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04/21/2012, 07:46 PM | #351 |
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Nitrates nitrates nitrates
So my nitrates are not budging from 100ppm so its time for monster water changes. By tomorrow I will have completed my water change for a total of 250 gallons. I turned off the main pump and have changed the water in the 50g water change tank and about 50g's in the sump. I will have another 150g's of water ready to go by tomorrow tomorrow morning. Thats when I will drain the dt about 50% and fill it back up with new water. Once that is done the pump will be turned back on and the system will be running again. The power heads in the dt will remain running and I have turned up the intensity on them so their is continuous flow in the dt. Finally, I tested the newly made up saltwater for nitrates and the test shows 0 ppm. My hopes are that after doing a 60% water change that my no3 level will fall significantly. If this works, I will do another large change in a few days.
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/22/2012, 10:19 AM | #352 |
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Steve,
I was looking at your storage water tank in post #292. Can you go into how you make your SW(in another container then transfer it into the storage tank?) and how you get it out of there to transfer it into your DT? I was thinking about a 75g water storage tank like that, but to put a pump that deep to get water out via a hose might be difficult. thanks.
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04/22/2012, 12:23 PM | #353 | |
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Finally, when I am ready to refill the dt with new water I close the top bv and then open the bv on the return line that has the barb fitting. Once the tanks are moved into their permanent home, I plan on hard plumbing a line to the tank.
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux Last edited by SPotter; 04/22/2012 at 12:57 PM. |
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04/22/2012, 01:02 PM | #354 |
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Update on the nitrates
Ok, so I changed about 230 gallons between yesterday and early this morning. I took an no3 test before the change and it was darker than the 160ppm color sample on the API test kit. I waited a couple of hours before testing the DT and when I did I got a pretty solid reading of 80ppm. Now while thats still not good, I am pretty happy with that reduction. I will do another 150g wc on tues or wed with the hopes that will get me down around 40-50ppm. My ATS is starting to show signs of growth on the screen and hopefully that will contribute to some no3 export and reduction. So its back to the lfs for another box of IO...not using the TM pro reef for large wc's like this...too expensive.
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/22/2012, 02:07 PM | #355 |
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thanks for the reply. thats a very clever water changing setup.. unfortunately i dont have the room for a system like that.
how much total net volume do you have? your sump dont look too big? i would've thought all the WC, your nitrate reduction should be much more than that..
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04/22/2012, 02:12 PM | #356 | |
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Quote:
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
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04/22/2012, 03:30 PM | #357 | |
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Love the cabinets...
Quote:
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Syed Jilani 272 gallons Mixed Reef. Started on 10th July 2013. 2 x 400W MH. Tunze Turbelle Stream 6105 Controllable. Octopus Diablo DCS-250INT. Old 300G tank thread " My 300 Gallon Reef in Saudi Ar Current Tank Info: shttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2150301 |
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04/22/2012, 08:07 PM | #358 |
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Thank you SJ.
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/23/2012, 12:14 AM | #359 | |
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Quote:
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04/23/2012, 08:26 AM | #360 |
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Thanks Troy. It works great. the pump is a little big for the purpose but I got it as a back up to my main pump and decided to use it on this. the plumbing could be a lot cleaner and I will have to make some changes because I am getting some slow drips on both of the fittings for the bulkheads. I really messed up by not putting unions on after the fitting...oh well. I will make it work.
I tested my nitrates this morning and still holding at a solid 80 ppm so I am gearing up for another 150g change this time.
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/23/2012, 12:32 PM | #361 |
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I just got my reservoir tanks. They look to be the same kind as yours, only smaller. The sticker at the bottom warns against hard-plumbing the bottom bulk heads, but to use flex hose instead. Is that not a concern for you, and if not why not?
Thx, Dave.M
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04/23/2012, 12:43 PM | #362 |
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there's nothing on my tanks that says that. my tanks were made by norwesco. I've seen people use both hard and flex.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/23/2012, 12:50 PM | #363 |
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Mine are by Norwesco, too. The WARNING label at the bottom warns against attaching rigid piping to the bottom outlet. I was just wondering if you were having any issues by having done so.
