lanman December 31, 2007 Author Share December 31, 2007 Diatom algae disappearing in record time... Good skimming?? I still only have 1/4 of a cleanup crew - but the diatom algae on my rocks and sand is already disappearing. Now if the green hair algae will follow (even though it's only on the thermometers and the WavySeas outlet) I'll be a happy reefer. Still waiting on my fluidized reactor - a little phosphate remover might take care of it, too. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward January 2, 2008 Share January 2, 2008 What we won't do for our fish tanks... I just had the electrician over. I have a Federal Pacific main breaker panel. They are known to cause fires. It is 25 years old. Many/most of the breakers have been replaced over the years with better ones, but the main breaker hasn't - and it's the main fire hazard (never properly tested by UL, etc.) I am having a new panel installed. I am having wire run, and a sub-panel installed behind the 240-gallon tank. The sub-panel will have TWO 20-amp GFCI with ARC fault breakers. The whole job is going to be just under $6,000. And that's from a neighborhood electrical company. The cost of breaker panels has gone up almost 400% over the last several years - because the materials in them have risen drastically in price. JUST the combination GFCI and ARC fault protection breakers are $200 each! And these will be REQUIRED for breakers for bedrooms in the very near future - possibly already in new construction. By 2009, they will be required for kitchens, etc. bob Bob, I haven't seen combination GFCI and AFCI breakers before? At $200 each, I'm sure that's what they are - but a fire would be much more expensive. What type of panel did you get? Square-D (QO or Homeline), GE, Siemens, etc. I might consider trading my GFCI breakers for combos if they make them. Anything special about the panel or wiring to allow it to accept the combo breakers? ~Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 4, 2008 Author Share January 4, 2008 Bob, I haven't seen combination GFCI and AFCI breakers before? At $200 each, I'm sure that's what they are - but a fire would be much more expensive. What type of panel did you get? Square-D (QO or Homeline), GE, Siemens, etc. I might consider trading my GFCI breakers for combos if they make them. Anything special about the panel or wiring to allow it to accept the combo breakers? ~Brian Well.. I don't know. It was for a Cutler-Hammer panel. I found a different contractor - did a GREAT job (today) - and did the job for $1900 instead of $5600. He'd never heard of the combination breaker; said he could put GFCI in the sub-panel and arc-fault in the main panel for the same circuit. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 4, 2008 Author Share January 4, 2008 Finally... got my clean-up crew. All in good health. 200 assorted snails, and 100 little blue-leg hermits. I now have a couple of extra sally lightfoot crabs; nice surprise for someone that comes to get a frag, and can catch one out of my sump! Also - got three starfish; one fuzzy one, and two smooth ones. About 4-5" in diameter. Put the big fuzzy one in the 240. Part of the crew: bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer January 4, 2008 Share January 4, 2008 Hope those are trochus and not astrea....otherwise, you've probably spent half your night flipping snails over! LOL Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward January 4, 2008 Share January 4, 2008 Well.. I don't know. It was for a Cutler-Hammer panel. I found a different contractor - did a GREAT job (today) - and did the job for $1900 instead of $5600. He'd never heard of the combination breaker; said he could put GFCI in the sub-panel and arc-fault in the main panel for the same circuit. bob OK. That sounds right. Square-D QO series is one of the leaders in circuit breaker technology and they don't make combo breakers. Only problem I see with that setup is AFCI breakers don't typically come in high amp rating. Are you not running 50A 200V to the sub panel so you can separate your equipment across multiple circuits? He changed the main panel AND installed your sub panel for $1900!? Wow - great price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 4, 2008 Author Share January 4, 2008 Hope those are trochus and not astrea....otherwise, you've probably spent half your night flipping snails over! LOL Tracy They are indeed astrea, my dear - and yes, I spent quite a bit of time flipping snails... of course now they are all up at the water line, doing not much of anything. But eventually, they will start moving around. