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Marty's 450g (1 Viewer)

marty9876 said:
Part 2; going to give bio pellets a try. Specifically, AIO Bio Pellets.

Starting parameters: ~ 32 no3, .03 ph4 (someone went bat poo crazy with the lacl3 this week). Some hair algae in the tank, some cyno. Glass cleaning ~ 1x a week.
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8 weeks, these things suck. I slowed the flow through the reactor way, way down (90% reduction) and dropped the tumble rated down a ways today as I think I was just pulverizing these things.

.14 po4, been hovering around here past few weeks. Upped the lacl3 a touch
32-64 no3, who knows
1.0 butt hurt guy

I'm sure these things will kick in. Not sure if my no3 is actually just completely off the charts, maybe I should get a high range API tester.
 
Since you do not use DI stages on your RO anymore , just for fun what are the nitrates and PO4 levels on the RO water
 
I tested newly mixed up water- zero across the board. I was both happy and sad with that result, was almost hoping source was the issue... No joy.
 
I also did a 'really high range' no3 test, took the high range test and cut that in halt with ro. Came up light pink which tells me at least the 16-64 range I've been bouncing around is at least legit
 
So what happens when you pump 50g of fresh water into a 700g system? Not much, dropped the salinity from ~ 1.023 to 1.020. Whoops, wrong valve. Last time I do a manual water change! :help:

Well since everyone is posting updates I guess I should.

What's not working- testable reduction in no3 via carbon dosing, no3 still high. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that there is a design issue going on here, 12-16 weeks of liquid carbon dosing and 12 weeks of solid carbon dosing with no real effects makes be wonder. Chatting with the biopellet reactor builder he seems to think it's a total tank turn over issue- not pumping enough water through the system. The carbon fuel (via liquid or solid) isn't getting to the tanks & corresponding surface area fast enough/in enough volume. I don't know is I totally buy this but I am man enough to conclude when something ain't working that should be.

So... done to far

- Switched the main return pump from PanWorld 200 PS to a Iwaki 100. Pretty sizable bump in flow, from ~ 1100-1400 gph out the top (~ 16' head plus friction loss) to ~ 1600-1800gph.

- Switched out the Iwaki 40 running the 180g (with 200 lbs live rock) and ozone reactor to the PanWorld 200 PS. Added ~ 350 additional watts to the system there.

- Bought one of the 8x8x4 ceramic bio media plates here. Yea, likely wasted money and who knows if they leach aluminum, plus I need about 3x more anyways.

- Dosed a whole bottle of bacteria supplement, kinda went cheap . I don't believe in this stuff much anyways, maybe I'll buy some fancy stuff.

- Cranked the biopellet reactor wide open on effluent.

- ~ 80g WC

Improvements:

- Went to a 100% screen top. I was worried about this due to humidity levels but it's so fricking dry where it's fine. My real driver is I absolutely hate, like dating Angie hate level, my glass tops. They are just way too heavy. I got some acrylic to replace them but that didn't really work out. Screw is, 24 sq ft of screen and call it good.

- Jonty borrowed me an automatic skimmer neck cleaner. Doesn't fit perfectly but wow those tings are nice. I really should send mine in to be retrofitted.

On deck:

- Ordering a Reeflo hammerhead for primary return pump. More flow (~ 4000gph out the top) and use ~ 100 less watts than the Iwaki 100. I need to redo the returns, will be using a 2" for the return leaving the 1.5" as primary and 2" as emergency. I'll have a extra 1" left over, unsure if I'll use that for a service drain or what. I'm literally going to have to stand in the tank to make the plumbing changes inside the overflow box, I hope my stinking feet don't kill the fish.

- Setting up a lacl3 reactor, I keep hazing up the glass which is pissing me off more than the Angie dating stuff. Current thinking, and chime in if dumb, is 3x chamber RO setup. Chamber #1 is mixing/floss, chamber #2 is 5 micron RO filter and chamber #3 will be ROX carbon. I'll drive it with a Maxi 1200 or connect it to the main pumps if needed. Drill a 1/4" input into the first chamber and use a dosing pump & check valve to feed the rig. Whole mess will mount nicely in the sump. My hope is once a month I just have to change out all the elements. I'm a little worried about that much carbon in the system (I run a lot with ozone), who knows see how it goes. I'm sick of running sub micron socks too, plus my new washer screwed up all my micron socks.

- I'll be breaking off the 80w UV to be in it's own loop in the sump with a dedicated pump. Likely use the Iwaki 40 for this, close on flow and I like external pumps. I have a Ehiem 1262 if needed also.

- I need to redo the baffles in the sump to provide a consent water level area for the skimmer. To do this I need to make the area which evaporates/fluctuates 1/2 the size it is now, worried about that.

Effects to date: For some reason the hair algae is receding/coming off in chunks on it's own. Who knows, going with it. Killed all the SPS I had, thoroughly like my wife making dinner dead.

Since posts w/o pictures are lame:

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Standing in the tank....I don't know if I could do it. I'd rather make Angie do it.

Beyond the wall behind the tank is the baby's room? Any chance it is in the closet and you could make an access panel through which to work on the plumbing? Anyway to make one that doesn't look lame? I just don't know how you deal with a 4 foot deep tank, man. 3 is hard enough.
 
