Author Topic: Westeri's Tank (Read 10654 times)

Westeri · « **Reply #50 on:** March 30, 2014, 16:43:51 »

So I got my tanks filled with saltwater, and now decided it was time to get some rock into the tanks and out of the brute cans that have been taking up part of my living room for the last few months. I also decided, that I would like to try to keep the rock up off the glass so that sand bed critters could better get under the big rocks to clean/keep the area aerobic.

I decided to go with some PVC frames, such as the simple U shape shown below. I figured the 1/2 inch interior diameter PVC would probably provide close to an inch gap under the rock and that would hopefully be sufficient.

In that picture the pipe at that time was just dry fitted to check if it would work and was the right size. I then glued up the U shape except for the two end caps. I then used some of my sand as filler to weight down the PVC. I read about some people drilling their PVC to avoid anaerobic areas, but I figured if the PVC was glued up like I would for my plumbing, it should be water tight and shouldn't become an anaerobic area in the pipe. Of course, the story I read about someone finding a six foot worm living in his PVC framework he had for his aquascape may also have encouraged me to keep it sealed.

Having read about flow currents (and tank inhabitants) moving sand, and desiring to not have PVC showing in my tank; I decided to "paint" most of the PVC structure with silicone and then coat it with some of the same sand I would be using in my tank, hoping to camouflage it somewhat should it become exposed.

Once it cured for a few hours (wasn't really worried about the silicone becoming water tight), went and tried it out in my tank.

As can be seen in the reflection, the bottom of the PVC is not coated. Now, to do this for the rest of my rocks, hmm, those cans may be in my living room yet for a while longer.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #51 on:** March 30, 2014, 18:03:34 »

Looks good. I'll have to wait and see how it looks with sand.

Westeri · « **Reply #52 on:** March 31, 2014, 01:19:40 »

It is a little cloudy at the moment when this picture was taken, but here is the current aquascape of the refugium.

No guarantees that it won't change, and I still need to do the main tank.

Westeri · « **Reply #53 on:** March 31, 2014, 02:25:05 »

The main thing I accomplished this weekend (most of the aquascaping for the refugium was accomplished previously, I just hadn't posted about it and occasional tweak how it looks) was to install an additional EB8 bar into the Laundry room where my RO/DI unit is located and connect it to my current Apex aquabus. To this power bar I connected the BRS 3 liter/hour peristaltic pump which I also installed this weekend.

So hopefully I will be able to keep my salinity on an even keel and replace water lost to evaporation, which will also replace my daily manual top off of the tank water. Well, I won't be able to check my conductivity until I actually get my conductivity probe (it is currently on backorder). I will then have to tweak the program for how long the pump should run. Currently it is set to run for 60 minutes which should add about 8/10ths of a gallon of RO/DI to the main system. I have been told that the peristaltic pumps are low load items and I should place them on the relay switch outlet of the EB8 so that they will properly turn on and off. Of course, since it is on a relay switch outlet I don't want to turn it on/off any more than I have to so I don't create unnecessary wear and tear on the EB8 outlet.

You may notice two aquabus cables in that previous picture. To help reduce concern about an unknown leak occurring from the RO/DI system (which has happened once) or from the ATO pump I also installed a Neptune Systems ALD module and have currently hooked up a single solid surface probe to it. I may add a second probe later since I have a fairly decent footprint within my laundry room.

I also went into my Apex settings and setup email alerts. Not a big leap forward for tank accomplishments this weekend, but I did make a little bit of progress. Still deciding on 1 or 2 circulation pumps for the refugium, I am leaning toward just one pump.

bbtm64 · « **Reply #54 on:** March 31, 2014, 03:05:46 »

That looks awesome!

Twizted1 · « **Reply #55 on:** March 31, 2014, 08:49:07 »

Your fuge looks better than my dt. I'm so jealous.

Westeri · « **Reply #56 on:** March 31, 2014, 09:06:46 »

Quote from: Twizted1 on March 31, 2014, 08:49:07

Your fuge looks better than my dt. I'm so jealous.

Thank you, but it isn't a fair comparison. After all, my refugium hasn't even been up and running for a month yet and it has no life other than the expected microbial life (or I hope it is there).

Here is a clearer picture from this morning.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #57 on:** April 01, 2014, 10:18:49 »

I really like the right side. You did a great jig on the aquascape.

Westeri · « **Reply #58 on:** April 02, 2014, 11:05:11 »

I am debating tweaking the left side some more.

