View Full Version : my 220 gallon DO OVER!!!
biecacka
06/08/2011, 08:25 PM
hey everyone!!!
my name is corey and im a reef addict
i currently have a 220 up and running, over the last few months i battled some algea and high nitrates(my rodi unit filters went bad) got a new unit from Russ at buckeye and am off to the races. still struggling with the algea a bit and unhappy with the aquascape........do we ever really like it?!!!!
so i decided what better reason to take my tank down and redo everything. it is softy and lps that will be going in a giant tub in my living room for now!!
while the tank is down i will be adding a C2C internal overflow to try to help reduce surface skimming. tank is drilled already w 2 2inch holes might add another........ideas???
i also will be adding a foam wall(thanks to some ideas w okkiedokkie) i think this will turn out awesome and free up some space in the tank for larger rock but not look crowded. the tank is a BB and i plan on keeping it that way.
my list of current equipment is as follows tunze 6105, 6000, 6045 new to me geo skimmer!! aqua euro return pump at about 1200 gph. everything but the skimmer will be under the tank as i live in a 1 floor apartment. im trying to figure out the skimmer as its too tall to fit so itll have to be a piece of my "decor" a hanging light fixture w 3 250 wt MH bulbs and 4 96 wt pc bulbs. i hope to incorporate an ATO to dose kalk w as well.
my goal is to have it drained, livestock moved over, rock wall done, and re filled in a matter of a few days.
im at work but will post pics of my current set up when i get home later tonight.
thanks everyone
group discussion.......
corey
biecacka
06/08/2011, 08:31 PM
so here are a few pics of the tank as it is now.........
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture040.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture008.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture010.jpg
and here is an older pic, much less rock now
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture099.jpg
biecacka
06/08/2011, 08:33 PM
the first thing we did was build the new c2c overflow
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture043.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture044.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture047.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture045.jpg
biecacka
06/08/2011, 08:36 PM
we cleaned up the silicone and will let it set for a few days as i need to drain my tank and get everything moved over to a temp holding tub. then drain mine and clean it up real well, install the c2c and start my foam wall! :D
and a pic of the beast that will be responsible to clean this tank......
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_2284.jpg
biecacka
06/09/2011, 07:34 AM
The over flow measures 36x5x5. 36 inches was longest glass pane they had.
Corey
SW101
06/09/2011, 08:10 AM
Good job.Keep us updated i love the rock work in the older pic
biecacka
06/09/2011, 09:44 AM
Good job.Keep us updated i love the rock work in the older pic
Thanks!!!! I liked it too, plenty of rock but hard to get flow everywhere because of all the rock work. Plus I got the blue tang and she's like 6-7 inches long so I opened it up for her to swim. This new aquascape should be relatively open too
Corey
biecacka
06/09/2011, 06:36 PM
I've built 1 piece of my foam wall. I'll post pics later!!
That foam really grows:)
biecacka
06/10/2011, 04:58 PM
a few pics
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture058.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture054.jpg
biecacka
06/10/2011, 04:59 PM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture052.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture056.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture059.jpg
nanshaw2001
06/10/2011, 05:07 PM
Following! Where did you get your eggcrate?
biecacka
06/10/2011, 07:48 PM
lowes or home depot carries it
corey
1st timer
06/10/2011, 09:53 PM
nanshaw it's in the lighting section where they have the fluorescent fixtures. Don't ask for egg crate ask for lighting diffuser. I almost tried the chrome looking one but figured it would peel off in the tank.
reefmanmatt
06/11/2011, 05:26 AM
are you going to hide the 2" holes with rock ? that would be sweeeeeeeet.......
reefmanmatt
06/11/2011, 05:28 AM
so here are a few pics of the tank as it is now.........
