acropoorer

Hi Hi Hi!

Another MAASTARD joins the mix. Hola to my Norther neighbors. LETS TRADE SOME FRAGS PEOPLE!

Peace!

Erik

OK Eric, I'll trade. What do you have and what are you looking for?

Thanks for the compliments folks! Don't see any bigger tanks in the future...at least for me.

I like the D&D aquatics high sensitivity kit (Merck test method from Deltec). The range is from 0 to 0.1 and it's best to stay below 0.045 which a lot of kits won't measure to any level of accuracy. Usually run about $90 but they have over 100 tests and last forever.

175 Gal 60x30x24 w/50 Gal sump

3x400W MH w/280W Actinic

Euro-Reef CS8-3

Deltec 601s

Coralife 1/2HP chiller

2xTunze 6100

220 lb LR

SPS, LPS, fish & some softies

You need to fix that signature.

And man does that stuff look great!

Better?

OHMYGOD DALE!

That Pearlberry has at least double in size since I saw you last. Its time to pay you a visit!!!!!!

Sure, but by now I'd have thought you'd have that 34 gal full up. Of course you're always welcome to visit just to look, but I'm running a night cycle till I get this stuff in the house (just plain hot in the garage). LED's on at 8:30pm, T12 actinic at 11:30pm, MH on at 1:30am so I had to stay up really late to get your full light pics. Taking vacation the week of the 4th and hoping to get the tank inside by the 11th -- maybe wishful thinking...

MORE PICS! MORE PICS! MORE PICS! MORE PICS! MORE PICS! MORE PICS!

+1

Ok, Ok. You know I am limited by the Iphone quality and to lazy to figure out how to use my cannon. I am starting to see some of my stuff that has suffered starting to color up and my parameters are stable. Here's a few pics.

The only concern I really have with halides is that some stuff will burn if you have it too high in the tank. Hmm. My new setup doesn't have anything near the top... hmm... stop tempting me with expensive purchases Lamont!

Go for it Derek. What's the point of a big tank if not to have big corals -- grown out my tank 3 times in 4 years with 400's. MH, there is no substitute!

Very nice Derek! Now you are officially in the BIG TANK CLUB.

Very Nice! Do you hire out?

ummm...those SPS colors "aren't great" to you?! Holy cow man...! They look good to me.

Must be the camera adding in all of those bright colors...

I really think it is the oregon's, cali's, LPS and the starphire glass. I also left the worst looking stuff in the old tank and thankfully many of my corals are just dulled in color rather than brown.

ummm...those SPS colors "aren't great" to you?! Holy cow man...! They look good to me.

Thanks Mark, I'm flattered. Some sps are hard to make look bad, but I am missing some magic and want it back. Some of my stuff is not lookin so good. Been here before, but not sure I know why I am here now. I am hoping it is just the build up of crap in my old tanks (haven't been cleaned in almost 2years). I hope I am solidly on the mend by my next build update.

DALE! That looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Brooks.

Looks great Dale. Those massive colonies almost look small (almost)

I know what you mean, my chalices really look small.

I love SPS, but the scoly's set it off!

I love the scoly's too. Got them in a trade, wouldn't mind more but all cool popular ones are pricey.

Here's a quick update on recent developements. I have installed all my lights into the hood and moved most of my corals into the new tank in the garage. So far, chilling hasn't been so bad as I am running a night cycle with lots of fans. Water quality is still poor -- missing the magic yet so corals are not well colored but I haven't lost any. I still have 10 to 15 corals to move and not a lot of room left. Some of my SPS still has decent color but others are not so hot yet. LPS and softies are all doing well. Here's a few iphone pics from whats moved in so far.

Nice work and engineering, going to be so cool when you get it all done.

Looking good. I might start looking into a chiller. With a closed top and metal halide, I think you may have some heat issues.

I agree on the chiller. I run the stock 28 gal JBJ as a quarantine tank and it gets to hot if I don't keep the lid up 2". The stock unit is typically 5 degrees above ambient at the peak. If you keep your house really cool and don't run the actinic and halides together you might be OK at peak temp, but the swing will be higher with the skimmer. A fan on the sump might work.

Looks like a quality build, like the way you set up the ro/di. I'm a big fan of plywood stands -- looks like you have good carpentry skills.

Usually a 5 stage system has a sediment stage, 2 carbon stages, an ro stage and a di stage in that order. If you have two carbons (ideal for chloramine). The first carbon is a refillable granulated carbon and the second a chloramine buster. You should have all the stages you need, just a question of did they send you the right filters.

do any of yall know anything about them,

This seems to be a pretty good deal.

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/lighting_systems_fluor.htm

I bought there LED lights and was very happy with the construction. Rubber seals for water resistant box and they used Toshiba power supplies. I would expect a quality build on their T5s.

Vodka dosing can be useful, but there is too much variability in things going wrong.

I'd go the tested/measured/proven carbon dosing route such as the Polyp Lab Reefresh or the Brightwell System. Tested, proven and much safer. For example, the Reefresh system says you can double the daily dose with no ill effects.

Thanks for the info Mark. For now, the tank is mostly empty and I'm looking for a quick kick start (preferably cheap). This dry live rock thing is new to me, but sooner or later it has to go live. My goal is to make it live, not sure that vodka or polyp labs will do that for me and if I try either it will be to get the rock established so I can quit additives -- don't want to do any long term dosing. Seen to many complex systems with periodic issues. I am hoping that the stability will kick in and get things moving. We'll see...

Thanks again,

Dale

I'm in my 4th (I think) week of dosing. I started out with .1ml/25g, and slowly increased to my current dosage of 1.2 ml/25g. I'm using 80 Proof, 40% Ethanol DISTILLED Vodka. I used it after I already had established rock, and was battling some NO3 that my corals weren't taking a liking to.

The parents understood and I let my Dad read this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

That is by far the best article on the subject. Read it at least 2 times through!

Thanks for the link Brooks, and I was joking about your parents. I fully expect they would trust you without the article. Thanks again, Dale

I'm doing the Vodka dosing method in the tank right now and I've seen an improvement in growth and color. Not to mention 0 NO3 and PO4!

Details? How did you start it? How much? Did you start before you had established rock? How long have you used it? And what did your parents say? It's for your reef tank, Yea Right!

aqua dome has stability and all other seachem products in stock all the time

Thanks, already picked some up at aquatek and have been using it. No change in the nitrates. Aquatek Bruce suggested dosing vodka, may try small doses. He didn't think the stability would help much with nitrates, though seachem makes some claims to help.

Any new pictures or additions, Dale?!

I'm dying to see it in person!

Nothing new, still waiting... and waiting...

Dale,what did you put on your back glass?i know it is a film,but what kind?i have always painted mine,but on the new tank i'd like to try something different.

Aquatek has it in blue and black. Not sure of the name of the film but it is similar to the tint films in how its applied and removed.