monkiboy

for a super clean install, you can check out irrigation system manifolds. i'm running one on the return for my frag tanks. here's what it looks like pieced together. it's extra nice because they are male buttress ends so no teflon/PVC tape and joint sealer mess, you can get in dual, triplet, or quad manifold configuration in various IDs. then you add the BRS reducer fitting to go straight from the cepex ball valves to your reactors .5" rubing. or a threaded male barb connection to your chiller or hose for water change. i got mine from sprinkler warehouse online and they run about 10 bucks for just the manifold. they usually have a coupon code floating around, too!

i suppose it does look that way but that wall has automated some of the most complicated or tedious tasks for me. so while it looks complicated, it makes my life simple the two black recantangular modules and the two buckets are part of the reef genesis system. they are my AWC, ATO, and top off for my ATO system. all i have to do is add salt to my brute container every three weeks and all my water changes are done for me, sump top off is handled, and topping off of my ATO container from the RODI unit is all handled through that system. specifically, the two buckets are used for measuring. they are 1g jugs. they have optical sensors and float switches. at whatever schedule i set the black module to (20g change per week), it will remove one gallon from sump and pour into the reservoir A, at the same time remove one gallon from new salter container and pump into reservoir B. then once perfectly level as metered by the sensors inside, it slowly releases the sump water from res A into the main drain stack outside, and the new SW from reservoir B into the sump. so you are removing exactly one gallon and putting in exactly one gallon at a time. so changes in parameters are slower and happen over time. you don't get the same effect as doing one mass change all at once so i just add a couple gallons to my figure for changes. haha. that might have been mostly passion but there was jealously in their, too! you had a tremendously successful setup and i really enjoyed checking it out. better believe i'm following your 300 build! thanks scott - we'll figure something out i'm sure! thank you, sir! thanks a lot! i have a lot i'm doing this weekend, but i need to get a dedicated thread up for the 46g and then one for whatever i'm doing in the basement to post up! ah you baby, haha! thanks for the help. don't know how i would of felt about asking for help from the ladies so glad you were there, too! did you make it back to pick up the stand still there? oh and those edges were sharp as i nearly did the same to my leg cleaning it the following weekend! yeah, i like in-walls for their aesthetic appeal. especially one that is viewable from both sides tends to be more rare as plumbing and space requirements are a headache to say the least but he effect is tremendous. the wall on the living room side is curved to match the radius of the front of the bowfront while the rear is kitchen-facing and flat. being able to see through is a lot of fun!

that's great. clean it off and it'll run more efficiently, too. i picked up an avast swabbie and skimmate locker a while ago to help with this and can't believe i waited so long. they are great products!

hi folks! my name is marco. i never officially made an intro thread after becoming a member on here and rob (zygote2k) made a great recommendation i do so so here i am. i've been in the saltwater hobby for about eight years and did freshwater since i was kid. i've got a 46g bowfront in wall installation that i've had for about eight years and went through all the ups and downs and learning of the reefing hobby with. water disaster number 1 of a zillion: like a schmuck buying RO water from the LFS aftering finding out i really needed to stop using tap water conditioner and before i knew about RO/DI... i'm a big DIY'er and some of my first DIYs were an overflow as i didn't know about drilling my tank at the time and didn't have room for a traditional overflow within my space and an ATS. i was doing it "wrong" for so long and it wasn't until i started stepping out my FOWLR comfort zone and into keeping corals that i stumbled upon the forums and resources online. sure enough, it wasn't long before i was deep into a complete overhaul of what i thought was a great system. my first frags were some GSP and a frogspawn which are both still with me and grew to be massive and consistent pieces i donate to new reefers in the hobby and friends that i get hooked on this incredibly hobby. this is my 46g bow front once i rehabbed it a few years ago: then i go to work on a custom sump for the inwall location this is what it looked like from the kitchen side: then after a year or so i figured out i need a better sump and more volume and built a space in my heating room in my basement where water would go all the way down to the basement to a 30g sump and push up to the tank. getting the hoses through: built a stand and my fish/sump room began to take form: then built my sump: then got my genesis reef systems AWC and top off and RODI top off system in place with skimmer and my other goodies. i call this "the wall" haha time passed,things really grew fast and i had more bad luck and good luck and learned a bunch: then i changed my landscaping for a more minimalistic design: one of my early favorites which grew and does very well today with regular feedings: then i started getting heavy into the coral propagation and fragging and meeting up with locals and swapping/selling, etc and i needed more space and a easier system to work with than climbing up to get into an in wall setup. soo...i started a 40 breeder frag tank: got the tank during the $1/gallon petco sale, drilled, plumbed, with a BRS overflow, with a sump and setup in one day and was pretty proud of myself, haha: it wasn't long before i got to fragging and picking up corals that the tank was full: picked up a pair of ORA clowns: picked up a tamron macro lens for the dslr and finally could take better photos: things continued to grow like madness and i fragged some more and i needed yet MORE space so i added a 40b to my frag system: and now both tanks are stocked full of frags and some that i am currently selling the FS section on here. others i am keeping to go into a new 360g display tank or a 180 display SPS reef tank that will replace both of the 40 frag tanks. the 180 i picked up from tony (ridetheducati) a few months back: i have aspirations to eventually sell corals as a side gig to try to make back some of the bucks and time i've donated to friends and newer folks in the hobby. i'm currently working on a website so i don't have to constantly be posting FS posts on here and eventually can just direct me to my site where it will be organized, clear when something is purchased and i can keep updated. and one day i'll make it a business hopefully. i started picking up deals where i can to get that started and have picked up some return pumps, a frag tank, a rubbermaid sump, a 120g commercial frag system, etc. but that's in the future, for now i want to get my story out there, introduce myself and hopefully get more active on this forum and share my knowledge and pick up a whole lot. oh, and i forgot to mention i picked up the d120 light fixtures in the last GB on here and it was seemless and well worth the effort. they have been working out really well with my SPS dominant frag setup tank and coloring things up nicely, too. and with the new apex-controllable versions coming out, i can imagine why someone would look elsewhere for LED fixtures. i really am becoming a fan of these and am eager to see if this will carry on long term or if the enjoyment will be short term. here's my light layout for anyone interested in a solid place to start for a full spectrum 18k look: ok, sorry for the rant but that's my story. i'll start a new build thread and pick up from here with it on the various builds i got going on. if you have any questions about anything that comes to mind reading this post, please PM me. i love helping where i can and have a lot to give back for all the guidance i've received even in the short few months i've been a member here! thanks, folks!

