d2mini's "Essential Focus" Mixed Reef Build

TighTT · Aug 28, 2016

d2mini said:
Siphon break built in. Only the overflow box drains to the sump.

Any pics of what you did with the lower return? I'm debating just uncorking mine but Im worried about it blasting my sand everywhere.

BTW....you drive an Audi? Which?

d2mini · Aug 28, 2016

TighTT said:
Any pics of what you did with the lower return? I'm debating just uncorking mine but Im worried about it blasting my sand everywhere.

BTW....you drive an Audi? Which?

Yeah, you should definitely take advantage of it. It's like getting a free powerhead.

The water is cloudy in this pic but you can kind of see how I just ran some schedule 80 straight pipe to around the middle of the tank and then a 90 degree elbow pointed towards the front glass.

And here you can see it through the rock arch...

The Audi is a modified A4 Prestige Quattro in Glacier White.
The only current pic i have...

olaggie01 · Aug 28, 2016

How quickly did you see your cheato start to grow with the Mars light?

d2mini · Aug 28, 2016

olaggie01 said:
How quickly did you see your cheato start to grow with the Mars light?

Pretty much right away.
@Diesel was checking out the "chaeto brick" yesterday.

It's been 5 weeks from small ball to solid brick.

TighTT · Aug 29, 2016

Nice! I'm an Audi nut myself. Here is my big turbo, widebody B5 S4:

d2mini · Aug 29, 2016

TighTT said:
Nice! I'm an Audi nut myself. Here is my big turbo, widebody B5 S4:

Droooool.... and so much irony in that pic. haha
I love wagons... would have gone with the avant if it was still available here.

olaggie01 · Aug 29, 2016

Hey Dennis. What model ozone did you go with? Did it help out your pH? Skimmate darker?

My pH and ORP are very low and my tank is a bit cloudy. Figured that ozone would help with all of thag

d2mini · Aug 29, 2016

olaggie01 said:
Hey Dennis. What model ozone did you go with? Did it help out your pH? Skimmate darker?

My pH and ORP are very low and my tank is a bit cloudy. Figured that ozone would help with all of thag

Ozone doesn't affect my pH. Not noticeably anyway. If anything it just seemed to keep it more consistent. Lows not as low and highs not as high. At least from last week's graph on my Profilux.
Skim does get more gray/black and less brown, but I had to make a pretty hefty adjustment to the skimmer to get it to skim and it's still less skim production than before.
The model is the Posiedon 200 "Black" from BRS.

revhtree · Aug 29, 2016

Dang man you have been busy! I can't wait to see what it looks like when y'all get done!

roryb24 · Aug 29, 2016

SUBIE all the way!! lol nice cars!

d2mini · Aug 29, 2016

olaggie01 · Aug 30, 2016

d2mini said:
Ozone doesn't affect my pH. Not noticeably anyway. If anything it just seemed to keep it more consistent. Lows not as low and highs not as high. At least from last week's graph on my Profilux.
Skim does get more gray/black and less brown, but I had to make a pretty hefty adjustment to the skimmer to get it to skim and it's still less skim production than before.
The model is the Posiedon 200 "Black" from BRS.

Thanks. I went ahead and ordered a unit as well. My water is clearing up a bit over the last few days, but my ORP hovers around 220mV and my pH around 7.7. As long as my ORP climbs and the water clears, I'll be happy. I imagine my tank won't need much ozone similar to yours.

revhtree · Aug 30, 2016

d2mini said:

Cool little guy!

olaggie01 · Sep 1, 2016

Dennis, are you passing your skimmer effluent over any GAC when the ozone is running?

jhmeresqu · Sep 1, 2016

Can you send me the info from amazon on the make and model of the raceway conduits that you used in your build? Thanks, BTW Great build !!!

benapilot · Sep 1, 2016

Here ya go:
StarTech.com AD2X2 2x2-Inch Open Slot Wiring Cable Raceway Duct with Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008VFAP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pqmYxbQNWKG2B

d2mini · Sep 1, 2016

benapilot said:
Here ya go:
StarTech.com AD2X2 2x2-Inch Open Slot Wiring Cable Raceway Duct with Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008VFAP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pqmYxbQNWKG2B

Bingo. Thanks for doing that!

d2mini · Sep 1, 2016

olaggie01 said:
Dennis, are you passing your skimmer effluent over any GAC when the ozone is running?

Nope.
LifeReef skimmers recirculate the ozone.

jason2459 · Sep 1, 2016

d2mini said:
Ozone doesn't affect my pH. Not noticeably anyway. If anything it just seemed to keep it more consistent. Lows not as low and highs not as high. At least from last week's graph on my Profilux.
Skim does get more gray/black and less brown, but I had to make a pretty hefty adjustment to the skimmer to get it to skim and it's still less skim production than before.
The model is the Posiedon 200 "Black" from BRS.

Try injecting less ozone. I've found to much to reduce skimmate production and very little to help quite a bit like a flocculant.

My setup fwiw
http://reef2reef.com/threads/mtc-mvx-skimmer-review.252436/page-4#post-3102276

d2mini · Sep 1, 2016

jason2459 said:
Try injecting less ozone. I've found to much to reduce skimmate production and very little to help quite a bit like a flocculant.

My setup fwiw
http://reef2reef.com/threads/mtc-mvx-skimmer-review.252436/page-4#post-3102276

But why are we so hell bent on using skim production as a way of measuring waste in the aquarium?
The whole point (or one of them) is to break down organics into smaller bits that can be further consumed/used by other organisms in the tank.
So less to skim... No?

I'm injecting very little ozone.