tibbsy07 IM10

[tibbsy07]

 

My idea, which I just haven't gotten around to yet, was to get a small pump to get the 4.5 gallons of fresh saltwater into the tank. Meanwhile, I am free to scrape the glass. Multitasking.

I never scrape the glass while the tank is empty. How do you keep the stuff from getting in the new water? I always scrape, vacuum/remove water, then add fresh water.

 

Maybe I should remove old dirty water, use a sponge or something to remove the crud from the glass and preventing it from entering the water and then add fresh saltwater back?

[metrokat]

Scrape. Blow off detritus from the rocks, vacuum sand (and water) pour new water in. That's a water change.

[ndavis242]

Admittedly, I clicked on the link because the title had derpity derp in it

[kimberbee]

I never scrape the glass while the tank is empty. How do you keep the stuff from getting in the new water? I always scrape, vacuum/remove water, then add fresh water.

 

Maybe I should remove old dirty water, use a sponge or something to remove the crud from the glass and preventing it from entering the water and then add fresh saltwater back?

 

Scrape. Blow off detritus from the rocks, vacuum sand (and water) pour new water in. That's a water change.

 

Well that makes sense. I guess I was taught backwards and just kept doing it.

 

Blow, vacuum, pour, scrape. Figuring that as I'm scraping the pumps are back on and filtering the water.

 

I'll try it this "new" way tonight!

[metrokat]

 

 

Well that makes sense. I guess I was taught backwards and just kept doing it.

 

Blow, vacuum, pour, scrape. Figuring that as I'm scraping the pumps are back on and filtering the water.

 

I'll try it this "new" way tonight!

LOL, you're very cute.

[Fishstiks]

I scrape, blow, vaccume and refill as well. :-)

[tibbsy07]

Ok, well then I will keep at that version, then.

[tibbsy07]

Wompitus wompitus - I have been using a cheap airstone to drive my skimmer and not a limewood airstone. That apparently has contributed to it not working. Granted - it never worked for me, but I swapped out the limewood one with a cheap airstone a few weeks ago when Chris at PicO suggested I might have a bad limewood airstone. Derp.

 

I also really have to do something with this rockscape. I detest it. I need something else to it. I think I am going to try and actually epoxy this stuff all together again. The punk rocker zoas or whatever they were have finally ceased to be, so I don't have to worry about killing them or taking over their spot. I can epoxy and glue away in that area now. We'll see what I come up with. I'd like it to be a bit narrower and taller. I want to be able to get at the glass on the sides near the bottom to clean.

[teenyreef]

My pico skim works great in my 4g tank, but I've never tried anything other than Chris' limewood airstones. They last just about exactly three weeks before my air pump can't pump enough air to make it work. I also have to adjust the air every three or four days to keep it going at the right level as the airstone degrades.

 

Breaking it in was a pain, but the IM desktop ghost in my IM10 is set and forget now. All I have to do is drain the cup every week or so.

[tibbsy07]

My pico skim works great in my 4g tank, but I've never tried anything other than Chris' limewood airstones. They last just about exactly three weeks before my air pump can't pump enough air to make it work. I also have to adjust the air every three or four days to keep it going at the right level as the airstone degrades.

 

Breaking it in was a pain, but the IM desktop ghost in my IM10 is set and forget now. All I have to do is drain the cup every week or so.

Yeah, it seems like the airstone skimmers are a lot of work for their benefit. Those airstones start to add up too. I checked tonight and there actually ARE some bubbles going into the drain tube with my cheap airstone. Definitely works a bit. May not be the most efficient, but hey, could be worse.

 

I'm still not sure I'm going to keep the skimmer on there. I keep going back and forth. I don't particularly care for the way it slows my water flow in the rear area because of where it has to be located now (baffle between the 2nd and 3rd chambers). I'm not sure I really even need it. I WANT it, though, lol.

[tibbsy07]

I've realized going through some threads that a lot of the small tanks that inspire me dose with Seachem Reef Fusion. I might start trying to manually dose this. I'm slowly switching back to regular IO from RC, and so this might be a good option for me.

 

I think I'm going to pick up one of the IM defroster things. I need to make a list of stuff to get.

[ReefWeeds]

I've realized going through some threads that a lot of the small tanks that inspire me dose with Seachem Reef Fusion. I might start trying to manually dose this. I'm slowly switching back to regular IO from RC, and so this might be a good option for me.

 

I think I'm going to pick up one of the IM defroster things. I need to make a list of stuff to get.

Lists are fun, aren't they? Until you start adding $$ to the lists - then not as fun.

[tibbsy07]

Lists are fun, aren't they? Until you start adding $$ to the lists - then not as fun.

