Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[twentyleagues]

What are the yellow spots on the back of the tank?

looks like nerite snail eggs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, I asked earlier in this thread and that’s what folks suggested. They start white, but get green with algae as they sit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Leptoseris Update

The leptoseris is the only coral from Top Shelf that has survived. First photo is from June 11when it arrived. Second photo is from today. It seems to be very slowly growing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Chemistry Update

Salinity by conductivity. 32.4 ppt (sg = 1.0244). It is not rising as quickly as hoped by turning off the AWC outflow, but perhaps that’s not surprising since salinity would only increase by, at most, 1% per day (which assumes evaporation removes it all, which it is not doing). So I added some dry powder IO salt mix to the sump to let it dissolve in. I may do that again after a while. In the meantime, I’ve turned off the AWC until I set up the inflow and outflow on separate timers to get better adjustment potential.

pH at 3 pm: 8.05
Alk 8.25 dKH (AFR is doing fine at current dose)

Phosphate 0.31 ppm. About where it was. Not still rising

Nitrate 6 ppm. I added 6 ppm sodium nitrate all at once since the ammonia dosing is not quite keeping up.

Added 0.06 ppm iodide.

I decided to hold off on iron and manganese dosing (which would have been in addition to the AFR) since the glass grows algae quite readily. Not that I want it to stop, but there’s no indication of need at the moment, which is 2 weeks since the last such dose.

No silicate dosed today. No great reason.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Why not overfill more with the saltwater fill pump that you use for AWC?

I know that you understand the math, but for those following along

Aquarium Salinity Adjustment Calculators | BeanAnimal's Reef

I suppose that I need to add an AWC parameter there too
I will put it on the todo list.

 

[rishma]

I expect the salinity drift will stop now that AWC pumps are on different timers and can counter their different individual rates. I wrecked a tank once with AWC because I didn’t realize one pump had gone way out of calibration and I wasn’t smart enough to check tank salinity regularly. My corals did not care for hypo salinity.

Next time I do an AWC I’ll actually capture to water removed into an identical size tank as the new saltwater. If they don’t empty and fill at the same rate I’ll know something is wrong. Plus having a backup store of salt water wouldn’t be a bad thing I guess. I’ll periodically measure salinity too :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I expect the salinity drift will stop now that AWC pumps are on different timers and can counter their different individual rates. I wrecked a tank once with AWC because I didn’t realize one pump had gone way out of calibration and I wasn’t smart enough to check tank salinity regularly. My corals did not care for hypo salinity.

Next time I do an AWC I’ll actually capture to water removed into an identical size tank as the new saltwater. If they don’t empty and fill at the same rate I’ll know something is wrong. Plus having a backup store of salt water wouldn’t be a bad thing I guess. I’ll periodically measure salinity too :)

I probably should measure the actual output of them some time. Laziness has its drawbacks. lol

 

[rishma]

I expect the salinity drift will stop now that AWC pumps are on different timers and can counter their different individual rates. I wrecked a tank once with AWC because I didn’t realize one pump had gone way out of calibration and I wasn’t smart enough to check tank salinity regularly. My corals did not care for hypo salinity.

Next time I do an AWC I’ll actually capture to water removed into an identical size tank as the new saltwater. If they don’t empty and fill at the same rate I’ll know something is wrong. Plus having a backup store of salt water wouldn’t be a bad thing I guess. I’ll periodically measure salinity too :)

I probably should measure the actual output of them some time. Laziness has its drawbacks. lol

You are making me twitch

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You are making me twitch

sorry, lol

My wife’s primary complaint about me is not entirely untrue. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Electrical Safety

The recent tragic loss of MiamiReef to electrocution got me refocusing on safety, and I’m going to make some changes in my setup.

All electrical devices are on GFCI.

But I want all parts of the system to be grounded so that the GFCI trip with any potential current leak, rather than waiting for me to complete the circuit.

I had been relying on the titanium heaters to ground the last sump can, which they do. That will ground the display and probably all of the brute cans through the continuous connection of salt water.

But in a scenario where the return pump
stops for any reason, there will be no continuous salt water connection between the display and that sump. Further, the three brute cans upstream of the sump with the heaters probably are always connected by a continuous stream of water, but if, like a waterfall, there is any gap in such water connections with each overflow, those cans might not be fully grounded.

