NYfishies Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Looks clean i like it! 1 Quote Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Here's a better shot from tonight 2016-06-06 IM40 FTS by TeenyReef, on Flickr 3 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Over the weekend, I got the upgrade kit to convert my old MP10ES pump to the new quiet and wireless model. The upgrade was very easy and everything worked right away. Getting the Reeflink to work wasn't quite as easy. I want to use it to control the Vortech pumps in both tanks. I'm a computer guy so I'm used to this stuff, but even after working on it for a couple days, I couldn't get the schedule programming to go into effect. I got everything else working - I could manually control the pumps, but it would just hang when it tried to transmit the schedule. So I gave up late Sunday night, and, in total geek despair, I took the unthinkable step of emailing Ecotech's support line. I told them everything I had tried, and I fully expected to get the standard email back telling me to do everything I'd already done, like cycling the power and resetting the devices. Much to my surprise and delight, I got an email back early Monday afternoon, telling me they'd changed the server that my Reeflink points to, and that they verified everything was now working properly. In other words, the problem was on their end, and wasn't due to anything I was doing wrong. #winning I double checked tonight, and they were right, it works just fine. I was so happy to hear that there wasn't some perfectly obvious button I was just failing to push! So now I have a nice daily schedule that transitions from lagoon, to tidal swell, to reef crest, then to nutrient transport, and finally to a low steady flow for the early morning hours. In the 10g tank, I've already seen lots of detritus shaken loose from the rocks in nutrient transport mode, so I'm a happy camper. Looks clean i like it! Thanks! I think I need to make one island shorter, or one island taller. Thanks for the page bump 7 Quote Link to comment
FlowerMama Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I agree with you on changing up the height. 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 I agree with you on changing up the height. I agree too! You inspired me to go play around with it. One little change led to another and...well it's all torn down and just a big pile of rocks now. It's OK, I really didn't like the scape anyway, so I needed to try again. I'll work on it again tomorrow 2 Quote Link to comment
spectra Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I am not a computer guy and that reef link just pissed me off so I sold it....... Where are pics of the rock pile 2 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 I am not a computer guy and that reef link just pissed me off so I sold it....... Where are pics of the rock pile Yeah, the Reeflink wasn't the most user-friendly thing I ever did, but it wasn't really that bad. From what I could tell, they had some bad software in the past which caused a lot of frustration with users not being able to get wifi working, etc.. But I was able to get everything hooked up and working almost without trying. It was the stupid schedule programming problem that took all the time. I should have just given up and asked them for help right away, but it was the weekend. Plus I had my professional pride at stake As far the pile of rocks goes, you know I couldn't go to bed leaving it like that I reviewed my usual sources of inspiration (the TOTM articles collection), and got reinspired. Respired? Whatever, I didn't get see anything that I specifically wanted to copy, but it did get me thinking in some new directions. In particular, I wanted to make the tank look good from multiple angles since the view from the couch is almost at a forty five degree angle from the front of the tank. I also got inspired to use less rock, and leave room for small islands of coral instead of small islands of rock. So, I pulled out two of the biggest pieces of dry/base rock, and decided not to go with two separate islands. I also decided to build up the rocks on the far corner of the tank, from the view of the couch. I like this scape much better than the first one, and right now I think it might stand the test of time. 7 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 I wanted to try a new dosing tube / probe holder, so I got the new IM Custom Cradle, in the XL size. It looked pretty good in the pictures, and it holds up to four dosing lines, four probes, and an ATO line. Here's a picture of it: 20160607_014224.jpg by TeenyReef, on Flickr I've decided not to use it, but not because there's anything "wrong" with it, but just because it doesn't work for my particular situation. The quality is great, and I really like the padded probe holders and the magnetic locking piece. But for me there are some shortfalls: - It's really big for an AIO tank, even a big one like mine. In the picture you can see it covers up two chambers. - Since there's a single locking piece, if you have different size probes, it won't really clamp down on the smaller ones. And if you want to use one of the probe sections for something smaller than a probe, you're out of luck. - Same problem with the ATO line - the clamp doesn't hold my ATO line secure at all. IM provides some stick on foam padding to customize the fit, but it didn't work well for me. - The killer for me is that the dosing holders are just round slots cut in the back of the cradle, relying on friction fit. So unless your dosing tubes are the exact size that fits tightly in the slots, then they're always slipping out. Like in my case. I think it would probably work great for someone with a sump, where the size wouldn't matter, and where larger tubes are probably in use. In the meantime, I've ordered a Vertex probe holder and a separate dosing tube holder. I used one of the dosing tube holders in the IM10 and it worked great, very compact, and nice stainless steel screw clamps that held everything in place without any fuss. I suspect that I can put both the dosing tube holder and the probe holder in place without covering up two of the chambers. 6 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 The water still needs to finish clearing up, but I got a few pictures to show the new scape. This shot is straight on, taken from above the tank, so the perspective is a little skewed. But it gives the general idea. 2016-06-07 IM40 FTS by TeenyReef, on Flickr This is my view while sitting on the couch, my natural position. 2016-06-07 IM40 FRS by TeenyReef, on Flickr 22 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Thanks, Shaun! I love this meme Since I don't have a wide angle lens for my DSLR camera to take the up close FTS shots, I tried my cheap GoPro clone camera. It turned out surprisingly well! This picture is completely untouched other than minor cropping. The white balance in particular is really good. 2016-06-07 IM40 Wide Angle FTS by TeenyReef, on Flickr 8 Quote Link to comment
