Jump to content
Top Shelf Aquatics

Mike's First Reef Tank (SOLD! 2/9/16)


michaelrzachmann

Recommended Posts

michaelrzachmann

 

I'm thinking its more because the heat from your lights is being trapped by the hood if you do not have good air circulation going in there. Although the pumps are contributing somewhat I do not think they would be the major factor. If you could just get a 120mm PC fan circulating air into the space between the hood and the water I believe you could lower the water temperature by a few degrees. Evaporation is a powerful way to cool water plus you will be pulling out the heat that is being trapped.

thanks for all of the advice everyone. I turned off the reactors for a couple hours and the temperature didnt really change. What if i fit a fan on top of the lights to try and suck some of the hot air out of the hood do you think that would held?

Link to comment
  • Replies 198
  • Created
  • Last Reply

thanks for all of the advice everyone. I turned off the reactors for a couple hours and the temperature didnt really change. What if i fit a fan on top of the lights to try and suck some of the hot air out of the hood do you think that would held?

Yes it will probably solve all your heat issues. Get a 120mm PC fan that connects to a 12v power supply and you will be good to go.

Link to comment

The fan would help for sure. Do you have an auto top off? Just be aware that there will be increased evap if you add a fan, so an ATO is recommended.

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

http://www.marinedepot.com/CoralVue_Variable_Speed_Smart_Fan_Cooling_Fans_for_Aquarium_Lighting-CoralVue-CV1671-FILTACAF-vi.html

 

maybe one of these?


The fan would help for sure. Do you have an auto top off? Just be aware that there will be increased evap if you add a fan, so an ATO is recommended.

no i currently do manual top offs, it will cause extra evap even if their is clear plastic shield inbetween water and lights?

Link to comment

actually I'm not sure if the fan isn't blowing on the water I don't think it would cause evaporation so you may be ok. Try it out and see. You just don't want it to get to the point where you are in danger of your return pump starving or having drastic salinity changes every time you top off.

Link to comment

The evaporation is actually what causes the water temp to decrease but I don't see any issues with manual top off as long as you are doing it daily. But more importantly you will be pulling heat out before it has a chance to increase the water temperature.

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

actually I'm not sure if the fan isn't blowing on the water I don't think it would cause evaporation so you may be ok. Try it out and see. You just don't want it to get to the point where you are in danger of your return pump starving or having drastic salinity changes every time you top off.

 

 

The evaporation is actually what causes the water temp to decrease but I don't see any issues with manual top off as long as you are doing it daily. But more importantly you will be pulling heat out before it has a chance to increase the water temperature.

ok so i unplugged my heater last night that was set to be on below 78* and i just checked my tank temperature and it was at 78*. It hasnt been below 80 and has been at about 82 for months even in the middle of the night when the lights are off. Maybe i just had a faulty heater? I just put a new heater in set to 78 degrees and ill see if it stays at 78, if it was just the heater keep the tank so hot that would be a breath of fresh air

Link to comment

 

 

ok so i unplugged my heater last night that was set to be on below 78* and i just checked my tank temperature and it was at 78*. It hasnt been below 80 and has been at about 82 for months even in the middle of the night when the lights are off. Maybe i just had a faulty heater? I just put a new heater in set to 78 degrees and ill see if it stays at 78, if it was just the heater keep the tank so hot that would be a breath of fresh air

 

You need a controller, worth every penny. Thermometers might be off as well.

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

 

You need a controller, worth every penny. Thermometers might be off as well.

Yeah it seems it... Maybe the next big purchase, dont see myself having that kind of money for a while lol

in good news finally it looks like my skimmer is starting to break in after about three days and the noise has about cut in half

 

photo%203_zpsgshcp1e3.jpg

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Used Reef Keeper Light can be had for < $100 and sometimes cheaper. Look around in the selling forums.

I think im going to get a a refractometer next because my corllife hydrometer says 1.025 and my red sea hydrometer says 1.028 lol everything was going so smooth and easy for months but these last couple have been full of problems

Link to comment

 

 

ok so i unplugged my heater last night that was set to be on below 78* and i just checked my tank temperature and it was at 78*. It hasnt been below 80 and has been at about 82 for months even in the middle of the night when the lights are off. Maybe i just had a faulty heater? I just put a new heater in set to 78 degrees and ill see if it stays at 78, if it was just the heater keep the tank so hot that would be a breath of fresh air

You may not even need the heater. I find my tank stays between 76-78 without a heater as long as I keep my house around 75-76. Try running a day or two without it and see how stable your temps stay.

