40B Without a Catchy Title

[Eisernes]

I need to make a decision on an ATO so I'm going to fish for a little feedback here.I'm considering four at this point.

 

Elos Osmocontroler

http://www.marinedepot.com/Elos_Osmocontroller_Digital_Water_Level_Controller_Electric_Powered_Dosing_Pumps_Top_Off-Elos_USA-EO3125-FIDPET-vi.html

 

Tunze Osmolator

http://www.marinedepot.com/Tunze_Osmolator_Universal_3155_Electric_Powered_Dosing_Pumps_Top_Off_Plug_In_Units-Tunze-TZ4111-FIDPETPU-vi.html

 

AutoAqua Smart ATO

http://www.marinedepot.com/AutoAqua_Smart_ATO_Automatic_Top_Off_System_Electric_Powered_Dosing_Pumps_Top_Off_Plug_In_Units-CoralVue-CV47286-FIDPETPU-vi.html

 

Avast Top-Off Deluxe

http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/rigging/Auto-Top-Off-Deluxe-Digital-IO

 

Looking for reliability. Float switch is ok for a back up safety but not primary. Anyone ever have a failure with one of these systems?

[Sunar357]

Keep hearing great things about the Tunze. Marine Depot has the JBJ for $60 right now also though you don't have it listed so i'm guessing you ruled it out. =)

[cment]

I just upgraded to the tunze from a JBJ and love it...virtually silent, very precise and takes up very little room. its also really easy to set up, i do not have any experience with the others but would highly recommend the tunze.

[Sunar357]

Oh...the Tunze is also currently on sale at BRS.

[Eisernes]

Yeah ruled out the JBJ because of the float switches and from people saying it dumps extra water in due to self checks?

 

Cost isn't a factor. I'm getting the ATO as a Christmas gift in a couple of weeks. Just have to pick one out.

 

I just upgraded to the tunze from a JBJ and love it...virtually silent, very precise and takes up very little room. its also really easy to set up, i do not have any experience with the others but would highly recommend the tunze.

 

Do you ever get salt creep on the sensor?

[cment]

cant really say, Ive only had it up and running less than 3 weeks...that was one of my biggest concerns but through my research it didnt prove to be a problem. i will say that i make sure the sensor is clean just in case....

[Eisernes]

First signs of life have appeared. There are several small spots of brown on the sand. They are too small to tell if they are diatoms or cyano. Either way it's life.

[Eisernes]

It's about time to add a fish so I'm looking at stocking options.

 

Coral Beauty Angel

Wheelers or Yellow Watchman goby with shrimp

Tail Spot Blenny

 

I would also like a colorful, active wrasse but not a burrower because my sand bed is only about an inch. Probably another small peaceful fish. I would also like to keep the selections confined to fish from the indo pacific area.

 

Sugestions?

 

There will also be a pair of cleaner shrimp and a few acro crabs to help keep that angel in check.

[Roshan8768]

Not sure about the other fish, but definitely add the angel last. My sandbed is only 1 inch deep if it's flat, but I've sloped it so that there are areas that are closer to 1.5-2 inches. This lets me keep my yellow coris wrasse no problems... so a wrasse may not be completely out of place

[Eisernes]

I messed up and added the angel first. Hopefully it won't be too aggressive. It looks fat and healthy and is eating flake and mysis very well. I put some nori in there on a clip but so far he seems uninterested. He is very hard to photograph with a camera phone with a delayed reaction but I managed to get this.

 

It has laid claim to the rock structure on the left. I took out the "pillar" near the middle and created a little structure so that there will be a couple more hiding places for future inhabitants.

[Sunar357]

Nice Angel! I'd like one but too afraid of it touching my corals.

I don't have too deep a sandbed either and my yellow and purple wrasse does fine. Lots of people like fairy and flashers.

[Eisernes]

Placed an order with Blue Zoo Aquatics today. Free overnight on $140 orders is very attractive and I've never heard a bad thing about them.

[Eisernes]

As some of you may have read in my freakin fedex post, the delivery did not go well. BZ will take care of it but I think I will wait a while before I attempt another coast to coast overnight delivery.

 

To make myself feel better about it I will be headed to the Philly area for a visit to Aquarium Specialties for some sweet sweet coral candy.

[Sunar357]

Sorry bud At least some candy is good!

[DannaM]

I've been reading your Fedex thread. Bummer That's so disappointing when the shipping loop breaks like that. Your tank is looking great. After trying quite a few different size tanks 40B seems to be about perfect (if you want to stay nano sized) Love your rock work too...great caves

[Eisernes]

I still acclimated everything per instructions and I have to say though it was pretty cool to see the shrimp come back from the dead. They must have some kind of hibernation response. I even poked them with my finger and they didn't move but now they are happy in the tank and doing their cleaning station routine.

