Custom Look CadLights 50Long

[twan]

Here is one way I thought of doing it. Sitting the reactor right into the sump.
It will sit in and pull water from chamber 2 with the Chaeto in holder & 2 heaters.
This will allow the reactor to get water after it has been skimmed allowing the cleanest water possible to not clog the media.
The outlet on the reactor will dump into space in between the last baffle before the return section of the sump.

My thought is to get the cleaned water just after the skimmer, polish it and return it to the display ASAP.
I do not want to terminate it directly into the return chamber because there is the temp/ph probe in there as well as the water height sensitive ATO bracket.

Good plan or no?

 

[twan]

Pistol Shrimp
So yesterday I go to do a 20g water change.
I have not seen my Leopard Wrasse in over 2 weeks.
I stir some of the sand where I think he last went in. This is not advisable but I figure the fish for dead.
No luck, he is nowhere to be found.

Then I think to myself well maybe he jumped into the overflow and is decaying there. I remove my drain pipe, no luck.

What I did discover though was by PISTOL SHRIMP in the over flow. No idea how long he had been there. No wonder my Yasha Haze Goby never paired up with the shrimp. He has been MIA in the over flow for how long I have no idea........................

Fuge Lighting

I tried this light
http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Underwater-10W-Single-Light-WTL10.htm
The bulb is now burnt out in just over 1 month. *I will attempt to replacement on it today. *I am seriously starting to rethink using this submersible fuge light though. *What if it cracks/corrodes? I will attempt to replacement on it today. I am seriously starting to rethink using this submersible fuge light though. What if it cracks/corrodes?

I still have this light that I used only one of the two 9w bulbs in for my nanocube fuge I could use:
Coralife Mini Aqualight Power Compact
http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/browseprodu...reshwater).HTML

If I have enough room on the back side of my sump in the stand I would like to wedge it in there like how I had it mounted on my nanocube with velcro:

My other 2 options for Fuge lighting are to go LED. I do not want a clip on light with a CF bulb. Most have arms that are metal and will rust. Then there is the factor of light spreading out in my cabinet. This can cause a thin layer of algae to grow on everything including the inside of my skimmer. Here are the 2 LED options.

JBJ Nano-Glo 4-LED Magnetic Refugium Light - $65
http://www.marinedepot.com/JBJ_Nano_Glo_4_...-FIRFRL-vi.html

Innovative Marine Skkye Light Utility LED - $70
http://www.marinedepot.com/Innovative_Mari...TFILDFX-vi.html

 

[twan]

Attach the Vortech

No I mean seriously attach your vortech! Use those little sticky tabs and the cable ties as instructed.

See where I highlighted in yellow? Do it.
I just got back a replacement MP10 dry side because mine gave up the ghost.
I never used those tabs because I figured the magnetic power of both sides held them in place just fine.
Plus they messed with my minimalist look, plus they created a spot where I could not clean the exterior glass.

Well when putting the new dry side on I thought I had it matted properly. I leave the tank. 10 minutes later loud a thud. The matting came off, dry side swung like a pendulum and smashed right into the Apex Display unit and the Aqua Illumination Controller I have wall mounted in that area. Nothing was mechanically harmed just cosmetic. Close call.

So take my advice, use the tabs, do not allow your MP dry sides to potentially swing and get damaged or damage other expensive equipment!

 

[twan]

Fuge Lighting

I replaced the bulb in the submersible light yesterday and it is working again.
http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Underwater-10W-Single-Light-WTL10.htm
I am seriously starting to rethink using this submersible fuge light though. What if it cracks/corrodes?

The Coralife Mini Aqualight Power Compact I pictured above will not fit in the space behind my sump in its current form. I think I can DIY a thinner enclosure or lengthen the cords from the fixture and just drop the bulb down below but I am worried an unprotected ballast in the stand would corrode.

The 2 LED fuge light options are still on the table, just dont know what I am going to do yet.

 

[twan]

[quote author=twan]
I am choosing option number 2 for mounting and making a deal on a pair of lightly used Sol Blue's with controller, they should be with me in a week.* Thanks guys!

In the meantime I picked up some cabinet LED motion lights to help me out in the stand.

[/quote]

These lights went through batteries so damn fast and would not stay fastened to the underside of the cabinet.
1 side attached via a screw, the other side double tape.
The tape side after 2 weeks would begin to sag.
I did not want to chance it falling off and having a battery in my sump.
I removed them and have been running without a light in the cabinet.
Today I ordered this kit to remedy that:

http://www.elementalled.com/expandable-waterproof-led-fixture-kit.html

 

[twan]

Do me a favor, take a look at my Carbon reactor install. Flow through the reactor as indicated by the output side stream.................good or no good?

http://youtu.be/eE1HJltCMX0

 

[twan]

I think if I pack it tighter, more towards the top I will be able to run more flow through it.
This was my 1st time packing one of these canisters.
It was hard to judge how much room .4 cups of ROX takes up and when you get the bottom foam disc in there and pile the ROX on top it is hard to move that disc again without taking out all the ROX and starting over again.

In 2 weeks when I change the cartridge (I bought a 2nd for fast changes) I will pack it tighter and closer to the top. Wait a minute, I just thought about this as I am typing...........there is no reason for it to be at the top correct? If not then I can just adjust the top foam disc down to close up any space, make it tighter, turn up the flow. Yes/No?

 

[fishman1069]

You want the rox to tumble a little bit. The flow you have going thru is way to light atm. Try turning it up a notch and let the carbon tumble slowly

 

[twan]

I read the last thing you want the carbon to do tumble. Tumble can cause pieces to grind against one another and dust. Do I have this wrong?