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture040.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture008.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture010.jpg
and here is an older pic, much less rock now
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture099.jpg
what are the dimensions of this tank ???
biecacka
06/11/2011, 01:32 PM
are you going to hide the 2" holes with rock ? that would be sweeeeeeeet.......
that would be sweet!! i never thought about that :)
however im putting a coast 2 coast overflow on the tank to increase surface skimming
the tank dimensions are 72x24x30(H)
biecacka
06/12/2011, 04:41 PM
more pics soon as today i decided to cut holes in the egg crate to place my pumps in to create a barrel roll to get debris up to the c2c overflow. i also tried to put aragonite on the foam to make it look more natural. the foam hardens so fast the aragonite didnt hold
corey
biecacka
06/13/2011, 07:51 PM
as promised!!!!
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture061.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture060.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture062.jpg
biecacka
06/13/2011, 07:52 PM
as you can see i tried to put some crushed aragonite on the foam but it didnt go well as the foam hardens quickly and the aragonite didnt weigh enough to push itself into the foam
corey
biecacka
06/22/2011, 07:06 PM
plan on putting it in tank this weekend
corey
biecacka
06/23/2011, 08:13 AM
any idea on what epoxy to use in case i have to trim the foam?
thelizardkin
06/23/2011, 09:28 AM
get some ge sillicone 1 and gloves smear the sillicone over the foam with a gloved hand and then add the sand
biecacka
06/26/2011, 04:13 PM
getting ready to attach the foam wall to the back panel now....for the second attempt
:)
biecacka
06/28/2011, 07:58 PM
a few pics........
over flows
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture067.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture068.jpg
biecacka
06/28/2011, 07:59 PM
few more
what was at the bottom of my tank
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture066.jpg
temp holding tank
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture063.jpg
biecacka
06/29/2011, 12:56 PM
the foam wall has bowed the egg crate more than i thought so now im having to silicone it in spots since it doesnt lay flat!
:(
corey
biecacka
07/03/2011, 02:46 PM
got 2 of the 3 pieces installed. ill post pics later
corey
biecacka
07/06/2011, 10:04 AM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture071.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture069.jpg
i used the wood to wedge the wall onto the back pane of glass to allow the silicone to cure
corey
biecacka
07/06/2011, 10:06 AM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture072.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture073.jpg
few more
corey
biecacka
07/06/2011, 10:10 AM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture079.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture077.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture078.jpg
a few pics of the wall with some larger pieces of rock im gonna use as well. i have 7-10 more pieces in the 3-8lb range that have coral attached to them so they will go in last.
thoughts?
comments?
corey
biecacka
07/06/2011, 10:11 AM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture082.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/Picture081.jpg
corey
biecacka
07/06/2011, 10:13 AM
^^^thats the same photo, one straight on and one looking down.
i love the tall slim piece, it stands up strait and level on its own. i hope to put something like xenia or anthelia(sp) or gsp on it. something fast spreading and full of movement
corey
biecacka
07/20/2011, 08:25 PM
with some water in it!!!
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0573.jpg
corey
nuclearheli
07/21/2011, 01:26 AM
Nice job on the rock wall. Question how do you plan to replace the powerheads when they die?
reefmanmatt
07/21/2011, 07:06 AM
looks good , enough of the aragonite stuck to give a neat effect . cant wait to see it with the coral back in !
biecacka
07/21/2011, 08:08 AM
Nice job on the rock wall. Question how do you plan to replace the powerheads when they die?
thats a great question! :sad2:
didnt really think that one thru, i can say this tho that the cord is near a seam that connects the structure as it was in pieces in order to fit in the tank. so i guess i will 1)rely on tunze durability :) 2)pull the cord thru the seam if need be!
corey
biecacka
07/21/2011, 08:04 PM
the water is a little "milky" looking....
corey
biecacka
07/24/2011, 06:14 PM
ideas??
maybe drain the tank and refill it or put the skimmer on it?
corey
flyhigh123
07/25/2011, 12:05 AM
does that foam dissolve? does the foam just stay there?
reefmanmatt
07/25/2011, 05:05 AM
milky from the foam you meant ? maybe a fresh fill and drain before salt wouldnt hurt :) more pictures !!!!!!
infpalex
07/25/2011, 07:26 AM
I love following projects like these, thanks for sharing with us... I am learning so much and getting so many ideas!
biecacka
07/25/2011, 04:00 PM
no the foam doesnt dissolve. im not sure why the water is cloudy unless it could be from the curing of the siiicone but i thought i gave it plenty of time.
corey
sanchoy
07/25/2011, 04:08 PM
Yes.. if i would do it all over again. i would go bare bottom with less rock
biecacka
07/26/2011, 08:02 AM
yeah i like the look of barebaottom!
