Reduck's Cad SAIO 75g build

[Reduck]

Amd today we have dosing. Now I get to do water tests for a few weeks!
Tomorrow eve, I'll mount the Radion power supplies and maybe the backup battery. Once I'm done neatening up the wiring, I'll show off my cabinet interior. Couple more nights and it'll be at 100%!

Also modifying the screen top. I started another thread about hinging the top and got some good suggestions! We want to be able to feed without removing the whole top. On the 40, it was easy. This is a little more involved. 3 feet of light bar and 2 radions make it trick at best....

 

[JVH]

Yes. It's in about 8" of water. It's pulling yuk already.

We are having a heck of a time setting the skimmer! Its either to fast, or to slow. Its pulled some gunk already but we can't seem to get it a steady flow of bubbles with out filling the cup and when we back it down it practically stops! We have it about 6" of water. Fish not n yet just some coral so no real bio load yet.. How did you figure your to put in 8" of water? It really stinks they give you no paperwork at all with any suggestions or anything!

 

[jguinn]

Those aren't the best pumps, but yes, reach down and they are out. Easy upgrade or cleaning. Not too bad with noise. Skimmer makes more than the returns. ATO is loudest due to large gap between hose and waterline. Still quite bearable.

Same here with the noise on the ATO. It runs so infrequently though - maybe once or twice a day at most that I actually hear - I'm in no hurry to do anything about it. And you were right about the AFS, too. Yea, it makes a little noise when it comes on. But it's like 15 seconds once a day. Living in a house with three females between the ages of four and 33 - I feel lucky if the noise level is low enough to hear either the ATO or AFS!

 

[Reduck]

We are having a heck of a time setting the skimmer! Its either to fast, or to slow. Its pulled some gunk already but we can't seem to get it a steady flow of bubbles with out filling the cup and when we back it down it practically stops! We have it about 6" of water. Fish not n yet just some coral so no real bio load yet.. How did you figure your to put in 8" of water? It really stinks they give you no paperwork at all with any suggestions or anything!

The saio has a pretty well defined water level based on the sump dividers. I filled it until I had the level cascading then went an inch or two higher in the return pump area.
You are adjusting the main body? Right?
Also as I mentioned, the sump water level is critical to this skimmer. After I installed the ATO, it's been solidly producing skimmate.
Also give it time to break in. Usually a week or two most skimmers build a slime coat and then settle down.

 

[JVH]

Ok thanks! I think we are doing everything right. Just installed the ATO Last night so I guess we will see as time goes on..

 

[Reduck]

Just mounted the two radion power supplies on the upper deck. Boy, that saves a lot of room! Now the battery backup can be installed and final wiring cleanup. Almost there...Please Apex..If you are listening.. Ship my DDR!

Need to get a six outlet master box for power. The 10 outlet I'm using takes up way too much space. Then I can mount the EB8 above it out of the way.

Also ordered some kitchen cabinet door shelves. Need storage for food etc that's right there at my fingertips.

 

[Reduck]

My first oops. I was noticing my ph climbing higher than normal today. Everything else seemed ok. Came home and went to check the ATO reservoir (looking like a min of 5g weekly), and noticed I mixed my dosing feed lines up. Duh me. Pumping alk in during the day and calcium at night....drained the lines and primed all the precipitate out. Yes, it precipitated because I didn't rinse the lines. Again, duh me.

All back to normal..I'll give it 24h for the ph to settle back down or hit it with some white vinegar tomorrow eve..

Lesson learned, don't plumb important stuff when tired...

 

[s2nhle]

Hahaha. good lesson learned here. thank you for sharing.

 

[JVH]

I'm dosing manually for now. Are you using the BRS 2 part? I don't understand why they say dose 20oz of mag olny AFTER you use 1g of Alk & CA.. Is that what you are doing? When I feed. wanted to get dosing pumps but was a bit afraid to not have control. Also thought of pumps malfunctioning! Though I guess that can happen to anything for that matte...

 

[Reduck]

I'm dosing manually for now. Are you using the BRS 2 part? I don't understand why they say dose 20oz of mag olny AFTER you use 1g of Alk & CA.. Is that what you are doing? When I feed. wanted to get dosing pumps but was a bit afraid to not have control. Also thought of pumps malfunctioning! Though I guess that can happen to anything for that matte...

Using Two Little Fishies C Balance. I test for all three. Alk and Cal almost daily now till I get an understanding of how this tank consumes it. Magnesium only gets supplemented if/as needed once a month. All three need to remain somewhat in balance to be effective. I worried about dosing too, but the Apex can shut down the power to the doser if it sees a ph spike. Also once you understand what it does and what effects it has, its a lot less complicated.