Hehehe, yep. Fortunately all the stuff I want to get isn't that expensive. It's just a matter of figuring out what is actually going to be beneficial and what is just stuff I want.

 

Here is a question - Seachem Reef Fusion I & II - is that different (really) from Kent Marine Nano Reef Parts A and B? They both have the same instructions. Is Seachem more reliable than Kent Marine?

[jedimasterben]

They're literally all calcium chloride for the calcium component and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate for the alk component. Some of them insert significant borate into the alk component, though, so just use baking/washing soda.

 

 

And you don't have any stony corals do you? I can't see your tank needing supplementation. What have your cal and alk levels been testing at, are they dropping?

[tibbsy07]

They're literally all calcium chloride for the calcium component and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate for the alk component. Some of them insert significant borate into the alk component, though, so just use baking/washing soda.

 

 

And you don't have any stony corals do you? I can't see your tank needing supplementation. What have your cal and alk levels been testing at, are they dropping?

That's what I thought they were. Good to know.

 

Don't have any SPS - so I don't need the stuff yet. Just trying to think about future plans. I'm re-working my rock this weekend and I would like SPS at some point. I do have LPs, though. Hammer coral. Gorg would probably benefit from the extra stuff.

 

My Ca and Alk levels have been ok. Ca is usually >400 when I test, and dKh is usually 7-8ish when I test. I don't test that often, though. Every few weeks as the tank changes.

[tibbsy07]

I need to figure out what corals I'm going to be putting in this puppy now. And fish.

 

Let's throw out some ideas.

 

More zoas and rics

Some acans maybe?

A monti or two?

favias, blastos or something?

Frogspawn?

 

For the fish - I'm thinking a green banded goby or something. I really want a firefish still, but I don't want to lose them. I also really like the yellow-tailed damsel, but I'm concerned that the damsel and the clown will battle.

 

I'd also really like a pompom crab.

 

Thoughts?

[metrokat]

 

I think I'm going to pick up one of the IM defroster things. I need to make a list of stuff to get.

the footprint is very big in relationship to a small tank Doc. it's that 2"+ PVC size. Plus i can't see you feeding a whole cube of frozen to the tank on any day no matter how many fish you have.

I need to figure out what corals I'm going to be putting in this puppy now. And fish.

 

Let's throw out some ideas.

 

More zoas and rics

Some acans maybe?

A monti or two?

favias, blastos or something?

Frogspawn?

 

For the fish - I'm thinking a green banded goby or something. I really want a firefish still, but I don't want to lose them. I also really like the yellow-tailed damsel, but I'm concerned that the damsel and the clown will battle.

 

I'd also really like a pompom crab.

 

Thoughts?

Encrusters: montiporas except digitata, favias

Euphullia: need wide space

Blastos - good

Acans - good

zoas and rics: good

[tibbsy07]

the footprint is very big in relationship to a small tank Doc. it's that 2"+ PVC size. Plus i can't see you feeding a whole cube of frozen to the tank on any day no matter how many fish you have.

Encrusters: montiporas except digitata, favias

Euphullia: need wide space

Blastos - good

Acans - good

zoas and rics: good

The defroster is simply to make adding LRS easier. It's too chunky for a syringe. I could use my fingers, but I'd prefer to be able to set it and walk away if need be.

 

I'll stick with the blastos, acans, zoas, rics. I think I might like another gorg, too. I really like them

[tibbsy07]

Went to a frag swap yesterday here. It is called Reefsmart Expo, and is hosted by the Sustainable Reef non-profit organization. It went from 12-6 with an early opt in for 20 bucks that let you get in at 11. I went around 2.

 

It was pretty 'meh'. Seachem had a big booth, but everyone else was small time coral vendors, most of whom had just ok stock. One guy drove 3 hours to get there to sell. To rent a table was $200! There were no refreshments, so these poor sellers spent a TON of money and very few were selling. I bought some coral from one guy who I found out was from Ohio and travelling to sell coral is his job.

 

Place smelled like B.O. But they did give little baggies away of a single use Coral Rx dip (which i used for the zoas and acans, not the gorg) and a scrub pad for glass and acrylic tanks. I used it to clean my tank a bit.

 

So i spent 40 bucks. I got an orange striped acan with 3-4 heads, 3 zoa frags with multiple polyps per frag, and a blueberry gorg. Kat has since told me they are very difficult to keep, which sucks, because the vendor told methey were easy. No light but food, done. Hopefully it'll last a bit.

If it starts to look poorly, I may take it to the good LFS to trade

 

Water change today and going to feed LRS. I plan on actually fixing my rockscape today, so we will see how that goes. I am thinking of using the rock with the cespitularia in the back for some height. Maybe the blueberry gorg too.

