SkiCat's Dream Build: [Saving The] Planet 180 - The Making Of An Epic Aquacultured Mixed Reef

[SkiCatTX]

I ordered some pods from Algae Barn, but they came way sooner than I expected. Not a big deal, they can stay in the jar for a couple of days (they're dated use by 8/10) and I have a bottle of Phyto that I can just as easily feed them in the jar as in the tank. I just keep the lid off and stir them up occasionally. I can also put some in the other tanks. I went ahead and signed up for a regular shipment. I figure I'll keep adding them until I have "enough"...

Seems crazy to buy these when I could just as easily make some, but these look so nice!

 

[RJKain-777]

Well, I’m following this build. I read the entire thing today while I was at work ( I know, I should’ve been paying attention ). I love the attention to detail you have done, it’s incredible and I cannot wait to see this tank full of life.

Quick question, how quiet is the overflow? I’m trying to decide on an overflow for my next tank build. I like the style of yours. I was debating on having the tank builder build it as part of the tank, but this may save me a substantial amount .

 

[montethemoster]

Congrats on getting the tank up and running. Still following the build, and still super impressed with the attention to detail. Can't wait to see how it progresses with livestock once the cycle is finished.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Well, I’m following this build. I read the entire thing today while I was at work ( I know, I should’ve been paying attention ). I love the attention to detail you have done, it’s incredible and I cannot wait to see this tank full of life.

Quick question, how quiet is the overflow? I’m trying to decide on an overflow for my next tank build. I like the style of yours. I was debating on having the tank builder build it as part of the tank, but this may save me a substantial amount .

Glad I could contribute to work not getting done... ...and that you found it entertaining.

I am very happy with the Exotic Marine overflow. It's completely silent, solid high quality, and not too expensive as overflows go. Mine was custom, including white acrylic, and @TaylorPilot was great to work with. Highly recommended.

My only minor concern is wide slots rather than a traditional comb weir. They are supposed to be easier to clean and cut down on the noise from the gyres rippling on the surface, and they work, but I'm convinced small fish are going to jump through them to the sump...Though honestly, I haven't seen any of the people posting about it here having a problem.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Congrats on getting the tank up and running. Still following the build, and still super impressed with the attention to detail. Can't wait to see how it progresses with livestock once the cycle is finished.

Thanks so much...me too!

 

[SkiCatTX]

I bought a couple of diffusers for the XR-15s because when I sit at my desk a bit of the light shines directly into my eyes, and I was hoping they would diffuse the light so it would spill out so much. I'll be getting 2 to 3 more lights soon so PAR shouldn't be an issue.

However, when I put them on it actually makes the problem worse. The one on the left is the diffuser, the right is the normal light. It not only lowers the light so it's more visible from below, but the diffusion is brighter to look at. I took this sitting in my chair zoomed in just a bit.

I may end up not using them, or maybe I can make a visor to go just in the front of each fixture. When you're near the tank standing up it isn't an issue.

 

[SkiCatTX]

I also started setting up the Trident. It's not like it's all that useful at this point, but I figure it does need to burn in for a week or two before being calibrated, and it's just cool.

I did end up 3D printing some of the regent needle holders like @GoVols mentioned. I based these off some I saw on Thingiverse and modified them just a bit to fit better. Seem to work fine, it is a great idea, and I can't believe now that they didn't come like this. The machine is a very cheap build though, practically falls apart if you look at it wrong.

I'm also very unhappy with the super short sample tube. It's only a couple feet long, and cannot be extended. So, since I can't place the machine in the stand, it has to sit backwards in the cabinet, and the tube hangs in the sock chamber since it won't reach anywhere else...

 

[GoVols]

SkiCat,
I think your right, Trident should be running for a couple of weeks before you perform its first calibration.

Does an Apex controller have to use DOS for your dosing pumps?

Think in a high-speed (RPM) mode like water changes DOS runs faster which would make it louder than one set up for dosing smaller ml amounts per dose.

On another note:
Glad you are happy with your Trident Guides, Have read that " The Guides" keep the test readings accurate for your Cal and Mag, so you can use more of those two reagents longer in the same reagent bottles. You would think Neptune would be making them and coming in new Trident units at this stage???

(lol)
Can you get the Mastertronc, Alkatronic with the 5 pump head Dosetronic. We need a genie pig... ;Watching and ;Writing for the Mastertronic when that unit hits the US.

Paired up with an Alka-T...

...Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, display tanks PH, Nitrates and Phosphates and can control all of those except display's ph.

...

 

[ddaddy2420]

I bought a couple of diffusers for the XR-15s because when I sit at my desk a bit of the light shines directly into my eyes, and I was hoping they would diffuse the light so it would spill out so much. I'll be getting 2 to 3 more lights soon so PAR shouldn't be an issue.

However, when I put them on it actually makes the problem worse. The one on the left is the diffuser, the right is the normal light. It not only lowers the light so it's more visible from below, but the diffusion is brighter to look at. I took this sitting in my chair zoomed in just a bit.

I may end up not using them, or maybe I can make a visor to go just in the front of each fixture. When you're near the tank standing up it isn't an issue.

You may want to look into ReeFi lights - their lights have taken care of this problem completely.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Does an Apex controller have to use DOS for your dosing pumps?

I think DOS is the only pump that can hook up and run completely based on Apex, other than I suppose a constant on pump like Kamoer that you plug into an outlet.

