Dana's 150g build thread - Page 3

Giga · 07/29/2008, 09:54 PM

the rock is pretty awsome looking. Was bulk reef suply good? I'm thinking of ordering from them soon some rock. WHat shipping method did you use and how fast did it get to you? heheh lots of questions

hotwired99 · 07/29/2008, 10:35 PM

Tank looks good Link.
I hope they get the RKE figured out. I also got one of the first ones out. But I havent even hooked mine up yet. Built into the new stand but not using it yet. Keep us posted if you have any more bugs in it.

Linkblaze · 07/30/2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Giga
the rock is pretty awsome looking. Was bulk reef suply good? I'm thinking of ordering from them soon some rock. WHat shipping method did you use and how fast did it get to you? heheh lots of questions

Yeah, Bulk Reef Supply is really good. I've since placed two more orders with them for some of their bulk Ca/kalk/Mg/Carbon. The rock looks really good...especially the Pukani. If you go with the Pukani, keep in mind it is really porous...50lbs is going to go much further then some of the other kinds of rocks. I thought the Fiji was the least impressive, but that box also got mangled by UPS.

I had it shipped ground and I had it in about a week I think. I ordered all sorts of stuff at around that same time and what I do remember is the stuff from BRS came first.

Linkblaze · 07/30/2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hotwired99
Tank looks good Link.
I hope they get the RKE figured out. I also got one of the first ones out. But I havent even hooked mine up yet. Built into the new stand but not using it yet. Keep us posted if you have any more bugs in it.

I'm sure they will, their customer service is really good. Just sent in an email last night with my problems and got some suggestions today on solutions. I'd just stay away from it for now if you have a tank with $5000 worth of livestock and need to go on vacation or something.

hotwired99 · 07/30/2008, 11:40 PM

Link.
Luckily the new tank is still empty and by the time I get it filled hopefully they have the bugs worked out.
Youve got me worried about the SL-1 module now though. I will be using the PH and ORP probes running through it. And I will have one of the switches on it running to a remote water leak detector in the bottom of the stand that will kick on a "bilge" pump if I get a leak and the stands starts to flood. Hopefully I dont get the same ghost reactions as you are getting with your PH readings.
I like your mounting on your RKE. Heres mine.

maroun.c · 07/31/2008, 07:07 AM

Great build so far. Love the stand and looking forward to see your tank filled with corals and fish..
on your tubing issues, guess you should lower your drain tubes int he sump till 1-2 inch underwater this should quiet it down and create some pressure to push some of the airbubles out from the upside.
I have a similar overflow (2x1 inch drains and 3/4 inch return) and I love the idea of having a back up drain that can handle all the load if the other gets clogged. I also think you can clsoe the valves of the drains a just a bit as that was the only thing that silenced mines, in adddition to the dursos. If its still to loud then yuo might need to use a smaller pump. I use the OR 3500 as return as my 350 was elevating the water level too much on the teeth of my overflow screen.
One wuestion about the sump: don't the higher refugium glass casue splashing sounds and airbubles fromt eh water dropping that high?
Do check my build thread(red house) for ideas on plumbing as I face a lot of what you've been through. Also seeing your lighting plans I guess you'll benefit from readin the last 1-2 pages of my build thread currently.
Good luck with your built

Linkblaze · 07/31/2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Luckily the new tank is still empty and by the time I get it filled hopefully they have the bugs worked out.
Youve got me worried about the SL-1 module now though. I will be using the PH and ORP probes running through it. And I will have one of the switches on it running to a remote water leak detector in the bottom of the stand that will kick on a "bilge" pump if I get a leak and the stands starts to flood. Hopefully I dont get the same ghost reactions as you are getting with your PH readings.
I like your mounting on your RKE. Heres mine.

Well, I heard back from DA and they said they hadn't seen anybody else with the same problem yet and they'll look into it. Plus I traced it down to just one float switch in particular (I'm using 3) so it could be a problem on my end.

Nice job with the mounting, looks good.

Linkblaze · 07/31/2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by maroun.c
Great build so far. Love the stand and looking forward to see your tank filled with corals and fish..
on your tubing issues, guess you should lower your drain tubes int he sump till 1-2 inch underwater this should quiet it down and create some pressure to push some of the airbubles out from the upside.
I have a similar overflow (2x1 inch drains and 3/4 inch return) and I love the idea of having a back up drain that can handle all the load if the other gets clogged. I also think you can clsoe the valves of the drains a just a bit as that was the only thing that silenced mines, in adddition to the dursos. If its still to loud then yuo might need to use a smaller pump. I use the OR 3500 as return as my 350 was elevating the water level too much on the teeth of my overflow screen.
One wuestion about the sump: don't the higher refugium glass casue splashing sounds and airbubles fromt eh water dropping that high?
Do check my build thread(red house) for ideas on plumbing as I face a lot of what you've been through. Also seeing your lighting plans I guess you'll benefit from readin the last 1-2 pages of my build thread currently.
Good luck with your built

