Retirement 150g Tank Upgrade

[intricate_reefer]

Those XR15s will be perfect, do you run the diffusers on your Radions? Those lights are really top notch. Kinda wishing I spent the extra cash and got them over the primes, seems like what all the pros use.

I didn’t see your screen for the other tank and I know you said you want extra support bars but Innovative Marine has a DIY kit for a 48” x 24” that is nice because the corners have little lips on them so you don’t need the extra clips to hold the top, might be worth checking out for a clean look.

Right now I’m playing around with trying a new salt in my chalice tank that is a higher Alk at like 11. I was really interested in trying this salt marketed for lps corals. I just recently started using it so we will see. Is your rock cycled yet? Just the process of cycling will use up some Alk as the bacteria use it during the process.

 

[JoshH]

Hey things are looking gooooodd!!!! What do the corner protectors look like if you don't mind me asking? Are they square or triangular?

 

[Braves Fan]

Hey things are looking gooooodd!!!! What do the corner protectors look like if you don't mind me asking? Are they square or triangular?

They are just a square piece of glass ,, a bit bigger than a pencil ,, maybe 1 1/2 the size of a pencil ,, they silicone them into the corner of the tank ,, will have a part of it on both panels in the corner ,, all it does is prevent you from getting in that corner with a alga magnet ,, some tank makers ,, not Mircales ,, will have the silicone holding those corners come out onto both panels in the corner ,, over time if you hit that silicon with the algae magnet it can ruin the silicone seal ,,

 

[Braves Fan]

Those XR15s will be perfect, do you run the diffusers on your Radions? Those lights are really top notch. Kinda wishing I spent the extra cash and got them over the primes, seems like what all the pros use.

I didn’t see your screen for the other tank and I know you said you want extra support bars but Innovative Marine has a DIY kit for a 48” x 24” that is nice because the corners have little lips on them so you don’t need the extra clips to hold the top, might be worth checking out for a clean look.

Right now I’m playing around with trying a new salt in my chalice tank that is a higher Alk at like 11. I was really interested in trying this salt marketed for lps corals. I just recently started using it so we will see. Is your rock cycled yet? Just the process of cycling will use up some Alk as the bacteria use it during the process.

I am not using the diffusers on my lights ,, I did once before ,, they seem to me to be cheaply made ,, I am sure they do the job ,, they just look cheap and are cheap ,, I will pass on them ,, I like the Radions ,, I know they cost ,, but they are quality equipment ,, I have always bought them and never had a problem with them or the programing that goes with them ,, I like quality equipment that last and works like its supposed to ,, I got the lights mounted today ,, just didnt have the time to get them turned on ,,

I bought some screen from BRS to make my own top ,, I will get one of the good tops down the road ,, I just don't need it right now ,, not planning on getting any high $$ fish anytime soon ,,

I took 6 or 7 pieces of Live Rock I had in the sump tank on the 150g tank ,, it was cycled ,, the 4 or 5 bags of Bio Spears I took out of the 150g were also cycled ,, I did put about 15# of that Marine Depot flat dry rock into the new tank that's not cycled ,, I can pull more Bio Spears out of the 150g if I wanted ,, don't think I will need it though ,, I had 11 or so boxes of those Bio Spears in the 150g sump tank lol

I knew the salt I was using had a high ALK number to it ,, most of the time ,, like doing water changes ,, its not a problem ,, I just skip a day of dosing Alk to a tank before I do a water change ,, it will even it out ,, when you fill up a new tank though ,, you end up with a Alk number of 12 I knew better ,, rookie mistake ,, I was going to make a post to see if there was anything I could add to the tank to lower that ALK number ,, I like to keep my Alk number around 9 ,, I could get away with a lower number in the chalice tank ,, they most likely won't go thru it like a SPS tank would ,,

 

[Braves Fan]

 

[intricate_reefer]

I think that turned out good. Perfect for chalices, plenty of flat spots

 

[cmaxwell39]

Just read through your thread. Your SPS tank has great dimensions to it. I just ordered a 60x30x22 that will have an external overflow as well. The plan is for it to be an SPS dominant reef and I love fairy wrasses so I am sure it will have a few (read too many) of those in there as well. Can't wait to see how the SPS in your tank do with the new scape.

The new chalice tank looks like it is going to be a great setup as well. It is going to look awesome once you get your collection in there. Following along for sure.

