Tufa's tank!!! - Page 5

rmlevasseur · 03-02-2008, 11:25 AM

Well, my camera is Fubar, but my camcorder still works, so here are some vids. First is of the Marco curing in a 45, second is the LifeReef system (plumbed but not filled, Ca. no plumbed yet); third is the tank filling (sorry so dark)

Video of Marco Rock - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Video of LifeReef Sump - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Video of 180 filling - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Craig Manoukian · 03-02-2008, 11:47 AM

Your project is picking up speed big time Robert!

rmlevasseur · 03-02-2008, 01:37 PM

1/2 filled!

rmlevasseur · 03-02-2008, 07:17 PM

Rock and sand are added, but water not quite over the overflow yet. I'd give pics but its a sandstorm right now. I don't have the main pump on yet, but I don't think 2 Koralia 4's and 2 Koralia 3's are gonna be enough.

rmlevasseur · 03-03-2008, 10:21 PM

Woot! Everything is full and main pump is on! Especially nice - no leaks on the first try! My only problem is that my LifeReef skimmer has been on for a few hours now and I ain't gettin nuthin? Very happy with my aquascaping. Sorry, no pics until the water clears from the sand. C'mon skimmer!

tbittner · 03-03-2008, 10:30 PM

Give the skimmer a few days and see what it starts to pull out. The die off from the rocks probably hasn't really hit the system yet.

CONGRATS!!!!!

rmlevasseur · 03-04-2008, 12:41 AM

Good news. The skimmer just took a few hours to break in and now its going nuts.

tbittner · 03-04-2008, 07:07 AM

Excellent! I've heard a skimmer can take as long as a week to break in fully. Just like this hobby, patience produces results.

rmlevasseur · 03-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Well, the skimmer did a nice job of clearing the cloud from the sand, but now its acting like its not broken in again. Frankly, I just think there is nothing to skim yet. Brand new tank with brand new RO water, and very clean and/or dead rock. I have a deli shrimp in there to boost the cycle, but won't be surprised if the 100 lbs of live LR cycles the tank very quickly.

I have an old flourescent stock strip from my 45 sitting on the tank. I REALLY want my Solaris. If I don't have it by the end of my cycle I may cancel the order and go halide/t5.

tbittner · 03-04-2008, 11:23 PM

It sounds like Solaris is doing the right thing though. They've discovered a bad shipment of LED strings and they're replacing them before they ship them out. This is adding a few weeks to the shipments.

I wouldn't worry too much about not having them by the time the cycle is completed. Just because the cycle is completed, doesn't mean the tank still doesn't need to mature. Fish don't need the Solaris so you could start adding one of them once a month.

Craig Manoukian · 03-05-2008, 07:45 PM

You don't need lights to cycle. What are your test readings?

rmlevasseur · 03-05-2008, 10:19 PM

Oh I know I don't need lights to cycle, but when its time to run I don't want my fuzzy slippers on - ya know what I mean? Lol.

Haven't bothered with much testing yet, as the tank has only been up 3 days. I did run a seachem ammonia test, which appeared to be thru the roof, but man that test sucks. Wassup with those little dots? Can anyone recommend a good ammonia test that is all regent based?

tbittner · 03-05-2008, 10:51 PM

I use exclusively Salifert test kits and I like their accuracy and easy of use. I DON'T like the closeness of colors for the readings on them though.

Craig Manoukian · 03-06-2008, 12:42 AM

Salifert and La Mottes are the best options IMHO.

rmlevasseur · 03-12-2008, 08:14 PM

Tank is up and running nice, just waiting on the cycle. I'm not even gonna test until at least 4 weeks. My only "problem" is that all the rubble I put in my lighted fuge is now covered in a brownish algae. Doesn't look like cyano, but not green hair algae either. It may be diatoms, but it has covered the rock real ugly. I'm hoping this is just a natural part of the cycle. All the water was RO and I'm not reading any phosphates. No algae so can't be bound up in there either.

The main tank is still waiting for lighting, and I have seen no algae blooms in there. Here's a recent vid with rock all set up. I'm really happy with it, and tried my best to accentuate the marco. Interestingly the tank looks like its 90% marco but really there's only 60 lbs of marco and 150 lbs of LR from Premium and Reefer Madness. All the LR was clean when I got it, but cured it an additional 6 weeks or so before I got the tank.

At this point, the tank appears to be very free of hitchhikers---any hitchhikers. I know one box of LR was damn well near frozen when I got it. I have ordered some chaeto and pods to try to get things going. Otherwise I threw in a deli shrimp to aid the cycle. I like little critters but I also feel kinda comforted knowing that whatever is in there is what I purposely intended to be in there.

Video of tufatank - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Lemme know what ya think. It will look tons better under lighting, but even without it I think the video is pretty good.

03-02-2008, 11:25 AM	#61 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Well, my camera is Fubar, but my camcorder still works, so here are some vids. First is of the Marco curing in a 45, second is the LifeReef system (plumbed but not filled, Ca. no plumbed yet); third is the tank filling (sorry so dark) Video of Marco Rock - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting Video of LifeReef Sump - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting Video of 180 filling - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-02-2008, 11:47 AM	#62 (permalink)
Craig Manoukian Regular Guy Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marina Del Ray, CA Posts: 15,418 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Your project is picking up speed big time Robert! __________________ Currently tankless. 20 Gallon mini reef with mated pair of Maroon Clowns given to Rougiem! 80 gallon reef given to Rougiem/Wooster HS.

