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blange3's 180 upgrade

Thanks Bill!

Thanks for chiming in Paul! I've read through alot of the thread on your tank, and your input is welcome (as I'm sure Bill will agree!)

I'll caveat everything I'm about to say with the fact that my 90 gallon tank is my experiment. Has been running for about a year now with a shallow sand bed, about 130 lbs of live rock from at least 3 separate different sources (some of which was as much as 3 years in an existing tank) an undersized skimmer (corallife CS125), no mechanical filtration, no GAC (I only run the GAC through a reactor for a few days when I clean the skimmer because it takes about a week for the skimmer to fully come back on line, it may not do anything, but it makes me feel better) and LED Tube lights. I do run a sump, but the only thing in the fuge area is some rock rubble on a small sand mound for possible pod population and to break the "fall" of the water through that chamber as it flows, no light. I don't dose anything, I do use RO/DI water, and I do water changes about 20% per month with reef crystals and ro/di water.

Paul B said:
One thing that may be a problem (I havn't decided yet) is that in the sea the current varies with weather and tides. Our tanks usually remain constant. Corals are used to firece currects where many of them remain retracted then quieter periods where the polyps are extended to feed. I don't know if they need this action but I feel that in a tank, it would be good to have a lot of circulation for part of the day which would suspend detritus then en easier time when we feed the fish. I turn off my pumps to feed and I always target feed everything. I would never just put food in the tank.

I think its important to note here, that as it pertains to Jake Adams' workshop, he did suggest varrying the "current", ie: moving the pumps from one side to another, or potentially having "quiet times" as well.

He also was a strong proponent of "storming" the tank. Which i agree with and have been doing for sometime, not to the extent of the diatom filter (which I read about in your reef central posts) but I have taken a powerhead to the tank.

As for feeding, I dont target feed, but I do "feed the tank" with the pumps on. I guess my logic has always been "the sea doesn't turn off at feeding time" but I see your point about corals feeding at "quiet times" with extended polyps, and that makes a great deal of sense. I think I am going to try moving one of the powerheads to the same timered circuit as my lights so that the tank "quiets down" at night. What do you think?

I am also not sold on the idea that more circulation will eliminate cyano. I have some cyano under my gravel but I also have a little on the outflows of my powerheads and in the tubes of my RUGF which get more current than anyplace in the tank.
The little cyano does not bother me as I have seen it on pristine reefs in the Caymans.
It is as natural as algae which I consider a healthful thing, not a disease as most people do. Of course I don't want to have it on my corals so I have an agreement with it to only grow in my algae trough.

I don't think that the circulation will eliminate the cyano or the algae. What I do think is that it will give it less places to "settle" or take seed on the surface of things, as well as keep the detritus from settling too much in places where it can cause a problem. I don't think it will get it all, and that's why I have a few snails, crabs, etc in there to help take care of what the current doesn't. I personally, unlike many in the hobby, don't think you can completely eliminate all forms of algae, nor do I think you should. I also don't think our systems can or should be completely sterile nutrient free environments. What I'm trying to do is create a balance in the system, and still keep the algae and cyano etc from overtaking surfaces. At the point I switched the pumps, my sandbed surface was purple. Now it seems to be more spotty, and receding. I still get it a bit on the surface of my powerheads, and return line output lines, and even a little "settlement" of "stuff" on the back glass in one corner, but I'll take care of that when I storm next.

All in all, I've been happy with the progress of my experiment so far. I don't mind spots and places of "stuff" that others seek to eradicate like so much a plague, just don't want an algae farm like I had before. :)

I do need to increase the output of the powerheads I'm using, as I don't think I'm reaching 2/3 the length of the tank at this point, so I will see what happens when the two new powerheads come in.

(although, when I moved my blue spot naso tang into the algae covered tank, she make quick work of the hair algae, for some strange reason, and within a day or two, she had it completely cleaned off the overflow, the glass and the tops of the rocks. Now she doesn't touch the stuff, but the outbreak is not nearly as bad it was before. I think maybe she was just redecorating the first time... Who knows, shes strange. She also likes to be pet on the top of her head too, so...)
Thoughts and comments are welcome! I respect your tank, your experience, and your methods as your tank is living proof your doing something right! :)
 
Hey Paul, if it were some other reefer you were agreeing with I would understand your surprise; but c'mon Paul this is me we're talking about! ;)

And I do agree with your responses. I storm the tank several times a week and provide quiet time at night as the Vortech has a night mode that cuts the speed in half. I plan on putting the unused Korallia powerhead on a timer to run for an hour or so during the day to change the flow pattern for a while.

I use to do the diatom thing, but it's getting old and leaky and needs to be tuned up before it can be used in the living room. For now it's a turkey baster and occasionally I drop a maxijet in and move it around.

