Gilroy 425g Build Thread (All Apex, all the time)

[mmw64]

You really can't go wrong with Neptune Aquatics for a LFS. They are in San Jose and are closest to me. Be sure to tell them Terence sent you. I also buy online from a variety of the usual places. When in SoCal I always like to drop into the candy store of my hometown stomping grounds of the San Fernando Valley - namely Unique Corals.

Thank you so much. I have been really disappointed with local shops and even ones closer to the Bay.

 

[mmw64]

You really can't go wrong with Neptune Aquatics for a LFS. They are in San Jose and are closest to me. Be sure to tell them Terence sent you. I also buy online from a variety of the usual places. When in SoCal I always like to drop into the candy store of my hometown stomping grounds of the San Fernando Valley - namely Unique Corals.

Mind telling who your favorite on line vendors are?

 

[Terence]

I have probably used most of the major vendors at one time or another. I just got my flipper magnet algae scraper from saltwateraquarium.com, I love the bulk carbon and 2-part and the dual cartridge carbon/gfo reactors from BRS, and because I am in CA it is hard to beat the wide variety of gear MarineDepot has and it's always just two days away. I usually stick to those three but not because I have had any negative experience at some of the others.

 

[Terence]

OK, you guys really push me. Thanks for those words Damion - it helped me make some serious progress today.

A whole bunch of projects worked on today.

- I finally put the float valve and pick-up bulkhead in the ATO tank lid. There is a bunch more I am going to do with these for making saltwater, but this is the first step so I can get a basic ATO going and also keep from forgetting to turn off the valve and have it overflowing two days later!
- My drain pipe was too close to the edge of the sump so when it got too dirty it would overflow and splash out of the sump. So, I made a couple of pipe mods for the drain and made an impromptu device to hold the filter sock vertical.
- I installed the DŌS and connected it to the Calcium Reactor on one pump and the other I will be using for ATO - at least for a while.
- I installed my BRS twin reactor and connected it to the manifold. I filled both with carbon - I like crystal clear water! At some point down the road I may switch one to GFO.
- I had to install another check-valve in the CO2 tubing as the one that was there was allowing backflow up the tube.

Here are some pics.

 

[Terence]

The first data is in, so you can start to see how we could look at the CR-Effluent dosed into the tank as well as the CO2 solenoid activations and corresponding dips on pH. In this example the large dip of pH is because I had the Solenoid on CO2 on manually for a bit as I was fixing the check valve and then forgot about it. So it dropped to below 6.2 so I needed to turn on the dosing pump a lot to get the pH back up. Subsequent to that, I have 20ml of tank water being pushed in every minute. We will see what this does to the numbers and test the effluent dKh tomorrow and see how things look.

 

[Terence]

Also, here is the first pass on some simple programming and profile for the DŌS that does the above.

 

[Terence]

Well no one caught my mistake yet. The profile is set for four hours and my timing for it in my outlet programming is for every six hours. Going to change that now.

 

[psirex]

Well the important thing is that it was caught

 

[cb684]

Right, but would not that just stop on the 240th dose without any major damage? Also, why not doing that all throughout the day with slightly smaller doses? I mean, why setting up a profile instead just using the fusion interface for the DO

 

[Terence]

OK, two mistakes. Forgot the Set OFF as well.

Here is the next take on it. Other experts (Russ?) can chime in if I am missing something here.

 

[Terence]

Right, but would not that just stop on the 240th dose without any major damage? Also, why not doing that all throughout the day with slightly smaller doses? I mean, why setting up a profile instead just using the fusion interface for the DO

The reason I am not using the wizard is because I want to have more control over the dosing schedule. When you do it the other way, it may have some gaps in there at the end of cycle and you have to play with the volume number to get it smoothed. For normal dosing this makes no difference. For a calcium reactor it would be more of an issue.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Thanks for the updates!!

 

[cb684]

The reason I am not using the wizard is because I want to have more control over the dosing schedule. When you do it the other way, it may have some gaps in there at the end of cycle and you have to play with the volume number to get it smoothed. For normal dosing this makes no difference. For a calcium reactor it would be more of an issue.

Got it. I use my DOS for 2 part dosing and did not realize there were gaps. I do have a CaR in another system but ended up using a Stenner pump because I was afraid of using a DOS for such large daily volumes. How frequently are you planning to replace the head of the DOS using this intensely (a little over 5 gallons/day)?

 

[Terence]

The gaps are minimized in the algorithm, but some permutations may make them larger than others.

At slow speeds the DŌS heads are more durable. I think I may need to change it out at six months to a years time.

I like being able to see the dosing amounts on my charts (overlaying Solenoid, dosing, Reactor pH, and tank pH) and also the ability to fine tune the amount via my phone at any time I wish.

 

[Terence]

I was doing some sound, flow, and power testing this weekend with our WAV and the MP40. I really do not get the whole "no wires" thing. Maybe on an in-wall tank, or with a back wall or side wall (where there is no viewing) it makes sense, but in situations where you want to look at your aquarium from the side (like mine) it just ain't right.

 

[mmw64]

I have probably used most of the major vendors at one time or another. I just got my flipper magnet algae scraper from saltwateraquarium.com, I love the bulk carbon and 2-part and the dual cartridge carbon/gfo reactors from BRS, and because I am in CA it is hard to beat the wide variety of gear MarineDepot has and it's always just two days away. I usually stick to those three but not because I have had any negative experience at some of the others.

I LOVE B.R.S. One more question. Do you purchase coral and fish on line and if so from where?

 

[Sabellafella]

I dont get it either, i was explaining this to my girlfriend last night as i try my hardest to have the outside of my tanks look nice and neat, the magnet for the pump is already an eyesore to me, atleast intank i hide my wires with rubblerock and glue

 

[Terence]

I LOVE B.R.S. One more question. Do you purchase coral and fish on line and if so from where?

I think that there are a few that stand out for me - cherrycorals.com, zooanthids.com, uniquecorals.com, liveaquaria.com, worldwidecorals.com (for the name brand hottest stuff)

 

[Terence]

Oh, and in case anyone wondered how the skimmer has broken in and is performing, here are some pics. The second one shows how well the neck cleaner works - too bad there isn't an extended length squeegee paddle.

 

[ithk21620]

Oh, and in case anyone wondered how the skimmer has broken in and is performing, here are some pics. The second one shows how well the neck cleaner works - too bad there isn't an extended length squeegee paddle.

I see in one of your other pictures you have an ozone generator. Assuming you have it going to your skimmer, have you seen any ill effects with the neck cleaner? I have the same neck cleaner and it says that it isn't ozone safe. Not sure why it isn't but it has drove me away from running ozone since adding the neck cleaner.