Hi Maroun, thanks for posting. I've actually read through your thread and got some ideas from it

Most of the plumbing issues I've solved, it's pretty quiet...the Vortechs are definetly the loudest thing on the tank at the moment. I did chop the drain lines down so they are barely underwater as you suggest and it did help quite a bit. I didn't put valves on my drains, but the design of the standpipes allows you to adjust them in a manner that is a de facto restriction (I used the Hofer Gurgle Buster design, if you're curious how it works it shows up in a Google search and is linked on the first page of my thread).

As far as the refugium making noise, do you mean when it overflows into the return area? I made sure during design that the baffles were higher as well...the water from the refuge only drops about 1 to 1.5 inches to the surface of the return section it's very quiet. As a bonus, the return section is rather deep...no bubbles make it all the way down to the pipe input. I do, however, have to put the skimmer on a stand to make sure it's in the proper water depth.

Here's a picture of the water spilling over into the return section from the 'fuge and a picture of the skimmer on it's acrylic stand - John at Advance Acrylics made the stand and threw it in for free when I got my tank and sump from him.

maroun.c · 08/02/2008, 03:13 PM

Quote:

As far as the refugium making noise, do you mean when it overflows into the return area?

exactly, On my refugium the smallest drop of water leads to noise (which I might be overreacting to hearing the least of) and also to microbubbles in the display. might try to put the return pump under the Skimmer stand that's in the return section to act as a bubble guard and minimize those. Still I get no sounds nor bubbles if my water level is close to the maximum it should be at.

Linkblaze · 08/06/2008, 05:33 PM

Well, I worked out the problem with the float switch by tracing the problem down to one switch in particular and replacing it. On inspection of the float switch, it looks like the wire has been corroded through where it meets the teflon! Look closely and you can see the hole where the epoxy gave way and you can see inside the switch to the bare wires.

I used the topoff product from Aquahub.com I like the setup they have, but the one part I hate about their switch is you have to use some tubing and an adapter to protect the top of the switch. Once you do that, you have to silicon it so that it is water proof. For me, at least, this has turned out to be impossible. No matter how much silicon I used, the tubing that is supposed to protect the switch from water in my fresh water topoff container would fill with water. This isn't the switch that failed - the one in the sump to detect low water level failed. This switch isn't fully submerged - only when the return pump is off. Since even with the pump off, the switch wasn't very far underwater I could never really tell if my silicon job had done the trick. Well, now I know it didn't!

For now, I've replaced the switch with a spare I have. Should it fail again, I'll probably look to a new manufacturer trying to make this thing waterproof is too much aggravation!

Linkblaze · 08/06/2008, 07:25 PM

Got my carbon on line.

And my quarintine tank for my first guest

And some pictures of my copepod infested tank.

Mikeeee · 08/06/2008, 08:13 PM

how do you like your RKE? i cant seem to decide between RKE and Profilux.

Linkblaze · 08/06/2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mikeeee
how do you like your RKE? i cant seem to decide between RKE and Profilux.

I like it for the expandibility. It's real easy to program as well. However, it still has a few bugs but they're working through them quickly. The main choice is how long do you want to wait? RKE can't connect to a computer yet, and there is no software for it...it's due by the end of this year, but my guess is you don't see it until next year. There's another module due that will measure salinity, due early next year. There's a moonlight controller due out sometime in the next few months. It's new technology...and all that that entails.

Aj Flip · 08/06/2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Linkblaze
Got my carbon on line.

And my quarintine tank for my first guest

And some pictures of my copepod infested tank.

YES!!! copepods!!

i was wondering what was in my tank!

thanks alot dude for them pics

Hornet · 08/13/2008, 08:33 AM

Great build thread and very informative!

I've gotten some great ideas from your thread. I was already considering getting some Eco Rox from bulk reef and after seeing pics of your Pukani I'm going to mix in some of that with my order.

I look forward to future updates on your progress.

coop47 · 08/13/2008, 09:12 AM

Those shots of all the copepods are just awesome. Did you introduce them to the tank or did they just spring up out of the blue?

sdietz2469 · 08/13/2008, 09:35 AM

lookin good
shane

Linkblaze · 08/14/2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coop47
Those shots of all the copepods are just awesome. Did you introduce them to the tank or did they just spring up out of the blue?

They came in on the Chaeto I would imagine.

