JCPatella's 90g Reef Build

[fambrough]

How much b-ionic or two part you go through depends upon your existing levels and the demand of your system. A cup a day on a 55 sounds like a lot to me.

I switched from b-ionic to Randy's recipe not all that long ago (I use recipe number one) and I'm very happy that I did. Why buy when you can make your own? I can keep up with trace elements through water changes. Also, the reef chemistry calculator is just the greatest thing, you really have to use it. Enter your water volume, your existing levels, your desired levels and the product your are dosing...and viola. It will tell you how much you need to add. It will also tell you your approximate rate of consumption base on the above and what type of demand you have.

Here's the link: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
Click on traditional and you're on your way.

[melev]

Originally posted by jefnalyssa
Sorry in advance not trying to hijack. Why must you bake the stuff before you use it?

It bakes out the CO2 in the powder.

If you don't bake it, you can use it to raise Alkalinity but pH will be unaffected.

[melev]

Originally posted by fambrough
How much b-ionic or two part you go through depends upon your existing levels and the demand of your system. A cup a day on a 55 sounds like a lot to me.

I'm talking about the tiny dosing cup they include on the quart bottle. It holds 30ml. When I dosed my 29g, it was about 15ml a day.

[jcpatella]

Originally posted by melev
...You do have to dose it daily....

This hobby is already time-consuming; I don't want to add more and more daily tasks that will turn this into a job I no longer enjoy. I don't mind feeding and doing daily maintenance, but I don't want to carry around a checklist everyday! I want to keep this system simple so Jackie (now that you know her name) will remain interested and can also take care of it. I'd rather stay away from the corals that will require such high demands (SPS).

In other news, Jackie swung by our LFS and got some corals!! Tonight's update is going to be a fun one! What, with the baking soda escapades and coral additions! I'm telling you, I can make the most boring post exciting.

Boring Post + Hot Girl = EXCITING

[melev]

Here's the real-world daily reefing checklist:

Stare at tank.
Check equipment & temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Top off water.
Feed tank.
Dose product.
Stare at livestock.
Take pictures of cool new thing.
Double check all equipment and temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Go to bed.
Repeat.

[fambrough]

Originally posted by melev
I'm talking about the tiny dosing cup they include on the quart bottle. It holds 30ml. When I dosed my 29g, it was about 15ml a day.

Well now, that makes a lot more sense. I was imagining this 55 so over packed with fast growning SPS... As you can tell, I never got the quart size containers with the dosing cup!


Josh,

Dosing is easy and far from time consuming. I really enjoy it. My morning routine is get the coffee going, check the news and email with my coffee, top off my tanks with RO, dose and then feed. And then inevitably spend way too much time reading in this forum.

Can't wait for the updates tonight. I'm not sure which I'm more excited about, the apron or the corals!

[jefnalyssa]

Can't wait for the updates tonight. I'm not sure which I'm more excited about, the apron or the corals!





You know its the apron. It's easy to find corals on reefcentral.

[bohlke]

Originally posted by jcpatella
This hobby is already time-consuming; I don't want to add more and more daily tasks that will turn this into a job I no longer enjoy. I don't mind feeding and doing daily maintenance, but I don't want to carry around a checklist everyday! I want to keep this system simple so Jackie (now that you know her name) will remain interested and can also take care of it. I'd rather stay away from the corals that will require such high demands (SPS).

I just add it in when I do topoff, some people mix it in ahead of time with your topoff water. Most likely your requirements for dosing will not change day to day so its real easy to do. I have a little glass dish thats perfect, I just fill it twice while I watch the topoff process. When I set up the ATO on my new setup I most likely will add the 2 part to the topoff water. That has worked well for me before.

[bohlke]

Originally posted by melev
Here's the real-world daily reefing checklist:

Stare at tank.
Check equipment & temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Top off water.
Feed tank.
Dose product.
Stare at livestock.
Take pictures of cool new thing.
Double check all equipment and temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Go to bed.
Repeat.

my wife says I cuddle my fish, maybe I stare a little to long......

[chevegan]

Originally posted by melev
Here's the real-world daily reefing checklist:

Stare at tank.
Check equipment & temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Top off water.
Feed tank.
Dose product.
Stare at livestock.
Take pictures of cool new thing.
Double check all equipment and temperature.
Stare at livestock.
Go to bed.
Repeat.

-

A-friggin-men lol

[Lee1]

Great documentation on your thread and y'all are well on your way to an awesome tank. I do want to add that there are safe and effective ways to dose kalk - I've been adding kalk the same way for 8-9 years with no incidents/accidents.

I use a kalkreactor (you can easily DIY these or buy them used pretty inexpensively) that is fed topoff water via an old IV dosing pump (you can find them on eBay for $30-100 if you watch). The pumps will eventually wear out (4-5 years) but they are reliable and accurate. I run all my topoff water from the reservoir through the kalkreactor at about 300ml/hour (rate is adjustable from 1-400ml/hr depending on model). Kalk not only has the benefit of adding CA and keeping PH stable but is also said to help precipitate phosphate from the water.

It's totally up to you as to whether or not to run it and how you do it, but I wanted to share my experience with kalk. I will never run another tank without it.