:)
biecacka
08/02/2011, 08:36 PM
gotta reseal the c2c overflow box now
corey
biecacka
08/09/2011, 11:57 AM
water is clearing up nicely now
Arkayology
08/09/2011, 12:12 PM
So there will be no sand on the foam? Are you going to wait for corraline to cover the foam then?
jok3rqnk
08/09/2011, 01:19 PM
I love the rock wall, it makes it loke the tank is full of rock...
biecacka
08/13/2011, 08:00 AM
yes i am waiting for coraline to cover the foam. it also has nooks an crannies in it to place some coral like mushrooms or whatnot to grow over it
i added 2 green chromis to the tank to help w the cycle
corey
jotegui
08/19/2011, 03:26 PM
Corey congratulations! Good job! Which foam did you use, and how many cans? Please update, I want to see it cover! Regards
biecacka
08/19/2011, 08:21 PM
i used black pond foam i found online for 9$ a can. it took 5 cans to do the wall. i got the rest of my rock in the tank and will take photos to post this weekend.
corey
biecacka
09/03/2011, 06:54 PM
a few pics!! :D :D
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0812.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0808.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0807.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0805.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0804.jpg bubble coral
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0803.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0801.jpg torch coral
biecacka
09/03/2011, 06:56 PM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0800.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0797.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0796.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0803.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0802.jpg
biecacka
09/18/2011, 06:17 PM
tank is looking good ill post some more pics soon
corey
biecacka
10/16/2011, 07:39 PM
finally got it all together! i had a problem with the silicone rtv108, it was expired so it wouldnt cure and i waited almost 2 wks trying to let it cure. it has only a 24 month shelf life and the ppl at grainger were nice enough to send me a brand new tube that was good! man this stuff rocks! :)
got it installed and water running over it surface looks great cause its missing the "film" that used to be on it but some of that could be due to more water flow directed towards the top of the tank
corey
biecacka
10/17/2011, 07:28 PM
Quick question now, my return line is just below the water surface and every few seconds it purgeses a few air bubbles. Not micro ones but larger ones. Anyone got any suggestions?
Also I
Just put some carbon in pantyhose in my filter socks to help clarify the water a bit
Corey
flyhigh123
10/18/2011, 01:37 AM
is it coming from sump? I use a 90 deg elbow on return pump but make sure therd is lots of space below. Also a filter sock
biecacka
10/18/2011, 02:03 PM
are the bubbles originating in the sump? i dont think so, i have filter socks and if i back the pump down enough it doesnt bubble at all
corey
Psirex
10/18/2011, 03:20 PM
Who makes that holding tub? I can use one of those!
biecacka
10/18/2011, 08:51 PM
you can get them at tractor supply. its a farming store, check them out online. the tubs rock as you can drill them and use them as sumps!
corey
biecacka
10/21/2011, 04:10 PM
i put some anthelia on the C2C overflow box hoping itll spread and cover the box in the waving action of the coral, now just waiting for time.
ill post some pics soon
corey
biecacka
10/26/2011, 03:01 PM
got home today to a missing clownfish :(
looked around and found it in the sump, got too close to the overflow box and took a ride to the sump!
