The LAST big upgrade

[kien]

Tank is looking great!

Originally Posted by michika

I'm in the process of adjusting the rockwork and getting a better feel for dosing. I've always previously used reactors, and typically only ever hand dosed magnesium, and way back in the day, some powdered additives.

Although you probably don't have a lot of uptake at the moment, I would imagine this would be a ridiculously large volume to be dosing. Have you figured out feasibility of dosing vs a reactor for your volume?

[michika]

Originally Posted by FishyFishy!

With the DC pump, did you reduce the 2" intake at the pump, or closer to the inlet?

On the pump side actually. The inlet was left alone. It will be getting a screen as I've been looking at smaller and smaller fish.

Originally Posted by mseepman

Wow, a Hammerhead to a waveline? I assuming the Hammerhead was really throttled back because those two pumps don't really compare for flow.

Hahahah yes. The hammerhead was TOO powerfu. Even dialed way back the suction on the 2" inlet was deadly. The flow was ridiculous too. I do expect to go back to the hammerhead though in the future when things start to grow in and I need the extra flow to overcome the growth.

Originally Posted by kien

Tank is looking great!



Although you probably don't have a lot of uptake at the moment, I would imagine this would be a ridiculously large volume to be dosing. Have you figured out feasibility of dosing vs a reactor for your volume?

Thanks!

I did look at reactors, and I've always typically used CA reactors and then had a kalk reactor for dKH. This time I'm trying the BRS two-part dosing method. The only reason I didn't stay with reactors is finding media consistently.

I did some back of the envelope calculations on the big three and what it would cost me to do dosing vs reactors and it really comes down to the prices and accessibility of media. Reactor dosing has somewhat fallen out of favour and so I'm not seeing things like ARM media or its equivalent around regularly, stores aren't really carrying it (that I've seen). Equipment for dosing is cheaper, media is more expensive. Equipment for reactors are more expensive, and media is cheaper, but hard to find consistently.

I've just started (last week) automating my dosing using the BRS peristaltic pumps and their 2-part instructions. Using the assumption that the total current water volumne is 550gal I'm already dosing nearly 1g of CA, dKH, and MG respectfully over a 24 hour period. This leaves me with two possible solutions; a) bigger dosing containers (ugh) b) stronger more concentrated doses.

I get a feeling that I'm going to end up with a fraken-dosing solution; half reactors, half dosing. But I plan to disguise it well with Pheasent balls.

Right now I go through about 30-40ppm Ca/day, everything else, is pretty flat.

[kien]

Originally Posted by michika

I get a feeling that I'm going to end up with a fraken-dosing solution; half reactors, half dosing. But I plan to disguise it well with Pheasent balls.

Right now I go through about 30-40ppm Ca/day, everything else, is pretty flat.

Pheasant balls to the rescue!! 550g to dose seems mind boggling to me. I'm dosing on 150g and finding that just barely manageable. Good point about the lack of media though. I don't see it around as often. I don't know about reactors falling out of favour though. I still often read suggestions that on larger volumes reactors are more economical. I suppose it will be a bit of trial and error but you'll find your groove :-)

ps. Pics of pheasant balls once you bring them online.

[michika]

You almost have to change the way you think about dosing to wrap your head around it.

For example, to raise Ca by 1ppm I have to dose 56.2mL. Which means to catch up from a 30ppm drop I have to dose 1686mL, or 1.686L. And it takes a little over 4 cups of Calcium Chloride to make up that batch. Its a little bit of a mind-blowing moment actually.

I know myself and my sanity will not hold out for daily re-mixing of additives, so the 1g jugs for dosing aren't really sufficient, but like you said...the optimal solution and all...

[mseepman]

I would hope that a decent Kalk reactor in addition to dosing would balance that out a little. How much top off do you go through in a day?

[michika]

Not that much actually and the amount has been dropping as overall temperatures have been rising. I'd say about 5-10g/day. In the beginning it was closer to 10g, now I'd say more like 4.5-6g depending on how dry the weather is.

[michika]

This daily mixing up of BRS 2-part sucks. The products are great, my tank is just too big for the 1g jugs.

So I guess my question, before I buy bigger dosing containters, is can I make my additives more concentrated? I don't see why not, but hey, its Monday! Aside from the obvious cautions of dose into a high-flow area, and don't dose too quickly, etc. anyone see any downsides to mixing up my addives in more concentrated batches?

And cause everyone likes photos, here are some shots of the new in-stair lighting. Now you don't have to turn on the overhead lighting to go upstairs and down. I like it, it means less light disptions while watching television, gaming or enjoying the tank.



Playing with my phone.

[lastlight]

ouch 1 yellow remains from the 9 you added?

[michika]

Originally Posted by lastlight

ouch 1 yellow remains from the 9 you added?

Sadly so. I feel terrible about it too. They just vanished sometime between lights out and when I'd get home from work the next day. I do want to try more, but I'm not rushing it because I'm so nervous about it.

[michika]

I picked this pair up last week.




This is the female, she just started eating (voraciously) yesterday.



They, but him mostly, spend a lot of time playing in the flow. I think she's starting to settle in though as she becomes more playful each day.