rtparty’s NYOS 440

[rtparty]

Joe the Coral has entered the chat:

 

[MegabiteOG]

Sweet corals and pics. Looks like tank continues to improve and corals doing well. Got to feel good getting things back on track.

 

[rtparty]

I have a crazy idea…adding an algae turf scrubber

Why? To test the theory that an ATS keeps GHA out of the display tank.

My N and P are always 0 or close to. Nutrients aren’t an issue in this tank even with dosing both. So I am thinking about adding a Santa Monica ATS. Probably the SURF or DROP version. I think I have more room for the drop style but am going to measure my sump tonight

 

[rtparty]

Sweet corals and pics. Looks like tank continues to improve and corals doing well. Got to feel good getting things back on track.

Everything is doing great currently outside of some dinos/cyano mix and the little bits of GHA/turf algae

 

[Arkayology]

I have a crazy idea…adding an algae turf scrubber

Why? To test the theory that an ATS keeps GHA out of the display tank.

My N and P are always 0 or close to. Nutrients aren’t an issue in this tank even with dosing both. So I am thinking about adding a Santa Monica ATS. Probably the SURF or DROP version. I think I have more room for the drop style but am going to measure my sump tonight

I've never had one, but they always seem like a good option. I have a couple friends that swear by them, but I also know someone who complains that the algae also pulls a lot of trace elements out of the water.

 

[rtparty]

I've never had one, but they always seem like a good option. I have a couple friends that swear by them, but I also know someone who complains that the algae also pulls a lot of trace elements out of the water.

I’ve had them on two different tanks and they certainly grow algae. One was a Clearwater and the other an IceCap. They were both a pain to clean IMO so I did it far less than I should.

I’m okay with anything they pull out as I can just add more traces to my 2 part

 

[rtparty]

Last Friday I spent an hour scrubbing the tank, rocks, and sand best I could. Pulling out hair algae from the rocks. The back wall was coated in Ostreopsis dinos along with the sand. There seems to be some other kind of dinoflagellates but my Amazon kids microscope couldn’t see it. Side note: I really want to get a decent microscope.

This other slime/dino is more maroon, grows a strand, and looks like little feathers on the end. I’m sure a UV would handle the Ostreopsis and whatever else is plaguing the tank but the stand is so cramped I couldn’t fit one in. Might be time to move all electronics outside the stand and open up that area.

I also got my Santa Monica Surf2 scrubber and installed it. First thoughts: completely overpriced for some 3D printing and foam. It wreaked of fresh silicone so I let it sit outside a few days to gas off. Second thought for the SM fanboy club: I understand the price though. It’s a niche product with very low quantity being moved. Third thought: the gurgling bubbles are very loud when there is no growth. Be prepared for this if your tank is otherwise silent like mine. Final thought: I’m hoping to see growth on it and see if it really has the effect so many users claim.

Switched to ESV salt since the AF salt just gives me Reef Crystals vibes without the elevated parameters. Not bad, just not my preference at this point

 

[Rob A]

Last Friday I spent an hour scrubbing the tank, rocks, and sand best I could. Pulling out hair algae from the rocks. The back wall was coated in Ostreopsis dinos along with the sand. There seems to be some other kind of dinoflagellates but my Amazon kids microscope couldn’t see it. Side note: I really want to get a decent microscope.

This other slime/dino is more maroon, grows a strand, and looks like little feathers on the end. I’m sure a UV would handle the Ostreopsis and whatever else is plaguing the tank but the stand is so cramped I couldn’t fit one in. Might be time to move all electronics outside the stand and open up that area.

I also got my Santa Monica Surf2 scrubber and installed it. First thoughts: completely overpriced for some 3D printing and foam. It wreaked of fresh silicone so I let it sit outside a few days to gas off. Second thought for the SM fanboy club: I understand the price though. It’s a niche product with very low quantity being moved. Third thought: the gurgling bubbles are very loud when there is no growth. Be prepared for this if your tank is otherwise silent like mine. Final thought: I’m hoping to see growth on it and see if it really has the effect so many users claim.

Switched to ESV salt since the AF salt just gives me Reef Crystals vibes without the elevated parameters. Not bad, just not my preference at this point

I really want to get a decent microscope.

Try facebook marketplace I see nikon stereo scopes for 200-300 bucks all the time usually for labs that shut down.

 

[rtparty]

Welp, I am convinced I’ve ticked off the reefing gods at this point

Tank is covered in Ostreopsis dinos and cyano. I have a UV sterilizer on hand but need to rig it up to hang on the side of the tank to run. That WAS today’s plan.

A little back story first:

When we bought our home it had been a rental for years so we knew it needed work. Long story short, that basically turned into a complete redo. Flooring, baseboard, lots of electrical, add a laundry room, all new cabinets, total yard teardown and restoration, texture all the walls myself, repaint the whole house including ceiling, yada yada. “Sweat equity” they call it.

Over 2 years ago I tore out the master bathroom for its renovation. It has sat like that since. I decided I’ll just pay to have the tile done and I can do the rest. Got the quote and immediately knew I was going to have to tile it with help from my father-in-law. All last week we got it prepped so we could tile ALL DAY yesterday. Started about 10am and ended at 10pm. No chance to get the UV sterilizer hooked up.

