Yeah...

+11111

haha, click back a page!!!! or another or another, there must be hundreds here.

New pics to come of the corals that came in yesterday. Lights are off and I need to get home. So Monday!!!

you guys are funny.

see, dark!!! monday new pics

StevieT:

Thanks so much for your efforts in this thread. I started an RSM about a month ago and have relied on your thread heavily. I replicated your mag-float-mounted JBJ ATO system, for instance. I also just installed my Tunze 9002 today. I did the best I could to replicate your set up for the skimmer but found the location where you have the skimmer to be a little flimsy for mounting via magnets, the magnets were a little skittish. When I brought the skimmer over to the far right hand side, I was able to use magnets inside the power center and on the back so the skimmer is nice and stable. I then put a layer of filter floss between the overflow grate and the skimmer to catch any particles. I really liked your idea of creating a media tray between the overflow grate and the skimmer, but feel that the mounting of the Tunze is too flimsy over on the left (facing the tank) with just the magnets on the back. Do you feel like the set up is a little movable where you have it or do you have super-strong magnets so it feels very stable? Are there other drawbacks to putting the skimmer on under the overflow that I am not considering? You are right, the Tunze does seem like it cost like $25 to build. Let's see how it works....

Thanks!

ARH- thanks for reading through

I used pretty strong magnets, I got them at Grainger, they are rare earth magnets, really strong, so the skimmer doesn't move an inch. I used 3 or 4 of them along with the magnet that came with the skimmer.

The draw backs to putting it over under the skimmer grate is you will lose your sponge. I see you did some filter floss but i don't see how you created a complete cut off. Meaning some of the water is going to run over to the left of the skimmer without going trough the floss. You may loose some flow. I really didn't like it over there, but if you keep it on that side, it does allow you to make a fuge!!!!!!!

Hey Steve, I think I PM's you about this awhile back but since you be the man I'll just ask on your thread.
I ordered the Tunze 9002 last night. what took me so long you ask????

You said you mounted yours to the very left side is that correct?? It cant be up against the heater because we have the whole ATO system there so is it up against that? And then how did you compensate for the extra space? Did you put another black sponge there?? Maybe I'll get a better understanding when I actually get it in my hands to see it. So we will still have the mechanical filter (sponge) then it proceeds to the skimmer and to the pumps, correct?? With the extra room it would be great to move that chemi pure from the chamber of death. I know you were thinking about making the media basket. Have you started that yet? If not....get on it so I can copy that too!! JK

When I ordered the skimmer I tried to find some extra black sponge but didn't really see what I was looking for. So not sure what you have in there to take up that space.

OK....repeating myself.....thanks!!

Correct

I have it to the right of the ATO float. I have an extra spone to the left of the skimmer, then on under the surface grate. Since my RSM was older, It came with a larger sponge, which I cut in half, giving me an extra sponge. I used that extra one to force all the water to move through a sponge. I have a diagram of my set up on one of the pages here, you will see the two sponges there.

I plan on a media basket that will only use one sponge, then all the chemical media, moving the chemi pure out of the chamber of death

but i haven't had time for that as of yet....

when I do, there will be detailed pics here. I know of a few people that Have made them, but i don't remember where the threads were.

I just looked on page 12. You only have like 10 pictures of the set up!!! My bad for not looking first!

Of course I think I threw away the other half of the sponge after I cut it.
So obviously I have an older model tank. Pinky sent me the new hood fans. Are they stronger than what is in there now?? It's still making the noise but Brad hasn't gotten around to replacing them. Just wondering if they are "new and improved" or the same as what is in there now?

One last ???. You mentioned the AC adapter to the cooling fan in the back. Is that something you changed to improve the fan?

AAAA why did you throw that away!!!??? Always a good idea to save a sponge since they do not last forever and become a nitrate trap over time if you do not keep one clean. I use to swap one out for the other every week when doing a WC. That way one dried out and killed any nitrate buildup that week.

