HAHAHAHA!!! Altered minds. *points to avatar*Well I’ve only had it running for a day and my nitrates and phosphates haven’t dropped at all…..so I’m not liking it yet!
Otherwise, watching the pellets spinning round and round reminded me of lava lamps. I think back in the day (the 60’s), you could have sold these things as “stand alone” novelties, for those with altered minds to watch for hours and hours.
And Mike, thanks for the heads up about the pipe fittings. However, I think I’m OK in that the exit on the reactor is within inches of the skimmer uptake.
And Matte, I’m running the pump at the lowest setting right now….but I only have half a cup of pellets in there.
I’m using the BRS dosing instructions of one cup of pellets for every 50 gallons of water….so in the end I’ll have two cups of pellets in the reactor. I see you (Matt) also have a 90 DT....how much pellets are you targeting to have?
-
Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.
Inherited 90
- Thread starter redfishbluefish
- Start date
I am going with the same BRS method. I just added my 3rd half of a cup this morning. By the time I am done I should have 500 ml I think in there. I have been adding a half cup every Saturday. I know today is Wednesday but I have no patience and couldn't wait till this Saturday to add the 3rd half cup.
I thought the same thing about the lava lamp. I bet since the pellets are white they would look pretty trippy if you put it next to a black light!
I thought the same thing about the lava lamp. I bet since the pellets are white they would look pretty trippy if you put it next to a black light!
Well I’ve only had it running for a day and my nitrates and phosphates haven’t dropped at all…..so I’m not liking it yet!
Otherwise, watching the pellets spinning round and round reminded me of lava lamps. I think back in the day (the 60’s), you could have sold these things as “stand alone” novelties, for those with altered minds to watch for hours and hours.
And Mike, thanks for the heads up about the pipe fittings. However, I think I’m OK in that the exit on the reactor is within inches of the skimmer uptake.
And Matte, I’m running the pump at the lowest setting right now….but I only have half a cup of pellets in there.
I’m using the BRS dosing instructions of one cup of pellets for every 50 gallons of water….so in the end I’ll have two cups of pellets in the reactor. I see you (Matt) also have a 90 DT....how much pellets are you targeting to have?
So Matt, you’ve been going for about a month with this biopellet reactor. Have you noticed an increase in skimmer output? Or any other changes I need to watch for?
My skimmer seems to be running a little wetter. its not as dark as normal. However I don't think I ever get the skimmer running right. My skimmer has always pissed me off. I just got a Hanna Po4 checker the other day from Jose and the 3 times I have checked it shows up as .00 So I guess it is working. Before I was using the Red Sea Po4 test kit. I am never good at matching up the colors but it always sat around .08 I think. I do have little tufts of hair algae popping up in random spots. it looks like little patches of grass. I have some other random algae patches but nothing special. One thing I have noticed is that my SPS are much much happier!! the PE is crazy!!!
So I do think it is working, but still too soon to give my final summary.
Well here are your full tank shots. I wish I knew what I was doing with white balance. I tried two different white balances and it's still not close to what you see in person. You can't even see the purple cap, which jumps out at you. Oh'well.
Automatic fish feeder
AUTOMATIC FISH FEEDER
We will be bugging out in the next couple of weeks for a little vacation and I had to re-install the automatic fish feeder…..an Eheim Everyday feeder. It was originally installed through a hole in the back of the canopy where the feeder clamped directly onto the glass wall of the tank. With the new canopy, the bracing doesn’t allow this type of attachment.
So I began by cutting a support bracket at 45 degrees to hold the feeder….which would be above the light angle. I found that at 45 degrees the feeder would be dumping it’s food directly onto the Loc-Line return line in the tank. So I re-cut the brace at a 60/30 degree angle, and it was perfect.
Here in the feeder mounted on the ¾ brace in the corner of the canopy. Eventually I’ll get around to painting it.
AUTOMATIC FISH FEEDER
We will be bugging out in the next couple of weeks for a little vacation and I had to re-install the automatic fish feeder…..an Eheim Everyday feeder. It was originally installed through a hole in the back of the canopy where the feeder clamped directly onto the glass wall of the tank. With the new canopy, the bracing doesn’t allow this type of attachment.
So I began by cutting a support bracket at 45 degrees to hold the feeder….which would be above the light angle. I found that at 45 degrees the feeder would be dumping it’s food directly onto the Loc-Line return line in the tank. So I re-cut the brace at a 60/30 degree angle, and it was perfect.
Here in the feeder mounted on the ¾ brace in the corner of the canopy. Eventually I’ll get around to painting it.
AUTOMATIC FISH FEEDER
We will be bugging out in the next couple of weeks for a little vacation and I had to re-install the automatic fish feeder…..an Eheim Everyday feeder. It was originally installed through a hole in the back of the canopy where the feeder clamped directly onto the glass wall of the tank. With the new canopy, the bracing doesn’t allow this type of attachment.