Keep up the good work on the tank and don't fear the kalk

[bower23]

We really need to make a simple DIY way to dose two-part. For some reason, I just don't trust the pumps. I've been thinking of a half gallon container with a valve (like the ones for tea at Wal-mart) then it would go into a small clear tube that is made just the right size to hold how much liquid you need.... then to a line to the tank. Which would add it slowly... well within a few minutes. That way, the only thing you would have to do is open each valve until the tube is full and walk away. I don't like adding all 30ml at once and I don't like having to stand there and add it slowly. Put one line on one side of the sump and the other line on the other side. Kinda like a kent drip doser but you control the daily dosing amout with a valve and holding tube. Does this make any sense?? Maybe I need another beer!!

[jcpatella]

Hello Everyone. Let's make sure we have everything together....

New Corals? Check.
Baking Soda? Check.
Garlic Extract? Check.
Pretty Lady? Double Check.
Apron? CHECK!!!!
Lucky Guy? Check!

Okay, now we can proceed. Thanks to my local online buddy, crt81, we were informed that our LFS received a shipment of corals in today. Jackie headed over there on her lunch break and saw the two things we picked up today. Yes, just two things. Exotic mushrooms and colorful zoas. I would like to get more, but I would also like to be able to pay my mortgage. Here what they looked like in the transition bucket.


Rough, as they usually do before they get into the tank. After a little bit, I transferred them into the tank. This is me being cheesy. Unfortunately, it happens more than I'd like to admit (the cheesyness and the hand in the tank).


A little while later, and this is what we have. Of course, they'll open up as time goes on, but they really are beautiful.

Fluorescent blue mushrooms with a red attached. That light blue is very pretty and I've never seen it before.



Green and orange zoas. If any of you remember from another thread, my wife and I bent over backwards to try and save a zoa that hitch-hiked on the rock our xenia was attached to. This made up for the loss.


Like I said - I would like to get more, but I didn't want to break the bank today. Those two corals were a bit pricey (for me, at least).

Now, I know what you're thinking, and NO, you haven't been let down. I wanted to get this part done so we can get to the fun part soon. After dinner we'll have the main event. Maybe I'm building this up too much. OH WELL!

[crt81]

They look great in the tank!



Also- I'm coming in late on the last few replies, but what's the baking soda for? What does it do?

[cannarella]

Love the shrooms.

[Reeftanks6]

Looks great Jc love the corals

[jcpatella]

MAIN EVENT!!!!

Jackie went to the LFS for me during lunch. She's the greatest, so I got her some flowers. Isn't she pretty? Plus, she got an apron! If there's one thing we're good at, it's over-doing things!


I went to the grocery during my lunch break today and picked up some baking soda. Compared to most products in reef-keeping, baking soda's rediculously cheap. So I got a 4lb box...


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, may I present, the RC apron!!! Our neighbor probably thought strange things when my wife asked for an apron because her husband needs to take some pics..... She said we could keep the apron!!!!!!!


Sorry, we both work and I wanted to post this before midnight... I wanted the frills and lace, but we didn't have time to make it. I think this will do though!!!

As usual, she has to spice everything up a bit. Keep in mind - she's pouring baking soda on a cookie sheet....but gives me a look like she's been naughty!!!! Bad Jackie!


With melev's instructions and everything laid out, we're ready to bake.

[crt81]

So what's the baking soda for? (Sorry I already asked this!)


Great Apron! All it needs is some color and maybe some iron on fish patches from walmart, and Jackie will have the best apron!

[jcpatella]

Baked baking soda raises alk and pH.

[jcpatella]

The baking soda was in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees. During this time, Jackie made us some sushi for dinner! Hell, she was already wearing the apron...


After we were done eating, the baking soda was done baking.


She took it out and started to measure out the teaspoons. She didn't know I took this one. She does now, though!


Three teaspoons in a cup of RO/DI water. I'm not sure if "a cup" was meant to be taken literally, but we did anyhow. I guess it really doesn't matter, as it's being added to a much larger volume in a few minutes...


We added the first half to the return section of the sump. This way, it will be mixed in once it enters the display tank.

We had fun doing this simple task. Even though it may seem goofy, we have a great time taking pictures and posting on RC. Hope you guys keep visiting!

[cannarella]

Looks a little suspicious to me. I just got done watching a show about cocaine and the last step is baking it to dry it out... Hmmmm

Oven, white powder, you do the math...

Is that a Columbian blend?

Good looking chow. We had Korean tonight. Mmmmm

[NanoGurl]

lol i love it! you guys are crazy!

[crt81]

So how much exactly do you use to raise the ALK and pH?

Is there a specific amount per gallon? (this question may have been answered already, but I'm being lazy right now, so I'm not looking- sorry it's one of those nights!)


This my sound like a nooby question but here it is- what exactly does the ALK do? (sorry this has slipped my mind)!

[ReefGirlSara]

Gorgeous shrooms and zoas!!! You guys are great. I'm having kind of a crappy week, so it's nice to read your thread and laugh along with everything. I'm jealous of your dinner too - looks good! I had soup tonight...

Josh - Very Good Work getting Jackie flowers! And Jackie, good work on picking out the corals and being such a nice RC model!!

[ReefGirlSara]

Melev, very nice daily reefing checklist. You just forgot one thing...all the hours a day on RC!! lol