Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 14

melev · 05/18/2006, 05:15 PM

Which is why your corals aren't growing. In a young tank, the water is rarely stable and it takes months to get everything dialed in and adjusted to achieve stability. However, once you get it there and keep it there with due diligence, your tank should do well for you and the reeflings will reflect that.

I do work on my tank quite a bit, but not nearly as much as some might think. When I was battling phosphate last year, it was nearly a full time job and quite discouraging. Now that that issue has been taken care of, I can just enjoy my tank and tinker. Cyano is still an issue here and there, but for the most part the tank is heading in the right direction.

NuclearReefs · 05/18/2006, 11:51 PM

that the scripts you got from me marc?

that looks like a PL mille ,, the peach one

melev · 05/19/2006, 01:05 AM

The scripps is visible as well. I have two colonies of it now, if not three.

I don't know what you are talking about with the second half of your post. PL? Peach?

CW from the OC · 05/19/2006, 08:09 AM

Hey Marc,

How is the Probibo (sp?) going for you? Did I see you stopped for a month?

melev · 05/19/2006, 01:40 PM

I just dosed again three days ago, I think. Just scroll back a page or two. I really don't have an opinion one way or another at this point, because I've only dosed the tank three times. I did have the tip of one branch of A. nobilis RTN the next day, so I cut off a good inch of coral to stop it in its tracks.

While looking in the tank today, I found a small rock lying on the substrate that didn't belong there. Quickly I realized that it was a frag of nobilis that I'd been growing for the past 6 weeks. I pulled it up, but 80% of it was dead.

It, what's left of it, is back in position. PSA: Don't let SPS fall into the sand bed because they'll smother quickly.

melev · 05/21/2006, 12:52 PM

I finally got my new light suspended over the prop section of my sump last night. I wanted a small light that would fit nicely, not use tons of power, and be moveable. As people would come visit, I'd explain what I was wanting, and finally someone suggested I get a rolling drawer track. Bingo!

After work yesterday, I came home, ate dinner and then decided that I had mere minutes to head up to Home Depot before they closed.

I looked at the rolling door tracks, and stumbled across a bracket set designed to secure a keyboard under a desk for $13. The tabs sticking out of it were roughly 7" apart, the same distance as the cables on the light fixture. PURRRFECT. In hardware, I looked for something that I could crimp around the wires to keep them in place, but wasn't sure of what kind of metal to use. I found aluminum ones with some help, but lead would have been better in retrospec.

When I got home, I started to figure out what would work and what would need doing to make this happen. It was hot in the garage because of the a/c unit to the fish room, so I opened it up to vent out the heat before starting to make noise for the neighbors from midnight to 2am.

The biggest hindrance was determining what I could use from the base of the stand to the bracket. I didn't really want metal that could rust and drip, but wood seemed bulky. I thought about acrylic for a little bit, but didn't want to wait for it to cure, let alone wonder what would happen when it eventually did fail. I couldn't find any angle brackets, and didn't feel like modifying a shelf bracket or two. Then I remembered I had some straight stock aluminum left over from the original light rack (page 18 of this thread I think, or maybe 23).

Tools needed for this project:
Hammer
Hacksaw
Drill with various metal bits
Vicegrips
Tape measure
Wire cutters
Speed Square
Patience

So once I figured out where the light would hang and how the bracket needed to be placed, I cut my aluminum pieces. On was 7" long, the other was 12.5" long. The 7" piece would fit under the 2x6 frame that holds up the tank, while the 12.5" piece needed to be secured to the plywood sheet that the tank sits upon.

Next I drilled holes to align with the brackets that were built onto the rolling track. This wasn't as simple as I would have liked, but 20 minutes later I had what would work. Using rivets, I secured the aluminum brackets to the rolling track, and then screwed this into the underside of the tank's stand.

The wires were run through the keyboard tabs, and using the aluminum crimps with Vicegrips, I was able to assure those weren't going anywhere.

Finally, I ran the other half of the cables into the connectors on the lights, adjust the height to what I felt was right, and tested it out. It worked.

Want to see some pictures?

Okay, here are the crimping parts. $1.10

And installed. Front wire

Back wire

The front bracket

Where it was riveted

melev · 05/21/2006, 12:58 PM

Here is the light fixture extended to the front of the sump.

And now it is rolled back or retracted to the rear.

Again, but from above.

The frag zone is small, with a pile of rock behind that I'm not sure what I'll do with at the moment.

And a couple of frags that were handy

Now I just need to go through my reef and figure out what needs to be transferred down into the prop zone.

