Last week I stumbled across a big bottle of mag I picked up with a tank a couple month back and started adding a cap full daily. This is way less then the instructions advise....I think.. I need to reread them
Last night when I was feeding to my surprise the Goni was actually stretching its polyps a bit. Not extended but out a tiny bit more.

And to answer future questions bout it - I do not have a mag test.

Also I never fully cleaned out my two chaeto reactors I was experimenting with. they are behind my ATO 5G bucket and really a pain to deal with.
I shoved my head in the stand and got a good look and I may be imagining things but it looks like I have chaeto growing.

I know I probably should do an ICP but feel its a waste right now. I may after I get back to doing a couple normal water changes and implement the daily WC I am hoping to do.

All solid plans and I agree with you about holdiing off on the ICP until some more maintenance can get done. I do believe you'll see some big changes once the AWC is set up and running.

 

[PPBlimpy]

All solid plans and I agree with you about holdiing off on the ICP until some more maintenance can get done. I do believe you'll see some big changes once the AWC is set up and running.

I am thinking so too. It may be slow at first but I know I will see positive changes. Just getting there from here is the hard part.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

I am thinking so too. It may be slow at first but I know I will see positive changes. Just getting there from here is the hard part.

Well, I do hope it turns out better than this...

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Haven’t made much progress on the lanthanum chloride front. Hesitant because of the possibility of harming the fish.

Decided to move my water change station from the laundry/utility room on the back of the house to the basement.

My wife is thrilled to get the space back in the laundry room and I am happy to get the extra room to spread out the fish stuff. Bonus - She also does not like going into the basement. I can see extra tanks being set up in the future.

So I have started moving things and collecting all the fish stuff in one place. Don’t mind the insulation and paneling. I will be replacing that shortly.

Painted the stand of the WC station since I was moving it.
Had a leak at the pump and got that fixed.
Added a float valve to the RO side.
Going to run a dedicated water line to the RODI and finish plumbing. need to pick up a ibc tote for the waste water so we can use it for the garden and horses.

Looking to order 2x IO boards for the apex so I can control some aspects of the mixing station and also ATO.

Making a cable so I can move both of my DOS to the basement.
One will do ATO and Kalk dosing.
The other will do AWC.

This will give me room in my stand to place my bubble magus 3 head doser when I am ready to add other stuff.

Tank is doing fine. The recently Added torches, hammer, Duncans and about 150 discosoma red mushrooms are all doing fine.

The new engineer goby is fun to watch swim around.
The tomini tang and flame angel seem to have settled in nicely.
My bristletooth tang was chasing the tomini around for the first week but things have settled.

Been busy with the property, have 40 chickens and 2 ducks in the brooder, added 3 Nigerian dwarf goats and building a large raised bed garden for my wife that will double as a pen for my sulcata tortoise come spring. He has outgrown his indoor enclosure. On top of everything else I need to build another chicken coop and and expand the goat area.

oh yea.. and lost a cylinder in my little beater jeep. cylinder 3 is bleeding badly, so much blow by. Pushing oil into the air cleaner box. poor air cleaner looks like its from the 1930s/40s. Original bottom end made it to 460K miles. Going to pull the head and measure the bores. 20K miles ago when I did the head, the cylinders looked and measured good. If I didn't cause any damage I am going to order rings/ bearings and gaskets and do a quick in chassis ball hone and re-ring. Really want this thing to hit 500k.

Ive used Lanthanum chloride on numerous tanks for a long time. Ive always dosed slowly (with a doser) but have never had any fish problems. Im curious f the product used that caused fish death was repurposed product from another industry used off label. I learned my lessons long ago from doing that. However, having sued Phosban-L and Phosphat-E for years, I dont think fish loss would be a concern at all.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Made Progress on basement. Pulled the old nasty paneling, cleaned up insulation and stapled up a weed barrier to support the insulation but still let everything breathe.

Added a dedicated water line to my mixing station. Need to get a booster pump to help and replace the RO membrane.

Sold my lights, v2 and v3 noops. Swapped my spare nicrews into the canopy to keep light above my hammer and torches.