My stupid mistake only cost me time to correct it. The Apex shut down the doser when it saw the ph spike, so no worries.

Depending on your salt mix and WC schedule you might get away with manually dosing for a while. I just got tired of forgetting to dose.
It really made a huge difference in coral growth.

 

[JVH]

Thanks! I'm trying to figure it all out now. I am planning on a Apex in the future so pumps sound like a good idea once the apex is up and running!

 

[s2nhle]

Great thank you for sharing. Reef tank consumes much lower quantity than the calcium and alk.

 

[Reduck]

So while browsing the aisles in Lowes I came across something that will make a chore much easier. Since I have an AIO I don't have a sump. I keep my ATO container in the stand. Filling it has always been a chore. Sliding out an empty 5G container is easy, but getting it back in was tricky. Actually the idea came from the Mrs. She said to look at the cabinet slide out trays and see if one would fit.
Well, it did! Now I just slide out the empty container on the roller bearing track, fill it, and slide it back in! Wow. What a difference.
Here's a shot if it on the right side of the stand. Yes, it's still under construction so it's a little cluttered. But just to give you an idea.

Also I am working on a float switch for the ATO container. Ordered the apex breakout box today. I could probably cobble together a DIY, but it's only $39. Want to program it to email me when the container runs low.
Need to neaten up the power situation hopefully tomorrow. I have a 6 outlet power bar ready to install. Then I can finish.
Oh yea..still waiting on the DDR. Apparently Neptune didn't hear me the other day. Please ship my DDR!!!

 

[Reduck]

One week later..still need to recalibrate the Radions a little tighter. About a 2% difference in intensity. Everything seems happy with the change in scenery. I'll wait another week and one more wc before adding anything new...
.

 

[Reduck]

Couple more shots as lights go up....

 

[choss]

Couple more shots as lights go up....

Tang looks happy - lots of real estate to explore.

 

[Reduck]

Finally got the Apex breakout box and float switch installed. Now the Apex will send me an email and shut off power to the Tunze, if the ATO reservoir is low. Cool. This tank is using about 5 gallons every 6 days. I expect more over the winter months.
Waiting on new screen mounts so I can install the front hatch on the screen top.
And I caught one of the peppermint shrimp nibbling the torch. He must be caught and re-homed. His wife will likely go with him...

Water change due Friday. It's two weeks already.
Tests today were good. Doser is spot on. Phosphate was a little higher than normal @ .06, so I changed the Phosguard.

Probably add some new life this weekend.

I'll send in my first Triton water test next week. Looking forward to what that tells me.

 

[Reduck]

Quiet weekend in the tank. Water change. And that's about it. Just fed everyone and they are fat and happy. I do have some new life coming though. Mark got an incredible indophyllia in stock last week. Just no time to go pick it up. It's about 6-7" across! It's a monster! I'll get over there this week after work to take it home!
Here's a pic of it in his tank, awaiting transfer to mine.


Triton test is in the mail. We shall see how it goes when the results arrive.
That's about it for this week.
Oh yea. Forgot to mention that I ordered a PMK. I was checking in with Brian at TB and he told me that Neptune should be shipping the next batch of DDR by the end of the month, but he did just get a couple PMKs. So being a reef tech addict, I bought one. It should be here Tuesday.

Also I need to call Cad. They use an odd size filter sock in their tanks! Just slightly bigger than 4"! Really? Worst case, I'll cut a sheet of acrylic and drill my own 4" holes...or not run socks...

 

[Reduck]

PMK arrived. Cool. New toy. Need to drop that puppy in the tank!
Spare socks coming from cad.
Indophyllia will join the PMK sensor in the tank tomorrow eve. Pics coming!

 

[jguinn]

That's an amazing Indophyllia. Looks fantastic! Glad things are moving along in a more steady fashion now that all of the parts have arrived from Cad! Can't wait to see how that coral looks in your tank.

I placed an order with Mark about two weeks ago for a favia and a little zoa frag. He threw in an extra zoa frag and they all look great. Beyond pleased, so thanks for recommending Ultimate!

Quiet weekend in the tank. Water change. And that's about it. Just fed everyone and they are fat and happy. I do have some new life coming though. Mark got an incredible indophyllia in stock last week. Just no time to go pick it up. It's about 6-7" across! It's a monster! I'll get over there this week after work to take it home!
Here's a pic of it in his tank, awaiting transfer to mine.