Sam's Oceanic 120 - DIY solutions

[Projects with Sam]

They're still alive and eating bbs! I haven't told my wife yet... She'll probably say something like: "oh great! more mouths to feed!" lol... Then she'll see them and wont be able to deal they're so freaking cute. specially when gorging on bbs; their little mouths & tiny little fins... they're little striped seeds with fins
hehe.

 

[rmorris_14]

They're still alive and eating bbs! I haven't told my wife yet... She'll probably say something like: "oh great! more mouths to feed!" lol... Then she'll see them and wont be able to deal they're so freaking cute. specially when gorging on bbs; their little mouths & tiny little fins... they're little striped seeds with fins
hehe.

HAHAHAHA cuteness overload! I was all giddy last night when I showed my husband your posts about them. He just gave me a lack luster, "thats cool"

Feel free to post some videos during feeding time.

 

[rmorris_14]

Also, don't mention to her it happens about once a month

 

[Projects with Sam]

I love that my venomous fish's favorite lounging spot is the seaweed clip... I'm totally getting bitten.

 

[Projects with Sam]

I've started a gratuitous baby cardinalfish thread

 

[Projects with Sam]

Where's my cat!? This obnoxious squirrel is rubbing his umm... belly... all over my place at the picnic table!

 

[rmorris_14]

Where's my cat!? This obnoxious squirrel is rubbing his umm... belly... all over my place at the picnic table!
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Is that where you would sit? LOL

 

[Projects with Sam]

When I got my apex I was all excited because it had a WXM (before I knew what it was, or how outdated it was) and I had a used MP40 on its way to me that may link-up. I got a second MP40W because I thought I'd be able to get them all linked-up.
Turns out I tried and tried to get everything working but just couldn't get the WXM RF module to update. I was so frustrated I started looking for other used WXM modules.
Turns out, after a month of messing around, I unscrewed my module and heard a rattling... I opened it up and found the RF module was loose. I plugged it back in and.... nothing... I tried it again, this time really seating the card; it worked!!!! I got both my antique MP40s (with new ball bearings) to link-up to my apex! Its so sweet!

 

[rmorris_14]

Is that where you would sit? LOL

I missed the part where you already answered that

 

[Sean Clark]

Where's my cat!? This obnoxious squirrel is rubbing his umm... belly... all over my place at the picnic table!
View attachment 2712438

I get it, it's hot out there. I would be all sprawled out too.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Finished the stand for the 15gallon exile tank that I'll be tying into my sump.

I had a hard time with the oil paint because of the humidity and heat. I had to sand a bunch and re-paint it.
Not to self: don't paint black paint in a poorly lit garage at night...
It looks nice where I plan to put it. now I'm hoping I can work out the plumbing.

 

[Projects with Sam]

OK, big update since I have not posted in a while and I left a whole tank setup 1/2-way there...

Firstly, I finished the exile tank, got it plumbed into the system (even into the DIY filter floss roller) and got its lighting squared away. Being able to 3D print little odds and ends like mounting brackets and the like really adds to just about anything. I should really put some of these little items on Thingiverse.


A friend rehomed his juvenile Emperor Anglefish to my tank because it was getting bullied and not getting enough to eat in his. Its a beautiful fish but it has a penchant for neon green candycane. The exile tank is no longer FOWLR... I hope my filefish doesn't like the same corals the Anglefish does... He eats from my hand; the sailfin has already learned how todo it from him. This is his first or second time doing it; now he is a pro after several similar meal times.

I also did a pretty extensive cabinet redo. I kind of just started throwing stuff into the cabinet when I redid my lights so I had to reconcile. I got a CO2 scrubber and an InkBird and another 300W heater, a second EB8, an old MP10 and the RedSea Reefmat 1200 so I had some things to figure out. My current DIY rollermat works ok and I need to upgrade my sump to use the RedSea Rollermat so I am holding onto that for another build or trying to swap it out for another RedSea Product. I still needed to fit the 3 NP PSUs and all the CO2 scrubbing equipment, and accommodate the Exile Tank's plumbing. I've printed out beefier doser mounts and even a mount for my refugium light so it's properly centered on the sump. I'm still not done with the CO2 scrubbing but I've gotten the rest!


