Rudzbrewski's Journey to the Reef-er xl425 (V3 sump, Clarisea, plumbing w/ manifold)

[Rudzbrewski]

Auto water changes with the DOS have been going as planned. Need to code one of two things further to allow fora break when making new salt water. I also ordered a few more pieces (mostly the FMM, leak detector, and optical sensors) to take redundancy further.

I also found this storage case for less than $10 on Amazon to store my testing supplies.

Once I get my nitrate and phosphate in a better range it will be off to the LFS to pick up another fish or two. I will also be picking up Mg and Ca test kits/supplements to really start preparing my parameters for corals.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Update January 4, 2020: We have our first major tank issues. Brown algae and everybody's favorite game: Diatoms or Dinos.

From what I've read, it is pretty difficult to accurately identify one over the other without a microscope. The pessimist in me would guess it is dinos for the following reasons:
-Tried a 5 day blackout period when I first notice some growth on the sand that cleared it up. Within 1 day of the lights being back on, it came back and in 2-3 days covered a majority of the sand and rock-work.
-It is move of a slimy and hazy looking vs powdery
-Some of the areas on the upper rock-work have some bubbly looking spots
-When I took a baster and blasted it with water it came off in a sheet like manner instead of like powder

I would guess this was brought on by the fact that I have been working to increase my nutrients from almost zero nitrates and phosphates to recommended levels with a very low bioload (1 fish and 2 shrimp after the snails and 2 emerald crabs didn't make it). I am chalking the CUC loss due to pretty much no algae in the tank to this point. I did have a really high nitrate spike (probably at least 50) that was brought down to <10 in a few days by fine tuning skimmer, cutting back feeding, a 10 gallon water change, and a small dose of NOPOX. I have been dosing Neophos to get the phosphates up from zero and have kept the nitrates between 4-10 since. Phosphates have still not moved yet, and here we are. I was working to increase my bioload, but due to work schedule have not been able to go to the LFS on ideal days to find fish to add as I have been patiently trying to not rush any selection and pick members I really want.

Plan: I am working on finding a microscope to borrow to accurately identify my issue, but this does not discourage me since it is part of the new tank process and anticipated. Either way, my plan of action is probably the same to start either way
1) Turn off auto-water change of 1 gallon/day to help build up nutrients
2) Turn lights back off for 5 days to see if this reverses the growth
3) Transfer over the 2 clowns from my 10 gallon tank to increase bioload. This leaves my 10 gallon without any fish and only some CUC, so I might go buy a cheap nano friendly fish when I get the chance to give it some movement again.
4) Really try to focus on adding another fish or two to my DT from the LFS
5) Continue dosing Neophos to work on improving water parameters to desired ranges
6) Continue running carbon reactor
7) Siphon out what I can this weekend (work schedule won't allow before then) and continue to manually remove every few days as my schedule allows.

Fortunately, this is the first real setback I have encountered and it came right before I added any tester corals or many fish. This leaves my options wide open to a majority of treatment strategies. Hopefully, once I get my parameters in check the natural process of beneficial bacteria and algae stabilizes the system and gets me back on track. I will post a picture or two once I get a chance. Ugly stages are all part of the journey and I'm sure I will continue to learn a lot from this new experience that will help me in the future.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

 

[currentking]

Looks like diatoms to me. I have the same thing from my cycle. My sand isn’t as bad because I have some good flow over the sand.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Follow up: I left the lights off for about 7 days and noticed that a majority of the growth disappeared. I’ve also been working on getting my parameters in check. Nitrate is nicely between 5-10 and phosphate is slowly creeping up to the desired range. It is currently around 0.04. I’ve been dosing Neophos daily. I tracked down a microscope to borrow, so one of these days I might get a sample to better identify.

On to more exciting news! I proceeded with my plan to add more bio load to help get the system balanced. The two clownfish were transferred from the 10G system. They seem delighted to have a much bigger/better new home! I also added about 10 astrea snails, a Kole tang, and a melanarus wrasse. So far they all seem to be doing well. I just need to get the tang to eat the seaweed from the clip and hopefully they will all be well fed and very happy.

Finally, the lights have been turned back on and a tester Zoa frag has been added to see if I can start moving pieces over. The initial plan will be to start by moving the zoas, then escalating one coral type at a time to ensure the tank is ready and able to sustain each type before moving on to anything more difficult.

Hopefully we are back on a positive trajectory!

