My new 335g - Page 15

mpdharley · #**351** 03/17/2007, 08:09 PM

No problem. I just added an Ozone reactor, hoping to chill out the green hair algae some.

mpdharley · #**352** 03/18/2007, 08:32 AM

I meant to add these last night.

This is the ozone reactor I bought. Since it wasn't all that expensive, I decided to buy instead of build:

http://www.fishkeepers.net/pondconne....php?ID=414680

This is a great link to a DIY carbon chamber. I run the output of the ozone reactor through this. The only change I made was to hard plumb the output, for easy removal (in my setup) to change carbon:

Look about half-way down the page http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=9

mpdharley · #**353** 03/24/2007, 05:53 PM

The ozone reactor has been set up for a week now and boy what a difference!

The ozone generator has been running non stop for the last week and now my ORP is at 368 (shooting for about 380 - 385) so I should be in maintenance mode on ozone in a couple of days.

But, the difference can already be seen! I had a couple of corals that I bought from a local reefer that was shutting down his system. In his tank (under 400w MH, I'm under 250 DE), they were white with blue tips and another one was blue. Shortly after being put in my system they browned out.

However, after 4 days with ozone running they started to turn blue again! And some of my other corals are going back to their original blue/purple/tri-color colors as well!

The water also seems to be more clear, to my eye, but that may just be psychosomatic since I know the ozone is running and the output being run through carbon.

I still have a hair algae problem, but I've pulled out a lot of Chaet from my fuge (it was slam packed full!) and I'm about to suck out a lot of the green hair algae, hoping my chaet sucks up all the nutrients (and my skimmer and ozone).

I also need to buy a new phosphate kit as the one I have now (had it for a few months) showed 0 on phosphates! Don't think that is quite right, so I'll buy a new one and double check it.

Once the hair algae is gone, I'll post more pics.

Shaun120 · #**354** 03/30/2007, 06:56 PM

Awesome thread...what a project! Congrats on your effort and the excellent results.

Algae succession is just one of those things all newly set up tanks experience...the hair algae will simmer down, I'm sure. When I moved my 120 I kept about 90% of the water and was just down for 24 hours and I still had a little bout with the hair algae.

Looks great so far!

mpdharley · #**355** 03/30/2007, 07:03 PM

Thanks -- that's pretty much my thoughts (on the algae), but it is a pain to fight!

crázy clowntang · #**356** 04/09/2007, 08:27 PM

Sorry if I ask this stupid question but is hair algae that fuzzy stuff that grows on the rocks and is really dark green. I know I sound dumb but i am a real newbie lol

BOKER420 · #**357** 04/09/2007, 08:46 PM

yep

Pinstripes · #**358** 04/11/2007, 12:09 PM

Im so jealous of this guy. Makes me wanna start my own project just like that but Im an idiot and I know I'll end up quitting. LOL

matthewdmueller · #**359** 07/14/2007, 06:21 AM

So its been a while, any updates to this?

caseyjones · #**360** 07/14/2007, 08:15 AM

i second the notion for updates!

mpdharley · #**361** 07/14/2007, 08:58 AM

Sorry, it's been a little hectic around here. The green hair algae problem is starting to come under control. The problem was, most likely, caused by my base rock leaching phosphates (I had forgotten about the rock possibly doing that).

Other info I have is that the phosphate test kits don't necessarily register all the phosphates in the water, so my reading of 0 was incorrect. You need a low range tester to correctly test for all the phosphates (from what I'm told). Regardless, running the phosphate remover for the past few weeks has definitely helped and the hair algae is starting to die.

The remover I'm using is RowaPhos and I've also switched to Rowa's Calcium Reactor media (from ARM). I've heard rumblings (some say backed up by tests from low range phosphate tests) that ARM is leaching phosphates into the water. I don't know if it is true, but several people I have talked to have had their tanks improve after switching off of ARM (to Rowa's media) and other folks I trust have had the best results using RowaPhos for phosphate removal. So, I went with it and it is working.

