Tank of the Month - September 2007 - Page 8

JRaquatics · #**176** 09/13/2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hendersonracing
to me it seems the more I feed the worse my water looks..I have about 300 gallons of water and feed about 4 cubs a day....should I increase this? also 50 gallon wc a week?

Are you rinsing your frozen food off before feeding your tank?

acropora nut · #**177** 09/13/2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JRaquatics
Are you rinsing your frozen food off before feeding your tank?

I feel you can't just start pounding the system full of food..Feeding should be ramped up over a period of time..This will allow the system can compensate for all the new food...Start off slow and feed more and more over a period of time...A lot comes into play when feeding this much....You better have a awesome skimmer and keep up with your water changes....Feeding heavy isn't for everyone...You have to pay great attention to the overall health of the system...

Mike

bubbletip2 · #**178** 09/13/2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by acropora nut
I feel you can't just start pounding the system full of food..Feeding should be ramped up over a period of time..This will allow the system can compensate for all the new food...Start off slow and feed more and more over a period of time...A lot comes into play when feeding this much....You better have a awesome skimmer and keep up with your water changes....Feeding heavy isn't for everyone...You have to pay great attention to the overall health of the system...

Mike

Agreed! I would love to feed 3-4 times a day in my 30g cube but no way. I can only feed 2x a day. And I have a skimmer rated for 125g. Any more feeding than that and my system can't take it. Every system is different. Hopefully Joe you are spreading 4 cubes throughout the day. If you are noticing the fish not eating anymore and food still in the tank, you may be overfeeding.

Skim hard Joe, Skim hard

Jim

fishcraze2002 · #**179** 09/13/2007, 12:23 PM

Awesome tank, Mike. Congrats!!!

acropora nut · #**180** 09/13/2007, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fishcraze2002
Awesome tank, Mike. Congrats!!!

Thank you fishcraze2002...

Mike

Dudester · #**181** 09/13/2007, 02:47 PM

I notice your filter socks are the ones without the rigid rim on the top. One seems to be tied to a piece of flexible PVC. Did you attach a plastic screw to the PVC or something to tie the string on to, or did you just wrap it around the pipe to affix it there? Also, what micron permeability are the filter socks and where did you get them?

Thanks, and even though I've said it before, beautiful job!

rigleautomotive · #**182** 09/13/2007, 04:07 PM

mike its a fine line between feeding enough to get your corals to pop like yours and overfeeding and turning everything brown.i have had it happen both ways but you make a good point with the oversized skimmer.i have preached that since the 6 foot air driven skimmer was the best you could get.(a long time ago)wicked colors on your sps corals.keep it up. Dan

acropora nut · #**183** 09/13/2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dudester
I notice your filter socks are the ones without the rigid rim on the top. One seems to be tied to a piece of flexible PVC. Did you attach a plastic screw to the PVC or something to tie the string on to, or did you just wrap it around the pipe to affix it there? Also, what micron permeability are the filter socks and where did you get them?

Thanks, and even though I've said it before, beautiful job!

You can see in the pic's that I wrap the string around the flexible PVC..The other bag that comes off the main drain is held up by a hook..Both bags have strings...The bags are 100micron..

Mike

acropora nut · #**184** 09/13/2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rigleautomotive
mike its a fine line between feeding enough to get your corals to pop like yours and overfeeding and turning everything brown.i have had it happen both ways but you make a good point with the oversized skimmer.i have preached that since the 6 foot air driven skimmer was the best you could get.(a long time ago)wicked colors on your sps corals.keep it up. Dan

Thx's Dan..........

Mike

Walter Costa · #**185** 09/14/2007, 06:05 AM

Amazing tank.

Congratulations on TOTM.

corbett_n · #**186** 09/14/2007, 08:30 AM

Best tank these old eyes have ever seen

acropora nut · #**187** 09/14/2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Walter Costa
Amazing tank.

Congratulations on TOTM.

Thank you ...

Mike

acropora nut · #**188** 09/14/2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by corbett_n
Best tank these old eyes have ever seen

Thank you for the nice comment...

Mike

The Cardinal · #**189** 09/15/2007, 03:27 AM

Gorgeous tank Mike!

I recently bought the same lighting setup as you, Lumenarc III minis, reeflux 10K 250w SE and the Coralvue ballast. I feel this is a great combination as well. Do you have any pics of the tank with only the Reeflux 10k on?

I am considering to install protective glass on mine to extend the lifetime of the reflectors. Judging by the photos you seem to have some build up of salt etc on the reflectors. Or would you say that it is not necessary as you do loose some PAR with the glass as well?

Keep up the good work!

Peter

THP · #**190** 09/15/2007, 08:11 AM

Mike,

As mentioned by so many, your tank is truely inspirational and out of this world!!! Beautifull.

I believe you mentioned to me previously that you are in Oakville (I'm in Brampton). My question is regarding the heat generated from 400w lights so I assume that your basement temperature conditions are similar to mine. I took the plunge and bought 3x400w luminarc III for my 180 using the same ballast/bulb combination as yourself. If my basement average temperature is 21 C year-round, do you think I will still need a chiller. I plan to use 4 fans between the tank surface and light fixtures.

Ohhhhh man, I think I over did it on lighting!!

Hendersonracing · #**191** 09/15/2007, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by THP
Mike,

As mentioned by so many, your tank is truely inspirational and out of this world!!! Beautifull.