Still haven’t decided if I am ordering the new noopsyche v4s or maybe actually experiment with the 315w cmh with 10k bulbs that I want to play with.

Buying 2 more systems and breaking them down and parting out. No fish or corals with these. In this I will acquire a pair on g5 xr15s and a pair of ai 16hds.. Also about 150 lbs base rock. Apex A3 pro, dos, eb832. Various 6 return pump, and 2 ranks/stand/sumps.

Probably transfer the A3 pro into the DT. Going to make a 50ft aqua link cable and mount the eb832 and 2 of my dos in the basement.

Chickens and ducks

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Made Progress on basement. Pulled the old nasty paneling, cleaned up insulation and stapled up a weed barrier to support the insulation but still let everything breathe.

Added a dedicated water line to my mixing station. Need to get a booster pump to help and replace the RO membrane.

Sold my lights, v2 and v3 noops. Swapped my spare nicrews into the canopy to keep light above my hammer and torches.

Still haven’t decided if I am ordering the new noopsyche v4s or maybe actually experiment with the 315w cmh with 10k bulbs that I want to play with.

Buying 2 more systems and breaking them down and parting out. No fish or corals with these. In this I will acquire a pair on g5 xr15s and a pair of ai 16hds.. Also about 150 lbs base rock. Apex A3 pro, dos, eb832. Various 6 return pump, and 2 ranks/stand/sumps.

Probably transfer the A3 pro into the DT. Going to make a 50ft aqua link cable and mount the eb832 and 2 of my dos in the basement.

Chickens and ducks

I like the idea of playing with the Metal Halides but I am partial to them.

Without knowing the cost, it sounds like you're picking up some good things.

Is the 150lbs of base rock from an existing, functional system or is it dry?

 

[PPBlimpy]

I like the idea of playing with the Metal Halides but I am partial to them.

Without knowing the cost, it sounds like you're picking up some good things.

Is the 150lbs of base rock from an existing, functional system or is it dry?

These systems are partially taken down. 100 lbs is dry in tubs. 50 lbs is wet but tanks have been without flow or heat for a couple weeks. I do not need the rock.
My tank has to much as it is. Have a buddy setting up a 300g and will sell a lot of it to him. I may play with building an aquascape. We will see after I get it home.

I will keep the stuff I want and flip the rest. The goal is to break even or even put some coin back in my pocket.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Uhh ohh. sold the noops. Picked up these.

Complete experiment 315w cmh hydroponics fixtures.

Ordered two 10000k bulbs. Should be here Monday. Will modify my canopy and probably install 3.

If the new bulbs work out I will order 2 more and then 6 x 36” actinic led bars from eBay.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I’m an idiot and forgot to post the photo.

The current bulbs in it are 4100k with it set at 50% they are drawing 195w

 

[X-37B]

Uhh ohh. sold the noops. Picked up these.

Complete experiment 315w cmh hydroponics fixtures.

Ordered two 10000k bulbs. Should be here Monday. Will modify my canopy and probably install 3.

If the new bulbs work out I will order 2 more and then 6 x 36” actinic led bars from eBay.

Looking forward to seeing those 10k's fired up!

 

[PPBlimpy]

4100k is not flattering
@50%

Have a nicrew 100w g1 on the left with white @100% and blue on the lowest. I would be very happy if the halide experiment looks like the left

 

[X-37B]

4100k is not flattering
@50%

Have a nicrew 100w g1 on the left with white @100% and blue on the lowest. I would be very happy if the halide experiment looks like the left

What does 100% 41k look
This is my 10k 400 watt with 2 edge 14k bars at 75%.
The bars are 24" the tank is 36"×36". You can see some yellowing in the corners but its not bad.

 

[PPBlimpy]

What does 100% 41k look
This is my 10k 400 watt with 2 edge 14k bars at 75%.
The bars are 24" the tank is 36"×36". You can see some yellowing in the corners but its not bad.

I don’t know yet. I will crank it up and take a picture. I turned them up when I had them on the ground and there is a big difference. Hoping the 50% is fine. Help keep heat down

 

[PPBlimpy]

I will need to modify the opening in my canopy to really allow all the light to come thru. The opening is about 20% smaller the the reflector currently