Got home from church this afternoon and one of my halides wasn’t working. Weird but I had to get the tile all cleaned up and ready for grout. Got that done and decided I’ll spend a minute trying to diagnose the halide issue. 2 hours later, 4 bulb swaps, countless ballast changes, and a few new cuts I still don’t have a working halide on one side. And I have no clue why. I can only think of like 2 more scenarios I need to test but halides aren’t on/off like LEDs so it takes time. Patience gone and exhausted I decided to call it for the night.

Right side ballast works on right side bulb. Right side ballast doesn’t work on left bulb (I tried 2 different bulbs here.) Left side ballast doesn’t work on left or right bulb (no matter which bulb I put in including the known working bulbs.)

My thought is something may have happened with the left side ballast/ignitor that fried something in the light and ruined the ballast/ignitor. If that’s the case, I’ll have to try and source a new ballast or ignitor or look at all new lights (which there is zero budget for with the bathroom remodel under way)

 

[rtparty]

The light issue is going to be a much larger problem than anticipated. Once I tear it all down and see if I can figure out the cause (got to love user repairable items), I will decide if it is worth spending the money to get it going again or swap it all out.

I don't want to go all LEDs on this system but it could be quite a spendy repair depending what exactly died.

As of right now I am contemplating 3 options for LEDs

1) 3 AI Blades (2 Grow and 1 Glow). This is the most expensive
2) ATI Straton Flex
3) 2 Nicrew 150 and a couple Blades

 

[rtparty]

Not much to report on. Halides are still down. Had to buy new ignitors and capacitors. Bought extra just in case.

The bad ballast was determined to be a failed ignitor. Unfortunately, the ignitor these kits come with are discontinued and impossible to come by. I had to find some European superimposed ignitors but they have to be mounted closer to the bulb. So I shortened the cord from 10ft to 6ft but no go. I just get a small arc in the bulb but it won’t fire. I can shorten the cord length to 4ft but that’s the closest I can get the ballast to the fixture. If that doesn’t work, the other option is to somehow install the ignitor in the fixture.

Pic attached:

When I opened the “good” ballast I found it had a failed/failing leaking capacitor. Who knows when it failed. Bought all new capacitors and got it installed. That ballast is now fully operational so I have 1 halide working at least.

I may just bail on this fixture at this point and sell it for cheap to someone with working ballasts. With far less light, the tank has actually cleaned up nicely. Cyano is 95% gone and dinos are nowhere to be seen. Couple less light with the UV sterilizer and the Ostreopsis dinos were toast. However, I can tell the SPS are slowly losing color and growth with the halides off. They need more light for sure

The halides will have to wait as I’m headed to Serious Reefs for some videos.

 

[rtparty]

Halides are working again plus 2 new fish. Super quick pics of the new additions. Bubble algae is going crazy so it may be time to up the AlgaeFix implementation

 

[lubeck]

I had an awful bout with bubble algae. Didn’t end up using chemicals and found a $20 dental pick was the best tool to remove it. It took about three 4 hr sessions ( because it kept coming back) but then decided to stop feeding my tangs and fox face nori daily. Happy to report - it hasn’t come back. These are older pics (probably session #2) but you get the idea. My rocks now are 99% clear compared to the pics on the right side

 

[sgdnycct]

Following!

 

[rtparty]

Unfortunately, the halide issue is back. I believe I need to again shorten the cable between the ballast and fixture as the ignitor needs to be as close to the bulb as possible.

At least this spurred me along to put my Sunpower back together and got it ready for sale.

I have purchased 2 Nicrew Gen 2 200s along with their rail, controller, and hanging kit. If the halide issue doesn’t resolve from a shorter cord, they too are going up for sale as the corals are now browning out heavily from the lack of light.

 

[Tahoe61]

Unfortunately, the halide issue is back. I believe I need to again shorten the cable between the ballast and fixture as the ignitor needs to be as close to the bulb as possible.

At least this spurred me along to put my Sunpower back together and got it ready for sale.

I have purchased 2 Nicrew Gen 2 200s along with their rail, controller, and hanging kit. If the halide issue doesn’t resolve from a shorter cord, they too are going up for sale as the corals are now browning out heavily from the lack of light.

Which Sunpower is it? I love those fixtures, and they aren't as easy to find.

 

[rtparty]

Which Sunpower is it? I love those fixtures, and they aren't as easy to find.

It is an 8x24w 24" version. Amazing light! I just have no use for it and don't see where I will ever have a tank it would work over. I am looking at a 6 foot tank again to replace the NYOS but that is a ways off...if it even happens. I am in no rush for that

 

[rtparty]

Anyone looking for a Giesemann Spectra halide/T5 system????

The one ballast works perfectly. The other works 80% of the time but I can’t solve it at this point and am going to let this thing go for super cheap.

This is a major bummer as I absolutely love the halides and the tank looks incredible under them. I just can’t trust the one ballast any longer. It literally may be as simple as the female adapter the fixture plugs into at this point.

I am waiting on the Nicrew hanging rail to arrive tomorrow and will switch everything out at that point.

Not how I envisioned this system going

 

[rtparty]

Fingers crossed: the halide problem is fixed!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Well, @rtparty , turns out I've been stalking, er, um, following your thread for a while now. I've never really had much to say which, in and of itself, is odd. However, those days have come to an end for two reasons. 1.) I am stoked you got the Spectra fixed as I was really bummed out, for you, that it looked like curtains. and 2.) I apprecited your comments in the "Biota" thread. I have not weighed in there yet and am not sure I will. It's all been kicked to death and there is not much to be added.