:)
corey
biecacka
11/12/2011, 08:16 PM
tank is having a slight cyano outbreak. maybe from older bulbs or the silicone used in my rock wall and overflow box. either way its nerve racking! :(
corey
biecacka
11/15/2011, 07:59 PM
ok its a slight cyano outbreak but mostly diatoms. i believe they are feeding from the silicone i used to build my overflow box and to hold the foam wall in place
any ideas on beating this crud
corey
zigzag1
11/15/2011, 11:09 PM
I've never been a big fan of the foam wall look, but good luck with your build.
biecacka
11/16/2011, 01:32 PM
why not zigzag? just personal preference or other reasons?
corey
biecacka
11/18/2011, 06:50 PM
So I think I'm gonna add sand to the tank this weekend. 150 lbs of it.
Psirex
11/18/2011, 07:40 PM
at one time?
biecacka
11/18/2011, 08:23 PM
yea its fresh sand, not live sand so i wont have an issue with it
corey
biecacka
11/20/2011, 05:48 PM
put 50 in it today, will add 50 2morro and then see if i need the other 50 in it
corey
biecacka
11/21/2011, 09:09 PM
ill post pics later but its looking good.
:)
corey
biecacka
11/24/2011, 07:29 PM
suggested water line for this skimmer? anyone have an idea?
and a pic of the beast that will be responsible to clean this tank......
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_2284.jpg[/QUOTE]
corey
biecacka
11/27/2011, 04:45 PM
fighting a bit of an algae issue but going with lights out and wetter skimming to rid it. also just ordered a few fish for the tank!!!
:)
corey
trickedout900
11/27/2011, 05:01 PM
Greta job on the foam rock wall. It looks really cool.
biecacka
11/28/2011, 10:15 PM
turned the lights back on today, tank looks good. still a few slight patches of stringy brownish algae in a few spots, i need to up my CUC to help out the one i currently have. over all pleased to.
am missing a clownfish tho, but he might have taken a ride to the sump
corey
biecacka
12/05/2011, 06:29 PM
few new pics...... :D
best friends......http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0814.jpg
the new look with sand!!!!! :D
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0823.jpg
coral beauty
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0818.jpg
biecacka
12/05/2011, 06:31 PM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0813.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0820.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0815.jpg
biecacka
12/06/2011, 06:18 PM
just added a neptune acjr controller and getting ready to program it. how hard is it?
corey
biecacka
12/11/2011, 01:25 PM
my ph is 7.93- 7.95 is this a little low?
corey
biecacka
12/12/2011, 10:11 AM
now I'm trying to set up the acjr controller i got. its somewhat confusing to me at this point but i hope after i play with it ill get the hang of it
corey
biecacka
12/15/2011, 02:28 PM
took a break to go see the dentist!!! YAY,
walked out with oral surgery..........:(
back at trying to figure it out now
corye
biecacka
12/16/2011, 10:51 AM
sn, i like these urchins but man do they bulldoze everything!!! :(
corey
biecacka
12/23/2011, 05:19 PM
few large steps taken today and yesterday!!
1) got my controller programmed and working......thanks Hollback!!!!
2) got my ATO set up and ready to go when a few pieces dry.....thanks jck09!!
3) got a dual stage media reactor set up and running carbon and GFO to clean up my water and phosphates.......thanks shark keeper
all these are long over due but finally glad to get them going. I'm gonna dose kalk(ms wages, thanks akluasing) in the ATO.
hopefully now with those added features my tank will continue to grow and grow better!!
thanks again everyone
corey
biecacka
12/24/2011, 12:28 AM
so I'm using phosban in one of the chambers of the reactor, how long is this stuff good for?
corey
biecacka
12/25/2011, 10:38 PM
anyone?
biecacka
12/28/2011, 12:47 AM
how long is phosban good while in a reactor?
corey
Personally, I usually let mine stay in there for 4-6 weeks. YMMV. There are many things that have an impact on how long it lasts.
biecacka
12/28/2011, 11:32 PM
ok thanks. i am having an algae outbreak now. i need to change my bulbs for one. so I'm hoping that doing so and this will get rid of it
corey
biecacka
12/30/2011, 12:10 AM
time to replace the bulbs in my light fixture. it is 4 96wt pc and 3 250wt bulbs. the MH will be 15k and I'm debating on the pc bulbs. should i go all 10k or mix it up?
