Dirty Joe's 28 Gallons of Magic

[Joe Dirt]

My opinion is that the WCs we do are enough. If they weren't, I'd expect to see my SPS suffering. That isn't the case at all. I think when I added those 2 new pieces of LR, I had a spike in PO4 or something. Nothing else has changed. I think whatever is leaching out of the rocks or whatever, will work itself out soon enough. These 20% WCs have to be reducing the nutrients.

 

EDIT: dead rock was added.

[gena]

My opinion is that the WCs we do are enough. If they weren't, I'd expect to see my SPS suffering. That isn't the case at all. I think when I added those 2 new pieces of LR, I had a spike in PO4 or something. Nothing else has changed. I think whatever is leaching out of the rocks or whatever, will work itself out soon enough. These 20% WCs have to be reducing the nutrients.

 

EDIT: dead rock was added.

I used ALL dead rock. And yes...I too think it's full of PO4. I did not soak my rock before using it either.

[Joe Dirt]

I used ALL dead rock. And yes...I too think it's full of PO4. I did not soak my rock before using it either.

LOL @ both of us making noob mistakes. I have a bucket and an extra pump too. Doh!

[gena]

LOL @ both of us making noob mistakes. I have a bucket and an extra pump too. Doh!

But from what I've read it takes a couple of months to soak it all out, no???? I should have researched more before I decided to go the dead rock route. Live and learn

[Joe Dirt]

But from what I've read it takes a couple of months to soak it all out, no???? I should have researched more before I decided to go the dead rock route. Live and learn

I think so. Oh well. My next tank will be all dead rock and it will be done slowly. Also, everything will be QT'd. I mean e v e r y thing! Geez. That's part of the reason I haven't added another fish. I want to wait until I get another tank.

[surgicalsense]

Your growth is amazing. Looks great Cj. I can not wait to finally be able to place some of the corals I have so they can just do their thing.

[Joe Dirt]

All my stuff seems to do better once it's locked into place. Maybe it's in my head.

[gena]

I think so. Oh well. My next tank will be all dead rock and it will be done slowly. Also, everything will be QT'd. I mean e v e r y thing! Geez. That's part of the reason I haven't added another fish. I want to wait until I get another tank.

I still haven't learned my lesson with QT'ing everything But I will pay close attention to any algae HH. I saw the bryopsis on my frogspawn frag but let it go. Had I pulled it in the beginning, my NC12 wouldn't be where it is today.

[Joe Dirt]

[gena]

 

That about sums it up

[Joe Dirt]

So I finally got my BRS shipment in and found some time to set everything up. Here we go:

 

The Goods

 

 

 

I was very impressed with the quality of the chemicals I ordered. There were no pieces of trash or foreign matter in the tubs and the size and consistency of the product was very even. I was especially impressed once I mixed the batches. As you can see in the pic, the solutions are perfectly clear. No clouding, no debris at the bottom of the jugs, just perfectly clear and pure solution. I wish I could say the same about the Seachem stuff I've been using. I've found black flecks and debris in their products before. Especially in the magnesium. There is something to be said about using pharmaceutical grade products. For who haven't seen

video, you should watch it and then make a decision for yourself.

 

to be continued...

[Joe Dirt]

Le Pump

 

 

 

If anyone here is prior military or in emergency services, then you'll be very familiar with Pelican cases. The plastic these pumps are made of feels and reminds me of Pelican cases. The overall quality of the construction of the pump is top notch. I took it apart and feel good about the money I spent on it. The pump is very quiet and I believe the indexed pivot on the clear cover will definitely help prolong the life of the bearing on the motor by reducing stress and preventing slop from occurring. This pump is a big win and I imagine I'll have 2 more pretty soon.

[Joe Dirt]

Priming the System and Calibration

 

 

So here is my little kitchen priming and calibration setup.

 

 

I hooked up the pump as instructed and put both lines into a bucket of fresh RO/DI to prime the system and check its output/minute accuracy. BRS claims 1.1 mL per minute. I ran the pump until there was no more air in the system and it was completely primed and ready to go. I ran it for 10 minutes, which is supposed to yield 11 mL.

 

 

Sure enough, it put out an even 11 mL! Wow. Very cool. Along those lines, these graduated cylinders and cups are awesome. I bought a 50 mL and 100 mL graduated cylinder and 2x 100 mL graduated cups. They may have thrown in 2 extra by accident.

[Joe Dirt]

 

I cleared everything out from under the tank and mounted the pump bracket in the middle right near the opening at the top. The pump just slides onto the bracket and comes off just as easily.

 

 

I bought this dosing pump tube holder and I'm glad I did. It made securing and mounting the line very easy. Plus, its pretty nice looking. I'd say it's one notch above my old Aquafina bottle.

 

 

Here is a pic of the final install location and arrangement. You can tell from the pic that you can easily fit 2 more pumps on the top and three additional 1 gallon space saving jugs on the bottom. This means you could fully automate this system with all the hardware hidden and have enough solution to last a very long time.

 

In regard to the running the pump, I am using an electrical timer. The timer allows for 6 separate on/off periods. I used BRS' calculator and came up with about 7 mL per day as a starting point. I wanted to be slightly under and work my way up until the dKH is the same every day around the same time. I am having the timer turn the pump on ever 4 hours for a total of 6 times daily for 1 minute. That gives me 6.6 mL, which is pretty close and just a starting point anyways. I think doing 6 small doses daily will a few things. The soda ash elevates the pH slightly, so I won't really have to worry about the pH dropping at night or swinging throughout the day. And I think the stable Alk will make my SPS happy. Only time will tell. This is still very much a work in progress and I look forward to any advice or criticisms about my setup.

