OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef - Page 21

Hop · #**501** 10/25/2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
somehow I missed it...you have to do a broadcast PM when you start a new thread dude.

It's just a quiet build thread. Hopefully it will start picking up steam in a few months. Waiting for everything to settle in. The exciting parts will likely be after the first of the year when things balance out and the new livestock starts going in!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1216418

jnarowe · #**502** 10/25/2007, 07:21 PM

Well I remember a lot of the early pics. Must have gotten unsubscribed somehow!

Hop · #**503** 10/25/2007, 07:31 PM

A lot of pics are from the old build, but I think that they still had merit in order to bring the new build to light. Paint the full picture I guess

sherm71tank · #**504** 10/27/2007, 08:45 PM

Wait till you guys see what Jonathan did with his skimmer today! Holy Smokes that thing is kickin'! Great job on that fine pore manifold btw! I told you it was going to blow the top off that thing!!!!!!

jnarowe · #**505** 10/27/2007, 09:06 PM

shhhh, dammit...I can't get the thing to calm down. I am going to have to do surgery on that hartford loop tonight. can't find my USB cable to upload the pics either....maybe I'll have another beer and look for it in the yard?

sherm71tank · #**506** 10/27/2007, 09:12 PM

Ha HA HA HA !!! That's great dude! Maybe you left it at the restaurant? I'll be happy to swap stories with you!

jnarowe · #**507** 10/27/2007, 09:51 PM

Well I cut 4 inches out of the loop and it still blew its top wide open,. I have it throttled back to about 3/4 water flow and it is behaving itself right now. The foam this thing is producing is wicked. Still no USB cable...I can't believe I cannot find one!

jnarowe · #**508** 10/27/2007, 11:49 PM

So I went into the store and found a USB cable to use...

Here are the shots.

Yes, that is 8 x 9" Aquatic-Eco fine pore stones...and the manifold weighs about 25 lbs.

I also mounted the Alita 100 above the water level for safety and a better, more direct flow of air. This alone is giving me a lot more air than how I had it before. The stones add some serious air producing surface area as well.

Based on what Sherman said, this seems to be a marked improvement. I just need to lower the water level another inch so I can run the water flat out.

And I have to give Sherman credit where it's due. I had purchased these new stones about 6+ months ago, and could not get past the whole design phase. I was caught up in designing a large port that would allow the manifold to be pulled out the side of the skimmer, but this required some serious acrylic work including a laminated port area to accept the screws, and a routed gasket install. Then one day, Sherman said, "why don't you just put a bulkhead in?"...I was a little surprised at my own idiocy to be honest. My whole scheme revolved around this stupid port, and all I needed to do was a bulkhead, since the top comes off the skimmer anyway.

Oh well, I certainly am glad he spoke up rather than be amused by my rediculous plan!

This thing is kickin' butt!!

pcostanzo · #**509** 10/28/2007, 06:59 AM

Very nice Jonathan. So the gray pvc can come apart on the inside of the skimmer and you can pull up the manifold when its time to change the airstones?

jnarowe · #**510** 10/28/2007, 10:16 AM

Because of the weight of the stones, the entire unit is glued up except for the end stone elbows. But the entire unit can be lifted out to replace stones. All I have to do is lower the water level slightly and undo the bulkhead.

I don't expect to have to do that though, as these are top quality stones. The stated method for dealing with the stones is to just soak them in muriatic acid. I have the old stones in vinegar right now, so we will see what if anything that does.

mrcrab · #**511** 10/28/2007, 03:52 PM

Very nice Jon.

Hey, question for you. Why is your skimmer body cleaner than your viewing panes?

dhnguyen · #**512** 10/28/2007, 03:57 PM

^^

jnarowe · #**513** 10/28/2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrcrab
Very nice Jon.

Hey, question for you. Why is your skimmer body cleaner than your viewing panes?

OUCH!!

Well I feel motivated to clean the glass up now that the tank is back to normal. And one thing I noticed is that when I fired up the skimmer with the new stones, it actually got cleaner. I also see the repetitive track marks in the skimmer coraline of what is probably a chiton. There are a lot of limpets in there, but i don't think they leave tracks like that.

ORP is looking better too. Anyone have an opinion on the stone orientation? Like should they be mounted square or on a diagonal? So like this: [] or like this: <> ???

sherm71tank · #**514** 10/28/2007, 05:47 PM

How about this way?

jnarowe · #**515** 10/28/2007, 05:50 PM

HURL.

dhnguyen · #**516** 10/28/2007, 06:30 PM

Dude Sherman... You have got to lay off the juice for a bit

sherm71tank · #**517** 10/28/2007, 06:34 PM

I did last night for 3 hours. What more do you want?

mrcrab · #**518** 10/28/2007, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
Anyone have an opinion on the stone orientation? Like should they be mounted square or on a diagonal? So like this: [] or like this: <> ???

I think it's good the way it is but could be better if the bottom and top rows were in between each other as opposed to on top of each other like you have them.

_ _ _ _
>_ _ _ _

Something like this.

mrcrab · #**519** 10/28/2007, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sherm71tank
I did last night for 3 hours. What more do you want?

You only sleep for 3 hours or did you just take out the IV drip for that long?

dhnguyen · #**520** 10/28/2007, 06:51 PM

True but since he glued the entire thing already, redoing it may not be worth it. I'd leave it alone.

dhnguyen · #**521** 10/28/2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrcrab
You only sleep for 3 hours or did you just take out the IV drip for that long?

Maybe the doser was busy dosing his tank for 3 hours?

jnarowe · #**522** 10/28/2007, 06:54 PM

Actually, there's no way to stagger them as there just isn't enough room inside the skimmer. I was originally going to do that, or actually only have one level, but these stones are gigantic! Take a look at the pics again and you'll see what I mean...

Next project is to seriously upgrade my mechanical filtration.

Sparkss · #**523** 10/28/2007, 07:11 PM

looking good Jonathan. So how much did your ORP improve with just the new stones ? Also, did you check to see if your power consumption went up or down with the new setup ?

sherm71tank · #**524** 10/28/2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrcrab
You only sleep for 3 hours or did you just take out the IV drip for that long?

Sleep? What is that?

jnarowe · #**525** 10/28/2007, 07:48 PM

Hey Tom, ORP is up an average of about 25 points right now, but we'll see what it does long term. I didn't think about the power issue. It was using 120W prior (which is what the pump is rated at), and now it is using 105.5W...Seems strange to me.