New project is underway:180g SPS w/ 150g macro sump

[slandis3]

Tim, for a system like yours i would look into getting a small gas powered generator. You can get a small one for a few hundred $'s and run your whole system.

[micki]

We have a generator ready to hook into if need be.

[aquavista99]

Tim, for a system like yours i would look into getting a small gas powered generator. You can get a small one for a few hundred $'s and run your whole system.

My friend has a gas generator I could borrow, but I am concerned the neighbors would complain about the loud noise. I recall someone from Southern California on Reef Central last year who lost his reef due to a major power outage and had the police come to his house for noise complaints from running a generator...he lost everything. Home Depot has a nice selection of gas generators and power invertors, both reasonably priced.  A good invertor hooked up to a marine battery could run one tunze pump and two 400 watt heaters for at least 12 hours (most likely longer depending on the battery size and whether it was fully charged).  

If noise was not an issue, I would definitely go with a gas generator....although it does void the warranties on most electronic ballasts (if you decide to power up the lights as well).

[micki]

We live down in the woods all by ourselves.  Noise wouldn't be a problem at all.  I probably wouldn't power up the lights unless the outage went on for more than a day.   

[aquavista99]

Tim, for a system like yours i would look into getting a small gas powered generator. You can get a small one for a few hundred $'s and run your whole system.

I think I am going to look into the Honda generators as a possible back up system...they make some quiet ones that can be used for computers and other sensitive electronics.

[aquavista99]

Here are a few close up pics ... still waiting for the skimmer, halide lamp/ballast for the sump and calcium reactor.

[micki]

Very Nice Tim!

[verper]

I think I am going to look into the Honda generators as a possible back up system...they make some quiet ones that can be used for computers and other sensitive electronics.

    Honda generators   

[aquavista99]

Very Nice Tim!

Thanks, Micki!

[aquavista99]

    Honda generators   

I am looking at the EU2000 .... not in my  budget but I will sleep better knowing that my reef has a back up system that is dependable and quiet to operate.

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/gensup.asp

[verper]

I am looking at the EU2000 .... not in my  budget but I will sleep better knowing that my reef has a back up system that is dependable and quiet to operate.

I think we have that one at work, and of course available for me to borrow if needed.  We have quite a few of the larger Honda generators or generator/welders.  It's one of those "you get what you pay for" deals.  Very reliable and quite generators.

[aquavista99]

I think we have that one at work, and of course available for me to borrow if needed.  We have quite a few of the larger Honda generators or generator/welders.  It's one of those "you get what you pay for" deals.  Very reliable and quite generators.

Thanks for the feedback, Scott! I have always had good luck with Honda products, whether it is with cars or lawnmowers.....very reliable and built to last a long time. I think the EU 2000 could provide basic life support for my reef (IE, run a few pumps or heaters until power is restored) and not piss off the neighbors at 2am with loud noise.

[reeffiend]

Nice tank!!  I have an extra euro reef skimmer not in use at the moment if you would like to borrow it until yours comes in.

[aquavista99]

Nice tank!!  I have an extra euro reef skimmer not in use at the moment if you would like to borrow it until yours comes in.

Thanks for the offer, Mike! I have been without a skimmer for a while now....should be okay until the new one arrives.

[aquavista99]

***More updates***

I finished the stand for the SPS QT system and the stand behind the sump to hold my new calcium reactor and skimmer (still waiting for both to arrive).

I also added another 80 pounds of Fiji sand to the sump last night.

Tonight, my mangroves arrived and I added an Ice Cap fan to the display (will mount the fan later).

[micki]

Very nice!  What is taking the CA and skimmer so long?  Where are they coming from?

[bigfalcon36]

What size lights are you going to go with on the breeder?  Go with a 400 watt and watch the water boil

[aquavista99]

Very nice!  What is taking the CA and skimmer so long?  Where are they coming from?

Euroreef...the size I ordered is built to order, so I don't know how much longer it will take . As for the GEO Calcium reactor, for the size I want, everyone who carries it has been out of stock for weeks. Bummer. I paid for the skimmer and reactor, just waiting, and waiting.................

[aquavista99]

What size lights are you going to go with on the breeder?  Go with a 400 watt and watch the water boil

Either a 250 or 400 watt. Not sure yet because I am not ready to add new corals anytime soon.

[bigfalcon36]

what type of products do you use in a coral QT system?  I would like to set something like that up, once i get everything going.

[aquavista99]

what type of products do you use in a coral QT system?  I would like to set something like that up, once i get everything going.

All SPS corals are dipped in Iodine for about 15 minutes, then they go into QT for a few weeks to make sure they are healthy (no flatworms, etc). I use Tropic Marin Pro-coral Cure for my iodine treatments. I also treat all Acropora corals w/ Interceptor to prevent red bugs from coming into my display. Interceptor treatment runs for a 5 days with three 12 hour treatments.

[Reefinmike]

hmm, i always read to treat for 6 hours? it seems the medication isnt too harmful to sps(you can dose quite a bit more than reccomended), so i guess double the time wouldnt be too bad.

[aquavista99]

hmm, i always read to treat for 6 hours? it seems the medication isnt too harmful to sps(you can dose quite a bit more than reccomended), so i guess double the time wouldnt be too bad.

Eric Borneman has conducted a lot of research in this area, and my interceptor treatment protocol is based on his findings and what my Veterinarian recommends.

Per Borneman, " Treatment dosage appears to be flexible, if not variable. Given the apparent low toxicity to corals even at elevated dosages, [Borneman] suggests a dose level equal or higher (up to 10x) than suggested by Dorton. Dorton suggests three separate treatments of six hours. Upon examination of treated colonies, six hours appears to be insufficient for a 100% kill rate, while 12 hours seems to be more effective. In the one test where coral mortality was observed, the treatment time was only six hours, and in all other tests, no ill effects to the coral were seen with extended treatment times. It appears that time, and not dosage level, is the critical variable towards providing 100% kill rates for the copepods. "

[aquavista99]

Now have three  of five pieces needed for the calcium reactor. Four and five would be the reactor itself and the media.

[micki]

Cool!