Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank

[jason2459]

Posted in another thread but thought I'd save it here too on the LIEs that Tunze is publishing about their care magnet.

I would like to call out some false advertising on the part of Tunze and I have proof. They mentioned that their care magnet would scrape off the algae in a way that would make it available to be consumed by the tank inhabitants.


Here's the proof that it does NOT all get consumed!!!!!!




but as you can see it does make it easily skimmable

The skimmer is turned off in that picture. It's a foaming machine as you can see the algae flakes way up the sides.

[jason2459]

Day 5

Something going on right in the middle

[jason2459]

Day 6

I think I'm seeing green. I think. Will look closer tomorrow.

[Buckeye Hydro]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I got that huge float switch in and was insanely easy. Literally drop in and go. I will have to play with the level in the water the weight should go but I have it in a good high spot and will wait for it to reach the turn off point and then slowly lower it to get to the level I want.

Here's a pic if this very complex setup....



I just clipped on that weight and dropped it in. I have it higher then the picture as that was right after I did the hardest part of the install of clipping on that weight and dropping it in the water. The second hardest part was plugging it in and the stenner pump piggyback off that.

After I get it to the right level I'll mark off the point on the wire where it needs to be on the edge of the extremely expensive and lab grade mixing vessel.

That weight is not clamped all the way on - tighten that clamp on the weight!

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Hydro

That weight is not clamped all the way on - tighten that clamp on the weight!

Thanks for checking in. Since that picture I've swapped that 32g round brute with a 50g square brute to hold some more water and still fit in the space I have for it.

I currently don't have the weight on it at all and just clamped to the side like this:



I've let it drain down twice to make sure it shuts off and it has but do you suggest I still use the weight?

[moondoggy4]

Concerning the Tunze Care Magnets Do you think that they will work good on the coralaine algae on the sides of the tank? ie the straight corners. that is the place where I have difficulty getting the coraline out. I have a flipper and the magnet is not strong enough for my 120 gallon tank Should work good on my 40 breeder.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

Concerning the Tunze Care Magnets Do you think that they will work good on the coralaine algae on the sides of the tank? ie the straight corners. that is the place where I have difficulty getting the coraline out. I have a flipper and the magnet is not strong enough for my 120 gallon tank Should work good on my 40 breeder.

I had no issues hitting the corners and what's normally impossible to hit with most mag float types is above the upper brace trim line around the entire tank(most tanks have these). The magnavore er gets a bit above that line but not as far as the tunze care gets.

I did have some purple coraline on the back right corner of my tank and I did have to put on the metal blade to scrape it off. But it did scrape it off very easily.

[jason2459]

Day 7

There's definitely very small patches of green. The funny thing is the most noticeable green tiny patch is in the bottom right corner that has been showing the least amount of change previously. Unfortunately you can't see it in the picture due to glare.

[jason2459]

Some pictures I took this morning that for me came out great. For anyone with any kind of photography skills are still terrible.

[jason2459]

I guess one last thing to note for today that I noticed in the sump while doing my nightly spot check. (I usually also do one in the morning too before work) It looks like I'm getting a good aiptasia farm going again. They all died off, at least visually, in the cleaning chemicals and massive invert death last year.


I like having them in the sump. It's crawling with many various pods, worms, sponges, etc. Many detritus and filter feeding inverts. I didn't think of this until just now but none of my sponges were effected at all in that invert genocide. The pods and asterina stars were the first to bounce back. Then I had to restock the snails, crabs, and shrimp. It looks though like the aiptasia are finally bouncing in full force as well. My bristle worms have been back too. The one thing that I probably had most of down there (besides various pods) were small feather dusters. They were covering everything down there. All of them gone. I have started to spot a very small few. Maybe 2 or 3. That's it. But at least they are there now and should see them grow out from there.

I should try and take some pictures of the aiptasia, I promise you nothing short of blured images and glare, because if you've never seen one that's never given any light you'll see why they are also called glass anemones as they are translucent white. I don't have any lights in my sump except for now what's glowing from the Turbo ATS at night.