that's incredible! where did you find that beauty?

this was my experience with these specific lights but i undertand your skepticism and can appreciate it. i don't have a 40" deep tank but at 50% on both potentiometers, my SPS at 18" deep unfortunately "sizzled" away in a day i was away. thankfully, i came back when i did and was able to lower the intensity to 35 and 25% and borrow the PAR meter on here and determine a proper location for them. these lights with their DIY spectrum, affordable price tag, and great customer service (especially with US retailers now) are proving to be a great alternative.

you need to get the PAR meter at the bottom of that 40" depth and report back! at 50% intensity these guys will sizzle SPS in a jiffy if you aren't careful!

if you want to hang from the ceiling you can. just use longer wire or make your own hanging kit cheaper than that thing ecotech sells. it'd be a long run and you'd need a scaffold or ladder but definitely doable if you care to.

beautiful shots, thanks for sharing. low flow, low light? just placed a large order from the WWC 27-hourlive sale and want to keep these guys as happy as yours look for a while!

glad i talked to justin and found this. was looking in the member's GB section and never would have migrated over here. ordered two for my tanks and paid! thanks for the offer and coming to this board first!

what was the problem? what did you figure out?

daily?! oh no, i could never keep up with that. i don't use them at all 50% of the time because of the added maintenance and i'd rather let the goodies pass through and stay in water column even if i have some small particulates floating around. the other 50% of the time, this will depend on your system, i change every 3-4 days. you'll see it start to clog and water level rise slightly in your sock especially with the felt socks (not so much with the mesh). the mesh ones are also MUCH easier to turn inside out (especially difficult with the plastic ring variety instead of the drawstring). let us know how it goes!

i'm not a fan of using anything other than water to something that will be in my tank. i have around twelve socks and just cycle through them. once i get about ten that are dirty, toss them all in the washer (no detergent or bleach) and wash with HOT/HOT cycle. turn inside out and once more and they come out looking freaking new!

what are the benefits of a GB with BRS? i have not heard of this before. i need to place a large order and if there are deeper discounts to be had outside of their "preferred reefer" program, that'd be great!

a flood CFL is your best bet. a halogen will get too hot. for that size a single CFL flood 5000k-6500k will grow macroalgae best, specifically in my experience with chaeto. i went from a 2500k bulb and barely grew chaeto. then after reading that a 6000k would do the best, went and got the highest i could find at homdepot (5000k) and now my chaeo grows a dense fist full amount every two weeks. i am a heavy coral feeder, though. if you don't get the flood CFL, get the CFL and use the home depot clamp work light reflector that are six or eight bucks to direct the light into the refugium. good luck and keep up to date with your success!