Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank

[jason2459]

Thanks steve. I tried to make many caves and put some smaller rocks on the very bottom and propped up some of the bigger rocks.

Capn I certainly jumped straight to having some high nitrate by getting that water change water but I'm certainly not to worried about it right now. It'll go down.

I got the o-ring for the collection cup on the skimmer and got it going at half power right now to break it in.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/2i8ur2t.jpg[/IMG]

I decided to try something out and have it feed into my HOB refugium.

[IMG]http://i31.*******.com/315zc6w.jpg[/IMG]

Looks like I'm really close to becoming a daddy. The wife has been having contractions every 3-5 minutes all day. We were at the hospital for about half the day and were sent home because she isn't dilated beyond 1cm yet. Very frustrating and I feel really bad for her.

6:20pm Water test
temp 80 v
Salinity 35 -
pH 7.8 -
Ammonia 1 -
Nitrite 5 -
Nitrate 80 -

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by jason2459
Thanks steve. I tried to make many caves and put some smaller rocks on the very bottom and propped up some of the bigger rocks.

Capn I certainly jumped straight to having some high nitrate by getting that water change water but I'm certainly not to worried about it right now. It'll go down.

I got the o-ring for the collection cup on the skimmer and got it going at half power right now to break it in.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/2i8ur2t.jpg[/IMG]

I decided to try something out and have it feed into my HOB refugium.

[IMG]http://i31.*******.com/315zc6w.jpg[/IMG]

Looks like I'm really close to becoming a daddy. The wife has been having contractions every 3-5 minutes all day. We were at the hospital for about half the day and were sent home because she isn't dilated beyond 1cm yet. Very frustrating and I feel really bad for her.

6:20pm Water test
temp 80 v
Salinity 35 -
pH 7.8 -
Ammonia 1 -
Nitrite 5 -
Nitrate 80 -

wow it really is an exciting time for you right now. Keep us posted on the impending good news

[KarlBob]

Congratulations on your impending fatherhood.

You've made quite a comeback from the flood. My parents live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi (across the bay from Biloxi). Their house was also quite high above sea level, but Katrina still put several feet of water into it. Luckily, the foundation was not damaged, and they were able to repair the house. After seeing the pictures from their cleanup, I have an idea what kind of chaos you must have returned to.

From the pictures, the stand looks even better now than it did before the flood. Those oval "windows" on the sides of the tank are something I've never seen before. It's a neat effect.

I understand the loss of the car, too. My grandfather, who also lives in Ocean Springs, had a Mustang that he bought back in the 60s. A neighbor who worked on cars flushed out the salt water after the storm, but the damage was done, and it's gone now.

Good luck with the tank, and here's hoping the baby arrives soon!

[Rae C.]

What's the news on the baby? It's been almost 24 hours now...

[jason2459]

No baby yet. In fact the contractions slowed down to only a few here and there which she's had for a while now. She's very disappointed.

Got some chaeto in and thrown in the refug. Dido on another small water change this morning.

6:20pm Test
temp: 80 -
Salinity: 34 v
pH: 7.8 -
Ammonia: 1 -
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 80 -

[nanshaw2001]

Your new set up will be a great reward for what you have been through! Best of luck!!!

[jason2459]

Thanks nanshaw. I'm already just staring at it looking for any kind of change or creature to appear. I just love watching little things get caught up in the current and float around the tank.

[Rae C.]

Wait'll the baby comes. You'll spend hours watching it sleep

[jason2459]

I think I'll be spending that time trying to catch some shuteye as well.

[jason2459]

Started to see a small bit of Coraline growth yesterday but it was a very small amount and almost unnoticeable. Overnight and by the time I got home tonight it is most definitely noticeable. Not just on the live rock that already had some on it but the bleached out dead rock that I had. I guess they really don't care if theres a bit of Ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates in the water. I suppose the small little water changes I've done every day probably has helped that along? BTW, I've been having the actinic lights come on at 4:30p - 9pm and the 10k lights come on at 5:30pm - 8pm.

Nothing yet on the baby front yet.

8:30pm Tests
Temp: 80 -
Salinity: 34 -
pH: 7.8 -
Ammonia: 1 -
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 80 -

[jason2459]

Almost have part of the ATO setup with the three float switches. For some reason I can't find on of the end caps for the critter guard and will have to get another one.

[img]http://i28.*******.com/96ayon.jpg[/img]

Left switch shuts down the ATO incase the water level drops for some reason or doing a water change. Middle is the backup to the right float switch. Just a pvc housing around a float switch back to a relay connected to an extension cord.