Yes, the new fans run better and quiter. They are improved, they have a different # on them, i don't remember what that means, if it was amps or volts, but they are so much quiter and move air better.

I bumped up the voltage on the rear fan with a new transformer. It spins the fan faster, creates a little more noise, but you can't notice. It will give you more air flow if you are having temp issues. I have transformers laying around everywhere from projects or old chargers for electronics. I belive the stock one is 7 volts, I spliced in a 9V, a 12V was a little too loud.


Look on page 14 for the diagram

Cause I'm a NEWBIE and didn't know any better! Of course I could kick myself now. That is why i was wondering where to get another sponge

Good to know about the fans. Will have that project on the to do "list" for this weekend.

You are just a wealth of information for such a youngster!

Hey StevieT,

It's been awhile since I caught up on your thread. The tank looks great! Here is the link to the RSM Media Reactor that I built since I see people are still inquiring about this mod. It's been a month now and it works great. I have it currently loaded with a sponge and Chemi Pure Pro.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...amp;hl=adamskit

Have you ever considered changing out your powerheads in the chamber of death to get more flow? I modded mine and inserted a Viaaqua 2300 (600gph) with a "Y" fitting and custom ports and it works much better than the stock pumps. Next week I am going to mod it further by adding a Oceans Motions Squirt 2 way. I will post photos when I complete the Mod.

Thanks Adam for the link. I was going to search for it when I got a chance to actually do the mod, but that help out a lot. I was going to do it very similar to how you built it. If I remember correctly the material with the holes in it is gutter guard . Is that metal or plastic? I would think egg crate would work as well for the shelves, but as you said before, you need to force the flow downwards towards the skimmer, so the sides need to be acrylic.

Let me know how the pumps work out. Right now I feel they are pretty good and with the koralia my corals get enough flow. I haven't had too many issues with the stock pumps.

The gutter guard is plastic and it just happened to be in the garage when I did the mod so that's why I went with it. Egg crate would work better IMO. You definately need the sides to be acrylic. By the way my Tunze 9002 is also still the best investment I have made on this tank. I followed your lead on the magnet mount on the back and have had no issues just great skimmate!

The pump mod works really well and increased the flow dramatically. I have a great deal of acropora and SPS in my tank so they really appreciate the flow. When the Oceans Motions Wave maker comes next week I will post again with the results of that mod. Good to talk with you hope all is well!

The Tunze is a champ! I wish I would have done that mod sooner. I suppose if the new pumps pull water faster it would increase flow and waste removal. I will be watching for your thread on that one. I too have a lot of SPS in the upper half of the tank, so far so good, everything has a lot of new growth.

Funny you mention the pumps adam I actually had a dream last night about changing the pumps in my RSM but I thought of using a couple of small Ehiem ones.

Oh and Stevie remember me saying a few months back that you made me want to start my RSM back up? well guess what ahaha.

nice! Get er going

Looking good Steve!

I figured since the stock pumps are less than 145gph each that the change would really help things and it has. I thought about using an eheim but they don't move enough water in a size that fits the "chamber of death". The pump has to be no bigger than 4x3 to fit. The only one I could find was the Viaaqua 2300 (600gph). The next trick is making an Oceans Motions work with it all....stay tuned.

new stuff

Hey SteveT new additions look great. How do you like your coral beauty? Does she behave and not nip at anything? Does she harass your clam?

She does alirght. I have had her in there for some time now. She will nip at stuff, but never actually hurt any corals. I think she is searching for algae. Most of the time she just swims around but ther eare those times when I see her play with a coral. She goes up to the clam and picks at the shell every now and then, again, never doing any damage and never with force, it's just the way those fish are.

I like her colors, great looking fish, fun to watch, eats a lot!

Looks great Stevie! Are you going to keep the GSP trimmed?

I have fraged it once but the buyer fell through, so i put the frag back with the main collony and it actually fused together. I have a few piece of rubble underneath it and I am waiting for it to grow over that for frags. It is so bright green, I love how it looks like a lawn in my tank. It actually just opend back up, it was closed for 5 days, it does that every couple months, I don't know why.

