My 200gl

[Paul B]

Its raw water. But you can see those 4 red valve handles on top of the engines? That is a fresh water flushing system I devised. I turn those valves and connect a hose to the hose fitting you can see in front of the closest valve. The salt water from the seawater pump is then diverted through the bilge hose over the side and fresh water runs through the engines and exhaust manifolds. I do that when I get back to dock to get the salt water out. The boat is full of innovations as I hate the way engineers design things.

 

[cracker]

Good Job on the flush system ! After 5 years how many boaters can't figure why their inboards are running hot? I know more than a few. I have a 150 merc on my Proline. There is a fitting for a hose to flush the top end. my mechanic told me to nick that and use a good set of rabbit ears run the motor until the thermostats open for a good flush. Also thanks for the history article very cool.
Ok so back to the 75. I'm going with the Lr and skimmer for filtration. That's it my mind is made up!
A brief update on the 75. I set this tank up in early November set it up bb . I put about 1/2 dry base and the rest, lr from the refugium in the big tank. around 80 lbs. Steady feeding a bait shrimp every so often. I was unhappy with the overflow. so I put the rock in a barrel,installed an overflow. I added fancy live sand the rock from the barrel and one bait shrimp on the 14th or 15th. Using new RedSea kits, I tested and got zero's for Ammonia, nitrites and trates. So 4 days later I tested for Am. got zero. So today I test again I get <.02 ammonia no nitrites and a good 2 on nitrates ! Did I miss something! Why , just for once can't I get something as advertised? I'll test again in 4 days and see what happens. I know what your thinking I tested twice and got the same results!

 

[Paul B]

Cracker, I can't use rabbit ears on my boat as I can't reach the outdrives. They are far under the swim platform. This system is very easy to build and use

 

[cracker]

I understand , Just saying my mechanic doesn't like the design on the merc outboards either .

 

[cracker]

I removed the algae scrubber from the 200 tonight. After a year, My overflows grow more HA than this sorry scrubber. I think the design was good I had the proper flow. I think the lights I bought were not strong enough.

Until I come up with another scrubber design, I plan to just hang screens in my overflows, They grow HA just fine!

 

[cracker]

evening Folks, been watching the cycle on the 75 since the 15th. I tested again tonight same results
Am <1.2 trites 0 trates 2.
I added a couple of small shrimp heads. so we shall see what happens in 4 days. Also I had to take out the sicce 3.0 return for the night. I glued a couple of pvc fittings and needed the glue to cure .
I used the mag5 I have for mixing and moving water. So this morning I wanted to see what kind of flow this fancy synergy would handle. I had the mag5 and the sicce 3.0 going. I had to open the siphon up but it took at least 900gph.

 

[cracker]

Hello, I tested the 75 just now, Am was < .02 maybe zero. depending on my eye and light used. Zero trites... again! Trates 2.. again ! I fed the tank 2 small shrimp heads, again! I was really hoping to see a classic cycle with this tank but that's not to be I guess. Should I add more food to force a rise in Am? I think the probs I have with the 200 is because I didn't cycle it properly in the beginning.

 

[StirCrayzy]

I think the shrimp heads should do, wait for Am and trites to both stay zero after adding Am source to the tank. I'd be comfortable with that.

 

[cracker]

Thanks Stir! I tested again last night
am 0
trites o
trates >3
so I finally see a rise in nitrates, I may have missed the ammonia and nitrite rise and fall. Remember this tank was bubbling since early November, I didn't test then. I will add a " little " bit of food and see what happens.
Also The 200 "seems" to be looking better. The corals have better color and the white scourge algae seems to not come back so fast.

 

[cracker]

My friend XRay from another site may drop in tonight. I just want him to find my thread.

 

[cracker]

Hello Folks , My apologies for being all over the place , I start a thread here another there. I really need to keep it it in one place.
So I completed the sump for the 75. It came out a lot better than I expected. I have been cycling the 75, per Prows article. I never saw any ammonia or nitrites, I do see a very slow rise in nitrates. As of the 12th Trates were < 5.

 

[cracker]

Just tested today I got a good 5 reading on Nitrates( NO3) I added a few more shrimp bits. Between the lobster and the 75 I'm running out of bait shrimp! I will wait until I get a 10 or 15 for trates then do a water change and crank up the skimmer. I hope I'm feeding the tank enough. Any way I want to use a couple of live bait shrimp for a beginning cleanup crew/ 1st animal instead of a fish.. I also have a hermit with black legs and white strips. This hermit was exiled to the 200's refugium. he was found guilty of munching on a snail. some time ago. I feel like giving him a reprieve. He has been in the ref with the lobster for a long time. Is he rehabilitated, ready to be an asset to society? Any Op's on using a live shrimp( Atlantic white Shrimp) as a beginning cleanup crew? I can buy a dozen at the bait shop for a few dollars.

 

[cracker]

Evening! So I can't get the nitrates to rise in this 75. It seems to be stuck at 5 No3. Should I feed it more?

 

[cracker]

evening folks, Today I added a chunk of Chaeto to the refugium under the 200. After a Year's experiment with an Algae scrubber I decided to go back to tried and true technologies. My overflows ,in a relatively shady part of the tank, grew more Ha than the scrubber with the high end lighting I had on the scrubber. I tried varying flow rates and light s on /off. so It's off to another experiment to see what happens !
Any body who has/had chaeto in their sump feel free to comment. I used it in the past and had good results.

 

[cracker]

Look what I got today ! Thank You LauraSea!

OK I got some chaeto and 2 types of red algae. and some green stuff that has roots so I think needs a sand bed.
One of the red types was called dragon's breath the other I don't know. one has a rough feel the other feels slippery. I didn't get much but I hope to fill my 30 gal refugium with this stuff!
I'm using a 65k cf bulb for lighting. Maybe the fancy red led strips I bought for the scrubber will work. We shall see!

I love the smileys ! What's the diff of a smiley and an emogee?

 

[cracker]

Today I swapped out 2 6000/150 koralia power heads for 2 12555/3250 power heads. It was a major increase in flow! I have the koralia 4 way controller and still running the 2 of the smaller power heads These bigger units( like really big, like black softball big). Are seriously kicking some flow in the tank. I had to carefully point them so not to blow sand around in this 6 ft tank. I will wait a few days to comment again but I swear the corals are extending more the fish seem to be liking it. I'd hate to think all these years I thought I had plenty of in tank flow when I didn't have , well You can choose the adjective You want. !

 

[cracker]

These huge Koralia power heads surely put out a lot of flow. They are unsightly but are in my price range compare to other options. I'll get used to them. So the 4 way controller will operate the 2 big ones and the 2 smaller ones. So the new ones are doing pretty good on overall flow in this 6 ft tank. I have the 2 smaller ones pointed at specific rock piles. They are blasting out a lot of gunk. I will move/ point them in differing directions every so often to expose any dead spots.

 

[Paul B]

Cracker, my wife and I went out last night for Sushi. That's what we ordered.

 

[cracker]

You had uni ! I must say it has a unique taste. I'll eat one or two .

 

[cracker]

Today I added a Melanurus wrasse to the 75. 1st fish it is maybe 2 inches max. I didn't get a good look at him once he was in the tank. He looked around for about 2 seconds and disappeared in a puff of sand. Ok dude I'll see ya tomorrow , maybe!