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Yeah I am. All the pictures are over 1MB and I'm uploading them to photobucket with a 5mb limit. Photobucket has just responded to my inquiry and they think that there is a system glitch.
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Today was a good day!
- first day at my new job; little work, lots of pay, just how I like it! - frags showed up today, I got 6, but did not get the ponape birdsnest I placed the order for - RKE showed up, and cost $34 in duties. Of course you all want photos.... The ozonizer finally arrived, and it was the wrong unit. Its just the AquaZone and not the AquaZone plus. However now that we have the RKE, we can use it to monitor the ozonizer. Baking the beads to recharge them. For everyone who isn't colour blind, you can seem the starting to change around the edges. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0166.jpg Recharged beads http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0167.jpg I use TMPCC to dip all my corals before they enter my tank, and they undergo an inspection for redbugs, flatworms, and nudibranchs. If I could I would treat all incoming SPS with redbugs, however it has become almost impossible to get interceptor here. Most vets acknowledge the existence of redbugs, but refuse to prescribe the medication even with a sample of the SPS and literature. Anyways, I wish Tropic Marin would change the way the distribute their Pro Coral Cure. I think the bottle has a lot of issues. This is my second bottle, and its leaky! My first bottle somehow got air in it, and it dried out over the course of a month. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0171.jpg The RKE! http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0170-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0195.jpg New frags; Purple Bonzai http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0184.jpg Orange Digi http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0189-1.jpg Green Digi http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0191.jpg Excellent Exquisita, I don't think this frag will make it. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0196.jpg Peach mille http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0188.jpg Blue/green Lovelli http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0186.jpg |
Older frags & colonies;
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0185.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0187.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0192.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0202.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0205.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0206.jpg New livestock; one of two yellow headed jawfish http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0174.jpg red sea raccoon butterfly http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0198.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0200.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0214.jpg |
Sahweeeeet!
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Looks Great. Love this thread.
My TMPCC did the same thing. J |
Thanks guys!
So some somewhat big changes; I gave Kevin the go ahead to put a SMALL hole in the wall behind the tank. The room behind the tank is our "utility" room/storage/water making place. Over the next couple of weeks we are going to convert it to a water making place/ fish storage/dehumidifyer/ozonizer/misc. fish equipment storage aka a semi fish-room. We are also going to be making a few changes to how our top off is done, and possible even top off from the utility room. The RKE is now running; - top off pump - kalk stirrer - ozonizer - skimmer - ORP/ pH/ Temp probes To add on; - chiller - heaters We will need another power bar to do the lights. I am quite pleased though that we have not encountered any errors that I have seen in the DA forums. I still want to be able to sit down the play with the controller myself, as I have yet to do that, but things are seeming to be pretty intuitive, and the instruction manual is helping out. The sump WILL be built either this weekend, or early next week. We finally have a space to build and dry the sump. The sump is what is holding up the remaining projects; skinning the tank, doing the final returns, and creating the storage shelving. As well the beads in the ozonizer are exhausted already. The system was brought online on Sunday and they are needing a re-charge already. Melev from RC thinks its because of the high humidity where the ozonizer is located (under the stand). |
Ah! The cyano, its invading! And, its already established colonies!