I'd like to move the Maroon clownfish and their anemone to this section, but at the same time I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. I don't need the clowns moving or harming frags, nor do I want the anemone to hike right into the return pump intake....

jnarowe · 05/21/2006, 12:59 PM

Nice bit of work for a late night project! Why move the clown & anemone? Isn't that area a bit small for that and frags?

melev · 05/21/2006, 01:00 PM

I'm the "Nocturnal Reefer".

Btw, this is a Aqua Medic 150w Metal Halide. The bulb is a 14,000K bulb, but I'm getting some 10,000K bulbs on Monday from a DFWMAS member. We traded some bulbs recently, so I just need to pick these up.

I have the light on a timer to run 8 hours a day, and may even reduce that if necessary. I put the ballast up on the top off resevoir that I never open, to keep it away from the water.

Hop · 05/21/2006, 01:18 PM

Nice... Seemed to work out perfect... How do you like the AM light? I was thinking of swapping out my 175s for three of the 250s, but don't want to shell out the cash until I get a reputable review

melev · 05/21/2006, 01:21 PM

Well, since it has only been used for a smattering of days, I can't really say much. Upgrading your lighting? Aren't you the same guy that was reducing his total wattage because the electric company was sucking your bank account dry?

jnarowe · 05/21/2006, 01:33 PM

now that's below the belt Marc!

Hop · 05/21/2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Well, since it has only been used for a smattering of days, I can't really say much. Upgrading your lighting? Aren't you the same guy that was reducing his total wattage because the electric company was sucking your bank account dry?

I got a raise with my new posistion and it funds the electric bill

But I was thinking next summer of upgrading some parts...

There may be plans on us moving and I may be thinking of a 96"X60"X30" FOWLR, and setting this(my current one) tank up as a real eye catcher. The Hop 5 year plan

Dudester · 05/21/2006, 03:08 PM

Very cool, Marc. You always seem to come up with great construction ideas. I'll be very interested to see how, if at all, that MH bulb affects the growth of your macroalgae in the fuge section.

Now that you have a frag prop section, do you have any plans to spot feed this area (I think I saw some LPS in there)?

Travis · 05/21/2006, 06:50 PM

Very cool Marc.

Some good "out of the box" thinking.

Lunchbucket · 05/21/2006, 07:13 PM

how does Melev do it??? he always has inventive projects...i think it is the late night's that make it all possible. its the gnomes i tell you!! the ones that steal a sock out of the dryer....same ones but cousins!

Lunchbucket

SERVO · 05/21/2006, 07:45 PM

Damn Marc, That looks great! You really did a bang up job with that one. Love the suspension system.

jnarowe · 05/21/2006, 07:54 PM

all it needs now is a motor!

Cprowler · 05/21/2006, 08:06 PM

Excellent job as always Marc! The attention to detail, documentation, and pictures are in a league of their own.

melev · 05/21/2006, 08:59 PM

Hop - That must be one heck of a raise. I still remember a certain post about selling off the entire system...

That would be one monster upgrade. I think at that point, you'd want 400w bulbs in Reef Optic reflectors on a rolling light rack. You could then spread the light and have it move back and forth across the tank.

melev · 05/21/2006, 09:01 PM

Thanks guys!

Adding a small motor would be really neat to evenly light the area and not add more heat to the tank, nor add more electricity. Perhaps I can come up with something nice and simple.

Hop · 05/21/2006, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Hop - That must be one heck of a raise. I still remember a certain post about selling off the entire system...

That would be one monster upgrade. I think at that point, you'd want 400w bulbs in Reef Optic reflectors on a rolling light rack. You could then spread the light and have it move back and forth across the tank.

It was enough to cover the electric bill

My wife finally got that second job to pay for my addiction (JJ, but she did get a better job and her health issues that were compounding the buyers regret have subsided

)

The bigger tank would be only lit by enough T5s for viewing. The current tank would be the full blown reef

I have too much learning to do to make a 900 gallon reef, plus I'm still a public service grunt.

So basically, until you get a 900 gallon reef and do another 15 day building log, I'm sticking to the current reef

But enough about me, when are you upgrading to a 900 gallon reef?

jnarowe · 05/21/2006, 09:16 PM

what's the difference...250g, 400g, 900g? You don't have to fill the entire thing with coral you know. Just a few here and there.

Oh wait, you're not my wife.

melev · 05/21/2006, 09:41 PM

Hop, keep dreaming. I will resist upgrading with every fiber of my body.

Hop · 05/21/2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Hop, keep dreaming. I will resist upgrading with every fiber of my body.

