70g DIY Peninsula 40x20x20"

sikorskys · Jul 15, 2018

Have done some cable management

sikorskys · Jul 16, 2018

Strong light + long photoperiod + fresh substrate = always the same result

My diatoms are flourishing

sikorskys · Jul 17, 2018

My Herbie overflow was driving me nuts, so I have converted it's emergency drain to BeanAnimal open channel.

This water trickling can be really loud if your reef and your bed is just 4 feet apart

P.S. By the way, it's DIY version of Aqua Medic outlet strainer here in the center. Couldn't justify spending $15 for a real one.

sikorskys · Jul 21, 2018

My sump is looking hopeless

This tiny patch of chaeto I started with is way to small to over-compete cyanos. So, I made some additions.

Water flow through fuge section was very slow, it was virtually still water. So, I've installed additional powerhead, specifically for chato. Now it should be harder for cyano to cover things and stay in place. Strong surface agitation should also help with gas exchange, making airborne CO2 easily available for chaeto.

Also, I've got some new players for chaeto team to make the game less unfair

My nitrates are still ~50ppm.

sikorskys · Jul 28, 2018

Water was getting more and more cloudy, so I've made ~60% water change, siphoning out all cyano and detritus I could spot and reach.

I'd like to use Red Sea Coral Pro because of elevated levels of kH and calcium. It's not the best choice for Ukraine though since it is rarely available here

So, here's the situation. My water is still quite cloudy, nitrate is around 25ppm, skimmer won't be here until mid August and I ran out of salt. Seems I should stop overfeeding for a while

EW_Fish · Jul 28, 2018

I would stop over feeding for sure with no skimmer and no more salt. Your fuge will be able to pick up the slack if you slack off on the feeding.

sikorskys · Jul 28, 2018

EW_Fish said:
I would stop over feeding for sure with no skimmer and no more salt. Your fuge will be able to pick up the slack if you slack off on the feeding.

Right now my fuge is kinda useless. Chaeto is still acclimatizing and often covered with cyano, so I don't expect it to grow rapidly.

So yes, no overfeeding

sikorskys · Aug 2, 2018

I will regret it most likely, but I'm starting to build a DIY T5 fixture for my tank. Nothing wrong with the fixture itself, it's all about availability.

It took me a week to find some decent reflectors and I still have to shorten them all (couldn't find the right size). High quality ballasts are rare. No bulbs available, have to order them directly from Poland

LEDs are everywhere, no oldschool stuff for sale

No matter, I've started.

These are fancy-shaped aluminium reflectors from Dennerle, a German company that specializes in growing freshwater plants. Pretty sure, the best reflectors I could get.

erk · Aug 2, 2018

I would be careful about that sump. While it holds water now, those seams are weak and over time the joints may become brittle and you will get small fractures in the joints. With all those gaps, water will definitely find a path out.

sikorskys · Aug 2, 2018

erk said:
I would be careful about that sump. While it holds water now, those seams are weak and over time the joints may become brittle and you will get small fractures in the joints. With all those gaps, water will definitely find a path out.

Yeah, I have already made a decision to replace it with a glass one in few months. Don't have spare $100 just now, there's just too much else to buy.

sikorskys · Aug 7, 2018

Well, now I have bulbs. Still have to wait weeks for ballasts though.

sikorskys · Aug 8, 2018

My sump is collecting huge amounts of detritus, so I have to manage it somehow.

That's what I ended up with

And this DIY "filter cup" is working extremely well for its price

sikorskys · Aug 11, 2018

Here is the wooden frame of my future T5 fixture. Approx. 38x17x3", designed for six 39W ATI bulbs. No supplemental LEDs until I'll be sure I need it.

Now I need some varnish

sikorskys · Aug 12, 2018

Current FTS.

All cyano is gone since last FTS (none of chems used). Still have some in sump though. Fish are doing fine. Tuxedo urchin is doing great job cleaning rocks from algae, whole last week or two he was working on the right one

A few weeks ago I have added some easy corals, just to see what will happen. Duncan, GSP and yellow zoas. As you can see, they still don't do well. I'm not sure why, but it might be temperature. It doesn't really matter because I won't be fixing anything for now. It is what it is, I'm just observing.

My skimmer arrives in two days, lighting should be done in two weeks. My current goal is to be ready for corals in September.

P.S. Nitrates are still 25ppm.

sikorskys · Aug 13, 2018

And here it is

DEAD silent, bubbles-free, highly efficient and sharp looking. It's Nyos Quantum 120

sikorskys · Aug 14, 2018

Meanwhile, my serpent starfish is successfully regenerating tips of it's legs.

Have no idea how it lost all of them. Starving maybe?

sikorskys · Aug 17, 2018

My chaeto is pearling like crazy since I installed a skimmer. As for me, that means I have had insufficient gas exchange before.

sikorskys · Aug 19, 2018

Looking good

As well as it smells

Todvod · Aug 19, 2018

Bayareareefer18 said:
Lol happens. Nothing a coupling won't fix...

Haha. I did that too. And it was the very first pieces I cemented!

sikorskys · Aug 20, 2018

Here is how I've made my DIY T5 fixure.

It cost me less than $230 w/o bulbs, while original ATI Sun Power would be $550 shipped from Germany. With no guarantee, spare parts nor service (no ATI partners in Ukraine) and near-zero chances for reselling (no one needs T5 here, too pricey for Ukraine anyway).

So, frame is made of the cheapest pine plank I've found. Dimensions are 20x80mm (approx. 3/4 x 3"). Six coats of hardwood floor varnish applied. This fixture will be incorporated into canopy some day, so it doesn't have to be fancy.