TheWB’s IM Lagoon 50

[TheWB]

I probably missed the post, but how did you get this done? Did you just supply measurements and have some back and forth on design? I've got a small part I'd like designed and it looks like this guy does some nice work!

Just reach out to Eric at eelrivercoral.com here

Eel River Coral 3D Printed Reef Aquarium Accessories and Light Shades

3d printed reef aquarium accessories, LED light shades for saltwater aquariums and marine life. Light shades for Ecotech, Kessil, Aqua Illumination Hydra. Light hoods, visors and baffles.

eelrivercoral.com

I am sure he will enthusiastically help you design anything you want. What I did was send him the two parts that I wanted to become one so there was no mistakes with measurements. I also sent the coupler because it had to be put in place during the print or the whole thing wouldn’t have worked. He whipped it up and had a test print in a day. I could not be happier with the service. Tell him I sent ya

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Just reach out to Eric at eelrivercoral.com here

Eel River Coral 3D Printed Reef Aquarium Accessories and Light Shades

3d printed reef aquarium accessories, LED light shades for saltwater aquariums and marine life. Light shades for Ecotech, Kessil, Aqua Illumination Hydra. Light hoods, visors and baffles.

eelrivercoral.com

I am sure he will enthusiastically help you design anything you want. What I did was send him the two parts that I wanted to become one so there was no mistakes with measurements. I also sent the coupler because it had to be put in place during the print or the whole thing wouldn’t have worked. He whipped it up and had a test print in a day. I could not be happier with the service. Tell him I sent ya

Awesome, I've been examining some ideas for upgrading the pump on the PLS-50 but it will likely take some parts, in particular an ultra low profile venturi inlet since as we all know, space is at a premium. Maybe an adapter to make sure the pump outlet lines up with the skimmer body. Still toying with some concepts.

 

[TheWB]

Awesome, I've been examining some ideas for upgrading the pump on the PLS-50 but it will likely take some parts, in particular an ultra low profile venturi inlet since as we all know, space is at a premium. Maybe an adapter to make sure the pump outlet lines up with the skimmer body. Still toying with some concepts.

Cool, I like it when other people do the research and then later I get to take advantage of the improvements, lol. Keep me in the loop on what your up to. We still need to figure out a backup pump for that thing at a minimum, whether it’s a whole different pump that fits or something that gets modified. I’d like to think I could just buy one from Mode but I just don’t trust the communication. Cadlights sucked but at least they had the replacement pump for sale on their website. I like how Coralvue does it, everything is just right there on the website if you need a part.

 

[cwerner]

Doesn't Sicce sell skimmer pumps? I'm not sure if they of the right size, but that might be an option.

 

[TheWB]

Doesn't Sicce sell skimmer pumps? I'm not sure if they of the right size, but that might be an option.

They do but it’s hard to know which one might work without getting your hands on it. I hate ordering things blindly. If an adaptor is needed I know a guy with a 3d printing business who can fabricate but honestly I’d rather just have the one that fits right to begin with.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

They do but it’s hard to know which one might work without getting your hands on it. I hate ordering things blindly. If an adaptor is needed I know a guy with a 3d printing business who can fabricate but honestly I’d rather just have the one that fits right to begin with.

I contacted Sicce and it sounds like the smallest skimmer pump they sell would be too big. Possibly one of the replacement pumps for the smaller AquaMaxx skimmers (which are a separate line of Sicce pumps sold under the name Shark to skimmer manufacturers) would fit but I believe they are incomplete since they are sold to consumers only as replacements. Similarly, I looked into some of the pumps on the CoralVue site and I believe the DCAIR 700 would fit however you can't get a power adapter for it. I know there are alternatives that will fit out of the box, I just keep running into weird things like no venturi or no power supply.

 

[TheWB]

I contacted Sicce and it sounds like the smallest skimmer pump they sell would be too big. Possibly one of the replacement pumps for the smaller AquaMaxx skimmers (which are a separate line of Sicce pumps sold under the name Shark to skimmer manufacturers) would fit but I believe they are incomplete since they are sold to consumers only as replacements. Similarly, I looked into some of the pumps on the CoralVue site and I believe the DCAIR 700 would fit however you can't get a power adapter for it. I know there are alternatives that will fit out of the box, I just keep running into weird things like no venturi or no power supply.

