Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 26

poppin_fresh · #**626** 12/27/2007, 12:10 AM

I dont know if my Olympus has WB. I really cant get decent color pics.

If it does, whats the best way to use it? Sheet of paper next to the tank?

melev · #**627** 12/27/2007, 12:12 AM

The best method is to put something white in the tank, like a PVC fitting or a piece of white acrylic. Point the camera at that, and set the white balance.

I've thought about drawing a black X on the white acrylic so the lens has something to focus on, because that can be a little frustrating sometimes. Or maybe score a groove in the white acrylic so that everything is white while there is something specific for the camera to 'see'.

Kentanner11 · #**628** 12/27/2007, 12:21 AM

Yea I read that website, but didnt find that exact page. do you think it would still be ok for a tech minded/savvy beginner, only paying 150$ for it from a photographers asst?

Toddrtrex · #**629** 12/27/2007, 12:25 AM

Manual white balance is the main reason I plan on getting a new camera, can never get the colors right with mine. (( has 5 presets for white balance, but.....)). Plus would like to be able to switch lenses. My Olympus digital point and shoot is pretty good, but not for reef pictures.

Alaska_Phil · #**630** 12/27/2007, 01:57 PM

Toddrtrex, I get the same appearance using the "Bright Daylight" preset as I do manual setting my whitebalance. I'm using 50/50 10,000K/Actinic PC's. Unless you're very heavy on the actinic, that should work for you.

Phil

melev · #**631** 12/28/2007, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kentanner11
Yea I read that website, but didnt find that exact page. do you think it would still be ok for a tech minded/savvy beginner, only paying 150$ for it from a photographers asst?

The price is right, and the features are nice. I think it is a good deal. Unless you can stumble upon a Fuji S602z somehow. Those tend to run about $200 on Ebay, I've heard.

spleen93 · #**632** 12/28/2007, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Where are you located Spleen?

Somewhere where you have to fly to get to just about any other place (Hawaii)

And I can't bring the other half along because she'll be two months away from delivering our 2nd child and she'll be REALLY keen about sitting in an airplane seat for 5-6 hours to get to LA in her condition.

Spleen

melev · #**633** 12/28/2007, 01:06 PM

Is there a reef club in Hawaii? I wonder if MACNA will ever be there!

jnarowe · #**634** 12/28/2007, 01:14 PM

nice one Marc...I am UP for that!

melev · #**635** 12/28/2007, 01:59 PM

Yesterday, I had a guest over that drove up from Houston. He wanted to see the tank and just talk about reefkeeping over a few

- something I'm always willing to do.

During the tour, I discovered that my 400w bulb was dead and broken in half. So that was replaced with a new 15,000K XM bulb that I had in my bulb stash.

Later that night, I had to install a Knop Calcium Reactor on a corner reef tank. That took some time due to a lack of space. Later today, I'm picking up a large Acro that I mentioned about a week ago. I really like it although to most people it probably isn't all that interesting. I just have a feeling about it; that it will end up being one of those corals that ends up looking great under my lights. Hopefully I'm right.

jnarowe · #**636** 12/28/2007, 02:18 PM

I had a Victory Stout and a Jolly Roger while talking reefs last night.

melev · #**637** 12/28/2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
I had a Victory Stout and a Jolly Roger while talking reefs last night.

Mine was Jack Daniels & Cherry Coke, but I also received another bottle of Crown Royal in support of my other hobby.

jnarowe · #**638** 12/28/2007, 02:39 PM

JD & Cherry Coke? Nasty dude. Crack the Crown!

purebullet417 · #**639** 12/28/2007, 06:48 PM

its almost time for the jan fts lol

gman0526 · #**640** 12/28/2007, 07:14 PM

How dare you desecrate JD in such a way?

melev · #**641** 12/28/2007, 10:42 PM

After coming across this thread about a DIY denitrifier, I ordered the goods to build one myself.

Here are three pictures of my setup. First, the main three cartridges.

What I did was run about 25' of red tubing before the denitrification system. The first cartridge is some sulfur-based media I got from a friend, and if the bag was what it came in, it is made by Sera.

Next it flows into a refillable DI cartridge filled with ARM. I removed the felt screen at the base, but there is a thick 1" foam block at the base, as well as whatever is at the top of cartridge (some type of white thick stuff). The next refillable cartridge is filled with carbon, with the felt removed at the base.

I tried using a MaxiJet 400, but it just didn't have enough power to push water into the system, so I pulled out an old Maxijet 1200. While digging through my stuff, I found some soft rubber tubing with a funny rubber connection at each end. On the Maxijet end, I inserted a 1/2" piece of flexible tubing (1" long) over the outlet, and then inserted the rubber connection. It fit snugly. The other end I inserted some RO/DI tubing as far as I could.

To avoid any detritus being pumped into the denitrifier, I took the Maxijet and stuck it inside a filter sock. I figured that would be the best way to keep the water pure going into the unit and avoid clogging the media. The sock has quite a bit of surface area, so I'm hoping I'll only need to clean it every few weeks. I have two socks, so I can swap them.

The blue tubing in front of the sock is the output, which I have set to one drip a second. After letting it run for about 2 hours, I took a small water sample (that took about 15 minutes to collect those drips) and tested pH. It was 9.36 (pinpoint meter). Nitrate was under 10ppm coming out, and my system is around 35ppm a couple of days ago.

I do realize it will take a week or so for this to settle in, but I just wanted to post my experience thus far.

-----

I also mounted two of the VorTech Wireless Drivers on my stand finally, as well as the Battery Backup on the wall.

I got a small piece of acrylic that has mirror backing, and mounted that to the wall so I can see the Vortechs as I walk into the fishroom. I check them all the time to make sure they have power, and they always do, but now that they are a little out of sight, I'd like to make sure I don't overlook them accidentally.

-----

The new coral is in my quarantine tank, and will get the interceptor treatment overnight. I'll post pictures of it tomorrow or Sunday.

And oddly enough, ORP is up around 370 which seems pretty unlikely since I don't run Ozone. The skimmer has hardly pulled anything out the past few days. Could my water be that pure?

Reeftanks6 · #**642** 12/28/2007, 10:43 PM

looks great look into my thread and leave advice and follow along

jnarowe · #**643** 12/28/2007, 10:51 PM

could be the probe too. nice work on the denitrifier.

Kentanner11 · #**644** 12/28/2007, 11:14 PM

wow looks good, great idea with the mirror backed acrylic!

jnarowe · #**645** 12/28/2007, 11:46 PM

That really shows the depth of his sickness though, doesn't it?

Kentanner11 · #**646** 12/28/2007, 11:53 PM

lol! ;-)

melev · #**647** 12/28/2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
That really shows the depth of his sickness though, doesn't it?

What, that I found a way to make acrylic useful once again?

jnarowe · #**648** 12/29/2007, 12:23 AM

Just admit you have a problem Marc. That's the first step to recovery. Repeat after me:

"I am Marc, and I am a Reef-a-Holic..."

spleen93 · #**649** 12/29/2007, 05:37 AM

A mirror would have made a neat reef geeky idea to keep an eye on the drivers. The fact that it's a mirror backed acrylic piece is what takes it over the top.

Spleen

CW from the OC · #**650** 12/29/2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
That really shows the depth of his sickness though, doesn't it?

Quoted for truth! You took the words out of my mouth, Jonathon. Too funny!