puttputt

Don't worry bubbles, many well above tanks like those on this thread not using rubbish like that.

What other maintenance Layton, I have had mine running for 12months, and thats it, no other maintence. And yes evry week i have to turn a little tap on - 10sec evy week, 52 weeks a year - 520 seconds a year, time wasting I know. And Suphew reckons that with a better reactor, you don't even have to do this. As for things failing and wearing out, I wait and see. Not saying there is any thing wrong with the way you do it, but there are other options that require less work.

Yes, good post, even with your digs at cheap reactors and cheap media :roll: But for those looking at options, heres my routine for running my reactor. - Saturday morning - wonder over to tank, adjust drip rate to fast - Time taken 10sec. - once a year, change media. Its a pain i know!

For goodness sake Layton, there is no 1 single best method, all those tanks are stunners, all will be using different methods, my whole point of this thread, go away.

The thing about these stunning tanks.. - some will be using UV, some wont, Some will be using Ozone, some wont - some will be running DSB, Some Bare bottom, some SSB - Some will be running Zeovit, some will be using amino acids, some will be using human growth hormone, some will be using nothing - some will use calcium reactors, some the balling method, some will manually dose, some will use Kalk, some wont - some will use 400w halides, some 250w, some 150w, some will be using T5s and alot will mix them all - some will be using ASW, some will be using NSW - some will be running Aquamedic, some will run deltec, some will run brands we've never heard of - some will use rowaphos, some will use phosban, some will use no phosphate remover - some will have refugiums, some wont - some will use tunze streams, some will use seios (maybe :-? ), some will use closed loops, some will use all 3 - some will be photoshopping, some wont :lol: - some will use rimu cabinets, some pine, some steel Isn't this a great Hobby :bounce:

Just looked at this thread on reef central. Absolutely Stunning. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=971190&perpage=25&pagenumber=3

$5 -$6 dollars a Kg, Layton.

Those are very good prices Bubbles, Run exactly the same but Jetski charged me far more

What you need to realise layton is that the people you direct it at consider it abusive. You may think you are just pointing out there lack of undertstanding, but clearly others aren't happy with the way you do it. Why not stick to " i don't think you understand what I'm saying"

Calling someone ignorant in the context you use it Layton is abusive. Using the dictionary to justify it means nothing.

Got a nice little TDS unit from reef central, after seeing Chimeras. Measures TDS in and out of my RoDi unit. My water (tank water) goes in at 18-22ppm, comes out 0ppm.

skippy, the reactors have an internal pump, part of the unit, which circulates water through the media, from top to bottom. Water from my tank is supplied in my case by a tee from the main return pump - 6mm line with a tap on it, as you only want 2-5 drips per second. All brands are neat intergrated units, no bigger than a small skimmer.

, too late, posted before I read your last post Suphew.

yep, pretty much what I just wrote suphew. I run a Aquamedic, so-called cheap unit but does a good job. Tends to clog at the exit a bit and requires flushing once a week or so. Would like to run it from a dosing pump to eliminate this in the next setup. No issues with seals.

with you there Wasp.

Tel, where you been. Hows the frags?.

Ok, heres my 2 cents. Firstly I think the addition of a calcium reactor made a huge positive improvement to my tank. a reactor is a vessel containing Cacium carbonate material where you have a pump that circulates water through this media. Co2 from a gas bottle is very slowly added to the suction side of the pump, and mixed through the chamber. This lowers the Ph, allowing the media to dissolve. Another fitting allows imput of a tiny flow of aquarium water into the reactor which mixes with the Ca and Alk enriched water and drips back into your tank. I agree with reef (twice in one night ), an RODI it should be the first piece of equipment you buy. I wouldn't be without a reactor, Layton believes otherwise and has genuine reasons for this, but they are a very easy piece of equipment to set, once you get the knack, are not expensive to buy and a 6Kg gas bottle last for 10-12 months - mine runs 24/7 to keep up with demand.

Agree with you Layton, but like to keep mine at least equal to NSW - 420ppm. Recently overdosed a bit on CaCl, up to 500ppm and what a pain with buildup on my streams!!!! :evil:

I think your right, the cost of boosting it with a bit of CaCl would be far cheaper than the expected premium.

keep my Ca at 440-450ppm, Alk at 8.5-9.5Kh. Don't have an issue with growth. Tested the current red sea and it's only about 360ppm.

Thanks Bubbles, nice to have a Ca at 480ppm!!

higher levels of Ca and Mg and a better Alk. I've always used red sea and found it a very good economical salt ($129 per bucket at HFF), but it does drop those 3 levels.

no, but I'd like to. Have always used std red sea, and it's too low in ca and Alk and Mg. Is it available yet.

I like the idea of a UV on my next setup. (for a number of reasons ). I'll PM you.