John Vinson

1 hour ago, Bevo5 said:

I used the scrubber on my skimmer and it worked pretty well. It becomes a pain to change out the media but it lasted a decent amount of time.  I’ve also dumped a little kalk in my ato. Led to some fluctuations when I’d refill the stop because so much stuff would stir up then get into the tank. Not ideal. 
 

You can get scrubbed up and running in no time. Might as well start there?

Do you have your scrubber running 24/7, or did you setup a solenoid or ball valve to a controller?

1 minute ago, Parzifal said:

Have you calibrated the sensors on the apex?  
 

mine showed 5.4 when I first plugged it in and over a week rose up to 8.1

dont chase the numbers!  If everything is healthy always a good caution to test with another kit to verify a result before changing your routine

Sorry, I should have mentioned that....yes, I calibrated the Apex sensor, and I took a sample to the LFS yesterday and they confirmed the Apex numbers with their Salifert kit.  I wouldn't say I'm chasing numbers, as my corals seem to be surviving, just not thriving (except, of course, the GSP, Xenias and kaleidoscope polyps, that seem to grow in any conditions).  My monti caps, zoas, birds nest, favia, acan, etc, all seem to just be "treading water" - so to speak.  I can't imagine having the Ph that low (it bounces between 7.4 and 7.7 over the course of the day) being very ideal, correct?

I've been blissfully unaware for a while now (the API test kit has always said I have a Ph of 8.2) - which is at odds with what my new Apex is reporting (7.4-7.7).  I'd like to bump it up to 8.3 and have it remain there.  Is the best way to do that a CO2 scrubber attached to my skimmer, or is there another way that I'm once again, blissfully unaware of!?   Does anyone do anything like dose sodium bicarbonate or kalkwasser to their ATO water, for example?  I'm just hesitant to go with the CO2 scrubber based on the cost/frequency of the media changes, unless absolutely necessary.  As always, thanks in advance for your help!

One last thing (for now at least lol).... The Trident seems to be continuing to dose even after the KH is where I want it (8.5).  Shouldn't it stop dosing when it goes above 8.5, or will it continue to do the 15ml per day that I set it at regardless?  If that's the case, then I need to drop the daily dosage so that it stops climbing, right?

2 hours ago, The ReefBox said:

@SuncrestReef  John have you exported apex failing your re connect after moving from one tank to another?

I don't think so....I had to do a factory reset on order to connect to it online (since it was still associated with the previous owner).... Is there something else that I should have done?

Thanks for the info gents.  I went ahead and calibrated the Trident and the results are closer to what I'm getting from Hanna now.  I do have another question on the PH though.....Apex is consistently reading it around 7.5, which is quite a bit lower than the Salifert tests that show around 8.4.  I ordered some calibration solution and calibrated the probe, but it's still reading around 7.5.  I plan on taking some water to my LFS and seeing what they get, but what are your thoughts on which reading I should "trust" at this point?  If it's the Apex, what's the general recommendation for getting the PH up?  Do I need to get a reactor of some sort?  Thanks again for your help!

I picked up a used Apex EL, DOS and Trident system and have it all setup.  The alkalinity readings are a little lower than what Hanna is reporting (8.2 for Hanna, 7.83 for Trident).  I know you calibrate the Trident after refilling/replacing reagents, but I was wondering if it's worth calibrating right now (I have about half used bottles of each of the reagents in there now).  Any other tips/suggestions for the new setup?  Thanks in advance for your help!

Pm sent

I'll take the Hanna Phosphate checker....let me know when/where to pickup....thx

Is it possible to use the Apex Trident as a standalone unit, or is an Apex Controller required as well? 

8 minutes ago, Cgrand56 said:

Thank you for the message. There’s been a lot of interest for many of the corals but unfortunately I can not hold any of them unless payment has been made for what may be of interest to you. I have access to either Venmo of Zelle. If you want to reserve any of them, please send me a private message indicating your specific choices and I’ll provide you my cell and email so you can send the funds and I’ll then be happy to reserve them for you. I live in Rock Creek near 185th and West Union and will be available any time after 11am. Thank you again. 

Thanks for the reply.....count me out though, not looking to pay for them without seeing them first....thanks and best of luck to you. 

hello....Interested in the hollywood stunner, a couple of the acans and maybe a head of the copper branching frogspawn....let me know when it would be a good day/time to swing by.  Thanks

I'll take the wrasse....can pick up today if it works for you....also, I'd be interested in some of you Hanna checkers (depending on which ones you have)...thx

47 minutes ago, islandVib3s said:

Yep that should work, might want to try and find just the float kits because the rodi comes with alot of line that you can use. I literally just set mine up because I upgraded but I havent added my spouts yet.

Did you run the line from the DI filter straight to that float kit?  Also, it looks like you drilled through the bucket, did you seal it with anything after attaching it?  Thanks again for the help!

2 hours ago, islandVib3s said:

Don't forget to get float valves for auto shut off to avoid floods also get a tds meter to measure and check if its working correctly, also get a extra heater for your salt mixing,makes mixing faster and to avoid temp shock when doing water changes.

I hadn't thought of the float valve...definitely need to go with that....any recommendations?  A quick look on amazon and I found this:

https://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Osmosis-System-Connect-Fittings（ball/dp/B076HDV3Z2/ref=sr_1_21?crid=28AJKROUIH6QL&dchild=1&keywords=float+valve+for+water+tank&qid=1633141625&sprefix=float+valve%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-21

It looks like it'd do the trick....

