Nick's 345G Build
- Thread starter this is me
- Start date
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
The returns are on the overflow side. I'm never a fan of high turnover and close loop system. 3x turnover is about max that I would run on a tank.
The flow was quite a headache for me for the past 3 weeks. While trying to avoid a pump on the other end of the peninsula, the two 6255s on one side was either too much flow in some area and not the others. Sand devils under the pumps, craters in the sand. LPS flesh pealing because it's being dragged by the strong undertow while SPS polyps at the top of the tank are at a stand still. I was ready to pull the trigger on 4 MP60s, two on each side. But thought why am I doing that when I can try to place one of the Tunze on the other side if I'm going to put a pump on the other side anyways.
I did that and the flow is much much better.
In the end, it's about the critters' health and response that matters. Not what you fantasize on how your tank would look.
Any tank that is more than 6' long would have a real problem with flow without a pump on the other end.
The flow was quite a headache for me for the past 3 weeks. While trying to avoid a pump on the other end of the peninsula, the two 6255s on one side was either too much flow in some area and not the others. Sand devils under the pumps, craters in the sand. LPS flesh pealing because it's being dragged by the strong undertow while SPS polyps at the top of the tank are at a stand still. I was ready to pull the trigger on 4 MP60s, two on each side. But thought why am I doing that when I can try to place one of the Tunze on the other side if I'm going to put a pump on the other side anyways.
I did that and the flow is much much better.
In the end, it's about the critters' health and response that matters. Not what you fantasize on how your tank would look.
Any tank that is more than 6' long would have a real problem with flow without a pump on the other end.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Dual channel head for master flex arrived. Tested my water and it’s pretty much what I want to run the tank at.
Alk- 9dkh
CA- 430ppm
MG- 1480ppm
PO4- 0.07ppm
NO3- 5ppm
So CWC is on!
The setting of 9 with LS16 tubing gives me about 8ml/min which equates to about 3gallons a day.
I have the drain where the drain is and the fresh mixed water in the return chamber. The waste water is being collected in another water drum so I can see how much it’s drawing out and how much water is taken from the fresh mixed drum. Will monitor conductivity(salinity) for any imbalance.
The master flex is a beast and the only thing I’ll rely on for peristaltic pump in continuous operation. Yes, they’re loud, but it never fails. And can take multiple heads without any struggle.
A single motor and dual channel head eliminate the difference in water being replaced. There’s no calibration needed and no factory tolerance on the motor speed to worry about. All you have to do is match the tubing
Check back in a week. The two barrels water line should add up.
Alk- 9dkh
CA- 430ppm
MG- 1480ppm
PO4- 0.07ppm
NO3- 5ppm
So CWC is on!
The setting of 9 with LS16 tubing gives me about 8ml/min which equates to about 3gallons a day.
I have the drain where the drain is and the fresh mixed water in the return chamber. The waste water is being collected in another water drum so I can see how much it’s drawing out and how much water is taken from the fresh mixed drum. Will monitor conductivity(salinity) for any imbalance.
The master flex is a beast and the only thing I’ll rely on for peristaltic pump in continuous operation. Yes, they’re loud, but it never fails. And can take multiple heads without any struggle.
A single motor and dual channel head eliminate the difference in water being replaced. There’s no calibration needed and no factory tolerance on the motor speed to worry about. All you have to do is match the tubing
Check back in a week. The two barrels water line should add up.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Feeding time fish counting.
Taken with phone camera because it’s easy duhhhhh.
It’s amazing how quickly they learn that it’s time for food.
Pintail Fairy Wrasse.
Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse.
Trio of Diamond Tail Flasher. All females. Let see which one turns male.
Harem of Blue Reef Chromis
Trio of Yellow Tang
Taken with phone camera because it’s easy duhhhhh.
It’s amazing how quickly they learn that it’s time for food.
Pintail Fairy Wrasse.
Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse.
Trio of Diamond Tail Flasher. All females. Let see which one turns male.
Harem of Blue Reef Chromis
Trio of Yellow Tang
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
No angelfish this time. I want to keep the stuff on the sandbed.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Went to visit a friend today who has kept my two gigs for about 13months since I broke down the last tank.
These are monster. The green, when fully stretched, is about 30” wide. The purple is not far behind. You can see their history in my previous tank build.
The green one is not mine anymore since I sold it to him. But even if I take it back, it will take some serious rearrangement to fit two in the tank.
Monsters!!
Going home.
These are monster. The green, when fully stretched, is about 30” wide. The purple is not far behind. You can see their history in my previous tank build.
The green one is not mine anymore since I sold it to him. But even if I take it back, it will take some serious rearrangement to fit two in the tank.
Monsters!!
Going home.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Gig is in and settled. Clowns took it instantly. Wild clown+Gigantea=Love at first sight. It’s just so right.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Some LPS I’ve been missing.
And a Yuma
And a Yuma
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Maybe it’s time to stop adding stuff and watch it grow. Lol
reefkeeper2
Well-Known Member
Love your nems. I just moved mine into the basement. It's not as colorful as yours but I've had it for 15 years. It will have to spend the winter down there along with a lot of my fish and coral until the new tank arrives in the spring.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
Paul,
15 years is an achievement. I hope I can say that with mine in about 9 years.
I do want to bring this to your attention as you’re very excited about the new tank and the armor seams. I can foresee the armor seams will be an annoyance with cleaning. On a conventional tank, the corners are flat. You can run a magnet cleaner and you’ll get everything. With armor seams, you have a very thin strip of glass on top of the glass and it’s impossible to run the magnet cleaner on it.
My tank has been up 3 weeks and I’m getting these micro feather dusters on it. This stuff is good to have but I can see coraline and other hard algae will also grow on this thin strip of glass. This will require some extra cleaning tool and effect to get it off.
In my previous tank, it was only armor seam the overflow side where the glass is black. And I never ran into any issue with digging into the silicone on any of my tank. I don’t know if I would armor seam everywhere now.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
I usually don’t like any sand goby because of the milk cloud Issue. But I’ve been intrigued by these gobies called “blue spot jawfish”. Still, I don’t know I would keep them because of the cloudy tank issue. But how many holes can they dig? They just need to make a home, right?
I only have 7 conches to clean the sand and so far, I think they spent more time in the sand than anything else. My tangs are better sand cleaners than them!
reefkeeper2
Well-Known Member
I can see what your saying, but on glass tanks I always use a razor scraper when I clean. It's a tool used for cleaning paint off window panes. I always had to be very careful not to damage the silicone when I used it. I use it now to clean all the glass tanks in the basement and I love it. My hope is that with the armored seams, I won't have that concern. I was never really worried about animals burrowing into the silicone.
OP
OP
this is me
I like turtles
