Kat's Ol' Max

[beebes]

You guys are really making me want to culture some phyto in my hydroponics tent, but I have nothing to feed it to yet.

 

Also, reminds me of this: http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/Photo-B...2/Overview.aspx

Edited December 6, 2012 by beebes

[MeanGreenEyes]

Also, reminds me of this: http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/Photo-B...2/Overview.aspx

 

 

That is freakin' awesome...better than lava lamps...may just do something similar above my reef tank...thanks for sharing...

[metrokat]

Fish moonshine, I love it!

They drink up in no time.

 

Awesome sauce! Have I mentioned I adore the color green? Phyto is liquid hotness. lol

Everything we do for this hobby looks "methlabish" lol I've seen worse while researching the subject of culturing phyto.

True true! They had a mandatory state inspection of the building a couple fo days ago, I wonder if they wrote "runs meth lab in bathroom with litter box" on their report

 

Soon I will have MOARE containers B I G B R A I N .

oh okay.

 

Congrats on TOTM Pooja! I bet your kids are proud of you having such an awesome tank!

Post more pics!

I don't have any kids Euphy but thanks.

[metrokat]

You guys are really making me want to culture some phyto in my hydroponics tent, but I have nothing to feed it to yet.

Also, reminds me of this: http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/Photo-B...2/Overview.aspx

That looks awesome! I want to culture red and golden phyto too.

 

That is freakin' awesome...better than lava lamps...may just do something similar above my reef tank...thanks for sharing...

I like glass chemistry beakers and flasks. I'm nerdy like that

[jedimasterben]

You guys are really making me want to culture some phyto in my hydroponics tent, but I have nothing to feed it to yet.

http://florida-aqua-farms.com/shop/micro-algae-grow/

[metrokat]

http://florida-aqua-farms.com/shop/micro-algae-grow/

he meant he's got nothing in his tank that would want to eat it.

[steely185]

Congrats on the TOTM nod.

[jedimasterben]

he meant he's got nothing in his tank that would want to eat it.

Ohhhhhhhhh. I thought it said "feed it" not "feed it to".

[metrokat]

Congrats on the TOTM nod.

Thank you thank you.

 

Happy to join you in the TOTM club.

[Veng]

That's a lot of phyto!

[beebes]

I like glass chemistry beakers and flasks. I'm nerdy like that

 

My roommate has been insisting that we switch all our glassware over to strictly beakers and flasks for months..

 

I think I'll pick up some phyto the next time I see some for sale, see if I can split it. My 180W LED grow light has been going to waste for some time, which is a real shame.. Maybe some local reefers could use some cheep phyto.

[Jordangil]

What kind of lights were on when you took the totm actinic shot ? Also what kind of camera are you using ? Everything looks amazing !

[metrokat]

What kind of lights were on when you took the totm actinic shot ? Also what kind of camera are you using ? Everything looks amazing !

Thank you. The actinic is Marineland Accent LED. The camera is a Canon 5D Mark II.

[ZephNYC]

That is freakin' awesome...better than lava lamps...may just do something similar above my reef tank...thanks for sharing...

 

I like that its outdoors. I think i will try culturing some under natural sunlight out on the patio when it get hot again.

Edited December 6, 2012 by ZephNYC

[metrokat]

Sexy Gorgonian

 

[jedimaster1138]

Hey Kat, you use a LifeReef overflow to feed your sump right?

 

If so...here's a tip...

 

I walked out of my bedroom last night past my tank and saw the return blasting bubbles into the tank. WTF. I look at the sump, sure enough, the return section is nearly empty and my return pump is out of water. Double WTF. At first I thought it was an ATO issue, that I had forgotten to turn it back on after I had it on MANUAL OFF the other day when I did a big water change. But no, it was on, and on further review it was doing what it's supposed to (it's only allowed to fire every 60 minutes at most, I have a lock out programmed into the Apex both the protect the ATO pump from flip/flopping every 2 minutes and to prevent a salinity crash/sump overflow)

 

Anyway, after thinking about it for 5 minutes, turning the return off and on a few times and looking at the symptoms I realized that it was the drain not being able to keep up with the return. IE water wasn't entering the sump fast enough. So I looked at the LifeReef HOB overflow. The U-tube has a lot of algae in it. I've been lazy and haven't cleaned it in months but didn't think much of it. OK, obviously time to do so. So I shut down my return, let things sit, yank out the U tube.... it's HELLA clogged. The algae had probably reduced the inner diameter by 33% - half. What's worse, 4 very fat (and happy) nerite snails had crawled up into the u tube and I didn't know it because the algae was obscuring things. They were further clogging the tube. When I knocked it out in the sink, they same out. lol Back into the tank they went.

