My Tank Thread (Take3) ★Total AUTOMATION★ DIY Doser, Sump, AlgaeScrubber, WaterChnges

[Wally.B]

GLAD I HAD THE TWO "SHOP VACS" on Standby (Both Tank and Sump Flooded)

I was prepared.



I expected the SUMP to overflow and it did. The table rim held the water, and Shopvac was quick cleanup.

But so did the Frag Tank.



The TANK flooded (Because the MAG 8 is too strong) and Oveflow not fast enough. (I have a Ball Valve that I can close down).

The SUMP Flooded after I turn things off (my mistake). I put the return hose too deep into Tank and It's siphoned backward, draining Frag Tank.

It should go better next time.

[Wally.B]

FRAG UPDATE (Overall Pretty Good. Couple Dead. And something "New to me" )

Yes, I expected these two to die they way the been from the beginning. They came from a Stressed Tank that had a "Away from Vacation ALK accident".

But one is doing pretty good, it even encrust the Plug, and growing onto rock.



I'm new to SPS doing well, so don't know if these two white TIPS on "Red Planet" are Bleached tips, or New Growth.
I think it's new growth, since it's showing PE all over.



All the Other Frags are stable.

[Wally.B]

[COLOR="Blue"]2nd FRAG FRAG (Test RUN) PERFECT!![/COLOR]

I switch out the Mag 9.5 with the Mag 2.5 that I used for Semi-Manual Water Change.

It runs just right. Valve Fully Open.




And the 10 Gallon Sump is good enough to handle drain, if I design the return not to Siphon.



Time to design the Baffled box.

[JimON]

Heh heh... You're welcome!

[Wally.B]

Phosphate Drops bit more (on Low GFO run) ATS Harvest Affected


PO4 has dropped to 0.04 ppm. I assume this drop will slow down.
GFO is barely a tiny trickle, and may be time to turn off soon.

ATS used to produce 5-10x more Algae.
But at least it's still doing something.

The snails are Cowrie are extra active looking for food in ATS.
Fine with me, since they are polishing it nice and tidy.



The Scrubber is no effort to clean. The clumps I just pick up. No screen scrubbing needed.

I just turned up the ATS photoperiod to 22 hours, from 20. See what happens.

[Wally.B]

FRAG TANK (Baffled Return Box) Prototype

Almost ready to be silicone together (only the Outside and First Chamber)

The Baffles will be adjustable.

The reason for the Extra Height above tank is to have space for splashzone, and eliminate any possibility of a Siphon back to sump.



I was going to originally go Rectagular, but like my sump, going Polygon shape make better use of space.

Still plenty of room for Bio-Wall, Floss, whatever is needed.




Will be interesting to see the flow with the Funnel design, out into the open section. Will is swirl like a whirlpool, be a quite zone at the back. (We'll see)

With rectangular Shape Egggrate there will be a space when the box flows out, and a gap that fish will be able to get under/over the crate.

I am using "CLEAR" Acrylic since that is all I have in thicker. Plus nice to see inside.
But I do thin "Black" Acrlyic that I will make side/top covers, to prevent "Algae Growth" inside (since lighting will be Strong)

[Wally.B]

FINAL FRAG TANK (Return Box) Before Silicone and Holes, etc.

I'll sleep on this before bonding with Silcone tomorrow.

It will never be this clean looking ever again.



This is the Permanent Structure.

I will be adding, Covers, Drain Holes, Adjustable Baffles and Trays.

[reefmutt]

Hey Wally.. phew! Just got through the last few pages. I'm exhausted!!!
I need a nap from reading about all the work.
Without any biomedia or bioload, nutrients shouldn't change much in the frag system. The water change water will bring in nutrients. The corals will pull a bit but not a large amount. Probably a tiny sprinkle of reef roids in the frag tank will probably keep them happy. Once in a while..
I think it's a good system.
Watching your frags.....

[Wally.B]

Matt,

Thanks for your blessing. I do look forward to the new setup.
It will begin as a QT, since I really need a NEW FISH for other tank.