 

[Leiph86]

I was able to finish up the plumbing this past week. I used silicone tubing to connect the Clarisea and Vectra to hopefully minimize and vibration transfer to the pipes. I also used plastic PVC holders and rubber washers to support the longer runs of pipe. The holders were painted orange to help them blend in better.

The manifold is built so that the unions between the second and third valve can be interchanged to make it adaptable to have either 2 or 3 outlets.

If anybody would like extra detail on how it was built I am happy to provide the info.

This week the weather is really supposed to change, so my focus will be getting the rock work complete to hopefully get water in and the cycle started within the next 2 weeks.

I've posted on your build before and I just want to say thank you if I haven't already. I'm beginning my build right now for my xl 425, most of my inspiration coming from your build with some slight differences. It's a little hard to make out how you plumbed the water exiting the two media reactors - any photos or explanation you can provide will be helpful - also now that your build is wet, anything you would do differently? I think the biggest difference I'm going to attempt to add an Aqua Ultraviolet 25w UV branched off the manifold after the media reactor stage...it's going to be interesting trying to fit something that's an inch too long into this cabinet...

 

[Rudzbrewski]

@Leiph86 thank you for the follow and the love. I am always glad to hear when I can help other members of the hobby out. I am definitely looking forward to your take on the tank and watching how you progress once you get the thread going!

Regarding the media reactors I can take some pictures for you. I currently only have one installed to run carbon since I do not need the other for anything yet. The tank is still relatively new, and I have actually been dosing phosphates until the bioload can sustain the desired levels on its own. The great part is that how the manifold is assembled allows for the unused ports to be closed or removed until needed. It is great for adaptability to future needs. Do you want pictures of the installed media reactor to see how it sits in the tank, the uninstalled one to get a better idea of how it all get assembled, or both?

I did not add a UV sterilizer based on conversations I had with my LFS and the strategies I was going to utilize via dosing, nutrient maintenance, etc. I also really only have, and plan on, purchasing my live stock and corals from my LFS (A Reef Creation). I am fortunate to have such a great LFS as a resource. It was an additional expense I didn't feel I needed at this time, but with the flexibility of the manifold could always add in the future if needed.

After running the tank for a few months I really don't have any regrets with how I have it set up. The skimmer has broken in great to the point I can't even hear it in the cabinet (plus the hose to empty the cup and neck cleaner is amazing), the return pump makes practically no noise, and the only equipment I ever hear is the ATO turn on. I am going to add a rag under it to reduce the vibrations and that will take care of that. I 100% recommend making the top 2 pieces if you got the DIY route and adding at least 1 feed portal. I am very happy with the current set up, so at this time I can say all the planning, research, and extra effort has paid off. The next big thing I would like to do is have a very controlled, but automated way to refill the ATO reservoir. This will require another DOS in my current plan, so probably down the line when I am ready to make that financial investment.

Any other questions and clarifications I am always happy to help. I'll get some pictures over as soon as you let me know what would help you the most.

 

[Leiph86]

@Leiph86 thank you for the follow and the love. I am always glad to hear when I can help other members of the hobby out. I am definitely looking forward to your take on the tank and watching how you progress once you get the thread going!

Regarding the media reactors I can take some pictures for you. I currently only have one installed to run carbon since I do not need the other for anything yet. The tank is still relatively new, and I have actually been dosing phosphates until the bioload can sustain the desired levels on its own. The great part is that how the manifold is assembled allows for the unused ports to be closed or removed until needed. It is great for adaptability to future needs. Do you want pictures of the installed media reactor to see how it sits in the tank, the uninstalled one to get a better idea of how it all get assembled, or both?

I did not add a UV sterilizer based on conversations I had with my LFS and the strategies I was going to utilize via dosing, nutrient maintenance, etc. I also really only have, and plan on, purchasing my live stock and corals from my LFS (A Reef Creation). I am fortunate to have such a great LFS as a resource. It was an additional expense I didn't feel I needed at this time, but with the flexibility of the manifold could always add in the future if needed.

After running the tank for a few months I really don't have any regrets with how I have it set up. The skimmer has broken in great to the point I can't even hear it in the cabinet (plus the hose to empty the cup and neck cleaner is amazing), the return pump makes practically no noise, and the only equipment I ever hear is the ATO turn on. I am going to add a rag under it to reduce the vibrations and that will take care of that. I 100% recommend making the top 2 pieces if you got the DIY route and adding at least 1 feed portal. I am very happy with the current set up, so at this time I can say all the planning, research, and extra effort has paid off. The next big thing I would like to do is have a very controlled, but automated way to refill the ATO reservoir. This will require another DOS in my current plan, so probably down the line when I am ready to make that financial investment.

