Trying New Things

[vanmle]

Well, last week, thanx to Kirsten's prodding, I hooked up my ozone unit. It was way easier and less scary than I thought. ORP is running about 370. My water is looking terrific, and I can't believe that I have not done it sooner. My corals are getting lighter due to the increased light penetration.

However, I am not getting more skimmage as I expected. It seems to be about the same as before.

I also have a confession: I completed hooking up my RO/DI unit and today was the first day I used RO water in my tank. I used two gallons to do the top-off. Previous to today, it was straight tap water. For the most part, my fish and corals were doing pretty well, but I want to improve the situation.

Next up: I will hook up my calcium reactor and automatic control units. Amazing what you can do in this hobby. And after that, I am going to try the peralistic pumps for auto top-off. Sooner or later, I will get there.

[aztbs]

Quit messin' with that little tank and set up the BIG ONE!!!!! :lol:

j/k Glad to hear of the improvements. How's that superman frag doing? I saw a picture of his original colony when he got it and it was amazing. I hope your frag comes around and colors up.

oh, and lets see some pictures.

[vanmle]

Hi Tiffanie,

BTW, please thank Bill for his help. Once he gave me the explanation, things fell into place and I could hook up my RO/DI. It finally made sense. The membrane is fine. Takes 700 TDS to about 35-40 TDS. DI is no good though and needs to be replaced.

Superman looks great. Some people like it better than my original superman, guaranteed to be the real superman.

The blues are coloring up and the polyps are gradually turning red. It is no longer brown.

[kirstenk]

Things will continue to improve as you get rid of the tap water. Did the ozone take out the tint in your water?

[Philwd]

Wow. You'll get there Van. I couldn't do without my perstaltic top off, AC jr control unit and dosing pump. Especially with my trips

I want to do ozone too but its down the list from finishing off my Vortech set, possibly new reflectors and new wrasses.

[vanmle]

Kirsten: Yes, it did and others noticed too. I really like ozone , but I have to adjust my skimmer more now. Skimming isn't as stable as it was without ozone. In my new tank, no tap water, especially now that I have not one but two RO/DI units.

Phil: You want to get new reflectors? Don't you have top of the line reflectors?

Van.

[aztbs]

How is your PH? Did you have any change when you started the ozone?

[clkwrk]

PH isn't effected from what I have seen in the last year I have been using ozone.

[Philwd]

No my reflectors were not top of the line but adequate enough. I do like the fans in the pendant though. But they give a fairly narrow band of high light which is why I use 3 over a 5 ft tank. I was thinking of the new Lumenarcs(or is the Lumenmax??) for DE bulbs. Gives a much more rectangular light output.

[phlipper84]

skimmate really is totally variable with the ozone. Not really sure why. I blame it on the fact that the ozone may be oxidizing the waste before it reaches the skimmer. But that is my uneducated guess. I do know that I am holding at a pretty level 410 ORP. Water is crystal clear and couldn't really be happier.
I was a firm tap-water user for years. You know, what you don't know can't hurt you! I encountered a monster phospate increase, and finally hooked my ro/di unit up. I sure felt dumb for not doing it sooner.

[vanmle]

Phil: I love my lumenarc. I did not know they made lumenarcs for DE bulbs.

I increased my ORP to 380 yesterday. I am glad I am not the only with variable skimmage output. We'll see. I do feel better that I have an RO unit hooked up and using it.

[phlipper84]

I have my ozone set to shut off at 360. That is as low as I would like to see my ORP go. It also tends to insure that I am not Overdosing with ozone.