|
07/08/2009, 08:37 AM | #101 | |||
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
reefrubble, mflamb, leslie hempel, jb61264, TandN, wee_heavy - Thanks, everyone for the very kind compliments. As always, they are much appreciated.
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
|||
07/08/2009, 08:40 AM | #102 | |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
|
07/08/2009, 08:43 AM | #103 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: mid west
Posts: 397
|
glad to see you back!!!!
__________________
265gal starfire, 90 gal. sump, 70gal. frag tank, 40gal. QT tank, Vertex Alpha 300 Cone Skimmer, calcium and kalk reactors, 5- tunze 6105's, 7069 controller, Apex, 3-400watt radiums w/galaxy ballasts in lumenbright larges, 2 super actinic VHO's Current Tank Info: 265gal starfire, 90 gal. sump, 70gal. frag tank, 40gal. QT tank, Alpha 300 Cone Skimmer, Geo 618 calcium and kalk reactors, 5- tunze 6105's, 7069 controller, Apex, 3-400watt radiums w/galaxy ballasts in lumenbright larges, 2 super actinic VHO's |
07/08/2009, 09:12 AM | #104 |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
OK, I'll try to get everything up-to-date as far as the fishroom, etc. is converned.
Over the past four or five weeks I started having troubles with my automated water change system. Some of you might remember I was using a Masterflex peristaltic pump driven setup: The problem was that, although the Masterflex system worked very dependably and accurately, it was just too loud. I think the Masterflex pump heads were designed for an industrial environment. As such they just aren't very quiet. Anyway, I decided to replace the Masterflex pump with my LiterMeter III. I had been using my LiterMeter to dose my three part (2 part plus magnesium) supplements, so I needed a replacement. Buying another LM was just too expensive. After looking around for a while I decided to go with Drew's Pump from Bulk Reef Supply. Seemed like just the ticket. The pumps dose 1.6mL per minute, so the dosing capacity was perfect. My system needs approx. 130mL a day of each suppliment. I needed a way of turning the pumps on and off a number of times each day and making sure the on times were exactly regulated. Electronic timers were the obvious solution. I had experience with timers from Woods and found them to be extremely easy to use and very reliable. They provide up to eight ON-OFF cycles per 24 hours and most importantly, in our wet environments, 3-prong (grounded) sockets: I built three little "dosing stations", each comprised of an electrical outlet box, an electronic timer, and one of the Drew's peristaltic pumps: Together, the three stations pull the supplements from 2-1/2gal flasks located below the station:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
07/08/2009, 09:23 AM | #105 |
Premium Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Fort Myers , Fl.
Posts: 5,718
|
Welcome back Tom . We missed you very much. I have been learning a lot from you , and your build . Ted
__________________
Ted Proud member of SHARK (Spring Hill Area Reef Keepers ) Proud member of TBRC (Tampa Bay Reef Club ) Save the reefs , Grow your own Current Tank Info: Marineland 300 DD Tank Custom metal stand , and canopy DIY LED lighting I-Tech Super Beast skimmer . I do not have a tank at this time . I sold the 300 Gal. system |
07/08/2009, 09:34 AM | #106 | |
Registered Member
|
Quote:
Tom, I guess you could say, I was at the right place at the right time. Again, "I will say We missed you and glad to have you back"
__________________
Sandy ><((((º>`•.¸¸.•><((((º>´¯`•><((((º> .¸¸.><((((º>•.¸. , . .•><((((º>.¸¸. Current Tank Info: 375 Reef, 4) Radion LED lights X30 pro, Apex Fusion, Octo Regal 300 E Skimmer, GEO 618 Calcium Reactor 2) Reeflo Snapper pumps, 2)50g refugium, 2) MP 40's |
|
07/08/2009, 09:36 AM | #107 |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
As I mentioned, my system needs approx. 130mL of each supplement (Alk, Ca, and Mg). I decided to take full advantage of the timers' 8 cycles-per-day capability. It's not a good idea to dose the supplements simultaneously (especially Ca and Alk) due to the probability of precipitation, so I set the timer's up in a staggered fashion. Each supplement is set up to be dosed 8 times a day for 10 minutes. That makes 80 minutes X 1.6mL = 128mL - very close to the 130mL I was shooting for.
The Alk is dosed at 12:00, 03:00, 06:00, 09:00 - both A.M. and P.M. The Ca is dosed at 01:00, 0400, 07:00, 10:00 - both A.M. and P.M. The Alk is dosed at 02:00, 05:00, 08:00, 11:00 - both A.M. and P.M. You can see that the doses are staggered one hour apart and no two supplements are dosed at one time. All in all, I have found this setup to be very practical. It is amazing how stable the system's parameters are. I have the Alk stuck to 8.3, the Ca at 440, and Mg at 1350. The supplement jugs only need to be refilled once every two months. Beats the heck out of using a Ca-reactor! Oh, almost forgot - the supplements are pumped through normal 1/4" RO tubing. The three lines are enclosed in a 3/4" PVC pipe that runs along three walls of the fishroom - from the dosing station to the sump:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
07/08/2009, 09:40 AM | #108 |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
eran, reefrubble - Thanks guys - glad to be back!
