dandy7200

I don't know it off the top of my head (the conversion) what is your meq/l ? Are the sump/fuge filled to the top? I am trying to figure out your actual water volume not tank size etc. This is crucial to knowing how much of what to dose if and when you need to.

I would be pretty hesitant to make a recomendation without having a second check done on your water. If your kits were of better quality then it would help. As a referance point though mix up a batch of Seachem to 1.025 and do the test on the new salt. Then go to RC and ask on the Seachem sponser forum what there salt should mix to for Alk, Ca, Mg and Ph at 1.025. This will at least give a good guess to the accuracy of your test kits. Just so you know some people have had crashes when switching brands of salt. There are also a whole lot of people that buy whatever is on sale and have never had a problem. If you are set on switching try and do it slow (mix 50-50 oceanic and seachem for the first few changes and observe carefully). Also when you say "part b" are you refering to B-Ionic? If not what brand additives do you use? Another question: do you have a sump/fuge if so can you estimate the total WATER volume that is in those please. Edit: Just to be sure you are positive the kit is reading in DKH and not Meq/l?

Not trying to bust up your sale but, thin glass is VERY hard to drill. I have a 2 1/2 I am going to practice on and am pretty sure I will crack it ( and I have drilled a few holes ).

Dude????? I know for a fact you have a sump. You need to switch from a HOB mentality to the DIY one. Get a 5 gallon bucket and drill a hole for a 1" uniseal near the top and put uniseal in hole. Next insert a 1" pipe into the unseal that the pipe runs into your sump. Get one of the many powerheads I know you have laying around and attach tubing to the output. Put end of hose in 5 gallon bucket with a siphon hole near the top. Go get a $5 clamp on light and 5000k-6000k floodlight and clip to bucket. Get some macro at fall meeting and put in your new fuge.

That is a pretty big swing on Mg as well. What salt are you using? Do the same test on fresh made salt water. How big is your tank? # of lb of liverock?

Mucho! How is that new reef mag? I might have to get a subscription to that as well.

Links fixed now. I was trying to embed it so no one had to leave the site to watch it but, none of the code I try seems to be compatible with this version of software .

Fed-ex made a visit today . Attached to the top: Attached to a 4x4 that is screwed to the wall and goes to the floor: I didn't take any pictures of the wiring, it was pretty simple. I am uploading a short video for your geeking pleasure ............ 1 minute video .

I have some Green Gracilliaria (pretty sure I spelled that wrong) aka "Tang Heaven" It out competes my chaeto for nutrients by a mile. Strain came from Florida Aqua Farms. I would like to bring a bunch of small portions to the meeting and whoever wants some can get a little and grow it and spread throughout the club . I am looking for shrooms for my FOWLR. Dan BTW, how early does everyone show up to do the trading/selling?

I called and they said tempered. They were wrong (for my tank anyway).

Sounds like a time for a upgrade and ditch the bad karma that remains with that gift......

Of which species?

I take it this is the Al contsiner you are talking about . You really need to do a little more research on this, the information is available but, the link you provided is a joke. Yes, I am trying to discourage you a little bit. I would not attempt this project, nor will I give advice that in the end I think will end up destroying the beautiful reef you are trying to create. :(

Sorry man, find a differant container. Only reef safe metal is Ti or 316 Stainless. Don't risk coating it. It may not rust but will corrode and leach unsafe levels of Al into your system killing inverts and making all that beautiful live rock you have useless.

Wow! desperate times call for desperate measures I guess but, you have seriously crossed the line...... Anyway tank.....I bought a Topfin bowfront 28 to use for a sump from Petsmart and wanted to drill it. The bottom had the sticker blah,blah, blah. I called the 1-800 number for them and ask about the tank. They said all panels were tempered. I did not believe them. I took the tank to a local glass shop where I know the guys in the shop and ask them. They took a glass cutter and VERY LIGHTLY scored about 1" down the seam right at the caulk line on the back of the tank. This made a clean line and there fore was determined that the tank was not tempered (or at least the panel I wanted to drill). I went out and bought a glass cutter so I could do the same test from now on(I have since lost my cutter :( ). If the glass scores clean it is not tempered, if the cutter skips on the glass it is tempered. There are a couple other ways I have heard about telling but, this is how I learned from guys that cut glass all day for a living. HTH

Chip, the wall does need t be pretty plumb. I ripped off the paneling and put up new plywood and furring strips before the tank was in the final position. There is a little jiggle room to play with in the hinges but certainly not much when you tie 4 of them together. Raf, some things are worth doing not because you need them but, simply because they can be done. I don't think I will be putting suicide doors with linear actuators on my minivan anytime soon.....hey that would be pretty trick on your ride......or even better yet, Jenny's new ride

Lighten the top and allow the tank to breathe: Sand and paint: Rails installed to hang light. Skin with masonite: Trim and paint.

I think if you did the 1 corner overflow w/2 bulkheads and built a small (4x3x6") overflow and siliconed it in place internally, put a seaswirl on the opposite end of the tank w/ 500gph pump yyou would have a very effective setup. Throw a pair of 500gph nanostreams in and your good to go. I have my 29 done very similar to this but, considrable less flow since it is a FOWLR (bought a 75 today to replace this setup and will more than likely set it up the same way). If you want to do the gate valve (restricted drain) on your system, plan for it now, it cost the same as to build a durso and is SO MUCH quieter.

I wouldn't complicate the return too much. Single pipe return with locline nozzle, slung over the back. If you want flow achieve it another way, like a maxi-stream or nano-stream or CL. If you want the flow random add a sea swirl. I am actually thinking of removing my OM squirt since the sea-swirl does such a good job at mixing things up, then I can easily upgrade my CL pump if I want more flow, still keeping the "less is more" simplisity.

Funny I thought of the same thing......DonW post alot more stuff over on Reeffrontiers.com he's a really good guy and would be glad to help you if you ask. Don't build a controller to save money, do it because you can build a better one or simply because you enjoy that aspect of the hobby. Dan

It is the pump for my closed loop, which since then has been swapped to a Panworld 50px-x @1100gph.

Then why not just put a acrylic holder over the lip of the sump? Or are you using the Kent type float?

I second what Eric says, you can however use a electronic float switch to operate a NC solenoid on your RODI feed to the Kalk reactor. Then you don't need to drill anything.

Not the greatest pic but you can see the guts of the system. The way it works is your main overflow drain has no plumbing inside the overflow box, just the bulkhead and strainer at the bottom, and outside the overflow you attach a gate valve. By closing the gate valve you are able to tune the drain so that there is only water running through the pipe and no air. No air means no noise and no bubbles. At the end of that return pipe you submerge it in water and then you essentially have a "closed system" or as close as you really can. See end of return pipe submerged (right side) Once you have the valve closed to the point where only water is going through, then you start to close the valve a little more. What happens is the water level inside the overflow rises up closer to your tank water level and that noise goes away too. As the drain closes more you would think that you would overflow the tank but, thats where physics kick in.....even though the drain is restricted more the head pressure of extra water in the overflow pushes water through the valve with enough force to keep it working. This really works great but, to make it safe you MUST USE A EMERGENCY DRAIN! :wink: I have a drain the same size as my main drain that has a straight pipe attached inside the overflow with no elbows, strainers or anything. The top of this pipe sits just above where I want my water level inside the overflow. As weeks go by and my main drain becomes a little clogged from junk the water inside the box goes up just slightly and then starts to drain from this pipe. The bottom of the emergency is above the waterline of the sump so, when it kicks in I can hear it. Once the drain is tuned 1/8 turn adjustments are made on a once a month basis or "as needed"