Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 51

melev · #**1251** 10/19/2004, 09:17 PM

Here are those clown eggs again. This is not a blow up, I just cropped away the rest of the image so these would not be reduced in size. It's the best my camera can probably take with them being about 12" from the glass.

minfinger · #**1252** 10/19/2004, 09:43 PM

NEMO!

Sorry I had to do.

Man I swear your tank is awesome!!!

Mickey · #**1253** 10/19/2004, 10:10 PM

Thanks again, Marc.

I wasn't questioning how it works, rather why monitor the effluent rather than the tank.

By the way, the controller I have (default program) and other people with controllers I have talked with, turn the CO2 off when the pH FALLS below a particular point and turn it back on when the pH raises above a certain point.

CO2 added to water will make it more acidic (I think due to the formation of carbolic acid) and therefore reduce the pH. If the pH is going down, the amount of acid is rising. To stop the downward swing in pH you stop adding CO2. It is the same principal in any tank with pH dropping during the night (CO2 increasing therefore pH decreasing).

Kalk on the other hand is a very alkaline solution and you do want to shut that off if the pH gets too high.

Not sure why one would shut off the CO2 when the pH goes up. Perhaps someone can explain it?

Mickey

lovetoreef · #**1254** 10/19/2004, 11:17 PM

Mickey,

I am not sure if this answers your question ... you monitor the effluent b/c you want to catch the drop in your pH there b/f the whole tank drops - even though the probe would catch a drop in the tank's pH, it is easier and safer to monitor the effluent. HTH

gerard

melev · #**1255** 10/19/2004, 11:49 PM

Maybe this probe is designed to work backwards. The alarm light blinks red when it is on, to alert you that CO2 is being allowed to flow. When it (the red light) is not on, CO2 is off. It's a wierd device, but made my life very simple.

Thanks, Minfinger!

steve68 · #**1256** 10/20/2004, 06:58 AM

Marc u'r tank is looking Awesome!
how about some pictures of the front unless u still have not
done anything to it

Rock Solid !
Nice!

steve68 · #**1257** 10/20/2004, 06:58 AM

DerekW · #**1258** 10/20/2004, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mickey
Thanks again, Marc.

I wasn't questioning how it works, rather why monitor the effluent rather than the tank.

By the way, the controller I have (default program) and other people with controllers I have talked with, turn the CO2 off when the pH FALLS below a particular point and turn it back on when the pH raises above a certain point.

CO2 added to water will make it more acidic (I think due to the formation of carbolic acid) and therefore reduce the pH. If the pH is going down, the amount of acid is rising. To stop the downward swing in pH you stop adding CO2. It is the same principal in any tank with pH dropping during the night (CO2 increasing therefore pH decreasing).

Kalk on the other hand is a very alkaline solution and you do want to shut that off if the pH gets too high.

Not sure why one would shut off the CO2 when the pH goes up. Perhaps someone can explain it?

Mickey

Mickey. The idea of using a controller with a calcium reactor is to control the PH of the reactor. It's that simple.

If you want to control the PH of your tank, that is something totally different.
You want the PH in your reactor to be at about 6.8 all the time, everyday, every night 24/7. Period.
Therefore, as soon as your ph goes above that set level, it will turn on. That's how I think about it.
Now you can look at it this way as well, once the ph in your reactor drops down to a set leve, i.e 6.8, it turns off. That's how you look at it.
It is still the same thing...turns off when it gets down to a certain point, turns on when it gets up to a certain point. Make sense?

Toe-may-toe...toe-mah-toe...same difference.

Basically, if your calcium reactor is screwing up the ph in your tank, your effluent is too fast, or you need a second reactor to eat up some of the co2. It shouldn't effect your tank that much, only on a small tank maybe.
Hope this clears it up

rjwilson37 · #**1259** 10/20/2004, 09:48 AM

Very nice clown eggs Marc. I am hoping mine will mate sometime in the future. I have the two from small fry and they hang together all the time, but I have heard it takes like a year and a half or something before they are ready or mature enough to mate.

stereomandan · #**1260** 10/20/2004, 10:48 AM

Marc,

WOW!!! I've been away from the site for a while. I come back and here is this HUGE thread about your new tank.

What you've done is truely awesome. It's obvious that a lot of work went into it, and everyone should be very proud.