 

I think the pistol may have lived too although I never saw him move. I dropped him in the tank anyway after seeing what the cleaners did. He is no longer in that spot and I spied what looks like a fresh burrow under a rock. World's smallest pistol btw. It's about 1/2" long.

I've been reading your Fedex thread. Bummer That's so disappointing when the shipping loop breaks like that. Your tank is looking great. After trying quite a few different size tanks 40B seems to be about perfect (if you want to stay nano sized) Love your rock work too...great caves

Thank you

[GHill762]

So I worked on solving two issues today. The first one was the noise from the overflow drain and the second was the fact that I did not want a filter sock but I did want some kind of floss in there. I have basically fixed both problems in one move based on bits and pieces of advice from multiple sources. I tweaked all parts of the advice found here and here until I got the results I was looking for.

 

I made this device to hold filter floss based on lawnmans design.

Only thing I did different is my drain terminates below the water line. It served two purposes. It reduced noise slightly and also turned the small bubbles into large bubbles which immediately pop when they hit the surface.

 

Here is what the plumbing looks like now.

I know, the water line is too high. It won't be like that when salty time comes. I can't glue the final vertical piece in because if I do I won't be able to get the floss device out to clean it. I will have to remove that piece of pipe every time. I am going to cut a union into the section between the 45's just in case the constant removing of the pipe causes it or the fitting to wear out. It will then be easy to replace.

I think I'm going to build one of these pvc deals so that I can run without a sock and not have tons of bubbles and salt creep.. without a sock, I have bubbles like crazy, popping at the surface and covering everything in salt.. I think having a filter sock on 100% of the time has cut down my pod growth/population.. my old setup didn't bubble as bad out of the overflow drain..

[DannaM]

I still acclimated everything per instructions and I have to say though it was pretty cool to see the shrimp come back from the dead. They must have some kind of hibernation response. I even poked them with my finger and they didn't move but now they are happy in the tank and doing their cleaning station routine.

 

I think the pistol may have lived too although I never saw him move. I dropped him in the tank anyway after seeing what the cleaners did. He is no longer in that spot and I spied what looks like a fresh burrow under a rock. World's smallest pistol btw. It's about 1/2" long.

 

Thank you

 

That's great news! Hope the pistol is doing okay.

 

Love your plumbing too by the way

[Eisernes]

Got this little guy on Thursday. He hasn't found the pistol which may or may not be alive and so far he doesn't seem too happy. He is about 1.25" long.

Picked all of these up at a shop near Philly that has great corals at great prices.

 

Rainbow Acan. I think 5 heads.

Green Birdsnest w/purple polyps

Purple torch w/ green tips

My phone camera can't capture the color of this one too well.

 

Gold torch

Looks just like this

 

 

 

I'll try to get better picks when everything opens up more.

 

[Sunar357]

Nice scores!

[Eisernes]

Had to remove the Coral Beauty already. He started nipping the snorkels off of the small nassarius snails and took him exactly one day to start tasting my corals. He is at the store looking for a new home.

 

We are thinking about going with a male and female salon fairy wrasse as the center piece fish. Still want a tail spot blenny as well.

 

I ran my first battery of tests yesterday so that I can start monitoring nutrient uptake.

 

Mg 1400

CA 450

Kh 7

All on Red Sea tests

 

SG 1.025

 

N03 0 API

P04 0.03 Seachem

[Eisernes]

I got my MP10 for Christmas and my ATO is in the mail. Aside from one more MP10 and a few small details I have all of my equipment. Right now I'm running the single MP10 on reef crest at 80%. When I get the other I will run them in sync at 50%.

 

This is my third saltwater tank and I have to say that this is the first time I have been completely happy with how things are going. My livestock looks healthy and happy. I'm starting to picture what corals I want and where they will go.

 

My first zeolite exchange will happen on Monday and the first water change will be next weekend. I don't think I need a water change though. Just want to get into the habit of doing it again.

[Sunar357]

I wish I could say I can picture where I want my corals but I can only picture a couple...dang't. LOL I really need to get more glued onto rocks...but as to where I want them i'm half lost.

[Eisernes]

I ordered a WP 10 today to use until I have the cash for another MP10w. When I get it I'll make a little write up about it.

[Eisernes]

My female solon fairy wrasse arrived today from LA and she seems to be adjusting well. I thought she was doa at first because she wouldn't move and kind of just laid on the bottom for a couple of hours but all of a sudden she decided to swim around and ate like a pig at feeding time. She is much more colorful than the picture on LA suggested. I'll get a pic tomorrow after tank cleaning.