Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > General Interest Forums > New to the Hobby

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #976  
Old 12/11/2006, 04:23 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
Quote:
Originally posted by fishypets
Yes Mike is correct. All colonies were fraged and are now kept at an undisclosed location.
Really? All frags? Clint, that's news to me. That's awesome!! You're a genious.

I'm really liking my 12K ReefLux bulb - a lot. The tank looks so crisp, and without the blue reflection the living room no longer looks like a disco.
__________________
The Dude abides
  #977  
Old 12/11/2006, 04:56 PM
techreef techreef is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West New York, NJ
Posts: 811
Coming home, I walk towards my apartment building, and can see the window next to our tank lit up from the actinics that pop on at 4:30PM. I can't believe the cops haven't knocked on our door to check if we're growing pot.
  #978  
Old 12/11/2006, 07:18 PM
kfowler kfowler is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,095
Quote:
Originally posted by techreef
Coming home, I walk towards my apartment building, and can see the window next to our tank lit up from the actinics that pop on at 4:30PM. I can't believe the cops haven't knocked on our door to check if we're growing pot.
I thought this same thing when looking at the blue hue coming out of my basement window.
__________________
Kevin

"You cannot achieve what you are not willing to pursue."
  #979  
Old 12/11/2006, 07:47 PM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Austin Texas
Posts: 693
Quote:
Originally posted by Dudester
Clint You're a genious.
Thanks
  #980  
Old 12/12/2006, 12:55 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
I'm getting a little tired of dealing with pump seizures. Last night, after the feed mode had completed, the Mag5 sump return pump seized (again). I had a long day and the last thing I wanted to do at 10:30 was remove the pump to clean it, but that's what I had to do. There were minimal visible calcium deposits on the impeller and on the housing where the impeller resides, and I didn't want to take the time to clean the unit in vinegar or muriatic acid, so I cleaned out the pump the best I could and just replaced the impeller with a spare that I had. The malfunctioning impeller shaft was essentially glued into place and wouldn't move up and down like the new impeller shaft is able to do, so there must be some precipitates inside the black impeller housing that I can't see. I'm going to soak this impeller in muriatic acid and see if I can loosen it up a bit, but if I can't then I'm just going to get rid of it.

I tried to put myself on a schedule to clean my Mag pumps and avoid these problems, but this has not been successful. The closed loop pump is on all of the time, even while feeding, so it only stops working after 4-5 months. On an every 3-month schedule I'm pretty sure I can keep this one (a Mag12) going well. The sump return pump, on the other hand, turns off daily with feedings, and it's more susceptible to problems. I looked back on my aquarium log and my sump pump seizes about every 1-2 months. Since setting up the sump 14 months ago, I've had 3 return pump impellers break, and I've cleaned unbroken impellers another 3 times. Does this seem excessive? I'm going to do one of the following:
1. Buy another Mag5 so that if/when a seizure occurs, I can simply replace the entire pump and clean the other one at a convenient time.
2. Clean the pump monthly.
3. Change to a different pump.
Any votes or advice out there? I think a combination of #s 1 and 2 is probably the best option.
__________________
The Dude abides
  #981  
Old 12/12/2006, 01:49 PM
melev melev is offline
TRC Leader
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Ft Worth, Tx
Posts: 25,791
I like one and two. You do drip kalkwasser, and this is one of the ramifications.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS
  #982  
Old 12/12/2006, 01:50 PM
Bax Bax is offline
Keeper of the Hair Algae
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,050
I used to leave my Mag return pumps on and shut off my CLs. It pulled some foods out, but the fish were able to capture more in the lower flow. I think the Mags, especially the smaller ones (i.e. 5 & 7s) will have a more difficult time re-starting against head. Where your CL dose not see the head, only frictional loss.

I don't run a CL at the moment, but my 75 g had a Pan World 50XPX that never gave me a problem in a full year of operation. Cleaned it when I moved. A second CL on that set up used a Mag 9.5 which I had to replace once.
__________________
Click my Red House to check out my 120 in office reef (upgraded in Aug 06)
Seeking therapy for my fish tank ADD
  #983  
Old 12/12/2006, 02:57 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
melev - Glad to see you're still lurking here, Marc. I've pretty much decided that options 1 and 2 are the way to go since I will continue to drip kalk. I actually have a lot of catch-up to do on your thread. I stopped receiving update notices over a month ago, and I find myself back on page 26 .