Great job with the documentation, and keep those pictures coming.

Dan

melev · #**1261** 10/20/2004, 12:34 PM

Hi Dan,

I actually stumbled across one of the threads last night that had a picture of your tank now. It looks great!

I remember when you had a total wipe out about 18 months ago? It was good to see your efforts were being rewarded.

I add pictures as the opportunity arises. It is actually a great format to document all the events of one's tank in a single thread. I used to post new threads all the time until a few people like Doug, Keith, and Joseph set the bar for consistency.

Steve, my son would love for me to get the woodwork done. One of my issues is that I want to use a dark walnut stain, but all my living room is red oak (golden) stain. Plus, my 14 days are up so I'm afraid I'll never get it done now.

rjwilson37 · #**1262** 10/20/2004, 12:53 PM

As a matter of fact your 14 days were up over 2 months ago!

I use your old meathod of starting new threads, it brings new life into your work in progress because some are like hmm... a 50 page thread and will opt not to read it and pass it by.

melev · #**1263** 10/20/2004, 01:33 PM

a 50 page thread and will opt not to read it and pass it by.

Those FOOLS!

rjwilson37 · #**1264** 10/20/2004, 01:36 PM

This is true... But since I have been around since the begining, I opt to read most of it whether it pertains to me or not because I like seeing what other's are doing with there setup's.

rjwilson37 · #**1265** 10/20/2004, 01:38 PM

Oh... Here is the latest picture of my simple setup! I have 15 fish and an Eel now and my nitrates are at zero.

melev · #**1266** 10/20/2004, 06:42 PM

Time to make more food. I picked up a couple of new ingredients today, including 3 small clams and a few octopii (or octopusses). The 'head' area of the octopus has been emptied at the fish deli, so I'm going to assume there is nothing to be worried about.

Opening the clams made me nervous as I've never had to do so in my life. If there is an easy safe technique, I'd love to know it. In the meantime, I took a leather glove from Home Depot, and placed the clam in my gloved palm, and pushed the edge of the blade against the joint of the shell until I was able to force it open. After removing the contents and adding it to this shellfish medley, I thought the reef might like to 'lick out the bowl', so to speak.

Next month I get some live mussels instead of clams.

Skipper · #**1267** 10/20/2004, 06:49 PM

Yummy!

der_wille_zur_macht · #**1268** 10/20/2004, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev

Opening the clams made me nervous as I've never had to do so in my life. If there is an easy safe technique, I'd love to know it.

Smack 'em with a hammer. You're gonna cut 'em up anyways, right?

Mickey · #**1269** 10/20/2004, 07:24 PM

Derek W: Thanks for your explanation. It made me realize that up or down it all depends on what you are measuring and the pH value that is the trigger. Measuring the effluent you want to turn the CO2 on when the pH goes up. but measuring the tank, you want to turn it off. Not sure why I didn't get it originally.

Thanks everyone for being patient.
Mickey

Toddrtrex · #**1270** 10/21/2004, 09:58 AM

Marc - It looks like the clams are similar to oysters - you would shuck them the same way. Stick the end of a knife right into the shell (near the hinge) and twist. Worked at an oyster bar for a week - after doing 10 of them I could do it with my eyes closed. HTH

SOMEthinsFISHY · #**1271** 10/21/2004, 12:30 PM

marc i have a 2 ft snowflake moray that can open them if they open as little as i/8th inch he gets them open !

Jamesurq · #**1272** 10/21/2004, 12:42 PM

wow johnboy - that is facinating. Tell us more about your eel. Do you have any video of him opening clams?

chrisd4421 · #**1273** 10/21/2004, 12:48 PM

Shucking knife makes things safer and a lot easier....once you use one on clams or oysters, you will realize how insane you were to use any other utensil (with the exception of the hammer!!)

- Chris

melev · #**1274** 10/21/2004, 05:20 PM

I would agree. I was able to visualize the stupidity of gashing my palm trying to force open one of these little clams, and even with the heavy glove I knew I was going about it the wrong way.

I need to go to the local oyster bar for an evening.

NuclearReefs · #**1275** 10/21/2004, 05:43 PM

hehe Marc,,, your fish eat to much!!!!

Guys,, he has the fattest fish I have ever seen,,,,

*ducking*