Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread

[melev]

Steve, try dipping them in food dye. Let's get the colors WE want.

[H2OLUVSME]

Originally posted by melev
Did you lose your entire home to the fire? What caused it?

So what is the perfect fish for your office tank? Got a picture?

Go drill that 180g so it'll be ready for your next reef.

I didnt loose my home luckily. The fire was caused by my lighting hood. The most likely cause (after loads of research) was the end cap catching fire. I lost the 75, one wall in my house, and the ceiling in that room. All the walls/ceilings in the whole house were stained and the carpet was ruined. We lost all of our furniture as well. It was all smoke damage. Luckily all my furry animals (3 cats and a dog) made out with minimal problems, but I lost almost my entire gecko and dart frog collection.

The worst part was insurance. They got out of paying for our furniture on a stupid technicality. We were renting up until december of 2005. In january 2006 we got our names put on the deed and got into a rent to own type of deal. Since our name was on the lease the insurance company denied our claim because even though we only own 1%, "if we are on the lease, we are not renters". Pretty shady, but what can you do?

We have recovered and have replaced most of our furniture, so Im getting close to being ready for a new reef.

The 180 will defiantly be drilled. Ive got some pretty intense plans for circulation that will call for a swiss cheese tank of sorts Hopefully it holds water when I get done with it

Im sorry to hear you had a fire. I missed it in the thread. I only visit RC about once every couple of months and havent posted in a while. I usually check your thread, but only go back 3 or 4 pages (a couple of hours worth on this thread ), so thats how I missed you fire. Im guessing everything is taken care of now though.

As far as my perfect fish, Im still in the wind. I may just print out some pics and let the office decide from my choices. Its a 75 with a purple psuedochromis, 6-line, and a pink spot goby/tiger pistol shrimp combo. Im leaning towards and arc eye hawkfish, but would like something a little brighter. Its got some softies in there and we d like to get into LPS at some point, so I want it to be a safe fish. Ill come up with something. Just browsing pics on RC has given me ideas about a whole bunch of fish that I had forgot about :P

[melev]

Landon, that's horrible that the insurance wouldn't cooperate. I guess that is everyone's worst nightmare. Argh. VHO's can be dangerous if they aren't installed perfectly, imho. I've seen a few and was able to warn the owner to make alterations to avoid arc-ing issues.

Swiss cheese, eh? There's a tank that looks just like that in the RC Blogs. You should check it out.

My fire wasn't even that. I got very lucky. Basically there was a burning electrical smell that I couldn't locate in the house. I kept thinking it was my monitor. My son stopped by and he smelled it as soon as he walked in, so I decided since we couldn't locate the source it was time to call the fire department. I was hoping they had some type of sniffer tool that could find the greatest density.

They swarmed into my home and most of them ended up by my office, the spot I figured was the problem. One went up into the attic and found a 2' x 2' section of smoldering insulation. Apparently a low voltage wire to the doorbell was being mashed by a board, and this cooked the wood and insulation. There was a 3' section of bare wiring (you saw all three wires! ) that still had power flowing through them.

Anyway, the problem was solved, although American Home Shield of course declined coverage as they always do. I don't know why I keep paying for them, although I'm hoping when something huge happens they'll come through for me.

How about a Potters Angel? Those are beautiful and can be very nice in a reef tank.

[Micki]

Marc, if they aren't going to cover something small what makes you think they will cover something big? I wouldn't wait aroudn to find out... JMHO

[corals b 4 bills]

Hey H2OLUVSME, you didn't mension if you were still married after the tank fire, My wife loves me but there would be a me or the tank discussion if I told her that I was setting up another one, Hi marc how's it going.

[melev]

Originally posted by Micki
Marc, if they aren't going to cover something small what makes you think they will cover something big? I wouldn't wait aroudn to find out... JMHO

Yeah, I think you're right. ARGH. I've been paying since '99, and only a couple of times did they come through. The rest of the time they decline my claims. I'm going to call and cancel right now.

[Sparkss]

Originally posted by melev
How about a Potters Angel? Those are beautiful and can be very nice in a reef tank.

As with any Angel, they are hit or miss, although they are more prone to be a "miss" and "hit" your SPS or clams. We had one that tahnkfully would only pick on our porites. But we lost him in a tank crash last year . They are beautiful, but they have a very bad reputation for not acclimating well and also for picking at SPS, etc. Definitely "add with caution".