BTW - Ted, I'll be going to the conference in Orlando on Saturday. Any interest?
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
07/08/2009, 09:44 AM | #109 |
Tangaroa to 500 gallons
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Edmond, OK
Posts: 5,855
|
Glad you're back!
Now we can start harrassing you for more pictures!
LL
__________________
Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system. |
07/08/2009, 09:45 AM | #110 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,849
|
Tom, I really like your dosing pump set up, you have me thinking
__________________
Rodney Dangerfield - "I worked in a pet store and people would ask how big I would get." TOTM, March 2015 Current Tank Info: tank video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va1dI7mdnGU ,900g in wall mixed reef, another 500g sumps, 19 AI Sol LED's, 2 CL's w/VFD's controlled pumps to 24 eductors, 2 Tunze WB's, 2 Barr 5220's and RK2 25PE and BK500, etc |
07/08/2009, 10:03 AM | #111 | ||
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
||
07/08/2009, 10:14 AM | #112 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,849
|
Quote:
__________________
Rodney Dangerfield - "I worked in a pet store and people would ask how big I would get." TOTM, March 2015 Current Tank Info: tank video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va1dI7mdnGU ,900g in wall mixed reef, another 500g sumps, 19 AI Sol LED's, 2 CL's w/VFD's controlled pumps to 24 eductors, 2 Tunze WB's, 2 Barr 5220's and RK2 25PE and BK500, etc |
|
07/08/2009, 10:30 AM | #113 |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
I don't have any decent FTS yet - I'm still looking for some usable panorama stitching software - but I thought I'd post a few closeups, just to show that there is life in the tank.
This is a Golden Birdsnest frag. It's growing well, but like most other corals in the tank, slowly losing color: I was given some Green Button Polyps. They too grow fine but are losing color: This female is 1/2 of a Percula pair I bought. They were originally ORA broodstock. She is 3+ inches long. I think, about the largest Percula I've ever personally encountered. The male is half her size: This little guy is my favorite! He's always sticking his nose into everyone else's business - but he's harmless. Eats like a pig: I have 21 fish in the DT: 1 Starry Blenny 1 Canary Blenny 2 Royal Grammas (mated pair) 3 Yellow Tangs 1 Purple Tang 3 Blue-green Chromis 1 Flame Hawk 2 Percula Clowns (mated pair) 7 Lyretail Anthias Of the seven Lyretails two are normal males, four are females, and one is a "Super Male". The super male turned in the tank. It was very interesting watching the change. He's a gorgeous purple - I'll try to get some decent pics. All the fish seem to be doing very well. They're all fat and happy. The Grammas have mated a couple of times. The yellow tangs got along well, at first, so I thought I was going to be lucky. As they grew a little older, though, it turned out it's two males and a female. The two males go at it quite a bit, but at least 'til now, it's been nothing serious. The purple tang is the absolute boss of the tank - what he/she says goes ... All the
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
07/08/2009, 10:35 AM | #114 |
Premium Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Fort Myers , Fl.
Posts: 5,718
|
Tom , you got me thinking about chucking my calcium reactor , and building a set up like your's .
Ted
__________________
Ted Proud member of SHARK (Spring Hill Area Reef Keepers ) Proud member of TBRC (Tampa Bay Reef Club ) Save the reefs , Grow your own Current Tank Info: Marineland 300 DD Tank Custom metal stand , and canopy DIY LED lighting I-Tech Super Beast skimmer . I do not have a tank at this time . I sold the 300 Gal. system |
07/08/2009, 10:41 AM | #115 | |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
BTW - if anyone is interested in what I dose, amounts, etc. Let me know - I'd be glad to write it up.