03-02-2008, 01:37 PM	#63 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! 1/2 filled! __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-02-2008, 07:17 PM	#64 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Rock and sand are added, but water not quite over the overflow yet. I'd give pics but its a sandstorm right now. I don't have the main pump on yet, but I don't think 2 Koralia 4's and 2 Koralia 3's are gonna be enough. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-03-2008, 10:21 PM	#65 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Woot! Everything is full and main pump is on! Especially nice - no leaks on the first try! My only problem is that my LifeReef skimmer has been on for a few hours now and I ain't gettin nuthin? Very happy with my aquascaping. Sorry, no pics until the water clears from the sand. C'mon skimmer! __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-03-2008, 10:30 PM	#66 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,043 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Give the skimmer a few days and see what it starts to pull out. The die off from the rocks probably hasn't really hit the system yet. CONGRATS!!!!! __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

03-04-2008, 12:41 AM	#67 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Good news. The skimmer just took a few hours to break in and now its going nuts. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-04-2008, 07:07 AM	#68 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,043 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Excellent! I've heard a skimmer can take as long as a week to break in fully. Just like this hobby, patience produces results. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

03-04-2008, 11:18 PM	#69 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Well, the skimmer did a nice job of clearing the cloud from the sand, but now its acting like its not broken in again. Frankly, I just think there is nothing to skim yet. Brand new tank with brand new RO water, and very clean and/or dead rock. I have a deli shrimp in there to boost the cycle, but won't be surprised if the 100 lbs of live LR cycles the tank very quickly. I have an old flourescent stock strip from my 45 sitting on the tank. I REALLY want my Solaris. If I don't have it by the end of my cycle I may cancel the order and go halide/t5. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-04-2008, 11:23 PM	#70 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,043 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! It sounds like Solaris is doing the right thing though. They've discovered a bad shipment of LED strings and they're replacing them before they ship them out. This is adding a few weeks to the shipments. I wouldn't worry too much about not having them by the time the cycle is completed. Just because the cycle is completed, doesn't mean the tank still doesn't need to mature. Fish don't need the Solaris so you could start adding one of them once a month. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

03-05-2008, 07:45 PM	#71 (permalink)
Craig Manoukian Regular Guy Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marina Del Ray, CA Posts: 15,418 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! You don't need lights to cycle. What are your test readings? __________________ Currently tankless. 20 Gallon mini reef with mated pair of Maroon Clowns given to Rougiem! 80 gallon reef given to Rougiem/Wooster HS.

03-05-2008, 10:19 PM	#72 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Oh I know I don't need lights to cycle, but when its time to run I don't want my fuzzy slippers on - ya know what I mean? Lol. Haven't bothered with much testing yet, as the tank has only been up 3 days. I did run a seachem ammonia test, which appeared to be thru the roof, but man that test sucks. Wassup with those little dots? Can anyone recommend a good ammonia test that is all regent based? __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

03-05-2008, 10:51 PM	#73 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,043 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! I use exclusively Salifert test kits and I like their accuracy and easy of use. I DON'T like the closeness of colors for the readings on them though. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

03-06-2008, 12:42 AM	#74 (permalink)
Craig Manoukian Regular Guy Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marina Del Ray, CA Posts: 15,418 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Salifert and La Mottes are the best options IMHO. __________________ Currently tankless. 20 Gallon mini reef with mated pair of Maroon Clowns given to Rougiem! 80 gallon reef given to Rougiem/Wooster HS.

03-12-2008, 08:14 PM	#75 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Torch coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 581 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tufa's tank!!! Tank is up and running nice, just waiting on the cycle. I'm not even gonna test until at least 4 weeks. My only "problem" is that all the rubble I put in my lighted fuge is now covered in a brownish algae. Doesn't look like cyano, but not green hair algae either. It may be diatoms, but it has covered the rock real ugly. I'm hoping this is just a natural part of the cycle. All the water was RO and I'm not reading any phosphates. No algae so can't be bound up in there either. The main tank is still waiting for lighting, and I have seen no algae blooms in there. Here's a recent vid with rock all set up. I'm really happy with it, and tried my best to accentuate the marco. Interestingly the tank looks like its 90% marco but really there's only 60 lbs of marco and 150 lbs of LR from Premium and Reefer Madness. All the LR was clean when I got it, but cured it an additional 6 weeks or so before I got the tank. At this point, the tank appears to be very free of hitchhikers---any hitchhikers. I know one box of LR was damn well near frozen when I got it. I have ordered some chaeto and pods to try to get things going. Otherwise I threw in a deli shrimp to aid the cycle. I like little critters but I also feel kinda comforted knowing that whatever is in there is what I purposely intended to be in there. Video of tufatank - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting Lemme know what ya think. It will look tons better under lighting, but even without it I think the video is pretty good. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

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