Got the idea first from autotopoff and then found what I needed pretty cheap and directions from bulkreefsupply pointing to this site.

http://www.aquahub.com/store/diygaquarium.html

Still waiting for a 1.25" bit to drill into the collection cup. I ordered one as I couldn't find one at any of the hardware stores around here but it turns out it is on backorder. I think I'll go with Paul B's setup with it going into a collection bucket with a sensor in there to shutdown the skimmers pump.

8:15pm Tests
Temp: 82 ^
Salinity: 33 v
pH: 7.8 -
Ammonia: .25 v
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 20 v

[jason2459]

Finally found a few hitchhikers. Back at my LFG's place he found a little crab that he grabbed and put in his tank but that's all we saw and all I've seen since putting the rock in the tank. Maybe because the water parameters are getting better or they are just getting hungry but I've found two crabs and a snail savaging around.

The snail looks like a Nerite?
[IMG]http://i25.*******.com/2u70r41.jpg[/IMG]

One of the crabs is definitely a blue leg.
[IMG]http://i27.*******.com/b49bf6.jpg[/IMG]

The other crab I'm not sure. It's a bit bigger but looks more brownish. Can't be 100% but the claws look about equal in size. Hopefully it's a red tip. Crappy pic. I just have a cheap point'n shoot digital with no manual controls at all.

[IMG]http://i32.*******.com/2na4tpc.jpg[/IMG]

Very happy about those guys. Hope there's enough in the tank for them to eat.

I finally found a 1.25" bit I could use to drill a hole in the collection cup and got that plumbed to a bucket where I have a sensor on the bottom to turn off the skimmer. I like this switch as it automatically turns back on once dry. So, if by chance I'm gone for week or more and the skimmer overflows it will switch it off. As the water evaporates it will turn it back on. Takes very little water for it to react. Tested it out as soon as it was setup.

Uniseal worked great. 1/2in sch 40 pvc to a threaded/slip angle. screwed in a barb fitting and pushed in a 1/2in vinyl tubbing.

[IMG]http://i30.*******.com/25arbyb.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/1427w4j.jpg[/IMG]

Got a Hanna instruments ph/orp/temp probe as I'm going to be hooking up the ozone to the skimmer at some point. Not sure yet on when the best time would be to do that. I was figuring on waiting until the tank fully cycled.

Another small water change this morning.

7:30pm Tests
Temp: 79.9 v (Hanna)
SG: 34 ^
pH: 7.9 ^ (Hanna)
ORP: 130mv (Hanna)
Ammonia: 0 v !!!!
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 10 v

Figured that my ammonia shouldn't be at 0 so fast so I dumped in a bit of Windex. Really glad I've been checking every night as it's given me good practice and a really good eye at determining between the different colors to match against and what the liquid looks like.

[jason2459]

Thought my snail was dead today. I was going to take it out but turns out he was just hibernating again I guess. He started moving around tonight. The little crabs are all over the place trying to find something to eat. I do notice a little thin grayish/clear film starting to cover things around the tank.

Started to extend the hours my lights run. Actinics go from 12p - 9pm and 10k's go from 1p-8pm. Hope that gets some algae going for these guys that hitched a ride into my tank.

Collection bucket and sensor switch performed another successful test run today all on it's own. Still getting the skimmer dialed in. Will probably have to do that again once I start adding critters in the future.

Another little water change this morning.

8pm Tests
temp: 80.3 ^
SG: 34 -
pH: 7.9 -
ORP: 117
Ammonia: 0 -
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 20 ^

Hope that means the off the chart nitrites are starting to be turned into Nitrates.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by jason2459
Thought my snail was dead today. I was going to take it out but turns out he was just hibernating again I guess. He started moving around tonight. The little crabs are all over the place trying to find something to eat. I do notice a little thin grayish/clear film starting to cover things around the tank.

Started to extend the hours my lights run. Actinics go from 12p - 9pm and 10k's go from 1p-8pm. Hope that gets some algae going for these guys that hitched a ride into my tank.

Collection bucket and sensor switch performed another successful test run today all on it's own. Still getting the skimmer dialed in. Will probably have to do that again once I start adding critters in the future.

Another little water change this morning.