For now I am going to add a little more carbon to the canister and push the top sponge down to sandwich it.
I will then try to turn up the flow on the pump feeding it to get more water processed but not tumble the media.

 

[fishman1069]

ok, I was wrong. You dont want it to tumble and it looks like the best way to do that is too sandwich it with the sponges,like you were saying. Sorry about the wrong info. Heres the link where I found the info http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgO-kWZCEr0&feature=fvwrel

 

[twan]

I moved my sponges to sandwich the carbon really tight.
I was then able to turn up the flow from the 20% it was before to approximatley 75%.
Mission accomplished.

For the little amount of media I run (.4cups), I wish I had seen this NextReef MR1 Shorty Media Reactor sooner:
http://www.saltysupply.com/NextReef-MR1-Shorty-Media-Reactor-p/nx1135.htm?CartID=1

 

[twan]

Cabinet Lights
[quote name='twan']

http://www.elementalled.com/expandable-wat...ixture-kit.html

[/quote]

Kit came in today and installed in 5 minutes. Looks really good, lights well, very thin, expandable via daisy chain. High recommend it.

EB8
Installed my 2nd EB8 and moved some stuff around. Yes the MP10's and the battery backup are on the Apex when they necesarily do not have to be but I like everything to be on the apex. I have 3 open outlets at the moment. I could have up to 5 if I drop the MP10's off the Apex as I control them from the WMX as well. These are for future expandability of things I have not added yet. Those are dosing, GFO & fans.

 

[twan]

As for the Stand Lights, they are great, single strip, tons of light, tucks away cleanly.

 

[twan]

My camera skills suck with all these options on the Sony NEX-5n.
I really need to sit down and learn it and adjust the white balance.
I also forgot to note what AI settings the lights were on % wise for W/B/rB during this shoot.

I seem to be winning the battle with the 1st diatom bloom in this tank.
Lets celebrate with pics!

FTS

Top Down

Side

 

[twan]

Safecracker Zoanthid Colony

Purple Torch

Purple Flower Pot

Adjusting Yellow Fiji Leather

ORA Red Planet Frag

Green Branching Acropora - Bali

Birds Nest

Orange Florida Ricordia 2 Polyps

Green Florida Ricordia Colony

ORA Gonipora

2 Monti Caps Wall mounted

Pink Pucker Zoanthid Colony

Purple Hammer / Green Torch

Still adjusting and browning Staghorn

Same Staghorn shot from top showing re-coloring starting

Still adjusting and browning Bushy Acropora

Same Busy Acropora shot from top showing re-coloring starting

 

[twan]

My 1st fish, the starry blenny, is always out and about, fat and healthy.
My 2nd fish, the yasha haze goby, is only out to eat, seems pretty pissy, has poor eating habits.
My 3rd fish, the kuerti wrasse, pulled a houdini on day 2 and was never seen again (no body anywhere).


I want to add a pair of naked or skunk clowns and a Flame angel as my last fish(s).
Before then I would need to add any more timid species.

I have a credit with Divers Den, so I am waiting for a Tanaka's Pygmy Wrasse to be added or a trio of cardinal fish 1st before I seek the clowns/angel.

 

[kenconnect]

Just a heads up u know that the flame angel is a 50/50 shot with ur corals.

 

[twan]

TDS Question

My RODI Unit found here
started showing 2 TDS about 2 weeks ago so I changed the 3 filters and the DI resin. Back to zero TDS, good.

The RO membrane has not been replaced in the unit. In September this unit will be 4 years old. For its first 3 years of service this unit only made 4g per week for water changes in my Nanocube. It is now seeing a lot more action with the new tanks larger water volume.

Question is, how to gauge when the RO membrane needs replacing. I hear you will go through DI resin faster as the membrane gets towards the end of its life. I find it hard to judge lifespan on my DI resin.

I always just measure the TDS on the water that comes out of the unit, not the rejection water, not my tap water.
As long as I have zero out the last end, I use the water. Last night I decided to stick my TDS meter in all 3. The reults are below.

Tap - 124 TDS
Discharge Water - 170 TDS
Clean water - 0 TDS

SO my clean water to use is zero, but why is my disharge water higher then what is coming out of my tap?
Is this normal and I did not know because I never measure my discharge waters TDS?
Or is this indicative of a failing RO membrane?
The discharge water is water that has passed through the 3 filters and the RO membrane but not the DI resin, correct?

My tap water is at 124..............it runs through part of the system and gets dirtier up to 174, before hitting the DI resin to bring it to 0. Do I have this right? Does my RO membrane need replacing?

 

[twan]

Is it normal for discharge water to be higher TDS then my tap because it is essentially concentrated bad water?

Or is this logic flawed and there is no reason that the TDS from tap to discharge would actually go up unless I had a failing RO membrane.................that is then making my DI resin work over time to bring to zero?

 

[twan]

Thanks for the replies all. The waste water being more concentrated and higher then my tap makes sense.

As I now understand, to get the true story of how the RO membrane is performing I need to disconnect the line before it hits the DI resin and take my measurement there for how the membrane is performing..............instead of the waste water which will always be higher then the tap due to concentration.

In reality I think I am OK for now since I am still getting 0 TDS out of the unit in the end. But for sure, at the next tear down of the unit to replace the filters and the DI resin.....................I will also replace the RO Membrane.

Thanks everyone for talking this through with me.