Griff48

I was browsing my 120g reef with a flashlight and found this critter living in an unused bulkhead. The bulkhead was once used as a return but has been sealed off. Anyway, this little guy is living in there. It looks like a baby flame scallop, about the size of a dime. I don't know how it can survive there since every feeding and water change it is left high and dry. Please excuse the coraline. I can't seem to stay ahead of it. I am also attaching a pic of my Christmas tree rock. I believe the number of feather worms has doubled since I bought it last spring. Gene [ATTACH]8838[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]8839[/ATTACH]

I have the newer Odyssea 48", 250w MH, 4 T5s, 12 LED moonlights. It uses the newer ballasts that supply the full 250w. I think it is a great unit for the money. Now that I said that...... 1. The fan is noisier than I'd like. I will change it out with a SilenX fan. 2. The legs supplied with the unit are junk. This is the only build-quality issue I can see. 3. The Odyssea bulbs were too much on the green side IMO. I changed out the MH bulbs with Phoenix 14k's, and the actinics for whatever BRS was selling. Much better. Gene

This is how my RO/DI ATO is set up with the Apex controller: Yes, two 110v solenoids controlled by the Apex. My RO/DI ATO is gravity fed from a 55-gal barrel sitting on a raised platform in the garage. A 'T' fitting is in the line splitting into the two solenoids near the sump. One supplies water to the Kalkwasser mixer then to a second 'T' fitting. The other goes directly to the 2nd 'T'. Once joined, the two supplies (pure RO/DI and Kalk) go to a float valve in the sump. Pure RO/DI water is supplied as ATO when the metal halides are on, and Kalkwasser is supplied at all other times. The Apex controls all of this. I put a "If pH > 8.35 Then OFF" string in the KLAK outlet programming to not turn on if pH is already sufficiently high. Other strings control the outlets based on float switch signals. Two float switches are wired into my Neptune breakout box (NOT included with the Apex) then to the Apex controller. The bottom float switch is the "normal" control for ATO water fed to the sump. The mechanical float valve is located between the lower and upper float switches and serves as a backup to the lower switch should it fail to shut off the incoming water. The upper float switch serves as a 2nd failsafe should both the lower switch and float valve fail. Of course, the solenoids are "normally closed" and the float switches are "normally open" to avoid trouble if a power failure occurs. The Neptune breakout box, solenoids, float switches and valve are NOT included with the Apex controller. There are instructions on RC on how to build your own box with Radio Shack parts, but I bought one from Marine Depot (~$30). I bought the float switch setup and solenoids from AutoTopoff.com. Gene

The Apex IS great but brush up on your programming skills. Simple things like lights and heaters are easy to set up because of the "wizards" that are provided. For lights just enter on and off times, and a high-temp cutoff, for example. Anything more complicated and your brain will get twisted. Try to figure out the "OSC" command string at first glance! Anyway, on the big reef site search down to the Neptune section for lots of info and ideas. On my 125 reef my Apex is controlling: Actinic, MH & moonlights, return and circulation pumps/feed schedule, two heaters, two RO/DI supplies (one plain water when the MH is on and one via Kalkwasser mixer when the MH is off) carbon and phosphate reactors, skimmer, sump/refug LEDs, canopy & sump fans. And this is a comparatively simple setup. It also monitors/displays pH, temp and ORP. I can monitor and control the tank from work or from my 'droid. Attached is the status screen. There are lots of other displays. [ATTACH]6959[/ATTACH]

Here are a couple of pictures. The one of the scallop has the crab just barely visible. You can see the white color and three of its legs. The fish turd in the background shows up better:p. The second picture is a FTS of the 120 gallon, still a work in progress. There are bubbles on the front because the sump got low overnight. The third picture was taken earlier, just after setting everything up. Anyway, this is the tank I bought from Salty. I combined my critters from my BC29 with most of those that came from Salty. The purple blob at the top is a big chunk of green star polyp colony. It still hasn't opened up from the move. I thought you couldn't kill that stuff. If it is dead, it is the only casualty. The gap in the rockwork is my attempt to keep the BTAs separated from everything else. So far it is working:D. Gene [ATTACH]6266[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]6267[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]6268[/ATTACH]

I'll see if the scallop will cooperate! He has to be open wide and pointing the right direction. Then there is my (lack of) camera skill......but I'll try.

My electric flame scallop happened to be turned toward the front so I got a flashlight to check out its privates(naughty). Inside looking back at me was a small, white crab about 1/2" in size. It was just sitting in there back by the scallop's hinge. As far as I can tell it wasn't there to do any damage. Is there a symbiotic relationship I haven't heard about, or do I need to try to get the crab out of there?(scratch) Thanks. Gene

I'll check it out and let you know. That handheld TDS arrived. I forgot to cancel the Amazon order. Anyway I don't know if it works right or not (or maybe I have it set wrong), or our tap water is really clean. Tap shows about 70, the 'clean' water from waterworks that I have been using shows 4, but the container I use for the clean water shows 40! I don't understand that unless the water is picking up something from the container. I know that doesn't make sense, but I pour the 'clean' water from a 5-gallon jug into another container in the house so its temperature isn't so cold. The GSP still hasn't opened.

Where do you get these food-grade containers? I have a RO/DI unit to set up.

Yes, I shut everything down to simulate a power failure (sorry, bad words) and the sump stopped filling at about 3 inches from the top. Should be fine.

Just called him and told him to consider it sold. Will pick it up later tonight or tomorrow morning. I also bought a remote control power controller for pumping the salt water water from the truck into the aquarium. Patrick had a couple of them for sale. Figured I could use that for changing water. I also bought a float valve for an ATO. The tank is filled, next is to arrange the rocks. Temp finally got to 76. Salinity is a little low at 21, am slowly bringing it up to 24 or 25, about. With the pumps running the water is clearing up fast. I'll put the hood and light up when I get the rocks arranged. Should be able to start putting the critters in tomorrow. Hopefully the nitrates will be reasonable.

Well, Danik, how come you didn't tell me to take mine off since you are the expert??????? Would've saved me from a near-stroke.DOH!(laugh)

Hey, Mike. Per out telephone conversation, I will take the Ro-DI unit. Consider it sold! See you later tonight or tomorrow morning. Gene

Thanks guys. But I got lucky! My son started looking around in the buckets we were using to wash the sand, and he found the ring right away. I was even in there with a flashlight and didn't see it. I had gone through the large cans I was storing water in, and the driveway where we were rinsing, too. So I was convinced it had to be buried in the sand. Anyway, now I can sleep tonight. And you were right about my wife. I would have been pulling out the sand first thing in the morning even if the ring wasn't a threat, other than my well being. Thanks again. Wish me luck in getting this tank back together without any real emergencies. I bought the tank that Salty (Mike) had advertised a few days ago. With Danik's help, it should work just fine. Gene

Ring has been found......please disregard! Thanks Sorry to make this my first post, but.....I am in the process of setting up a new to me 120g reef. I have gotten as far as half full of water and sand. And there is the problem. I have lost my wedding ring, and I have the rotten feeling it is somewhere in 100 lbs of sand under about 60 gallons of salt water. I had just started placing live rock when I noticed the ring was missing. I think it came off when I was washing the sand and using my hand to stir it around. So, to my question. I hate to lose the ring of course, but I would rather leave it there than have to remove the sand. The ring is gold and silver. Does anyone have enough chemistry knowledge to know if that ring being in the sand will at some point cause trouble? Thanks for any help!!!!!(scary)