corey
biecacka
12/30/2011, 10:59 AM
anyone?
biecacka
12/31/2011, 01:09 AM
i pulled out a rock from my sump that had GHA algae on it and put some peroxide on it......bam, gone
gonna try it on a few more rocks
corey
biecacka
01/02/2012, 06:04 PM
few pics.......http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1073.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1072.jpg
what does this look like and what a good way to rid it???
corey
ridetheducati
01/02/2012, 06:11 PM
Cyanobacteria due to excessive nutrients, such as nitrates and phosphates.
1. Increase nutrient exporting mechanism(s); and
2. Ensure skimmer is adequate and working efficiently
biecacka
01/04/2012, 11:14 PM
yeah i just put a few media reactors online 2 wks ago and I'm currently tinkering with my skimmer to get it to run more efficient. I'm just trying to find the sweet spot on it
corey
rogermccray
01/05/2012, 11:26 AM
are the bubbles originating in the sump? i dont think so, i have filter socks and if i back the pump down enough it doesnt bubble at all
corey
Did you ever get this figured out?
I have this problem now and it is because you aren't getting enough air into the drains. I am going to thread some tubing down my drain to see if it helps. The tube will be out in there air and will allow the drains to pull in the amount of air that it needs to move the water. I would hate to have to dial back my pump because of that, I mean you pay for a bigger pump it would be nice to use it...
biecacka
01/05/2012, 11:33 AM
yeah i was having a slight bubble problem in the DT due to a little air leak in my return plumbing.
biecacka
01/18/2012, 10:58 PM
on another note i got my new bulbs today in and i hadn't been running my halides for about a month or so cause i knew they needed changed and i am fighting algae outbreak so today on my lunch break i cam home and took them down unplugged everything and found out one of them must have hard a bad connection or something and it basically melted the socket and some of the metal. so I'm assuming its been an issue for quite some time now
thats me slacking on my upkeep. so it poses this question is the socket something i can replace or will i need a whole new ballast????
corey
biecacka
01/19/2012, 10:59 AM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0999.jpg
here is a photo of what I'm talking about
corey
dmastracchio
01/19/2012, 05:13 PM
You should be able to pull that socket out cut the wires and rewire a new plug to the end of that. Finding the exact plug to fit that maybe hard but no need to buy a whole new ballast. Though, you should probably figure out why it melted and did that first so it doesn't happen again.
biecacka
01/21/2012, 12:16 PM
it melted because the plug was only 1/2 in for I'm not sure how long thanks to my dog playing in the mess of wires.........
im thankful that i dodged that bullet tho!!
corey
biecacka
01/23/2012, 06:33 PM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1007.jpg
this is a photo of my algae issuer
corey
PJtree23
01/23/2012, 06:54 PM
Hows the skimmer operating...maybe a pic of the sump
alcoolaid
01/23/2012, 07:10 PM
Wow, that is a lot of algae
biecacka
01/23/2012, 08:01 PM
Wow, that is a lot of algae
yeah i noticed!!!!!!:headwally::headwally:
:)
the skimmer is working good, I'm still trying to find the sweet spot to maximize the efficiency of it
corey
biecacka
01/25/2012, 11:25 AM
after the peroxide dip.........http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1016.jpg
few other rocks getting the treatment on them!!!! :D
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1018.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1017.jpg
as I'm doing this dip i am also vacuuming with a shop vac that has a bristle brush attachment to it
corey
rogermccray
01/25/2012, 11:40 AM
What type of container are you mixing up your water in? are you getting phosphates from there?
biecacka
01/25/2012, 11:57 AM
i use a water troth that ppl use for sumps, the problem is 2 fold........1 i took rock in that had GHA and didn't get it all off........2 i was never running gfo until now and my skimmer was not set at the right level so the issue go away from me. now I'm getting control back and won't relinquish it so easy!!