This sounds familiar... I stole this right off a site I read once:
"After almost 7 years in the hobby, I upgraded to a huge tank. About 3 years ago, I announced that my 29g reef was full, and that I was content. Many online friends accused me of sacriledge, telling me that I had to upgrade. I resisted the temptation for a while, knowing that expenses would rise in the process. A 55g set up fell into my lap a few months later, and while I enjoyed that extra tank, ideas were running through my head about an L-shaped tank that wrapped around a corner so it could be viewed from the living room and kitchen. Talking about that tank for over one and a half years, it never came to fruition. Suddenly a 280g reef set-up became available in my area and I decided it was time to take the plunge."

05/18/2006, 11:51 PM	#327
NuclearReefs Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale Florida Posts: 2,606	that the scripts you got from me marc? that looks like a PL mille ,, the peach one __________________ Kalkwasser in Coffee Current Tank Info: 125 RR SPS, LED's & T-5 O3's

05/19/2006, 08:09 AM	#329
CW from the OC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 853	Hey Marc, How is the Probibo (sp?) going for you? Did I see you stopped for a month? __________________ Cheers! C Dub Current Tank Info: 210 LeeMar starfire reef (7x2x2), 100 gal SoCalCreations sump, Aquacontroller 3, Geo 618 fed by Cole Parmer peri pump, ATB Large Cone , Aquatinics Constellation T5, 4 Vortecs with wireless controllers, Eheim 1262 return on a SeaSwirl

05/21/2006, 12:52 PM	#331
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Propagation section is up and running I finally got my new light suspended over the prop section of my sump last night. I wanted a small light that would fit nicely, not use tons of power, and be moveable. As people would come visit, I'd explain what I was wanting, and finally someone suggested I get a rolling drawer track. Bingo! After work yesterday, I came home, ate dinner and then decided that I had mere minutes to head up to Home Depot before they closed. I looked at the rolling door tracks, and stumbled across a bracket set designed to secure a keyboard under a desk for $13. The tabs sticking out of it were roughly 7" apart, the same distance as the cables on the light fixture. PURRRFECT. In hardware, I looked for something that I could crimp around the wires to keep them in place, but wasn't sure of what kind of metal to use. I found aluminum ones with some help, but lead would have been better in retrospec. When I got home, I started to figure out what would work and what would need doing to make this happen. It was hot in the garage because of the a/c unit to the fish room, so I opened it up to vent out the heat before starting to make noise for the neighbors from midnight to 2am. The biggest hindrance was determining what I could use from the base of the stand to the bracket. I didn't really want metal that could rust and drip, but wood seemed bulky. I thought about acrylic for a little bit, but didn't want to wait for it to cure, let alone wonder what would happen when it eventually did fail. I couldn't find any angle brackets, and didn't feel like modifying a shelf bracket or two. Then I remembered I had some straight stock aluminum left over from the original light rack (page 18 of this thread I think, or maybe 23). Tools needed for this project: Hammer Hacksaw Drill with various metal bits Vicegrips Tape measure Wire cutters Speed Square Patience So once I figured out where the light would hang and how the bracket needed to be placed, I cut my aluminum pieces. On was 7" long, the other was 12.5" long. The 7" piece would fit under the 2x6 frame that holds up the tank, while the 12.5" piece needed to be secured to the plywood sheet that the tank sits upon. Next I drilled holes to align with the brackets that were built onto the rolling track. This wasn't as simple as I would have liked, but 20 minutes later I had what would work. Using rivets, I secured the aluminum brackets to the rolling track, and then screwed this into the underside of the tank's stand. The wires were run through the keyboard tabs, and using the aluminum crimps with Vicegrips, I was able to assure those weren't going anywhere. Finally, I ran the other half of the cables into the connectors on the lights, adjust the height to what I felt was right, and tested it out. It worked. Want to see some pictures? Okay, here are the crimping parts. $1.10 And installed. Front wire Back wire The front bracket Where it was riveted

05/21/2006, 12:59 PM	#333
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Nice bit of work for a late night project! Why move the clown & anemone? Isn't that area a bit small for that and frags? __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted Last edited by jnarowe; 05/21/2006 at 01:15 PM.

05/21/2006, 01:18 PM	#335
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Nice... Seemed to work out perfect... How do you like the AM light? I was thinking of swapping out my 175s for three of the 250s, but don't want to shell out the cash until I get a reputable review __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

05/18/2006, 05:15 PM	#326
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Which is why your corals aren't growing. In a young tank, the water is rarely stable and it takes months to get everything dialed in and adjusted to achieve stability. However, once you get it there and keep it there with due diligence, your tank should do well for you and the reeflings will reflect that. I do work on my tank quite a bit, but not nearly as much as some might think. When I was battling phosphate last year, it was nearly a full time job and quite discouraging. Now that that issue has been taken care of, I can just enjoy my tank and tinker. Cyano is still an issue here and there, but for the most part the tank is heading in the right direction.