But I did have a question. As I get my rock into its "final" positions I think I want to check my flow. Does anyone know of some smaller type items I could place in the tank (that float in water as opposed to surface floating or sinking to bottom) to see how the flow is?

Twizted1 · « **Reply #59 on:** April 02, 2014, 15:28:15 »

Not sure what would be best for a tank with nothing in it. I did it when I fed. Just used a turnkey blaster to blast mysis in spots to see where it blew. You need something g that will float to the service when you do e so you can get it out of the tank.

Westeri · « **Reply #60 on:** April 07, 2014, 23:21:10 »

Well, I played around a bit more with the refugium, it now looks like:

Whether I am ready for it or not, life is starting in the refugium, looks like I have started getting some diatom algae?. Anyway, guess I will have to go ahead and order some of my refugium cleanup crew soon. Need to check my water parameters first. Hadn't bothered with it since I was still playing with the rockscape, but I guess mother nature isn't waiting for me and my slow cautious pace, lol.

I have initially gotten the rock for the main tank out of its containers and into the tank as well, Though a full shot from front doesn't really seem to do the rock much justice.

I am a little concerned that some of those rocks are a little too tall. I need to have some vertical room for coral growth and still allow a clear space for water flow. Currently trying to compensate by having the high points toward the midline of the tank and then the circulation pumps before and behind that point. I have also been experimenting with my Apex controlling the Jebao pumps.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #61 on:** April 08, 2014, 08:29:12 »

That looks great. I think you have plenty of room. And I'd a coral starts reaching the waters surface, they start growing out instead of up. Also when they start getting to tall, just trim them down and frag them up and sell them.
In my opinion your aquascape and tank build as a whole rock! No pun intended.

Bucknutz · « **Reply #62 on:** April 08, 2014, 09:27:36 »

Heck of a job Roy. Looks fantastic.

Westeri · « **Reply #63 on:** April 15, 2014, 01:43:23 »

With what I believe to be diatom growth starting in my Refugium, I decided it was time to start acquiring a cleanup crew for it. This is the first installment of what I acquired; sandbed clams. I definitely took pictures now, as I don't expect to see them again unless I go digging up the sandbed.

What follows are some pictures of one of the clams proceeding to bury itself. I apologize, I didn't think to have my tripod out and ready so these pictures aren't all the best. I possess a few more pictures, but in the interest of brevity went with the following. The clam went through a couple of cycles in which the right side of the clam tilted up and back down, then the clam listed way up and rapidly sank beneath the sand.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #64 on:** April 15, 2014, 08:46:35 »

Very cool.

Bucknutz · « **Reply #65 on:** April 15, 2014, 12:32:23 »

It's alive.

Mussin · « **Reply #66 on:** April 15, 2014, 18:42:31 »

Where do you get those?

Westeri · « **Reply #67 on:** April 15, 2014, 23:08:30 »

Quote from: Mussin on April 15, 2014, 18:42:31

Where do you get those?

I got the sandbed clams from Indo Pacific Sea Farms

Westeri · « **Reply #68 on:** April 15, 2014, 23:30:49 »

For the next installment, mini-stars

I then did manage to get a couple of quick pictures before they too disappeared from view.

ReeferMadness · « **Reply #69 on:** April 16, 2014, 00:45:34 »

Those are so fricken cute I wish they'd stay out!

Sent from my ADR8995 using Tapatalk 2

Twizted1 · « **Reply #70 on:** April 16, 2014, 07:59:20 »

Lookin good Roy.

Blazinreef · « **Reply #71 on:** April 16, 2014, 13:20:39 »

That's awesome. Did you buy a package from ipsf or individual stuff??

Westeri · « **Reply #72 on:** April 16, 2014, 13:31:26 »

I bought a few packages. Refugium startup, Live sand activator, reef worms, and a couple of stand alone items such as mini - stars and sandbed clams.

Westeri · « **Reply #73 on:** April 17, 2014, 00:48:04 »

And now for the next set of pictures, first up, Spaghetti Worms

Then what should be a reef safe bristleworm

On to something a bit more pleasant to view;

too small to get a good view?

I also got some Nerite and Strombus snails

And finally for today:

Guess he doesn't like his new home, although, the only confirmed escapees have been a couple of snails.

bbtm64 · « **Reply #74 on:** April 17, 2014, 00:51:55 »

That's very cool.
I had some of the clams for awhile but I don't think they got fed enough and died off. They're really cool to watch bury themselves.

2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

Author Topic: Westeri's Tank (Read 10654 times)