obrien.david.j

Here's my January Frag pictures. Still have it on a frag rack in the main display tank.

I was cleaning my skimmer about twice a week... But recently upgraded to a larger model. (see my holiday posts) And in my family, it's not about the unexpected guest - it's about my wife not enjoying the smell at all. So I try to clean when she may be out for an hour. You can guess how successful I am at that attempt...

I want a club meeting at the person's house who buys and sets this tank back up, so I can check it out. I have a 3' (front to back) deep tank, and love it. Mine is 25" tall and I set the rockwork low to give SPS room to grow. But would have loved the vertical height as well. Whoever buys this, please start a post/thread so we can talk about how you're going to set it up. Share some pictures/etc.

Skimmate Aroma, Argh. I get grief when I clean the skimmer cup inside the house. (there is no other place to do it)

I'm a Ca Reactor + Kalk user, so can't be more helpful here.

bump

I'll have to look it up when I get home. Was likely a vet in Beaverton. (Admittedly, I armed my wife with all the paperwork and sent her to get a prescription.)

I had Red Bugs a number of years ago. I got a prescription by showing up at different VET offices with pictures and printouts. Pictures of my tank, picture zoomed in on red bugs on one of my corals (couple of pictures). Print outs of the web articles saying Interceptor is how to treat it, with treatment regime, URL/web links. And more than one article. Apparently this satisfied my VET as legit. But using the same technique, you could offer for the vet to come visit your tank.

Your problem statement seems to be about getting an Interceptor prescription. Do you have any other pets, any relationship with local Vets? How many Vets have you tried?

Today I retired my trusty K2R reactor, and supersized it. The new reactor is a beast. Filled it with at least 4x (or more) media than the K2R reactor would have needed. Cable/Hose management is not done. But I want the setup to run for a few days just to make sure I've got it all working. Close up for the Ca & Alk supply system for my tanks. Blue hose is RO water feed through the Kalk reactor Midnight-7am for auto top off. Red is Ca Reactor feed and return lines Milky white is CO2 gas supply, and the gas recirculation line

Today was New Heater and Cable Management day. Found I'd killed one of my heaters doing the work yesterday, but I'd already planned a 600W upgrade for it. So no big deal. New skimmer is doing well. Happy with this upgrade progress. Heater problem statement: I should tell you I have four different EB832 outlets controlling heaters. Primary (Heat_Tank) is the work horse, with 2nd/3rd/4th all set to trigger 0.3 degrees lower than main. They were all different wattages. Fixed that. Heat_Tank is now BRS 600W (although its drawing 700W) - was a 500W finnex Heat_Tank2nd is an existing BRS 600W - was a 150w eheim Heat_Tank3rd is an eheim 200W, sitting in a frag tank for more local heating - keeping same heater, but removed for cleaning today Heat_Tank4th WAS a BRS 600W, but has now been moved to Tank2nd - and nothing is in this outlet. Reminder, my fish room is in an unheated garage Current state: End of Yesterday view:

Phase 1 Success! Bigger Skimmer Box installed Bigger Skimmer Installed! (also relocated CO2 bottle off the equipment shelf, to the other side of the fish room) Before upgrading the CaReactor, there will be some cable management done. That will be phase 2 and 3. Photos in order. 0. Before, (aka My current skimmer & Ca reactor setup) 1. Before, Skimmer Removed 2. Old Skimmer Box, before removal 3. New Skimmer Box, before filling 4. After

Okay, I had to look up these two fish. Between the two, I like the Acares better. I like the look of yellow variation of Vanderbilt, but I think they mature into the dark blue form. And then I like the Acares better again.

Looking nice! I'm partial to the Banggai. Love to see them.

GMK is doing fine so far. I’ve moved it into a spot that gets concentrated small foods twice a day. (My baby banggai basket)

You've got a good punch list of activities! Congrats on getting an Apex and Trident. Between these two, I have diagnosed and improved temp control, alk control, pH issues, and tuned my Ca Reactor & Kalk addition cycles. I feel it has really helped me. For example, I've timed my current Kalk consumption rate to 4 days.

Hole drilled successfully for 3" overflow pipe through a uniseal. (final pipe will be 9" tall, to keep a constant height in the box for the skimmer)

Love the waterfall baffle system. Go Green. Wait, I meant to say Go Beaves! (Orange) The tank looks sweet. For contrast, you could add some Montipora Setosa and get that vibrant orange pop. (plus, it's generally easy) My favorite wire mgt solution is Wire Ducts. I've ordered them in multiple sizes, going all the way up to big. Here's a link for 4" wide, by 1.5" tall. Go back to their Wire Duct level, and see all the options. https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/wiring_solutions/wire_duct/wide_finger_wall/t1-4015g-1

It's the holiday season. Besides lots of food, friends, and festivities. I usually find time for a few tank related projects. This week, I'm working on upsizing my skimmer and Ca reactor. What are tank projects are you working on this season?

My recent history: 2020 I remodeled my fishroom, added two 50gal frag tanks, and upgraded the display tank from 120g -> 250gal 2021 kicked my butt with red slime, dinos, chemistry off, tank crash, etc 2022 has been about getting everything back on track, and things are starting to grow like weeds (see my battle with dinos thread if you want to know what i've done) In all of this, I've kept my favorite skimmer (Reef Octopus Elite INT-200) and my 1990's CaReactor (K2R). Both are keeping up, but I'm expecting them to be surpassed by tank needs in 2023. So I'm upsizing. New Skimmer: Reef Octopus Regal 300-INT New CaReactor: Reef Octopus CR5000D (8" chamber) My current skimmer & Ca reactor setup: (aka, Before) Newly created Skimmer box, with skimmer for sizing test: (still needs overflow holes drilled before install) Roughly what the two next to each other look like. CaReactor placement in fish room still WIP.

Harvest #26 complete (Dec 28th) Learning - harvested slightly over 2 weeks. and *DID* add mid-grow fertilizer kicker. Harvest is back to dark-dark grow of the past

I'm on the west side (97229) and I get my RO water tested monthly, as part of my ICP testing. No phosphates have been detected in the past 12 months I've been doing this. I like your idea of triple checking your test kit. Maybe a club member is close enough, or just take a sample to one or two LFS's - and have them check. For SPS die off and Algae problems - Argh, that's the classic.

Deal. PM me if you're able to hook up this week, or when you want it.

Passing on a white elephant gift from the club December party. Looks new, and I just don't need it. New $32, asking $20. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reefdose-deluxe-4-color-tubing-accessories-kit-red-sea.html

I've got a lightly used GEO CR818 calcium reactor to sell. This has an 8" reactor chamber, holds a ton of media. Recirculation by a Sicce 3.0 pump, and integrated pH probe holder. Includes CO2 check valve. New these start at $695, before options. I'm asking $400, in the Pdx metro area. https://www.geosreef.com/product/cr818-calcium-reactor/