BornToHula Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Yeah, those were done in Sketchup. It takes a couple hours to learn, but once you get the basics down its a great tool to plan small projects. Before I made the plans above I used Sketchup to make my freshwater tank's stand and canopy as well as some shelves in my garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Awesome! What to build now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 So the first night of Alk and Ca dosing was both a success and failure. For Alk I am only dosing at between midnight and noon when the lights are off and the pH is lowest. Ca is being dosed every hour through the entire day. Success: The pumps and Apex programming are working as expected and are dosing the said 1.1 ml per minute. Fail: My alkalinity raised from 6.3 dKH to 8.12 dKH over the past two days, which is faster than I wanted to raise it. I dosed 30 ml of BRS 2 part by hand on 2/8/15, then 33.7 ml was dosed by the dosing pump last night. According to BRS's calculator this should have put the dKH around 7.0 after taking account for .4 dKH a day absorption. So either my math is wrong, the absorption rate is wrong, the BRS calculator is wrong, or my 2 part mix is stronger than what it is supposed to be. I will be cutting the dose by 75% tonight and see where I end up tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Ouch. I am in the process of raising my alk as well. I was worried about raising it too fast so I actually cut the dose in half in order to prevent a spike too quickly. The good thing is your alk is not in a bad spot, the bad thing is your corals might not like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 The real answer is probably all of them were off a bit to some degree and the accumulative effect was what threw it off. I've also found the estimates of our actual water volume in our tanks could be off as we don't realize how much actual displacement occurs in our tanks from rocks, sand, corals, livestock, and equipment. If it is only a little less than two dKh in two days, I'm sure you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 I got in my new reagents for the Hanna Phosphate tester, did another test and it came back 0.00 ppm again. I thought the unit was broken, because I have only ever gotten a 0.00 reading from it. To test to see if the unit was functioning correctly I melted some mysis shrimp and mixed the water the food was in (making sure no actual shrimp was in it) with my tanks water in the testing vile... and it read 2.5 ppm! So the Hanna unit works, its just not very useful for my tank now. The algae/cyano is eating up all the phosphates so it only ever reads 0.00 ppm. As long as the algae is around I'll continue to assume the phosphates are high. Also, I am still tuning the dosing pumps. The last 24 hours was more stable than the day before, but I still have some work to do here to get the slow increases to my goal levels I'm looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Hula, I have run the BML's and I think that you may be running a bit heavy for your most recent pic.... mostly with the 12 and14K spectrums. I ran just one length at 18" depth of the 14K. Not controlled. (I wish I could get that color out of my Ocean Revive's) I run a 12" 14K over my #2 chamber in my sump (Macro Algea) and they love it. It's also the one of only two places to find red or brown micro algea in my tank; the other being a cricular fringe where red/yellow light is strongest on my turf scrubber. This is because the sump lights run 24/7. Try backing down the intensity of your 12K and or 14K by a good 20% or so for a full photoperiod and see if it makes a difference. You may also want to consider increasing or changing flow; which is another thing where a small change can make a big difference when it comes to algal growth. But; do them seperatly and have patience so you know where the soltuion was, or at least how much each had an effect if any. For example, you don't want to go too low on light for the corals, so I'd try light before flow. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 NvrEnuf, thanks for the suggestions. The Build My LED lights are new so I am still adjusting them and watching how the tank reacts, but like you said I may be too intense with the lights right now. My corals and anemones are looking great now, but the cyano and other algae are enjoying the light too. I have a question on water flow in the tank. Right now I have an MP40 and MP10 that run all the time, usually around 60% for the MP40 and 75% for the MP10. I also have 2 Tunze powerheads that are constant flow that I run occasionally, but not all the time. Is there a such thing as too much flow for a tank? If so, what are the signs that the flow is too high? I'm kinda afraid of exhausting the fish if I crank everything up, but honestly I don't know if that is a concern I should be having. In regards to my dosing pumps I am having some issues on rasing the Alk and Ca levels to where I want them: For Alk my goal is 9 dKH. I keep increasing the dosage but I am not seeing an increase in levels. No additions have been made to the tank so I am kind of stumped on why the dKH is not increasing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Water flow is really a matter of opinion. I run a return pump that is typically considered too small for my system (I plan on increasing eventually); and three pumps in the tank, all controlled by my RK elite. Two pumps on right wall, one on left. Front right is a Tunze pushing 1400GPH 30 seconds on 30 off. Further back is a 450gph Koralina on constant. Left side is a 1200GPH Koralina on when tunze is off. I'll probably end up switching all three out for a grye once I am satisfied they have the kinks worked out. As to too much flow...It still comes dow to opinion but there are a couple rules of thumb to go by: 1. a "wave" going over the tank causing spillage is too much flow! 2. Corals do not like to be blasted by flow, make sure power heads and returns don't point directly at corals unless on the far side of the tank. 3. Coral, fish, inverts, and your tank in general prefer random or variable flow - I've been in the open ocean and droped a line with a 3 oz weight down and it will "sway" at any depth tide moving or not....there is more turbulence than you would ever imagine! Think of a wind storm...it's never a constant steady flow, but instead gusts. Diving on a reef is the same. This also keeps silt and detritus suspended for filtering. 