Finally, both my ATO and AWC reservoirs are not grounded unless the pumps
In them do so, and I do not want to rely on them. They are all dc pumps, but I still want them grounded.

So I need to obtain 7 or 8 grounding probes
and install them!

 

[UncommonSense]

Electrical Safety

The recent tragic loss of MiamiReef to electrocution got me refocusing on safety, and I’m going to make some changes in my setup.

All electrical devices are on GFCI.

But I want all parts of the system to be grounded so that the GFCI trip with any potential current leak, rather than waiting for me to complete the circuit.

I had been relying on the titanium heaters to ground the last sump can, which they do. That will ground the display and probably all of the brute cans through the continuous connection of salt water.

But in a scenario where the return pump
stops for any reason, there will be no continuous salt water connection between the display and that sump. Further, the three brute cans upstream of the sump with the heaters probably are always connected by a continuous stream of water, but if, like a waterfall, there is any gap in such water connections with each overflow, those cans might not be fully grounded.

Finally, both my ATO and AWC reservoirs are not grounded unless the pumps
In them do so, and I do not want to rely on them. They are all dc pumps, but I still want them grounded.

So I need to obtain 7 or 8 grounding probes
and install them!

Smart thinking!

I can only add that saltwater is not nearly as good a conductor as the likes of copper or aluminum wire, so proximal distance to the source of the current leak does matter!

Considering this, I’d imagine that having a dedicated titanium conductor ground probe both sump, and display is prudent!

In addition, ground probes in any other saltwater/concentrated dosing solution container, even if they are theoretically connected to the main system!

 

[dwest]

I never thought about AWC and ATO containers and their need to be grounded. I’ll need to rethink that. I’ll be honest, the event concerning miamireef are making me question a lot of things.

 

[twentyleagues]

I never thought about AWC and ATO containers and their need to be grounded. I’ll need to rethink that. I’ll be honest, the event concerning miamireef are making me question a lot of things.

I think a lot of us feel that way.

 

[rishma]

I never thought about AWC and ATO containers and their need to be grounded. I’ll need to rethink that. I’ll be honest, the event concerning miamireef are making me question a lot of things.

I do a lot or work around the house and have been scared of electricity for 20 years after a bad experience. I never considered the hazard of my tank and have been thinking about it and my friend Miami. I know I have a grounding probe in my box of defunct aquarium gear. I am searching for it to install today. I tested my GFI this morning.

 

[rishma]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I just installed my grounding probe. You have more work to do than me, but thank you for the reminder. Your turn.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I just installed my grounding probe. You have more work to do than me, but thank you for the reminder. Your turn.

I had to order them. lol

 

[rishma]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I just installed my grounding probe. You have more work to do than me, but thank you for the reminder. Your turn.

I had to order them. lol

Well, I am glad you took the first step.

 

[fandaga]

Electrical Safety

The recent tragic loss of MiamiReef to electrocution got me refocusing on safety, and I’m going to make some changes in my setup.

All electrical devices are on GFCI.

But I want all parts of the system to be grounded so that the GFCI trip with any potential current leak, rather than waiting for me to complete the circuit.

I had been relying on the titanium heaters to ground the last sump can, which they do. That will ground the display and probably all of the brute cans through the continuous connection of salt water.

But in a scenario where the return pump
stops for any reason, there will be no continuous salt water connection between the display and that sump. Further, the three brute cans upstream of the sump with the heaters probably are always connected by a continuous stream of water, but if, like a waterfall, there is any gap in such water connections with each overflow, those cans might not be fully grounded.

Finally, both my ATO and AWC reservoirs are not grounded unless the pumps
In them do so, and I do not want to rely on them. They are all dc pumps, but I still want them grounded.

So I need to obtain 7 or 8 grounding probes
and install them!

Yeah, pretty sobering. I recently got rid of all my GFCI because they were being tripped too easily, and I didn’t know how I could reset on vacation. I definitely need to rethink things.

 

[UncommonSense]

and I didn’t know how I could reset on vacation. I definitely need to rethink things.

Look for “smart” or “WiFi” GFCI outlets that can be reset remotely, that’s a good starting place!

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

I never thought about AWC and ATO containers and their need to be grounded. I’ll need to rethink that. I’ll be honest, the event concerning miamireef are making me question a lot of things.

WHAT AM I MISSING?!?