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

You may not even need the heater. I find my tank stays between 76-78 without a heater as long as I keep my house around 75-76. Try running a day or two without it and see how stable your temps stay.

heater has been off for a day and running stable at 78-79... better than 82 lol

 

 

Here is the skimmer day four, still breaking in and hope it keeps getting better... Pretty happy so far considering its only day four and i forgot to rinse it when i set it up

photo%204_zpset7avsho.jpg

Link to comment

Is that the AquaC Remora? I recently added one to my 29. Skimmate is never dark but it seems to be working ok. It stinks!! Probably something in my tank that needs to get skimmed out ... I hope. Big 150 gallon tank with a skimmer full of dark muck and this little bitty skimmer is what's stinking up the entire basement. :D

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Is that the AquaC Remora? I recently added one to my 29. Skimmate is never dark but it seems to be working ok. It stinks!! Probably something in my tank that needs to get skimmed out ... I hope. Big 150 gallon tank with a skimmer full of dark muck and this little bitty skimmer is what's stinking up the entire basement. :D

yah my skimmate hasnt been dark yet either but only been running for a week, it has definitely pulled some nasty shit out of the water and is way better than the joke of a skimmer i had before already but its nothing like i have seen come out of the big vertexes etc....

hopefully mine pulls some shit like this one day. The guy said this was only 2 days worth of skim????

DSC01817.JPG

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Two weeks away from the first one year anniversary of my first saltwater tank. These last 2 months have been the most challenging since I entered the saltwater side of the hobby with the GHA outbreak, losing a whole nice birdsnest colony, my hydnophora, and it looks like my chalice after they were all colored up and looking great and growing two months ago. Ive decided to take my reactor off line because being where i had to install it, it is a bitch to maintain and the pump is pretty noisy, and go a bit simpler with a bag of chemi pure elite in one of the chambers. I am also going to stay away from SPS for a while and maybe get some nice/easier zoas and LPS to take the place of the dead SPS as they are easier to care for and look just as nice. On a good note, the new skimmer is working way better than the old one, the RBTA is looking great, all the zoas are looking great and my monti and last acro seem to be holding on. I also plan on getting a BRS refractometer because these hydrometers are sketching me out. I plan to get some pictures up soon again after i get this tank looking nice again. Happy reefing

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

my wrassehole seems to have attacked my huge peppermint shrimp that i introduced last week (not sure if he killed him, hopefully not because i have a couple aiptasia that popped up). Anyway the wrasse has been swimming around all day with shrimp antenna lodged in his mouth and hanging all the way out. can this kill him? if so i think ill leave it in haha

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Its been almost a week with the reactor offline and chemipure elite replacement. Tank is much quieter and livestock is actually looking better too... Except for peppermint shrimp. Havent seen him in over a day and after i saw his antenna hanging out of the wrassehole's mouth i can only assume he was killed. Looks like i am going to have to try and use some aiptasia x or something to try and get rid of the couple aiptasia before they become a problem. Just ordered a refractometer finally so ill find out in a couple of days if i have been using a horribly off hydrometer as i have heard many people found out the hard way. I ordered the BRS one after reading countless only gret reviews on it. Hopefully some new pics getting added soon because i hate looking at threads without them myself

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Didnt know if i could do it being a broke ass college student with zero free time but it's been a great first year owning a saltwater tank and even though the tank has looked better I learned so much and most of it is due to this forum, hopefully the tank makes it another year. Nothing better then getting home from a 12 hour day to relax in front of a mini reef in my room.

 

photo%201%208_zpsyim5hn31.jpg

 

photo%204%203_zpsx2zwswfq.jpg

 

photo%203%205_zpsrtd8tvhc.jpg

 

photo%203%206_zpsvmyjkcds.jpg

 

photo%201%209_zpscv02y05a.jpg

Link to comment

Good job Mike. Congrats on your upcoming 1 year anniversary and wishing you many more years of aquarium enjoyment!

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Good job Mike. Congrats on your upcoming 1 year anniversary and wishing you many more years of aquarium enjoyment!

thanks!

 

Good job on 1 year

thanks!

Link to comment
michaelrzachmann

Good job on 1 year!

Mark quick question since i know you have a lot of great reefing experience. just saw my emerald crab flipping around on the front of the tank with one claw (all legs and other claw gone) This isnt what molting for him would look like right? Something must have attacked him and ripped them all off and if so can they grow back or is he def a goner?

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...