+Dogfish Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 7 hours ago, Vernon Saunders said: Where were the leaks at? in the tank or sump? All 4 of the 2" bulkheads were leaking. 3 in the overflow box and one in the sump. Maybe my hole saw was a mm too large. Maybe the wobbly chuck on the old drill press. The 1-1/2 was fine. A few threaded connections needed tightening. Everything is too clean. No crud to fill in the tiny gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon Saunders Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Ahh... Atleast it was easy (relatively anyway) to repair. I would say overall a successful first acrylic tank build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 3 Deadmen. The sump is full. No new leaks. Filling the skimmer now. Want to be sure no leaks there before cranking up the pumps. Anyone with MP60's on thick walls? Im getting some noise that I didn't get on my mp40's. I put a rolled up piece of tape under the bottom edge of the dry sides and it helped a little. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 I need to post this so I dont lose it until I get my apex up and running. Feb 21-2018 Day 4 -Tank is filled. Soaked rock 30 days prior w/ Dr Tims Salinity 1.025 PH 8.0 Nitrate 2 Cal 450 Mag 1500 (IO salt) Alk 10.3 Phosphate .07ppm March 6-2018 Salinity 1.025 PH 8.3 Nitrate <1 Cal 450 Mag 1440 Alk 8.4 (hanna) Phosphate .09 March 15-2018 Pod feeding ended / socks on and skimmer Salinity 1.025 PH 8.2 Nitrate <1 Cal 450 Mag 1200 Alk 7.8 (hanna) Phosphate .122 March 21-2018 50g w/c - new ph probe Salinity 1.024 PH 8.07 Nitrate <1 Cal 551(hanna) Mag 1200 Alk 7.6 (hanna) Phosphate .08 March 30-2018 Salinity 1.025 PH 8.12 Cal 450 Mag 1350 Alk 7.6 April 4-2018 water change / 4-1 dosed Pt 2 to raise alk Salinity 1.025 PH 8.14 Nitrate <1 Cal 490 (Salfert) Mag 1470 Alk 8.5 Phosphate .07 April 27th 2018 30g water change + 300 ml part B Salinity 1.025 PH 8.26 Nitrate 1 Cal 450 (Salfert) Mag 1350 Alk 9.2 Phosphate .08 June 26th 2018 50g water change Salinity 1.025 PH 8.15 Nitrate .50 Cal 450 (Salfert) Mag 1485 Alk 8.8 Phosphate .09 July 9th Salinity 1.0255 PH 8.07 Nitrate .75 Cal 465 (Salfert) Mag 1500 Alk.8.8 Phosphate .09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon Saunders Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 You can use this to keep track of parameters. Tank Levels Shareable.xlsx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 when i started up this tank, i created a google form, so i could put my readings into the form on my phone, then see it on a spreadsheet. willing to share if anyone wants a copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Isaac, that would be great. Now if I can just remember how this apex thing works. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 24, 2018 Author Share Posted February 24, 2018 Apex . Hum. Update firmware so it will work with fusion. D/l installer. Installer will not work with mac 10.6.4 on old lappy. Darn. D/l installer on new laptop. Oh need wired ethernet connection to router. No ethernet port on new laptop. Ah ha music server is mac mini. Ok step 2 turn on "fusion" in controller. Fusion is on, sees everything but no control. After 3 hours of reading threads, no hair left, I find you must also turn on "fusion control" in controller. I knew that computer Sci degree would come in handy some day. Fusion works great. Does all the "if then's" for you. Put some clear 45's on the sea swirls. 100% improvement in looks for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon Saunders Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Ill agree that the clear looks better than the black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share Posted February 26, 2018 Just wanted to give a shout out to timfish. He stopped by on Sat. with a home made cannon and a par meter. Helped me a lot. I know that I will need a couple high powered lights to get deep down into my tank. The lights I have now need to come down from 14" to about 6 inches over the tank. With some other great advice i have a better plan for the tank. Plus he kept me home instead of spending the bank on some party at Ty's house. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Here is a brief update. 5 fish added and 2 LPS coral. All made it thru a short 15 day QT. Rock is getting that ugly brown junk on the rocks and sand. Mostly where there is little flow and strong light. Guess its time to get some cleaning friends and figure out my vacuum thing. Maybe a watchman or engineer is in the cards. I see the first water change coming. Any one have a few mini brittle stars? Can trade a liter of fresh hatched brine shrimp and 50 gallons of slightly used salt water. The place that has those mini stars online wants $100.00 min, for a clean up crew, with stuff I really dont want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Here is a brief update. 5 fish added and 2 LPS coral. All made it thru a short 15 day QT. Rock is getting that ugly brown junk on the rocks and sand. Mostly where there is little flow and strong light. Guess its time to get some cleaning friends and figure out my vacuum thing. Maybe a watchman or engineer is in the cards. I see the first water change coming. Any one have a few mini brittle stars? Can trade a liter of fresh hatched brine shrimp and 50 gallons of slightly used salt water. The place that has those mini stars online wants $100.00 min, for a clean up crew, with stuff I really dont want.When you drop off the tub, I can fish around for some for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 1 minute ago, FarmerTy said: 3 minutes ago, Dogfish said: When you drop off the tub, I can fish around for some for you. Ok deal. The rest of marco rocks been in the tubs for about a month or longer for some pieces. I want to wait another 2 weeks before selling it off. The only thing I put in was Tims a bit of ammonia, excess freshly hatched brine shrimp, rotifer water, and some pods. Not sure if they are in the rock but maybe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 17, 2018 Author Share Posted March 17, 2018 Got my first free guest. Ulva. Must have come in with some snails. Right now its just in the observation tank. Looks like something I could make seaweed salad out of. Now that there is something green in the tank, maybe the brown and purple junk will take a hike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 24, 2018 Author Share Posted March 24, 2018 Questions, cause i have old brain. Running my skimmer now 6 hours a day added socks and stopped feeding phyto. My brown gunk is gone, not counting 1 rock that gets 1 hour of morning sun and has little flow. Waiting for green and red crap to appear. X fingers. 