Linkblaze · 08/14/2008, 09:38 PM

Thanks for the words of encouragement, all. About a week ago I got my first fish, a Royal Gramma. He died in 48 hours and I was a bit rattled by that. I've been pretty much going nonstop on the tank since the beginning of June so took a week off from working on the tank and updating my thread after that. Here's the pictures that I took from that event.

My fresh water dip setup.

And my Gramma in the dip, playing dead.

Just over 48 hours, him dying in the back of the tank with some sort of white slime on him. In the picture, you can barely see it just behind his head but it's all over him on the other side covering his eye as well. Died sometime in the middle of the night after looking like this.

[IMG]

Going to try one more time with a Gramma that I picked up today. The first one I picked up from a local shop that does online orders only. The one I got today, I went to an lfs and picked out one I liked. I got one that was bigger than my first one, and seemed active. He's hiding behind the heater right now, in a vertical position so I can't get a picture. This one has been much more active so I'm more hopefull.

Tomorrow I'll try to post up a full tank shot. I've got a TON of green/hair algae all over the tank now and only 3 poor Asteras to eat it! I made an online order at IPSF that comes in tomorrow so hopefully I'll start getting that under control.

Hornet · 08/15/2008, 07:27 AM

Did you seed the Eco Rox with something else ?

Linkblaze · 08/15/2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hornet
Did you seed the Eco Rox with something else ?

That's what I've got on the way today from IPSF. Some stuff came in on the Chaeto too, the pods and some worms I've seen so far. I started my cycle with a piece of shrimp tossed in the tank.

Linkblaze · 08/17/2008, 01:49 PM

Here's a current full tank shot. Very green and hairy!

And a few of the denizens of my new clean up crew, part of my IPSF order.

Linkblaze · 08/17/2008, 01:52 PM

Here's some shots of my royal gramma in quarintine. He's doing well.

Here's his favorite hiding spot.

Out and about, probably shocked by the flash!

However, he has a white spot on his side, just below his dorsal fin. You can see it in the first pic and this one. Any ideas what this is?

griffen24 · 03/25/2010, 06:39 PM

I'm amazed at all the plant growth on the rocks.

07/29/2008, 09:54 PM	#51
Giga Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Virginia beach, VA Posts: 1,709	the rock is pretty awsome looking. Was bulk reef suply good? I'm thinking of ordering from them soon some rock. WHat shipping method did you use and how fast did it get to you? heheh lots of questions __________________ "You said it didn't bite!"......."Well"......"It didn't bite me." Current Tank Info: cool

07/29/2008, 10:35 PM	#52
hotwired99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 238	Tank looks good Link. I hope they get the RKE figured out. I also got one of the first ones out. But I havent even hooked mine up yet. Built into the new stand but not using it yet. Keep us posted if you have any more bugs in it. __________________ --Ryan-- You say your wallets fat?? Get into the saltwater hobby. That'll cure it real quick (175g Bowfront coming soon. Click on the red house to see the build thread.) Current Tank Info: 175g Reef, 60g sump, 40g frag, 40g fuge.

07/30/2008, 11:40 PM	#55
hotwired99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 238	Link. Luckily the new tank is still empty and by the time I get it filled hopefully they have the bugs worked out. Youve got me worried about the SL-1 module now though. I will be using the PH and ORP probes running through it. And I will have one of the switches on it running to a remote water leak detector in the bottom of the stand that will kick on a "bilge" pump if I get a leak and the stands starts to flood. Hopefully I dont get the same ghost reactions as you are getting with your PH readings. I like your mounting on your RKE. Heres mine. __________________ --Ryan-- You say your wallets fat?? Get into the saltwater hobby. That'll cure it real quick (175g Bowfront coming soon. Click on the red house to see the build thread.) Current Tank Info: 175g Reef, 60g sump, 40g frag, 40g fuge.

07/31/2008, 07:07 AM	#56
maroun.c Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Lebanon Posts: 6,111	Great build so far. Love the stand and looking forward to see your tank filled with corals and fish.. on your tubing issues, guess you should lower your drain tubes int he sump till 1-2 inch underwater this should quiet it down and create some pressure to push some of the airbubles out from the upside. I have a similar overflow (2x1 inch drains and 3/4 inch return) and I love the idea of having a back up drain that can handle all the load if the other gets clogged. I also think you can clsoe the valves of the drains a just a bit as that was the only thing that silenced mines, in adddition to the dursos. If its still to loud then yuo might need to use a smaller pump. I use the OR 3500 as return as my 350 was elevating the water level too much on the teeth of my overflow screen. One wuestion about the sump: don't the higher refugium glass casue splashing sounds and airbubles fromt eh water dropping that high? Do check my build thread(red house) for ideas on plumbing as I face a lot of what you've been through. Also seeing your lighting plans I guess you'll benefit from readin the last 1-2 pages of my build thread currently. Good luck with your built __________________ 390 G mixed reef build Current Tank Info: 390G mixed reef