The problem I have is I got 7 Blue Green Chromis's. All at the same time.
One by one, they pick the weakest and won't let it eat.
They all grew up and are big, but now I have only 3.
Last week one was missing during feeding time, and he showed up dead, tail chewed off.

So my decision is to mix things up. Plus I only have 5 fish. 3 Chromis, 1 Algae Blenny, and 1 Longnose Hawkfish. (90 Gal)
I had a Powder Blue Tang for 12 years in that Tank.
He will take charge. He is blue so similar.
I have one on hold at local Fish Store, and he will christen the Frag Tank.

[reefmutt]

THe powder blue certainly will take charge. One of my all time favorites.
I've never had success with a group of chromis.. same thing always happens. I think they need to be fed a ton to stay fat and lazy.

[Wally.B]

Yes. Someone posted on my old thread when I was going to get a school that at the end I would only have 1 Blue Green left.
It's appears to be true, even though someone else said, "so long as I introduce them all at once, and same size", which I did.

Oh well, it was nice while I had them. Especially when I had 6 and they would school/swim together in the current. Very impressive.

But after having them for a while, I learned that they are "STUPID" fish.
They can't learn new feeding habits. I tried to feed them 3-4 times a day, by adding pellets and variety of foods. If I didn't feed in feeder they would let food float away.
If I added pellets they would ignore (after weeks of trying). Even my Algae Blenny learned to eat meat pellets. They would not. (only flake and frozen, and only specific times of day. Weird)

At least I rescued one, which was so weak he swam into my net.
I put him in QT for a couple of weeks, and then into my SPS tank.
He is doing well, and we named him "George the II" since he got a 2nd life.

[Wally.B]

PAR Measurement with (Apogee Quantum Meter)

So Fragbox is now renting a PAR METER, and I rented it, for the FRAG Tank Setup.

I re-confirmed that my Display Tank Lighting is TOO LOW @ Current Fixture Height and MH Wattage Selection.

HERE IS WHERE DID My FIRST Measurement.



And here are the results, varying (WATTAGE from 150,175,250).
And Varying my Fixture at current (14") and a test at (12")



So for a 250-300 PAR Range (ideal) I need to work on SLOWLY increasing Lighting.

[Wally.B]

KONG FRAG RACK (Update)

So the Blue Gomez was bleaching, VERY SLOWLY from Bottom up.
I tried to save it, moving it to back on Kong Rack, where other are doing well.
It bleached completely.



However the many others are doing well. My Loss ratio is Way Better than in the past.

Hey, my Red Dragon is still alive. In past it would be dead by now.


Since I lost my only Blue SPS, I picked up a "Hypnotiq".

I'm watch the Bonzai's at different lighting levels. Possibly too early, but not much of a difference.
[COLOR="Blue"]
*** I NEED TO RAMP UP LIGHTING, after confirming my PARS are about 100 Pars too low **

AND I JUST MEASURED (my DIY LED. It's give me 150 More Pars at 100%), and I'm only running MAX 35.
So I'll be ramp up LED and not touching MH power, or fixture height)

[reefmutt]

Yeah.. those par numbers do look a bit low..
I like your plan.

[Wally.B]

TEMP QT (For " Coach" ) Powder Brown Tang

I found a few Power Blue Tangs but they were not very healthy looking.

Instead, I found a Healthy, and "Pellet Eating" Power Brown Tang.

He will be more of a Contrast with Blue Green Chromis, over the Powder Blue.

The Frag Tank is All siliconed and Curing, so can't use that for QT.



Table has been temporarily converted to a QT Tang using 10 Gallon.
Same sump and Skimmer as for Frag Tank.

Wife and Kids like the Powder Brown. He certainly has more potential for "Brains" and "Personality" then the Chromis.


Kids named him "Coach", since they hope he get's the Chromis a bit more disciplined and stop killing one another.

[Wally.B]

I'm Pretty Proud (My Home Grown Leather) has a AWESOME HOME (At Canada Corals)

So, this is not about my SPS tank, but about the first Photo in this Thread.

That Photo is of my Kitchen Mixed/LPS tank is Just after "I removed the" Finger Leather that was getting way to big for my 90 Gallon Tank (Shading a lot of Good Real Estate).



