Drama's 34g cad (media basket install)......sike

[theishkid]

Hey Drama I have a few questions for you,

• How loud would you say your tank is with everything on? Is it too loud to go in a bedroom for instance?

• Have you had any problems with overheating with all of that equipment?

• How well do you think the reactor is working? Do you think it's a must get if I buy this tank?

• And finally... how did you get that upgrade to the nicer stand for free???

 

Thanks!

[Dramad1]

Hey Drama I have a few questions for you,

How loud would you say your tank is with everything on? Is it too loud to go in a bedroom for instance?

Have you had any problems with overheating with all of that equipment?

How well do you think the reactor is working? Do you think it's a must get if I buy this tank?

And finally... how did you get that upgrade to the nicer stand for free???

 

Thanks!

I would say the loudest thing on my tank is the skimmer but it has quieted down alot compared to a month ago, other than that the onky other thing I hear is my ato when it kicks on, sounds like someone is pissing in my tank for about 5 sec. I can fix this by lowering the return line on the ato closer to the water but I like it a lil above and it stirs up any deterious and my return chamber when topping off.

My tank temps are a steady 78* and havent had any heating issues. I run a diy screen top so im sure that helps.

I have yet to run anything in my reactor but plan to start running a lil carbon this week after my water change. Ill let you know when I find out. Not having a media basket for this tank, I feel the reactor is a must once you start stocking the tank.

As far as the upgraded stand, I got lucky as cad was out of the blk ones when I ordered and he just happened to have a newer stand on hand. Scott asked if I minded upgrading at no extra charge and I went for it. Stand is excellent and gives the tank a very professional look.

Hope this helps

[SouthFlorida_Tron]

InTank is in the early stages of basket design. As far as filtration, it helps to have one of the blue sponges along the back wall, where the water overflows an add some floss as a pre-filter.

[Dramad1]

I haven't heard much news about the intank basket, hopefully theres a growing market for them and they become avail. I think it would require some type of flow director though as the water seems to flow right down the back wall. Maybe a lil lip on it like on the ones mike at microreefs was making.

Right now im running one blue sponge and floss on top. I was going to ask you Tron, how often are you swapping out your blue sponge, or do you just rinse it out when doing wc's? I was thinking of cutting up the other three sponges I have that came w/ tank and layering media in between the sponges. For example: sponge cut the fit 1st chamber stacked aprox 4-6 high, then carbon, then sponge, then purigen, then sponge, floss on top. My only concern with this is the flow not passing completely through the media and running around it. Any thoughts?

[Dramad1]

I took some pics this weekend after a water change of some large pods. , hundreds everywhere and some are very large.

Pics:

kinda blurry cell pic, going in the hole

 

 

Chilling outside the hole

 

 

Just to the bottom left of return nozzle

 

 

Just to the left of return

 

 

hard to get a good pic cause they are so fast. Id love to get a mandarin but im worried he would eat all the pods within a week. Still would be nice to get one. The pods are like ants everywhere

[Dramad1]

I just ordered a battery backup unit for the tank due to several power outages over this last week due to all the fires around my county, figured it would be a good investment.

I was also looking to upgrade my return pump in the future. Would anyone have any recommendations?

 

Also, I plan on fragging my green toadstool leather this weekend. It has overgrown my bc29. Going to chop the whole top and make aprox 10-15 frags so if anyone may be interested I will let them go cheap 5-10$ each. Toadstool came from live aquaria. Ill post it up after they have had time to recover.

[theishkid]

I plan on going with something like this… http://www.amazon.com/APC-BR1000G-Back-UPS-Uninterruptible-Supply/dp/B0038ZTZ3W/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1400254114&sr=8-7&keywords=battery+backup

 

I plan on just having my return pump and heater plugged in to the battery backup, and everything else can be on the surge side.

[rdck99]

I plan on going with something like this… http://www.amazon.com/APC-BR1000G-Back-UPS-Uninterruptible-Supply/dp/B0038ZTZ3W/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1400254114&sr=8-7&keywords=battery+backup

 

I plan on just having my return pump and heater plugged in to the battery backup, and everything else can be on the surge side.

At 100 watts, it'll run for 60 minutes? I don't know if that's enough to be of much help, but maybe I'm reading it wrong?

[theishkid]

Well here in Oklahoma we don't have too many problems with the power. During storm season the power might go off for 30 minutes then it's right back on. I'm not sure how long the rolling blackouts that other states suffer from last.

 

You could always go for the more expensive one that should get closer to two hours: http://www.amazon.com/APC-BR1500G-BACK-UPS-10-Outlet-1500VA/dp/B003Y24DEU/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t

 

Other than that buy a generator.