I need to do some testing today, however I think when I do test I will find that my dKH/alkalinity is low. This was previously the cause of my other experience with cyano in our second tank, a 46g bowfront. RKE is still running like a champ. I love it, even though I still haven't made time to play around with it and familiarize myself with it. From today at 6pm MST: Temp 80.6 pH 7.98 ORP 371 The fish are grazing and generally being good. I have been keeping a tentative list of the length of the doctor tang. When I got it, it was 1" from nose to tail, today it is about half an inch, maybe less, smaller then the Naso tang. As of today the fish are: Naso tang; 5" Doctor tang 4.5" Red Sea Sailfin tang 4.5" Vlamingi tang 4" Scopas tang 2.5" Red Sea Raccoon Butterfly 1.25" yellow damsel 1.75" both small chromii are STILL 0.5" (been this small for at least a year) mandarin (full size) 1.5" I also happen to know that is Der_Iron_Chef's birthday today. I also happen to know he has a love of the Red Sea Sailfin tang, so some photos just for Drew on his birthday. I apologize for all the air bubbles in the water. The fish got a little on the excited side when I put the feeding stick in the water. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0219.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0223-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0227-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...DSC_0234-1.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0238.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0240.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0250.jpg |
I came home with another SPS colony and two more clams. The cyano was pretty bad this evening. I cleaned off the rocks, and I am preparing a WC for tonight or tomorrow. I am quite sure that there is a link to my low dKH.
My new (as soon as its emptied) dipping container for frags http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0254.jpg A poor shot of the two new squamosas. They look amazing top down! http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0259.jpg Our new SPS that we are calling "the bush", it has quite the growth pattern http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0268.jpg And a close up. It got caught by a snail on the way down into the tank. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0263.jpg |
i remember seeing that "bush" at Red Coral a few days ago, that is a super odd growth form. Glad someone on here nabbed it, i am really curious to see how that thing is going to grow out.
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I am pleased to have got it. There were at least 3 other pieces that were in the running with it. I'm really hoping it will maintain its shape, and continue to colour up.
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I am officially done with Salifert's testkits. There is just no way to consistently get the same amount of fluid in the syringe to add solution #3. Sometimes I have a huge air bubble, and sometimes I don't. I think its screwing with my test results. I want a calcium monitor, and I am hoping DA will put one out soon, or I will pick one up from American Marine.
Speaking of the RKE we have found 2 bugs, but cannot locate the Firmware update on their website. Bug #1: if you don't touch the buttons or scroll through the screens fro an extended period of time, the buttons will forgot what they are supposed to do. E.g. you will push enter and the controller will take it to mean you are pushing up or down. Bug #2: it keeps randomly shutting off the skimmer for a few brief seconds before turning the pumps back online. We need another PC4 to bring the lights under the control of the RKE, however I am in no rush. I would rather wait until I hear that the bugs have been worked out that are associated with MH ballasts. |
It doesn't matter how much fluid you have in there, as long as the "air pocket" is next to the plunger and not somewhere in the middle. I just pull the plunger back to 1ml and run the sample. At the end of the titration it doesn't matter how much solution #3 you have left its about how much you've used.
You could always suck up solution #3 with the yellow tip off and then put it on, shove some liquid through it to get rid of the air and then reload the syringe to the 1ml mark. Works for me :biggrin: |
I'm confused...I think I need to go to bed.
Anyways, when I fill the syringe up with #3 I am lining the bottom of the plunger up with the 1ml mark. Is this incorrect? Should I be lining up the liquid with the 1ml level? It just seems like if I line it up with the plunger and I do the test 3 times I get three different numbers. While I may be using the same amount of fluid each time, the air bubble throws off where the plunger is, which if I read the instructions correctly, is the number you use to get your result. Yes? No? |
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How different are your readings? I've never really done duplicate or triplicate readings on my tests. Hmm, I'm totally going to go check this!! |
Weird, I've found Salifert to be one of the more consistent test kits. The air bubble doesn't really matter if it's consistent in size from one test to another, because it's unable to change in volume once inside the syringe (unless you have a blockage or restriction in the outlet), and like Christy said, it's about how much volume of the titrant you use up before getting a colour change..
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I just did it 3 times and I got 390 three times. Whew! You know, you could just yard off the yellow syringe tip. I didn't even get one with my new salifert ca test kit. |
Alright so without the tip I got a consistent 345 twice! So solution found!
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Thank you for the tips!