[H2OLUVSME]

Marc, Im with Micki. After having something like this (I was out of my house for 6 weeks) happen, Ill be making sure everything is in line and covered if anything similar happens. Id take a look through some paper work and make sure anything that could possibly happen is covered (yeah right!).

Ive been thinking about an angel instead of a hawk. Im just worried for the corals though, as a lot of angles are hit or miss. Ive only really had luck with the genicanthus group, but Ive never had a potters (only cherub, flame, CB). The only problem with the hawks is, I really like my inverts. I had an arc eye before and he wasnt much of a problem, but some of the nicer looking ones can play heck on a clean up crew.

I think Ill swing by the LFS on the way home and see if they have any potters in. Thanks for he reccomendation.



corals b 4 bills, It was hard getting my wife to agree to let me set another up. The thing is, she really enjoyed it too. She got into aquascaping, and coral and fish shopping as much as I did (well maybe not quite like me) and she misses the tank too. Basically Im at a point where I need something to do in my time at home. Ive been thinking about building a pond out back and have drawn up some plans. My plans interfere with her idea of a future pool, so the tank is becoming a possible reality to save her backyard Otherwise, Id still be fighting with her about setting up another tank. She is committed to "one day" but I cant get her to release the funds to start just yet :P


EDIT: Man Im slow

Tom, thanks for the warning. I dont have any clams or plans for them in this tank. I dont think I could even supprt SPS under the lighting, so those arent too much of concerns. I do have one LPS. I think its a galaxia (got it from some one who wasnt sure), but I wouldnt want anything to happen to it. I got it when I first set the tank up and its been thorugh some ups and downs. Its the only coral the coral beauty ever messed with, and she started picking at it after a year in the tank of perfect harmony.

[melev]

I've always wanted a Potters Angel. I may get one as I don't have any angels in my tank ( for over 1.5 years now! ). I love Flame Angels but I'm simply not going to gamble with them.

The Arc Eye Hawkfish is too much of a predator to me. If you don't need shrimp or hermits, it would be okay.

[Micki]

Originally posted by melev
Yeah, I think you're right. ARGH. I've been paying since '99, and only a couple of times did they come through. The rest of the time they decline my claims. I'm going to call and cancel right now.

You might want to make sure you have another set up before you drop this one though.

[melev]

Here's my little coral that is RTNing swiftly. Yesterday was 4 tips, today it is 60% or more. Sigh.


This is the Sunset Monti I brought home from New York. In the background is another unknown SPS.


Close up of the unknown SPS.


Neither look all that impressive right now, but I think the location under this bulb is the reason. I need to try turning the bulb upside down to see if that changes the color spectrum (re: nipple orientation myth).

[gman0526]

Geez, I'm at a loss as to what might be happening in your tank Marc, I reread the last split trying to see if there's something that we might be overlooking but couldn't think of anything.

I sure hope it ends soon. Once those take off they should look great.

[melev]

Here's my current state of mind:

Once all the SPS finish RTNing, I'll have room for some nice pretty corals again.

[lukinrats]

Man... I swear I don't know about this hobby sometimes!! JK!! Not more than 2 weeks ago, I tested all my Param's... I did it more than once, and I did it with new test kits I had just gotten, and my old ones... I also got a new Power Compact fixture recently, like the middle of April... HMMM!

So for about the past week, or so, I have noticed some strange algae growth (the stuff that you saw the picture of Marc)... Then a few days later the hair algae started, and I mean took off... I have been mowing in there ever since, with my fingers... I didnt think it would be nitrates because of the tests I had just done... I might add that my tank may be considered as a new system of sorts... I moved it in January into my new home, but it was established before that... I got home this afternoon and have been worrying with it up until just now... Last night I added some Right Now!! I just figured that it was going trough a cycle, and could use some help

Just for the hell of it, I tested both phosphates, and Nitrates... I figured it would be the PO4, but to my surprise Nitrates= 40-50
The Right Now said to turn off the skimmer for 24 hours, so I did... I turned it on again a while ago, and it went absolutely crazy... The only thing I can figure is that it was cleaning something out... The foam was not funky or nothing, but it was so much of it... It was like I put soap in the thing to clean it out... It has settled down now... I also added the sizzling carbon that they sell with the right now just then, so I guess I will check nitrates again tomorrow, and see... The stuff I have heard about the right now is good where I have been able to find it... It claims to establish a cycle in 24 hours, so if this is true, it should be functioning startin now... I would have never tried it, but the guy at the LFS said they started using it in all their tanks, and have been impressed

Hopefully when I get a fuge going, I wont have this problem
Anyway, I just thought I would share, and see if anyone had any suggestions

Oh.. BTW... I did a 35 gallon change monday, and I am going to do another large one Sunday

Later

[melev]

To drop nitrates, big water changes back to back will help. And remove anything that generates nitrates (bioballs, biowheels, bio-anything, sponges, pads, etc)

As you cull algae from your tank, you'll actually release bound up PO4 and NO3 into the water. At least at that point your test kits will give you accurate results instead of providing low readings. If you see algae in the tank, the test is surely not correct if it reads 0.