corey
rogermccray
01/25/2012, 12:18 PM
ahh, that makes sense, so you decided to fight the battle instead of just "killing" the rock
biecacka
01/25/2012, 01:27 PM
well with the rock i bought i thought i had killed the GHA but i guess not(i didn't want to kill the rock so to speak because it had coral on it). i just finished pulling out the rock not attached to the foam wall and giving it a peroxide bath and scrub, I've pulled 15 gallons out while scrubbing other rock in an attempt to siphon the GHA up. tank is a HOT mess right now and when it clears up ill post some pics, i even found some coraline algae on some my rocks!! lol
corey
biecacka
01/26/2012, 11:02 AM
some pics after a peroxide bath......
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1022.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1025.jpg
skimmer going to work....http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1023.jpg
corey
biecacka
02/01/2012, 01:54 PM
tank still looks good, got a little bit of what i think is diatoms appearing on some of my rock and i think its because my po4 and no3 are still high and i just scrubbed off a ton of GHA, so i am continuing to scrub and vacuum out the algae as well as skim hard. then on friday i am gonna do like a 75 gallon water change, change my carbon and add rowaphos to my other reactor.
corey
fishmanfabiano
02/01/2012, 02:02 PM
love the rock work very cool, if your trying to get rock to stay together, heres a few things ive done in the past......drill holes into the rock and attatch to other rocks with black zipties. it held up very well for years til i took the tank down, also for one guy he wanted me to build an arch out of rock, so i stacked the rock to build the structure then i used a drill to make holes straight through the rock and ran a pvc pipe through it, i capped the end of the pve with a wider end piece so the rocks didnt come off, it worked out great.
fishmanfabiano
02/01/2012, 02:08 PM
as far as the algae goes, id say use rowaphos in a reactor, that stuff is a miracle worker, or vertex came ouit with these pellets i forget the name of it but you use them in a reactor, the store i used to work at had a 140 zero edge aquarium, i used to clean the algae every single day on it, we used rowa phos and it cut it down, but i was still cleaning algae every 3 days, we switched over to the vertex reactor with these pelklets and bam it was weeks before i even saw a little algea in it again. look it up i highly reccomend it, that or get yourself some tangs to rip through it and some sea hares should do the trick theyre like algea eating trash cans.
biecacka
02/01/2012, 11:12 PM
yeah i just picked up some rowaphos today from my lfs to put in my reactor
corey
biecacka
02/04/2012, 11:04 AM
just did a water change and added the rowaphos and new carbon......crosses fingers!!!
water is a lil cloudy from some lime water but it'll settle
corey
biecacka
02/05/2012, 10:46 PM
tank is all settled and looking good. gha is trying to come back but it can't get ahold of much as I'm in there everyday brushing it off the rocks. its definitely lighter in color too. gotta stay up on it, but i did get a yellow tang today hoping it will devour some gha
corey
biecacka
02/07/2012, 11:07 AM
got some new corals today...pics to come
corey
biecacka
02/14/2012, 09:07 PM
Anyone know how easy/difficult it is to hook Tunze wavebox up to an aquasurf on the Neptune?
Also I'm thinking of tearing down foam wall.....I like it but I screwed myself by "hiding" my pump cords behind them and siliconing the wall to back panal.....not enough flow in tank and I can't do anything about it. Lol. Except add more pumps which I plan on doing but still am limited because of pumps glued into place.....bonehead move
Corey
biecacka
02/16/2012, 01:42 PM
Question, I'm thinking of putting a 5 gallon bucket with drilled holes in my sump to hold my Cheato in. Right now it kind of just floats around in n out of light as it pleases. It also is in low flow area so I noticed some algae from my DT on it. Is this good bad indifferent?
Corey
Michael cicco
02/16/2012, 03:50 PM
so it just black foam in a can
Michael cicco
02/16/2012, 03:51 PM
it looks nice were did u buy the foam at
biecacka
02/17/2012, 11:11 PM
Lowes carries it. I ordered mine online, forget the link but google pond foam n it came from PA for about 9$ a can
biecacka
02/28/2012, 09:12 AM
Anyone know why my skimmer is so much more active at night? It pulls a ton at night....odd....