dropped Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Your new scape has been approved. 3 Quote Link to comment
spectra Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I like that minimalistic look! Also some sand to play with. 1 Quote Link to comment
kimberbee Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 I like the minimal rock too. IMO so many frags come on plus or rocks or just don't fit right with what you have so you gotta add a little rubble... Plus I like open sand beds! 2 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Looks awesome. So no corals to the left of the rockwork? It's not touching the glass right 1 Quote Link to comment
Bowen1022 Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 That scape looks great! Are you thinking about doing a little island out on the right side? 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Your new scape has been approved. That's great news I like that minimalistic look! Also some sand to play with. Yeah, hopefully will take even a compulsive coral collector like me at least a few months to cover it all up with corals. I like the minimal rock too. IMO so many frags come on plus or rocks or just don't fit right with what you have so you gotta add a little rubble... Plus I like open sand beds! That's exactly what I'm thinking - use some of the open sand bed to make little islands of corals on rubble rock bases. 2 Quote Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 wow the scape! looks sooo much better than the first one! 2 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 CCC- compulsive coral collector 3 Quote Link to comment
Felicia Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Scape is looking great! I love how you took into account the angle you'll be viewing the tank from most instead of just working from straight on. I love how it looks in the angled shot from your couch. I spend most of my time viewing my tank from an angle from my couch as well, so definitely good to plan a nice view! Awesome detailed writeup about the probe holder btw! Looks like you're really thinking about the details on this build, which is underrated at times. You'll be so glad you did that later! Looking good so far! 2 Quote Link to comment
TristanC Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Wow! I love the new scape!!! 1 Quote Link to comment
FlowerMama Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Yeah! Perfect, don't touch a thing!! Love it! 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Very nice scape teeny. You are off to a great start...of course we expected no less! 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Looks awesome. So no corals to the left of the rockwork? It's not touching the glass right It's hard to tell in the pictures, but there's at least two inches between the rock and the glass. There is one piece that sticks out a little, more towards the back at the very bottom, and I noticed it was only about 1/2" away from the glass. I moved it about 1/4" without knocking everything down, so I can get my nano flipper in there to scrape the glass So I can probably have some smaller softies on that side, that will just retract when I scrape the glass, or maybe macro algae or gorgonians. But definitely nothing branching or plating on that side. That scape looks great! Are you thinking about doing a little island out on the right side? Yes, I'll probably do a couple little islands with zoas and/or rics, or maybe plate corals or even rfa's. But the flow will probably be a little high for rics or RFA's unless I get them in just the right spot. wow the scape! looks sooo much better than the first one! Thanks! I definitely didn't care for the first one. It was more about just getting the rocks in the tank Scape is looking great! I love how you took into account the angle you'll be viewing the tank from most instead of just working from straight on. I love how it looks in the angled shot from your couch. I spend most of my time viewing my tank from an angle from my couch as well, so definitely good to plan a nice view! Awesome detailed writeup about the probe holder btw! Looks like you're really thinking about the details on this build, which is underrated at times. You'll be so glad you did that later! Looking good so far! Thanks, Dr. Felicia! For me, planning out and implementing all the little details of a new build is half the fun. And then I'm always tinkering with the setup trying to find out the best options that work for me. I'm really happy with the way it's looking from the couch angle. It will be an interesting challenge to see if I can keep it going like that once I start growing corals in there! Wow! I love the new scape!!! Thanks! I'm so glad the KPA live rock worked so well for you! Yeah! Perfect, don't touch a thing!! Love it! Yes Ma'am! I agree Very nice scape teeny. You are off to a great start...of course we expected no less! Thanks, Dawn! I hope you guys have an awesome vacation! 2 Quote Link to comment
TristanC Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 After seeing the rock in person I just don't think I would ever use dry again, and you're to blame. 1 Quote Link to comment
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