I've never heard of Right Now, and I don't know that it would make a difference in a tank that has already been cycled. I doubt it would do harm, but I don't see the plus side of it either. You can bet it changed the water tension and that is why your skimmer went nuts tonight.

[lukinrats]

Originally posted by melev
To drop nitrates, big water changes back to back will help. And remove anything that generates nitrates (bioballs, biowheels, bio-anything, sponges, pads, etc)

As you cull algae from your tank, you'll actually release bound up PO4 and NO3 into the water. At least at that point your test kits will give you accurate results instead of providing low readings. If you see algae in the tank, the test is surely not correct if it reads 0.

I've never heard of Right Now, and I don't know that it would make a difference in a tank that has already been cycled. I doubt it would do harm, but I don't see the plus side of it either. You can bet it changed the water tension and that is why your skimmer went nuts tonight.

I know you are right... I didnt figure that it would be any sort of miracle... I had been reading about it some tho, and must tell the truth, I was interested... You can check it out here... It says that it is bacteria, and reduces nitrates aerobically... Mind you that I did not buy it to lower nitrates, because I didnt feel I had that problem... I thought that when I moved the tank, somehow it may need a charge of bacteria... It cannot likely hurt, as you said, and it was cheap... Only time will tell if it does something, and probably will do next to nothing... I don't really ever put anything in my tank, at this point, other than saltwater... I know that will change soon, but point is, I am not one for the so called snake oils... I just figure if it is bacteria, then surely it may be beneficial, if anything at all... My main goal is to take the approach you outline on your site

Later,

[kipher]

Welp, I can finally join the club of people that have taken on the mission of reading Melev's entier thread. I started around the end of December and just finished right now, mostly reading during lunch breaks at work. BTW, I started reading this thread because I love how you documented the 14 day project. Then I kept reading and reading and reading and reading thinking that the woodwork has to be coming soon. 8 splits later and here it is! I was so excited when I saw you finally started it. The wood work is looking good. I can't wait to see it finished and how you accomplish getting the canopy to slide up and down. The ideas I've seen suggested look pretty good, but the locations you attach the counter balance weight is going to be critical. My girlfriend really likes the look of your wood work too and having her see how well it can turn out may have even helped my case at getting a nice in-wall tank like yours someday. All we need to do is buy a house first!

I swear you jinked me Melev. No sooner that you pulled that monster flatworm out of your overflow (or rather when I actually read it) did I find a good sized flatworm in my tank. I was up after lights out investigating my tank and I saw the back half of it as it was running back into the rockwork trying to get away from the flashlight. I would say that my flatworm has to be about 1/2" wide by 1"+ long. I haven't seen it since then either. Any ideas on how to get this predatory flatworm out of my reef?

[HBtank]

Originally posted by melev
Landon, that's horrible that the insurance wouldn't cooperate. I guess that is everyone's worst nightmare. Argh. VHO's can be dangerous if they aren't installed perfectly, imho. I've seen a few and was able to warn the owner to make alterations to avoid arc-ing issues.

This post spawned a good 4 hour researching session into retrofit arcing problems. But that's how it seems to happen on every subject I guess.... long night.

Glad I caught that, I am going to go through all the endcaps on my canopy today and make sure everything is snug.

One question, I have the T5 endcaps that reefgeek sell (picture below) that you do not twist the bulbs into, do you have any experience with them?

At first I thought they might be a problem.. but it seems all the retrofit kits come with them (I have separate ones from premium aquatics and reefgeek) and the design might actually be better considering the need to twist the waterproof caps on after inserting the bulb. Seems like you could loosen the bulbs while doing this with the other design. The endcap does not screw onto the standoff though, and clips in, which makes me nervous. THis seems to be the only type of standoff for t5's though...

What do you think?

Thanks for any advice..

[raddogz]

Without getting too much off-topic why not ask Greg from ReefGeek. He's always been very helpful with any questions you may have.