I figure I've got about another month until it is mostly gone and everything else under control. At that point, I'll start slowly adding new fish (QT first, of course) and new corals (also QT first).

Other things are starting to calm down and I'm hoping to have more time to dedicate to the tank beyond the hair algae problem and just keeping things running, which will mean more updates, including, doing the finish work on the stand. It still needs to have a finish skin/covering put on it.

The last posted pictures are still the best, although I did lose my CBB. I just couldn't get him to eat, even though I had him for months. So, time to think of another way to get rid of glass anemones.

kolokefalo · #**362** 07/14/2007, 10:14 AM

Fantastic tank!! I do have one question:

On your plumbing returns I noticed you have a kind of "extended" 90 degree pvc for the 90 degree turns. What is it called and where can I order it?

ROWA is a nicer media than ARM for reactors. If you have any ARM left grind it up and drop it in a shot glass and add some phosphate test solution and watch what happens....

mpdharley · #**363** 07/14/2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kolokefalo
Fantastic tank!! I do have one question:

On your plumbing returns I noticed you have a kind of "extended" 90 degree pvc for the 90 degree turns. What is it called and where can I order it?

ROWA is a nicer media than ARM for reactors. If you have any ARM left grind it up and drop it in a shot glass and add some phosphate test solution and watch what happens....

Thanks. The extended 90 is a "sweep". I got them at Home Depot. I think Lowe's also carries them.

I gave all the leftover ARM I had to an LFS. They were going to do some testing. I may have to get some back and try your suggestion

utdrmac · #**364** 07/14/2007, 09:42 PM

looks great. i need to be sure and do this much planning when I get into my new house.

Ehaze · #**365** 07/14/2007, 10:36 PM

will you please post a bit of pic of your sump

nynex · #**366** 10/19/2007, 09:05 PM

Any Updates?

rafael13 · #**367** 10/20/2007, 04:51 AM

yeah, we need more pictures.... please!!!??

mpdharley · #**368** 10/20/2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ehaze
will you please post a bit of pic of your sump

Here you go. It's hard to get some clear pictures with everything in there now, but if you are looking for something particular, let me know and I'll try to get a shot of it:

Mike

mpdharley · #**369** 10/20/2007, 01:41 PM

Well, I've about got the hair algae problem beat and I just upgraded my lights Coralvue 400watt electronic ballasts with the Reeflux 12k bulbs. So far I really like the bulbs and the ballasts. I've wired up the ceiling fan in the room to a timer so it comes on when the lights come on. So far, with this setup, I haven't had to run my chiller!

Right now though, I have cut back my photo period and put screening up to help the corals adjust to the more intense lights.

I'll post pics tomorrow, with the lights on.

Mike

mountaindew · #**370** 10/20/2007, 11:13 PM

Mike, Nice Build! a few man hours went into this project. I love the DIY threads and this one is a great read! keep posting and good luck!

mpdharley · #**371** 10/21/2007, 06:52 AM

Yea, it was only a couple of hours! I learned a ton from the other DIY threads, which made this possible.

RuhiA · #**372** 10/21/2007, 11:33 AM

Well... thanks for killing my Sunday morning

I was about to go to my workshop and work on the stand but opted to read this from the very beginning. I learned quite a bit. Thanks again for sharing.

mpdharley · #**373** 10/21/2007, 01:07 PM

LOL...I've done that same thing many a time with some of these threads :-)

josephatmbibank · #**374** 10/21/2007, 04:29 PM

All I can saw is WOW!!

mpdharley · #**375** 10/21/2007, 05:28 PM

Thanks!

As promised, here are some updated shots. I took these kind of quick, halftime was about over, so I didn't do any color adjustments. It was also a pain taking pictures around the screen that I have on the tank to help adjust for the new 400 watt lights.