KrazyKuch's & Michika's 180Gal Tank Build - Page 64

Phanman · #**631** 01-22-2009, 07:37 PM

Looks good Catherine. Glad all your hard work is finally paying off

michika · #**632** 02-10-2009, 01:46 PM

The tank is starting to settle down and mature a little bit right now. I'm finding that its gulping down more FW per day then it was about a month ago. Before I was looking at about 3g per day, now I'm looking at around 5g per day. I haven't changed anything related to the tank, so I suspect either the skimmer is removing more crap, or the humidity/temperature in the basement is the reason behind this.

The orange digi recently grew into its neighbour the tri-colour. I have been so busy lately that I didn't catch it in time and the digi's extended branch died off as a result. They've since been further separated. I'm finding the same goes with a lot of colonies I have, and the urchin isn't helping things. I'm glad I chose not to glue anything down because I probably would have glued them too close together as I didn't account for how quickly things have taken off recently.

I'm finding I have to dose Calcium every second day manually because the Kalk. reactor is still not up and running. I just found a Mag 5 pump, so hopefully this weekend I can once again have a running reactor! The cost of manual dosing is really expensive overall, about $30 a month in supplements. With the reactors I think I was looking at about $120 to $150 a year total for everything.

The plans for now is just to keep up with the 180g, water changes, cleaning, etc. while we work on the basement. I'm just so busy right now that its really difficult to find time for the basics from Mondays to Fridays. Originally I was feeling pretty confident about having a lot done by the end of February, but at the rate I'm moving, nothing is happening.

FlamesFan · #**633** 02-10-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michika

The tank is starting to settle down and mature a little bit right now. I'm finding that its gulping down more FW per day then it was about a month ago. Before I was looking at about 3g per day, now I'm looking at around 5g per day. I haven't changed anything related to the tank, so I suspect either the skimmer is removing more crap, or the humidity/temperature in the basement is the reason behind this.

The orange digi recently grew into its neighbour the tri-colour. I have been so busy lately that I didn't catch it in time and the digi's extended branch died off as a result. They've since been further separated. I'm finding the same goes with a lot of colonies I have, and the urchin isn't helping things. I'm glad I chose not to glue anything down because I probably would have glued them too close together as I didn't account for how quickly things have taken off recently.

I'm finding I have to dose Calcium every second day manually because the Kalk. reactor is still not up and running. I just found a Mag 5 pump, so hopefully this weekend I can once again have a running reactor! The cost of manual dosing is really expensive overall, about $30 a month in supplements. With the reactors I think I was looking at about $120 to $150 a year total for everything.

The plans for now is just to keep up with the 180g, water changes, cleaning, etc. while we work on the basement. I'm just so busy right now that its really difficult to find time for the basics from Mondays to Fridays. Originally I was feeling pretty confident about having a lot done by the end of February, but at the rate I'm moving, nothing is happening.

If for some reason you are unable to get your reactor up and running properly and have to manually dose, I recommend the 2part from bulkreefsupply. The package is about 150 bucks after shipping costs but i've used about 15% of the total supply in one year. I am heavily SPS stocked and dose close to 100ml per week of alk/cal over the course of a week.

2 cups of ca powder makes 4 litres of calcium and you get a good size tub of the powder.

Lance · #**634** 02-10-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesFan

If for some reason you are unable to get your reactor up and running properly and have to manually dose, I recommend the 2part from bulkreefsupply. The package is about 150 bucks after shipping costs but i've used about 15% of the total supply in one year. I am heavily SPS stocked and dose close to 100ml per week of alk/cal over the course of a week.

2 cups of ca powder makes 4 litres of calcium and you get a good size tub of the powder.

Absolutley. I too use the 2-part from BRS and find it fairly reasonable

Skimmerking · #**635** 02-11-2009, 12:17 AM

Glad that you are getting the tank the way you like it.. It’s been a long road there with you tank for awhile. How about some pictures, KIDO And with all my frags that I have I’m still using the Kalk reactor to run the ALK and CAL in the tank. May have to bum up the drip to keep up, looks like that I’m getting around 8 DKh out of my Kalk reactor with a drip every 2-3 sec.

Catherine what about going with the Proflux controller. if you are having that much trouble with the RKE. I have been hearing a lot of crap about them WRT pushing the elite model and ending up having programs problems just something to look in too.

When and if I get one it will be a Pro flux and I will be getting the doing pumps to go with it too.

tang daddy · #**636** 02-11-2009, 03:39 AM

I really like the look of this piece, you are lucky to aquire such a gem!!

michika · #**637** 02-11-2009, 04:36 AM

I'll definitely look two-part if I decide not to put the reactor online, or if I can't put it back online. Thank you for the suggestions.

I turned the lights on to pick up a couple of pieces that had fallen today. Just after the lights came on I got a quick view of some great polyp extension on this piece.

This piece is spreading out quite rapidly all of a sudden. I had to move both the above colony, and the orange digi out of its way.

The birdsnest looks amazing. It has a green sheen to it, and that purple you see, it actually looks like that in real life, its not a camera figment.

michika · #**638** 03-01-2009, 07:23 PM

Alright some pre-cleaning photos. The tank needs a bit of an overhaul before I head away next week.

MHs only, which is more realistic

A comparison; with T5s:

MHs only

Re-arranged right side to provide more space for the growing cap

From V-day

michika · #**639** 03-24-2009, 05:09 AM

Some photos from just after I came back from San Diego.

I love how vibrant this piece looked when I got home.

Everyone's accounted for

This showed up in the mail today, replacement head unit to deal with the capsense problems we were having. So far Kevin can use it with no problems. He even re-set up the RKE and made a bunch of great little changes.

Moon lights showed up too finally

Moon lights look really nice too, but the photo doesn't do them justice

We fixed the top-off switch problem, added the moonlights online, and made a few small changes to the system. Kevin fixed the excessive bubbles we were getting in the Ca. reactor. As well the Kalk. reactor is back online and its all programed for easy kalk. powder additions. I'm so excited, it means that tomorrow is the last time I'll have to add any more powdered Ca. and the timing couldn't be any better, I'm on my last little bit of powder!

I'll get around to the photos of the San Diego Sea World later...its time for bed.

banditpowdercoat · #**640** 03-24-2009, 06:05 AM

Atleast you coulda put Canreef on your comp when you took the pic LOL