It's only 3' deep. Interesting cutting through the baby wall. No closet, it would be 2x cuts and then repair on the tank side would be a challenge.

Being that the tank is not a floating bottom, it sits right on foam, then plywood, then steel it should be swell. At least that's what I've been telling myself... Way to make me all paranoid James!!! :)
 
Any reason why you can't lay a piece of plywood or something similar over the top of the tank and lay on it to work in the overflow? Maybe a stupid idea but I would be nervous about putting my dirty stinky feet in my tank too.
 
Kepler said:
Maybe I missed it, but are you dosing any bacteria like MB7 or Zeobak along with the pellets?
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Yea, tried some Two Little Fishes stuff. I might get some Korallen-Zucht stuff but not sure it's worth the money.

Reefreak said:
Any reason why you can't lay a piece of plywood or something similar over the top of the tank and lay on it to work in the overflow? Maybe a stupid idea but I would be nervous about putting my dirty stinky feet in my tank too.
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Maybe. I'm kinda round so not sure if this would be better or not. Thanks for the idea!
 
marty9876 said:
- Setting up a lacl3 reactor, I keep hazing up the glass which is pissing me off more than the Angie dating stuff. Current thinking, and chime in if dumb, is 3x chamber RO setup. Chamber #1 is mixing/floss, chamber #2 is 5 micron RO filter and chamber #3 will be ROX carbon. I'll drive it with a Maxi 1200 or connect it to the main pumps if needed. Drill a 1/4" input into the first chamber and use a dosing pump & check valve to feed the rig. Whole mess will mount nicely in the sump. My hope is once a month I just have to change out all the elements. I'm a little worried about that much carbon in the system (I run a lot with ozone), who knows see how it goes. I'm sick of running sub micron socks too, plus my new washer screwed up all my micron socks.
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Are you thinking 1/4" tubing RO/DI units ? I don't think there will be enough flow turnover due to the restriction. Now if 1/2" that for sure will work. Thats what I have been doing. Slightly different config, I put the sediment last. Carbon before it. While I don't know if it's valid concern but HLLE and carbon use debate, one of the points is that perhaps carbon fines are a contributing factor. So if carbon is before the sediement it would help trap carbon. I have found that if filter floss ( pillow stuffing is before the sediment ) the sediment lasts over a month.

I'm not a big believer in the first chamber needing to be empty the 3 chamber plan looks good to me with the carbon reversed.
 
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Yea, 1/2" all around. I had 2 of the 3 RO chambers in 1/2" already, just needed a third. I went back and forth about the first chamber being empty or not, I comprised by having it be floss and using the BRS resactor insert for to hold the floss. I figure this will force a longer flow path. Additionally, I figure this will keep the downstream elements much cleaner an allow for the percipient to attach to something. Normally I use large lignite carbon due to cost and ease of use but for this I'll specifically start with ROX. Reasoning is less dust and more reactive/suck up excess lacl3 more readily than lignite. I'll be outputting the whole mess into the sock tray anyways. I do output the ozone carbon (lignite) reactor into a micron sock, that crap has so much dust. Jonty recommended a pellet carbon, the test results on that type of carbon is about the worst.

All theory until I make it. Should have all the parts tomorrow.
 
Marty, it was great to meet you at pizza the other night. Karen and really enjoyed reading about and seeing your tank. All we have to say is WOW, it sure is beautiful.

Again it was nice to meet you,

~david & Karen
 
To work in your overflow, you've been going about this all wrong.

This is why we have kids.
From the start, you shouldn't have been giving your daughter toys to play with. You should have been giving her pieces of PVC pipe and various fittings. Once she understood the basics of how the the pieces fit together, you start giving her a mock-up of the plumbing inside of your overflow and have her practice taking it apart and putting it back together. Over time, she'll have a complete understanding of what work needs to be done. Then all you would need to do is lift her up over the tank and let her do the work for you.
Simple really.

If your wife questions your intentions, tell her this is how they train the astronauts.
And you wouldn't want to hold her back from possibly wanting to be an astronaut!
 
In the 'if you can't beat them use for filtration' department, Marty's ATS v 2.0.

24x6 box, 13x10 screens to start with. Using the wBay 300w LED lights on both sides stolen from Grigors thread. Haven't figured out how to attach the lights yet, they should be here Tuesday or so. I might add a false bottom, with a 2" drain it's not really needed thou. Had all parts on hand but the lights, nice reuse project.

Hopefully this, with biopellets, gets the no3 down.

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Enter "The Oreo" scrubber. Yea... I dunno, see how this working out. Light bleed from my past ATS was a major annoyance, algae growing in the sump & clear vinyl tubing annoyed the heck out of me. Additionally I tend to have fish in QT in the fish room and running lights all hours of the day is not so good for that. Two coats bright white, two coats flat black. It cuts the lights down to an acceptable level, another coat couldn't hurt but good enough for the girls I go out with. Plus, being red hopefully the fish can't even see that anyways.

35w each LED fixture, 18h/day starting. Flow is pretty good, got some more I can run to it if needed.

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Why Oreo?
Why not Klondike Bar? Or York Peppermint Patty? Or burnt marshmallow?

Good luck!
Hopefully you'll get the results you're looking for. (Ooh.. another meme!)

And that collection cup on the shelf would make for a neat nano-sized conversational piece! JEEZUS!
 
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