icepikbiker

Just haven't got up the urge to try it, haven't even really looked into the steps to do it.

I was looking into the Jebao Doser after last post, saw them on amazon for $100 for a four head dosing pump, maybe I'll pick one up with tax return. Got my JBJ ATO today, so I wont be dosing with the top off anymore. I got to think about how I was doing it and since it wasn't automatic it was more like a dose deluded enough to also replenish my evap. The reason I say it that way is because I was more focused on the ALK being dosed evenly through out the day. Basically I found out how much ALK my tank used in one day and how much evap I had in one day then combined them together, then split the dose up over the course of the day. Anyways so now that I have an actual ATO I am much more afraid of it over dosing so I will no longer be topping off and dosing together. I will be using a separate one gallon jug with a Aqualifter (I know bad idea, but its how I roll) for ALK and a five gallon bucket for ATO, but I will still be using unbaked baking soda for now but looking into BRS 2 part.

I would agree, this way has worked for me so far, and I wouldn't recommend anyone to try it this way unless you are aware of and will to deal with what could happen. I'm sure at some point some day something bad could happen. This is by far not the only way nor the smartest way to do it, but if your in a pinch or just a real cheap person (AKA myself lol) then I have proven this could work for a SHORT term fix. Unfortunately what started out as a short term fix has lasted much longer then I hoped. I do have plans to get a doser or even go automated. But so far more critical things have came first, like; water movement, had to replace return pump, bigger nicer tank, new skimmer capable of handling my new tank and JBJ ATO (should be here Thursday). Dosing pumps are just so expensive for a nice one.

I have a 5' 120 gal, think that's what your looking for. I started it as a project but went with an acrylic 4' instead. Selling cheap mainly because I got about half way through resealing it when I found the new tank, been working on it since then. Easiest way for pictures are via text, 5O3-4OO-O131.

With the KENT salt my calc was never below 500, Mag slowly came down as expected, and I could never get my ALK stable. I was putting 5 table spoons of baking soda into my 5 gallon top off bucket. Now with the Instant Ocean salt I have came down to using 3 table spoons of baking soda in 5 gallons of top off, my calc is more stable at about 450 and Mag still just slowly comes down like it should. Sorry I forgot about the PH question. Through complicated months of adjusting a needle valve and changing a timers on/off periods I have got my top off pretty stable. My top off timer is coming on 5 times in 24 hrs, I worked out some of the timings to times that I would be normally checking on the tank anyways, one of the on times is about a half hour before my alarm goes of for work in the morning and one of the other on times is around the time I get home from work but before I feed the tank. The other day time on is about mid point between my work day. The two night on times are just before my lights turn off and just before they turn back on, only need two at night because of less evaporation. So by "dosing" more during the day and little at night my Ph is usually 8.2 early morning (shortly after lights come on) and 8.4 late evening (just before the lights go out). I like to alternate my testing times each week (morning one week and evening the next) so I can watch my Ph swing. Also I am using the API Ph test so they my be off a little.

Starting out I was testing every other day,I was testing; temp, sali, mag, cal, alk, ph, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia. I have now gone to testing every Friday. For some reason the only thing my system really uses up quickly is ALK, all other tested "elements" seem to regulate well with just water changes. After starting my system up over a year ago I bought a Red Sea foundation kit, tests and the liquids. With in a 6 month period I probably went through the first small bottle of alk and 2 of the large bottles, and I finally finished off the small bottle of mag about a month ago, I still have well over 1/2 of the small bottle of Calcium left. Starting my system out I was using KENT salt and most of my base "elements" were high, except the ALK, I have recently changed to Instant Ocean Sea Salt, and my levels have came down and maintained at a more "normal" level.

ah gotcha, lol. Thanks

I'm sure we all would pay big money for an all in one testing/monitoring system. I know I would. Something like the Thrive analysis just affordable and in home, even if every LFS had one that would be cool, another excuse to go in and buy stuff. The designer aquascape would be cool also.

WXM?? What is that?

