
wasp
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Everything posted by wasp
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Does anyone have a link to the Eric Bourneman fragging video?
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Just straight water. Got it from http://www.innovativeaquatics.com/produ ... ilis2.html although I think Reef has peristaltic pumps, as does Steve, although different brand. And according to Dogmatix, A Preston. US$ I'm afraid, although the high NZ$ helps, I got a conversion rate just over 74 cents. cost me NZ$338.17, that was the pump, an optional backup battery, and a spare 3 year hose (although they packed two), plus freight. Also had to get a step down transformer from Dick Smith for $69.00 as it runs on 110 volts. So like many things marine it is not cheap, but i'm very pleased I did it.
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Thanks Rockerpeller I went down & had a look, they got another one of those nice brown & green brains same as mine! Nice score for someone but mines losing it's uniqueness! And nice pics Reef, what is that purple one partly shown, to the right of the green stag?
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I'm just using the standard Deltec media. Is this Carib Sea one OK for a Deltec circulating reactor? The pump I'm using is this http://www.innovativeaquatics.com/produ ... ilis2.html , simply because it is adjustable dose rate, good head pressure, and a good price, but any peristaltic pump should do provided it's adjustable dose rate in the range we would want for a calcium reactor. The tube size just happens to be right for my reactor inlet, but wouldn't matter much just some stretchy type tube could be adapted onto anything. I'm not running the reactor effluent into a Po4 remover but have considered this, some people do. Just as an aside, my corals have been looking better over the last week or so, plus more growth than normal, it might be the stable parameters. Also I started up the zeovit again 3 weeks ago so that could be kicking in, so don't know which one is doing it, or maybe both, but anyway, I'm feeling good about the reactor. In the past, when I've been out of town for a few days I've turned the reactor off, just in case. But now I'm fully confident I could let it run while I'm away.
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Thing I’ve noticed over and again in various threads, is people having problems getting their calcium reactor to generate enough calcium and alkalinity. In theory, it should work great, the reactor is full of media, you set a slow drip rate of water going through, add Co2 to drop pH to where the media is dissolving, and should work fine. But often it doesn’t. Most people who have problems, say they cannot keep their drip rate steady. They either have some kind of tee’d off arrangement to feed water to the reactor, or some kind of small pump. Almost invariably they complain of clogging and having to fiddle with the drip rate to keep it steady. When this was happening to me, I had to reduce Co2 input or else the small pump that fed my reactor would not handle the back pressure and drip rate would slow or stop. Anyhow, think I’ve sussed it. Now my reactor is being fed water by a peristaltic pump. It is adjustable and can be set to any drip rate I want, but most importantly, it has a very high head pressure. It just feeds the set drip rate through, regardless. So I have been able to turn the Co2 up really high and the drip rate just carries on regardless, unlike before on the low head pressure pump I had. When I put the peristaltic pump on the reactor couple of weeks back, the dkh of the tank was 4. I wanted to see how the peristaltic pump would go so resisted the temptation to add baking soda, but instead wound the reactor up pretty high, and in just 3 days dkh was up to 7. I have now slowed the reactor to hold dkh at around 8, where I want it. Now I have not had to fiddle with the reactor at all, drip rate has remained steady all the time. All a person really has to do is set the Co2 pressure at a minimum of 1 bar to make it easy to get bubble rate where they want it, then have a peristaltic pump with good head pressure running the reactor, and the reactor should be able to work as designed, set and forget.
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Where did you get it? I went to HFF again today and that nice brain has been sold!
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That sounds like it will work. So now you've got us all wondering, who are you and what are you doing?
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Sorry I can't answer that, it's complex, I just don't know. I'd suggest going to the chemistry forum at reefcentral.com
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Basically no, you cannot use it. Or, you can, but less than ideal. If you only want to keep fish, no corals, it would do for a while, but long term would not be good, many of the elements they need, calcium for bones for example, will have precipitated out when the salt was dried and will be in lower than normal amounts. Of course with fish this may be somewhat counteracted by what you feed them. But for corals, that absorb a lot of their nutrients from the water, dried sea salt is not a good idea.
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Not going to stick to wet rocks very well.
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Silicone is not such a good idea. I use a product from Placemakers called Sika waterstop powder, I got it for making frag plugs cos it sets in a minute or so. I've also used it to stick the odd rock together & it's excellent, and strong, but you have to work FAST. Placemakers have other cementy type products, one that I can't remember the name sets in around 20 minutes & would probably be ideal. Other thing to be aware of is that using cement in the tank may raise alkalinity & pH of the water for the first few weeks. You should test the water for this & don't add living organisms till parameters are OK.
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These are for sale in Christchurch?
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Well here it is, didn't come through the best on the fax. You may wish to post a better one Warren. Well thought out though, and certainly cheap!
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No. Protein skimmers don't work very well in a brackish tank because of the low salinity, the water does not froth as well. Having said that, I saw recently an advertisement for a skimmer someone had designed that he claims works in fresh water. When I had a brackish tank nutrient control was quite an issue. No doubt there are standardised methods but I changed to a full salt system before I really had brackish sussed.
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Thanks Warren, when I get home I'll try to scan it & post for the others.
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I thought you were going to say it was all automated & lasted 30 days, then I find out you had KP looking after it! Excellent about the copperband, looks like it will be a keeper!
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Very nice! Sometimes wish I'd started out with something like that instead of my basic turd brown model. Although my one might be ugly but it's a tuffy! Certainly tolerated all the abuse and mistakes I've made with it over the years!
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Yes well if I'm techno enough, and after getting Warrens permission, I'll do it.
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Hmmm, not quite what I'm looking for but as you say it may surprise, but I'll pass for now. Surprised you didn't snap that brain up when you saw it, it's a lovely little piece, if I didn't have one I would have absolutely taken it. If you did want it I'll be happy to assist if need be though.
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Hey Drifty, I've been reading the instructions & think I may have diagnosed your problem. The Nautilus is a refurbished medical pump. It has a maximum dose function, that can be programed that you set some maximum dose, then once that is hit the pump stops and the alarm sounds. It is recommended not to use this feature for reef purposes, it is designed so in a hospital they can ensure they don't overdose somebody with something. This is the only reason the alarm would go off, if the maximium dose has been hit. So what must have happened, you must have accidentally hit the maximum dose button, and unknowingly programmed in some maximum dose. Then every time it is hit, the pump will stop and the alarm go off. You will need to turn the maximum dose feature off. Do you still have the instructions, if not I will send you a copy.
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Hey Layton if you are wanting these things, I could get that one in Hollywood & ship it to you, if you will send me a similarly nice one in exchange. What you got?
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Yes went & had a look, you are right Rockerpeller it's the exact same coral. Pretty faded but otherwise in excellent health, I felt like buying it! :lol: There is another similar brain but not such a nice colour. When I saw it in the shop I realised that was about the size of mine when I bought it, so in fact mine has grown quite a lot, probably trebled in size, I just hadn't noticed as it happened slowly, amazing how things creep away on you! See any other nice brains let me know!
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The one on the right of the pic, or the left?
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NOT BORING!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: Nothing is a better feeling than great looking acros, it's the pinnacle of the hobby, as you have personnally experienced PuttPutt! But there is something to be said for having easier care stuff that will still look good when we let nutrients build up too much, or make some other gaff. Also some softy tanks can look pretty awesome, they are usually better in real life than in a pic, because of the movement. But you seem to grow stunning acros with ease, as well as you various other types of corals, all good for you Watching your tank thread BTW!