Here's a picture from wet web that will be better then I can ever take a picture of


I have a good couple dozen of them now in the sump. They are great at filtering the water of particles that will break down to unwanted nutrients. If you don't mind a couple hiding out in your main display tank they are good. I saw a couple in the main tank this morning hiding in a small crevice which prompted me to look tonight to see how they were doing in the sump.

I always keep my display tank stocked with a good hand full or more of peppermint shrimp. At least 1-3 of the half dozen of them will eat the stuff. I do have an "aiptasia" eating file fish but he doesn't seem to know he's supposed to eat it. I feed the main tank to well (or to much) for him to bother with anything like that. I haven't had any kind of major outbreak of aiptasia since I first had my 55g before the flood of '08 that I can remember.

[jason2459]

Actually you can see the aiptasia I saw this morning in the display tank here in this picture. Can you spot it?

[jason2459]

Day 8

The green is growing. The brown is lessening.




Tried to get a closer shot of the upper left corner.

[jason2459]

My aiptasia farm on top of a grave site of those mini feather dusters. It's in my drain and skimmer section that was bare bottom. I was going to pick up the billion or so empty worm shells but found the bristle worms love them. I also found that the aiptasia love the egg crate I have my skimmer raised up on.

Here's what they look like with no light exposure other then the 1 minute or less I turn the light on to spot check everything.

[Buckeye Hydro]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Thanks for checking in. Since that picture I've swapped that 32g round brute with a 50g square brute to hold some more water and still fit in the space I have for it.

I currently don't have the weight on it at all and just clamped to the side like this:



I've let it drain down twice to make sure it shuts off and it has but do you suggest I still use the weight?

You have to have a pivot point for the float - you can zip tie it to a vertical pipe, or use the weight - but yes - you need that pivot point.

Russ

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Hydro

You have to have a pivot point for the float - you can zip tie it to a vertical pipe, or use the weight - but yes - you need that pivot point.

Russ

Ok, will do. Easy enough except I can't find that black clip that locks the cord in place on the weight.

[Buckeye Hydro]

you'll need that

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Hydro

you'll need that

I'll have to see if I can buy just that part separately or just have to buy a whole new weight. I can't find it anywhere.

[jason2459]

Day 9 and seeing more green.



And tried to get the bottom right corner that was getting the least amount of change before growing some green stuff

[Buckeye Hydro]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I'll have to see if I can buy just that part separately or just have to buy a whole new weight. I can't find it anywhere.

No - you won't find that clip separately. The good news is that a replacement weight is inexpensive.

Russ

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Hydro

No - you won't find that clip separately. The good news is that a replacement weight is inexpensive.

Russ

Yeah I figured as much. I'll have to get back on later and order the weight again.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Day 9 and seeing more green.

Since you don't have much of the brown gooey growth like you did before the first cleaning, I would either a) leave the screen to grow at least 14 days, if not longer (you have no shading, so no worries) or b) take it out and do the palm swipe again, then pour a little tank water over it to rinse away and return. Save all the GHA that you have going.

Looks like the best growth is at top of screen, far end of slot, and bottom of screen, near end of slot.

Possibly a bit of a hotspot going on, probably from the blues. You might try taking a piece of scotch tape (plain cellophane tape) and putting a small square of that on the light fixture splash shield, positioned in front of each blue LED. This will slightly diffuse that without causing all the energy to stop at the splash shield and absorb into it. I used to recommend blue painters tape or black electrical tape but these can actually cause heating, the cellophane does not

[jason2459]

OK will try and remember to add tape tonight. And if you give me a lazy option you know I'll go for that one. Option A it is.

[jason2459]

Day 10

Less brown and not sure if much more green



I put the tape on I hope this is what it's supposed to be

[Floyd R Turbo]

Yup that's it. Except maybe smaller squares, like width of tape cut to a square. You don't want to cut out the light that goes off sideways, just the light directly in front of the blue where it has the peak intensity.

[jason2459]

OK will do. Thanks!