[rdck99]

Well here in Oklahoma we don't have too many problems with the power. During storm season the power might go off for 30 minutes then it's right back on. I'm not sure how long the rolling blackouts that other states suffer from last.

 

You could always go for the more expensive one that should get closer to two hours: http://www.amazon.com/APC-BR1500G-BACK-UPS-10-Outlet-1500VA/dp/B003Y24DEU/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t

 

Other than that buy a generator.

Yeah, I'm in Missouri and the power's gone out for an hour or so a couple times, but that's just not long enough for my tank to be affected. My pumps are off longer than that for maintenance. But, if you have more sensitive livestock, I suppose the extra hour could make a difference. I've avoided a battery backup so far, because I don't think 1-2 hours would help much. If I ever made an investment in a backup, it'd be the generator route.

[Dramad1]

Picked me up a 2$ frag rack and the plugs fit perfectly,

Going to frag the toadstool today. Should be interesting

 

[SouthFlorida_Tron]

Good luck!

[Dramad1]

Thanks. I have two holding trays filled w/ tank water for the cuttings and slime removal afterward and plan a w/c and fresh carbon right after. Its just starting to overtake my tank.

[Dramad1]

New to the family! White bandit ocellarious

[Dramad1]

[Reefed419]

DAYUM! Those are some sexy Clowns

[Dramad1]

They had another pair there that had white dorsal fins and I almost got them instead but the whole time I was watching them, they where fighting like crazy. I almost went for a pair of blood orange clowns as well but my son picked these. My first choice minus the price tag. The other 2 pairs where half the price.

Family loves them already! Yeah!!! Im pretty stoked

[Dramad1]

Fml fml fml. Late last night I noticed the smaller clown hiding behind a rock, didnt think much of it. Woke up at 4am and left for work, got home and only see one clown. So im like okay he is hiding. I just spent about an hour with a flash light looking all over the tank for the lil guy. Havent found him or even spotted a glimpse of a fin or body.....nothing at all. I check the rear chambers as well as all around the tank. Nothing. I have a screen door top so there is no way he could have jumped through it.

Problem is I have a large scape with lots of hiding spots and I have learned that fish can hide in some pretty tiny spots. Im hoping he is fine and just hiding. Guy was expensive.

So im wondering did my hermits get him, I have 3 pretty big blue legs? What could have ate him if thats what happened. Do I have a mantis in my tank. If he did get ate, wouldnt I find some of his body?

I put the sponge guard on my mp10 before putting my fish in the tank as well as turned the flow down a bit and when lights went out I put it in night mode.

Im pissed and stressing out and wondering wtf is my clown at. The other one is swimming all over and im following him around hoping that he goes where ever the other one is at.

fml fml fml

[Dramad1]

Just arrived.

[theishkid]

Any luck finding him? I would pick up a couple pieces of rock if it wasn't too much of a hassle. I had the same problem with a goby before but never a clown.

[Dramad1]

Still searching. I threw a pellet in to see if my zombie army would come and only about half of them showed. I found the rest of them on a snail dwarf certh that one of my blue leg hermits killed. Makes me think he is possibly still alive, iive been sitting in front of my tank now for a few hours, every ten minutes or so im spot checking all the holes and caves with my flashlight. Once lights out hits, ill be sear c hing some more

[theishkid]

So were you able to find him last night?

[Dramad1]

No sign of him, he must have been abducted my kids said.

No clue, no body no signs of him being eatten. I do t know why but I wanted to smash the tank wuth a bat last night. Im over it now. I will probibly never get another pair of designer clowns again because of it. Im still a lil bent about the whole disappearence.

 

The other one is doing great, he does hot laps around the tank. My wife thinks he killed the other one and my c.u.c cleaned up all the evidence.

 

I got my battery back up all hooked up, gives me peace of mind knowing summer is coming and blackouts are a possibility. Other than that tank is fine. I need to stock it up with fish and corals already, it looks so empty with just the one clown. Maybe in a few weeks ill pick up another fish. Ive been thinking of a bang card or a male lineatus fairy wrasse or maybe a small treo school of something.

[theishkid]

Could you move around a couple pieces of rock to see if his body is under there? I'm sure you're right that he's not alive but I'd hate for it to be stuck and you have a big ammonia spike. Have you tested your ammonia today?

[Dramad1]

Haven't tested ammonia today. My hands have been in my pool all afternoon. I'm prepping it for the summer so I was messing w/ chlorine and acid. I'm going to wait a few days before sticking my hands near my tank. I usually use a baster to suck water out of the tank to do my test but I don't want to cross contaminate anything. I will. I tested all my params before even going to get the pair and everything was in check.