Tswifty's Custom 40g Rimless Build Thread

[Tswifty]

Just posted my AC3 program on another thread, so I figured I would post it here since it's going to change soon once I bring my 2nd dc8 online.

Timer Names

MH1$-A01 - Metal Halide
RTN#-A02 - Return Pump
CO2&-A03 - CO2 Solenoid
HT1%-A04 - Heater
KLK#-A05 - Kalk Reactor Stirring Pump
FUG$-A06 - Refugium Light
ATO%-A07 - ATO Pump
HT2%-A08 - Heater
ALM&-A09 - Alarm
FS1&-I11 - ATO Float Switch
FS2&-I12 - ATO Backup Float Switch

Program Statements

If Time > 00:00 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then RTN ON

Lights

If Time > 14:00 Then MH1 ON
If Time > 22:00 Then MH1 OFF
Max Change 015 M Then MH1 OFF
If Temp > 83.0 Then MH1 OFF
If Time > 22:00 Then FUG ON
If Time > 10:00 Then FUG OFF

Heaters

If Temp < 79.8 Then HT1 ON
If Temp > 80.3 Then HT1 OFF
If Temp < 79.5 Then HT2 ON
If Temp > 80.0 Then HT2 OFF
If Temp < 50.0 Then HT1 OFF
If Temp < 50.0 Then HT2 OFF
If Temp > 83.0 Then ALM ON
If Temp < 76.0 Then ALM ON

Kalk Stirring

OSC 005/240 ON/OFF Then KLK ON

Ca Reactor

If pH2 > 06.80 Then CO2 ON
If pH2 < 06.50 Then CO2 OFF
If pH2 > 07.00 Then ALM ON

ATO
If Switch1 CLOSED Then FS1 OFF
If Switch1 CLOSED Then ATO OFF
If Switch1 OPEN Then FS1 ON
If Switch1 OPEN Then ATO ON
If Switch2 CLOSED Then FS2 OFF
If Switch2 OPEN Then FS2 ON
If Switch2 OPEN Then ATO OFF

Power Fail Alarm

If Power 000 Then ALM ON

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by kudora
lol what are you doing different to actually grow cheato, i know its been a problem since the 90 gallon.

My refugium is just laid out differently this time, as far as placement... so all the flow through the sump passes through the refugium. Also, I haven't used GFO on this tank yet.

[HumanIMDB]

Originally posted by Tswifty
Just posted my AC3 program on another thread, so I figured I would post it here since it's going to change soon once I bring my 2nd dc8 online.

Think I'm going to wait for the APEX to come out...but I definitely want to get a controller.

Or pick up a AC3 on sale once the APEX unit is released.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Tswifty
My refugium is just laid out differently this time, as far as placement... so all the flow through the sump passes through the refugium. Also, I haven't used GFO on this tank yet.

I removed the gfo a month or so ago- I am now starting to get a little red and green algae on the substrate and walls of the display tank---even with two healthy refugiums. I guess its time to put back the phosban reactor.

BTW
My cheato has done excellent whether or not the phosban reactor was on

[kudora]

i had the reverse effect, i was having problems with the gfo in the tank

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
BTW
My cheato has done excellent whether or not the phosban reactor was on

Originally posted by kudora
i had the reverse effect, i was having problems with the gfo in the tank

I still consider my "young" system to be nutrient poor... so in that type of situation it's my opinion and observation that GFO has a negative effect on macro algae. However, like you stated... I know many hobbyists who's tanks have been established for many years which utilize both refugiums as well as GFO in their system. Thus far, on my reef tanks, I have never been able to keep macro alive while running both at the same time.

[Tswifty]

Here are a few pictures of some of the Acan growth, which has seemed to continue rather rapidly. I don't post pictures often of them anymore. As you can see, they're in an area where I find it extremely difficult to capture a good picture. The photo box either shades them, or the pictures turn out too bright. Any tips would be appreciated.

I really don't like the pictures I posted, but I think it's good enough to show the new growth off the back end of the frags.

Initial Frag:



Current Back:



Current Front:



Initial Frag:



Current Back:



Current Front:

[melev]

They look great. Super healthy, fat 'n' puffy. I should really feed mine.

[psteeleb]

great growth on the acans - what is the start date on them. I have about the same growth on some since Feb but don't target feed. I'm wondering how much more growth I'd get if I did.

tks

[Bill14]

The acans are looking great as well as the rest of the tank.

In the second set of pics, is the color/pattern variation really that different in person between the polyps on the front vs. the polyps on the back? Is that just because they are new and something they will "grow out of"? Just curious. I've obviously never had acans before.