 

Le end.

[Spirofucci]

Holy crap! I got a big headache looking at that set up!

 

Seriously that seems like the way to go. I'll be watching very closely, since I think I'll have to be dosing soon.

[Joe Dirt]

It's really not that bad, Mark. It'd be a lot easier and I'd have more peace of mind with an Apex though.

[twan]

Very slick. I will be going the same route but hooking the pump up to the Apex.

I want to hold off dosing as long as possible though.

Just another thing to keep track of.

 

Wait, I see 3 containers mixed. Alk,mag,calc?

So why do I only see one dosing pump.

[Joe Dirt]

Very slick. I will be going the same route but hooking the pump up to the Apex.

I want to hold off dosing as long as possible though.

Just another thing to keep track of.

 

Wait, I see 3 containers mixed. Alk,mag,calc?

So why do I only see one dosing pump.

This was from my earlier post:

 

Dosing

 

The way I saw it, I had three choices on how to setup my tank for automated dosing:

• Get a stand alone dosing pump like a Bubble Magus
  
• Get an Apex controller and three individual pumps (my preferred option)
  
• Get an individual pump and set it up on an electrical timer
  

The stand alone pump has hobby grade pumps and I wanted something that was more durable and could have more options as far as controllability is concerned so this wasn't an option. The second was going to cost a ton of cash, albeit worth it, I just couldn't justify it right now. The third option is what I settled on for now which I can build upon and turn into the second option in the future. I will only be dosing Alk for now. I only use up about 30ppm of Ca and about 60ppm of Mg a week. I don't mind dosing those manually for now. On the other hand, I use up about .7 dKH a day! That is getting to be a PITA. I'm happy with my decision and I'm glad I didn't shoot from the hip and spend too much. I'll order my stuff today or tomorrow!!!

I'll get there. One step at a time. Once I get an Apex, I'll get the other two pumps and jugs and a fourth jug for ATO and an aqualifter.

[gena]

Nice set-up!!!!! I couldn't give any tips or suggestions since I've no clue how it all works. Looks sleek to me though. Maybe someday I'll have to hire you to set up a system like that for me, although for what I'll be stocking it may not be necessary. At least I know you are nearby if needed

[twan]

Gotcha, eventually going to do all 3, only be dosing Alk for now since thats your largest consumption.

[Joe Dirt]

Nice set-up!!!!! I couldn't give any tips or suggestions since I've no clue how it all works. Looks sleek to me though. Maybe someday I'll have to hire you to set up a system like that for me, although for what I'll be stocking it may not be necessary. At least I know you are nearby if needed

Anytime. It's not too bad. Mixing their chemicals as instructed gives you a known concentration for dosing using their calculator on the site. IME, dosing liquids is much easier than mixing the darned dry stuff to RO water every week. It was a pain. With the hand pumps on the jugs and the graduated cylinders, dosing the other two is very simple now. Pump and pour, that easy. I am starting to consume more of them though, and I'll need a controller soon than later. If not, definitely two more electrical timers

 

Gotcha, eventually going to do all 3, only be dosing Alk for now since thats your largest consumption.

Exactly. Damn you, budgetary restraints!!!

[gena]

I've been doing a lot of reading on alk dosing lately. My plan is to just put the kalk in my top-off water, run by my ATO. But, we all know snails can get in there and sit on the float and make the ATO continually run. I'm considering a doser for this reason. Or.....I can just stock dwarf ceriths and call it a day (which I'm heavily leaning towards)

 

The float switch is sitting in the back chamber which isn't readily accessible to snails. I'm definitely not going to keep nerites in there. They escape way too often on open top systems.

 

I'm going to explore BRS dosing pumps some more I have my reefkeeper to time it all, but it all sounds so complicated for a mechanically challenged person like me Thank goodness for youtube!!!!!!

[Joe Dirt]

I'm glad you brought that up. BRS' videos are awesome and there are a ton of them to explain almost everything about their products and how to set them up. My concern with kalk has always been if that stuff gets settled and then disturbed, thereby releasing a more concentrated dose and causing an alk swing. With the pumps, the snails can't get to them at all. Unless they bust out with some James Bond moves or something. With the pumps, its just about adding or subtracting minutes to dial the system in. That shouldn't be too hard. We'll see.

[twan]

When I have to make this step in the future if budget allows I think I will get all the BRS powders and containers you got but replace the pump you choose with the Bubble Magus Dosing Pump BM-T01, tube holder and bracket. Add that the price of the BRS 2 part Large starter package with the powders and it gets expensive.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/review...t/list/id/1453/ - pump - $300

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/bubble...mp-bracket.html - bracket - $40

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/review...t/list/id/1786/ - tube holder - $15

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/produc...ge-large-1.html -powders- $75

 

Total would be $430 and that does not include the Apex.

[Joe Dirt]

That's a little bit of a high estimate. If you get the bubble magus, you don't need the apex. AFAIK, they can't even communicate with other. Since you already have an apex, 3 three pumps would be $240. That's 3 individual industrial grade pumps, not hobby grade pumps like in the doser. Plus, you wouldn't need the large starter kit. Keep in mind you only use 1 cup of the Ca and soda ash to mix a 1 gallon batch. Your tank isn't that much bigger than mine, so let's say you use 10 mL of solution a day. Let's round that up to 100 mL per week. Think of how long a gallon of solution will last. Very long. And you'd still have more powder let for about 2-3 more batches. The only one that would probably run low is the Mg. I'd get the gallon size of both types of Mg.