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burtbollinger's Red Sea Reefer 170 (converted to planted)


burtbollinger

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burtbollinger

I'm bored. re-arranged a bit. battery backup to the back...moved some stuff. making space for eventual dosing pumps, their timers and the power strip they'll use.

 

 

exciting, i know. 

 

IMG_0480.jpg

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I'm bored. re-arranged a bit. battery backup to the back...moved some stuff. making space for dosing pumps, their timers and the power strip they'll use.

 

https://vimeo.com/199421615

 

exciting, i know. I will, however, spare you a super exciting and detailed tour of all my boring, outdated equipment. :mellow:

 

IMG_0480.jpg

Ha ha burt, your sump looks 'cutting edge' compared to mine!

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Starvin Marvin

The Vortechs on the back of the tank like that look deadly, I might have to keep that in mind if I end up needing more flow. I rarely see them mounted there, not sure if it's because it's a squarish-tank proportion and that will still give you excellent wave action, or if it would be equally valid in a rectangular design.

 

Either way - tank looks great and the sump cabinet looks organized.

 

think I saw in another thread you mentioned you have your overflow set to just spill over the emergency standpipe. Was that how Red Sea instructed you to set it up? Or was there another reason?

 

I will be setting up a Red Sea Reefer in about 1 week so that's why I'm curious what's behind that decision. I would have thought it would increase the noise somewhat? (Water trickle isn't always a negative I suppose)

 

Following!

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burtbollinger

thanks bud.

 

when I've used an MP10 in the past on LPS-dominant tank, I had it dialed all the way down. Even minimum felt too much on torches. Not a fan of wave action...right now, just running them in lagoon mode all the way down.

If using 2 + the return pump (250 + 250 + 560 gph ) then I certainly don't anticipate dialing them up at all. 2 is probably overkill...one is really just a working spare parts set...but anyway...no reason that I see not to "mask" them on the black background. 

 

Plus, the agreement I made with the wife is that this build revolves around one thing: Clean. It's sitting in our living room and I have three children under 3 years old. No wires. No exposed anything.

 

I've heard two differing things on overflow, run it one inch from emergency....or run it at slow, slow trickle over the overflow. I like it riding the lip of the overflow, and it is dead silent. if you hear ANY trickle, dial down the knob by a mm at a time until the water is not overflowing as much. you may be adjusting a tad every once in a while.

 

so far, this tank has been super easy, and if anything, threads on dialing in, etc. read as slightly alarmist. nothing to worry about at all...I think you're really in for a treat.

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burtbollinger

update on the Sicce Syncra 2.0. It's had a rattle in it since day 1...I thought it might go away over time. Still hasn't. Contacted their sales today to see about a replacement. Kinda wishing I had gone with the Eheim.

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burtbollinger

That looks like good healthy foam to me. I would be happy with that if I were you.

only skimmer I've used prior to this was aqua c remora and aqua c remora nanos...this def. seems superior so far.

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burtbollinger

I've had a very small frag of what the LFS said was green crown leather in my tank for about 3 weeks...my parameters are all stable...1.025, 8.4 dkh, 78 degrees, nitrates at 10...but the thing will close up, develop its thin skin then shed it, but never extend fully. I had placed it at the top of the rockwork.

 

one week ago, thinking it was too much light, I moved it closer to the bottom, where its doing the same thing, closing up, slightly extending, then receeding, etc...developing skin and reshedding today, but now now its closed up again.

 

flow is moderate.

 

Lights are not set too intense that I can tell...Blues at 75, whites at 40. is this normal for a small leather? Did I basically start from square one when I moved it to the bottom?

 

while the LFS said it was green crown leather, it looks a lot like small toadstool frag, btw.

 

EDIT:  Having the whites set to 40 was insanity.  They now sit at 20.

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it was one article I read that got me back in...someone was saying, I'm paraphrasing.... that our reef tanks are the most naturally beautiful item anyone could add to their home...that they are living jewels, and nothing else that you can buy can come close to the beauty they provide....

 

I got to thinking on that and decided I had to dive back in...plus my twins are almost 4 now, and any time they see a fish tank they love it. Looking forward to sharing the hobby with them.

you got twins man, so do I almost 4 boy/girl it's been a crazy ride. I took my 90 down because they were coming needed the space. It's funny people with kids think they understand having twins they don't have a clue only parents with twins really know lol. On another note how's the flaking rock coming it stop or still falling apart?
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burtbollinger

Boy/girl here as well...wife is 39 weeks pregnant today as well:). Intense but worth it. Our kids are well behaved and it's been wonderful really...as for tank, I simply gave up TV at night to focus on something relaxing after they go to bed. Working out well so far. I watch a bit of pro wrestling and that's about it....lots of cartoons and Disney otherwise.

 

Yeah rock still flaking small particles of purple every time I blow off the rocks. Would buy the Carib Sea rock if I could do it over again.

