Tylers ~30 gal system build.

[zum14]

So a bit of an update on this tank. Dont get too excited this isnt the final look. I have a bunch of trimming and theres a couple of corals going out for trade, some going to get hacked up a little smaller. Its tough dealing with a small landscape. I am enjoying the level of maintenance on a smaller system. Water top up is crutial. I wont be getting any fish or inverts still my controller arrives and I can set up my auto top off. Topping up every night is getting a bit tiring. So ya ordered an apex lite, bunch of float switches, everything should be here by next weekend so i can get it all set up. Ive been looking at maybe bushing my mag 7 down to a 1/4" line and seeing if it will pump up from my basement. From the flow charts it looks like it should and I cant really see the large restriction on the out line causing an issue as its kind of the same as a ball valve or similar. Test is conducted tonight or tomorrow night. Couple pics. Im going to wait till I get my full rock back before submitting a pic to the full tank shot thread. ( One large piece is cooking with the leftover rocks as I wasnt able to get the two crabs out and wasnt going to take any chances this time. Thats why it looks like its missing something.)














And I know the coral colors are not there, I know, I just spent a good chunk of change on the controller so Im making due with a couple of 36" hagen t5 fixtures with hagen bulbs. There on top of the stand so there like 14" away from the tank and just look terrible. Light is next on the list.

[BlueTang<3]

Looking good great job on the tank and stand.

[paddyob]

I have to say I am impressed you managed to fit a Television in there!

[zum14]

Its a new feature ive been working on, i figure were boxing them up in a glass box we may as well give them something to watch. Im still working on a remote for it though. Hard to make it watertight.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by zum14

Its a new feature ive been working on, i figure were boxing them up in a glass box we may as well give them something to watch. Im still working on a remote for it though. Hard to make it watertight.

BAHHAHHAHHA! I think the whole opposable thumb or lack there of might still be an issue... make them watch Sponge Bob.

[zum14]

So not a whole heck of a lot of change on the tank lately, everythings growing great except for the one open brain (cant remember if its trach. or wells.) but ya, feed every say 4 days, have tried just about every food on it, not forcing but sort of letting the slow current sweep the food across it, have tried the smaller stuff as well, it was showing some signs of growth, or so I thought, but now i feel like im either not seeing any growth or go as far as saying maybe a bit of recession. Theres a trachyphyllia about an 1" away from it and it almost seems like its getting bigger every week. I dunno, some days I wonder if its lost its will. Im not giving up yet though, trying to keep any algae off it and ill keep trying to feed it till the bitter end. Anyone think a med/dip would have any positive effects?? I know there are no critters in the tank anymore, Ive spent hours watching with the lights out and all I see are pods. (Have a red LED flashlight that works great) Nothing else in the tank is showing signs of stress, everything actually seems the opposite. The platygyra seems to be getting puffier and whiter, lots of feeding tentacles at dinner time, no sweepers noticed yet though. Oh well Ill keep plugging along. I got all my float switches plus some this week.



But due to a shipping mishap it looks like the controllers going to be a week behind schedule. It sucks but what you gonna do? I need some time to figure out how im going to mount all these things anyways. I want one for the tank, overflow, three in the sump (one for water top up, one for low sump water, one for high sump water incase of float failure on the top up) and one will be for the water topup container in the basement incase the water level gets too low in the bucket it wont run the pump dry. That will be my 6 for the one IO box I ordered and if I think of some more well I have some extra switches and also have extras for failures. I have some trimming to do tomorrow and may update the FTS but havent been to keen on it as its going to be a while before I get my final look as Im waiting for my rock to finish cooking. I want to be ultra sure whatever in that rock has long died so I dont bring another 2 crabs back in. That was 6 crabs in 50lbs of liverock.

[zum14]

Soo my controller showed up late last week, Got it mounted into place. The wifes not too excited about the idea of me keeping the display on the outside of the stand after its skinned but she loves me and compromised. Please excuse the wiring, nothings finished yet, its actually not too complicated once you get everything figured out and figure out there programming code. Took some real forum searching and an unofficial guide from RC but we got her figured. Theres a few questions still but im going to search a little harder before asking repetitive questions. Pretty stoked with the auto top off now, works great. No more nightly drips!! Love it. Working with the acrylic making holders has been alright as well. Still have lots to do with it to finish things up but do a little bit more everyday. I found that I do need to calibrate the probes too. No biggie.






Also anyone have any ideas how long someone would "cook" LR to make sure the little crabbies didnt survive?? I have some leftover rock in my basement in a tub with heater and powerheads. Everything looks really clean now, but I just really do not want to put the last piece of rock into my tank and end up putting the two crabs I couldnt get out of the rock, back into my tank. Ill have to do some research on that as well.

[whatcaneyedo]

Were you able to set up remote access to your Apex from over the internet? I can fiddle with mine on my home PC but I can't figure out my router to let me at it from outside my home.