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer January 5, 2008 Share January 5, 2008 I read on RC that one guy acclimates his snails that way....he lets them grab on at the water line and then move down into the water of their own accord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 January 5, 2008 Share January 5, 2008 I read on RC that one guy acclimates his snails that way....he lets them grab on at the water line and then move down into the water of their own accord. It's actually a great way to acclimate snails. You hold them against the tank wall above the water line until they grab on and then let them crawl in as they see fit. If they don't like the water yet, they crawl back up... it's not always easy to do, though, especially when you have a lot of snails to acclimate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 10, 2008 Author Share January 10, 2008 First full set of water measurements for the 240. It's been a MONTH since I put the first rocks in it. Oh - not quite a full set... I couldn't find a nitrite test kit. All of the other tests are with Salifert test kits. Temp 81.2 Ammonia - 0 Nitrates - 5 Alkalinity - 9.0 dKh Calcium - 320 Magnesium- 1140 pH - 8.12 (brand new, freshly calibrated probe on my brand new RC-III) Comments?????? Running topoff water (about 3-4 gallons per day) through kalkwasser reactor. I tried to stop a leak on each overflow tonight. One I successfully stopped. The other is still dripping a little. Did this during my FIRST 20-gallon water change! Would have done 25-gallons, but wasn't sure just how much water I had in that 32-gallon trash can. So far - everything is happy and growing, especially the RBTA - which now actually has 1-1.5" tentacles instead of little 'spikes', and is up to about 3" in diameter from about 2". Some of the tentacles even have little 'bubbles' starting to form. Lots of frags in the tank now... I decided if I didn't have enough space for frags in the frag tank - I'd put them in the big tank. So I fragged up a few corals that have been needing it. AOG-II zoa, Leishman wild blue zoa, orange bam-bam zoa. They look great in there - but I can't get a decent picture because the sand is so white the exposure keeps closing down. Still only running 4 light fixtures - turned the 5th one on the other night (warm evening), and the tank heated up too much. Pictures again soon! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 16, 2008 Author Share January 16, 2008 Updated full-tank shot. Most of the corals are NOT where they will end up. Still moving rocks around: Left side: Right side: bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaironman January 16, 2008 Share January 16, 2008 Umm..... Nice!!!! No more green algae, also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer January 16, 2008 Share January 16, 2008 Bob, The colors look totally awesome! What bulb combo are you using? It might be in here somewhere, but that would mean I have to go look. LOL I am ordering a new 6-lamp fixture this week, and am trying to figure out what lamps to get. Awesome!!! T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 16, 2008 Author Share January 16, 2008 Bob, The colors look totally awesome! What bulb combo are you using? It might be in here somewhere, but that would mean I have to go look. LOL I am ordering a new 6-lamp fixture this week, and am trying to figure out what lamps to get. Awesome!!! T I'll have to find it myself... keep in mind that the front panel is Starphire glass; no loss of greens. All Geisseman lamps in there right now; lots of Aquablue+, only one pure actinic. I'll make a list. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigJPDC January 16, 2008 Share January 16, 2008 Looks really godo Bob! Just curious - when are you going to fill the tank all the way up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 16, 2008 Author Share January 16, 2008 Looks really godo Bob! Just curious - when are you going to fill the tank all the way up? As soon as I get more coralline algae growing... it's on the plastic parts, now - and one little spot on the front glass, somehow; going to have to scrape! THEN I'll finish filling it up. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor January 16, 2008 Share January 16, 2008 The tank looks great keep the updates coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 21, 2008 Author Share January 21, 2008 Built a box for my DJ-8's and AC-III. Not sure yet where I'm going to put the DC-8's. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lletellier January 21, 2008 Share January 21, 2008 that red cap is awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsedlack January 21, 2008 Share January 21, 2008 Bob - I enjoyed seeing your tank today when i picked up some zoas (they are all doing well). Man - I just gotta get a bigger tank! /George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman January 22, 2008 Author Share January 22, 2008 I finally got a decent picture of my 'Splendid Dottyback' ... I am calling her 'Bandit'. For what I think are fairly obvious reasons: bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeria January 22, 2008 Share January 22, 2008 Bandit and the tank look better in person! Thanks for the tour !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy7200 January 22, 2008 Share January 22, 2008 I picked up a pair of those dottybacks last month, they are awesome. Surprisingly peaceful for their reputation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer January 22, 2008 Share January 22, 2008 You have one?? I was THIS close to getting one months back from BRK. I love her!! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeria January 22, 2008 Share January 22, 2008 Bob, here is the picture I promised. That was one of the corals that caught my eye at Mr Coral social. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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