My T-5 end caps are not like the above as they are the twist lock type, but I've not had any problem as of yet.

[melev]

Originally posted by kipher
Welp, I can finally join the club of people that have taken on the mission of reading Melev's entier thread. I started around the end of December and just finished right now, mostly reading during lunch breaks at work. BTW, I started reading this thread because I love how you documented the 14 day project. Then I kept reading and reading and reading and reading thinking that the woodwork has to be coming soon. 8 splits later and here it is! I was so excited when I saw you finally started it. The wood work is looking good. I can't wait to see it finished and how you accomplish getting the canopy to slide up and down. The ideas I've seen suggested look pretty good, but the locations you attach the counter balance weight is going to be critical. My girlfriend really likes the look of your wood work too and having her see how well it can turn out may have even helped my case at getting a nice in-wall tank like yours someday. All we need to do is buy a house first!

I swear you jinked me Melev. No sooner that you pulled that monster flatworm out of your overflow (or rather when I actually read it) did I find a good sized flatworm in my tank. I was up after lights out investigating my tank and I saw the back half of it as it was running back into the rockwork trying to get away from the flashlight. I would say that my flatworm has to be about 1/2" wide by 1"+ long. I haven't seen it since then either. Any ideas on how to get this predatory flatworm out of my reef?

Did you happen to count the pages? I need to know what page we are on. Can you just go back and start from page 1 again? Just kidding! I guess its good that I got on the woodwork finally, because you would have been ready to pounce on me when you got to the most current set of pages with no results.

I'm hoping to take some time this week to work on the mechanical portion of the canopy as my mother is coming to visit. I always like to work on stuff like that when she's around for some reason. Perhaps because I have a second person to talk with during the process.

For the giant flatworm, if you can see it, siphon it. Just get a bucket nearby, start the siphon in some long tubing, and move quickly. That bucket will only hold so much water and depending on the diameter of the tubing, it'll fill up quickly.

I shipped my flatworm to a lab in a museum in California where they studied it and do other indescribable things we dare not speak about. LeslieH may tell us more.

[melev]

Originally posted by HBtank
This post spawned a good 4 hour researching session into retrofit arcing problems. But that's how it seems to happen on every subject I guess.... long night.

Glad I caught that, I am going to go through all the endcaps on my canopy today and make sure everything is snug.

One question, I have the T5 endcaps that reefgeek sell (picture below) that you do not twist the bulbs into, do you have any experience with them?

At first I thought they might be a problem.. but it seems all the retrofit kits come with them (I have separate ones from premium aquatics and reefgeek) and the design might actually be better considering the need to twist the waterproof caps on after inserting the bulb. Seems like you could loosen the bulbs while doing this with the other design. The endcap does not screw onto the standoff though, and clips in, which makes me nervous. THis seems to be the only type of standoff for t5's though...

What do you think?

Thanks for any advice..

While the endcap is important, how it is installed is even more critical. It should be fully secure (no wiggling), and mounted at a 90 degree angle. It should line up precisely with its counterpart at the opposite end of the bulb. There should be no space at all between the bulb and the connection in the endcap - it should be snug. It should remain dry. The wires inside should be secure. If you can tug on them and they pull back out, they are not secure.

And if you are using an Icecap ballast, never try turning it on and off rapidly in succession if the bulbs don't light. Always turn it off and wait 15 seconds before turning them back on again. Quick on / offs damage the ballast and then you have to wait for it to be repaired.

Visually inspect your endcaps on a regular basis. Look for any signs of wear or discoloration. If it begins to look melted, replace it.

[kipher]

Originally posted by melev
For the giant flatworm, if you can see it, siphon it. Just get a bucket nearby, start the siphon in some long tubing, and move quickly. That bucket will only hold so much water and depending on the diameter of the tubing, it'll fill up quickly.

That's a great idea. I'll keep checking at night to see if I can find it again, but I'm not going to hold my breath. If it took me almost 7 months to see it for the first time, I wouldn't be surprised if it took me another 7 months to see it again. Lets hope I find it sooner than that though.

[new2u]

Marc, get vincent out at tranquil scapes to order you a Potters. I got one from him 6-8 months ago and its doing phenominally.

If the arc eye is too predatorous for you, try a flame, its a great option as well.

[NanoGurl]

I'm really sorry to hear about your corals How are they doing now? Any better?

[melev]

That one piece completely RTN'd. Who's next?