Starboard Reef is up and running

[photobarry]

They are both just polyethylene (cutting board and starboard).

[Kpyto]

I called West Marine yesterday to get a quote on Starboard... This is what they had and what it cost...

12 x 27 x 1/2 - 29.99
24 x 27 x 1/2 - 39.99

This vs. the Cutting Board Company:

18 x 24 x 1/2 (white) - 19.50

The choice was simple...

[yamant]

just an idea: starboard looks artifical, won't it be more natural if we sprinkle some crushed coral, and stick with silicone ?

[nanorfj]

The priority for me is a clean healthy system as opposed to natural. All these closed systems are unnatural when it comes down to it.

[Thaxx]

Originally posted by yamant
just an idea: starboard looks artifical, won't it be more natural if we sprinkle some crushed coral, and stick with silicone ?

I'm experimenting that very thing using southdown and a spray, waterbased polycrylic, that drys clear. I spray the board, sprinkle the southdown on it, let it dry, and apply additional coats until the surface is covered to how you like it. I have had a piece in one of my tanks to see if it breaks down, or any other ill effects. 3 weeks, so far so good. The Polycrylic is similar to Polyurethane, but it seems to be much harder once it dries. The can says to wait only 1/2 hour in between coats, but I waited a full day to make sure each coat was fully dry. I really does look good

[gregt]

gluing crushed coral to it will facilitate the collection of detritus. I'd avoid it if you can be happy some other way.

[Bomber]

Well this much I can tell you. Don't let any little pieces of coral lay on it for too long.

I knocked a piece of coral off about a week ago and went to pick it up this morning. It's attached to the Starboard like glue. Seems they like it as much as coralline does.

[yamant]

gregt;
i am planning to glue only just ~0.1 '' of CC to surface of starboard, i don't think that thin CC layer will collect detritus

[Yellotang]

As long as you have good flow, it shouldn't be an issue. Its just the thicker bigger stuff that one would worry about.

[nanorfj]

I'm getting quite used to the 'coralline flooring' of my black starboard reef. In fact, no one that has seen my tank has asked me where the sand is...

[valkrdr]

nanorfj
black it the way i was thinking to go also.....how does it look under the lights , does it absorb a lot of light....white would be better as far a reflecting light , but i have always had coralline colonize black faster and to me its more asthetically pleasing ...srt

[nanorfj]

I suppose it would be a little brighter with white but there actually isn't a lot of area that isn't covered by live rock. My plan is eventually to take the existing setup and amount of rock, and move from my 75 gallon into a slightly wider 6 foot tank. This would allow for more water flow and more open swim area. I like the open look of Bomber's tank.

[valkrdr]

Nanorfj
I am setting up a 150 FOWLR tank , have a 65 reef , but want to do something different for a change......I will use the black , but probably use the cutting board that a few people are talking about on here......SRT

[jcigars]

Heres a pic of my tank with the black starboard\cutting board. I had to get another piece 2 1/2" wide and 17" long. You can see it right thre in the middle. I can't wait for thr Lifereef setup to get here so I can get this setup going.



Jimmy

[Habib]

Jerel:

It's attached to the Starboard like glue. Seems they like it as much as coralline does.


Sounds great.


I might want to try such a setup and do you know what kind of plastic is used in making the Starboard. Knowing this might help me to find about the same material over here.

TIA

[Bomber]

Just send me your sizes and I'll send it to you.

I don't know what it is really. I think it's recycled milk jugs. I'll find out cause you should be able to get it. I know Mike can get it in England.

[Kpyto]

High Density Polyethylene - that is what the cutting boards I ordered are made of, and I believe that the Starboard is made of it as well...

[Bomber]

We took a couple of pictures last night. It's been three months now.
You can see the piece I'm talking about directly below Doug (urchin). I'm going to chip it off today.

For some reason the tank looks a lot smaller in pictures. It's 10ft.

[Habib]

Originally posted by Kpyto
High Density Polyethylene - that is what the cutting boards I ordered are made of, and I believe that the Starboard is made of it as well...

Thanks.

[Habib]

Jerel:

It seems the Starboard is a HD polyethylene. I would expect that hydrophobic organics would get adorbed to it.

Do you see anything whch might suggest that this actually happens?

TIA

[Bomber]

Nope.

[nanorfj]

Bomber, I love the open, sparse look of that tank. My 75 G is crowded by comparison. I need to take out some rock or move everything into a 6 footer.

[Kpyto]

Bomber... again... great looking tank. I assume that the little specks at the bottom are crabs & snails? I like the look of white and decided that for reflective purposes, I'll go white as well. Although, black would defintately look sharp.

Have you turned on the MH at all yet? If not, how are the corals holding up?

[Bomber]

Thanks Chris!

I haven't turned the MH back on at all. I'm seriously thinking of using them for something else and just taking them out. There's a direct correlation between the amount of light corals need and the nutrient levels that they are exposed to. Lower soluble nutrients = less light intensity needed.

[ldrhawke]

Bomber.....

Not about Starboard, but about where this thread started off. I thought you'd love this post I made to another forum.

The question asked was is the hydrogen sulphide I smell when stirring the DSB dangerous in my tank.

My response............

This is a quote from H2S exposure in industry. You can image what your coral and fish experience when exposed to it. if you have H2S in your DSB.....you have neither oxic or anoxic processing going on in the area it is present. It is the odor you smell if you open a sewer pipe full of waste sludge. Men have been quickly over come and died going into holding tanks or sewer lines with H2S. Although I have read the experts say no big deal in a salt water tank because it goes away quickly, I disagree. Also, the presents of H2S is telling you both the oxic and anoxic biological process are not working in the bed.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) itself has an offensive odour of "rotten eggs" at concentrations as low as 50 parts per billion by volume(ppbv) and is toxic at concentrations above 1000 parts per million by volume (ppmv). H2S is a health and safety hazard, and when combined with carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour (H2O), corrodes plant equipment such as boilers and piping, and can ruin power-generating equipment. Energy recovery from biogas and other waste streams, a common practice today, is hampered if H2S gas is present. High levels of H2S can also interfere with other processes such as killing useful bacteria in anaerobic digesters. Reducing H2S offers cost savings associated with less maintenance, increased process and energy efficiency, and reduced toxic emissions.

This is the reason why you need positive flow through a DSB to transport waste and food though the bed.

As we all know tank upset are often a chain reaction. H2S exposure may not kill everything, but once it kills a few more sensitive creatures, they die and the tank becomes over loaded, killing more and using up oxygen and finally even toughest creature left go belly up.

You shouldn't use any biological processing system that can easily start that chain reaction.....the conventional sugar sand DSB can easily start the H2S chain reaction of death even with the most attentive husbandry. It is not simply not being oxic or anoxic as it goes bad, is is now producing poision. All you need to do is read what even the "Experts" have experienced themselves when using what is often describe as the ultimate biological reef process, DSB.