05/19/2006, 01:05 AM	#328
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	The scripps is visible as well. I have two colonies of it now, if not three. I don't know what you are talking about with the second half of your post. PL? Peach?

05/19/2006, 01:40 PM	#330
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I just dosed again three days ago, I think. Just scroll back a page or two. I really don't have an opinion one way or another at this point, because I've only dosed the tank three times. I did have the tip of one branch of A. nobilis RTN the next day, so I cut off a good inch of coral to stop it in its tracks. While looking in the tank today, I found a small rock lying on the substrate that didn't belong there. Quickly I realized that it was a frag of nobilis that I'd been growing for the past 6 weeks. I pulled it up, but 80% of it was dead. It, what's left of it, is back in position. PSA: Don't let SPS fall into the sand bed because they'll smother quickly.

05/21/2006, 12:58 PM	#332
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Here is the light fixture extended to the front of the sump. And now it is rolled back or retracted to the rear. Again, but from above. The frag zone is small, with a pile of rock behind that I'm not sure what I'll do with at the moment. And a couple of frags that were handy Now I just need to go through my reef and figure out what needs to be transferred down into the prop zone. I'd like to move the Maroon clownfish and their anemone to this section, but at the same time I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. I don't need the clowns moving or harming frags, nor do I want the anemone to hike right into the return pump intake....

05/21/2006, 01:00 PM	#334
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I'm the "Nocturnal Reefer". Btw, this is a Aqua Medic 150w Metal Halide. The bulb is a 14,000K bulb, but I'm getting some 10,000K bulbs on Monday from a DFWMAS member. We traded some bulbs recently, so I just need to pick these up. I have the light on a timer to run 8 hours a day, and may even reduce that if necessary. I put the ballast up on the top off resevoir that I never open, to keep it away from the water.

05/21/2006, 01:21 PM	#336
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Well, since it has only been used for a smattering of days, I can't really say much. Upgrading your lighting? Aren't you the same guy that was reducing his total wattage because the electric company was sucking your bank account dry?

05/21/2006, 01:33 PM	#337
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	now that's below the belt Marc! __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

05/21/2006, 03:08 PM	#339
Dudester Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,218	Very cool, Marc. You always seem to come up with great construction ideas. I'll be very interested to see how, if at all, that MH bulb affects the growth of your macroalgae in the fuge section. Now that you have a frag prop section, do you have any plans to spot feed this area (I think I saw some LPS in there)? __________________ The Dude abides Current Tank Info: building a new home tank l 450g office tank with Deltec everything

05/21/2006, 06:50 PM	#340
Travis 10 and over club Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 5,525	Very cool Marc. Some good "out of the box" thinking. __________________ TOTM August 08 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Current Tank Info: 280 sps w/ 75 LPS, 75 refugium, 120 sump

05/21/2006, 07:13 PM	#341
Lunchbucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 12,924	how does Melev do it??? he always has inventive projects...i think it is the late night's that make it all possible. its the gnomes i tell you!! the ones that steal a sock out of the dryer....same ones but cousins! Lunchbucket __________________ Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- Current Tank Info: 58gal Oceanic RR, 2x400w MH (20k XM and 10k XM), Deltec PF601 Ca Rx, Deltec AP701 skimmer, mag950 return, iwaki 55rlt w/ an Oceansmotions 4-way unit, Tunze 7300 and 6000 each w/ controller, fluidized po4 rx

05/21/2006, 07:45 PM	#342
SERVO Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Keller, TX Posts: 1,305	Damn Marc, That looks great! You really did a bang up job with that one. Love the suspension system.

05/21/2006, 07:54 PM	#343
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	all it needs now is a motor! __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

05/21/2006, 08:06 PM	#344
Cprowler Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,758	Excellent job as always Marc! The attention to detail, documentation, and pictures are in a league of their own.

05/21/2006, 08:59 PM	#345
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Hop - That must be one heck of a raise. I still remember a certain post about selling off the entire system... That would be one monster upgrade. I think at that point, you'd want 400w bulbs in Reef Optic reflectors on a rolling light rack. You could then spread the light and have it move back and forth across the tank.

05/21/2006, 09:01 PM	#346
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Thanks guys! Adding a small motor would be really neat to evenly light the area and not add more heat to the tank, nor add more electricity. Perhaps I can come up with something nice and simple.

05/21/2006, 09:16 PM	#348
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	what's the difference...250g, 400g, 900g? You don't have to fill the entire thing with coral you know. Just a few here and there. Oh wait, you're not my wife. __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

05/21/2006, 09:41 PM	#349
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Hop, keep dreaming. I will resist upgrading with every fiber of my body.