72 Oceanic Reef Ready Bow Front Evolution...

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Skipm,

It's calibrated factory and doesn't need calibration. Consistency is what I'm after and that only happens after you get the ORP going. That takes about 2 weeks, and I'm there.

MG
 
M

mikeguerrero

Active Member
My ozone safe check valves came in this week and I changed out my old non ozone safe valves and T fitting which is also non ozone safe.

I took several pictures of my process and I also replaced my C02 check valve from Tetra that is not C02 approved.

You can see all the residual crude that built up on the valve, had I not replaced it soon it would be sealed as I could hardly force air through it.

MG

These check valves are really big...


Check out the proof on ozone/C02 safety


The most talked about ozone safe T fitting


Look out the difference in ozone safe vs non ozone safe


Connection to Deltec skimmer


Make sure you use ozone safe norprene tubing


Replaced with safe C02 check valve


Look closely at the mineral deposit on this non approved C02 valve


You can clearly see the deposit here
 
R

reefman23

New Member
Wow...thats quite a bit of buildup...didnt take very long at all.

The difference between the size of the old and new check valves and tees.

Jesse
 
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nautilus

New Member
Nice set up. The title of this thread is quite ironic considering all the equipment you have for the "reef ready" tank. Im jealous of your organization under the tank.
 
r00onmac

r00onmac

New Member
hows that blue carpet doing mike? i know they are notorious for making random fish disappear, just wondering how your luck has been...
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
ROOonmac,

You are the first to ask about my blue carpet. I'm sad to say he passed away weeks ago...

I rushed into an impulsive purchase and didn't read up first on carpet anemones. I listened to my LFS and he gave me wrong directions and I got lost....

I have a very bad nitrate problem in my reef, at one time it was 25 ppm and I've fought to get it to 10 ppm....

I've been losing left and right all my SPS corals except three that can tolerate elevated amounts of nitrate....

I really believe, my nitrates were what took him out becuse all other water parameters are up to code....

Anyway, I'm learning and was going to document this real soon, as it's important for my reefer family to know my failure is a learning experience and I don't want anyone to get stuck in quicksand like I did.

In an attempt to stabalize my nitrate I will be fighting it with AZ N03 real soon; just that I'm fighting another fight first.

That is why I'm so pissed at myself that I let my Ich catch up and wreak havoc on my reef.

Once this battle is over and that's looking like Sunday night, I will fire back up the skimmer, ozone, charcoal and water changes and start the AZ N03 next week.

MG
 
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reefman23

New Member
I am really sorry to hear all the trouble that is taking place right now.

I hope that it all works out well very soon.

The anemone is a major bummer...that has to be hard to take. :cryinga:
 
rmanecke

rmanecke

New Member
reply

Thanks for the reply and compliment. I have been away from the computer. Sorry to hear about your NO3 hassle. I can relate... way back in 1991, I had a 135 gallon FONLR (no live rock) that did great for about 7 months, then, nitrates started climbing... enough to start killing fish. Of course, that was back in the twilight of the under gravel filter days... very low budget (I could barely even afford water changes)... few sources for good advice... needless to say, my tank went down in flames and I returned the survivors to the LFS out of mercy.

I know you will be able to get this back under control. I am curious, do have a theory why your nitrates have climbed up? Is this a typical event a few months into a modern reef tank? (it was certainly the norm with old style bioball and under gravel setups).

Oh, I asked you about the lights because I am considering "shoe horning" in a couple of 70 watt metal halide lights into the front of my hood so I can put some clams in the front of my tank. The space, from acrylic lid to waterline is about six inches. Most metal halide posts say that they need to be 10 inches above the water... but with the style of lights you have they are closer than that.
 
M

mikeguerrero

Active Member
Here are some updated pics on my reef, bare in mind that I'm still fighting the ich as I approach 2 weeks on Monday, that's when the UV unit was added.









 
rmanecke

rmanecke

New Member
Simply awesome. I really like it that you have lots of fish... I know that exponentially increases the challenges... but... it really looks great.

Also... the coralline coverage on your rocks is gorgeous. I am jealous.

One question... have you kept open brains up on the rocks for awhile? Are they happy?
 
EDGRAY

EDGRAY

New Member
OK....but what an amazing coraline growth.. :shock: :shock: nice color....mine is justarting but doent look as great as your....loook at that LR. :shock:
 
M

mikeguerrero

Active Member
The open brain has been up there on the rock for about 1 month and extremely happy as he adjusted to the MH.

In the beginning it took him a while to acclimate, but now I see him really open and gaining color.

MG
 
aromano

aromano

New Member
WOW,

Nice to see some shots of your tank again Mike.
Man, that purple coraline algae looks awesome, covering your rocks almost entirely.
It seems like the husbandry, along with the ozone and UV treatment is slowly catching up with those evil parasites, and it really looks like your fish will be 100% recovered before you know it Mike.

Keep up the good work, your tanks is looking stunning. ;-)

Thanks for posting the updated picts.
 
M

mikeguerrero

Active Member
Hey Reefers,

Time for an update on filtration:

My reefkeeper went bad and it kept resetting itself like mad. I emailed back and forth Digital Aquatics and they finally sent me out a replacement powerstrip.

I purchased on advice from DA the upgrade expansion unit. All worked out perfectly in the end, but check out the damage the reefkeeper did to the power strip it was connected to.

It overheated since it had so much juice it was carrying. Man this got me scared when I saw it.

Here are the pics I tooK:











 
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mutt

New Member
Damn, good thing you caught that right away. Your tank is beautiful, the corraline is awesome! Just a side note but, I had brown carpet about 10 inches wide about 12 years ago. It was my first saltwater tank and the guy at the store told me they ate plankton! :lol: I kept having fish dissapear and figured it was natural selection. That was until I found my longnose hawkfish sticking halfway out of the anemones mouth! Chalk that one up to beginner's ignorance!
 
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