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SaltLife

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Posts posted by SaltLife

    Peristaltic pump siphon break?

    in General Discussion

    A good peristaltic pump should not have an open path. However, there are some cheaper, two-roller pumps that I've seen that could suffer the fate that you describe. You can avoid this sort of siphon by installing an upward-pointing open tee at the high point on the output side (which ideally should be higher than your max reservoir height). This will allow air to enter the output side and break any siphon that could form there.

     

    Thanks for the help on this Tom. With the siphon break on the line this will not effect the dosing amount? Of course if a siphon was to occur I'm sure that it would but it would be very minimal in my case. 

     

    Unfortunately the Apex DOS is a two roller system, maybe for a next time purchase a lab grade three roller will be used instead. 

    Peristaltic pump siphon break?

    in General Discussion

    · Edited by SaltLife

    I have a peristaltic pump (located under tank) doing automatic water changes for my all in one tank. The containers are below the tank and pump. In a perfect world I would have my dosing pump above the tank so that a siphon would not start. However, cosmetically this doesn't work very well for me. One tube must be submerged to take out water while the other doesn't and is above the water line putting new saltwater in. While their should never be a siphon created using these types of pumps, the possibility is there and a tank crash would probably follow. 

     

    I'm crossing my fingers that there would be a solution to this, in creating some kind of siphon break without the dosing measurements getting off. The tube outside diameter is 1/4".

     

    Any ideas and opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. 

    Sourcing Wood for a stand

    in General Discussion

    · Edited by SaltLife

    Vienna Hardwoods or Colonial Hardwoods.

     

    Like most slabs for sale their is a bit of planing (leveling the surface) involved and making sure that it is Kiln dried (stabilized) otherwise the general rule of thumb is one year one inch to fully dry. I know that Colonial will do that for you but they do charge steeply for it. 

    Zeovit

    in General Discussion

    Very expensive and complicated.

     

     

    I would not say that it is complicated. It just requires you to be some what involved with your tank. I run a Zeovit system on my nano 30g. I cant say full Zeovit because i do not have a reactor for my stones, but i put them in a mesh bag in the overflow and shake them twice a day. Not ideal but I feel I'm still getting good enough results from it.

     

    I think that when people say "it costs so much money", it is because they buy every blue bottle that they sell. If you go on the Zeovit forum regularly  you will see people who haven't even finished the zeovit cycle (14 days) and are asking questions like " when can i add Pohls Extra" etc ...You would be surprised on how you can just use the basic four and still have a nice tank.  But granted getting started will have some funds you may not have prepared for.

     

    The biggest thing that I like about the Zeovit system is that it gives my tank a sense of direction, stability, and good husbandry of my tank. It has made me be on a schedule for maintenance which I can always find about 5 minutes or less a day to do.

     

    Do you have to have Zeovit to run an amazing tank? Definitely not. But the results on peoples tanks running the Zeovit system do not lie either.

    FSC Bishops 40 fusion build

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    Hey careful on the Tunze skimmer. You notice how the magnets are exposed in the tank? Well Tunze says the magnets are made of a ceramic which will not harm the tank although magnets do attract other metals. I just pulled my skimmer out to see that some things got stuck in the cracks that hold the magnets in place were rusting. Freaked me out so I will be getting some silicone to seal the cracks up that way if it picks up any more metals while cleaning it I will just need to wipe it of rather than take everything apart.

     

    Just an FYI. 

    Chiller Recommendations

    in General Discussion

    I don't have recommend for chiller. But I used small fan for all my tanks. Works very well for me and even better now that I hook them up to the controller.

     

    A fan wouldn't be a bad idea. Although with the look of the tank I'm really trying for a very minimal clean look when looking at the tank. With a chiller i could semi hide the unit. The biggest reason for it is so that all parameters are as stable as i can make them. 

     

    Thank you for your input though! 

     

     

     

    I own a JBJ it is fairly quiet, I would say less then the sound of most window based AC's.  Power use is noticeable but was acceptable for me. 