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by melev
They look great. Super healthy, fat 'n' puffy. I should really feed mine.

Thanks... Since I feed my tank with a Turkey Baster anyway, it's easy to squirt some down in their direction. I try to remember to do it at least once or twice a week.

Originally posted by psteeleb
great growth on the acans - what is the start date on them. I have about the same growth on some since Feb but don't target feed. I'm wondering how much more growth I'd get if I did.

tks

I added them on Feb 8th.

I think I inadvertently set the growth back though by not mounting them to rocks initially. When I finally got around to mounting them, I was forced to cut away some dead skeleton that had tried to form over the frag disc and onto the sand, but since it wasn't able to attach to a hard surface it had died back.

Originally posted by Bill14
The acans are looking great as well as the rest of the tank.

In the second set of pics, is the color/pattern variation really that different in person between the polyps on the front vs. the polyps on the back? Is that just because they are new and something they will "grow out of"? Just curious. I've obviously never had acans before.

Thank you. Yes the juvenile heads on that particular acan have a checkered/striped pattern. As the heads get larger it gradually seems to disappear though.

[IridescentLily]

*waves*
Gorgeous Acans! They look super healthy.

[Tswifty]

Ok... So tomorrow (later today *cough* *cough*) I think I'm going to take a crack at silencing my drain line once and for all. The main "noise generation" area has been where the water converges around a bend, on it's path down to the sump. There's a lot of turbulence in that area, which in turn creates A LOT of noise... so here is what I am thinking.

Drill a small hole in the top of the drain pipe, and vent out any trapped air via a small piece of airline tubing. Below is a rough sketch which illustrates what I am considering.

What do you think?

[kudora]

looks like a good idea, reminds me of what glass-holes does to silence thier overflows

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by IridescentLily
*waves*
Gorgeous Acans! They look super healthy.

Thanks April.

[OwNeD162]

Looks like it will work to me too
Make sure your tubing is long enough so that water does use it as an escape route

[melev]

+1 - Exactly.

[Tswifty]

Sounds like a go then... I'm going to take a crack at it here in a little. If this doesn't work... I do have one more modification that would require a little more work, but would definitely silence the drain.

[psteeleb]

it will help, try the 1/4" and if you still get a bunch of air being pushed into the sump or out the bottom plan on going larger. you want to provide enough of an air escape to avoid the air bubbles that currently do not have a clear path to escape other then down.

plan on getting some water so loop the line back over the sump but keep the end above your water line of the sump

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Tswifty
Ok... So tomorrow (later today *cough* *cough*) I think I'm going to take a crack at silencing my drain line once and for all. The main "noise generation" area has been where the water converges around a bend, on it's path down to the sump. There's a lot of turbulence in that area, which in turn creates A LOT of noise... so here is what I am thinking.

Drill a small hole in the top of the drain pipe, and vent out any trapped air via a small piece of airline tubing. Below is a rough sketch which illustrates what I am considering.

What do you think?

I've run a similar thing on the drain of my two refugiums(old pic)

[BigJay]

Tswifty, I've shut off, emptied, and broke down the Korallin until the new pinch valve gets here. I just can't take it anymore, it vapor-locked again last night and slagged half of the ARM media into sand. When most of the media is sand, the eheim pump can't pull water and it's permanently stuck. Apparently this reactor really needs a pinch valve like the lifereef model that melev runs.

I hope you've had more luck with this thing than I have.

[Tswifty]

The drain fix didn't do anything... still loud as ever... and now I have a hole in the pipe.

I also decided to finally hang the second pendant. I hate the way everything looks above the tank right now, but I'm still locked in an argument about hanging the canopy. I have VHO's to add as well, but won't be able to add them until I get the canopy over the tank... somehow...

Anyway... here are the pics...

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by BigJay
Tswifty, I've shut off, emptied, and broke down the Korallin until the new pinch valve gets here. I just can't take it anymore, it vapor-locked again last night and slagged half of the ARM media into sand. When most of the media is sand, the eheim pump can't pull water and it's permanently stuck. Apparently this reactor really needs a pinch valve like the lifereef model that melev runs.

I hope you've had more luck with this thing than I have.

Sorry to hear that. I agree though... the Korallin is a constant headache. My effluent rate has definitely slowed down some since I first added the pinch valve, but at least it seems to be steady now.

As soon as I can figure out a way to get some extra cash, I'm going to replace it.

[H.Veras]

wow thats really beautiful.. i love it... hey TJ do you wanna change your tank with my? hahah

[OwNeD162]

Sucks to hear the drain fix didn't work TJ
Any other ideas to fix it?

I really like the two pendants above the tank look, looks really really good !
Just make sure you paint the second one to match