Wen’s 280 Build

[Wen]

Left the tank to say goodbye to my 99 yr old grandma in Michigan. I’ve been blessed to have spent the last 4 days at her bedside.

The day before leaving, I did a 20% wc, topped off dosing containers, changed socks, cleaned skimmer, water tested and left detailed Tank care notes for our daughters.

Been monitoring the apex and photos they send. (Unfortunately, the nest camera went offline.)

Anyhow, looking for advice on smoothing out the pH graph. Looks like large spike happens around 8-9 pm.

 

[Gablami]

Left the tank to say goodbye to my 99 yr old grandma in Michigan. I’ve been blessed to have spent the last 4 days at her bedside.

The day before leaving, I did a 20% wc, topped off dosing containers, changed socks, cleaned skimmer, water tested and left detailed Tank care notes for our daughters.

Been monitoring the apex and photos they send. (Unfortunately, the nest camera went offline.)

Anyhow, looking for advice on smoothing out the pH graph. Looks like large spike happens around 8-9 pm.

Hey Wen. Sorry to hear about your grandmother, and I’m glad you got to spend some good time with her.

About the pH “spikes” my advice would be not to worry about it. Unless you’re dosing a bunch of alk around that time, I think those swings are normal and in fact, your pH levels look great! I’m not sure whether the house is empty now, but that also frequently can lead to a pH bump given an absence of CO2 producers .

 

[Wen]

Seeing diatoms (I think) on sandbed in photo daughter texted me.
Assuming it’s just because the tank is so young. Should I ask them to stir sand? Anything I should ask them to do for it?
It’s not going to get wc/siphoned till I return in 10 + days...depending on funeral service. I’m usually working on the tank couple hours daily and now I’m 1,500 miles away.

 

[Gablami]

Seeing diatoms (I think) on sandbed in photo daughter texted me.
Assuming it’s just because the tank is so young. Should I ask them to stir sand? Anything I should ask them to do for it?
It’s not going to get wc/siphoned till I return in 10 + days...depending on funeral service. I’m usually working on the tank couple hours daily and now I’m 1,500 miles away.

Again, just my opinion, but I wouldn’t do anything. Diatoms and other phases are inevitable in a new tank. If you have a bacterial bloom, maybe I would say to add a UV sterilizer (just cause it’s so effective). But almost all else, probably just ride it out. It’s like fighting the rising tide. That’s the way I would do it, but obviously lots of opinions out there...

 

[rds85]

Seeing diatoms (I think) on sandbed in photo daughter texted me.
Assuming it’s just because the tank is so young. Should I ask them to stir sand? Anything I should ask them to do for it?
It’s not going to get wc/siphoned till I return in 10 + days...depending on funeral service. I’m usually working on the tank couple hours daily and now I’m 1,500 miles away.

Don't worry about. I still have some small amount of diatoms. Just ride it out. Plus you do not have to look at the ugly diatoms for 10 days on the bright side.

 

[Wen]

Don't worry about. I still have some small amount of diatoms. Just ride it out. Plus you do not have to look at the ugly diatoms for 10 days on the bright side.

I was just on your build thread and going to ask you and @Gablami more about your Geo CA reactors and reg recommendations.

 

[rds85]

I was just on your build thread and going to ask you and @Gablami more about your Geo CA reactors and reg recommendations.

I will be honest here. I have never owned a Geo reactor before and have used 2 part for the majority of my tanks, just due the fact of reef system size. With a large SPS dominant tank in the long run I felt Ca Reactors is the best way to go. Less hassle and can handle a lot of volume.

I am going to go with the carbon doser for the reg. @Gablami recommended me the same, so i would assume he is also going to say carbon doser.

 

[Wen]

Used a Lifereef CA reactor many years, but got tiered of pulling it out of a cramped cabinet to refill media and the little 5lb tank. Then the reg started having problems and that was all i need to buy a DOS and switch to BRS 2part.
Now I am working down 2 5gal buckets of 2 part, dosing 175mL Cal and 105mL of soda ash daily. I have room now for a proper reactor and eyeballing Geo's.

 

[rds85]

Used a Lifereef CA reactor many years, but got tiered of pulling it out of a cramped cabinet to refill media and the little 5lb tank. Then the reg started having problems and that was all i need to buy a DOS and switch to BRS 2part.
Now I am working down 2 5gal buckets of 2 part, dosing 175mL Cal and 105mL of soda ash daily. I have room now for a proper reactor and eyeballing Geo's.

The reviews and people I know love the GEO's. I would do that. I also got a 10lb tank because I am lazy and don't want to refill often.

175ml doesn't seem to crazy yet. On my old 260 I was dosing 415ml ish daily. It is exponential once the corals become colonies.