Any other questions and clarifications I am always happy to help. I'll get some pictures over as soon as you let me know what would help you the most.

Always incredibly impressed with the level of detail you provide @Rudzbrewski !

Related to the media reactors - I know you're running 3 ports for the manifold, 2 for your reactors and one for expansion if necessary - I think any more photos you could provide would not only help myself, but many other forum users. I'm specifically interested in the how and where you have your manifold draining to as that's the one thing that's hard to tell from your earlier posts. That being said, I'm going to modify my manifold slightly to run UV from the 3rd port (which may change the orientation for my build).

Speaking of UV sterilizer - I'm glad you have a great LFS...that's one thing I'm lacking in the Detroit area. The best store I found is mediocre compared to many other LFS I've experienced when I lived in the Dallas area which have enough business and competition that force them to be higher standard and informed. However, at some point I would recommend you consider a UV - knowing this can be a decent cost but like many other parts of our builds it's a tool and a form of insurance against some of the items we may battle in the hobby (although much of the research related to UV's still has a way to go). I found a reputable site that has Aqua UV sterilizers for about half the cost of some of the other major online aquarium retailers...happy to PM you that site .

I'm also pleased to hear you're happy with the choices you made - it's very difficult to make changes to our systems once they are up and running so planning in key, which is why I asked that question. I believe in learning from others and then sharing one's own success and failures to help further the community and hobby.

Finally, I'll be working on the new build thread this weekend as I finally have the base of the stand assembled...and that's when the real work begins!

 

[Leiph86]

Filter Sock Holder Modification for Clarisea SK3000​

Received the news that the Clarisea SK3000s were in at the LFS yesterday, so I went over and picked mine up. That means tonight I spent a portion of my evening modifying the sump to remove the filter sock holders in order to fit the Clarisea in.

I started by removing the sump from the stand and laying it on a good surface to work on. I used a utility knife (box cutter), Exacto knife, and bare razor blade to get the job done. I wanted to avoid breaking any of the components so that they could theoretically be replaced if ever needed, but more importantly avoid dealing with broken glass. I removed the plastic filter sock holder, middle glass piece, 1 of 2 small bottom glass pieces that divide the refugium, and back glass piece of the filter sock holder support. I left the other small bottom glass piece and both side glass supports.

It is important to note that this modification results in the front refugium divider holders to be unusable because one of the holders that the divider slides in has to be removed since it is attached to the filter sock holder middle support.

I found the Exacto knife perfect for this project for a majority of the sections. I first cut along the edges to remove and excess silicone. Then, I slid the blade between the section I was working on and was able to slide it down the entire side.

It was easy to maneuver between the plastic filter sock holder and glass dividers and slide right along it cut the silicone. The only section of the plastic sock holder that was tricky was along the front of the sump because the glass supports on the sides interfered with sliding the blade between the filter sock holder and silicone.

The other sections that I had trouble with were the areas that the glass dividers connected to the bottom and outside, front glass. They were almost "glass on glass" compared to having a layer of silicone to slide the blade through. This just took patience, persistence, and trial/error to get them removed without damage.

Overall, the sections did come out in tact with minimum damage. I also did not see any concerning damage to the remaining sump pieces. I was also able to use the razor blade to scrape off any remaining residual residue to make it look pretty clean and not a DIY gone wrong. I did leave 1 of the two small bottom pieces that divide the refugium along the bottom. I had to take one out to remove the middle glass piece. Once I was finished I was able to use a damp paper towel and vacuum to take care of the remaining mess and remnants.

The one concern I do have is if the silicone where the two bottom corners of the dividers were attached to the outter panels of the sump are compromised. I was very careful limit and delicately slice in those areas, but there is a little gap from the glass in each area. I am going to consult my LFS and see if they think it would be wise to add dabs of aquarium grade silicone to reinforce these two spots before adding water.

Overall, I am very happy with how it turned out. If any questions come up about my experience with this portion of the build, or if I left out any details let me know.

Also, I'm working on this portion today in-between work calls and am getting stuck on particular piece (carefully documenting with photos for my build thread). I am having an huge pain to get the pictured front silicone removed that are in between these two glass pieces that stick out...any tips?

