My JBJ 28gal Nano Build Thread

[tandldel]

Ange I wanted to ask since you have had the 2lf 150's on the tank awhile if your still happy with the performance for both gfo/carbon. I'm thinking of adding them in and wanted your opinion. Saw early in the thread how happy you were with the gfo difference.

Thanks

[ange062]

Originally Posted by tandldel

Ange I wanted to ask since you have had the 2lf 150's on the tank awhile if your still happy with the performance for both gfo/carbon. I'm thinking of adding them in and wanted your opinion. Saw early in the thread how happy you were with the gfo difference.

Thanks

Definitely worth every penny to run GFO from my experience. Nuisance algae? What's that?!? It totally knocked out my GHA. Plus I only clean the glass once a week. I use 1/3 of a cup and change once a month, so cost is negligible.

The carbon keeps the water crystal clear and quickly soaks up toxins from chemical warfare or deaths of certain animals (anemones, sea slugs, etc). Same dosing and change schedule as the GFO, and the media costs half as much.

=== One word of warning, be very careful when you start running this stuff!! ===

First off, make sure you rinse both media's very well before adding them to your tank. I typically add media to the reactor, fill with fresh RO/DI and let it sit for about 15min (it takes a while for the dry media's to soak up the water and stop floating). Then I run ~2.5gal of SW through each reactor independently using old water from a water change. I just set the reactor up in a sink so it spills directly down the drain.

Second, start with low dosage and work your way up to "target" levels. As with anything in reefing, slow is key. Ramping up too quickly can easily shock your tank and cause big problems and / or death of corals.

And lastly, the stock sponges in the TLF reactors are too coarse for some of the finer media's like BRS ROX0.8 carbon and even PhosBan IMO. I use bonded filter floss cut to shape, and this doesn't allow as many particles to get back into the tank. The bonus of this is that flow will eventually slow down as this floss gets clogged up and your pump will start making a buzzing noise, which is an automatic sign that your media is ready to change! (this always happens at the 3.5-4wk range for me)

[tandldel]

Originally Posted by ange062

Definitely worth every penny to run GFO from my experience. Nuisance algae? What's that?!? It totally knocked out my GHA. Plus I only clean the glass once a week. I use 1/3 of a cup and change once a month, so cost is negligible.

The carbon keeps the water crystal clear and quickly soaks up toxins from chemical warfare or deaths of certain animals (anemones, sea slugs, etc). Same dosing and change schedule as the GFO, and the media costs half as much.

=== One word of warning, be very careful when you start running this stuff!! ===

First off, make sure you rinse both media's very well before adding them to your tank. I typically add media to the reactor, fill with fresh RO/DI and let it sit for about 15min (it takes a while for the dry media's to soak up the water and stop floating). Then I run ~2.5gal of SW through each reactor independently using old water from a water change. I just set the reactor up in a sink so it spills directly down the drain.

Second, start with low dosage and work your way up to "target" levels. As with anything in reefing, slow is key. Ramping up too quickly can easily shock your tank and cause big problems and / or death of corals.

And lastly, the stock sponges in the TLF reactors are too coarse for some of the finer media's like BRS ROX0.8 carbon and even PhosBan IMO. I use bonded filter floss cut to shape, and this doesn't allow as many particles to get back into the tank. The bonus of this is that flow will eventually slow down as this floss gets clogged up and your pump will start making a buzzing noise, which is an automatic sign that your media is ready to change! (this always happens at the 3.5-4wk range for me)

Great info & Suggestions..One last question I have had differing listings of the canister diameters @ 3" and 4.5" could you let me know which it really is..hoping its 3"

Thanks again

[ange062]

Originally Posted by tandldel

Great info & Suggestions..One last question I have had differing listings of the canister diameters @ 3" and 4.5" could you let me know which it really is..hoping its 3"

Thanks again

Just measured, the PhosBan150 is 3" for sure, the larger diameter must be the PhosBan550.

[tandldel]

Really appreciate the info. I've got mine on order. Thanks

[reefsahoy]

ange, i read the begining of the thread and got to like page 20 before i gave up so did you ever get the dosing pumps?lol

[ange062]

Originally Posted by reefsahoy

ange, i read the begining of the thread and got to like page 20 before i gave up so did you ever get the dosing pumps?lol

Doh, you almost made it!! Yep, I finally got it and OH WHAT A DIFFERENCE it made on my quality of life, LOL. I got a Bubble Magus 3-way for real cheap from one of my LFS'. I had to switch to BRS Ca/Alk/Mg, the Kent Tech that I was using was about 3x more concentrated and hence couldn't stay in suspension and had to be shaken before each use. The BRS stuff is pretty cheap and doesn't require shaking. I did have to spend a few weeks of daily, then every other day testing to get the dosage just right, which was a pain. But now that it's dialed in and I have an ATO, I hardly ever have to mess with the tank anymore.

On page22:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...&postcount=549

[ange062]

So in other news, I have been in search of a clam. I know I always rave about my LFS' here but somehow in the search of a super ultra green maxi I have come up short time and time again. It seems they are fairly hard to get right now.

