My 280g Custom upgrade.....

[SPotter]

So I moved everything over from my current dt to the frag tank that will act as my transition tank until the new tank is ready to go and the basement is being remodeled. I started at 8pm and just wrapped up at 1am but not completely done. Still need to hook dosing pumps and algae turf scrubber back up but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Before.....



After.....





Picture quality isn't that good with the cell phone. Plus the water was still a little cloudy and I am not too happy with the bulbs in the fixture so I will be ordering new t5 bulbs soon.

OTHER UPDATES.....

* Construction on the basement begins sometime next week
* Stand is complete and will be delivered on Monday
* There was a delay with the glass...and the building of the tank should begin next week as well

[Dustin1300]

Looks great Steve! One step at a time! I'm not as far along as I hoped but am still making progress...holiday season is just so busy!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

[SPotter]

Originally Posted by Dustin1300

Looks great Steve! One step at a time! I'm not as far along as I hoped but am still making progress...holiday season is just so busy!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

Thanks Dustin! I hear ya about the holidays plus they weren't supposed to start on my basement until after new years but the job got pushed up two weeks so I have been working on clearing that out every night this week.

I was so nervous about the leaks or a flood I set my alarm to off every 90 mins last night so I could go down into the basement and check on everything.

[nightOwl]

Looking good Steve! Moving one step closer now keep us posted!

[SPotter]

Originally Posted by nightOwl

Looking good Steve! Moving one step closer now keep us posted!

Thanks Henry! Months of planning are really starting to come together.

[SPotter]

The stand was delivered today and all I have to say is....wow this tank is going to be huge!!!!! Up until now I had only visualized the foot print of the tank on google sketch or a piece of paper. I boxed it out on the wall with string but now after seeing the stand....this is going to be awesome!!!!!!





I builder for the stand laughed at me when I told him to just leave it in my driveway and I would bring it into my basement when I got home from work. Now I know he laughed.....it must weigh about 250lbs.

Trying to decide on what I should put between the tank and stand....plywood or styrofoam or boath?????

[SPotter]

The glass has arrived at the builders shop and they will begin building it today. I hope to have some pictures of it in the next day or so

I'd like to get everyones thoughts on using ca reactor or dosing two part. I've never used a ca reactor before and honestly I am a little intimidated by them. I have gotten very comfortable with dosing b-ionic in my current system but I am thinking that there will be a significant increase in additive costs once I go from 80g twv to around 400g twv.

Thoughts?

[TheFishTeen]

Originally Posted by SPotter

The glass has arrived at the builders shop and they will begin building it today. I hope to have some pictures of it in the next day or so

I'd like to get everyones thoughts on using ca reactor or dosing two part. I've never used a ca reactor before and honestly I am a little intimidated by them. I have gotten very comfortable with dosing b-ionic in my current system but I am thinking that there will be a significant increase in additive costs once I go from 80g twv to around 400g twv.

Thoughts?

Mike & Terry said their ca-reactor has been a large benefit to their system, and they too have a total water volume similar to yours. You should go talk to them, I'm sure they'll help you out making your decision.

Oh, and epic build! Ill be following.

[SPotter]

Thanks kovy and thanks for tagging along.

[JohnnyB in SD]

Hey Steve,
Watching your build with keen interest.
I use a reactor in conjunction with small quantities of additives. Keeps the labor & cost down.
Nice stand. I would use foam on top of ply.
They (rocket engineers thread) say that glass tanks with plastic trim on the bottom should only be supported under those edges. Doubt that is how your tank is being built.

[SPotter]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB in SD

Hey Steve,
Watching your build with keen interest.
I use a reactor in conjunction with small quantities of additives. Keeps the labor & cost down.
Nice stand. I would use foam on top of ply.
They (rocket engineers thread) say that glass tanks with plastic trim on the bottom should only be supported under those edges. Doubt that is how your tank is being built.

Thanks for joining in Johnny. You know I have been working on this for some time now and I am finally happy to see some of visualizations and paper drawings coming to life. I dont know why I am so intimidated by the reactor but its one of those things that I think would never be able to figure out. I was horrible at chemistry in high school. I need to find the "Ca Reactors For Dummies" book somewhere so I can understand all of the parts and components.

[JohnnyB in SD]

Is not a big deal. You circulate water through a column of aragonite with some CO2, to dissolve it into calcium for your tank.
Will be a piece of cake for a guy that can build a successful ATS with DIY leds.

[SPotter]

HAHA...I dont know about that I have visions of the CO2 tank exploding or something. I'm thinking that I will wait to see what the demand is in my tank before making the investment. I am guessing that I could add another ph probe to my apex and use that with the ca reactor...correct?

