Finally - 40 Breeder Reef Journal/Build Thread

[mfdrookie516]

You just like posting pics...

Yes I do like posting pics....

 

[spoonman]

And we like looking at them. So, I dont see a problem....LOL!

 

[maxwellag]

What lighting are you using right now? Do you think LEDS or T5HO is better for corals?

 

[fort384]

Removed off topic posts. Let's keep the thread on the topic of mfdrookie's 40B.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I got my new RO/DI unit today. I must say... it's certainly a better unit than the one I had. I'm debating on whether to replace the membrane and the other stuff. It had water in it that stunk like no other when I first turned it on. The readout is between 0 and 1ppm on the TDS meter, so I'm not concerned in that aspect.. and the water doesn't smell bad anymore... so I'm not sure. Thoughts?

I need to get the fittings to connect it under my sink. I'm also not clear on how to set up an auto shut off. I turned off the water supply and the booster pump kept going... but if I turn off the booster pump, it shuts off the water. So I'm thinking that I need a float switch rather than a float valve for this setup... can someone confirm that? It's a vertex puratek 100gpd unit.

 

[fort384]

Seems to me like you would need both - a valve to shut off the water, and a switch to shutoff the booster pump. If you just shut down the pump, don't you still get waste water running?

 

[mfdrookie516]

No, if the pump is off, no water flows.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Here's a picture of the unit

 

[fort384]

Fancy! So did you decide you are going to keep the filters or change em?

 

[mfdrookie516]

Someone talked me in to replacing them. I'm also considering going ahead and revamping the layout to use the DI canister for another carbon block and buying a dual DI canister from BRS to add beside it. IDK... guess we'll just see what happens.

I think i'm going to get a new flow restrictor and go with a better membrane. I've seen a lot of conflicting info on this, and a guy who is an RO/DI genius recommended a tuned restrictor for a specific membrane to guarantee optimal life and filtration.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have officially mastered something in saltwater! The downside is that I've mastered growing algae. Only I could have hair algae, bryopsis, cyano, and grape caulerpa in 3 months time. I'm underfeeding if anything, chaeto is growing like crazy, etc etc. Guess I'm just going to learn to live with it.. I mean, the ocean has algae too, right?

 

[fort384]

hmmm, hopefully one of the resident reef masters will have some ideas for solutions. I hope we don't just have to live with it .

 

[EriksFish315]

Hey you mastered something at least. Too bad its not all hat beneficial except for your CUC.

 

[Ziggy953]

Start with the basics...

Give us the run down of your actual Params..

What is your lighting schedule?
How often are you doing PWCs?

 

[mfdrookie516]

Well..they're 0,0,0, and 8.4. I run my lights for 8 hours. 20g PWC every week or so. Last one was 8 days ago, I just haven't been up to doing one today. I have water mixing, so I'll probably do one tomorrow. I have been rinsing my socks out every 3-4 days though, as they've been clogging up that quickly. I've fed maybe 8 times in the last month, and only what they each eat from the syringe.

 

[carey]

Have you checked for phosphates yet?

 

[Ziggy953]

I'm not surprised that your Nitrates are 0. Do you have a phosphate test kit??

Algae needs nutrients and light to grow. You could be testing and seeing 0 Nitrates simply because the algae is eating it up. You can reduce your photo period but that is going to impact your corals. Bryopsis is one of the most difficult algaes to get rid of.

If I remember correctly there was some evidence of algae growth on your corals when you first got them. My guess is you introduced some nasty stuff with those corals. Once they take hold in a system it take some serious work to get rid of them

 

[cmor1701d]

That's pretty normal for a 3 month tank. Now is when you start learning (sorry). Cut the lighting in half for a week. Feed only 2x/week though you seem to be there already.

What are you feeding?
Are you using any additiives?

Did you start the tank with RODI and use that for all PWC's?

Might be time to increase the CUC too.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Nope, sure haven't. I probably should, though that would require buying a test kit and I just don't see colors well. I guess I just don't see how it could be a phosphate issue. I'm using RO/DI water, I'm rarely feeding and when I do, I rinse the food in RO/DI water, I'm doing significantly larger water changes than 'the norm' (though I realize that means next to nothing)... and my chaeto is growing well, with very intense lighting that should allow it to suck up any excess nutrients.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Oops... a couple replies as I was typing.

Zig - The algae that came in on my frag plugs was red, almost looked like a red variety of chaeto. It has since departed, and the plugs are all clean. I think the bryopsis came in on the LR. It has gone away for the most part, except for one piece on the rock with my red millepora that I really need to just yank out.

cmor - No additives. I'm lucky to remember to feed, much less dump a bunch of crap in that I don't have the test kits to test for. With the few corals I have, I'm just *assuming* that the salt mix is giving them everything they need. Probably a bad assumption, but safe > sorry IMO and I'd rather them show signs of deficiencies than to risk causing other problems by blindly dumping in stuff. And yes, filled and only do pwc's with RO/DI