Thx, Dave.M
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My Gawd! It's full of corals! Current Tank Info: None. Nil. Zip. Nada. |
04/23/2012, 01:34 PM | #364 |
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interesting. I will read the label again when I get home. I wonder if the weight of the hard pvc is an issue. my tips are coming from the threads of where the pvc fitting screws in.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/23/2012, 04:08 PM | #365 |
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Steve...all I can say is D-A-A-A-Y-U-U-U-M...you got skills bro. Love the build!
Here is the funny thing. I remember reading your first post a while ago thinking, hmmm, what can I do to create a similar situation and get my wife to agree to a new protein skimmer? Then I thought, it's my money anyway so I'll just buy it. Then common sense kicked in, happy wife, happy life and you know the rest of the story LOL. I'll be following more closely going forward as I am also interested in your ATS setup. I'm using biopellets now and have been fighting cyano ever since. Should your system work well I might give it a shot. That light is kinda cool too!
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04/23/2012, 05:30 PM | #366 | |
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Quote:
Its been a long road and hopefully headed in the right direction. Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
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04/23/2012, 06:28 PM | #367 |
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Steve, looking good and keep your head up with those trates. They are going and south and will be down in no time with big changes like that. I'm not sure why the tanks would matter with hard plumbing as long as the bulkheads are not being stressed in any way. I've seen tons of tanks similar to this with hard plumbing and is likely the route I'll go when I get two 165 gallon ones. (That pump looks really similar? Had a few miles on it back and forth from our houses)
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INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT |
04/23/2012, 06:51 PM | #368 | |
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Quote:
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04/23/2012, 07:45 PM | #369 |
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I think these tanks are a must for large systems. Makes life so much easier. I love my apex but will never trust with those three words....Automatic Water Change
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
04/23/2012, 08:59 PM | #370 |
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Hey Steve
I started cycling my rocks. When did you start testing for nitrites? By the way, everything looks good.
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04/24/2012, 06:53 AM | #371 | |
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- Base pump used for top off (1 week of dialing in evaporation rate and you don't have to worry about this anymore) - Remote Pump used for drain to house drain. - Water exchange module is used for new saltwater and water exchange module will kick it off if it goes above a certain level in sump. As an additional safe measure my float switches are just a failover and not really used for top off but rather a second preventative measure. Low water alarm will actually kick off return pump and outlet to LiterMeter III and e-mails me so I can access the situation. High water alarm will kick off LiterMeter III outlet and I have a bulkhead installed at top of sump should both of the above failsafes fail which drains to house. The LiterMeter III pumps have amazing delivery/draw heights so that is not of concern. Each pump can do a total of 99 liters (26) gallons/day so in Steve's 400 gallon system you could do up to 45% water changes in a week (With my 1000 gallon system it will meet the needs too and is still able to do 18% water changes a week which I doubt will ever be that high) The pumps also take this set amount you want to change water and divides it over 150 times a day so when you talk about stability, this is one of the best things you can do to a system IMO to stabalize parameters. (Ask yourself if doing a 15-25% water change does not change water chemistry outside of the measurable tests we perform?) That being said, this is just my opinion but at retail price of $683 for all three pumps and main module, 5 year warranty, they are the best upgrade I've ever made to my system. I recently rebuilt the pumps with new tubing before putting them back to work but this was just proactive maintenance and I was not having any issues with the pumps. Randy Holmes Farley also does a similar method and recommends this 'continuous water change' method over anything in our reefs. LM III Manual ***Sorry for any derailment or rant Steve
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INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT |
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04/24/2012, 07:17 AM | #372 | |
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I started testing a few days after I began the cycle. They showed up pretty quickly. What are you using to start the cycle?
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
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04/24/2012, 07:19 AM | #373 | |
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Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux |
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04/24/2012, 07:33 AM | #374 |
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Ammonia just like you have. This is my second day. The first day it dropped to .50 so now I'm trying to maintain it at 3.0, so that if it drops within 24 hours, it won't go below 1.0.
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04/24/2012, 07:34 AM | #375 | |
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INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT |
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