Acer's build thread ( 3RMAS area)

[acer]

sounds good.

 

[kevinl]

I'm going through the same thing and want a digital.
The digital one at the store works great.
the refractometer I have is the heavier one, from BRS.
Jaime told me it's temp that effects the refractometers, they need to be room temp @77 degrees & the calibration solution also. I have been playing with that info and it is true. Based on the temp in the room, low 70's to upper 60's if I warm the refractometer the readings change dramatically.
Just gotta check and re-check!
TED, 2 YEARS with the wrong salinity!!

 

[barber42]

Highly recommend the Hanna salinity checker

 

[acer]

"TED, 2 YEARS with the wrong salinity!!" - Ya I know - but seriously - it is like when your looking for something for a long time and cannot find it and then someone else comes along as says- "here is it"= its right in front of your face the whole time. Maybe that explains why my fish never have any disease - I am basically treating them with hypo salinity the whole time!! LOL

* it also proves that RBTA's can and do thrive in a hypo-salinity environment.

* I just feel badly that I killed all those corals due to my incompetency.

 

[acer]

You have to love this hobby - after posting a few days ago that everything is finally going well. I arrive home last night and my Hammerhead pump is making a high pitched whining sound. After reading a bit it sounds like it needs new bearings - blahh.. I had purchased a never used but new Skimz leopard L110 recently after looking up on the website that it has the same exact 1.5 inch input and outputs as my hammerhead. Figured better safe than sorry and it would be a great backup. SO, I am thinking- hey for once I am ready for this "emergency". So I grab the still in box new Skimz pump and take it out of the box and take a look at it and the input/output look too small - sure enough they are NOT 1.5 inch, but 1.25. So, the 100thousand dollar question. Should I re-plumb from this new pump to the display tank up a floor with new flexible 1.25 PVC ( $50 plus time and work) or just use a 1.5 -1.25 adapter by the pump and continue to use the 1.5 inch flexible PVC already in place? Opinions??

 

[JP Reef]

I would plumb the new pump to your old plumbing. An increase in diameter is actually beneficial. I always go a size up on my return pumps.

 

[acer]

LOl well of course neither had a simple adapter -so had top buy 4 pieces/fitting to go from 1.25 to 1.5 - gotta love that crapola. I did hear back already from Reeflo with a few suggestions that it may not be bearings. Possible the "slinger" has slif too close to the engine and it just needs to be move back into position, or a snail or something has gotten into the wet side/impeller. SO will keep you updated- thanks for the suggestions.

 

[acer]

I got my replacement /backup Scimz Leopard L110 pump up and running after changing my plumbing to accommodate it. It is blessedly silent compared to my hammerhead, but its pathetic at pushing water compared to the Hammerhead. Will be taking apart both damaged/disabled hammerheads in my garage this weekend. I did find this pump today:

Search results for: '' - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.marinedepot.com

https://www.f3images.com/IMD/UserManuals/UJ4090.pdf

Just more food for thought.

 

[acer]

Well, after doing quite a bit of research it seems that no real progress has been made in pumps regarding higher head pressure in the past 5 years. The under $1000 DC pumps cannot handle my 13 feet of head pressure without starving the 150 gallon display tank of fresh water and good flow from the basement sump. The best A/C options are the Reeflo ( Hammerhead) = $400-500 or a large Iwaki - but are pretty loud and I have gone thru two Hammerheads in 5 years = both maybe fixable/serviceable - but I am not real handy. So, the next option is the Red Dragon or Abyzz pumps - the wallet will be screaming for mercy.

So , I guess a poll question . I have gotten the "OK" from the family accountant ( yep - the wife) to spend up to $2k on a new pump. I am very surprized - but I think she knows I am pretty frugal usually on the reef stuff buying used if at all possible. So-

#1 = Abyzz A200 = $1900 https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/a200-dc-controllable-pump-4-400-gph-abyzz.html

#2= Abyzz A100= $1500 https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/red-...30-watt-6-340-gph-royal-exclusiv-usa-llc.html

**** Abyzz = 10 year warranty

#3= Red Dragon Speedy 3 230watt= $1350 https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/red-...30-watt-6-340-gph-royal-exclusiv-usa-llc.html

**** Red Dragon/Royal Exclusive = 2 year warranty.

Opinions and comments welcomed

 

[JP Reef]

Did you determine what was wrong with the reeflo? There aren't too many parts to a pump. If you needed help rebuilding, I could probably help.

 

[acer]

That would be great. Based on what I read the regular hybrid seal failed. The gold Baldor hammerhead sounds like bearings.

 

[acer]

I finally decided on just getting a new Reeflo hybrid gold for $400 ( 5 year warranty) - BRS had an open box and it was ordered last week. I am probably sending in my other pump back to Reeflo and for $165 they will put new seals, and fix anything else ( bearings) and ship it back to me so I will have an exact backup pump ready to go. According to them I will be able to ship my pump to them for less than $50 and since my new hammerhead hybrid gold pump was just delivered I now have a perfect box with exact packing so I can do that. Unless JP can indeed fix/rebuild it as he suggested in the post above. I could not even get the impellar off the one pump that needs a new seal, I do have a new seal though. The other pump that has the high pitched wining has quieted significantly after I got the impellar off and cleaned the salt creep off the "wet side" - I also changed the impellar from the "hammerhead" to the "barracuda" impellar as I was using a gate valve to reduce the output quite a bit. Hopefully the cleaning and the new smaller impeller will make that pump just fine for a backup.

