Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

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Just put an order in for a roll of 1/4" mesh screen to make a top. Got it from BRS - and while I was there I bought a Hanna Calcium checker. 1st Hanna, so we'll see how it goes. With all the corals I have I figured I'm already late to be testing for Calcium.
 
TLTGF said:
Just put an order in for a roll of 1/4" mesh screen to make a top. Got it from BRS - and while I was there I bought a Hanna Calcium checker. 1st Hanna, so we'll see how it goes. With all the corals I have I figured I'm already late to be testing for Calcium.
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How are you making the top? I've been wanting to do the same thing with my 72 bow but can't figure out how to make a curved frame for the mesh.
 
I haven't actually figured that out yet... I just figured I'd get the screen first. My plan is to have a Kite shaped cross brace made of Plexy that runs from back corner to front, and have another cross brace going straight across the top from those two corners. Then I'm probably just going to make a cardboard template of the shape of my tank and cut it from 1/2" plexy or whiteboard from work. A 1" strip that will go along the top of the tank with the mesh glued, screwed, or otherwise fastened to it.
 
Just a warning on the hanna calcium checker....you will need distilled water to use it first off, thats something they dont tell you upfront. Second, good luck LOL. I had a heck of a hard time using mine and ended up returning it as it was horribly inaccurate and the testing procedure is a bear to do. The salifert is the way to go in my opinion.

As a side note, i use the hanna checkers for alkalinity and phosphates and they are dead on accurate. It's just the calcium one thats off. i even spoke to people at hanna and they said the distilled water can help but not always. According to them even 1ppm of calcium in the distilled/ro di water you use can cause a false reading of 50ppm or more with the meter.

let me know how it works out for you, really curious, maybe it was just my unit. :)
 
Thanks for the heads up. I remember you mentioning something, and somebody saying that they were having those issues, but I though someone said they had fixed it...

Ah well... Fleeting memory. I will try it and keep posted. That's my first Hanna. I've got Salifert alk test, API for the regulars, and I haven't yet started phosphates, mag, calcium, iodine, or strontium. My next Hanna will probably be mag or phosphates.
 
I plan on getting the Hanna phosphate and nitrate, when it comes out. Those ones r just so hard to read on a color chart. Plus when I get some biopellets going im gonna try and get them well below zero but still present, so a digital read out is a must for that. What is the lowest that the phosphate checker reads?
 
Mine goes down to 0.01. According to hanna they are either going to be releasing the nitrate checker OR the magnesium one this year. It seemed they were leaning towards magnesium. The phosphate checker is easy and the alaklinity one is fast and even easier.
 
I was afraid they would do magnesium first. I just want phosphate and nitrate cause I seen this video of this guy talking about biopellets, and peoples systems crashing after a few months from stripping it completely of phosphates and nitrates. Kinda makes sense that corals would need a little bit of them to stay alive.
 
I'm planning on adding a biopellet reactor to my setup hopefully very soon. Kinda hoping i won't have any problems with it as I'd like to get my phosphates down and keep them down.
 
carey said:
Have you looked at the BRS ones? they come highly recommended and they are comparable in cost. :)
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Really? They're like $50 right. Found out the tank I'm buying includes a phosban reactor as well so I'll just get a carbon reacter
 
I might buy one like that and mod it for biopellets. But yea just for other media I like the brs one better. Sturdier, better mounts, easier maintenance.
 
The brs ones are I think $36 each. Plus a pump, but most everyone has a maxi jet 1200 laying around so you can one of those.

I have two of the phosban reactors and while they seem ok they arent really sturdy and the tops dont always line up just right and you get a leak.

I've heard not to run biopellets AND GFO so I will just be running the pellets. I don't wanna get my water too clean. lol

BRS sells the bio pellet screens that work in the phosban reactors, just keep in mind that the phosban reactors are kinda small so you might not be able to fit the recommended amount of bio pellets in it. :)
 
I want that magnesium checker...the titration tests are a pain! I am finding proper magnesium levels are more important than I once thought.
 
carey said:
The brs ones are I think $36 each. Plus a pump, but most everyone has a maxi jet 1200 laying around so you can one of those.

I have two of the phosban reactors and while they seem ok they arent really sturdy and the tops dont always line up just right and you get a leak.

I've heard not to run biopellets AND GFO so I will just be running the pellets. I don't wanna get my water too clean. lol

BRS sells the bio pellet screens that work in the phosban reactors, just keep in mind that the phosban reactors are kinda small so you might not be able to fit the recommended amount of bio pellets in it. :)
Click to expand...

Lol ive got two maxi-jets. And for $36 I'm wondering why it isn't out of stock. I'm going to try and do what newyorksteelo from YouTube did with his phosban since it solved his algae issue. And with fake coral, algae is going to be a pain in the *$$ to clean
 
KAhner said:
I don't know if I missed it, but what's up with your possible trip to the far east?
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Wish I knew... Asked my president for an update, but it's being spearheaded by the friendly folks at the North America headquarters, which happens to be 40 minutes away, but nonetheless, they love last minute decision making.

I am going to be a bit more tenacious as the time goes since I would start in April... Not much time to turn my life upside down.

I'll keep you all posted.

And as for the tank, I started a phyto diet for the corals on Monday I think and maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I swear my corals look better, especially the pagoda cup, polyps are huge and fully out all day, looks great!
 
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