XNavyDiver's Peninsula 100.

[jsker]

Thanks. I'm really happy with it also.

I see members DIY there T5's and LED's together but your setup look nice a clean:)

 

[XNavyDiver]

I see members DIY there T5's and LED's together but your setup look nice a clean:)

Yeah, that old radion mount was an eyesore. Hanging fixtures look so much cleaner.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Hanging out at the lfs, playing with Vladimir the Vlamingi. Vlad is a 12 inch bruiser of a Vlamingi Tang that lives in their 2000 gallon main frag tank. He's got the personality of 6 month old Labrador Retriever.

 

[XNavyDiver]

The restroom at my lfs...

 

[XNavyDiver]

10% weekly WC day. 10 gallons. I don't have any fancy automated water change system. Old fashioned 5 gallon blue bucket filled from Brute RODI container 15 feet to tankside. Salt added, heater inserted and airstone pumping away.
I got some different macro algae yesterday at the lfs to throw into the refugium section of the sump. I know one is called dragons breath, but I'm not sure what the other kind is called. It's thick, rubbery and deep green almost black (Looks like an acro!). Any ideas as to what is is? Looked cool so I got some. Sorry about the red pics, the refugium light is obnoxiously red.

 

[Fudsey]

I've seen that in the past, but I cannot remember it's name

 

[Fudsey]

Codium maybe

 

[XNavyDiver]

Codium maybe

I looked this up. You could be right. Codium fragile.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Ok, some better pics of the refugium looking from the top down.
Who else uses their refugium as a coral frag graveyard?

 

[XNavyDiver]

Ok, so my main circulation pump has decided to give me problems. It was making rattling noises in the main housing, so I disconnected it (not a simple task as its hard plummed outside the sump). Opened it up to view the impeller and found a small snail gumming up the works. Cleaned it all out and re assembled and tested it out in a bucket of water. Seemed to run fine, so I re installed it. For some reason I haven't discovered it's still making air sucking sounds even when no air is being introduced on the intake side. Weird. It moves water, but not nearly at the rate as before. Something ain't right. All plumbing is clear of any impediments.
Ordered a new one to be overnighted. I'll deal with eco tech and see if I can't get a warrantee repair, then hopefully I can have the repaired one as a back up.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Update: So I found out what was causing the main circulation pump problems. I took the pump off once again and some of the pvc piping to make sure there wasn't something blocking the free flow of the water. I discovered ANOTHER snail shell. This time it was lodged in the bulkhead fitting on the sump that connects to the pump. The first time I took the pump off last Wednesday, I stuck my finger into the bulkhead fitting on the sump to see if I could feel is something else was blocking the water, but I didn't feel anything so I assumed (stupid) that it was fine.
Well, this time I took off all the piping from the sump to the tank to inspect it. I found another snail shell in the fitting to the sump. I didn't detect it last time because I didn't stick my finger in deep enough to feel it. The shell in the fitting was exactly the same diameter as the fitting! Effectively cutting off 99% of the flow.
I guess none of this is surprising as my tank is experiencing an explosion in stomatella snail reproduction at the moment. I apologize for the total lack of pics of this fix, but I get into a "tunnel vision fix mode" and picking up the phone to take a pic is the last thing on my mind.
One good thing that come out of this small ordeal: I now have a backup pump if the primary truly defecates the bed! ;)

 

[Fudsey]

truly defecates the bed! ;)

Hahahaha... ;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[XNavyDiver]

Quiet pump? You be the judge...

 

[Fudsey]

I wouldn't say that.... quite a bit of hum.... unless that's something else?

 

[XNavyDiver]

I wouldn't say that.... quite a bit of hum.... unless that's something else?

Hmm. Yeah, I think so. That air intake thing (circled) makes a bit of a hum. Maybe I should shut the skimmer off and then make a recording. I think that hum is air being drawn into that clear plastic housing.

 

[jsker]

Could be the pump??

 

[XNavyDiver]

Could be the pump??

Yes, if you're referring to the skimmer pump. The skimmer pump in and of itself is pretty quiet from my experience, what makes the most noise (and by noise I mean what you can hear the most, it's not a sound that would drive you to distraction) is the action of the skimmer pump drawing air through those two small holes on that plastic air filter. It makes a distinctive sucking sound when you put your head up next to it.
The main water drive pump, is nearly silent in comparison.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Well, I'm thinking of breaking it all down and selling it all off. It seems the drivers are bad on both these pumps. The last few days have been a total nightmare emotionally and financially. I've got spare powerhead circulating the water hooked up with some vynl tubing.
When you work 12 hours a day, coming home to these kind of problems just aren't worth it.

 

[Fudsey]

Oh no....

:(:(