 

[Wen]

I will be honest here. I have never owned a Geo reactor before and have used 2 part for the majority of my tanks, just due the fact of reef system size. With a large SPS dominant tank in the long run I felt Ca Reactors is the best way to go. Less hassle and can handle a lot of volume.

I am going to go with the carbon doser for the reg. @Gablami recommended me the same, so i would assume he is also going to say carbon doser.

How is a carbon doser different? Will research that next.

I met Geo years ago at LFS here, actually monitored the apex for his tank setup at the LFS. Nice guy and great products, although I've never owned one, maybe in the near future.

 

[Gablami]

I will be honest here. I have never owned a Geo reactor before and have used 2 part for the majority of my tanks, just due the fact of reef system size. With a large SPS dominant tank in the long run I felt Ca Reactors is the best way to go. Less hassle and can handle a lot of volume.

I am going to go with the carbon doser for the reg. @Gablami recommended me the same, so i would assume he is also going to say carbon doser.

Geos are great. Granted it’s the only brand I have experience with. They are well built and simple. Easy to trouble shoot. The only complaint I have heard about them is some people find them noisy. The newest version has been modified by Geo to reduce the amount of gas that’s trapped at the top of the system. You can get prior gen models for cheaper and modify the reactor pretty easily to achieve the same result (a friend and I worked it out). I’ll post it on my thread on of these days once I get to setting up my carx. Yes carbon doser is great. And you’ll need to invest in a good peristaltic pump to run it most consistently.

I’m not sure what amount of two parts you are currently dosing. You can switch to carx if you want to try something new, If you’re getting tired of mixing up new batches of ca and all, if you think that carx will give you more trace minerals. But plenty of amazing tanks that only dose. I’m actually planning on both. Carx for most of the heavy lifting, and automatic two part dosing with dos and trident to top it off.

 

[Wen]

The reviews and people I know love the GEO's. I would do that. I also got a 10lb tank because I am lazy and don't want to refill often.

Yes, I don't want to refill often either. You going to have 2 tanks? One in use and one in reserve?

175ml doesn't seem to crazy yet. On my old 260 I was dosing 415ml ish daily. It is exponential once the corals become colonies.

Good to know!

 

[Gablami]

The reviews and people I know love the GEO's. I would do that. I also got a 10lb tank because I am lazy and don't want to refill often.

175ml doesn't seem to crazy yet. On my old 260 I was dosing 415ml ish daily. It is exponential once the corals become colonies.

Yeah I’ve got two 10lb tanks. One as a backup. Just don’t want to freak out and have an emergency if the tank runs out and I need to get it filled. Not that expensive to have a backup tank to switch out, and refill the empty at your leisure.

 

[Wen]

Yeah I’ve got two 10lb tanks. One as a backup. Just don’t want to freak out and have an emergency if the tank runs out and I need to get it filled. Not that expensive to have a backup tank to switch out, and refill the empty at your leisure.

I agree on 2 tanks.

Got a chuckle about "don't want to freak out...", my goal is to avoid freak outs at almost all costs. haha. Redundancy, extra supplies, emergency plans...it is all about sanity in a crisis and peace of mind when things are running smooth. (meanwhile, I am thinking about all the disasters that could be happening right now while I am gone. haha, cringe.)

 

[Gablami]

I agree on 2 tanks.

Got a chuckle about "don't want to freak out...", my goal is to avoid freak outs at almost all costs. haha. Redundancy, extra supplies, emergency plans...it is all about sanity in a crisis and peace of mind when things are running smooth. (meanwhile, I am thinking about all the disasters that could be happening right now while I am gone. haha, cringe.)

Ah, you’ve got your teenage (I’m assuming) daughter at home watching the tank. What could possibly go wrong?!?

 

[Wen]

Ah, you’ve got your teenage (I’m assuming) daughter at home watching the tank. What could possibly go wrong?!?

Pouring salt in the wound!!! ;Nailbiting jk

 

[rds85]

Wait till you see the cost of the peristaltic pump...

 

[Gablami]

Wait till you see the cost of the peristaltic pump...

LOL good one!

 

[Wen]

As you know, I am 1,500 miles from the tank with no camera, freshly set up Apex and our 2 daughters have been caring for the tank for 1 week.
They did test today and results were:
cal 460
alk 7.4
phos .02
nitrates 2
mag 750 I have asked for a retest.

I also see that the Fluid Monitor on the UV line is gradually losing gpm which I find curious as I have increased the % on that Cor from 2 to 5%. (it's the only thing running on the manifold currently)
Wondering what is causing the decrease. From 128 gpm to 123 gpm.

Daughters also say that the white tail bristletooth is showing some lympho breakout spots, which it does when stressed. Haha, it must miss me.

 

[Wen]

While in Michigan, I stopped by Cherry Corals and picked up a couple acro souvenirs: cherry nova, nuclear sunset milli, Walt Disney and a voodo majik. Was great to see the all beautiful colonies.