seabass Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hey...I just got back from my nine day Alaska trip. I'll post the link to some pics a little later on. However, for now, here's how my tank survived. I realize that an ATO would have been a better method, but I opted for a simple dosing pump. I figured it would be a low failure method (with no sensors or floats to fail/stick). I measured a typical top off and calculated how much water a dosing pump would deliver. My calculation was that, even without a timer, it would roughly provide the proper amount of water to compensate for evaporation. Turns out that it dosed slightly more than what was needed (probably due the high humidity). I'm fairly happy with the condition of my tank. However, the SG was down to 1.022. I'll top off with saltwater until the salinity is back to normal. Here are some pics of what I came back to: Notice the auto-feeder on the top left for my fish. My skimmer got funky. It stopped producing micro-bubbles and produced a lot of excess water in the skimmate. However, I did have it setup to overflow into a bucket. This skimmer seems to do this from time to time. Like the air intake gets clogged. A little cleaning and it's working fine again. My top off water: The circulation pump ended up pointing a bit upward, but that didn't cause any problems. I had the top on the Rubbermaid Brute container to help limit evaporation. My dosing pump: This tank took one, while my other tank took two. I zip tied the dosing tube to the return plumbing in the sump: After a quick cleanup: Left side: Right side: psssst...update your first post with the recent FTS. its a bit difficult to find it a few pages back. Yeah, I've been meaning to do that. Link to comment
Zer0 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Great job dude! You must have planned all this out perfectly! Glad nothing went wrong. It would have been a real sad day on NR if something happened to your tank. Link to comment
Banjo Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Very nice I'm in love with those anemones! The grass/plants are really growing in. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hey...I just got back from my nine day Alaska trip. I'll post the link to some pics a little later on.Here's the link to the slideshow that I shot with my iPhone. It was a Disney cruise which departed from Vancouver, Canada and stopped at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan Alaska. Great job dude! You must have planned all this out perfectly! Glad nothing went wrong. It would have been a real sad day on NR if something happened to your tank.Thanks! Yeah, I would have been bummed if it had crashed. Very nice I'm in love with those anemones! The grass/plants are really growing in. I really like the nems too. Thank you! Link to comment
Kazooie Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 You missed the best parts, Seward, Kenia, and Anchorage! Link to comment
Mudfish Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 How did you like the cruise, i.e., how was Disney Cruise Lines? Link to comment
seabass Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 You missed the best parts, Seward, Kenia, and Anchorage! Maybe someday. I wouldn't mind going back. How did you like the cruise, i.e., how was Disney Cruise Lines?I liked the cruise. Disney did a good job. Having a stateroom with a balcony helped make watching the sights more private, but occasionally I felt kid overload on the ship. The food was good to just OK. The Wonder is an older ship, but it was kept up pretty well. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 I was hoping to do another round of flatworm treatment before my trip, but I ran out and the replacement came in while I was away. Needless to say, there were a few more flatworms when I returned. I treated the tank again today. While I was siphoning out worms, I was noticing some algae on my return nozzle. I've tried to scrub it off before, but could never get rid of it completely. So I ended up taking it apart: Filling it back up: Link to comment
Rehype Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Looks clean..Hey seabass have you ever considered buying a sixline or other wrasse as a natural way to permanently get rid of the flatworms. They really do an amazing job of removing pesky microfauna. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks. Yeah, I'm still considering trying a sixline. However, there are only about 8 gallons of water in this tank, so it's pretty small. And since the treatments seem to be working, I'm going to continue them awhile longer. But if I can't beat the worms, I'll might call in a wrasse. Link to comment
Squared Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 my sixline didn't do anything to solve my red flat worm problem. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Yeah, I hear that it's sometimes hit or miss. That's the other reason that I'm continuing treatments. Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 That trip must have been a lot of fun. Mind if I bug you about how you setup an overflow on your protein skimmer cup? Link to comment
seabass Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 The trip was a blast. We did an on road mountain bike ride down a mountain, helicopter ride and walk on a glacier, and a series of zip lines with a short repel. We saw lots humpback whales and eagles; I even saw three bears. No problem at all! The skimmer came that way. However, you could probably replicate its overflow by drilling a hole in the bottom of your skimmer's collection cup and cementing a short rigid tube that connects to flexible tubing. Mine also came with a plug for the end of the flexible tubing (so it collects skimmate in the cup). You can see it better here: Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 The tank is looking fantastic Mr. Seabass! Link to comment
johnmaloney Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 oh OK cool, that is definitely a useful feature. Hopefully the bears were from a distance. Glacier walking in the summer would take a few years off of my life I think. I would be back on dry land the first time I heard a crack. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 It stopped feeding before my trip. Now, I fear, it might be too late for it. I transferred it to my other tank. I'm hoping it can still recover; but IME, I haven't had much luck once they start receding. Well, this anemone decided to take a hike last night: Another view: This spot isn't going to work for me. Time for a move: New aquascape: I also moved my leather (although it was doing well). My vision is the anemones, oar grass on the left, shoal grass on the right, and a few gobies. I still might move the leather back depending on how it reacts to its new environment. The tank is looking fantastic Mr. Seabass!Thank you Mr. AM! Hopefully the bears were from a distance. Glacier walking in the summer would take a few years off of my life I think. I would be back on dry land the first time I heard a crack. One of the bears I saw was maybe 15 meters away (and nothing preventing it from coming right up to us). It was passing by through the entrance to the zip line excursion while we were waiting for a shuttle. As soon as people said 'bear', it made a break into the trees. I guess I didn't see it long enough to be afraid. I thought it was pretty neat. We didn't get very close to the edge of the glacier, so I think it was pretty safe. However, from the ship, I saw a chuck break off one of the glaciers. Very cool! Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 IME, all you're doing by continual FWE dosings is allowing the flatworms to build up a resistance to the chemicals. It was the same thing I did and I eventually had to switch methods. Check this out (if you aren't banned, lol): http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1379099 You can get the stuff here: http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html Ends up being way cheaper than FWE (you get MUCH more for your money), and I found it to be far more effective. Might be worth a shot. Otherwise, the tank is looking really good. Make those nems split and send me some. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Thanks Giga! Yeah DHaut, I think I am developing a super strain of flatworms. No, not banned. Probably because I hardly ever post there. I think I'm one treatment away from switching methods. I appreciate the link. Thank D! Link to comment
seabass Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 My anemone moved once more. Now it's on the rock which is attached to the back of the tank. Link to comment
seabass Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 Thank you magda and Catch22! The anemone seems to be staying put: Also, notice the seagrass pearling. FTS: Link to comment
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