8pm Tests
temp: 80.3 ^
SG: 34 -
pH: 7.9 -
ORP: 117
Ammonia: 0 -
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 20 ^

Hope that means the off the chart nitrites are starting to be turned into Nitrates.

this thread is getting more and more interesting esp with the picture progress Jason

How much flow do you have established in your tank--the film build up seems like lack of flow

[jason2459]

Thanks capn. The film seems to be just collecting on top of the pumps, heaters, and the suction cups. There is one rock that is collecting some stuff. The one above with the snail hanging upside down is the rock and you can kind of see the film in that picture. Otherwise none of the other rocks are collecting it and neither is the substrate.

The rock happens to be right in front of the glass and I wisk the magfloat by it several times and it loosens up the film and most of it floats off.

I have two seio p530's, one seio mp820, maxijet that puts out about 230gph, and the skimmer at about 325gph. Not including the two 53gph pushing into the RUGF that is about 2435gph.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by jason2459
Thanks capn. The film seems to be just collecting on top of the pumps, heaters, and the suction cups. There is one rock that is collecting some stuff. The one above with the snail hanging upside down is the rock and you can kind of see the film in that picture. Otherwise none of the other rocks are collecting it and neither is the substrate.

The rock happens to be right in front of the glass and I wisk the magfloat by it several times and it loosens up the film and most of it floats off.

I have two seio p530's, one seio mp820, maxijet that puts out about 230gph, and the skimmer at about 325gph. Not including the two 53gph pushing into the RUGF that is about 2435gph.

Is the water surface really churrning--that could help also.

[jason2459]

Wow, that sucks. I just had a HUGE post that had to many images in it and I clicked back and nothing here..... GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

BRB RETYPING EVERYTHING AGAIN!!!

[jason2459]

Well, lets try this again. I previously said blah blah blah... blah blah a lot of times. I'll split this up into several posts.

Capn, I readjusted my pumps a bit. I also added my ozonizer today to get it adjusted and stabilized before I add anything and kill it. I'm starting at 5%(2.5mg/h) and expect to get up to about 50%(25mg/h) over the next week or two. I'll be checking the ORP to let me know if everything will be okay. The ORP level right now is way low so I should be okay.

From left to right. Here I adjusted the left seio pump down and facing up and to the center a bit. That along with my refugium return causes some good water movement on the surface. I think I had it there before. You can also see I adjusted the skimmer pump angled up toward the surface more.

[IMG]http://i30.*******.com/23ixu9h.jpg[/IMG]

With the skimmer pump angled up it's pulling the surface scum in a lot better. It also makes a tiny little vortex at times. Doesn't make any noise though so that's good. You can kind of see it behind the gazillion bubbles, more on that below.

[IMG]http://i30.*******.com/2ztaiit.jpg[/IMG]


In the middle I have the 830 pointed forward and downward. On the right I have the other 530 poing slightly down and center.

[IMG]http://i25.*******.com/25zox7l.jpg[/IMG]

In the back below the skimmer pump I have the maxijet stuffed behind a rock pointed to the right and down slightly.

[IMG]http://i25.*******.com/2d9tpow.jpg[/IMG]

The skimmer outputs into the refugium which it's outflow kind of spreads itself out over where it hangs onto the tank. I used to have it poing right into the water but this spread it out over a longer area, reduces air forming bubbles as it enters the tank, and also thought about Paul B's algae trough idea and though this would be good for that too.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/xofle0.jpg[/IMG]

[jason2459]

The pentazillion bubbles are from adding the ozonizer earlier today. I've read about the coralife skimmer I have and found it performs a bit better with restricted airflow via an air valve but then also read that it's more consistent with an air pump restricted as well. Took me about an hour to get it adjusted right from to much air to to little air spewing micro bubbles everywhere every time. The model 10 whisper air pump is SUPER quiet as long as it doesn't touch anything. Even with the little rubber feet as soon as I set it down on the wood inside the cabinet it would vibrate. Got some foam from the canister filter I'm not using and surrounded the pump with that. Worked perfectly. Yes, I do have an ozone safe one way check valve in use. Yes, I know I need to get things organized under there...

Also, wanted to mention that I have the water sensor in the bucket, that goes to a relay, and attaches to an extension cord. From the extension cord I have the air pump, ozonizer, and skimmer connected. That way when it senses water all three shut off and doesn't keep producing ozone.

Water sensor --> relay --> extension cord --> skimmer/airpump/ozonizer.

