Mattgsa 315 gallon build

mrbh22 · Nov 5, 2021

what are you using to add the CO2? are you using a carbondoser? what kind of regulator is what i think im getting at. i also looked back a couple pages and didnt see the calcuim reactor. i have limited useful knowledge about setting them up. i have one of the vertex ones but i didnt get to have it up for long before i broke the old system down *for a move)

mattgsa · Nov 5, 2021

mrbh22 said:
what are you using to add the CO2? are you using a carbondoser? what kind of regulator is what i think im getting at. i also looked back a couple pages and didnt see the calcuim reactor. i have limited useful knowledge about setting them up. i have one of the vertex ones but i didnt get to have it up for long before i broke the old system down *for a move)

I'm using an Aquarium Engineering Calcium reactor. The control model didn't work from day one, so I sent it back and created my own. Since it is an ACR the CO2 is controlled by a float switch. I'm thinking about switching to a Reef Octo reactor.

mrbh22 · Nov 5, 2021

im not familliar with the ACR stuff. I assume its supposed to peg the PH and then you adjust the flow to get the effluent to where you want it to be so you arent having too many variables to fight with. i had luck with the carbondoser pegging the PH and then running the Kamoer at a decent flow rate and adjusting accordingly.

im assuming im going to have to run a larger CAL RX for my bigger system. i will most likely run some form of Kalk, 2 part and CAL RX at some point in this adventure. keep us posted on what you decide to do about a the Reef octo RX

ScottB · Nov 6, 2021

mattgsa said:
I'm using an Aquarium Engineering Calcium reactor. The control model didn't work from day one, so I sent it back and created my own. Since it is an ACR the CO2 is controlled by a float switch. I'm thinking about switching to a Reef Octo reactor.

I ran the AE CaRx for about a year. Had to fiddle with it a few times but did OK. I just couldn't keep my pH at a reasonable level with already high ambient CO2 in my basement. In the end, I actually over-pressurized it messing with the regulator and it is dead.

I have since gone back to ESV 2-part and added a large Octo kalk stirrer. This cut my dosing in half from 1/2 a liter per day, which was unacceptable from a maintenance perspective. Now my pH chart is beautiful and my ALK is quite stable.

mattgsa · Nov 9, 2021

All the new coral are still alive and looking good. I have managed to keep the three critical elements stable despite all the CalRX problems. I discovered the float switch or the Clippard valve stopped working. I'm going to owe @Dennis Cartier lunch for all his help getting this thing to work. I have even ordered more parts. One of these days I'll get a camera that can take decent pictures.

mattgsa · Nov 9, 2021

I was staring at the new corals tonight, and the new ones have already started to encrust

cmaxwell39 · Nov 9, 2021

That's awesome. Sometimes it is the little things in reefing.

mattgsa · Nov 10, 2021

Here are some bad Iphone pictures

GBRsouth · Nov 11, 2021

Nice pieces! Love that Goniopora!

ScottB · Nov 11, 2021

The third pic down, the bright yellow piece, who dat?

mattgsa · Nov 11, 2021

ScottB said:
The third pic down, the bright yellow piece, who dat?

I believe that is the RR Pink Floyd. The inland cyclops is much more yellow, with brown polyps.

ScottB · Nov 11, 2021

mattgsa said:
I believe that is the RR Pink Floyd. The inland cyclops is much more yellow, with brown polyps.

Nice. Is this from FarmerTy?

mattgsa · Nov 11, 2021

ScottB said:
Nice. Is this from FarmerTy?

Yes it is.

mattgsa · Nov 11, 2021

I have never been one who loves soft corals, but this Goni is sure making me reconsider my position on them

I'm going to spend the weekend attempting to get the AE reactor working, if I can't I will have a video of it getting smashed with a sledgehammer, and I will order a new Dastco reactor. The wife has approved the reactor I want. Like I have stated before, I have an amazing wife.

cmaxwell39 · Nov 11, 2021

Gorgeous corals. There is something about the flowing polyps of LPS and soft corals that can just be mesmerizing, but I am an SPS guy through and through. Love all the acros.

Hopefully you can get the reactor working at least so that you can try to sell it to help fund the dastco.

mattgsa · Nov 11, 2021

cmaxwell39 said:
Gorgeous corals. There is something about the flowing polyps of LPS and soft corals that can just be mesmerizing, but I am an SPS guy through and through. Love all the acros.

Hopefully you can get the reactor working at least so that you can try to sell it to help fund the dastco.

I'm with you, I love Acros. The only reason I got the Goni's is that I wanted to see if the clowns would mate with it since I don't want to put an anemone in the tank.

mattgsa · Nov 17, 2021

I'm starting to get tufts of what looks like hair algae. This doesn't really alarm me, since my nutrients are up. That being said the corals are all loving it. So this just means I need to get more clean-up crew for the tank. right now I'm thinking of a lawnmower blenny. I would get more crabs but they just eat all my snails, so I don't think I will order any of those. I'm also going to see if I can get an urchin or two.