 

Long story short - clean your u tube often. Gunk/algae/snails can and will clog it and slow your drain to the point of it stopping and burning out your return. Also shield it from light if you can (I have devised an aluminum foil cover now for it so as to reflect the light from entering it and thus growing algae). Even smarter - make sure you have multiple U tubes. If you don't have at least 2 - stop reading this and email Jeff and buy 2 more. I put a spare in last night...the one I had been using will be soaking in vinegar for the next week. This is after I ran it under hot water for 10 minutes and scrubbed with with a pipe cleaning dingie for longer than I wanted to.

 

Moral of the story - clean you U tube, and clean it often.

[MeanGreenEyes]

True true! They had a mandatory state inspection of the building a couple fo days ago, I wonder if they wrote "runs meth lab in bathroom with litter box" on their report

 

Haha...that's when I hide all of my reef stuff. I had someone walk into my half bath one time and go "wtf is that?" speaking of my RODI unit. I get worried about those kinds of accusations at times. I'm boring...don't do drugs/drink...but reefing/drugs would be a bad combo and easy way to get caught. I wonder how many out there dabble in both and have been caught b/c of it.

 

I like glass chemistry beakers and flasks. I'm nerdy like that

 

I've been dying to get some beakers and flasks, but I still can't have anything breakable in the house between these kids, cat and dog. Everything glass has been broken...plates, vases...you name it. The cat is just as guilty as the kid's. They are another reason my reef system is in my bedroom.

 

I like that its outdoors. I think i will try culturing some under natural sunlight out on the patio when it get hot again.

 

Post updates with how that works out when you do it. I think I saw someone do it in 55g drums outside...can't remember where I saw it though.

 

Sexy Gorgonian

 

 

OMG...the gorg is cute with the sexies in it. Awww... Mr. Bigglesworth stalks my tanks like that too...I threatened his furry behind quite a few times if he hurts my feeshes.

Edited December 6, 2012 by MeanGreenEyes

[metrokat]

That's a great tip! I haven't cleaned the U tube since the install. I know there is algae in it but its not obscurring anything. The overflow is very visible. I would like to protect it from light though. Not sure I want to sticksome foil on there. It gets diffused light from my display.

 

Ill look into ordering extra u tubes. But its like any other equipment. A one hour soak in vinegar should fix it.

[jedimaster1138]

That's a great tip! I haven't cleaned the U tube since the install. I know there is algae in it but its not obscurring anything. The overflow is very visible. I would like to protect it from light though. Not sure I want to sticksome foil on there. It gets diffused light from my display.

 

Ill look into ordering extra u tubes. But its like any other equipment. A one hour soak in vinegar should fix it.

 

Yeah I feel stupid for not having mine covered from the get go because there's a light BLASTING the top of the tube for 2/3rds of the day. I'm smrt!! OF COURSE there is algae in there. Smart Joe is smart. Once the algae grew to the point of obscuring the inside I couldn't tell the fat snails were inside clogging it up even more. SIGH. I wonder if that's even the source of some of my nitrate issues...

 

Of course your layout is different....I don't know what the insides of the RSM are,but yeah, you might be able to get away with not covering it from light. I was toying with building a little black acrylic hood for the tube, but then i'd have to dremel some acrylic and it's cold out Maybe in the spring.

 

The best part about having the spare u tube is that when the running one clogs you just shut down, pull it, replace with the spare and power back up your return after you restart the siphon. Now you can clean the other tube at your leisure, which is nice, as while the tube is out, you have no drain and return. The other thing that Jeff at LifeReef points out, and I can see why, is the u-tubes are probably quite breakable...and being a klutz as I age...I don't trust myself... so it's 15$ well spent

[jedimasterben]

Can't wait to get some gorgs. Will be making an order with KP sometime soon.

[tibbsy07]

I like glass chemistry beakers and flasks. I'm nerdy like that

 

I can't wait to get to the point where I need to do this. I'm wanting to do pods, too. I already grow and keep my homebrew yeast strains in my lab at work. So much cheaper in the long run. The phyto keeping seems pretty simple.

[metrokat]

I still have to hatch BBS, that is the next project.

[Clarinet_Reefer]

Congrats Kat on TOTM!!!!! Your tank is a true inspiration to all reef owners and reef enthusiasts!

[Veng]

I still have to hatch BBS, that is the next project.

You've been saying that forever!

 

I predict you'll look at your spreadsheet and see where you can squeeze a few more corals in first. Or you'll find out there is a RSM makes a 65 Gallon tank,

[Deleted User 3]

^^^^ this.

 

Kat needs upgrade