Bax - Thanks for the info as well. I looked at the Pan World pumps, but the footprint is far too large to fit in the return section of my sump. Guess I'll just have to get some more muriatic acid.

Hey, isn't this thread gonna split soon?
__________________
The Dude abides
  #984  
Old 12/12/2006, 04:55 PM
gkarshens gkarshens is offline
Will work 4 corals
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,908
It must be the Kalk Mike. I am running a mag 9.5 for my return and I have never cleaned it. Of course, I only shut it off for water changes.
__________________
Gabriel

So shoot me!
  #985  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:03 PM
Divetime Divetime is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Florida Gulf Coast
Posts: 179
Great thread by the way, I have been following it for a while

I'll have to agree with gkarshens and melev. I have a mag 5 I ran for probably 5-7 with minimal cleaning....started dripping kalk and not only my mag 5 I use for return but also the mag 3 I have on the Urchin skimmer froze up and required cleaning.

Thanks for all the progress documentation and allowing us to join you along the way
  #986  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:06 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
Quote:
Originally posted by gkarshens
I am running a mag 9.5 for my return and I have never cleaned it.
I am so jealous! I don't think I am willing to do away with dripping kalk, despite its risks and the inconvenience it's causing me. For one, I have no space to store a calcium reactor. Secondly, I don't want to have to add any more 2-part solution than I already add, which is more than the maximum that ESV recommends. I guess I'll just have to adjust to a little more tank maintenance, which really isn't so bad IMO. Hey, it beats pruning bryopsis (been there, done that!).
__________________
The Dude abides
  #987  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:09 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
divetime - We must have posted simultaneously. I think I remember you here in the distant past - glad you've resurfaced. You ran your mag pump for 5-7 what ... months, I presume? What pumps are you using now, still the mags or have you switched?
__________________
The Dude abides
  #988  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:12 PM
melev melev is offline
TRC Leader
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Ft Worth, Tx
Posts: 25,791
13 posts to go. IBTS!!! (In Before The Split!)
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS
  #989  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:23 PM
Divetime Divetime is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Florida Gulf Coast
Posts: 179
I purchased a wet/dry filter that had a mag 5 as a return probably 5-7 YEARS ago and it's been running ever since with no issues.

I recently decided to go from FO to maybe a reef or FO with LR and started dripping kalk. Needless to say once I started doing that both of my mags started to freeze up so I took Melev's advice & started cleaning them every few months in muriatic acid. No more issues
  #990  
Old 12/12/2006, 05:31 PM
techreef techreef is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West New York, NJ
Posts: 811
like i need more crap stuffed in my stand, but can you guys elaborate on calcium reactors? It kind of sounds like if I would add one of those, I wouldn't need to add calcium and alk. supplements. Is that right? I just bought my first corals, so I'm getting up to speed with managing calcium and alk levels now that I have a drain on them.
  #991  
Old 12/12/2006, 06:09 PM
jnarowe jnarowe is offline
2011.5
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 9,742
I just have a Sequence Hammerhead for return and the Vortechs...no need to clean them for running problems but the coraline algae sure lkoves the wet frames! The Hammerhead is on 24/7.
__________________
Jonathan--DIBS Breeder and Card carrying member of the Square Skimmer Brigade
(Click on the Red House to see my pics garage)
  #992  
Old 12/12/2006, 08:12 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
Quote:
Originally posted by techreef
like i need more crap stuffed in my stand, but can you guys elaborate on calcium reactors? It kind of sounds like if I would add one of those, I wouldn't need to add calcium and alk. supplements. Is that right?
You are correct in that you would not need to add any 2-part solutions if you were using a calcium reactor, since this would provide all of the calcium and buffering capacity that your system would need. I'm not going to pretend to be any type of authority on the subject, especially since I've never even used a Ca reactor personally, but the concept is pretty simple. A reactor chamber is filled with a calcium-containing substance, and CO2 gas is pumped into the reactor at a desired rate. The CO2 dissolves and fluidizes the calcium, which is then dripped into the system. The rate at which the CO2 gas is pumped in and the rate at which the calcium-rich solution is added to the system are both controlled so that pH is maintained at an appropriately-selected range. This is an oversimplified explanation, but I think it's correct. Those in the know should feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (which is highly likely). I do know that you'd need to store the reactor as well as a CO2 tank with a regulator and solenoid, and all of these devices occupy space, something that my cabinet sorely lacks. Also, for a small system like mine, it may be considered impractical to use a calcium reactor. With your 90g reef and the RK2, which has the ability to function as a pH controller, you might want to consider this, techreef? Of course you'd still have to find somewhere to hide the equipment, but you could easily build a little box adjacent to your main stand and plumb it in. Just a thought.