     

    If you don't mind a suggestion I will tell you the one thing I changed that has made me disconnect my chiller.  I switched from an internal return pump to an external.  I now use the internal pump on my water changing station and I don't have to heat the water.

     

    If you still want to get a chiller and want used send me a PM if your interested n a used one.

     

    I can see how an external could definitely help keep things cool. My tank is a all in one and having an external pump wouldn't be able to happen. I do have MP 10's though to help with some heat reduction inside the tank. Unfortunately there is only so much i can do with keeping things external.

     

    PM sent about the JBJ.

    Chiller Recommendations

    in General Discussion

    Well its getting warm and I need a chiller. I need it for a small nano, 30g. I have been looking at a few different brands JBJ Artica, and Aqua Euro USA. The Aqua Euro has a model called the Apex which seems to be what I'm leaning to as of right now. Big factors for me on a chiller are low sound and energy savings.

     

    Any help, suggestions or other recommendations I gladly will welcome. I have never owned a chiller before and want to make sure I get one that I will be happy with. 

    SPS help

    in General Discussion

    · Edited by SaltLife

    Key to keeping sps:

    A Stable and consistent tank. Some people preach certain parameters, but if you are a little "off" from them but have a consistent parameter then it will still do well.

    Saltlife's SPS Fusion

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    haha, yes you are all very right. I just don't want anything that will be out of control, and it is definitely part of the cycle. Just like to take things slow, because like many people and probably just about everyone, I have taken things to fast and thats when things go down hill fast.

     

    So far today is day 13

     

    Dosing schedule:

     

    .2 ml ZeoStart

    1 drop sponge power

    1 drop ZeoBac -  x2 a week Tuesday/Friday

     

    I have added some more corals and so far all are doing great with great polp extension. 2 acros, 1 monti, 1 unknown coral from frag fest SPS, and a ORA green Toadstool. I hope to get some pics this weekend.

     

    As of now the 20th of April is when i will add my clowns and then maybe another month from then my firefish. I have this date because this will be my 5 week water and 50% media change.

     

     

    Thanks for the feedback and input everyone.

    Saltlife

    Saltlife's SPS Fusion

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    · Edited by SaltLife

    Im hoping some of the zeovit users chime in here. Im on day 12 of the cycle but I'm very hesitant about adding fish. I just added an Arco and a clean up crew that are doing very well. Ammonia and no3 are undetectable.

     

    My reasoning is that the biological process for breaking down ammonia hasn't really established yet and the snails already poop so I already have something feeding the bacteria. Adding a fish would give me a lot more ammonia that would kick start a much bigger algae bloom that many people complain about. So what I'm thinking is waiting until week 5 when I can do a water change and media replacement then slowly add the fish.

    before then I still plan on adding more corals as long as they do well.

    Saltlife's SPS Fusion

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    · Edited by SaltLife

     

     

     This will take it to the next level.

    Here is a link to the build on RC. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2266751

     

     

    That is really nice! I like most of all though how he did the top. Great work!

     

    Love the woodwork! Wish I had space upstairs for the Fusion. I have an IM16 and am looking to upgrade to the 24, but I don't have the depth on the cabinet for the Fusion.

     

    Looks great, I love the lack of rock and planning on more coral growth.

     

    Following along.

    Thank you for the compliment! That 24 is sexy, originally thats what my game plan was until I heard the SR-30 was coming out then, it has a little bit more depth. One thing about the long shallow tanks is they look bigger than what they are, only downer is that they are narrow so it can limit to an extent coral growth and aqua scape capabilities.

     

    Forgot to take pictures of mine last night, but here is someone elses

     

     

    Basically just a screen and a knob. You can program everything on it, sunrise, sunset, color channels, storms, clouds, ramp times, etc...

     

    I believe monkiboy got water in his and now has a different light.

    Thank you very much! I was surprised when i couldn't find a picture but that pic does all the justice i need. Thank you again!

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