I just could not justify the near 2K cost of an Abyzz A200 or Royal exclusive MINI 230 watt pump. Especially, when new lights are still needed for the display tank ( limping along with two SB basics and a 7 year old Reefbreeder 24) to beable to grow the sps coral that I like. Yes, the reduced noise would have be great, and the DC control of those pumps would be real nice- but I can buy a lot of fish/coral/etc. with $1000-1400. The new reeflo gofl hybrid pump gets installed today - I changed to the Barracuda impeller yesterday - maybe that will be less pump noisy. I will keep you updated if the barracuda is indeed less noisy and if it can push the volume of water I want = 1500- 2000 GPH up the 11-12 feet vertical lift with a few turns ( total head pressure is about 14 -15) from the basement or not. According to Reeflo charts it should be no problem.


FLOW CHART ALL PUMPS

 

[acer]

Well, did all the gluing and installed the new pump today - its all working well and no doubt the Barracuda impeller is quieter or maybe its just the new pump that is quieter. Also, I moved the female blue throat trigger from the QT to the display tank- she is in a floating acclimation chamber I used the decrease the stress on a new fish being introduced into the display tank- thank goodness as the male BT trigger is much bigger and I don't think he wants a mate at this time. I posted a video on my members build thread adn linked it over on the 3rmas Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3RMAS/. Well see if he calms down or not over the next few days.

 

[acer]

After 24 hours the Blue Throat Triggers are now getting along fine. There is a few bite marks in the new triggers fins - but nothing that is terrible and she is eating fine so expect she will recover quickly. Next fish is a Copperbanded Butterfly ( third attempt) on hold up at Reef Gallery - best QT methods, meds, practices, and helpful hints welcome. The new Reeflo gold hybrid pump with the barracuda impeller is working perfectly. I will be picking up several frags at LEAR fragswap on Saturday - nothing expensive as I am gun shy after killing numerous frags in the past 18 months. Still have not purchased any additional lights - limping along with the old Reefbreeeder 24 in the center of the tank , 2 x SB basics running perpendicular on the sides, and 2 x24 T5's (one on each side of the Reefbreeder fixture). I have missed out on a few used G4 fixtures and the new on sale G4's are all gone- so still hunting for the best deal and fix I can get.

Options for lights ( max budget is $1000) :

1) Reefbreeders v2+ 50 inch fixure ( $720) or 2 x 24 inch fixtures ( 2 x $400 = $800) running lengthwise.
If par/pur is not up to the needed SPS values then Ii will supplement with T5's running parellel to the fixtures.

2) Continue using the 2 SB black boxes running perpendicular (on the outside quarter on each side) of the tank and just replace the older T5 and old Reefbreeder 24 with:

a) 2 x used G4 xr30's placed perpendicular each about 9 inches from the center of the tank ( 18 inches apart)
b) 2 x used G4 XR30 pros running lengthwise ( plenty of par ,but possible shadowing - so may still need T5's)
c) 3 or 4 used G4 Xr15 or Xr15 pro's

Any other suggestions on lights?

 

[Steven91]

Currently have a Copperband Butterfly in my tank, have had for over a year. Biggest advice is make sure its eating before taking it home. Mine eats frozen mysis every day, and gets brine shrimp once a week. If you have questions on CBB ask

 

[acer]

Well, I finally purchased 2 used G4xr30 pro's, pick them up tomorrow. Between them, the 2 SB basic fixtures and my 2x24" T5's I should be able to work out a great lighting schedule to keep any coral.

 

[acer]

Well ,both lights fire and a brighter than the sun.. lol. Now to get that software "ecotec live" to work on my old Windows 7 laptop. Have fired up that laptop since I dropped my old G3. So of course , 15 minutes to download emails, an hour , if I am lucky, to download Windows update and Adobe, etc. Then attempt to log into Ecco Tec live. Fingers crossed.

 

[acer]

Got the two G4XR30'S pro's mounted and programmed at 60% AB coral Lab.

 

[acer]

Update- I picked up a Copperbanded Butterfly from Reef Gallery 10 days ago - looking good so far. Just finished 10 days of Prazi Pro in my QT , a few days rest then 8 days of meds for Ick, etc. - then to display if looking good and still eating. Picking up some of that Masstick food ASAP. He is picking at Larry's frozen food - not eating as well as when he was first purchased - hopefully thats due to the Prazi Pro. I actually have Atipshia in my QT , I was hoping he would go after them - but not so far.

 

[acer]

Ohhh ya, testing results and some chemistry. Please check me.

ALK in 9 Am = 6.2 DKH a bit low , but it means my corals are growing= yeah!!

Added 3 fluid oz of Soda Ash solution (bulk reef calculator to raise my 185 Gallo s of water 1 point DKH) with 2 gallons of RODI to the ATO which was empty and my system was about a full gallon and a half low= 2 inches below my sump mark. So, I new over the next 3-4 hours about my ATO pump ( Tom's aqualifter pump) would slowly replenish the system to the full mark. I typically loose 1- 2 gallons per say to evaporation so I made an educated guess that the ATO would pull the entire contents if the ATO container into my system throughout the day - raising the ALK about 1 point.

Ca+=430
No3= 2-5
PO3= .064

ALK at 9 pm= 7.3 DKH. ATO container empty.

Added 25 grams of dry kalkwasser to ATO container and filled with RODI ( 5 gallons) - accounting to my calculations if I use 2 gallon of the ATO per day that puts enough ALK into the system to raise keep ALK stable if my corals use I point per day. Back to daily testing to see if my estimates are correct.