So I began by cutting a support bracket at 45 degrees to hold the feeder….which would be above the light angle. I found that at 45 degrees the feeder would be dumping it’s food directly onto the Loc-Line return line in the tank. So I re-cut the brace at a 60/30 degree angle, and it was perfect.
Here in the feeder mounted on the ¾ brace in the corner of the canopy. Eventually I’ll get around to painting it.
i wanted to get one of these for when im away but what food do you feed when you are gone? i was thinking i couldn't do frozen because it will go bad, and i dont like feeding flakes.
Try pellets
This is the Eheim Everyday Feeder, which takes either flake or pellets. I will be using flake, because the pellets I have sink, and the fish are either too dumb or slow to get the pellets before they hit the bottom. The problem with flakes is that they float, so a large percentage of those go into the sump. But it’s better than feeding nothing.
You can also try a feeding ring for the flakes. The Eheim drops the food into the ring so it won't float everywhere in the tank.
Make a circle with airline tubing & attach it to a suction cup. that way you can make it as small or large as you want. works perfectly
Generator shed
This is Jim’s (Downbeach) fault….that’s all I can say!
Although I’ve originally commented on HIS POST about a “New Generator”, since it’s been too long since I’ve updated this Tale, I decided to continue the discussion here.
I originally was going to set this shed up to actually run the generator as well….with ventilation. However, after some thought, I decided to just use the shed to hold all the stuff needed to run the generator. I have a detached garage that will easily hold the generator for running – without killing us from carbon monoxide. I didn’t want to simply store the generator in the garage, because I’d never readily find all the other items needed to set this guy up quickly. So I decided to dedicate this little shed to only generator-needed stuff.
I purchase this shed out of Jim’s post and what he was buying. I was originally going to build something, but thought the $$ for a prefab was pretty reasonable. On top of that, I was able to take advantage of a $60 savings because of Black Friday (and Jim’s heads-up about the sale.).
What I wasn’t expecting was the need of a foundation. The options were concrete or wood….I went with wood. Here is the wood frame suggest in the instructions, plus one additional support brace in the middle of the frame:
The plans called for a pressure treated ¾ plywood top. Instead of plywood, I opted for 1 x 6 pressure treated boards (that is the reason for the extra bracing):
This foundation was leveled and the rest of the day was spent assembling the shed. Here is the shed with the generator, two 5 gallon gas cans, and two 100 foot extension cords. I still need to add the shelf and find the stuff needed to run the cords into the house and run my boiler.
And finally, here is the shed closed up and hidden against the back fence in my yard and covered by bushes: I can’t see this from the house or in my back yard.
This is Jim’s (Downbeach) fault….that’s all I can say!
Although I’ve originally commented on HIS POST about a “New Generator”, since it’s been too long since I’ve updated this Tale, I decided to continue the discussion here.
I originally was going to set this shed up to actually run the generator as well….with ventilation. However, after some thought, I decided to just use the shed to hold all the stuff needed to run the generator. I have a detached garage that will easily hold the generator for running – without killing us from carbon monoxide. I didn’t want to simply store the generator in the garage, because I’d never readily find all the other items needed to set this guy up quickly. So I decided to dedicate this little shed to only generator-needed stuff.
I purchase this shed out of Jim’s post and what he was buying. I was originally going to build something, but thought the $$ for a prefab was pretty reasonable. On top of that, I was able to take advantage of a $60 savings because of Black Friday (and Jim’s heads-up about the sale.).
What I wasn’t expecting was the need of a foundation. The options were concrete or wood….I went with wood. Here is the wood frame suggest in the instructions, plus one additional support brace in the middle of the frame:
The plans called for a pressure treated ¾ plywood top. Instead of plywood, I opted for 1 x 6 pressure treated boards (that is the reason for the extra bracing):
This foundation was leveled and the rest of the day was spent assembling the shed. Here is the shed with the generator, two 5 gallon gas cans, and two 100 foot extension cords. I still need to add the shelf and find the stuff needed to run the cords into the house and run my boiler.
And finally, here is the shed closed up and hidden against the back fence in my yard and covered by bushes: I can’t see this from the house or in my back yard.
Looks good Paul! The trees might even help hold it in place if it gets real windy.
Thanks Pete, Jim and George.
Pete, the likelihood of me ever using this generator again is very slim. We have lived in this house for 30+ years and we just don’t get extended power outages in this part of the State. And, if we do loose power, it typically comes back on with a minute or two. But I’m ready if and when the time comes.
Jim, I have to agree with you with the 1 X 6 boards….and it saved me a few bucks over buying a full 4 x 8 x ¾ sheet of pressure treated plywood. And what is up with using a vapor barrier with this install. Although I have two rolls of saturated felt, I couldn’t understand that instruction of needing a vapor barrier between the shed floor and foundation. I didn’t do it!
