Ratvan's Fluval Spec 3 - [THREAD CLOSED - LEAK]

[Ratvan]

8 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Ooooh I really like that! They look great in there!

I know the issue is flow, which I really need and they don't so...  Now we wait until Sunday..... 

 

So what do we think about expanding that upper ledge under the weir? I'd like to expand it out somehow so it disguises the pump in the display. Eventually I want to have my gracillarisa mammarilis algae to cover this section but wanna speed it up

[Ratvan]

So, have been thinking about this for a while and have found a company that will deliver NSW to my door, I can get 50 litres (12.5 Gallons) a month for £25.00 which works out a lot cheaper per month than making my own water or purchasing ready mixed from LFS.

 

Also cheaper than weekly trips to the beach with waders and buckets

 

Parameters of Delivered Water

Salinity 1.024-1.026,

Nitrates 0-0.9,

Nitrite 0,

Calcium 400-450ppm,

Alkalinity 7.6-8.6dKH,

Ammonia 0,

PH 8.1-8.3,

Magnesium 1250-1350ppm,

Phosphate 0-0.04ppm,

Silicate 0-0.1.

 

 

 

 

[karisma]

17 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

So, have been thinking about this for a while and have found a company that will deliver NSW to my door, I can get 50 litres (12.5 Gallons) a month for £25.00 which works out a lot cheaper per month than making my own water or purchasing ready mixed from LFS.

 

Also cheaper than weekly trips to the beach with waders and buckets

 

Parameters of Delivered Water

Salinity 1.024-1.026,

Nitrates 0-0.9,

Nitrite 0,

Calcium 400-450ppm,

Alkalinity 7.6-8.6dKH,

Ammonia 0,

PH 8.1-8.3,

Magnesium 1250-1350ppm,

Phosphate 0-0.04ppm,

Silicate 0-0.1.

 

 

 

 

Beats what i do. I take two 10 litre jugs doen to the store and they fill each for .97 cents just shy of 1dollar each. But lugging them home is a pita.

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, karisma said:

Beats what i do. I take two 10 litre jugs doen to the store and they fill each for .97 cents just shy of 1dollar each. But lugging them home is a pita.

That's what i do currently but visit one of these not a store

 

Open 24 hours a day so perfect for emergencies 

[karisma]

12 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

That's what i do currently but visit one of these not a store

 

Open 24 hours a day so perfect for emergencies 

That's cool. I dont think we have one of those in my city. I have to wait for store hours lol

[Ratvan]

7 minutes ago, karisma said:

That's cool. I dont think we have one of those in my city. I have to wait for store hours lol

I'm not certain but think it's only in the UK, at the moment at least

[karisma]

7 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

I'm not certain but think it's only in the UK, at the moment at least

Could be. I have family in other parts of canada and they habent said anything anout these but im gonna ask now

 

[Ratvan]

So need to frag some of these at some point....

Nice supply of Corals to frag now

 

[Ratvan]

So I had to have a peek this morning, couldn't help myself. Looks okay

 

[karisma]

24 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

So I had to have a peek this morning, couldn't help myself. Looks okay

 

The asta 20 fits this tank perfectly. I really like mine and still debating whether i should buy a prime hd or not

[Ratvan]

25 minutes ago, karisma said:

The asta 20 fits this tank perfectly. I really like mine and still debating whether i should buy a prime hd or not

I personally prefer Kessil Leds but they're nice lights. It would mean that you can upgrade in size of tank as well further down the road

[Picogoby]

3 hours ago, Ratvan said:

So I had to have a peek this morning, couldn't help myself. Looks okay

 

Looking a LOT better! Remember algae spores have an incubation (if that’s the right word) period of about 3 days, so there WILL be some hanging around in the system. I would keep it covered for another 3 days to be sure and do a big water change in the next 24hrs.  Made this mistake before.... “ ooohh it’s all gone”, lights on, cover off..... 3 days later 🤦‍♂️

[ECLS Reefer]

I’m thinking of upgrading the light on the Evo... was thinking an AI Prime since it can do ramp up and ramp down without the whole extra equipment stuff that Kessil requires for an 80. Have you compared either?

[Ratvan]

6 minutes ago, Picogoby said:

Looking a LOT better! Remember algae spores have an incubation (if that’s the right word) period of about 3 days, so there WILL be some hanging around in the system. I would keep it covered for another 3 days to be sure and do a big water change in the next 24hrs.  Made this mistake before.... “ ooohh it’s all gone”, lights on, cover off..... 3 days later 🤦‍♂️

Thanks, I still have another day to go with this blackout, then full scrub, water change, re peroxide dip the algae to get the GHA off and decide if the stuff on the way is GHA or cheato.