This really shouldn’t be so hard. Unfortunately my pump has no identifying numbers or marks that would show where it came from so it’s either get Mode to send one or start Frankenstiening something.

 

[TheWB]

Another week without a water change ( 5 weeks now I think ) and here’s where todays testing landed.
Alk down to 9.4 from 9.6 last week, so continuing in the right direction.
Cal down to 430 from 450 last week so some movement there finally.
NO3 all the way down to 0.9 from 2.3 even with turning the skimmer off for 8 hours a night this tank is just using up anything I dose or add in through feedings. Going to try 12 hours on/off this week and see how that goes.
PO4 down from 0.05 to 0.01, might need to start adding some of this as well.

Overall the tank looks good, no algae except for a dusting on the glass that needs to be scraped off every few days. Corals all seem good. I’m starting to realize my indicator coral for low nutrients is my Duncan. It closes up when nutrients are low.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Another week without a water change ( 5 weeks now I think ) and here’s where todays testing landed.
Alk down to 9.4 from 9.6 last week, so continuing in the right direction.
Cal down to 430 from 450 last week so some movement there finally.
NO3 all the way down to 0.9 from 2.3 even with turning the skimmer off for 8 hours a night this tank is just using up anything I dose or add in through feedings. Going to try 12 hours on/off this week and see how that goes.
PO4 down from 0.05 to 0.01, might need to start adding some of this as well.

Overall the tank looks good, no algae except for a dusting on the glass that needs to be scraped off every few days. Corals all seem good. I’m starting to realize my indicator coral for low nutrients is my Duncan. It closes up when nutrients are low.

How is your pH holding up with the skimmer running only part time?

 

[TheWB]

How is your pH holding up with the skimmer running only part time?

My ph has always had a pretty good swing and it doesn’t seem to be affected much so far turning it off at night.

I think what I should do is turn it back on at night and leave it off during the day to see if that swing can’t be shortened up.

 

[TheWB]

It’s yet again time for one of my boring weekly parameter updates.
Alk dropped from 9.4 to 9.0 so still trending in the right direction.
After dosing several times early in the week NO3 went up from 0.9 to 6.7 which is acceptable, anything between 5-10 will be fine.
PO4 stayed stable at 0.01 which could mean 0 so that’s a little concerning. I need to order some NeoPhos. I feed flake heavily and am still having trouble keeping this above 0.
Calcium is just weird. You’d expect some usage since Alk dropped but Ca went from 430 to 440 so basically stayed the same within the margin of error of the test.
New coralline is forming and there is some visible sps growth so from that standpoint things are fine. There is no nuisance algae except for a light film on the glass that needs to be scraped every couple of days. I just continue to find some of my test results to be weird. No need for a water change this week so that will be either 6 or 7 weeks in a row without needing to change due to the low nutrient levels.

 

[TheWB]

I’m dumb, some reef roids should take care of bumping up the phosphates a little. Just need to go a little more even handed than last time where PO4 was 0.11 the day after I fed the tank.

 

[jcolliii]

That'll do it!

 

[TheWB]

Tested today and I think it’s finally time for a water change.
Alk down to 8.6 from 9.0
Cal steady at 435 which is within margin of error for the last 3 tests (430, 440, now 435).
NO3 up to 7.7 from 6.7 so whatever I did this week as far as dosing NO3, I think it was 4ml per day with a couple of days skipped, is working. I know, very scientific. ( @jcolliii will now shame me for my uncontrolled chemistry lol. Spectacular geology lesson on Basaltic Rock in that one thread the other day my man, it was epic, I learned stuff ).
PO4 up to 0.03 from 0.01 so adding in a small amount of reef roids seemed to help there. I wasn’t comfortable at 0.01, do not want to bottom out.