I'm not an algae fearer by any means, but it's been on the increase lately. I do have a nice collection of cyano, hair and bubble algae to assure me I have a healthy, well fed tank. ;D

The only thing I don't do anymore is shut down the pumps, but I do target feed the Copper Band and new fish. Most of he corals are catching food, but I do need to get back to target feeding the Acans and Scoly's.
 
blange3 said:
The only thing I don't do anymore is shut down the pumps, but I do target feed the Copper Band and new fish. Most of he corals are catching food, but I do need to get back to target feeding the Acans and Scoly's.

Hey Bill! Just did this and the scoly went NUTS! (so did the acan frag) Rod's food fish eggs! I used a turkey baster and just dropped some right to the left of the scoly and let the flow carry it over it. Man did that thing go into nutso feeding mode!

I'm completely sold on Rod's food!

Oh, one more thing to add to the "what I've noticed in the flow experiment". I don't know if its coincidence or not, but ALL of my fish are much more active across the entire tank now. They all used to kind of stay in their respective little "bubbles". Clowns in one spot, yellowtail damsels in another, neon dottyback in and out of one small section of rock work. Now everyone swims all over! (Although I think the clowns may be just coming out to try and see if I'm putting more fish eggs in the tank! LOL! Not really sure). Just thought I'd mention it as it may be a result or may not.
 
Bill I was thinking the same thing with putting one of the koralia's on a timer for a few hours in the middle of day to disrupt things a bit. Second thought it because there is so many openings for something to get in it I'm afraid something might then it will come on. What do ya's think? When you have all the pumps in one direction it conflicts with the wavemaker idea and having different kinds of flow? That's why I thought of disrupting it a bit with the pump on a timer from the opposed direction
 
Well Bill? Your 26 pages into this 180 DSB build its about time for the algae pics! ;D
bob_ross_21-f25.gif
 
Nickjr000 said:
Bill I was thinking the same thing with putting one of the koralia's on a timer for a few hours in the middle of day to disrupt things a bit. Second thought it because there is so many openings for something to get in it I'm afraid something might then it will come on. What do ya's think? When you have all the pumps in one direction it conflicts with the wavemaker idea and having different kinds of flow? That's why I thought of disrupting it a bit with the pump on a timer from the opposed direction

Nick,

Do you have the little screen on the front of the powerhead, I know some of the earlier models didn't. I'm not too worried about the other openings. But if the little snap on cone and screen are missing, then I woudld be worried.

As I understand it from others, Jake Adams feels there is enough chaotic flow caused by the disruption of the current as it diverts off the corals and rocks themselves. With an occasional hour of counter current, I think it should be OK. The good thing is it is easy to give it a try and I can go back to the old way with very little trouble.
 
paintman27 said:
Well Bill? Your 26 pages into this 180 DSB build its about time for the algae pics! ;D
bob_ross_21-f25.gif

Go back a couple of pages Stan and look close. Those pix are only 10 days old, so you can see how much algae I have.

BTW, how is your tank doing these days? Hope all is well.
 
I have the screens i'm just a nervous parent with changing things in the tank. Does anyone know where I can watch his presentation, maybe I can answer some of my own questions
 
I don't know that there is an actual video of the workshop. But what I did find was a previous longer presentation he gave in a more expanded fashion then the time he had for the 15 minute workshop. It's just audio, but theres good information in it:

http://www.archive.org/details/SierraSaltwaterSystemsPodcast_JakeAdams-MAX4_5_08

I don't know if this will help or not, I'm very visual, so if I hadn't seen his short workshop, this probably wouldn't make as much sense to me. But he speaks towards the end of the "gyre", or circular motion, you are creating by using 2/3 cross section unidirectional flow.

Hope this helps.
 
The salmon spends it's adult life in the sea, but when the end is near it returns to its birthplace of freshwater. After 13 years of reefing so to shall I! Blange3's 180 reef will turn into blange3's 180 gallon tetra paradise after Christmas; four years after it's birth. I'll post the last days and the rebirth to close out this thread.

Somebody start the pool of how long before I start another reef! :)
 
Bill I am so sorry to hear that.

But, I know you will will make one heck of a Tetra tank !!!!

If we are starting a pool I am calling dibs on all the early blocks!
 
Hey Taz! Just getting old and tired. I'm not keeping the reef up to my standards, but I always need to have a tank! I haven't had any freshwater for quite some time so I'm up for something different.

I'll still keep an eye on things here from time to time!
 
I'm plotting with Will already. Schools of 20+ each of Cardinals, Rasboras, Rummy Nose and Serapae's to start!

The reason I don't have a tank at home is I wanted a 180 tetra tank, and the wife said no... She wants tons of coral. I'm excited to see the switch over. I'll come for a beer and bring you the lamp eyes (can't have a tetra tank without them)! If you need a hand give me a call.
_Ethan
 
I think it's great to take a break from the grind every few years! Good luck Bill (I wonder where I can fit a Tetra Paradise??)

Is my old Ocellaris Female still kicking around your reef??
 

magic

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Bill

Remember to stay in touch it's been a while. Good luck with the new tank. Hope to see you at AO sometime.

Bob
 
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