 

Also bought a limewood airstone for the skimmer. Bad LFS had it - stupid expensive and will be buuying these online from PicO in the future.

 

Moved the Rio+ to the left side of the tank to create more movement in the tank. Really considering a used MP10 now

[teenyreef]

Good luck on the rescape! I'm looking forward to seeing the new frags, too.

 

I haven't found any place cheaper than Pico for the airstones. I ordered about 10 last time since they're so cheap

[jedimasterben]

and a blueberry gorg. Kat has since told me they are very difficult to keep, which sucks, because the vendor told methey were easy. No light but food, done. Hopefully it'll last a bit.

If it starts to look poorly, I may take it to the good LFS to trade

There won't be any time for that - they go down extremely quickly unfortunately. Unless you have a dedicated food dosing setup and extreme filtration it will perish in the next week or two.

[metrokat]

Yeah don't feel bad about the blueberry gorg.

 

The LRS food actually in the defroster is tough, because his food isn't evenly chopped, he has bigger pieces in the mix. I usually have to tip the defroster after the smaller pieces have gone to the fish to get the rest of it out. It works best with frozen cubes. I think that might be because the food size is somewhat evenly distributed in each cube. I'll try to get a video for you after my travels to show you what i mean about LRS. Before I got the defroster, for LRS i would just let it sit in a cup of water before throwing it in the tank or i would put the piece on top of the intake of the powerhead/gyre.

[tibbsy07]

Good luck on the rescape! I'm looking forward to seeing the new frags, too.

 

I haven't found any place cheaper than Pico for the airstones. I ordered about 10 last time since they're so cheap

I have the airstone in it, but I can't dial in the whisper 40 right now. Either it's going CRAZY (could be the JB waterweld I used) or it's completely off. Not really sure.

 

There won't be any time for that - they go down extremely quickly unfortunately. Unless you have a dedicated food dosing setup and extreme filtration it will perish in the next week or two.

Lame. Failed reefer responsibility 101. I didn't have phone signal in the room where all the stuff was going on, and I trusted the seller too much. Womp womp. For 10 bucks it was a deal, but now this thing'll probably die.

 

Yeah don't feel bad about the blueberry gorg.

 

The LRS food actually in the defroster is tough, because his food isn't evenly chopped, he has bigger pieces in the mix. I usually have to tip the defroster after the smaller pieces have gone to the fish to get the rest of it out. It works best with frozen cubes. I think that might be because the food size is somewhat evenly distributed in each cube. I'll try to get a video for you after my travels to show you what i mean about LRS. Before I got the defroster, for LRS i would just let it sit in a cup of water before throwing it in the tank or i would put the piece on top of the intake of the powerhead/gyre.

Yeah the LRS, I think I may have to just do it by hand.

[teenyreef]

I use a cheap airline adjuster because my pump sits on the floor under the desk. When I first put in a new stone, I usually have to set the air flow very low, so the bubbles are about two or three inches below the very top of the skimmer. It takes 12-24 hours to start making foam, and I adjust the airflow after that. Then I have to increase the airflow every three or four days after that to keep the foam bubbling up to the top. In about three weeks, the air flow is maxed out and it's time for a new stone.

 

Having said all that, JB Waterweld definitely will make skimmers go nuts for a day or so.

 

One more thought, I seem to remember reading online somewhere that it's important to have the correct size limewood airstone. I was looking for other sources online and couldn't find anyone else that sold the right size. I think the other ones were too big. So your LFS airstone might be the "wrong" size.

[tibbsy07]

I use a cheap airline adjuster because my pump sits on the floor under the desk. When I first put in a new stone, I usually have to set the air flow very low, so the bubbles are about two or three inches below the very top of the skimmer. It takes 12-24 hours to start making foam, and I adjust the airflow after that. Then I have to increase the airflow every three or four days after that to keep the foam bubbling up to the top. In about three weeks, the air flow is maxed out and it's time for a new stone.

 

Having said all that, JB Waterweld definitely will make skimmers go nuts for a day or so.

 

One more thought, I seem to remember reading online somewhere that it's important to have the correct size limewood airstone. I was looking for other sources online and couldn't find anyone else that sold the right size. I think the other ones were too big. So your LFS airstone might be the "wrong" size.

I was wondering about the size It's pretty wide. The amount of effort this airstone skimmer is taking is starting to get to be too much. I'll have to tinker a bit with the airline to get it to work.

 

I tried to re-setup the JBJ ATO I was using before. I bought a nice laundry basket with a lid to hold my ATO reservoir so it looks nice. I was trying to set the JBJ ATO up with the dual switches, one upside down to prevent overflow. The 2 switches won't fit in the back. Only 1. I don't know which switch was the one that failed before.