Now that Alk has come down from the weird high of 11 when my salt mixes at 8.3ish and I wasn’t supplementing I’m going to do a 10% water change and see what it does. It’ll give me a chance to clean the sand a little. Hopefully it doesn’t go up again cuz I’d be at a loss to explain it. Plan is to keep feeding heavy, keep skimmer off for 8 hours a day, small amount of reef roids every 3-4 days, let’s see if I can keep things stable now with just water changes and NeoNitro. Can’t feed more or add more fish so the NeoNitro has to stay for the time being.

 

[jcolliii]

The chemistry in your tank is for sure a conundrum - glad to hear it's coming down somewhat. Saving money on dosing though, right?

Lol, I grew up around basalt. Think I could recognize that rock when I was 8. Continental flood basalts associated with the breakup of Pangaea and opening of the Atlantic starting around 250 or 260 million years ago. Your flood basalts out that way are a bit younger... I love driving down that hill and over the Columbia at that bridge just about in the middle of your state - some spectacular scenery over there. Biggest ripples in the world maybe 50 or 60 miles east of there just north of the 90 as well - associated with the draining of Bonneville. It's the only non-oceanographic phenomenon I can think of where I can use the unit Sverdrups (usually used to give flow rates of ocean currents). That flood was estimated at close to 0.5Sv at peak flow. A Sverdrup = 1,000,000 cubic meters per second, btw.

Sorry to get on a tangent...

 

[TheWB]

The chemistry in your tank is for sure a conundrum - glad to hear it's coming down somewhat. Saving money on dosing though, right?

Lol, I grew up around basalt. Think I could recognize that rock when I was 8. Continental flood basalts associated with the breakup of Pangaea and opening of the Atlantic starting around 250 or 260 million years ago. Your flood basalts out that way are a bit younger... I love driving down that hill and over the Columbia at that bridge just about in the middle of your state - some spectacular scenery over there. Biggest ripples in the world maybe 50 or 60 miles east of there just north of the 90 as well - associated with the draining of Bonneville. It's the only non-oceanographic phenomenon I can think of where I can use the unit Sverdrups (usually used to give flow rates of ocean currents). That flood was estimated at close to 0.5Sv at peak flow. A Sverdrup = 1,000,000 cubic meters per second, btw.

Sorry to get on a tangent...

Yep, my chemistry is a mystery what with dropping alk but no real calcium consumption, at least according to my Red Sea test kit. Definitely no two part or all for reef budget needed here.

Tangent away, I love a good tangent, and now I know what a Sverdrup is although I will be challenged to use it in casual conversation anytime soon lol.

 

[jcolliii]

That may be the first time I have used it in a conversation in maybe 10 years! LOL!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Just reach out to Eric at eelrivercoral.com here

Eel River Coral 3D Printed Reef Aquarium Accessories and Light Shades

3d printed reef aquarium accessories, LED light shades for saltwater aquariums and marine life. Light shades for Ecotech, Kessil, Aqua Illumination Hydra. Light hoods, visors and baffles.

eelrivercoral.com

I am sure he will enthusiastically help you design anything you want. What I did was send him the two parts that I wanted to become one so there was no mistakes with measurements. I also sent the coupler because it had to be put in place during the print or the whole thing wouldn’t have worked. He whipped it up and had a test print in a day. I could not be happier with the service. Tell him I sent ya

Ok, Eric is awesome to work with. The part he designed for me is on it's way! Great service.

BTW, how is that VarioS pump doing for you? I'd still like to get a bit more flow through the back of the tank and that's looking like one of the better pumps in that size.

 

[TheWB]

Ok, Eric is awesome to work with. The part he designed for me is on it's way! Great service.

BTW, how is that VarioS pump doing for you? I'd still like to get a bit more flow through the back of the tank and that's looking like one of the better pumps in that size.

That’s great, I’m glad to hear he could help you out. Everything he’s done for me has been great.
I really like the VarioS2 for our tank. It’s got plenty of power, I only use it in its lowest setting. I was toying with the idea of using it with my Apex to create variable flow but that’s not a good idea because it makes the water level in the return section fluctuate which messes with my ato. If you get one be sure to send Eric the coupler so he can print you a Y adaptor like mine.

 

[cwerner]

I am actually running into something similar as you. My calcium levels don't appear to be dropping linearly in my tank yet my alkalinity levels follow an even slope.