Good Greef Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Good for you there is no phosphate. I had to treat 75lbs of pukani for 3 wks aggressively with LaCl to rid it of phosphates. The amount of phosphate precipitate that built up on 75lbs was truly about 8-10 cups of pure powder precipitate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 On 1/7/2018 at 3:10 PM, Dogfish said: How good is that reef putty stuff? Will it cement both pieces together if i put a big glob between them or does it have to be spread by hand? If any aquascaping is going to be semipermanant I only trust gravity and PVC in holes to hold stuff together. As soon as a system is running endoliths will start to work on dissolving any calcium carbonate substrate. Epoxy putty, superglue, tie wraps and hydrolic cement all work short term and long term can help stabilize aquascaping but I've seen them all fail over time when they are holding stuff together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig 'em @ NDstructible Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 I've never experienced issues from stacking rocks without drilling holes in them or flying them together. If you position them intelligently and make sure they are steady with a shake test, they usually stay in place. I have never glued rocks and have never had one fall. Corals will encrust and coralline algae will help to an extent. It's also nice if you want to readjust the rock work later on or move rocks to re-aquascape. I've always seen gluing rocks as overkill when you can just stack them together properly with not issues. But to each their own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 9 hours ago, Timfish said: If any aquascaping is going to be semipermanant I only trust gravity and PVC in holes to hold stuff together. As soon as a system is running endoliths will start to work on dissolving any calcium carbonate substrate. Epoxy putty, superglue, tie wraps and hydrolic cement all work short term and long term can help stabilize aquascaping but I've seen them all fail over time when they are holding stuff together. 5 hours ago, Gig 'em @ NDstructible said: I've never experienced issues from stacking rocks without drilling holes in them or flying them together. If you position them intelligently and make sure they are steady with a shake test, they usually stay in place. I have never glued rocks and have never had one fall. Corals will encrust and coralline algae will help to an extent. It's also nice if you want to readjust the rock work later on or move rocks to re-aquascape. I've always seen gluing rocks as overkill when you can just stack them together properly with not issues. But to each their own! The rock is heavy. Average about 20 - 30lbs a piece. Not something I would want to stub my toe on in the water. Once in place I dont see some urchin leveraging it over unless it is unstable to start with. Some rocks have PVC and some have fiberglass driveway rods joining them. Only 1 ledge has an issue. It has PVC between the pieces and will have another rock on top to help keep it in place. I wanted to understand how the putty works and will only use it in a backup role on the 1 ledge. Here is a pic of some chiseled holes. I found its easier if the rock is wet. I wonder how much time it will take for the Marco rock to dissolve since it is all old coral reef? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 I guess I should have said "PVC, CPVC, fiberglass, plastic, acrylic pipe or rods." As far as the putty I would not expect it to stick to anything long term even if it sticks well initially. I do use it to help stabilize structures very occasionally but it's like making a small rock as a "shim" to keep a larger rock from shifting around. As to how fast dissolution happens that's pretty hard to say but obviously it's a very slow process. The density of the rock is a factor and it's difficult to quantify microenvironments that can have a pH low enough to dissolve calcium carbonate rock directly. What I have seen over the years, fortunately very rarely, is rock break along fracture lines I'm pretty sure I didn't see originally and when putty or cement failed algae and/or sponges had worked into the joints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 40 minutes ago, Timfish said: I do use it to help stabilize structures very occasionally but it's like making a small rock as a "shim" to keep a larger rock from shifting around. Good to know it will work that way. I have one piece setting on the bottom. It is stable but if pushed with my had hand I can make it fall over. I drilled a hole and put a piece of pvc pipe in. It is a lot more stable now. I can use putty to help that and hide the pvc. I guess it will not turn to mush underwater over time then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 Getting over depression because there is nothing in the tank. So instead of staring at rock in tubs, I decided to work on the light issue. As you can see from the pictures, the ceiling studs are not over the holes in the tank. I had put the hooks in the ceiling before the tank was in. I did not measure 2wice and cut once. Even if I did it right, the hooks would not be centered and I don't want to put them in sheet rock with anchors. So here is my idea. I have a 4 ft aluminum frame kit. and 2 cross bars. I have some T track. What do you think of me mounting the frame kit to the ceiling and walls. Secured Into the studs. The cross members would be overover the holes ? Mount the "T" track to the cross members. Then using bolts in the track with some oval eye nuts, I can slide the lights over the holes. If I need more lights I can just slide in another pair and space them as needed. Sound like a plan??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 Oh and 1 more thing Any ideas about how to do cord management so the lights hang straight? They are not very heavy. I dont think the cords are long enough to reach the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckyuv Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The t track sounds like a good idea, another option could be if the studs are in the right spot on the wall, to do a bar coming out horizontally to hold up the lights / wires. For where they are now in the ceiling, do you have access to that from above? You could also just put a 2x4 or something where you need it above the sheet rock where you have the openings and shift the lights over that way. For the wires, Its been a while since I had mine, but I think they had an extension for the power wires you could buy, then for the ones to link them, it's a regular ol 3.5mm cable you can get. That may help to extend and run through the ceiling if that is the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 +1, lead fishing weights might help the chains to hang straight. (But to be honest the first thing that caught my eye was the really clean glue joints on the acrylic. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 So watching rock soak is not much fun. Going on week 3 and I from my tests, it is ready to go in the tank. Will give it another week. Cleaned up the 55 for a QT holding after the TT tank method is done. Got the light rack up on the ceiling. 2 faced tape works to hold it to the ceiling before I screwed it in. Waiting for the 1/4' T bolts so I can mount the lights. The old futon is very comfy on top of the tank. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 Looking good! Don't lie, you took at least one nap up there while hanging the lights? [emoji23]I can't wait until retirement! [emoji5] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvalentine83 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 This tank build is so amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 The "T" bolts arrived yesterday. Was busy hanging the wife's garage door opener. Builds good arms opening it by hand but..... shes the boss. Should have had the builder do it. He wanted too much $ for a cheapo opener and installation. The lights are up. Got the sea swirls out of the boxes. Next step it to plumb them and do some wire management. I thought of placing an aluminum "X" between the lights. Maybe just run the wires attached to the sea swirl pipes with tie wraps. Now they are just hanging from some extra chain suspended in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Seems like making your "X" with some aluminum bar stock that fits through the links of the chain seems like an easy way to help with cable organization. Since you're familiar with Sci Grip #40 for your Sea Swirls you can get acrylic tubing for clear return nozzles. If you don't have a miter saw it's easy enough to make miter cuts by hand to make 22.5° or 45° elbows (or whatever angle you want) glued to a PVC fitting that matches the connection on the Sea Swirl. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 14 hours ago, Timfish said: Seems like making your "X" with some aluminum bar stock that fits through the links of the chain seems like an easy way to help with cable organization. Since you're familiar with Sci Grip #40 for your Sea Swirls you can get acrylic tubing for clear return nozzles. If you don't have a miter saw it's easy enough to make miter cuts by hand to make 22.5° or 45° elbows (or whatever angle you want) glued to a PVC fitting that matches the connection on the Sea Swirl. Great idea on the swirls. I was thinking of adding a "T" on the ends if I have enough pressure. That way i could get 2 directional outputs from 1 swirl. Clear would make them a lot less visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JoseZ Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Where did you buy the track and bolts from? I have a similar concept in mind for my canopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Where did you buy the track and bolts from? I have a similar concept in mind for my canopy.Are you sure it isn't for your dungeon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JoseZ Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 12 minutes ago, FarmerTy said: 36 minutes ago, JoseZ said: Where did you buy the track and bolts from? I have a similar concept in mind for my canopy. Are you sure it isn't for your dungeon? Shhhhh....this reafing thing is just a front....thanks to my realtor I was able to land the perfect evil lair. 🕵️♂️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 3 hours ago, JoseZ said: Where did you buy the track and bolts from? I have a similar concept in mind for my canopy. "Are you sure it isn't for your dungeon?" I brought all that stuff with me when I moved. You can get the T track, bolts and oval eye nuts on line. They are not avail in Wimberley. We have no S&M shops. Unlike SF where I'm from. There is 1 every block. Different kinda of leather I guess. The alum track and connectors came from a company called ESTO connectors. They make display stuff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 I set up the 55 as an observation tank. The fish and coral will go in once out of QT / Treatment. Since its in the garage it can only be used until June, when it gets too hot. I will start it up with some pods, rotifers and a few snails. Maybe toss in some macro algae. Can't believe the old canister filter still works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Fans and evaporative cooling can extend your usage time. With good airflow evaporative cooling can keep the water at the average daily low temperature. In theory you could keep fish and hardy inverts all summer long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 9 hours ago, Timfish said: Fans and evaporative cooling can extend your usage time. With good airflow evaporative cooling can keep the water at the average daily low temperature. In theory you could keep fish and hardy inverts all summer long. I think I would melt in the garage. That's a good thing to keep in mind if I want something in the middle of summer. The ACE only had angle aluminum. It will work if I cut a notch where the 2 pieces meet. I think I will run the swirls wiring along the pipes. The connector in right there where the pipe goes in and its low voltage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 Time for sand. I need some help here. I am guessing from what I read here, Reef Fakes is the most popular. my idea is to get 2 sizes. Mesoflakes - 2.7mm and Reefflakes - 3.0mm Part of the tank 2.7. and part 3.0. Do I need to go finer for sand sifter fish and jawfish or will this work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo662 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I'm happy I went with the reef flakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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