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  #26  
Old 06/02/2006, 03:43 PM
WaterKeeper WaterKeeper is offline
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The current edition of the Head Loss Calculator is very much new and improved. They updated it about a year or two ago and it is really nice indeed.

Fun,

You miight consider building a Closed Loop to improve flow.
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  #27  
Old 06/05/2006, 08:31 PM
Cuby2k Cuby2k is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by deeppitt
Wow!
I had estimated my flow at about 1700 GPH. I just rebuilt my sump and included a channel where I could measure the water speed. Then, knowing the channel cross-sectional area, I calculated the actual water flow. It came out to be about 2400 GPH.
I just tried this head loss calculator, and it says I should have 2480 GPH! Amazing... the calculator was pretty much dead-on.

Who would have thunk.....
Your channel measurement sounds cool, how do you measure the velocity of the water?
  #28  
Old 06/06/2006, 02:30 PM
deeppitt deeppitt is offline
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The channel is immediately downstream of my bubble trap so there are always a few bubbles that get through. The channel is about 24 inches long. I just watch the bubbles as they move down the channel and try to determine the fast and slow layers of the flow. I then simply stopwatch a variety of bubbles and average.

For a more accurate measure, I need to make something to homogenize the flow at the front end.

Because of the non-homogeneous flow, I considered my initial measurement a bit of a hack, which is partly why I was so surprised to see it roughly agree with the head loss calculator.

I am now working on a top-off add-on to the sump and interfacing it all to a protein skimmer so I haven't had the time to get a better measurement. I could get so much more done if I didn't have to work for a living.
  #29  
Old 06/06/2006, 05:22 PM
Cuby2k Cuby2k is offline
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Great idea deeppit
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  #30  
Old 06/19/2006, 08:34 PM
funloven funloven is offline
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Where is everybody on this thread!? WK are you out there? I have a question about using bleach. I slightly remember reading in one of the forums about using a bleach solution to clean certain equipment but I don't know what bleach solution they were talking about or what and how exactly you can clean with it.

Any help for me
  #31  
Old 06/20/2006, 02:37 PM
ratherbediving ratherbediving is offline
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I think using bleach is okay, as long as it doesn't contain fragrances or other chemicals. You would have to be 100% sure that none of the bleach was still there when you put the equipment back in contact with the water-- after you rinse it off, I'd make sure it dries off completeley before putting it back in.
  #32  
Old 06/20/2006, 09:26 PM
funloven funloven is offline
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So can you use regular 'plain' laundry bleach and does it need to be diluted? And can you clean anything with it?

After rinsing well should all traces (if any remain) of the bleach disappear when the item is complete dry - there will be no left over film that will reconstitute when the item becomes wet again?

Hope these questions don't sound too redundent but I'm rather nervous about this.
  #33  
Old 06/21/2006, 09:22 AM
reverendmaynard reverendmaynard is offline
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Personnaly, I would use vinegar rather than bleach. Unless you leave large amounts of residue, it'll have no affect on the tank even if it gets in.
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  #34  
Old 06/21/2006, 09:47 AM
funloven funloven is offline
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So how does Viinegar work to clean items?

I suppose it would be helpful if I told you want I want to clean first. The trays that hold the filter pads are looking a bit discolored/reddish brown in places. I clean them weekly with plain water and scrub them with an old toothbrush but I can't seem to get in the tight corners very well so I'm looking for something that might clean them up a bit better so they are white again.
  #35  
Old 06/21/2006, 11:21 AM
WaterKeeper WaterKeeper is offline
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Sorry gang but I've been away for medical reasons and haven't checked things out for awhile. Fun, bleach works best on organic residues like dead algae or sponge material. I use about a cup to a gallon of water for cleaning. I just let it soak for a couple of hours until the object looks clean. I rinse it well and, as you said, let it completely air dry. That removes any remain traces of bleach. You can also add some thiosulfate or other dechorinating agent into the final rinse if you want to be extra sure. It is probably wise to take that step if the item is very porous, like rock or dead corals.

Vinegar is good to use for calcium deposits that bleach won't remove. Using it full strength is best but you can dilute it 3 to one for mild deposits. Once again soak the item and rinse it well after that. You really don't need to let it dry as a little vinegar won't harm the tank.

Even better for removing calcium deposits is citric acid. I mix a half cup of citric with a gallon of warm water and use that to soak the soiled item. Like vinegar, the citric only needs a little rinsing and any residue is harmless to the tank. It sounds like you have some iron deposits perhaps and citric is much better at removing them than vinegar. It is harder to find these days but if you look around you can find Mrs. Wages Citric Acid in the canning section of some stores for about $3 for a quarter pound.
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  #36  
Old 06/22/2006, 12:10 PM
deeppitt deeppitt is offline
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Aptasia question:
I just got a rock from a local aquarist with some Zoo's on it (very lovely), and after having it in the tank for a day, I have noticed three to four Aptasias growing on it.

Should I:
1. get a peppermint shrimp and put it in the vicinity
2. take the rock out and chuck it
3. place the rock elsewhere in some isolation with perhaps a peppermint shrimp
4. attempt to remove the zoos and move them to a healthy rock
5. put a copperband butterfly in the tank
6. something else I haven't thought of yet

Experienced aquarists: what say you?

Thanks!
  #37  
Old 06/22/2006, 06:25 PM
funloven funloven is offline
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I seem to keep my aptasia under control with Aptasia Gone that I get from the LFS. There is also something called Joe's Juice that you can purchase through your LFS that I have heard works pretty well also.
  #38  
Old 06/22/2006, 06:48 PM
Red_Six Red_Six is offline
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I am not exactly experienced but I removed two small aptasia with some kalkwasser paste. I just mixed the kalk with a drop of water, lifted the rock out of the tank and caked it over the little guys. By the time the kalk dissolved away the aptasia was gone.
  #39  
Old 06/22/2006, 07:06 PM
WaterKeeper WaterKeeper is offline
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Good advice Red,

Nuking an aip is a good move. These little anemones have a tendency to multiply and be fruitful to the N th degree. Pitt's ideas are OK but hitting these little buggers with a KW paste works every time.