 

I'm going to start with the Asta on a single click for each channel and ramp up weekly by another click, I prefer a more white look to my tanks so blue top out at about 40%

 

2 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

I’m thinking of upgrading the light on the Evo... was thinking an AI Prime since it can do ramp up and ramp down without the whole extra equipment stuff that Kessil requires for an 80. Have you compared either?

I haven't sorry. I saw the Kessil shimmer and everything else is background noise. Also love the physical look of the Kessil over the AI's. 

 

I do want to run that A80 and not given up on the tank for the Mrs 

[debbeach13]

Looks good I hope it continues to clear up.

[ef4life]

3 hours ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

I’m thinking of upgrading the light on the Evo... was thinking an AI Prime since it can do ramp up and ramp down without the whole extra equipment stuff that Kessil requires for an 80. Have you compared either?

I’m with ratvan, kessil shimmer is just awesome. But I think the a80 is under powered and overpriced compared to the prime. If the kessil lights had the spectral controller built in I think they would be a better value. I really wanted to get an a80 for my pico for that shimmer (I have the h80 pink grow light turned all blue) but when I found the used prime, it’s just a better value with the built in control and more power.

[Picogoby]

1 minute ago, ef4life said:

I’m with ratvan, kessil shimmer is just awesome. But I think the a80 is under powered and overpriced compared to the prime. If the kessil lights had the spectral controller built in I think they would be a better value. I really wanted to get an a80 for my pico for that shimmer (I have the h80 pink grow light turned all blue) but when I found the used prime, it’s just a better value with the built in control and more power.

It is worth noting that AI rate their units at the Maximum that the chips will run at and if you where to run any chip at its maximum for more than a few minutes it would start to burn up a little inside. Kessil however rate for their constant power rating which is what they can happily run the chips at for hours on end. So NEVER use the Watts to compare lights! The only way to truly measure a lights output is to use a PAR meter under exactly the same conditions, heights etc. Also the prime says you can move power from one channel to another...... this can only be total rubbish or they run each channel at only 70-80% power when all on, allowing you to add a bit more to another channel to get it closer to its 100% constant operating power. 
just a thought for considering lights. Oh and Kessil offer the best specrtum for carols over any other light. Other lights allow you to adjust, but again be VERY careful as the spectrum range given by an LED will vary rather a lot dependant on how much/little it is powered.

[Ratvan]

So 72 hour black out (with a peek yesterday) now completed. Still have the tank scrub to do but things are not looking to bad. 

 

Looks alright, spotted Hermit and stomatella as well as one of the micro stars, so at least whatever it was just ugly

 

The base of the tank has bowed out which gives me this lean, not had any salt creep so just going to shim it if it gets any worse. 

 

Had a play with the Asta 20 Led managed to wrestle the gooseneck into a place that will light the entire rock better

 

I plan on running the light 4 hours a day at minimum power, will slowly increase the duration and power when Montipora go in. Or possibly a Poccilopora frag rescue tank lol. Or? 

 

🤔

[Ratvan]

So the easiest fix for the natural sun light hitting the tank is to turn the tanks back on it. Also means I see the Rockwall full on from my seat. 

 

I have what looks like Chrato as well as a couple of GHAs on my rock and macro

Will see if I can get a Trocus and Astrea from the RSM 130D tomorrow

 

Now maintenance time

[Ratvan]

I just cant

[karisma]

nice job with the asta 20. Its really the perfect light for pico tanks. I been debating getting a prime hd but all said and done the asta does a fine imo. I see growth on my monti cap already cause its catching on one of the edges so i have solid proof the light does its job.

[Ratvan]

Not looking too good in the RSM for clean up crew at the minute, going to do a rescape at lunch time and see what is what

 

Except for a boat load of Dove snails

[Ratvan]

So i decided that after a week I would test the foam and concrete mix, had kept this at 75f until the power cut today

 

I call that 0's 

[Ratvan]

OK so draining this tank tonight in preparation to take it to the office tomorrow 😄

I need the space for the 5 Gallon Cube

[Ratvan]

So cleared a spot in my office for the Pico, this means I can run the Kessil A80 like i intended (also because the Asta is already on the 5G Cube), have both my AIO reefs together, I can also then mount a proper board to the wall to attach the instrument panels, and maybe a ledge to hang a gooseneck off of?