Diggler's Weird 90 Gallon Reef Tank

[DirtDiggler2823]

As you later transition into diffent lights and led, you’ll appreciate it.

You can also watch the new t5 s as they break in , operate and then degrade over time.

Not to mention take it to the lfs to estimate how much light they use.

They are used, so I'm not quite sure what shape they're in. The plan was to use the current ones until I was ready to introduce corals, then get new bulbs. I think for a fish FOWLR tank, which is what this one will ultimately begin as, the lights should be just fine. I will get the tester you mentioned, and even baseline what I have now, but I'm not trusting these particular bulbs to any corals. I would like to keep RFAs at some point though.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

They are used, so I'm not quite sure what shape they're in. The plan was to use the current ones until I was ready to introduce corals, then get new bulbs. I think for a fish FOWLR tank, which is what this one will ultimately begin as, the lights should be just fine. I will get the tester you mentioned, and even baseline what I have now, but I'm not trusting these particular bulbs to any corals. I would like to keep RFAs at some point though.

Those bulbs are all of the correct spectrum.

You have a good plan. The meter will help along the way.
You can even buy one new bulb at a time and not the difference.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Those bulbs are all of the correct spectrum.

You have a good plan. The meter will help along the way.
You can even buy one new bulb at a time and not the difference.

It'll probably be fairly dramatic, but I think I'll swap all 4 at once and just be done with it for a while.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Those bulbs are all of the correct spectrum.

You have a good plan. The meter will help along the way.
You can even buy one new bulb at a time and not the difference.

Now I gotta figure out what 4 bulb set to get.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

1 coral plus, 2 blue plus, and 1 purple should be good?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup

1 coral plus, 2 blue plus, and 1 purple should be good?

Yup

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Yup

Yup

Sweet. Thanks!

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Well, one of the fittings on the UV sterilizer cracked and I lost a bunch of water on the floor, which means I had to empty the entire tank so I could move it and clean the carpet. Total bummer, but at least the fitting is replaceable and the tank itself is intact. First major snag thus far, but it may provide an opportunity to improve how I built this thing.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Ugh. Hate when a small job becomes a huge job. Happens too often for me.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Ugh. Hate when a small job becomes a huge job. Happens too often for me.

Gives me a chance to hard plumb the sterilizer, but I have to buy more salt now.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Gives me a chance to hard plumb the sterilizer, but I have to buy more salt now.

LOL! Reefers.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

LOL! Reefers.

Every problem is an opportunity for a new solution.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

So there is a silver lining to my UV sterilizer leaking. I just got dressed to head out to Lowes or Home Depot to hard plumb this sucker, when I decided that I should take the sterilizer with me to ensure the threads were good with what I was planning on buying. I didn't want to take the thing with all the cords and weight, so I pulled the part that powers the light. The bulb was wet! I remembered this happening before and even though I did a bunch of maintenance on it to make sure it was good, this particular unit is a failure. Good thing all of this happened before stocking it. Now I've bypassed where the sterilizer would go, and it's a simply loop with a small pump just to add a little extra flow. I have to look at this entire fiasco as me dodging a huge bullet, by getting hit by a much smaller one. Talk about luck!

 

[Diamond1]

Good catch on the UV sterilizer.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Good catch on the UV sterilizer.

Yeah. Dodged a serious bullet on that one. Now I can refill and start over.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

When you build a solution and forgot that you build it, then take it apart and start building it again, but dumber only to remember that you've already built it so just put everything back the way it was.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Is this enough surface agitation? Also, is my ammonia badge showing ammonia?

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Tank is testing for nitrate already, time to..... do something, not sure what though..... still need salt, as water is at 1.015ish.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Mixing station is almost done.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

DIY optical sensor holder. I have enough acrylic to make an ugly probe holder as well as a dosing tube holder. I might just buy one. I've never threaded anything before.