As far as I'm concerned, the KW initiative is probably the best and cheapest way to eradicate the Aips; Pit.
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  #40  
Old 06/22/2006, 10:44 PM
IslandCrow IslandCrow is offline
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Just nuked a bit of aptasia last week with some kalk paste. It really does work like a charm. As long as you can get to it, you don't even have to move the rock it's attached to. I've also had good luck with peppermint shrimp, but something in my tank seems to think they're quite tasty, since they always go MIA within a month or two (it's been suggested it may be my brittle star, but who knows). Anyway, because of that, I've given up on the peppermints and gone the kalk ruite. Besides, the peps didn't seem to actually get rid of the aptasia. They'd eat it, and it'd crop back up after awhile. They kept it well under control, though.

Speaking of Kalk, the Walmart in my area just started stocking Mrs. Wages pickling lime. Is it wrong that a 30 year old guy is getting excited about pickling lime?
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  #41  
Old 06/23/2006, 09:28 AM
deeppitt deeppitt is offline
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Thank you everyone!

I will go to my LFS and ask for some Kalk.
I'm confident that this won't be the last time I have to deal with these.

I found a variety of threads on this subject here on RC. One of the beauties of this forum is that there are so many points of view. Regrattably, one of the problems with this forum is that there are so many points of view.


Cheers!
  #42  
Old 06/23/2006, 09:31 PM
IslandCrow IslandCrow is offline
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Before you go to your LFS, see if you can find some pickling lime at your local grocery store. It's going to be much cheaper (The Walmart near me sells 16 oz of Mrs. Wages for 2 or 3 dollars), and it's essentially the same thing. Randy Holmes has an article in the Reef Chemistry forum called "What Your Grandmother Never told you about Lime". . .or something about a grandmother. Probably not necessary reading for what you're doing, but it is a good article.
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  #43  
Old 06/24/2006, 08:50 AM
WaterKeeper WaterKeeper is offline
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Let's not bring our Grandmothers into this!

Here's the Link

I, and I think Randy too, use Mississippi lime that is a real bargain in that it is less than $90/ton for the quarter inch pebble.
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  #44  
Old 06/24/2006, 09:24 PM
jdm01 jdm01 is offline
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I have successfully used Joe's Juice, but it sounds like you already have another solution.
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  #45  
Old 06/24/2006, 10:41 PM
jdhanover jdhanover is offline
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I've got some aip I need to get rid of. Can someone please explain a bit more about this 'kalk paste' - how to make it, exactly what you need (what is it called in the lfs), how to apply it, etc? This sounds a lot easier than trying to inject them. Thanks!
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  #46  
Old 06/26/2006, 10:03 AM
deeppitt deeppitt is offline
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Well,
I went to the LFS and all they had was Joes Juice, so that's what I got.
Since I currently have very few aips I thought this would be a good learning experience. The effected rock was new and fist-sized, so I pulled it out, put essentially a drop of JJ on each aip and put the rock back.
The aips immediately receded back into their hole and haven't emerged since. There is no sign of them after 3 days.

The bottle seemed small for ten bucks, but if I stay on top of this, then one drop per aip is still going to last me a long time.

Nevertheless, now that I see how this works, if I run out of the stuff I will try the pickling lime.

Interestingly, I did a routine sereis of water quality tests the next day and my calcium read a little high.

Would this stuff effect that with just a few drops?
  #47  
Old 06/26/2006, 04:16 PM
jdm01 jdm01 is offline
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Don't know about the calcium. Actually, I have used Joe's without ever taking the rocks out. Just use a syringe and you will get the job done. The only other issue is to make sure you do not kill too many at once. I am told that can really screw up the water chemistry. I have tried to only kill off 3 or 4 at a time with no ill effects so far.
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  #48  
Old 06/26/2006, 04:34 PM
WaterKeeper WaterKeeper is offline
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A KW paste is just some lime added to water to form a little white water solution; it really doesn't need to be a thick paste. That solution has a pH of over 12 and is very alkaline. If you have a small syringe you can pump some right down their little throats but you can also use a turkey baster and place it over the entire aip. The second method does do a little collateral damage as it will also kill things under the opening of the baster. It isn't all that bad though.

To make the "paste", place a heaping tablespoonful of lime in a quart of warm water and mix it up. Use it before the lime settles out. You can use it for about two weeks; just shake it up before you use it. Unless you are killing hundreds of aips it should not do much but raise you calcium and alkalinity a wee bit.
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  #49  
Old 06/26/2006, 05:44 PM
deeppitt deeppitt is offline
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how many would be an acceptable kill at a time, and how large of a time-gap should one leave between hunting trips?

Also to WK, what happens to the lime or paste that limits it's time to about two weeks?
  #50  
Old 06/26/2006, 05:46 PM
Hopestar075 Hopestar075 is offline
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I am having a bit of a cyano problem, well.... its never ending. I have a 65 gal. that has been up for 4 months now and have been fighting a major cyano problem for a month! I take a turkey baster to it I suction it off the sand during my weekly water change and the darn stuff keeps coming back . My tank looks beautiful for a day after a water change then the stuff starts taking over. I have a 25 gal. sump/fuge with about 10lbs of life rock in it and in the main tank has 70lbs of live rock, a bubble tip, frog spawn, false clown, yellow tang, and a pink spotted golby. Help me please.
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