08/13/2008, 09:35 AM	#67
sdietz2469 stickhead n chalice freak Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Milwaukie, OR 97267 Posts: 529	lookin good shane __________________ King Of Aquatico Island corals are like crack, but more expensive, and you cant OD on them.... Current Tank Info: 300DD sps dominant, ATB Med ext w/airstar 4-6105s, apex, geo 618 CaRx, PM 620 kalk, 500 gal total water. Check out my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2116897

08/06/2008, 05:33 PM	#60
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Well, I worked out the problem with the float switch by tracing the problem down to one switch in particular and replacing it. On inspection of the float switch, it looks like the wire has been corroded through where it meets the teflon! Look closely and you can see the hole where the epoxy gave way and you can see inside the switch to the bare wires. I used the topoff product from Aquahub.com I like the setup they have, but the one part I hate about their switch is you have to use some tubing and an adapter to protect the top of the switch. Once you do that, you have to silicon it so that it is water proof. For me, at least, this has turned out to be impossible. No matter how much silicon I used, the tubing that is supposed to protect the switch from water in my fresh water topoff container would fill with water. This isn't the switch that failed - the one in the sump to detect low water level failed. This switch isn't fully submerged - only when the return pump is off. Since even with the pump off, the switch wasn't very far underwater I could never really tell if my silicon job had done the trick. Well, now I know it didn't! For now, I've replaced the switch with a spare I have. Should it fail again, I'll probably look to a new manufacturer trying to make this thing waterproof is too much aggravation!

08/06/2008, 07:25 PM	#61
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Got my carbon on line. And my quarintine tank for my first guest And some pictures of my copepod infested tank.

08/06/2008, 08:13 PM	#62
Mikeeee Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada, B.C Posts: 501	how do you like your RKE? i cant seem to decide between RKE and Profilux.

08/13/2008, 08:33 AM	#65
Hornet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 145	Great build thread and very informative! I've gotten some great ideas from your thread. I was already considering getting some Eco Rox from bulk reef and after seeing pics of your Pukani I'm going to mix in some of that with my order. I look forward to future updates on your progress.

08/13/2008, 09:12 AM	#66
coop47 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sunny FL Posts: 52	Those shots of all the copepods are just awesome. Did you introduce them to the tank or did they just spring up out of the blue?

08/14/2008, 09:38 PM	#69
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Thanks for the words of encouragement, all. About a week ago I got my first fish, a Royal Gramma. He died in 48 hours and I was a bit rattled by that. I've been pretty much going nonstop on the tank since the beginning of June so took a week off from working on the tank and updating my thread after that. Here's the pictures that I took from that event. My fresh water dip setup. And my Gramma in the dip, playing dead. Just over 48 hours, him dying in the back of the tank with some sort of white slime on him. In the picture, you can barely see it just behind his head but it's all over him on the other side covering his eye as well. Died sometime in the middle of the night after looking like this. [IMG] Going to try one more time with a Gramma that I picked up today. The first one I picked up from a local shop that does online orders only. The one I got today, I went to an lfs and picked out one I liked. I got one that was bigger than my first one, and seemed active. He's hiding behind the heater right now, in a vertical position so I can't get a picture. This one has been much more active so I'm more hopefull. Tomorrow I'll try to post up a full tank shot. I've got a TON of green/hair algae all over the tank now and only 3 poor Asteras to eat it! I made an online order at IPSF that comes in tomorrow so hopefully I'll start getting that under control.

08/15/2008, 07:27 AM	#70
Hornet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 145	Did you seed the Eco Rox with something else ? __________________ 150 gal, 40g sump, Constellation T5 Light Fixture, Octo Ext. 200, ACIII, OM-4way Current Tank Info: 150 gal, 40g sump, Constellation T5 Light Fixture, Octo Ext. 200, ACIII, OM-4way

08/17/2008, 01:49 PM	#72
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Here's a current full tank shot. Very green and hairy! And a few of the denizens of my new clean up crew, part of my IPSF order.

08/17/2008, 01:52 PM	#73
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Here's some shots of my royal gramma in quarintine. He's doing well. Here's his favorite hiding spot. Out and about, probably shocked by the flash! However, he has a white spot on his side, just below his dorsal fin. You can see it in the first pic and this one. Any ideas what this is?

03/25/2010, 06:39 PM	#74
griffen24 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Lakeland, FL Posts: 114	I'm amazed at all the plant growth on the rocks.