4. on the other hand- no one likes a sand storm! Too much flow can create a sand storm. This is different than just your excess detritus and debris becoming suspended such for example as "nutrient export mode" which last for usually no more than an hour or two. Sand storms are large particulates becoming suspended even temporarily and then covering corals. You don't want your plate challice or monti covered with sand! as to your ALK: Perhaps I missed it above, but what are you dosing and what is your Mg? My ALK and MG have always had higher uptake than Ca. And, they both drop off faster together.. like if one is low the other will be soon fast. I've never done any research as to why (I suspect my turf scrubber and the amount of algea I grow) or if it's normal or not. I've always just assumed it's my tanks personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 OK I see the pumps above, I will assume you just started the two part BRS system. Again, I think you should check Mg. It probably needs to be brought up manually to >1300 to run the 9 DKH you're looking for. From there the two part should take over and maintain the proper proportions. Raise Mg < 25ppm per day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 I've had a busy weekend again with the tank: Replaced the Tunze Auto Top Off pump with a new one - its now working like a charm. No more manual topping off! Replaced GFO/Carbon. I had been having issues with GFO clumping up in the BRS dual reactor and it was suggested by someone that you are not supposed to use the foam pads that BRS supplies in the GFO chamber. I tried to it yesterday without the foam pads but the GFO is too small and escapes the chamber. After that failed attempted, I instead mixed 50% carbon and 50% GFO into a single chamber. This should prevent clumping according to the BRS videos, but we will see. The drawback to this method is the GFO will need to be replaced at the same rate as the carbon - every two weeks. Lowered light intensity from 70% to 50% to see if it has any effect on the Cyano growth. Slightly increased my powerhead levels. I'm now running closer to 70% on the MP40 and 90% on the MP10. I took out my two Tunze powerheads to clean them, but I will be putting them back in soon. I want to set something up where they switch back and forth (right side on for 10 seconds, left side on for 10 seconds), but I don't have enough free outlets in the Apex to do so. I'm not sure it would be worth getting another Apex Powerbar for that. Performed a 10g water change and tried to remove as much Cyano as I could. Continued to tune the dosing pumps... I'm starting to feel like a chemist with as much testing as I have done recently. Calcium levels have reached 435ppm, so now I have reduced the dosage to try and maintain a 420 - 430 ppm level. Alkalinity has been much harder to tune, but seems to be slowly increasing on average. Magnesium levels seem to be doing ok, staying in the 1300-1340 ppm range. Also the Skimz SM161 I set up a couple weeks ago is doing awesome! Magnitudes of more junk is being pulled out than with my old skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Glad that Skimz is doing a bang up job! I'm really impressed with their build quality and reliability. I can say one thing for sure, all this hard work will pay off in a very nice, stable tank that you can just about grow anything in. If I can say one thing, it'll be that you're doing a lot of work now but once it's stable and you have a routine, you'll have a ton more time to just enjoy the tank. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're a pro when you can keep your parameters stable, but you're a reefing master if you can keep your alk stable. That's when you know, reefing... I got this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 I forgot to mention that this weekend I saw Mr. Saltwater Tank's "No-nosense guide to Preventing and Curing Nuisance Algae Outbreaks" was on sale for $25. I'm not sure what people think of him here, but I found his videos extremely useful when I was first getting the tank started. I figured I'd buy the book and video series to see what he has to say on the topic. After reading the book I think I am going to try either vodka dosing or bio pellets to help reduce the nutrients in my tank. However, it was mentioned that either can spark Cyano growth... which is the main issue I have with my tank. So perhaps doing either of these at this moment is not a great idea... I'm still not sure haha. But before I either vodka dose or get biopellets I think I am going to try Dr. Tim's Re-Fresh (was recommended in the book), which is a bacteria designed to attack Cyano, and Cyano only. Apparently some of the other Red-Slime removers just kill all the bacteria in the tank, including good kind. Has anyone tried this product before? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=23665 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 I can say one thing for sure, all this hard work will pay off in a very nice, stable tank that you can just about grow anything in. If I can say one thing, it'll be that you're doing a lot of work now but once it's stable and you have a routine, you'll have a ton more time to just enjoy the tank. Thanks! I am very much looking towards the day where I can get on a regular maintenance schedule with the tank. I love working on the tank but the hour or more each night plus several hours each weekend I have been spending on the tank takes up just about all my free time. The hard work will payoff in the end though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I feel that way sometimes too but honestly, my Apex could run my tank by itself. I'm just there to keep tweaking things but it's fine without me being there. I just do those things because I enjoy it. I think adding any type of bacteria wouldn't hurt your chances. Just be patient is my advice. Cyano will almost always go away once your system stabilizes as long as you don't have a nutrient issue. Carbon dosing of any type does have the possibility to feed cyano growth. I can't remember off the top of my head but I believe a certain type of acid is a byproduct of the bacteria consuming the carbon/nitrates/phosphates and this acid byproduct is believed to fuel the cyano outbreak sometimes associated with carbon dosing of any form. Mark "Mr. Saltwater Tank" is a great guy and we miss him being around the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Just FYI. Some 2 part dosing regiments can increase you salinity over time. That's why they reccomend you skim wet. Just something to watch for. It's looking like your getting everything dialed in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 I did not know that, I'll keep an eye on the salinity levels a little more closely. I tend to only check it when I do a water change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Hmm I seem to be experiencing higher pH levels than I am used to, perhaps due to the dosing the BRS 2 part? Since I started dosing the typical pH swing has been 8.1 in the mornings and 8.3 when the lights go out. Yesterday it rose to 8.3 by the evening and has not gone down at all since, even with the lights out all night. Should I be concerned with the pH at these levels? I know 8.3 isn't bad in itself, I'm just concerned it didn't drop at all last night and don't want to raise it any further. I turned off my alkalinity dosing pump for now and turned off the lights to try and get the pH down, but so far no effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 If your peak does not exceed 8.5 for pH, you're fine. When dosing alk (really sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate), you generally will have a temporary increase in pH, especially with sodium carbonate. What most do is try to dose it mainly at night to offset the pH peak and drop and stabilize the pH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I would not stop dosing alk or do anything in regards to pH values. I find there is no need to ever chase pH unless it's beyond the standard 7.8-8.5 recommended levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornToHula Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Ok, as long as its not getting above 8.5 I won't worry about it. I have been dosing the Alk portion only at night to reduce the pH swing, but honestly it didn't have much effect until now (just a momentary bump in pH). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Kalk will increase ph levels as well. A CaRx will decrease ph values. Which is why some people will still dose kalk or 2 part to increase ph while they are running a Carx. I'm looking a RichardL here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Richard does kalk AND 2 part AND CaRx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yeah, nothing like trying to dial in a CaRX, let alone match it to your ATO kalk rate... all the while dosing 2-part. I think Richard has a slightly sadistic side. You should ask him about his tank room cooling regiment... exhaust fans, window unit, and room a/c unit. I guess he likes controls in 3's! [emoji4] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 This is the exact reason I don't calibrate my PH probe! My PH reading at my controller is between 7.10-7.16 which equates to roughly 8.11-8.13. This way, I don't freak out by seeing a high number and then doing something about it (because my dumb *** would!). Even if I ever saw 7.2 that would still only be 8.15 and I would freak out but not react too quickly. I do the equation in my head and record when updating charts, but so long as I am roughly 7.14 I am happy. if 7.15 then I don't dose for Mg that day because it is probably fine; if 7.16 then I dose niether KH or Mg. I test as well to certify, but it holds pretty consistant unless I have forgotten to dose Ca which can throw the balance off in a way I am yet to understand and calculate in my head. So, though I have never read it anywhere, in my mind PH is a numeric general result of the Ca-KH-Mg balance in the tank....but stability is the key, not the numeric value; and I am just at about a point where PH can more or less tell me what my KH and Mg are. Ty, thanks for pointing out once again that KH is so hard to stabilize. I needed that! I am down to testing at the same minute everyday due to inconsitant flucuation. I can't seem to get this Red Sea dialed in with a regulated daily dose!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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