5 cardinals plus 2 LPS corals that are looking great after 2 weeks. 5 months to nem a go go . Looks like my Alk is dropping slowly, as well as my PH. Got a real PH probe calibrated. (see above) Did a 50 gallon water change with red sea std salt . Tank was baptized 1 month ago. So is it normal for my PH to drop over time? Is it normal for my Alk to drop over time with so little coral ? I just cant remember my other tank start up numbers. If so what should I do at this point, if anything. Is "reborn" the most natural looking media avail these days? I need some for the bottom dwellers in my tank and want some natural looking stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skot Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 (edited) i might have missed something but why only run the skimmer 6 hours a day? i would think to run it 24/7 and put Oxygen in the tank and filter out junk. I wouldn't think starving it out would be an ideal situation or you'd end up like the dead sea an unable to support any life; nuance or desired. As far as the drop in calc and alk is concerned what are you doing besides just water changes? something is using it up and they both need to be added back one way or another. I don't think water changes alone will do that. Your tank is well beyond the size of anything i've ever kept but i think it would just be a simple expanse in magnitude. edit: i was looking into your build thread since you were asking me about the C02 scrubber i was using. while it still might be a benefit if fresh air is an issue. the low Alk will affect your PH as well. If you bring that up it will help buffer. I wouldn't think 7.6 alk is bad per say. Are you more concerned its lower then it once was? Chemistry in the tank will move around. Trying to keep it stable is the dance. Since your tank is pretty new and changing all the time i think that is going to be an effect that is just going to happen. Edited March 26, 2018 by skot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 There is nothing to skim out yet. No use in keeping it running just to see it spit out almost clear foam water. It has no effect that i can see, being run longer. Something is using up alk but not calcium but what? Nothing is growing but 2 corals and those cant even see each other. 50 gal water change scheduled for tomorrow . Red sea pro salt. 11.7 alk measured, so that should bring it up a bit along with mag level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skot Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 I would think just oxygen introduction alone would be beneficial. Im under the school of stability is a good thing. If running the skimmer has an effect of the chemistry of the water then you'd want to have it run as you would later down the line. whats going to happen when you add a new element? it could scale perimeters and then affect something else. Im not versed enough to give a simplified version of the relationship between Calcium and Alkalinity but it has to do with consumption ratio of alk is greater then calc. There is a rabbit whole of information online and some or more science-y then others depending how much you want to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skot Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 oldie but a goodie? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 10 hours ago, skot said: oldie but a goodie? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm hahahaha I have read that and few a few other things many times over. I am prob chasing numbers right now. Bacteria is prob eating up oxygen as it is multiplying. I have plenty of gas exchange without the skimmer. 2ea 3 foot wide waterfalls, surface skimming and 4 filter sock whirlpools. Im not so worried today. PH stopped dropping. My rocks are not dissolving. I should have kept my old tank numbers so I had something to refer back to.. Time to get some of those expensive tank stablizing SPS corals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 hahahaha I have read that and few a few other things many times over. I am prob chasing numbers right now. Bacteria is prob eating up oxygen as it is multiplying. I have plenty of gas exchange without the skimmer. 2ea 3 foot wide waterfalls, surface skimming and 4 filter sock whirlpools. Im not so worried today. PH stopped dropping. My rocks are not dissolving. I should have kept my old tank numbers so I had something to refer back to.. Time to get some of those expensive tank stablizing SPS corals.Expensive tank stabilizing SPS corals... Hmmm...I might know a guy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 27, 2018 Author Share Posted March 27, 2018 On 3/26/2018 at 1:36 PM, FarmerTy said: Expensive tank stabilizing SPS corals... Hmmm...I might know a guy... Im sure you do. Selling off some rock so I can get that tub back to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 27, 2018 Author Share Posted March 27, 2018 Did a 50g water change yesterday with red sea pro salt. About 8 % of water volume. Ph has stablized today at 7.97 down from 8. Alk is at 8 and steady for 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig 'em @ NDstructible Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Expensive tank stabilizing SPS corals... Hmmm...I might know a guy...His name is Gig 'em [emoji38] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 10 hours ago, Gig 'em @ NDstructible said: His name is Gig 'em Gig 'em doesn't rhyme with Bolt or live in South Austin .... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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