Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank

[jason2459]

And just posted this in the Reefbreeders photon v2 thread I started I thinj is interesting

1st day of measuring par and watts used with the new settings and bulbs. The Par has some variance as I couldn't get the live readings early but is pretty close but having lots of fish will cause some shading that is not conducive to snapshot readings.



That pretty much shows me T5s are not very efficient lights. lol

But they sure are pretty. As soon as the T5s kick on the watts used jumps over the PAR produced. But as the LEDs were really starting to ramp up the PAR started edging back closer.

Average PAR for the 15 hour period was 112
Average Watts used for that period was 110 watts

[jason2459]

Opps correction. I shouldn't do excel at 1am

And FYI the T5s added about 170watts so you can Subtract 170 watts from the 12:30 to 8:30 numbers to get just the LEDs watts used.

So, this still shows T5s aren't very efficient and pulled far away from PAR produced once they turned on.

[jason2459]

FYI there is a direction molded on the back side. And apparently there's a video explaining that which I haven't watched.

[jason2459]

I now have flow monitors on both my skimmer and return pump. I'm going to try something a little different now that I have a good rough idea of what their flow rates are. There was a good article gcarroll posted in some thread dealing with sump flow rates and how it could be related to tank size but also needs to keep into consideration a balance of return flow rate vs. skimmer flow rate.

So, I'm going to try and balance between tank, sump, and skimmer. Skimmers going at about 290gph so going to bring my return pump down to about 600gph about double skimmer flow and about 3x tank volume which is a typical 3-5x volume turn over.

I've been tracking very closely how my skmmer performs which includes foam production, what the foam looks like, what the skimmate looks like, how much, etc. So, I'll be looking for any positive or negative changes.

[jason2459]

Man, I'm just like going all in with the Neptune Apex stuff. They are really coming out with all kinds of awesome stuff that really works together well.

I picked up a used DOS from another reefer and going to try it out for my automatic water change. The Spectrapure is great and really I haven't had an issue with it. I just had this opportunity so I took it.

Already one thing I do like about the DOS over the spectrapure is the calibration. My line to my floor drain is not in another room and calibration takes two people. You have to hit start and fill a container to 500ml I think it was. Then as soon as it gets there you have to quickly hit stop. Not something I can do now by myself.

The DOS comes with this little 50ml graduated cylinder. You hit calibrated and you sit there with the tube in the cylinder until it stops and read how much it dosed into the cylinder and enter that into the Apex and upload the calibration. Very easy and a one person job. The you do it for the other head.

I'll probably more likely to calibrate more often like I should.

Now I just have to figure out the programming for the AWC. That was the super easy part with the Spectrapure.

[jason2459]

Here's the DOS and this little metal basket works out great for the tubes to go down and I can get my fingers through easily and hit the manual dose button if I ever needed too.

I also modified the 1/4" tubing connectors to use quick connect fittings like for RO/DI units. I really don't like those little vinyl tubes that crimp off really easily. I got this idea from someone on the Apex community forum.

1/8" female threaded to 1/4" quick connect fittings and used some Teflon paste for the threading

[jason2459]

I finally found that webpage/article that gcarroll link to


How to choose the right return pump for marine aquarium
http://www.danireef.com/2017/02/15/h...t-return-pump/

[jason2459]

I found there are mounting holes on the back of the DOS and taking full advantage of them. I mounted the DOS to a 2x4 above the sump and with the width of the 2x4 and the DOS together was just right to put the peristaltic heads over the sump.

Now if for some reason a tube splits or the fittings leak etc it will just drip right back into the sump.

The John Guest fittings are working great and made moving this that much easier. Also, I've been seeing quite a few people having issues using that stiffer 1/4" ro tubing and it splitting as the Apex uses a little bigger connector. The push fit fittings solve that.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Nice upgrades!

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

Nice upgrades!

I seem to be missing one more...

[biecacka]

I think the DOS is the way to go for the AWC setup. I too have been considering it.

Corey

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by biecacka

I think the DOS is the way to go for the AWC setup. I too have been considering it.

Corey

It's very easy to calibrate. I like tracking the dosing on the dashboard too.

Just be warned it is not a quite peristaltic pump by any means. It's not as loud as my stenner dual head beast of a peristaltic pump but it can easily be heard. My BRS 1.1ml/m is probably my quietest and spectrapure right after that. Being in the basement its not an issue. If it was in a bedroom that would be an issue.

But the programming is very easy and could be set to dose while not at home and overnight.

[jason2459]

Took this picture the other day and google modified it automagically. Thought it was pretty cool.

[ROB2005]

Jason! Been quite a while buddy. I see the tank has gone through some changes. Loving the setup man.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by ROB2005

Jason! Been quite a while buddy. I see the tank has gone through some changes. Loving the setup man.

Thanks for checking in. It's certainly has had its ups and downs in the past 7 years. I've learned a lot and keep researching.

I've been out of town the past couple weeks and back now to my surprise with no issues. Usually some problem rears itself.

[jason2459]

Been almost 2 months now since moving to the Photon v2s and T5 strips down the middle and I couldn't be happier so far. I haven't modified my lighting schedule at all from what I last posted above.

It seems everything really likes it. Even the fish. 10pm is still my favorite look and feel. Very relaxing and seems to have put all my mated fish into a frisky mood too. My clown pair, anthia trio, and chromis pair all go into mating rituals.

My corals seem to ve really taking off. My one really pale green sps of some kind has gown and much greener now. My fiji leather is getting very yellow and also seems to have grown. And my one coral I have no idea what it is has been very slow to encrust until now and taking off.

[jason2459]

Forgot to mention. I added a short extension to my skimmer making it about 42" and a Beckett injector to try out. Though I haven't gotten the Beckett working right yet.

[jason2459]

Just enough room to remove the collection cup

[jason2459]

Quick picture from earlier tonight. Yellow fiji leather has been s growing again. Likes the new lights it seems.

Also looks like I successfully got lucky and picked out a chromis pair that I think are mating. They certainly do a dance every night when my lights dim down around 10pm. Same with my anthias trio. The male gets really frisky at that time.

[jason2459]

The "bio" section of my sump is doing great. I added some more matrix and this time the regular matrix and not the pond matrix which is a little bigger. I still have the pond matrix bagged up and think I like it that way. The matrix I just put right over top of the reverse under gravel filter plate. (RUGF).I also still have the marine pure and bio bricks and plates on top too along with some pukani rocks.


Lots of various pods, worms, dusters, life of all kinds that like the dark. Its an unlit sump with an ATS above it.

the design I posted earlier in this thread.



Took this video tonight and can see the pods you can see swarming around. The bristle worms retreat back in when I turn the lights on but caught one still slightly out.
https://youtu.be/oZTnu2AeSw4

[jason2459]

Haven't done a FTS in a while. Took one last night. Things seem to be doing well.

[j.falk]

Your anemone colony is awesome. I'm hoping to do the same thing with my aquarium later this year.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by j.falk

Your anemone colony is awesome. I'm hoping to do the same thing with my aquarium later this year.

Thanks! I just leave them alone and let them do their thing.

[jason2459]

Oh and fwiw that's my 10pm lighting which is my favorite along with 10am. Just before it drops to just royal blues and a touch of reds.

[jason2459]

Two things coming soon I'm excited about. New microscope setup is on its way and the new Rev4 L8 Turbo's Aquatic ATS is due to be built in the next week or so.