Now if only I could get a replacement Magnesium test kit. Well now I know that my Ca isn't crazy off I can finish tweaking my reactors! |
I find with all the Salifert kits that if you draw the solution all the way to the top of the syringe and then plunge it all back into the bottle first. Then draw the solution up to the line as instructed. It works better this way for some reason. Don't know why but it works. I always get accurate readings this way.
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How different are your readings? I get pretty consistent results when I do multiple tests, they're never bang on, but they are within 0.01ml on the syringe.
I would be more suspicious of the amount of other reagents. Are you doing the half-resolution-for-more-tests-per-kit thing? Because I find it's really hard to get exactly half a spoonful of the powdered reagent. For the cost of kits, I suggest not bothering with halfing the reagents because you're sure to get larger fluctuations with that. |
Geez, you and Christy get about a dozen posts in, in the time I typed mine in. Uh .. glad you found the answer.
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I know what you Mean Tony, no not realy i can type time to take a typing course. lol Catherine and Christy i think make up posts just to have alots ...:lol::lol::lol:
But on another note when I was home , Doug was telling me to use the small tip for the sringe and i never did. so i guess that was my judgement call i never liked it or could understand it. may be couse Im a MALE!!!!!!!!!!!.. :mrgreen: i like the KISS rule actually. with the air bubbles all I do is put the sringe in the bottle and slowly suck it up and some times I get a bubble and if I do get one i just push it in and pull it out again....... Wait that is starting to sound perverted isnt it . lol other then that Catherine , i still see that you dont have more clams then me, or will you ever get more clams then me......... the game is on you have to at least meet me with the size of BIG BERTHA...... which you will never get.. P.S IM home in 6 Weeks and then i will get another clam ......................:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:: mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: |
Here I am in the double digits and I STILL can't catch up to you! I'll beat you soon, at some point I will have more clams then you!
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Looking very nice. Your Naso is a very nice specimen by the way. I'm trying to keep up with your comments on your RKE as I'm looking a controller soon. I've sent them an e-mail regarding the back order status and no response as of yet. And yes I like the nice shrub shaped acro :mrgreen:
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A liter of skimmate per day! Pretty impressive. Tank is lookin' good. I also relly like that Naso.
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Go to http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html and download their free program it's easy to use just add the pictures it will stitch the together for you then just crop out the black parts.
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So a quick update as this is probably the only chance I will get to do so for the next couple of weeks.
- both jawfish died, both were found together, dead. I suspect they were not non-cyanide caught as boasted by the store they came from. I = not impressed, since they were fine one hour, and BOTH dead together, less then an hour later. - RKE bugs are fixed, we did an update to the firmware, and disconnected the head unit from everything else. No problems since. - I am seeing some really awesome growth on one of the colonies, and the colors are REALLY starting to pop as of tonight. Or maybe I see more changes since I'm out of the house all the time now. - I am debating the addition of a SMALL frag tank in the soon to be fish room, I'm thinking maybe 10" tall, 24" long and 18" deep. I want small, so it can be powered by a koralia, and run with maybe a very low wattage MH bulb. I am going to try and do the photo stitch later this week. |
tank looks great cathrine :)
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Thank you!
We thought we had sorted out our RKE problem, but now we wonder if it even is an RKE problem at all. Our lights do not run the RKE. This morning when the T5s came on, at that same moment the skimmer pumps shut off, and turned on again. My first comment to Kevin was that we might be overdrawing the circuit when things start up. He gave me a big lecture about how power draw works, and my eyes glazed over. At this point we/I do not know if the last time we heard the skimmer pumps if something else had just turned on. Maybe adding the RKE to the tank's circuit took it just too far, and is the cause of the skimmer pumps randomly turning off. We are still seeing steady growth, and colour from all our SPS. Unfortunately I STILL can't get the white balance quite right. My photos have too much red in them. While this green piece shows reasonably well the green is a bit more of a neon green, and less yellow-green as shown in the photo. I'll keep working on getting it right. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0332.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0341.jpg When we first got it http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0784.jpg This one here actually is a cream colour, with bright royal blue tips. I just can't get my camera to capture the colours. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0342.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0351.jpg And to show some growth, the photos below are from when we first got this colony http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0654.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0621.jpg This one is actually a light purple http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0352.jpg My purple monti from a previous order, http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0359.jpg The 'bush' is coming along well. Either it came with an acro crab, or one already in the tank, but there is one there now, http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0360.jpg The supervisor is not impressed at our lack of sump progress http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/DSC_0330.jpg |
We cleaned the skimmer pumps today, and so far everything has been running smoothly. I'm thinking that the skimmer noises we were hearing earlier were because the pumps were quite filthy. The fact that when the T5s came online and we heard the pumps stop was just coincidence.