Think in a high-speed (RPM) mode like water changes DOS runs faster which would make it louder than one set up for dosing smaller ml amounts per dose.

Definitely true, however, even at it's highest speed, with rest periods every 5 minutes, it takes an hour to change one gallon. Once a day that amounts to like <15% water change per month. If I run it at a slower speed it's slightly quieter, however it could take several hours a day...which I find more annoying. I just set it for the hour in the morning when I'm out back drinking coffee and I hardly notice it. Everyone else in the house seems to just sleep through it...

Can you get the Mastertronc, Alkatronic with the 5 pump head Dosetronic. We need a genie pig... ;Watching and ;Writing for the Mastertronic when that unit hits the US.

hehe, I'm on it! I do plan to get another tester that can do Phos and Nitrate at least. I'm looking at:

• ReefBot - Which can do lots of different tests, but gets pretty bad reviews overall
• Mastertronic - Which is an unknown and quite expensive, but from a company with great reviews of Alk and other hw. Hopefully we'll get more info end of August when it was to be released at MACNA.
• There have been others rumored, but might be later...I want one this year if possible...

 

[SkiCatTX]

You may want to look into ReeFi lights - their lights have taken care of this problem completely.

Wow, those are more expensive than the Radions! I do see that they have somewhat recessed LEDs.

I thought of another option that I have. I could raise the Radions up an inch or two inside the DX18 fixture. I'll look into it. I have a few weeks before I need to run the lights anyway.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Well, I have already had two issues with the Trident.

First,
I could not get it to draw in sample water. Initially, I thought it was the sample line being pinched or blocked so I took it out of the wall conduit and re-ran it to the tank. But, after several tried to run the prime cycle it wasn't getting any water. I went through the troubleshooter online and nothing was helping. Then I got to the question that suggested removing the tray and reagents and checking for water inside. Sure enough, there was water behind the tray back where all the tubing is.

I ended up opening the machine (it's designed to be user-serviceable after all each year), and I found one of the tubes (#4) wasn't connected to the center multi-fixture so it was just pumping water in and into the bottom of the unit. After I hooked that back up it seemed to be working correctly, though I've left the top off for now as it looks pretty cool inside. I was amazed to learn that it uses a SINGLE peristaltic pump, and a series of 5 solenoids off a central source. By running the pump forward and backward and toggling various combinations of the solenoids on and off it does the tests. Very inventive, but I guess super cheap...

Then,
The next morning, I looked for the test results and it had missed some tests and was in another error condition. Turns out this time the sample tube had gotten so many microbubbles on it that it was floating on the surface. I had to move it to the skimmer section, which is my only other option within reach. That's where the skimmer is, but the sample line is upstream and mounted now with my probes, and also the outflow from the chiller blows directly on it (and my salinity probe for the same reason) which hopefully will blow off any bubbles...we'll see.

I now have numbers...though that ALK number is pretty low, I'll have to check it against the Hanna checker. It was 8.01 last night.

 

[Billldg]

Looking good!!! Definitely wait a few weeks to calibrate the trident. Make sure you purge the feed line a few times with the calibration fluid before calibrating it.

This build thread is making me anxious to actually start to build my 225 upgrade, lol!

 

[SkiCatTX]

Make sure you purge the feed line a few times with the calibration fluid before calibrating it.

Good idea, I'll do that.

This build thread is making me anxious to actually start to build my 225 upgrade, lol!

Yep, it's a real nailbiter waiting for the tank to arrive... ;Nailbiting

 

[SkiCatTX]

Next up, I hooked up the GHL doser with colorful lines and calibrated it. For now, I'm dosing 4-part Triton Other Methods, as I have a bunch of that left over. Though I plan to get a Ca Reactor as soon as the dose gets too much, that one can get a bit expensive for large tanks!

Also, I suspect my tiny 1.5l dosing container will run out quickly before long...

Calcium and Magnesium dose in to the return chamber, Alk a and b dos into the Refugium and Skimmer chambers as they pour in to mix quickly. I'll also be dosing the Ca Reactor into the fuge to help with pH.

 

[Jgerm]

I definitely expected a bit more build quality from the trident but I’m happy you have seem to sorted things out. (Minus the sample tube length)
Now I’m questioning if it will reach from the location I planned on putting mine.
and the DOS noise for ATO is kinda making me wonder as well. Have you looked into shades for your lights? It might just fix you issue with your 3D printer.

 

[SkiCatTX]

I definitely expected a bit more build quality from the trident but I’m happy you have seem to sorted things out. (Minus the sample tube length)
Now I’m questioning if it will reach from the location I planned on putting mine.
and the DOS noise for ATO is kinda making me wonder as well. Have you looked into shades for your lights? It might just fix you issue with your 3D printer.

I had considered shades at first, but I think that will also block the T5s too much. I believe just raising the Radions an inch or so in their mounts with some short of standoffs would work. I'm looking into it.

Trident seems to be working fine now, no more errors, and I'm getting a history.

You can see where I turned on the doser, even at a very small amount. I have turned it down more. I double-checked with the Hanna checker and it reads about 0.1 lower, so it's not that far off. Ca and Mg are actually pretty steady despite the way it shows in the graph...it scales the difference to fit the display.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Pods are in, though there's no way to tell if they survive for now as they are microscopic. I'll just add some Phyto and bacteria and hope for the best...

 

[Skullring]

Very nice.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Very nice.

Thanks!