[JohnnyB in SD]

CO2 tanks aren't dangerous, are easy to acquire at local welding gas supplier. They are used in bars & restaurants for the carbonated drink dispensers.
I don't use a probe with mine. Is a Schuran designed so excess CO2 doesn't get into tank, ph swings never been an issue. I could use a larger reactor, but get by with the one I have & the additives. I have a Kalkstirrer sitting in the garage I will also hook up when my upgrade gets that far. Now THAT thing I don't trust.
But yes, my understanding is that a reef controller is normally the best way to go, don't need to buy one of those Milwaukee monitor deals. Pretty sure there are detailed tips on hooking it up in the Neptune forum.
You are right, won't need right away. Keep your eyes open for good deal on used. Is how I got mine, could never afford a German reactor new.

[david00061]

Originally Posted by SPotter

The glass has arrived at the builders shop and they will begin building it today. I hope to have some pictures of it in the next day or so

I'd like to get everyones thoughts on using ca reactor or dosing two part. I've never used a ca reactor before and honestly I am a little intimidated by them. I have gotten very comfortable with dosing b-ionic in my current system but I am thinking that there will be a significant increase in additive costs once I go from 80g twv to around 400g twv.

Thoughts?

cool glass is in...
I use calcium reactor. I buff my salt water to 500 when I mix it. I buff with calcium chloride. I can maintain 400-450 for two weeks with my reactor. I still have to drip soda with a dosing pump to maintain alk at 8-9 dkh.

[SPotter]

thanks david. It definitely looks like the reactor will be more efficient and cost effective over a longer period of time. I might wait a little while before investing in one just so I can get a feel the demand of the new tank.

[david00061]

Originally Posted by SPotter

thanks David. It definitely looks like the reactor will be more efficient and cost effective over a longer period of time. I might wait a little while before investing in one just so I can get a feel the demand of the new tank.

I mix a magnesium media with the calcium it maintains mag for 2 weeks too.

[Dustin1300]

That stand is a BEAST Steve. I'm with you on being scared with a calcium reactor I use a BM Doser for mag/alk/calcium and combined with my automatic water changes and lime water top off from my LiterMeterIII I was really happy with it in my previous system.

While I'm accepting that I'll need a reactor in the future I'll be building a manifold with several ball valves so I can easily add a reactor in the future much like you're doing.

[SPotter]

So I started "cooking" 60lbs or so of pukani last night. Put in a brute 44g container, using a mag 7 with a modified spray bar and a tunze 6301 for flow. I just checked on it today and WHOA that container smells!!!!!! My ex-wife never cooked anything that smelt this bad.

I ordered phosfree and that should be here Wed. I am going to see if I can get a stock tank or trough so I can cure all of the rock at the same time in the same bin. Plus it will create more room to spread the rock out and surface area giving more flow thru the rock which hopefully will nock a lot of the junk off the rock.

I will do a po4 test on the 60lbs later on today.

[nightOwl]

Looking good Steve! I finally got back to civilization (internet access)...LOL. That stand looks amazing. Before you get your calcium reactor get an idea of how much calcium your tank is consuming on a daily basis. Once you have that down you can decide which is more cost effective. I have yet to bring mine on line....

[SPotter]

So I tested the po4 for the first time on Monday and my hanna ULR phosphorous checker was blinking at 200. So convert that over to phosphate and that equals .65 ppb but I am sure it was a lot higher than that since the checker only goes up to a certain point. I added the first dose of phosfree on Wed and re-tested the po4 last night. Amazing....the hanna checker showed a value of 63 which is .193 ppb when converted over from phosphorous to phosphate. I am planning on doing a 50% wc and do another dose of phosfree.

[Dustin1300]

Good thing you cured the Pukani rock. Just imagine starting a tank with that rock and not having cured it properly!

[SPotter]

no kidding right? how many times do you see a thread on here where someone is having significant issues with gha or phosphates and they just give up. I would imagine a lot of the problems come from something like this. I still have to get another brute to cure the rest of the rock. Not looking forward to that smell again!!!!!

[Dustin1300]

Just consider the benefit of the smell rather than having a battle with the tank for months!

I'm thinking I'll likely use the dry pukani and BRS reef saver rock to build what I want so I'll get to experience the smell too. Previous systems I've always used all live rock but the live rock will be mainly in my sump/fuges this go around

When you expecting the tank?!

[SPotter]

Try explaining that to my wife....she cant stand foul odors! Not sure how she stays married to me....lol.

I just spoke with the tank builders yesterday and they are anticipating shipping of the tank the week of the 23rd. So hopefully I will have it in my basement by the end of that week or early the following week. I decided to have the tank shipped directly to the movers facility and then they will load it on their truck and deliver to me. Its adding a little more to the cost but I think its worth it. I dont want to have the tank sitting in my driveway waiting for the movers to show up and carry it into the house. Everything is becoming a logistical nightmare at this point between tank deliver and construction in the basement. I am trying to slow down my contractor a little so he doesnt finish off walls until the tank is on the stand.