Corey
biecacka
03/03/2012, 12:28 PM
after much research i dosed my first try with marine AF and have seen results already. i just did a 30 gallon water change and scrub of the rocks to get some more out. i will be dosing again sunday.
on another note, anyone know the longevity of carbon and rowaphos. i know its based on p0 and what not but heres my issue, mine read zero because my algae is SO bad its using it all??
corey
biecacka
03/07/2012, 11:52 PM
AF is kicking my GHA problems behind!!! i hope to be gha free here soon
corey
biecacka
03/11/2012, 09:59 PM
picked up some baby black clowns yesterday for the tank, ill post pics when i get a chance
corey
Garage1217
03/11/2012, 10:11 PM
May have already been said as I did not look through the posts, but from what I know, GE silicone II is not reef safe as it has bioseal. That may just be the bathroom sealant however and yours may not have bioseal. I would double check. Generally, only use GE silicone I for reefs.
biecacka
03/23/2012, 06:55 AM
. I ended up using rtv108 mostly anyway.
Dadekster
03/23/2012, 11:00 AM
What is your water change schedule looking like and what are your nitrate and phosphate readings at? Also I'd be leery of adding anything to a saltwater environment which is meant for ponds. Who knows what the saltwater does to the foam? It may be nothing or it may be helping fuel your algae issues... but who knows? I like the rock wall look as it would be neat to create a reef wall biotope setting imo. Also I have read conflicting things with the use of egg crate as in it leaches phosphates but once again I have never seen anything concrete regarding whether this is true or not. Either way good luck with your tank. :spin3:
biecacka
03/23/2012, 10:48 PM
Tank is now gha free. Lots of ppl on here have used pond foam w no issues. There's awhile thread on it. My issues came from taking rock from a local guys tank and missing some algae on it. It then spread, my bulbs where old and I was lazy on maitanence. Now I have new bulbs, gfo, rowaphas', and water changes on regular. Tank starting to look good again
Corey
biecacka
04/05/2012, 06:55 PM
Tank has seen gha free for few wks now. Thank goodness. Repairing ballast this weekend too!!!! One question tho and I've asked b4....I'm getting no consistency from my skimmer. It either skims nothing or goes crazy at night and overflows. Not sure about the water level in the skimmer as it seems to be one or the other for me, thoughts.....
Corey
biecacka
07/19/2012, 12:40 AM
Been awhile since I posted but I been plugging away!
Gotta get battery for camera
Just ordered some LEDs
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/54...light_for.html
Been following the thread on RC and I'll keep you posted
Corey
biecacka
07/24/2012, 10:34 PM
LEDs just touched down in Cincy!!!!! I'll post pics once I get them and updates on my hanging method as I'm debating a few choices
Corey
Electrobes
07/25/2012, 05:42 AM
How are your nutrients in the tank, have you been testing them by any chance? Any new pictures?
moshi1ry
07/25/2012, 09:23 AM
Post pics of those leds! I just ordered mine too 30 blue 25 white got two of the d120s models with 90 optics on them added. Cant wait to see yours!ooo and how long was shipping
biecacka
07/25/2012, 06:05 PM
:bounce2::bounce2:DHL came today!!!!!!!!!!:celeb1:
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1202.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1203.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1204.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1205.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_1206.jpg
i went with 24 blue and 24 whites.
now i am trying to figure out how to hang them from my existing set up. i have a MH set up that hangs from the ceiling via braided wire that has loops at the end to hold the fixture, I'm thinking of running PVC or aluminum through the loops and hanging the led's from the rod. the problem with hanging them directly from my ceiling is the studs in my ceiling don't line up with the top of my tank and its braces
corey
biecacka
09/27/2012, 09:28 AM
Ok everyone, it's been awhile I know but I'm back. The Tunze elf left me a present at my doorstep yesterday. A new 6105 and the 7096 controller. The reason is my 6000 died. Problem, I ran the cable behind the foam wall to hide it....:headwalls::headwalls: so now I have to remove the wall to get the pump out!