jnarowe (Jonathan, is it?) - Could you imagine what a Hammerhead would do to my little tank? I think it would blow the walls right off!
__________________
The Dude abides
  #993  
Old 12/12/2006, 08:49 PM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Austin Texas
Posts: 693
I ran a mag 12 and also dripped kalk and never had a pump failure (knock on wood)

Mike-

When is the BIG tank going to be in?
  #994  
Old 12/12/2006, 08:59 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
Quote:
Originally posted by fishypets
When is the BIG tank going to be in?
Right after they build yours, I guess .

But seriously, the new office opens in the 1st week of February, so the tank has to contain matured and healthy livestock by then. I imagine the actual glass box will be installed in early January.
__________________
The Dude abides
  #995  
Old 12/12/2006, 10:38 PM
melev melev is offline
TRC Leader
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Ft Worth, Tx
Posts: 25,791
That's the right idea, regarding the calcium reactor. For larger tanks, it ends up being more economical plus it greatly helps maintain consistent numbers.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS
  #996  
Old 12/13/2006, 08:55 AM
techreef techreef is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West New York, NJ
Posts: 811
Thanks for the great explanation Dudester. That really clears that up. It's very tempting, but...

Quote:
With your 90g reef and the RK2, which has the ability to function as a pH controller, you might want to consider this, techreef? Of course you'd still have to find somewhere to hide the equipment, but you could easily build a little box adjacent to your main stand and plumb it in. Just a thought.
...i've already got one "little box" adjacent to my stand that conceals the 30G breeder tank that I use to hold 7 days of RODI water and my autotopoff system. (may edge out the RK2 as the best equipment purchase I've made!) Wifey would not be happy to see the little box family grow.
  #997  
Old 12/13/2006, 09:37 AM
Bax Bax is offline
Keeper of the Hair Algae
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,050
Quote:
Originally posted by Dudester

jnarowe (Jonathan, is it?) - Could you imagine what a Hammerhead would do to my little tank? I think it would blow the walls right off!
But think of the flow ....
__________________
Click my Red House to check out my 120 in office reef (upgraded in Aug 06)
Seeking therapy for my fish tank ADD
  #998  
Old 12/13/2006, 10:29 AM
jnarowe jnarowe is offline
2011.5
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 9,742
hehe...what I meant was that I just use the one Sequence for return flow which nets out to about 4200 gph and the rest is from Vortechs. For a 1000g display that is considered by most to be under-flow for the return, but I don't believe that a lot of return flow is needed. Just enough to get the job done.

I think you could alter your pump situation and greatly reduce maintanance and heat issues. Essentially my entire system runs on the one pump, and I have a spare ready if there is a problem. That really cuts down on electrical consumption as well.
__________________
Jonathan--DIBS Breeder and Card carrying member of the Square Skimmer Brigade
(Click on the Red House to see my pics garage)
  #999  
Old 12/13/2006, 12:47 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,522
techreef and Bax -

Jonathan - How would you suggest I alter my pump configuration, I'd love to get your comments? As I see it, I need 1 pump for a return from the sump, and another one running my CL. The only way I can see getting around having 2 pumps is putting another powerhead in the tank, which I don't want to do. The Mag12 running my CL has been pretty low-maintenance, considering I've only cleaned it and/or changed impellers 3 times in the last 15 months. As far as heat, I think I've got that problem solved. The temp probe-controlled fan does a good job of keeping it cool in the summer, and there have been several nights already this winter where my heaters have enjoyed the assistance of the in-sump Mag pump and the CL pump.

Check out this thread about my gigas clam and let me know what you all think. Here's a pic to tease you about the topic.

__________________
The Dude abides
  #1000  
Old 12/13/2006, 12:47 PM
JohnL JohnL is offline
RC Staff
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 5,865
This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=993868
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009