Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

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Ideas that keep plagueing my brain:

Running a separate electrical line to living room for aquarium equipment.

Drilling hole in wall to feed a sump/refuge on other side of wall.

Pulley system for lights.

And lord knows whatever else is roaming around in this brain.


Whoops and a generator, to cover power outages. (Just had one last week end)
 
And I'm considering moving my tank cause I'm sick of banging my head and my temples. That kinda hurts.

Then I can run the lines through the wall, behind the tank.
 
idk if this was brought up before, but what if the fixture could simply flip up and to the back?? kinda like clamshell design, that way you could either just simply flip it up to get into the tank, or put a pulley on the wall and connect a rope to use. just suggestions
 
Thanks, that was brought up (I think you did lol, lots earlier in the thread) but the one I have doesn't do that. I did buy one that did that but it didn't fit so I had to return it.
 
Buffy,

You don't need a generator, although they are nice if you get them started. A simple power head and a large computer UPS is a better and easier (and automatic) solution. You might be away from home when the power goes out, then a generator is useless. The power head pointed in the right direction running off the UPS should hold your tank over for many hours.
 
Gregcoyote said:
Buffy,

You don't need a generator, although they are nice if you get them started. A simple power head and a large computer UPS is a better and easier (and automatic) solution. You might be away from home when the power goes out, then a generator is useless. The power head pointed in the right direction running off the UPS should hold your tank over for many hours.
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Trouble is we have some homes here in the Hampton Roads,Va area that lost power last Saturday and are still waiting.I was fortunate that my home only lost power for about 6 hours.I took my generator to my neice's home for her to use,their power was out 5 days.by the way,love the pictures of your tank.
 
Ricksreef said:
Trouble is we have some homes here in the Hampton Roads,Va area that lost power last Saturday and are still waiting.I was fortunate that my home only lost power for about 6 hours.I took my generator to my neice's home for her to use,their power was out 5 days.
Click to expand...

Thats certainly when you need a generator that you have tested every few months and have not let set for the past year. I work in emergency management, so we know generators. The UPS works for maybe 6 hours if it is a larger one and that will tie you over for short duration events when not at home, or trying to get your darn generator started. ;-)
 
huma-huma said:
The ups could also sustain the tank long enough for buffy to drive and buy a geberator if needed
Click to expand...

Is that like a Gerbil running in the exercise wheel hooked up to a powerhead?Lol
 
What I did. And it worked for me on several occasions.. I have a dc to ac power port that I plug in to my car and just run an extention cord out to it... I picked it up for 30 dollars at wally world.
 
jsmith said:
What I did. And it worked for me on several occasions.. I have a dc to ac power port that I plug in to my car and just run an extention cord out to it... I picked it up for 30 dollars at wally world.
Click to expand...

That would work when I'm home. I have one in my truck too. Forgot bout using it here, I use i on the road to charge my phone and stuff.

Found a my "shopping cart" lol, was in marine depot.

They want 59.99 for a phosphate tester plus shipping (order isn't over 175.00 for free shipping).

Affordable Aquatic Supplies wants 49.50 for the same one. (4.95 flat shipping for all orders over 75.00)

Foster & Smith over 200.00 (YIKES) for some other kind, they don't have same one.

Bulk Reef Supply 49.99, IDK shipping.

So was just doing some comparing with different items and prices. Not going to do anymore on this right now.

I'm either going to order from Bulk Reef Supply or Marine Depot (though higher, have heard people order from their but have not seen any one order from Affordable Aquatic Supplies)......However am gonna wait a bit to see how HumaHuma's Group Order is gonna pan out cause if it does, then I will go that route.

So anyone out there need anything go to HumaHuma's Thread and put your name in to order.
 
Now that I have "livestock" I need to get on some kind of routine (that's why I want software, to keep me in check and I do not want to make spreadsheet stuff, I want to just be a user - LOL)

So Aquarix lost out, as after I entered information, it appears it is for freshwater. If I had freshwater, I'd kept using it.

So now I am gonna test out (if I can AquaTrax and AquarioGest).

Diatom Bloom:

I believe this is what I have going on. After being on forum and researching a few months I'm pretty sure. I've read that Diatoms are good (too a degree) and they eat nitrates, so if the Diatoms were gone, then my nitrates would be high. Sooo I'm needing to clean my fluval I think and my emperor. I also need to vacuum but .....here ya go....I don't know how. I have a syphon thing for filling tank and emptying when I first got my set up but I don't want to use the faucet and empty my tank (besides last time I used it it blew off my faucet and just pretty much flooded my bathroom).

So anyone want to clue me in on this?

Also used my Thumb Abusing Ph Tester and Ph shows 8.7 YIKES. I need to run all tests tonite and vacuum, but if I loose water while vacuuming, then I need to mix some up and add it and then WAIT and then do tests right?
 
Doing my first Calcium and KH/Alk test using Salifert.

So far instructions are a tad confusing. Gotta go to web and kinda sort it out. After I do it a few times, I know it will be embedded in the brain. :)

Finally my Ammonia is showing true zero. It is actually YELLOW!!!! Woohoo :), Nitrite is 0 and Nitrate is 40 :-(, going to do a pwc tonite anyway), also going to be seeing how to do maintenance on my fluval and my emperor, so that all will help, plus i still have to vacuum out the tank. I was afraid of losing water for that but I already have di water made so I just need to mix up and replace what I syphon out for my pwc :)
 
Ok, so my Calcium is 400 and my KH/Alkalinity is 2.02 meq/L (5.6 dKH), rather low from what I've read.

Still gonna do my maintenance and pwc before I worry about any of my test results. I wanted to see them before I did maintenance and pwc so I can see what the difference of doing these brings.

My Coco, Elegance and Orange Eye are doing good. I have located my crab, peppermint shrimp and fire shrimp. I have also found my snails (though I don't know which is which LOL). I have not seen my Scarlet Red Crab today but I haven't looked real hard in the "deep holes" of the rock yet. Everyone else was close enough to the "entrance" of their caves that I was able to see them without a flashlight.

Now time to, try to figure out if my water changer syphon thing can be used as a vacuum.

Hasta La Vista :)
 
Yep, your ca and alk are a bit low. Calcium should be up to 450 and I have always kept my alkalinity at about 10, but it's been dropping to the 7.0 area. A good water change should get your numbers up. :)

Wish I had been on before, the saliferts look complicated but after awhile it just seems so much easier. I think I'm gonna get an ammonia test from them too, I;d love to know I def have 0 ammonia, with api its not always clear if its greenish or yellowish lol
 
Since you both are talking about the Hanna Checkers - what do you both feel is the best one to get 1st?
 
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