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Boy/girl here as well...wife is 39 weeks pregnant today as well:). Intense but worth it. Our kids are well behaved and it's been wonderful really...as for tank, I simply gave up TV at night to focus on something relaxing after they go to bed. Working out well so far. I watch a bit of pro wrestling and that's about it....lots of cartoons and Disney otherwise.

 

Yeah rock still flaking small particles of purple every time I blow off the rocks. Would buy the Carib Sea rock if I could do it over again.

oh yeah man changed my life and I'm with you watch the tank a lot more then the tv. And cartoons like crazy lol. And that sucks with the rock so are these chips going to hurt the fish I mean if it breaks up in small chunks off the rock I would think those small chunks break up smaller over time and stir into the water column
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burtbollinger



Made an eggcrate top which i keep on tank at night and while I am at work. It could look a lot worse actually...blends in with white stand kinda. I want an Artfully Acrylic but their prices seem about 30 bucks too steep at the moment.
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Made an eggcrate top which i keep on tank at night and while I am at work. It could look a lot worse actually...blends in with white stand kinda. I want an Artfully Acrylic but their prices seem about 30 bucks too steep at the moment.

get some clear tank clips and make the top just a tad smaller so instead of on top of the tank, it will blend in even more recessed.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-8-10-12mm-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Acrylic-Clips-Glass-Cover-Support-Holders-1-4Pcs-/252517473099?var=&hash=item3acb36db4b:m:mp7cEIScxb8paB73Vx2D8cQ

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  • 2 weeks later...
burtbollinger

I've been overfeeding corals and a new fish and now diatoms are back with a vengeance.  They had mostly subsidized.  Is this to be expected?  BUT I have also been vigorously turkey basting the rocks and sand?  Could this be adding to the problem?  A guy told me today I should not be touching the sand except for a gentle vacuuming.  I'm again confused on just how I should be treating my sandbed.

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37 minutes ago, burtbollinger said:

I've been overfeeding corals and a new fish and now diatoms are back with a vengeance.  They had mostly subsidized.  Is this to be expected?  BUT I have also been vigorously turkey basting the rocks and sand?  Could this be adding to the problem?  A guy told me today I should not be touching the sand except for a gentle vacuuming.  I'm again confused on just how I should be treating my sandbed.

I would think a deep sandbed you would leave alone.  Something shallow like yours I would stir.  Or, add a shrimp and goby pair and let the shrimp do it for you.  I never had any problems attributed to stirring the sandbed. 

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burtbollinger
29 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

I would think a deep sandbed you would leave alone.  Something shallow like yours I would stir.  Or, add a shrimp and goby pair and let the shrimp do it for you.  I never had any problems attributed to stirring the sandbed. 

Stir? 

 

As in: "Don't blast with a baster and kick dust everywhere" ?

 

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Just now, burtbollinger said:

Stir? 

 

As in: "Don't blast with a baster and kick dust everywhere" ?

 

Yep.  Stir.  

Before the pistol shrimp and goby, I would run an acrylic rod around in the sand before water changes.  

After adding the shrimp/goby, I never had to touch it.  Always nice and clean as the shrimp would turn over all sand in the coarse of a week.....in my 40b.

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Just to be sure, in this context "deep sand bed" means at least 4 to 6 inches deep. Anything less is considered shallow. And yes, you definitely need to either vacuum or stir it regularly to keep it from getting too bad. Just do a portion at a time so it doesn't cause a nutrient spike. 

 

I use a turkey baster to blow off the rocks, and I use it to blow water into the sand at the same time. It helps to turn up the power heads to keep the detritus suspended so the filter and skimmer can get more of it out. 

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burtbollinger
17 minutes ago, DaveFason said:

Blast the rocks and move the sand like Teeny said. How is everything else coming?

-Dave

very good...love the light...Running at 75, 30, 90, 80 on Natural Sun....been using your tank as a guide on what corals do well...I got the Raptors Peace and I think I saw that you had a Meteor Shower that I really liked...heading to a coral swap where Jason Fox is this weekend....looking to grab some of the following:  

 

  • Boston Bean or Lemonade Digi
  • Red Hot Setosa
  • Tyree Setting Sun Yellow Polyp Monti Cap
  • Meteor Shower Cyphastrea or Bling Bling Cyphastrea

My focus now is on color...making sure I dont end up with too much green...its just way too easy to find yourself with a tank full of green corals.

 

Also starting to read about this:  http://www.redseafish.com/reef-care-program/algae-management-program/no3po4-x/.  Seems interesting...and I'm running a good skimmer.

 

Also started dosing @ 3ml of ESV Bionic every other day...keeping the ALk. right around 9.

 

Finally, I split my return last night, using loc-line....


much better flow now, the single nozzle was just too powerful for my hammer, etc.

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  • burtbollinger changed the title to burtbollinger's Red Sea Reefer 170 (converted to planted)

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