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Always incredibly impressed with the level of detail you provide @Rudzbrewski !

Related to the media reactors - I know you're running 3 ports for the manifold, 2 for your reactors and one for expansion if necessary - I think any more photos you could provide would not only help myself, but many other forum users. I'm specifically interested in the how and where you have your manifold draining to as that's the one thing that's hard to tell from your earlier posts. That being said, I'm going to modify my manifold slightly to run UV from the 3rd port (which may change the orientation for my build).

Speaking of UV sterilizer - I'm glad you have a great LFS...that's one thing I'm lacking in the Detroit area. The best store I found is mediocre compared to many other LFS I've experienced when I lived in the Dallas area which have enough business and competition that force them to be higher standard and informed. However, at some point I would recommend you consider a UV - knowing this can be a decent cost but like many other parts of our builds it's a tool and a form of insurance against some of the items we may battle in the hobby (although much of the research related to UV's still has a way to go). I found a reputable site that has Aqua UV sterilizers for about half the cost of some of the other major online aquarium retailers...happy to PM you that site .

I'm also pleased to hear you're happy with the choices you made - it's very difficult to make changes to our systems once they are up and running so planning in key, which is why I asked that question. I believe in learning from others and then sharing one's own success and failures to help further the community and hobby.

Finally, I'll be working on the new build thread this weekend as I finally have the base of the stand assembled...and that's when the real work begins!

@Leiph86 I could not agree more with the learning from others and sharing both successes and failures with the community! I learned so much and pick up so many great ides from other members on the forums. Without all of their shared knowledge and experiences I would never have come up with some of the creative approaches, and definitely would not have been able to have setup go as organized with very little back tracking. That is one of the reasons why I felt like I had to give credit to the owners of the build threads that inspired me the most in the start of my thread! If/when there's anything I would recommend doing differently I will definitely share. I'm always happy to discuss why I made any decisions I did, what alternatives I considered, and why I chose what I did.

Definitely shoot me the info on the UV sterilizer info. I don't plan on adding one until I have a reason to, but the more info the better!

Now the part you've been waiting for! I tried to list all of the parts and pieces I used (with links) in previous posts. If you want to know what went where and how I can clarify that. It is mostly the 1/2" plumbing pieces that are used on plumbing the reactors since I changed from 1" to 1/2" plumbing at the valves on the manifold. I have added a handful of pictures to try and clearly show how the reactors are assembled, and how the manifold sits. The one reactor I have set up drains into the skimmer chamber as I hope you can tell in these pictures I took today. The second one, if set up, would drain either into the skimmer chamber or "refugium" area depending on orientation. The main thing I wanted to do (at the advice of a fellow member) was to make sure the reactors drained into areas prior to the bubble trap of the return section in order to catch any debris or bubbles prior to returning to the display. You will have to take into account how much flow you are sending through the reactors any time you modify that in relation to your return pump and amount of flow coming back through the return pipe (via the valve) to keep things silent. The two "open" manifold valves are closed at this time since there is nothing running from them that creates dead-ends. All flow through the manifold is currently controlled by the one ball-valve, through the carbon reactor, and back to the skimmer chamber. The ball-valve is only partially open to allow for the desired amount of flow through the reactor. Please let me know what other details and specifics you need.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Also, I'm working on this portion today in-between work calls and am getting stuck on particular piece (carefully documenting with photos for my build thread). I am having an huge pain to get the pictured front silicone removed that are in between these two glass pieces that stick out...any tips?

This process is kind of tedious. You have to be sure to constantly refrain from using force when you get fed up and break the glass, or worse, something you didn't want removed. Just keep at it one little bit at a time. I found the pieces connected to the outer glass were the most difficult to remove, I believe I went section by section and that piece against the front wall of the sump I left for last to be able to wiggle and use some leverage to help slide the razor blade little by little and just keep at it.

 

[Homer2020]

Great build thread!

Regarding removing the piece of glass with the three adhesive dots, I gave up. I couldn't get my razor in there and it doesn't bother me.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Great build thread!

Regarding removing the piece of glass with the three adhesive dots, I gave up. I couldn't get my razor in there and it doesn't bother me.