I've been using unbaked baking soda for a while now and it's been working great. I mix up 3 Table spoons to my 5gal ATO, my system uses about 1/2 gal/day in top off. Its been holding around 12 dkh. Putting it in my top off water made it easy for me, only because I don't have any good way to properly dose. Hardest part was figuring out how much evap I have per day then figuring out how much Alk my system uses per day. Then using a reef calculator figure out how much Baking Soda to use, really only good for a starting point. After starting its test, adjust, test, adjust......... until you get a stable level. The problem with using ATO for dosing is that evap differs throw out the year, depending on humidity and ambient temp of the house. So as your system has less evap the higher the concentration would need to be.

Link to the breakout panel?

Worst thing - Buying used tank after used tank trying to get a clean with minimal scratches for my next upgrade. Lots of wasted money. Best thing - Better feeding regiment, and a new, bigger, better skimmer.

That's how it worked for me. Before the rock was added I had some nitrate and phosphate but not much, probably cause I like fat fish and thought more food equals fatter and healthier fish. I think the rock caused the spike, I controlled the spike with the NOPOX. Once the rock was cured levels went back to normal and didn't need to dose anymore. Since then I have cut back on feeding and nitrates are undetectable and phosphates are low, with API test.

I've thought about putting some holes, tapping, and putting some plastic screw in the bottom of each baffle. You could then just take out the screws and drain all chambers at once. Or something similar to this idea.

I wish I could get a copperband to eat frozen. Any tips, PM?

A while back I also used the Red Sea NOPOX, when my nitrates and phosphates started getting high. That stuff IS magic in a bottle! Works fast and works good. I think my spike was caused by adding uncured rock and feeding too much. Since using NOPOX the rock has cured in the tank and I've cut back on feeding, my nitrates are undetectable and phosphates are very low. Took maybe two weeks of use to stabilize the tank. Haven't had to dose it anymore after the two week "bio rebuild".

After looking at the numbers of the Jebao's either my set up is very restrictive or their numbers are off, maybe the flow just looks slower then what it really is. After looking it up the DC-6000 runs 1585 GPH with six settings that's about 264 GPH/ level. At MY head loss (6ft) it looses about half its power, so ~132gph turnover. *All based off Jebao's flow graph.* I'm running a DC-12000 on the fourth level in my ~100 gal total system volume. Based on their graph again at MY head height I'm running about 1232 gal/hr turnover. Thank you for posting your what I thought were low numbers, but actually your numbers made me realize I'm running way to much water through my sump. Maybe Ill try one of those accelerators to fool my eyes. lol. Right now I've got two of the flat tips.

Can you post pictures of what you have left?

where are you located?

If you have more then one frag I would really like one, my wife works in woodburn and I could have her pick it up.

What size footprint are you looking at, I have a Boyu DG-2516 http://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/hang-on-protein-skimmer-dg2516.html, it's a HOB skimmer that I have sitting in my sump. Works really good I've just been wanting to upgrade to a bigger skimmer, I'm upgrading my tank from a 72 bow to a 120 plus my 55 sump, and with how much I feed it would max out the Boyu. Would you be interested in trading?

How much is there? Cutting any deals for buying a whole bucket or all?

Aquatic Day Caremore info‎ [TABLE=width: 234] [TR] [TD=class: basicinfo] 2195 Hyacinth Street Northeast Salem, Oregon 97301 (971) 273-7407 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Keizer's Tropical Fish & Aquariumsmore info‎ [TABLE=width: 370] [TR] [TD=class: basicinfo] 3986 River Road North Keizer, Oregon 97303 (971) 201-6085 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

I think it has a lot to do with how "wet" you skim. I think if you and going at it fast then your probably not doing to much, but if you are just setting your skimmer a little higher then normal and do it over a couple days time then I'm sure it wouldn't hurt anything. I've thought if you were to mix up a small batch of saltwater, maybe 5 gallons, and use it as top off then set the skimmer high it would kinda work as an automatic water change. You would really need to watch the salinity like a hawk tho, skimmers don't take out much salt in normal operation but setting it high would take out actual saltwater. Then you would have to deal with normal evaporation, so I think if you were to watch it and not let the salinity go to high then it could work.

skimmer model? Price?