I even spent the time to setup the cooling in the tank hood so I can put my T5s in again! I then looked into modifying my old Gallaxy Hydros so the Apex could control them for the exile tank and my coral QT. I need PWM controllers (in the mail from China) to do it so I got an great 2nd hand ReefBreeder LED for $40 that will do what I need for now.


And some icing on the cake is that the male cardinal is holding again! I'll probably leave him in the tank for these.


I'm sure I forgot stuff... but I'm nervous of loosing this post...

 

[Projects with Sam]

Posted my first fishy video to YouTube opening the door to the new projects! Originally edited like a coming out video, I was never happy with the less risky edit my wife suggested I do instead.
Please like/subscribe/click the bell to help me justify my frivolous endeavors!

 

[rmorris_14]

Posted my first fishy video to YouTube opening the door to the new projects! Originally edited like a coming out video, I was never happy with the less risky edit my wife made me do instead.
Please like/subscribe/click the bell to help me justify my frivolous endeavors!

View attachment 2727972

YAY! This was fun to watch. Well done sir.

Subscribed

 

[Projects with Sam]

YAY! This was fun to watch. Well done sir.

Thanks for the feedback! Hard sometimes to watch my videos - hehe they're not great but hopefully getting better
I need to finish the 4-axis DIY CNC for foam cutting. I have a bunch of subscribers from my MultiBotCNC build. Surprisingly the fiberglass sailboat videos get the most views.

 

[Projects with Sam]

I implemented CO2 scrubbing today. I have the solenoid turning on (and letting in fresh air) when my pH gets to 8.1 to start.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I implemented CO2 scrubbing today. I have the solenoid turning on (and letting in fresh air) when my pH gets to 8.1 to start.
View attachment 2729756View attachment 2729760
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Clutch!

 

[Projects with Sam]

Clutch!

So I turned it on at 4 and the pH goes straight up! I have it opening to ambient air at 8.1 but it keeps going up I am guessing because there is a delay. I'll post more graphs as time progresses. I cant wait to see what happens when the Solenoid turns off again! The solenoid is powered by an old phone charger I got at goodwill for $3; the solenoid was $7, there was $5 in tube, $15 in fittings $15 for the housing, $8 for the mount, $7 for the inner tube. Then the Soda Lime I could have gotten locally for $11 and an hour drive but I just amazoned it for $24... I 3D printed some fittings and think I could have printed more that I ended up buying.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

So I turned it on at 4 and the pH goes straight up! I have it opening to ambient air at 8.1 but it keeps going up I am guessing because there is a delay. I'll post more graphs as time progresses. I cant wait to see what happens when the Solenoid turns off again! The solenoid is powered by an old phone charger I got at goodwill for $3; the solenoid was $7, there was $5 in tube, $15 in fittings $15 for the housing, $8 for the mount, $7 for the inner tube. Then the Soda Lime I could have gotten locally for $11 and an hour drive but I just amazoned it for $24... I 3D printed some fittings and think I could have printed more that I ended up buying.
View attachment 2730108View attachment 2730143

I’m glad it is working for you. I ended up using my brs reactor for back up gfo or carbon. Not sure if my media was spent or the skimmer was underpowered to make a dent in my ph

 

[Projects with Sam]

I’m glad it is working for you. I ended up using my brs reactor for back up gfo or carbon. Not sure if my media was spent or the skimmer was underpowered to make a dent in my ph

Was your media white or purple when you tried it? if purple it could have been spent. I guess all it would take is a puncture in the bag and time. I guess if your skimmer couldn't pull through the media it wouldn't work either.
I was extra careful to install it in a way that I shouldnt get kinked hoses. I am concerned about condensation / water in the line clogging it so I may print-out a drip-trap.