Corey
rogermccray
09/27/2012, 11:26 AM
Ok everyone, it's been awhile I know but I'm back. The Tunze elf left me a present at my doorstep yesterday. A new 6105 and the 7096 controller. The reason is my 6000 died. Problem, I ran the cable behind the foam wall to hide it....:headwalls::headwalls: so now I have to remove the wall to get the pump out!
Corey
If it is dead can't you just cut one end of the cable off and pull it through the wall?
biecacka
09/30/2012, 12:16 PM
Yeah I could be then I couldn't get the magnet out.... I made hole so small so only the pump would be showing.
I have removed one side of the foam wall to get the pump out. Then took 1/3 of the other side foam wall off to get the NON broken pump out. Once both we're removed I redid some rock work(I hate to aqua scape) placed the pumps is better positions and see a huge difference in water flow. The pumps were limited in there ability to eleminate dead spots but now I'm tweaking them to not have any.
Pics to come
Corey
biecacka
09/30/2012, 04:49 PM
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0013.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0012.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0011.jpg
thats two of them not the reflection :)
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0010.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0009.jpg
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m377/biecacka/IMG_0007.jpg
here are some photos. in the one on the right side you can see where i removed the foam wall to get the pump out. most corals/frags are in my overflow box to ensure safety while i move the rocks around.
the leds look really blue in these pics but they arent that blue in real life, just with a camera phone.
corey
robs.mark
09/30/2012, 07:21 PM
Love that scape man.
biecacka
09/30/2012, 09:36 PM
Thanks man. Glad to hear it because I usually hate all mine but this one is nice. It's vertical but still has places to place frags and for them to grow out
Corey
biecacka
10/04/2012, 10:23 PM
I've noticed with taller tanks the urge is to go upwards then making some coral placement hard
Corey
biecacka
10/09/2012, 09:37 PM
So my skimmer went nuts the other night and it does this sometimes. Keeps foam breaking around top of skimmer cup, night time it pulls out 2 gallons of water. Lower water level and it pulls nothing out for days
Corey
biecacka
12/01/2012, 01:12 PM
Ok due to gunk build up and a few dead spots in the tank I took the entire foam wall down and positioned the pumps different. They are now on the side walls. 1 back low the other front high. Creating a racetrack type flow then I have the wave box as well. Trying to keep from having to add another pump to eliminate dead spots in end of tank.
The crud build up behind my foam wall was disgusting. Pulled out handfuls of debris. No wonder I had algae issues!!! Was likely due to poor pump placement within the foam wall.
Well I'll keep tinkering with the pump placement until I find one I like and I'll post pics soon
Corey
biecacka
12/04/2012, 07:36 PM
Moved the pumps into the corners of the tank in hopes of better flow in the tank. They cross near the middle of the tank. Gonna wait and see about any dead spots in the tank.
Corey
rogermccray
12/05/2012, 06:36 AM
Moved the pumps into the corners of the tank in hopes of better flow in the tank. They cross near the middle of the tank. Gonna wait and see about any dead spots in the tank.
Corey
I always have a hard time with getting my powerheads in the right place to not have dead spots. It can be such a pain.
biecacka
12/05/2012, 12:16 PM
Yea me too. Flow wise I know the 6105's are enough for my softy tank but I feel one more would solve the problems
Corey
biecacka
12/08/2012, 10:26 AM
Any suggestions on pump location for a 220. 72/24/30. Pumps 2 6105's w a 7096 controller
Corey
biecacka
12/08/2012, 10:27 AM
Any suggestions on pump location for a 220. 72/24/30. Pumps 2 6105's w a 7096 controller
Corey
biecacka
01/01/2013, 08:31 PM
So now I have a case of Dino's and I'm looking for insight on how to beat them
Corey
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