I picked up a small (50 gal/day) 4 stage RODI system and wanted to make sure there's nothing I need to do with the filtered water (besides adding salt) before adding to the tank.  Thanks!

how about the frogspawn?

Interested in the Yellow Tang

Rudy has such an incredible selection, it was hard to finally decide what to go home with.  In the end, we picked up some zoas, favia, disco soma, alveopora and he threw in a piece of Jack O Lantern Leptoseris!  Looking forward to another visit for sure

2 hours ago, obrien.david.j said:

Might you have a typo in your intro post?

... do a 10 gal water change once a week with the Red Sea coral pro salt (blue bucket = KH of 12). 

My history is the red sea PRO has the high KH, but is the Black bucket.  I was using this salt, and had the same Higher Alk scenario as well.    I switched to Red Sea (BLUE) bucket, with lower KH, and am running fine now.  

Which salt are you using?

I must be using the black bucket....I'm colorblind, so it's all the same to me

If I do start dosing and switch salts, any recommendations on the salt to switch to?  Instant Ocean Sea Salt?

6 minutes ago, pdxmonkeyboy said:

Given your system and its consumption, I would switch salt mixes to something more closely approximating seawater and slowly let your tank move down to 7-8 DKH.  I honestly never understood the high "REEF SALT" mixes.  The DKH is way outside what typical sps keepers keep their tanks.  As someone mentioned above.. the risk of high alk (among other things) is that you can have a hard time getting things INTO your system without shocking the bejezuus out of them.  

Switch salts and then dose maybe a two part maybe once a week.   Always calibrate and check your salinity when making water changes.  Changes in salinity makes BIG differences in cal and alk. 

This is exactly what I was thinking I need to do.  How would you recommend the salt switch happen?  Maybe start out doing a mix of 2.5 cups each of the two types of salts to begin with for a few weeks, then switch to the new salt entirely - or does it need to be even more subtle, like 1 cup new, 4 cups old first and do that for a few weeks, then 2 new, 3 old, followed by 4 new, 1 old, etc?  Or is that even necessary, can the switch be as abrupt as the next water change (provided I'm testing constantly and ready to dose, should the levels drop too quickly?) 

8 hours ago, OregonGrownReef said:

This would be some beneficial reading regarding dosing. It may also be beneficial to read that entire guide. It's a lengthy read, but you'll save yourself from many headaches by doing so. The author is the man behind Bulk Reef Supply's 2 part formula and dosing calculators as well as probably the man who has single handedly helped tens of thousands if not more people keep corals in their tanks. 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

Thanks for the feedback and the link, it was an interesting read and looks to be the type of guide I'm looking for.  From what I can tell, I'd like to see about doing something similar to what he does (especially if I can just add the stuff to my ATO and have it dose that way).  He doses limewater, as well as calcium and magnesium (and mentions dosing the limewater into his ATO, but doesn't say if he adds the calcium and magnesium that way as well).  He's still doing small water changes (1% daily) and adds some salt, but if I can reduce the amount/frequency of water changes I wouldn't have a problem with that either!  

Wondering if I should start daily does for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. I have a RSM250 and do a 10 gal water change once a week with the Red Sea coral pro salt (blue bucket = KH of 12).  I don't have a sump, calcium reactor or anything like that.....just the protein skimmer and the foam, bio filter, UV sterilizer and charcoal.  After the water change, alkalinity is around 10, but it drops about a point over the course of the week. I have a mixed reef with some SPSs (mostly Monti caps) and think they would benefit from some daily KH doses to keep it more stable over the week. However, I would need to adjust how much salt I added to the water change, otherwise the alkalinity would just keep rising to 12+, correct?  I am able to maintain the salinity right at 1.026 by adding 2.5 cups of salt for every 5 gallons of water in the water change (pH stays right around 8.2 as well).  

I believe I want to keep my alkalinity somewhere between 9-10, so does that mean I need to switch the salt I use?  If you're dosing, do you switch to a salt that doesn't have the other trace elements (so you only add salt to maintain the desired salinity, and the calcium, alkalinity and magnesium are added by your daily doses?).  I don't test calcium and magnesium as often as the alkalinity (I have a Hanna for that, and I'm lazy, which is why I do it more often than the others...heh).  Calcium is usually around 440-480, and my Magnesium test kit must have been bad (salifert...never got it to change colors), but I did take some water into the LFS and they came up with 1410 for magnesium.   As I understand it, if I start dosing alkalinity, I'll need to do the same for calcium (as one goes up the other goes down, or something like that, correct?)  I'm not sure how that affects magnesium or if it even matters, as every LFS I've talked to says it's all about maintaining a stable alkalinity level. 

For now, I would plan on manually dosing, and depending on how that goes and my travel schedule, I might consider upgrading to some sort of automated system (Apex?).  Looking forward to getting your thoughts on this...thanks in advance!

I think it might be actually.....I had a small galaxia frag a few months ago, but it didn't look like this one.  Looking at some other pics of galaxia online though, I think that's what it might be....thanks!

It looks like a mini torch, but it has a thick base, so I'm pretty sure it isn't.  Anyone know for sure what it is?