But I did find a sexy black/green maxi on LA and have been toying with purchasing, even though the price is fairly outrages at least shipping is free:

[john miller]

Remember, it's only money and you'll make more.

[ComponentFault]

Those colours are just amazing!

The way I figure it, we've built (or, in my case are in the process of building) multi-thousand dollar homes for the livestock. A couple of outrageously-priced specimens seems justified somehow!

Really cool looking clam, though.

[Jadams]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tandldel]

Originally Posted by john miller

Remember, it's only money and you'll make more.

Should be the motto for the hobby. Lol.

[ange062]

Originally Posted by john miller

Remember, it's only money and you'll make more.

It grows on trees doesn't it??

Originally Posted by ComponentFault

Those colours are just amazing!

The way I figure it, we've built (or, in my case are in the process of building) multi-thousand dollar homes for the livestock. A couple of outrageously-priced specimens seems justified somehow!

Really cool looking clam, though.

Agree 100%, sometimes you just have to invest in a nice piece

Originally Posted by Jadams

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Jadams!!!

Originally Posted by mykol reef

wao this clam have very nice colors

Thanks, I love the colors. Black is so hard to find. Now I just have to order it before someone snags it!!

Originally Posted by tandldel

Should be the motto for the hobby. Lol.

LOL, no doubt. But I think "expensive" is a synonym for "hobby", no matter which hobby that you choose. The key is not having multiple expensive hobbies, lol!

[plyle02]

Enjoyed the read and the progression, you have a talented thumb for reefing, well done!
Look forward to your next tank looming in your mind...lol..

[ange062]

Originally Posted by plyle02

Enjoyed the read and the progression, you have a talented thumb for reefing, well done!
Look forward to your next tank looming in your mind...lol..

Thanks for the comments plyle!! And the new tank is starting to pic up traction, looking forward to the build

I'm overdue on a photo update, will try to find time to snag some pics tomorrow!

[martinphillip03]

Originally Posted by ange062

Agree 100%, sometimes you just have to invest in a nice piece

I think every piece you have invested in is a high end piece. Tank looks great. And that clam belongs in your tank.

Marty

[ange062]

Originally Posted by martinphillip03

I think every piece you have invested in is a high end piece. Tank looks great. And that clam belongs in your tank.

Marty

Not every piece, but thanks

Cali tort has really grown a lot and color is awesome

[ange062]

Latest FTS:

[Snootch]

Ange, I've been following your thread for quite some time and you've done a great job with your tank. But dude, it's time for a bigger tank!
The 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' theory may work for cars, but not in this hobby ....lol

[flipsideleo]

Wow dude! Surreal! I'd like to pull off an angel, too... never had much success with them. They seem to all go to nip-phase later in life...

Looks remarkable, though! Very mature in such a short period of time!

[ange062]

Originally Posted by Snootch

Ange, I've been following your thread for quite some time and you've done a great job with your tank. But dude, it's time for a bigger tank!
The 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' theory may work for cars, but not in this hobby ....lol

LOL, I kinda like my little tank and the 5g water changes!! I wouldn't mind something sexier looking on the outside though, my plans on a replacement continue to waiver in size.

Originally Posted by flipsideleo

Wow dude! Surreal! I'd like to pull off an angel, too... never had much success with them. They seem to all go to nip-phase later in life...

Looks remarkable, though! Very mature in such a short period of time!

Thanks Leo! IME, the angel just goes through phases. Sometimes nipping at clams and corals, sometimes nipping at other fish, and other times a model citizen. I've had him for about a year now and it seems to be the majority of the time is "model citizen" with only short term endeavors into his naughtier side.

If I could catch that sucker or do it again I'd totally do a potters angel, such a beautiful fish!

[tandldel]

Looking good. I like to kid about going bigger but you have plenty of room still for growth and can prune as needed. Besides who said you need to trade this tank up when you can have another LOL..actually having 2 is a good idea for QT and frags anyway!!!!

[ange062]

Originally Posted by tandldel

Looking good. I like to kid about going bigger but you have plenty of room still for growth and can prune as needed. Besides who said you need to trade this tank up when you can have another LOL..actually having 2 is a good idea for QT and frags anyway!!!!

I honestly like the smaller size tanks. Less money in stocking and hardware, smaller water changes, etc. Though I have heard "stability" is so much easier to achieve in a larger tank, I've never really had a problem with this tank or my pico... My main reason for a bigger tank would be larger angels, anthias, and wrasse!

I would like to clean up the exterior look though, starfire rimless and a custom stand would definitely accomplish that and complete the "living piece of art" theme

I also borrowed a top down box and think I finally got a good capture of my hoek stag and ORA borealis!! Need to play around with it some more then check out the photos.

Pebbles, my SA Fancy Snow:

[ange062]

I borrowed a topdown box from my LFS, me likey!! Will invest in one for sure:

[ange062]

Finally got a decent shot of my ORA Borealis. And, it's finally starting to really grow! I've had the thing for close to a year now and it took a long while to hit it's stride. Color is pretty amazing, and always has been.