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
|
07/08/2009, 10:45 AM | #116 | |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. Last edited by GlassReef; 07/08/2009 at 10:56 AM. |
|
07/08/2009, 10:57 AM | #117 | |
Tangaroa to 500 gallons
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Edmond, OK
Posts: 5,855
|
Quote:
Thanks. LL
__________________
Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system. |
|
07/08/2009, 12:26 PM | #118 | |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
1. Alk in the form of sodium hydrogen carbonate (soda ash) 2. Calcium in the form of calcium chloride dihydrate 3. Magnesium in the form of a mixture of magnesium chloride hexahydrate and magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (Epsom Salts) in a ratio of approx. 5 to 3 4. If desired trace elements, such as strontium, iodide, potassium, etc. can be dosed - mixed with the main supplements. As you can see, the simplified Balling Dosing Method is almost exactly what is normally called 2-part supplementation +Mg, here in the States. Randy Holmes-Farley has written many articles in the ReefKeeping Mag. about the 2-part method. As a matter of fact, I think he is generally credited with developing it. Dosing of the 3 main supplements (Alk, Ca, Mg) is based on the system's need for ALK. Once the Alk level has been stabilized, at the desired level, and assuming the supplement solutions have been mixed correctly, the levels of Ca and Mg will automatically range around the needed values. The original formulas I learned in Germany required that 1 gram of chemical be added to 16mL of RO water. This is for Alk and Ca. Mg was a little different - the correct formula was 1 gram of the magnesium chloride-magnesium sulfate mix to 26mL of RO water. That's the way I learned it. Using those formulas dosing was accomplished by supplying .025 grams of the Alk and Ca per day per gallon of system water. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? It was. It can all be done much simpler. Read the articles by Randy or check out one of RC's sponsor sites like BRS - they have the whole thing described in detail and in very simple terms. As for my system, here are the formulas I use: Alk - 4 cups (32oz) sodium hydrogen carbonate in 2gals RO/DI water. Ca - 4 cups (32oz) calcium chloride dihydrate in 2gals RO/DI water. Mg - 1.6 cups (12.8oz) magnesium chloride hexahydrate and 1 cup (8oz) magnesium sulfate heptahydrate in 2gals RO/DI water. I started dosing at a rate of .4mL per gallon of EACH solution per day. As my frag and fuge tanks are not yet on-line that means .4 X 330gals = 132mL of each solution per day. Before I started dosing I made sure my Alk, Ca, and Mg params were in line by first testing - then I added supplements in an amount necessary to get the values to my desired level (Alk 8.0, Ca 440, Mg 1350). I used one of the various on-line calculators to determine how much I needed to dose to get the params where they were supposed to be. Important Note - you should not raise Alk etc. too quickly. Probably 1 dKH per day should be the max - but don't take my word for it. Read the great articles by Randy on the subject. You can find them in the RKM archives. When I started dosing I performed an Alk test every day until I got a feel for where the value was going. In my case it was perfect, I didn't have to make any adjustments. If the value is going up or down, it's a simple matter of adjusting the electronic timers to raise or lower the dosing times, as the case may be. If you raise (or lower)the Alk dosing times, then you should raise Ca and Mg also. Right now each of my three dosers is on for 10 minutes at a time 8 times a day. One quickly gets to the point where their params are totally stable. Hoped this helped.
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
|
07/08/2009, 12:51 PM | #119 |
Tangaroa to 500 gallons
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Edmond, OK
Posts: 5,855
|
Thanks, Tom
__________________
Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system. |
07/08/2009, 02:38 PM | #120 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: BC Canada
Posts: 216
|
So glad to have you back Tom...this is one of my favorite threads!
__________________
Mark Current Tank Info: 290g Starfire Peninsula |
07/08/2009, 02:44 PM | #121 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: GA
Posts: 102
|
Welcome back Tom!!!
__________________
When I hit the lottery, I am buiding a house around a tank the size of the Chattanooga or Atlanta Aquarium. Now that would rock! :) Current Tank Info: 220G Reef System 125G Display, 55G Frag Tank, Several Smaller Separate tanks and Phyto station in garage. |
07/08/2009, 02:44 PM | #122 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: GA
Posts: 102
|
Bah laggy connection I guess caused this double post.
__________________
When I hit the lottery, I am buiding a house around a tank the size of the Chattanooga or Atlanta Aquarium. Now that would rock! :) Current Tank Info: 220G Reef System 125G Display, 55G Frag Tank, Several Smaller Separate tanks and Phyto station in garage. |
07/08/2009, 04:37 PM | #123 |
Pro builder/aquarist hack
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NORCAL (Vacaville, CA)
Posts: 5,125
|
Thanks Tom,
I stopped short of using epoxy on the PVC sheet, once I used the pocket screws. Regular PVC glue would melt the inner "foamed" layer, but not the compressed outer skin. Speaking with James (Acrylics), straight THF would have worked, but it would be hard to get, and frankly too darned toxic to have around IMO. Installation cleanliness is something I always strive for in my projects. You have done an excellent job on yours, as well as your writing style and amount if useful information. Great project and great thread! Thanks, Chris |
07/08/2009, 04:53 PM | #124 |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
mseepman, Jhardain - thanks guys. Feels good posting again. I should have started earlier.
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
07/08/2009, 04:54 PM | #125 | |
Got Reef
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida
Posts: 2,501
|
Quote:
__________________
Tom No matter how much you try to push the envelope, it remains stationary. |
|
|
|