Vader November 19, 2008 Author Share November 19, 2008 I have made a few changes, the pipe is now 3/4" which will give greater flow and the sump retuen is higher up in the tank so if the sump loop pump fails, not as much water will backfill the sump. I'm also starting to fill the tank with RODI water. I'm hoping to be able to place the live rock in tomorrow and the sand this weekend. If thing go to plan. reefmontalvo, That is the highest point that water will backfill into the sump when the pumps are shut off (sump pick 2). By raising the sump return, I'll have less water backfilling into the sump if the pump were to fail. I'll show pics when the system has filled and show the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH December 4, 2008 Share December 4, 2008 I heard a rumor this thing has sand, rock, and maybe even a soft coral in there somewhere. Where are the pictures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoozilla December 4, 2008 Share December 4, 2008 I heard a rumor this thing has sand, rock, and maybe even a soft coral in there somewhere. Where are the pictures? +1 on some pics.... Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader December 4, 2008 Author Share December 4, 2008 I heard a rumor this thing has sand, rock, and maybe even a soft coral in there somewhere. Where are the pictures? There you go again....stir'n up the pot Yes I have the sand and rock in the tank, there's been two small set backs. One I didn't rince the sand well enough the first time and when I turned on the pumps, it was a total dust storm So after 2 days, I drained the tank while stirring the sand and it is much better, then my skimmer pump started to act up. I think it goes back to when that hermit crab got suck up into the intake. After thinking about ordering an impeller kit or a whole new pump, I decided this Friday I will be ordering a new pump. I added more sand last night and is starting to look like a reef tank. This weekend I will also be ordering my T5 bulbs and a few test kits. I've made a few changes (again) to the plumbing. I removed that long half pipe for the water to drain into the sump and turned the elbows at an angle. It's much more quiet now. The softies are doing fine, Thanks to Chewy. They are in my 10 gal. tank along with my little trouble makers, the hermit crabs. Two of the crabs have moved into larger shells too. I will post pics of all this, this weekend, along with a cold beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader December 9, 2008 Author Share December 9, 2008 Here are a few pics of my progress so far. By this friday, I should have the new pump for the skimmer, T5 bulbs, several test kits and a lens for the Tek light fixture. I have started cycling the tank by adding some live sand (Thanks Chewy) and the hermit crabs now have a new home which they are exploring all over the place. This dust storm is what it looked like after 2 days when the pumps were off Now I can run my hand through the sand and there is no dust storm. This is what happens when you mix reef salt in a display tank I learned a lot though the school of hard knocks. Guess I won't do that again Much quieter now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak December 9, 2008 Share December 9, 2008 (edited) looking good, you're not worried that those pipes are going to stick out like a sore thumb until they get covered with coraline algae? the light track is fricken sweet! Edited December 9, 2008 by jason the filter freak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader December 9, 2008 Author Share December 9, 2008 Thanks Jason. The light track isn't complete yet. When It's done, I plan on posting a DIY on it. I know the white pipes stick out like a sore thumb but it will get covered with coraline at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader December 10, 2008 Author Share December 10, 2008 (edited) Lights came in today and WOW what a difference. I'm trying to get some good pics, but thay are coming out blue, but it's not that blue. I went with 3 ATI True blue's, 1 ATI Pro Color, 1 UVL 75/25 and 1 UVL Super Blue Actinic. I am very happy with the lighting and once I get a good shot of the tank, I'll post it. Edit: This is the best that I could do....It's not as blue when you're looking at in person. The sand is really a bright white when looking at it from the room here. Edited December 11, 2008 by Vader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH December 11, 2008 Share December 11, 2008 Ain't it cool! Looking real good bro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader December 14, 2008 Author Share December 14, 2008 (edited) I did my first water test today: Calcium - 430ppm Alkalinity - 11.5dKH Salinity - 1.027 pH - 8.06 Magnesium - 1290ppm Temperature - 80.6 Deg/F I haven't picked up a Ammonia test kit yet, but the water has been cristal clear since I added the activated carbon and placed it in the sump. I've got to figure out how to take a pic without so much blue ???? Edited December 14, 2008 by Vader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader January 8, 2009 Author Share January 8, 2009 It's been awhile since I have posted on the progress of my tank, and that is because I have been dealing with an algae outbreak (Hair algae). At first I thought it was all because the tank was going through it's cycle and this will slowly go away, but it didn't, it gots worse. So I ordered a Salifert Phosphate test kit and when I did the test, it read 0. I was blown away and took a sample of water to EA and they found it be about 0.05ppm I hooked up with a member from CMAS and he loaned me his Merck test kit and tested my RODI water today, it was 0. I then placed the bag of activated carbon that was in my sump (Made by AquaClear) and it sat in a container of RODI water for 8 hours, tested the water, it was off the scale: 0.14ppm + Now that I have found why the outbreak is so bad, I will be doing water changes every other day untill the phosphate readings are 0. I've also started dosing Brightwell's Phosphate-E and picked up a Sea Hair. If you never used a Merck test kit, vial B is the water from the tank and vial A is the same water from the tank with the test chemicals in it. What you're supposed to do is slide the vials across the chart and when the colors are the same, you read the readings to give you the amount of phosphates. This was about 3 weeks ago Today Today Sea Hair Sea Hair says this is yummy The test results of the carbon This stuff is BAD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak January 8, 2009 Share January 8, 2009 your rock work needs a shave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterTang January 8, 2009 Share January 8, 2009 But it says "premium research grade" on the box! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k January 8, 2009 Share January 8, 2009 Perhaps this is redundant- don't add any fish to your tank until your algae cycle has finished. Let the Sea Hare do its' job until all nuisance algae is gone. You could even add some nice macroalgae to help absorb some of the phosphate. It will eventually outcompete the single celled algae for nutrients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoothtriqueter January 8, 2009 Share January 8, 2009 I know it sucks but hang in there let it cycle. the bag of carbon just sitting in the sump? water flow through it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak January 9, 2009 Share January 9, 2009 (edited) Second the macros if you dont have any already most people have some free, including me. In the mean time you can sink an X-wing in amongst the hair algea and call your tank Degoba Edited January 9, 2009 by jason the filter freak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader January 13, 2009 Author Share January 13, 2009 aww, fun you make of my home, Dagobah my home is. This pic was taken tonight and you can see the hair algae is starting to recede. Every night I clean the tank and remove as much algae as possible. I think the sea hair has started to make a difference too, as there is a patch of algae missing on one of the rocks. I have done several water changes at roughly 12 gallons each and the last phosphate test showed 0 ppm. I'm thinking of getting more hermit crabs this weekend and possibly a Blue Hippo Tang. I've spoken to some members and read up on that many of the Tangs love to eat algae. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader January 30, 2009 Author Share January 30, 2009 It's been awhile, but it looks like I'm winning the war on hair algae. I've been doing many water changes and keeping a close eye on my water readings. I also just ordered the dual GFO/caron reactor from BRS.....(I got a little play money this last week and my wife doesn't get any ), so....cha ching......reactor time. Also I'm getting a 4 channel digi time clock to control all my lighting which will be in about 2 - 3 weeks. Overall, I'm very happy with the tanks progress and have been slowly adding small frags. Much of my sucess comes from many WAMAS members with there constructive input. Thank You. I just added a watchman goby tonight, I hope this one makes it This was take a week ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoothtriqueter January 30, 2009 Share January 30, 2009 Much improved....keep up the hard work it looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droyal1110 February 18, 2009 Share February 18, 2009 Wait I'm sorry, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. Did you say that the activated carbon from aqua clear was contributing to your hair algae? If so, this explains a lot because I too am battling hair algae in my tank and I use the activated carbon from aqua clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak February 19, 2009 Share February 19, 2009 looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amuze February 19, 2009 Share February 19, 2009 your tank is coming along very well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH April 3, 2009 Share April 3, 2009 Any updates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader April 11, 2009 Author Share April 11, 2009 I've been out for a while but the tank is doing quite well. Back in February I added a little more sand to the display tank and went through another hair algae bloom. But this time I knock it out pretty quickly now that I know what to do. Several months ago I went to the CMAS frag fest and picked up a Green Blasto and a RED & Green Blasto and the Green Blasto has about 4 small new heads coming up but the Red&Green wasn't doing very well. Then I found out that the puddy that is used to mount coral to live rock can harm some corals. So I pulled both of them out and removed the puddy and super glued them to a small piece of live rock and then used the puddy to attach it to the rock. The Red&Green Blasto is now on its way back to recovery and I'm hoping in the next month, new heads may start to grow. As far as fish go, all I have is a Flame Angelfish and an Orange Spotted Blenny (my Fav). I've had a few causalities but I've learned from them. The Blenny is so fun to watch in the tank. My Tank sits just to my back, as I'm on the computer, and many times I will swing around to watch the tank, and there is the Blenny, in his little hole with his eyes watching me, ducking further down in his hole as I draw closer to the tank. But when it's feeding time...look out, he's out there chomping away. Also, I have several hermit crab that have been with me since the start when the rock was in the garage sitting in a tube, and have just grown. You will notice I have removed the baffles from the sump. It was just way too hard to keep clean, so what you see is how it is now, plus 15 gallon water changes take only 15 minutes now. The tank has been up and running for some time now but there's not a lot of coral, but slowly I add one here, and another there. I've added a few pics and still haven't mastered the camera. In reality, I need to get a camera for greater detail and close ups....but all in time. The pics I have just don't bring out the full color, but it's there. I have many hobbies other than reef'n but I can truly say that this hobby can give the greatest returns and/or rewards, but on the flip side, give out the greatest disappointments. I guess that's one reason why I really love this hobby so much. I hope you enjoy the pics and someday I will get some real quality pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vader May 2, 2009 Author Share May 2, 2009 It looks as if my Ric. is getting a second mouth ? but it looks kewl, I noticed it this morning when I went to feed the fishies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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