 

[Braves Fan]

Broke the Par meter out ,, have the lights dialed in for chalices ,, I think just have to deal with that Alk. number ,, maybe get some of the Reef Crystals in the purple box and do a water change ,, the purple box mixes a low Alk. number ,, I have a tester Chalice frag to put into the tank ,,, a frag I made of one of my larger chalices ,, it was for a friend ,,, he is going to have to wait for it lol with only two lights over the tank ,, it has a low PAR on the ends of the tank ,, maybe a good spot for a mushroom section ,, or I could add a third light ,,

 

[intricate_reefer]

Broke the Par meter out ,, have the lights dialed in for chalices ,, I think just have to deal with that Alk. number ,, maybe get some of the Reef Crystals in the purple box and do a water change ,, the purple box mixes a low Alk. number ,, I have a tester Chalice frag to put into the tank ,,, a frag I made of one of my larger chalices ,, it was for a friend ,,, he is going to have to wait for it lol with only two lights over the tank ,, it has a low PAR on the ends of the tank ,, maybe a good spot for a mushroom section ,, or I could add a third light ,,

Always nice to have the right equipment! How much par are you going to throw at them?

 

[Braves Fan]

Its ranging anywhere from 100 to 150 ,, not sure what I am in for ,, will just take slow and let the Chalice tell me how they like things ,, I have the blues at 100% whites are at 10% maybe a bit lower ,, reds & greens are low also ,, Cherry Corals told me they had Radions over a few of their Chalice tanks and that they would give me their numbers ,, I will send them a message ,, see if they will still do that

I sent the message to Cherry Corals ,, see what they have to say ,, I also saw someone if the For Sale section with some nice looking chalices for sale that look to be grown out on in a frag tank ,, I messaged him about his lighting ,,

 

[Braves Fan]

I am clueless ,, so I went and got a bag of the Purple Reef Crystals ,, its supposed to have less Alk & Calcium in it ,, less of everything really ,, thats why its cheaper ,, always heard its mostly for a fish only tank ,, So I make 40g of new water ,, its about a 80g to 90g system ,, do the water change ,, use the old Salifert test kit ,, its pegged at a Alk number of 15 ,, go get a brand new test kit ,, thinking the test kit might be a problem ,,, it wasn't ,, the water tested at 15 Alk again ,,

 

[Braves Fan]

I am going to get a friend to test the water with his test kit ,, not sure what kind of test kit he uses ,,, I have never ever had this problem with this salt ,,

 

[cmaxwell39]

Did you mix the salt up in the bag/bucket before putting it in your RO water? There can sometimes be some stratification of the different salts during shipping so that it will not mix the same all the way through the salt. Just a thought.

 

[Braves Fan]

Did you mix the salt up in the bag/bucket before putting it in your RO water? There can sometimes be some stratification of the different salts during shipping so that it will not mix the same all the way through the salt. Just a thought.

No I didn't ,, I guess its time to make a switch to another salt ,, I been using this salt since forever ,, can't believe its the test kit ,, LFS is closed on Mondays

 

[Braves Fan]

The problem is the refractometer ,, mine is way off

 

[Falco]

The problem is the refractometer ,, mine is way off

I have been lurking on your thread, love the chalice tank!

I have found with my refractometer I have to calibrate it before EVERY use, otherwise its always a bit off. I use the calibration fluid from BRS and it takes just a few seconds to do before I test my tank water. Hope that helps

 

[Braves Fan]

It was reading 1.25 ,,, it was actually 1.32

 

[cmaxwell39]

The problem is the refractometer ,, mine is way off

It was reading 1.25 ,,, it was actually 1.32

Glad you found the problem. You didn’t have any livestock in the chalice tank yet right? Should just be able to get the salinity down and double check all your parameters.

Now let’s see those chalices start to fill that awesome tank up.

 

[Braves Fan]

I have the salt just about where I want it in the Chalice tank ,, I have 2 Blue Chromis in the tank ,, I moved most of the Chalices to the Chalice tank ,, not where I want them ,, but they are in there ,, I didn't move the nicest ones yet after I moved them ,, gave them some time and then fed them some Reef Roids ,, everyone ate ,,I have a couple of rainbows in a friends tank ,, I will have to see growth in the chalice tank before I move those ,,

The salt in the 150g is at 1.28 or 1.29 ,, it was at 1.29 before I pulled another gallon out of it ,, I will pull more water tomorrow ,,

 

[cmaxwell39]

While it is frustrating to have these little hiccups, always remember that a parameter being less than optimal, but stable is better than getting the perfect number but it changing quickly. Keep bringing the salinity down slowly and you will be fine.

We need pictures of the chalices in their new home.