Thank you! I agree, I did not remove that piece either. It does not get in the way and aesthetically doesn’t bother me. I think it would be more risk than reward in trying to remove it.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

February 2021 Update: fish are doing well, but the ugly phase continues

The stocking list has not changed since the last update (2x clowns, midas blenny, kole tang, melanarus wrasse) along some snails, 2x peppermint shrimp, and an emerald crab. I have finished the process of moving everything over from my 10G setup to the DT! All of the livestock and corals appear to have survived the move and are settling in nicely. I can now take down the 10G setup, clean it, and convert it to a QT tank when needed. I am working on getting the corals settled in and moved the live rock to the refugium area. I am hoping to exercise some self restraint and wait until A Reef Creations live sale in March to get additional corals and some cheap, new varieties to get things really started. I plan on taking this time to come up with a rough placement strategy (that I am sure I will deviate from quickly).

The ugly phase rages on. Nutrients continue to be close to zero despite dosing neophos daily, turning the skimmer all the way down, and holding water changes. Maybe the filter roller does that good of a job. I am going to restart the AWC and prepare the water for the potential new corals in the next month. Hopefully I can continue to work on manually removing the hair/turf algae that I am currently dealing with. As my parameters hopefully continue to improve and the system matures it will level out as a normal part of the process. Once my LFS gets a sandsifting goby in stock I plan on adding one to work on the sandbed as well.

Finally, I added an FMM, leak sensor, and 3x optical sensors to my Apex. This allows for redundancy in protection against an AWC siphon, overflows, leaks, and notification when my ATO reservoir needs refilling. I can share more details on the setup and coding I did if interested. The last piece of the system will be adding more DOS down the line to automate ATO reservoir refills and additives to the tank, but that will be far in the future once funds allow.

Now we work on optimizing water quality and working through the continuing ugly phase!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I think it is important to share all of the ups and downs of the process to document the process in its entirety and honestly. Here are some not so pretty pictures. Note that this is after about 1-2 hours of manual hair/turf algae removal last night!

 

[Leiph86]

I think it is important to share all of the ups and downs of the process to document the process in its entirety and honestly. Here are some not so pretty pictures. Note that this is after about 1-2 hours of manual hair/turf algae removal last night!

I'm sooooo looking forward to this part again in my new tank! Just algae issues?

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I'm sooooo looking forward to this part again in my new tank! Just algae issues?

Algae and working on optimizing parameters are really the only issues so far, and of course expected. Fish are all looking happy, setup is performing as expected, and coral transfer went ok.

The only coral related issue is that my yoda acan echinata is looking very unhappy after the two days of manual removal of algae and stirring everything up. I’m going to keep an eye on it every day and hope it bounces back after a few days of peace. It took a while to get settled in when I initially purchased it, and eventually started to look amazing out of nowhere. Best case is it just doesn’t like disturbance and bounces back because it is one of my favorites currently.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Well @Leiph86 I think we jinxed it. The aggressive removal of the hair/turf algae must have aggravated the Yoda acan echinata because this morning I woke up to what looks like mostly skeleton exposed. Pretty bummed about it since it was my favorite coral in the tank currently. It was really doing well and growing great the last month or so and completely died off in only a few days.

I definitely plan on picking up another one in the near future because I absolutely plan on having all the Yodas in my tank as a Star Wars fan (rainbow yoda zoas, yoda acan echinata, and master yoda acro).

 

[tritonpower]

Well @Leiph86 I think we jinxed it. The aggressive removal of the hair/turf algae must have aggravated the Yoda acan echinata because this morning I woke up to what looks like mostly skeleton exposed. Pretty bummed about it since it was my favorite coral in the tank currently. It was really doing well and growing great the last month or so and completely died off in only a few days.

I definitely plan on picking up another one in the near future because I absolutely plan on having all the Yodas in my tank as a Star Wars fan (rainbow yoda zoas, yoda acan echinata, and master yoda acro).

Bummer. Sorry. I just added 2 acans myself. My 1st 2 actually. I have found in the 1st year corals can be a little moody off/on. I am at the 1 year mark now and finally most coral I add do well. Hang in there.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Bummer. Sorry. I just added 2 acans myself. My 1st 2 actually. I have found in the 1st year corals can be a little moody off/on. I am at the 1 year mark now and finally most coral I add do well. Hang in there.

Thanks for the positive encouragement. I’m definitely not going anywhere. It’s never fun to have a casualty, but it is all part of learn and improve. Hopefully I can have my tank and water pristine and ready to go for my anticipated purchases at the end of March.