I picked up two more yellow head jawfish to replace the pair that died. However they didn't even make it home in their bags. They were packaged separately because the drive was over an hour from the store home. I called the store immediately, provided photos of the corpses per their request, and then have been told too bad, they left the store, so its my own fault. I am not impressed, I've spent A LOT of money in this store over the years. I think this is the epitome of bad service. The raccoon butterfly did not come out today for nori, so I am worried it has perished, or been eaten by something in the tank we still haven't identified or seen. I saw the fish yesterday when I was getting ready for our awards ball last night, but nothing this morning. I am already thinking the worse. |
WOW. I can't believe the store was so dismissive. That's absolutely insane. Do you think they're cyanide caught or what?
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Unbelievable! I can't believe they treated you like that. That is a very poor attitude to take with any customer.
Catherine, do you happen to know the origin of the butterfly and jawfish. I read an article in last month's FAMA stating that cyanide fishing is on the rise in Indonesia, the Phillipines and Vietnam. |
Red Sea for the butterfly, and I don't remember where the jawfish came from.
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Alright so a quick update before I vanish again for a little while.
We've decided not to attend MACNA, and passed our tickets onto a couple of derby girls who are at Rollercon in Las Vegas this week. We are picking up our house hunt again as I am coming to the end of my tolerance of condo living. The butterfly did no reappear, and no body was found. This is now two fish that died in the tank with no remains. I suspect there is something unwelcome in the the tank, and it is capable of attacking fish under 2" at night. I'm thinking a crab of sorts. We haven't had any more RKE problems since we ran through the update. I will move our lighting onto the RKE mid-August when I know someone will be home to watch the system. I've already sent off my MLC certificate, so now its just a waiting game. Overall I'm really pleased with the controller, the price is great, the customer service is fantastic, its a great little unit! There are some color changes I am starting to see again. Some of the pieces that aren't growing were changing colors, and now some are changing yet again. I am so thrilled to have SPS again. My 28g nano really made me question how much I loved this hobby, and how much I was willing to put into it. The chiller is doing amazingly well. It doesn't run that much, and its cured my fears of the tank overheating while I am out. It also has not impacted the evaporation on the tank. I still go through about 5g every 3 or 4 days. The Doctor tang is growing at a stunning pace. The crap this fish drops onto my clams is stupidly big. So far the other fish have plumped up, but not gotten much bigger. I am hoping that this fish starts to slow down a bit growth wise, because this fish looks different every other week. Our goal is to get out of our condo for November 1st, so hopefully we will have more luck this time around with the house hunt. Cue round 3 in the Calgary house hunt! |
Catherine and Kevin Sorry to hear of your fish loses and your not so great experience at a LFS here in Calgary. I don't have many fish in stock right now due to our renovations but I would be more than willing to order something in for you. BTW the "BUSH" acro is doing incredible, I remember the day you got it "I said I am not sure what color it will be but the shape is spectacular", and you said "I want it and it will color up nice." Good eye. Good luck on the house hunting. If you wait till Dec. 1st you would most likely get a bargain. Just my opinion.
Kevin |
FWIW, the jawfish is an Atlantic/Caribbean species. I think the range extends from the southern parts of the eastern seaboard down to South America.
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