Air flow:
air pump --> air control valve --> dryer --> ozonizer --/> check valve ---> skimmer pump air inlet.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/25at7hz.jpg[/IMG]

Constant and restricted air is suppose to create a lot more foam from this skimmer.... doesn't look much different to me from getting it adjusted the way I wanted it before but then again I have about 0.00000001% bioload right now.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/2je8nbr.jpg[/IMG]

[jason2459]

While I was under the cabinet I decided to take pictures of the ATO setup. 5gal bucket with the aqualifter plugged into the relay extension cord attached to the float sensors. The bucket is fed by RO/DI in the basement and has a float valve in there too incase I don't check in time and the bucket overflows with RO/DI water.

[IMG]http://i28.*******.com/1zee3py.jpg[/IMG]

I used a magnet with airline holder adapter to keep the hose where I want it in the bucket. I have it about an inch up as later on when I want to get into corals I'm thinking I'll probably be dosing wage's lime and don't want to suck up any of the stuff that might settle on the bottom. (Probably wont have any SPS.)

[IMG]http://i27.*******.com/5kemc8.jpg[/IMG]

The top of the tank has a stiff U-loop to pretty much drip the water in really slowly (supposed to be ~3g/h.)

Have a check valve going from the pump to the tank as well.

Float sensors ---> relay ---> extension cord ---> aquatlifter sucks water up from the bucket ---/> check valve ---> tank

[IMG]http://i29.*******.com/nlqtfp.jpg[/IMG]

I think I got everything that I had in the previous post that got wiped out but I'm sure I forgot something.

Small water change this morning.

8pm Tests
Temp: 80.5 ^
SG: 34 -
pH: 7.88 v
ORP: 132 ^
Ammonia: 0 -
Nitrite: 5 -
Nitrate: 20 -

I think the nitrite is converting to nitrate right now. The color of the solution still matches the 5 level on the card but seems a bit lighter then it has been before. Don't know if that's possible or just my brain all screwed up from sucking in ozone.

Just remembered I also mentioned in the previous post that I love spell check because in the previous post as well as this one I had more misspelled words then I have bubbles in my tank. I use iespell that's an add-in to IE.

[Aquarist007]

nice work--the pics are easy to follow

[jason2459]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
the pics are easy to follow

Like a McDonalds menu?

[jason2459]

Things seem to be coming along nicely I think. Still doing water change every morning. Ozone is still at 5mg/h and will probably bump it up a bit after tomorrow's readings.

9pm Tests
Temp: 80.9
SG: 35
pH: 7.8
ORP: 146
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 5
Nitrate: 80

Very encouraged that the ammonia is still at 0. Also, happy that since the ammonia went down the nitrates have been slowly climbing back up. Might see the nitrates start going down to 0 at some point here. Probably with in the next week or two I suppose.

[jason2459]

I forgot how noisy the rio 1100 pump is on that coralife skimmer. In the old house it was in the dinning room but our new house is a lot smaller and we don't have a dinning room anymore. The tank is shoved in the back corner of the living room now. I think I'm going to look around for a used maxijet 1200, put a venturi on it, and mod the prop. I would like a bit less flow and I really like the maxijet 900 that I already have. Compact, very quiet, and very reliable. The maxijet 900 was suppling flow into the HOB refug but is now shoved in the lower back of the tank. The mj900 is at least 5 years old and probably a lot more. Could be as old as the tank who knows.

ORP actually went down slightly today so I'm going to give a little more ozone. I'll keep adjusting as the ORP stabilizes or goes down a bit and to a level I think is safe.

One of my little hitchhikers kicked the bucket. One of the blue leg hermits must not have been able to handle two nitrate spikes in a week. I took out it's carcass tonight. The snail is very boring. It's been on the same rock since I first found it. I keep thinking it's dead. I give it the benefit of the doubt and by the evening when I decide I'm going to pull it out it's move about an inch. Definitely defines the term slow as a snail. Don't know where the other blue leg is but I'll assume he's dead.

9pm Tests
Temp: 80.4
SG: 34
pH: 7.81
ORP: 134
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 1 or the lightest looking 5 I've had yet.
Nitrate: 40

[jason2459]

Decided to get one last purchase in before the baby and while I still have a little money left. Just call me Mini Paul B. I ordered a Vortex Diatom filter. Pretty much last major thing I'll be buying for the tank itself.

Should be getting a package in tomorrow that I'm really excited about. Should be between 6-7lbs. Wife and I were in for a weekly check up and said that they would induce her tomorrow. We'll be going in at 7:30am!


Small water change in the morning.

6:45pm Tests
Temp: 80.2
SG: 34
pH: 7.86
ORP: 133
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: 40

Looks like my reading last night was a 1. Now I know what that looks like. Bumping ORP up a bit again tonight.