Rhodes19's 180 build (slow Build)

[catran]

Awesome looking clam! I would recommend vodka dosing, but it might harm the clam...
It really works well, but I heard clams are very sensitive.
Great job with the zapper. Have fun! Aiptasia can be very tricky when you get within an inch of them.


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[Robzilla]

+1 go very slow when approaching aips

 

[crespeto]

See now that is what I'm talking about, all kinds of pics and new stuff going on. New additions and toys, at a boy Chris. Sounds like you have some good help on the way with the algae I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough. The clam looks just fantastic, very cool coloring, Frankie, your the man, that is a very happy present. Well keep the pics and updates coming.

 

[Rhodes19]

Thanks everyone. It's a happy clam for sure. It must be from all that vodka. LOL

Yeah, the algae was getting better, then I hit 0 trates and low phos. I added nitrogen so the pellets would lower the phos and that's when the algae really exploded. I agree with Frank about the skimmer. Never did get it working correctly. After scrubbing a lot of rocks, the algae looks better but the problem is still there. Time to look into getting some GFR and get it running and time to start modding the skimmer to make it work. After that, I thing it will be save to run the bio pellets again.

 

[crespeto]

What kind of sump do you have for that thing. I just have a big ball of cheato, and some feather caulepera and I stopped running my skimmer a couple months ago. I have little algae on my rocks, and my phos and trates are always low or 0. Not sure what a GFR is but I'm becoming a big proponent of running a heap of macro in the sump/fug instead of having to fight with bio pellets, just a thought. Good luck with the fight and feel free to toss up some more pics when ever

 

[Rhodes19]

Thanks Chris,

Sorry, I meant to type GFO. LOL. I'm using a 55 g tank as my sump and have it in 3 sections, overflow/filter sock, skimmer, and return. I tried running cheato for almost a year and it didn't even double in size. Cyano even grew on it!!! I finally pulled it and about that time got a skimmer. Later on I read something about cheato will not grow if the Mg is low and mine was. Of course, I figured that out after I got rid of the cheato.

 

[crespeto]

well now that you have mag up, maybe try and add the cheato to roll in area with the filter sock, the water should have decent current to get it rolling good and all you would need is to add that light back. Not sure what bulb you have there but I'm using one of the 75watt CF replacement bulbs and and I've got to prune my soccerball of cheato every month or 2. Just pull off a big hand full, and done. Good luck in any event with getting things worked out.

 

[Rhodes19]

I'll have to give it another try. I was using 100w CF, 6500K if I recall.

 

[crespeto]

good luck in either way, hope it all works out.

 

[Rhodes19]

Well, I've finally had it with my skimmer and its time for a change. I pulled it out of the sump yesterday and brought it over to Frankie's Skimmer Body and Repair Shop for some modifications. I just can't get it set to where it can skim properly. It either immediately floods the collection cup within seconds of twisting the adjusting tube, or the level just isn't high enough for the skimmate to flow into the collection cup. We are basically going to make 3 modifications to it. The first is to modify the collection cup. The drain stem empties directly over the body of the skimmer and in order to use it, you have to place a flexible tube on it (metric of course). Between the bend in the tube as it clears the skimmer body and the second bend as it clears the top of the sump, the tube drains slow and has the chance of of clogging. What we are going to do to fix it is to cut off the drain stem, seal it closed, and then drill a hole on the side of the collection cup. Using standard and not metric parts, have an extension come off the collection cup about 2-3" into a 90 deg elbow and into a gate valve and flexible tube to drain into a soda bottle.

Here is the drain stem.

Here it is cut off.

Frankie is sanding it smooth.

The second mod is to cut off the effluent plumbing from the body of the skimmer and place a gate valve on it. That way I can accurate control the water level in the skimmer. The knife edge adjusting pipe just can't be finely adjusted, even with silicone grease smeared all over it.

The third mod is going to be with the pump and bubble production. The Sicce PK 2500 that came with the skimmer just isn't cutting it. The water level has to be at or just slightly above where the body turns into a cone in order to get skimmate close enough to empty into the collection cup. There is a couple of options we're looking at. I was thinking of getting a Bubble Blaster 3000 which has been recommended in the past but after reading so many wildly different specs on it, we need to find out what the specs really are before making any decisions. More to follow as we get more info.

 

[crespeto]

wow, sounds like a fun project, lots of pics as you go.

 

[Rhodes19]

It should be. I've just been checking out the BB 3000 and several folks said that would be the pump to get. One guy said the BB 5000 would flood the cup. I'm looking forward to modding this thing and getting it working for a change. Maybe Frankie can teach me something about working with acrylic.

 

[Frankie]

OK Chris, after this weekend ( I have to sand two houses this weekend ) I will get online and start ordering supplies to fix this sucker. I read that thread a bit late last night on the bubble blaster. Looks like the 3000 will work fine if you want to go that route.

If you don't want to order that part to connect the standard thread to metric, I can always just mod it. We can remove the old metric one and reattach the new one. Your call.

So basically, get the pump and gate valve ordered and we should be able to get this going pretty fast.

Thee is a link in my build thread for the gate valve I am using or you can get a regular one from www.usplastics.com

Time to make the donuts, have a great weekend everyone!

Frank.

BTW, Stop dosing Yoga Toes until I have more time to research them out

 

[Rhodes19]

LOL!!! Yoga toes is the source of all my good bacteria!!! Do you think the BB 3000 will perform as well as an injector? I should be able to order the parts we need on Monday. My daughter and son in law are down for the weekend. I talked to them about the 125. They would like to have it but can't do anything with it until they get out of school and settled in about a year or so. That should give me time to mod it out to.

I'll give you a call Sunday. Oh, and thanks again for the Polish beer and kielbasa. Um, um, good.

 

[Frankie]

It was Polish food and the beer was from Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, B&H.

I think the one you took home is Czech. The Half & Half is a good beer

 

[Rhodes19]

Its good any way. I'm coming back for more.

 

[Rhodes19]

Ok, I ordered some GFO and a reactor from BRS to work on the phosphates and I ordered the Bubble Blaster 3000 and adapter for the skimmer from Reef Specialty. Talked with Mike and he was nice and helpful. Even gave me some good ideas. I'm hoping it all comes in by Friday so Frank and I can play with it over the weekend.

 

[Willie McDaries]

man,I hate working,I can't keep up with you guys....the BRS reactors look like a good product,their GFO if great,it's what I use too...hope you guys can get your skimmer working properly,the BB3000 should be a great pump for it

 

[Willie McDaries]

very wise idea to replace the stand pipe with a gate valve,I considered doing that to my skimmer but it is working fine with it wide open,so I ain't gonna change anything just yet,dang 1.5" gate valve are a bit pricey and then the aggravation of going from metric to standard

 

[Rhodes19]

Well, the Bubble Blaster 3000 and the adapter came in Friday and I toke it to Frankie's where my skimmer was and guess what? The adapter isn't. One part fits the skimmer body and one piece fits the pump, but there is absolutely no way those 2 parts can be connected together. What a big let down. Frankie can make it work but darn it, I payed for it, I want it to work the way it's supposed to. I called, text pics and emailed the vendor but I guess there is nothing he can do until Coralvue opens today. By the time the correct parts do arrive and I have time to put them on, I will probably have the tank down and won't be able to use the skimmer until the tank is back up and running again. Oh well.

On the bright side, the GFO and reactor came in and I moved the 40 g into the house next to the 125. I should have it up and running shortly.