Rick's Ulitmate Build

[VegasRick]

things are coming along great. really jealous.:bigsmile:

wow

Thanks!

Some of my chalices, not nearly as nice as some collections I've seen

 

[mizzoumed02]

Great Set up. When you want to come design one for me?

 

[barryfish]

dont mind me asking but how much was that tank? thats exactly what i have been looking for. looks awesome!!!! your my hero rick!!!!

 

[Troylee]

Well ATM built that so let's just say a grip!!!!! Lol Shoot tenecor or ATM a price request on there sites they will respond quickly with a exact price...Unless Rick cares to share... I can't speak for him but he's my bud...:xd: lol

 

[barryfish]

just shot them a email. this tank is awesome!!! thanks again. i felt weird asking about the price, thats like asking a women how old they are lol

 

[Troylee]

Ahahahahahahah lol^^^^ np.

 

[SunnyX]

Great looking setup, I will be following along.

Sonny

 

[jiffy]

wow that a nice tank

 

[VegasRick]

Thanks!! Guess I should take some pictures for an update

 

[Troylee]

Uhhhhhhh yeah Rick 6 months since a update... Wow time flys!!! Haha seems like it was last month you set that thing up.. Oh yeah that wa mine...hehe:hammer:

 

[skinz78]

I was wondering about an update the other day as well?

 

[Aquaph8]

Great looking setup Rick, can you share some details on your experience with the group of Convicts please. Wheres the updates???

 

[VegasRick]

Uhhhhhhh yeah Rick 6 months since a update... Wow time flys!!! Haha seems like it was last month you set that thing up.. Oh yeah that wa mine...hehe:hammer:

Ha yeah I am bad. The stand should be finished this week thats how bad I am lol. If I were you I would already be planning the next one lol I have changed a few things and a few more to change.

Great looking setup Rick, can you share some details on your experience with the group of Convicts please. Wheres the updates???

The convicts wouldn't eat. They slowly starved. They all came in with pinched guts which is never a good sign. I finally found some red algae (not the dried stuff) that they would eat but couldn't get enough fast enough to keep them alive.

 

[VegasRick]

Finally getting around to an update. Had cabinets made, well really its more like panels. Each panel is 3/4 oak. They attach via magnets at the top. The weight holds them in place at the bottom and the magnets are strong enough so that it does take a little effort to pop them off. I can easily remove all the panels and have access to the whole bottom with nothing in the way. This worked out very well and I would recommend going this route to anyone who likes the idea of complete unobstructed access. It isn't real fancy but extremely practical.

 

[VegasRick]

I still need to put some vents to let air through. Other wise heat becomes an issue. Currently I just adjust the panels to leave a gap opposite of where I have a window fan.

I also have made some lighting changes I will update you on shortly

 

[VegasRick]

Water Quality Woes

Every since I moved into the new house I have had water quality issues. It has led to other issues like putting too much gfo in and burning tips and losing quite a few of my acros. I have still not figured out how to deal with it effectively. I keep changing trying to adjust. It is also possible the problem is coming from the pukani rock, but I tend to doubt it would be giving me problems this long.

First I guess a description of my water purification set up. It is an airwaterice set up but running a speactrapure membrane. The pressure pump sends it to normal 3 pre filters and then to the ro membrane. The outlet of the RO goes to the top of a diffusing tower. I had the air pump pumping air into it from the bottom of the tower but that is now changed. From the tower it drains into a 55 gallon holding tank. From the holding tank another pump takes it through what was 3 DI beds to what now is 2 DI beds and a gfo chamber into another 55 gallon holding tank.

The water I get is from a well, it comes in at about 125 TDS and leaves the RO at about 5 TDS. Now that sounds pretty good and you would think going through 3 mixed bed DIs would keep it ultra pure, but ....... CO2. So a few months ago I changed my RO set up to include a diffusing tower. Used an air pump with co2 absorbing granules pumping air into the tower to help drive off co2. This meant I no longer had the auto shut off and has led to a few spills lol. When i changed it I changed all 3 DI beds. This was good for about a month. Then phosphates went through the roof in my tank. I have been using a pound of gfo a week to keep it under control and when I saw a severe rise in PO4 doubled it, thus burning tips. You can see burnt tips in the picture below on the green slimer.
So my new plan of attack is first a change in the air pump outlet. Instead of going to the tower which is how SpectraPure shows it being done. I now have it going into the 55 gallon holding tank and running 24/7. Instead of 3 mixed beds I have 2 and a gfo. I think I will probably change one of the DI beds every 2-3 weeks just to be sure and hopefully the gfo will pull out any thing thats left.

I hate to say it but I am sure missing the 575 TDS city water I had no problems with at the other house.

 

[Reef UP]

Have you tried just running a gfo reactor on your water storage tank that's what I did when I used well water and it worked great!!

 

[VegasRick]

Adding gfo behind the DI amounts to the same thing. I thought about adding it between the top off reservoir and the tank, but then I would have to quit using KW or use a stirrer.

 

[nixer]

whats the po4 in your well water look like before and after the ro/di?
i might be in the same boat soon if i move in with her.

 

[VegasRick]

Haven't checked it, not sure if the hanna tester will work on fresh water, and my old hach test kit reagents have all expired if it would even work.