NeveSSL's 180g Mixed Reef

Joe G · Mar 13, 2014

Great name
I am like some of your friends was in the biz many years but it is very difficult to make a living .
Keep us posted on ur tank build.
It's gonna be real nice when u get it all put together

Dowtish · Mar 13, 2014

NeveSSL said:
As a small update, yesterday I was able to setup an old phone as an IP camera and integrate it into my Apex's Dashboard... kinda fun! And free. Free is good.

Plus, the phone actually does a really, really good job. Its very clear and adjusts to different light levels well, such as when only the blues are on. Really happy with it! Just have to find a place to permanently mount it as right now its being held onto the wall with clamps... ala ToXIc style... haha!

Brandon

I need to do this!

NeveSSL · Mar 13, 2014

Joe G said:
Great name
I am like some of your friends was in the biz many years but it is very difficult to make a living .
Keep us posted on ur tank build.
It's gonna be real nice when u get it all put together

Yes, and it only seems to be getting worse, unfortunately. Thanks for the compliments! I'm really looking forward to having it completely built out... one step at a time, I keep telling myself.

Dowtish said:
I need to do this!

You should! Are you planning on using an old phone? Didn't you upgrade recently?

Brandon

ToXIc · Mar 13, 2014

i need to get one with a better camera

NeveSSL · Mar 13, 2014

I was surprised how well this one turned out.

Brandon

rcmike · Mar 13, 2014

I bought a DLink IP camera for mine. Works pretty well and can pan and tilt. I stuck it on a tripod so when I go on a trip I can put it where I can look around at the sump and frag tank as well.

NeveSSL · Mar 14, 2014

Nice, Mike! That's a great idea with the tri-pod. I'd have to have two cameras to check my sump since its in the garage, but I feel like if the display is fine, the sump most likely is, also.

Brandon

rcmike · Mar 14, 2014

I like to be able to see the water level in the sump just in case something malfunctions and the top off keeps going or stops filling. My sump is currently beside the tank because there wasn't enough room for more than a 10 gal under the stand. It's in the basement so I'm not to worried that it doesn't look pretty.

Jimbo662 · Mar 14, 2014

Which D-link cam are you using? How's the video quality?

rcmike · Mar 14, 2014

It's a DCS 5020L. It's only 640x480 so it's not great but it's enough to tell what's going on.

NeveSSL · Mar 21, 2014

I did 3 days of no lights to beat the dinos back and it seems to have worked quite well. I'm hoping it stays gone, but my gut feeling is that it won't.

I am hoping to get my refugium and bio pellets going this weekend. I may also build a water-change station as I get my peristaltic pumps ready to roll. I may even be able to start auto water changes, soon. I'm thinking about building a stand of 40g breeders to use, but I'm not 100% sure yet. My Brutes are probably fine, but the 40 breeders are more efficient with space use... maybe I could do all 3... two 40 breeders and one 32g brute... I'm going to have to think about this one a bit.

Brandon

NeveSSL · Mar 30, 2014

A little bit of progress this weekend:

Slowly but surely everything is coming together. Big ticket items remaining include finishing the stand, getting the biopellets online, and ordering more fish. I also found one or two flat worms on my glass, so Flat Worm Exit is a must plus ChemiClean to kill these Dino's once and for all, too. Plus a million other things.

Brandon

schooleyosis · Mar 31, 2014

Coming along nicely sir.

Huntor0 · Mar 31, 2014

Great build, just read thru your thread and will be following along.

NeveSSL · Mar 31, 2014

Thanks, guys! Still have a long way to go, but I enjoy the process.

Brandon

NeveSSL · Apr 10, 2014

Small update...

My diamond goby finally made an appearance, and has been venturing out further. I thought this little guy didn't make it, but he did! On the other hand, my tailspot did not make it I don't think... he could be hiding somewhere I've not seen yet, but my gut says he is not. Maybe he'll pop up.

I also received an all-plastic 3/4" solenoid valve to do my ATO. Its normally closed and runs on 12v, so I need an AC adapter, but I thought with it being around water, I"d rather have 12v dc than 120v ac connected to it, even though its easier and cheaper.

Hopefully it will work out well! I'm thinking about putting two in a row as a failsafe. If they fail closed, not a huge deal.

Brandon