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Unread 02/21/2010, 03:04 PM   #26
ChuckG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rotknee View Post
Glad to hear things are coming along well in your new setup. You know we are starving for more pics right?

Reading your last post I didn't know about pre-soaking your sand in RO/DI water for a week. Are you talking about soaking in plain RO/DI water or a salt water RO/DI solution?
Any PO4 in the sand or rocks should try to equilibriate PO4 levels with the water it sits in. I think I read one of Randy articles or posts and there was mention that the chloride in salt might expedite the process. I suggest researching this to get the accurate info. I think just plain RO/DI might do well since it is so devoid of anything it shoudl suck the PO4 out of the sand. Either way it wouldn't take much salt to soak sand in.

If I posted a picture it would just look the same... Ammonia is hovering at 1ppm, Nitrite has risen to 0.5.

If I can pull off ordering the light this week I will. I might install the skimmer now to get it broken in, but I wont be collecting any skimmate until the cycle it complete. Still need to permanently install the GFO/GAC reactor. Once I can get all that done, Ill post up a picture.

I'm also thinking of chucking the front free standing rock in the right side cluster... that would leave room to place a nice sized brain coral or something else there on the sand.


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Unread 03/13/2010, 08:48 PM   #27
ChuckG
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Update - Cycle Complete!

It's been a little while since my original post and although I have accomplished some things.. from the pics it does not look like there is a lot of progress going on over here..


Since the last update;

1) The tank was overrun by a yellow bacteria bloom.. Details can be found in this thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1802494

2) I changed the Ehiem 1060 to a 1262 and split a manifold with three drops off the main return line. One drop is to keep the sump stirred and the other two are for GFO, Carbon, or other reactors as needed.

3) Purchased the light - 6x54 ATI Sunpower with 3 blue +, 2 aquablue special, and a fiji purple bulb.

4) Added another vortech 40w; plus purchased the new updated drivers.

5) Removed one small rock island from the cluster on the right and about half the sand. Sand is about 1/2" or less now.

6) Started breaking in the skimmer

The fixture is resting on 2x4s.. maybe I'll get to hang it tomorrow. I just realized how difficult it is to take flash less pictures with all the blue in these T5 bulbs. I'll have to practice some..








The ATO will get installed next then some BRS dosing pumps to semi automate the addition of 2 part. I said earlier that I wanted to keep things simple... but i like the idea of dosing pumps just to better spread the dose throughout the day. I think I will still fill the dosing cups every day or two just to keep my attention on the tank... at least for the immediate future. Somehow I ALSO decided that I needed an apex controller to monitor things remotely.. Simple has officially left the building!

I need to figure out what to do with all the wiring and controllers, ato, vortech modules, etc.. I do not like these sitting in the stand to corrode and am beginning to think of ways I can integrate a medicine like cabinet into the side of the stand.. more on that to come. I should have built this from the start like I've seen others here do, but it shouldn't be too hard to still integrate one.



While I am doing all that I will also try to get a handle on the holy trinity of salts and start putting some sps frags in to see what happens.. nothing too expensive or valuable.. maybe some hardy millepora.. they are some of my favorites anyway.

Then hopefully in approx 2 mos as the first round of fish (2 clowns and a mystery wrasse) finish QT I'll get them moved in. In the interim I will keep feeding the tank with Rod's food and adding bacteria via MB7.

Thanks for checking in!


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Unread 03/13/2010, 09:15 PM   #28
mystery_reef
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looks good. nice thread so far. why not use kalk instead of the dosing pumps? or with one DP or the ato? would save $$$ and is fairly simple imo.


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Unread 03/13/2010, 09:32 PM   #29
ChuckG
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mystery_reef View Post
looks good. nice thread so far. why not use kalk instead of the dosing pumps? or with one DP or the ato? would save $$$ and is fairly simple imo.
Thx!

With this warm break we've had recently my evap rate has been cut in half so I kind of questioned how much kalk I could get into the tank and decided to go the 2 part route. I could still use kalk as the primary source and suppliment with 2 part. That is a good idea and I may still look into it.

I used vinegar spiked kalk on a 40G tank years ago and saw decent results. Funny cause I never tested alk or calcium on that tank.. just replaced every drop of evap with saturated limewater. Things just grew..


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