I sold the Leather to Canada Corals. They were either going to chop it up for Frag Sales, or possibly keep it for their Store Front Display Tank.

Here is the Leather back in 2014.



This is 2016 just before I removed it.



Just before packing and taking to Store.



I dropped by the Store today, and they finally put it into the DT (It's the CENTER PIECE)







Pretty Cool!!

[Wally.B]

Frag Tank (PASSES) 2nd Silicone Water Seal Test.[/

Yes, I make a mistake the first time. I missed a spot of silcone in the crease and there was a slow leak.
This time is passes the Dry Paper Towel test.

Not terribly important since there will be no pressure most of the time, but if I ever want to clean out the Baffle box, the seal does need to hold.



I also tried something NEW. I taped a industrial Black Garbage bag, cut to shape on the Bottom of the TANK, so Bottom and Black Egg Crate will be all black.

I figure this will allow Frag Colors to stand out more.

[Wally.B]

Baffle Box (Flow Test) Passes [Marginally]

Test with a Maxi-Jet is Borderline for Spill over, on 2nd Chamber.

May need to lower the 2nd Baffle, or cut out a notch.

First Chamber is fine, and can handle much more flow.

But was is also good, is the Last Chamber has a nice circular swirl (For good mixing, and no dead flow spots)

[Wally.B]

FRAG TANK (Last TAP Water Test)....Next is Frag RACK



Installed the Jabao CP-24, and tested Circulation.

The Triangular-Baffle-Box is nice for Flow Compression.

(Wish I kept my Kids' Floating Yellow Ducks) to have some fun.

However, LATER, I will be moving the Power Blue Tang into here. He should like it better than the 10 Gallon QT.

[Wally.B]

FRAG Tank (Glass Cover)

The Cover (Made from Someone's Garbaged Terrarium, ripped apart) will have to go on TeePee/Tent Style.

It has to be this way with the Raised Filter Box in Middle.
Things will change when Overflow Box is added.

Ventilation will prevent fog up/Condensation.



Not sure I'll ever used the Covers but might be good for QT of a Wrasse, since I lost two from Jumping.

[reefmutt]

Cool baffle box instal.
Was just thinking.. once you light up the tank, algae will be hard to clean out of that area..

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by reefmutt

Cool baffle box instal.
Was just thinking.. once you light up the tank, algae will be hard to clean out of that area..

Yes, Strong Lighting will Generate Algae.
Happened last time a played with an open Frag Tank.

This thin Black Cover (Light Proof) will go on last



Removable, so I can take it off to see inside.

[reefmutt]

Lol. This is why I didn't offer solutions..
Figured you already had one.

[Wally.B]

Baffle Box (Flood Gates)

So I have no idea when I add the sump and real return pump, if the baffle box will flood over.

Things are already borderline with the Maxi-Jet 400 testing.
I could have made the box wider (too late now).

So I'm thinking of adding some (fine-tuning) adjustable floodgates (below water line).

Basically a ROUND Hole, with a BLACK or CLEAR Slider Plate on the inside of the box. Black cover will also have a matching hole.

Not Sure if I need one in Last Section. (I'll do One in 2nd Section and test, by adding flow with the Garden Hose)



Another option would be to make Black Cover Higher, but it will be removable, so not Ideal for holding back water.

Better figure things out now, before I add Salt Water.

[Wally.B]

Originally Posted by reefmutt

Lol. This is why I didn't offer solutions..
Figured you already had one.

I think of some things after staring or sleeping on it.

BUT Always keep your thoughts coming, on anything. It Helps.

I am getting a bit worried about the QT (with the Brown Tang).
I don't have Nitrite or Ammonia test kits.

I did use water from Water Change (with a bit of fresh water) for the Total 15 Gallons.

I am adding Zeo Bak, but I don't have any Live Rock or Bio-Balls in the system.

He is a good eater, so polluting the system.

How badly with things cycle? Dangerous to the TANG?

I will be away at Cottage next week for a week. Neighbour will be feeding fish (lightly, every other day).
Will do a 2.5 Gallon Water change before I leave (with DT Water Change Water)