I believe you mentioned to me previously that you are in Oakville (I'm in Brampton). My question is regarding the heat generated from 400w lights so I assume that your basement temperature conditions are similar to mine. I took the plunge and bought 3x400w luminarc III for my 180 using the same ballast/bulb combination as yourself. If my basement average temperature is 21 C year-round, do you think I will still need a chiller. I plan to use 4 fans between the tank surface and light fixtures.

Ohhhhh man, I think I over did it on lighting!!

you need a chiller with any 400 watt setup(IMO)

acropora nut · #**192** 09/15/2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hendersonracing
you need a chiller with any 400 watt setup(IMO)

Like Joe said you will need a chiller....Unless U have some insane ventilation...

Mike

THP · #**193** 09/15/2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by acropora nut
Like Joe said you will need a chiller....Unless U have some insane ventilation...

Mike

I'm unsure why 3x400w lights would generate much more heat than 4-5 250w lights...I would have thought the total wattage would equal the heat generated. This unfortunately was my basis on choosing 3x400s rather than 4x250 DE. Also, the best SPS tanks (obviously including yours) I had seen used 400s so that was another factor in choosing them.

Are there other options to chillers? The overall amperage consumption (likely 5.some amps as I would suspect I need a 1/4 hp) begins to drain on what I have available to the tank without tripping breakers. Would an overhead fan above the lights which would pull the heat outside work in place of a chiller or am I really stuck here having to use a chiller.

fishdoc11 · #**194** 09/15/2007, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by THP
Also, the best SPS tanks (obviously including yours) I had seen used 400s so that was another factor in choosing them.

LOTS of nice 180's out there using 3 250's

Chris

Hendersonracing · #**195** 09/15/2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by THP
I'm unsure why 3x400w lights would generate much more heat than 4-5 250w lights...I would have thought the total wattage would equal the heat generated. This unfortunately was my basis on choosing 3x400s rather than 4x250 DE. Also, the best SPS tanks (obviously including yours) I had seen used 400s so that was another factor in choosing them.

Are there other options to chillers? The overall amperage consumption (likely 5.some amps as I would suspect I need a 1/4 hp) begins to drain on what I have available to the tank without tripping breakers. Would an overhead fan above the lights which would pull the heat outside work in place of a chiller or am I really stuck here having to use a chiller.

the problem you will have is temperature fluctuation..I have a 75 gallon here at work and only 2 250 watt halides and it seems at the end of the photoperiod the temp is at its limit...and at night it falls below were I like it to be... a chiller is kinda like a reactor it will keep the temperature stable...

THP · #**196** 09/15/2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hendersonracing
the problem you will have is temperature fluctuation..I have a 75 gallon here at work and only 2 250 watt halides and it seems at the end of the photoperiod the temp is at its limit...and at night it falls below were I like it to be... a chiller is kinda like a reactor it will keep the temperature stable...

I agree 100% with you that the chiller, like a calcium reactor, will keep things stable. I may be stuck having to get one but after some thinking and searching, I will give the current setup a try using several fans. I have 4 variable speed fans at the moment and plan to use them for air flow betwen the water surface and fixtures. I have a dehumidifier at the opposite end of the tank (actually oposite end of the room) where the fans will blow towards. I will also install 1 or 2 blowing directly onto the sump water surface. My hope is to combat heat with evaporation and by simply pushing the hot air away from the tank to begin with. I use an auto-top off so replenishing evaporation should be a non-issue.

I'm going to give all that a try in the near future and monitor temperatures to see what results. At the moment, I have the luxury to experiment since the tank is cycling without any live stock. Only live rock and sand at the moment.

Hendersonracing · #**197** 09/15/2007, 11:07 AM

thats exactly what I would do...and if it works great and if not its no big deal to fire a chiller up....oh yeah make sure you buy a few temperature guages...I bought a pinpoint and it was bad and caused me some issues trying to keep the heat down...

acropora nut · #**198** 09/15/2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by THP
I agree 100% with you that the chiller, like a calcium reactor, will keep things stable. I may be stuck having to get one but after some thinking and searching, I will give the current setup a try using several fans. I have 4 variable speed fans at the moment and plan to use them for air flow betwen the water surface and fixtures. I have a dehumidifier at the opposite end of the tank (actually oposite end of the room) where the fans will blow towards. I will also install 1 or 2 blowing directly onto the sump water surface. My hope is to combat heat with evaporation and by simply pushing the hot air away from the tank to begin with. I use an auto-top off so replenishing evaporation should be a non-issue.

I'm going to give all that a try in the near future and monitor temperatures to see what results. At the moment, I have the luxury to experiment since the tank is cycling without any live stock. Only live rock and sand at the moment.

How many AMPs is you dehumidifier drawing...

Mike

THP · #**199** 09/15/2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by acropora nut
How many AMPs is you dehumidifier drawing...

Mike

Good question! I was thinking about that earlier as well. I'm in Spain on business until next week but I'll check when I get home.

The dehumidifier in my opinion was absolultely necessary for the basements sake (moisture damage). Also, it is on a seperate breaker. My 180 tank has 2x15 amp dedicated circuits.

Hendersonracing · #**200** 09/15/2007, 11:44 AM

I pull at least 2 buckets of water out of my dehumidifier a week...mine is in the basement also!!