And George, this shed, with its foundation, is held down with four ¼ x 2 lag screws. This thing isn’t going anywhere. I have another one of these types of sheds…same thing made by Rubbermaid….with no foundation or hold-downs, and nothing happened to it in the 12-15 years I’ve had that one…..and it’s in the open. But you are right about being amongst trees, and the likelihood that this thing will ever see snow, let alone wind. You are looking at the shed, about fifteen feet away, centered in this photo:
And here it is now totally finished. I added a shelf and a scrap piece of 2 x 4 under the post legs of the generator. I’ve found that these types of plastic floors don’t take small pressure points very well. The board will help distribute the weight over a larger area.
I am most happy with the fact that everything is in one place. I have a big problem in finding stuff, because in this house it tends to get scattered all over the place. So my mental peace is now having it all in one location.
Pete, the likelihood of me ever using this generator again is very slim. We have lived in this house for 30+ years and we just don’t get extended power outages in this part of the State. And, if we do loose power, it typically comes back on with a minute or two. But I’m ready if and when the time comes.
Jim, I have to agree with you with the 1 X 6 boards….and it saved me a few bucks over buying a full 4 x 8 x ¾ sheet of pressure treated plywood. And what is up with using a vapor barrier with this install. Although I have two rolls of saturated felt, I couldn’t understand that instruction of needing a vapor barrier between the shed floor and foundation. I didn’t do it!
And George, this shed, with its foundation, is held down with four ¼ x 2 lag screws. This thing isn’t going anywhere. I have another one of these types of sheds…same thing made by Rubbermaid….with no foundation or hold-downs, and nothing happened to it in the 12-15 years I’ve had that one…..and it’s in the open. But you are right about being amongst trees, and the likelihood that this thing will ever see snow, let alone wind. You are looking at the shed, about fifteen feet away, centered in this photo:
And here it is now totally finished. I added a shelf and a scrap piece of 2 x 4 under the post legs of the generator. I’ve found that these types of plastic floors don’t take small pressure points very well. The board will help distribute the weight over a larger area.
I am most happy with the fact that everything is in one place. I have a big problem in finding stuff, because in this house it tends to get scattered all over the place. So my mental peace is now having it all in one location.
Yea, that's not going anywhere with all that foliage (unless it gets bare during the winter months?) Not to question your engineering Paul, but maybe I'm just not getting the whole picture... How does that wooden frame/base keep the plastic enclosure secured to the ground? Is the "foundation" secured to the ground somehow? It can't be just the extra weight of the wood that's supposed to keep it down is it?
The shelf is a nice addition though.
The shelf is a nice addition though.
George, the only thing that gets “bare” is that stick you see in the middle-right….an American Dogwood. Otherwise, the American Holly, English Holly, Chinese Holly, Rhododendrons and Azaleas are all evergreens.
And how dare you question my engineering….oops, hold on, déjà vu moment about Charlie the Engineer. It’s great being old!
The instructions actually stated to anchor the foundation. But I’m a Man, and do I follow instructions, let alone read them? He!! No!
Actually with my history with the other small shed that only holds ten cushions and is not anchored or on a foundation, I see no problem with this new shed on an 80 to 100 pound foundation with a 100 plus pound generator in it. Not to mention that it is buried amongst trees and shrubs. It’s not going anywhere.
Here is my additional history with plastic sheds. I have three 7’ x 7’ Rubbermaid sheds (don’t ask)….no anchors and no foundations.. (You can see one of them in one of the pictures above to the right of this new shed). I now have two of these smaller “garbage can” sheds and a bench shed to hold more cushions. This new shed is the only one with a foundation and being anchored. The other sheds have gone through Sandy, Irene and any number of other storms unscathed. So I’m not concerned at all about Mother Nature. However, I have a big concern about my wife……her comment after buying this one was, “NO MORE PLASTIC SHEDS.”
And how dare you question my engineering
….oops, hold on, déjà vu moment about Charlie the Engineer. It’s great being old!The instructions actually stated to anchor the foundation. But I’m a Man, and do I follow instructions, let alone read them? He!! No!
Actually with my history with the other small shed that only holds ten cushions and is not anchored or on a foundation, I see no problem with this new shed on an 80 to 100 pound foundation with a 100 plus pound generator in it. Not to mention that it is buried amongst trees and shrubs. It’s not going anywhere.
Here is my additional history with plastic sheds. I have three 7’ x 7’ Rubbermaid sheds (don’t ask)….no anchors and no foundations.. (You can see one of them in one of the pictures above to the right of this new shed). I now have two of these smaller “garbage can” sheds and a bench shed to hold more cushions. This new shed is the only one with a foundation and being anchored. The other sheds have gone through Sandy, Irene and any number of other storms unscathed. So I’m not concerned at all about Mother Nature. However, I have a big concern about my wife……her comment after buying this one was, “NO MORE PLASTIC SHEDS.”
Well at least she said no more plastic sheds. Guess you'll just have to find another material type for the next one.