spanko Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Just read a post on another site that said he was getting free filtered seawater from the Birch Aquarium. Don't know if that is close to you or not but thought I would through it out there. I like the new avatar!!! Link to comment
soaptray Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Looking great - its neat to watch your tank mature! Can't wait till mine gets there. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Just read a post on another site that said he was getting free filtered seawater from the Birch Aquarium. Don't know if that is close to you or not but thought I would through it out there. I like the new avatar!!! Thanks Spanko! Not sure where that aquarium is, i'll have to look it up Looking great - its neat to watch your tank mature! Can't wait till mine gets there. It's been really cool watching the growth of all the corals. I didn't have a lot of money to go out an buy a bunch at a time so they've been able to grow and multiply inbetween. It's crazy when I think of how small the few I first bought were. I finally got the RO/DI system installed tonight in the garage. It's a great unit and very sleek looking. I ended up getting a 110gpd from FiltersDirect on ebay with free shipping. So far so good Hopefully this will really help my tank get back into the shape it was when i moved. I'm making myself do strict water changes every week until it gets under control. Hopefully pics will be up soon Link to comment
Dooderino Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 ally got the RO/DI system installed tonight in the garage. It's a great unit and very sleek looking. I ended up getting a 110gpd from FiltersDirect on ebay with free shipping. So far so good Hopefully this will really help my tank get back into the shape it was when i moved. I'm making myself do strict water changes every week until it gets under control. Hopefully pics will be up soon You will be amazed how well your tank will clean up. I would add some TRACE ELEMENTS to your dosing schedule. Now that you are pulling everything out of the water you have to put the good stuff back in. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 You will be amazed how well your tank will clean up. I would add some TRACE ELEMENTS to your dosing schedule. Now that you are pulling everything out of the water you have to put the good stuff back in. Good advice Dood. I have dosed in the past but since the outbreak of all the extra nutrients i stopped. I figured it would make it worse. Funny thing tho, along with the aglae the zoas are multiplying like crazy! i've got a frag (bought at the end of April) that started with maybe 8 on the plug - they've covered it and expanded to the rock already. The birdsnest looks like it's growing new tips... Anyway. i'll probably dose a little, but wouldn't the salt mix also have trace elements in it? Link to comment
The_Yellow_Pony Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 More pics! +1.25897657829928378829928738^2 Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Not yet!! haha It's gross in there and sooooo embarassing! doing a water change this weekend and trying to suck up a lot of the crud before I do pics. Link to comment
The_Yellow_Pony Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Ok I guess. Pics soon though! The masses demand it. Link to comment
Dooderino Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Good advice Dood. I have dosed in the past but since the outbreak of all the extra nutrients i stopped. I figured it would make it worse. Funny thing tho, along with the aglae the zoas are multiplying like crazy! i've got a frag (bought at the end of April) that started with maybe 8 on the plug - they've covered it and expanded to the rock already. The birdsnest looks like it's growing new tips... Anyway. i'll probably dose a little, but wouldn't the salt mix also have trace elements in it? Salt will yes. But I'm working away from home so water changes are out for me. I have heard that TAP water is great for the tank as long as you eliminate the chlorine and run some carbon/purigen media to pull out the bad stuff. It's mostly the silicates and phosphates that make the algae grow... Well, with light and nitrates from the tank too. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Salt will yes. But I'm working away from home so water changes are out for me. I have heard that TAP water is great for the tank as long as you eliminate the chlorine and run some carbon/purigen media to pull out the bad stuff. It's mostly the silicates and phosphates that make the algae grow... Well, with light and nitrates from the tank too. uh oh... I don't think you want to be quoted as saying Tap Water is great for the tank.... i hear the sirens now! haha I know what you mean tho. Before now, I've always just gone to the LFS to buy saltwater and RO/DI water. Usually went once about every two weeks. This is a whole new ballgame for me. Going to pick up some salt mix tonight and start getting it ready for saturday. I don't even know the quantities you can buy it in!! I feel like a noob! Link to comment
mkregs Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 uh oh... I don't think you want to be quoted as saying Tap Water is great for the tank.... i hear the sirens now! haha I can hear the sirens all the way on the other side of the country.... Funny thing though...tap water isn't really so bad depending on the water source where you live. I used to use tap water in my tank years ago. I ran the tank for over 3 years without any problems. Of course I made sure it sat for a few days (with a carbon bag and powerhead dropped into the bucket) prior to adding it to the tank. I have only used RO/DI in my BC29...but, my brother still uses tap water in his tank and hasn't had any issues. Link to comment
Phixion Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Still a California girl!! haha but I moved to the Central Valley. In the middle of no where! Thanks for the info tho, I'm sure other people will be able to benefit from it We're pretty even on the middle of nowwhere now I think! I'm not close to ANY SCNRS peeps now... :'( Anywho, my tank has been peaking near 88-89F most days this week. Look at my 10g SCNRS tank pic (last one I have) and I'll tell you it's night and day differance now, GHA and cyano everywhere... Damn the heat!! Going to pick up some salt mix tonight and start getting it ready for saturday. I don't even know the quantities you can buy it in!! I feel like a noob! 50g buckets or bags should suffice for now, that's the size I get. It's enough to make 50g worth, lol! Usually about $15-$25 depending on the brand you get. I currently use Coral Life and it's not too bad, Red-Sea Coral Pro I've used too and will be what I have once I'm out of the Coral Life... Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 We're pretty even on the middle of nowwhere now I think! I'm not close to ANY SCNRS peeps now... :'( Anywho, my tank has been peaking near 88-89F most days this week. Look at my 10g SCNRS tank pic (last one I have) and I'll tell you it's night and day differance now, GHA and cyano everywhere... Damn the heat!! 50g buckets or bags should suffice for now, that's the size I get. It's enough to make 50g worth, lol! Usually about $15-$25 depending on the brand you get. I currently use Coral Life and it's not too bad, Red-Sea Coral Pro I've used too and will be what I have once I'm out of the Coral Life... I hear ya about the heat. #1 rule in my house: When the lights come on, so does the fan - no matter how hot or cool you think the day is! The lights end up regulating lower temps. Thanks for the advice on the salt. That should be enough to get me going. Link to comment