Strange, I've heard of several peoples GSP closing up like that, but mine has never done it.
I've noticed mine is starting to grow onto the sand, and it seems to spread faster that way.
I would love to see a tank with the bottom completely covered with it, but it would be a pain to keep it from growing onto the rocks as well... Of course, a tank with everything covered in GSP except the viewing panes would be an interesting idea....
Anyways, your tank is looking wonderful. The new frags will look even better when they grow out.

yeah, my GSP will close up for days every 2 or so months, I don't know what it is. Then one day, bam, it's all back open. It is much easier to control on the sand, i do not want this stuff on any of my rocks! If it does grow to large I can just frag it with a razor blade and make some money back. It has grown a little since I purchased it, not a super fast grower compared to some other GSP like frag I have. don't remember what it's called, starts with a "G", it is to the left of the GSP in my pic. That stuff is insance, i have it all over the back of "ricordea island"

Encrusting gorgonian?

Hey Steve.....That 'g' coral I think is gorgoniana, which grows like crazy. It usually hitchhikes on LR and ends up everywhere. New stuff looks AWESOME! Keep a lookout on my thread, I get a box fom ebay tomorrow and my buddy is bringing by some frags for me. I got some really good deals on some shrooms and bubble ricordias.

I will definately buy a frag of the gsp from you once I am cycled.

great, let me know!




yep thats it!!! i have it on the sand now, it took over my rock in a few hours, that stuff is insane!

crab, on a crab, on GSP






stop hiding! you never used to










5000! wow

I really like your Euphyllia, it's huge! Did you obtain it that large, or did it start with only a couple heads and grow that large in your tank?

do you mean the frogspawn? I am not familar with the name Euphyllia

VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW1J7RePUoU


i bought that frogspawn much smaller, It has gotten HUGE in this tank. You can see the orginal size in pics on my first page

The music had me going! LoL Nice tank, Nice Video!

Yeah, frogspawn is Euphyllia Divisa. Thanks for the info, video looks great!

Great video, and what song was that?

Morgan Page - The longest road

my new fav. song I listen to it all the time, there are a few different mixes, found it on XM radio - BPM

Slow day at work today... ???
Everything looks amazing!!! Great video!!!

something like that....

just ordered a tripod. More vids and pics to come, hopefully that will improve my point and shoot abilities.

Something else that might help is to wait until after dark or shoot before sunup to avoid the reflections from the windows. Or get something really dark to hang over the blinds.

-hank

yeah, kind of hard, i have the blinds closed and the lights off but there is still a reflection. I will bring something in to block the light, really don't have much as far as a blanket here at work. good idea though!

Tank turns off at 6:50, sun is still up in the spring/summer, so still a reflection. Tank on around 7:30am i think... i get in at 8 and it is on.

Night time updates!

I finally got a tripod in so I can get some great night time pictures. Here are a few from my first try at them. Taken with 6-15" shutter openings.

Nice work You can use that for daytime shooting too. Put the camera on the tripod and think about your shot. It helps me to line things up better to avoid the "left end of my tank is lower than the right end" phenomena when my camera is free to move about on its own. It's also good with a remote. You can frame the shot and then just sit there and wait for the critters to cooperate.

-hank

oh yes, i plan on using it for daytime shots when I get a chance.

no remote

More new pictures!!! you guys are getting a lot this week

Mr. Pep shrimp trying to find food in the Star




Crossing, they both had the green light

What type of starfish is that, I like him!

Thanks-

bought him at reefscavengers.com

They called it an orange common starfish. I have had him for sometime now, somedays he just will just park right on the front glass !

Oh cool thats where I got my clam. They can ship overnight to me for like 8 bucks

I thought they were in the Nevada area

guess i am wrong, that is really awesome!

I finally got the chance to make my media basket!

A full build thread can be found here

FULL BUILD THREAD FOR MEDIA BASKET

I will post most of the pictures there, but here are a few tesears.