Pickle010 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Rule in my house is no one... and I mean NO ONE turns off the ceiling fan in my office. It's closing on 100 today and supposed to hit 104 this weekend. Summer time is worst here in the Central Valley. Link to comment
Phixion Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thing is in my house, that tank is on the 2nd level, so it's hotter up there. I have a fan running over the tank 24/7, just an 80mm fan though. if I turn on the ceiling fan, it stirs up the warm air in the room and makes the tank a little hotter... =/ I'd rather not run the A/C, but I've been running it the past week, keeping it at 74 so it's just under 80 up there. I'm gonna put my chiller on this tank though. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thing is in my house, that tank is on the 2nd level, so it's hotter up there. I have a fan running over the tank 24/7, just an 80mm fan though. if I turn on the ceiling fan, it stirs up the warm air in the room and makes the tank a little hotter... =/ I'd rather not run the A/C, but I've been running it the past week, keeping it at 74 so it's just under 80 up there. I'm gonna put my chiller on this tank though. One thing i've been doing is changing the lighting cycle to come on the coolest parts of the day. I know we all want to see it in the evening when we're home, but it might help a little. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 I can already tell a slight difference in the tank. For the last few days i've been rigorously topping off with the fresh RO/DI water and trying to keep it stable as possible with the fan. The outbreak of cyano on the sides is receading already. YAY I think having the fuge as well in the back has helped by soaking up the phosphates/nutrients and because i'm putting in purer water now, there isn't more being introduced into the tank. by topping off a couple times a day (once at lunch/once at night) the skimmer has been more efficient which helps even more! She's coming back! Link to comment
Phixion Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 One thing i've been doing is changing the lighting cycle to come on the coolest parts of the day. I know we all want to see it in the evening when we're home, but it might help a little. This is a good point Annie. Last week I left the lights unplugged on a day that was supposed to be warmer than the others (that and to allow the tank to cool further) and that day it still got up to almost 87F... =/ In my case, reversed lighting might help, but barely. The tank will still get way hot anyways unfortunately. Which reminds me, I think I forgot to switch the A/C on when I left home today, ugh! Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 This is a good point Annie. Last week I left the lights unplugged on a day that was supposed to be warmer than the others (that and to allow the tank to cool further) and that day it still got up to almost 87F... =/ In my case, reversed lighting might help, but barely. The tank will still get way hot anyways unfortunately. Which reminds me, I think I forgot to switch the A/C on when I left home today, ugh! besides the ceiling fan, do you have anything else that can airate it to cool it down? Link to comment
MaineBirder Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I am so glad I live on the coast = sea breeze 95% of the summer. Our highest outdoor temp last summer was 82 F. The trade off is harsh winters with 100" - 150" of seasonal snow and very cold. I can't even imagine trying to keep a tank cool in 100+ temps without a chiller! Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 so I got done cleaning everything today, which didn't take that long after all. I'm getting pretty efficient at scrubbing! haha The whole time i was draining and scrubbing my stupid clownfish kept nipping at me and attacking the ring i wear (which actually is a pretty good deferment from your skin... rings are the perfect shiny Lure!). At one point i was pretty close to the edge holding the hose when i saw a giant splash followed by an orange object rocketing towards the carpet!! My dad was holding the outlet of the hose to the bucket and all i could do was point and yell "CLOWNFISH! CLOWNFISH!..... CLOWNFISH!!!" my poor dad didn't know what the heck i was trying to tell him so i dropped the hose and dove towards the flopping fish. haha she wasn't so aggressive for the rest of the cleaning.. haha! anyway... cleaning is done for this week. Did a 15% waterchange, scraped the glass, sucked up the cyano, scrubbed the hair algae, scrubbed the koralias and the lockline. Now just gotta keep getting that cyano out if it shows up! i'll post pics maybe later this week Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I can't even imagine trying to keep a tank cool in 100+ temps without a chiller! Air conditioning. Link to comment
Phixion Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 besides the ceiling fan, do you have anything else that can airate it to cool it down? Not really... =/ I have like table top fans I can put, but when the temp is at or above a certain level, it's just pushing around hot air. I've also unplugged my heater weeks ago, you know just in case. I've been running my A/C on blast the past few days during our current heatwave and even with the house at about 78F upstairs, the tank is staying around 87F by day, dropping to 84F by night. I'm ok with this as it's consistant, not killing anything (yet) and is within the tolerable temp swing range. Link to comment
Cali-girl Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 Attacked more of the algea this afternoon with my weapon of choice: The Dreaded Toothbrush! It had been weakened with the big cleaning this weekend and while it's still stringy and grey i attacked it again. I succeeded it getting most of it off and on it's way to the back chambers. Yesterday evening I noticed more cyano trying to pop up again in the areas i had vaccumed. I went ahead a dosed with a remover, just under the recommended treatment. So far today it looks clear and white. Hopefully it'll stay away as i keep removing more nutrients from the system. Link to comment
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