AlexReef

Simplified Reef Tank Plumbing

Alex — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:50:34 +0000

In an attempt to streamline my plumbing setup, I’ve updated my overflow downtubes into one. Before, I had 3 x 1.5″ flex pipe going into my sump from my overflows and into individual filter socks/holders. This caused a big mess of tubes running all over the place. I’ve cleaned up my setup using a single 2″ pvc pipe to handle the 3 1.5″ overflow tubes. This runs into my custom filter box that houses 3 x 4″ filter socks. The setup is much quieter now too! Still need to clean up the return plumbing, but that’s for another day.

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Seachem Aquavitro- Salinity Review!

Alex — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:59:46 +0000

I’ve finally gotten my hands on a bucket of the newly release Seachem Aquavito Salinity Salt. Special thanks to Seachem Technical Support for making this happen!

Here’s my early review of the product:

1. The package is worth it’s weight in gold! Although regular salt buckets, such as the ones used by Instant Ocean, are OK to use, others are just terrible (Brightwell). The Salinity bucket is a god send! A clever lever releases the top and its a simple spin to open and close the bucket (Goodbye rusty hammer!).Also the package is taller than a regular bucket giving it a very sleek and premium look. I’d recommend everyone to get this salt just to reuse the bucket alone! Below is a picture for size comparison.

2. This salt is heavy. I’m not sure if it’s the packaging, but the salt bucket feels much heavier than my other buckets. Seachem claims that Salinity is more concentrated and will yield more saltwater. Based on my unscientific weight test, I can’t argue with this. I’ve read elsewhere that a bucket may yet 220-225g at 1.025. Compared to other salts that mix 150g at 1.021, the price vs quantity produced shows this new salt’s value.

3. The salt contains many different particle sizes of material. Most of the salts I’ve used had a uniform salt grain appearance. The salt in Aquavitro Salinity appears to be a mix of different materials. I can’t quite explain it, but some particles look like regular salt, others look like tiny flakes and others look like tiny balls. This is a good indication to me because these look like some of the additives I use. It appears that Seachem is using different dry ingredients to get the exact ratios they’re after.

4. A batch specific label is attached to each bucket to show what the salt actually tested at the warehouse. I don’t know about you, but this gives me much reassurance that I’m not getting a bad batch of salt and using it in my tank. Below is what my label read. I’ve mixed 5 gallons so far and my Salifert test kits(pH, Alk and Calc) supports the label very closely (A bit of advice: Always roll you bucket around before opening to account for settling).

5. Conclusion: I’m a reef geek! The fact that I’ve been waiting for this salt mix and got excited when it finally arrived proves that I have no life! The good news is that the wait was well worth it and I’ve found my new salt mix. We’ll see how my tank reacts to this salt, but all indications show it’ll be a positive one.

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Neptune Systems- APEX Controller User’s Manual

Alex — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:59:38 +0000

Neptune System’s APEX Controller is a powerful controller, but initial setup and installation can be a bear for some users. Alan Jones has published his version of a user’s manual on his website. For what I’ve read, it’s better than the manual that Neptune Systems provides, covering ever step in more detail w/ actual screen shots. Major props go to the configuration setup for network connections. Here’s the link for all you APEX users:

http://reeftech.webs.com/Apex_Controller_New_User_Guide_V7.pdf

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Seachem Aquavitro- Salinity

Alex — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:32:11 +0000

Ok, I’m sick of the delays and promises from SeaChem. Although their official stance is that Salinity Salt is available right NOW, I just spoke w/ my local fish store and they’re saying at least another 2 weeks. The Seachem rep promised that it’s at their distributors and its just getting redistributed (that’s the holdup). Sure… In the meantime, I’ve switched salts and am using Brightwell and Tropic Marin Bio-Actif to see how I like them. Aquavitro Salinity better be awesome or they’re losing a customer because of all the delays.

Update: It appears that people around the country are starting to finally see Salinity. The anticipation builds…again!

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Zeovit.com’s First Quarter Tank of the ‘Month’- Wow!!!

Alex — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:37:32 +0000

Zeovit tanks achieve the best colors of any tanks I’ve ever seen. Although my experience w/ Zeovit was just ok, there are people out there that have had great results (My suspicions are that they’d have great results without Zeovit). Here’s Zeovit.com’s 1st quarter tank. If I could only get those colors in my sps!!!

1st Quarter Zeovit.com Tank

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AquaVitro Salinity finally here?

Alex — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:59:57 +0000

It looks like Seachem has finally gotten off it’s butt and will be shipping out the much anticipated Salinity salt this month. A source on the internet is taking orders already. It looks like the retail pricing will be around $70 for a bucket. What’s nice is that a bucket will yield 225 gallons of saltwater at 1.025 specific gravity. Hopefully my LFS will be selling this for much less, like they do w/ all of their salt. Specs are as follows:

Calcium: target 422 mg/L, range 409-435 mg/L

Magnesium: target 1336 mg/L, range 1296-1376 mgl/L

Strontium: target 8.4 mg/L, range 8.1-8.7 mg/L

pH: 8.4-8.6

Alkalinity: 3.2-3.8 meq/L

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Algae Problems?- Try AlgaeFIX

Alex — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:23:05 +0000

Even with an awesome skimmer (Bubble King SM250), high flow(Vortech & Tunzes) and ‘relatively’ small feedings (tangs and anthias!), I get a good amount of algae growth on my glass and bottom glass (my setup is bare bottom, no sand). In general, I have to clean my glass every three days because there is a layer of algae growth. Nothing major, but noticeable none the less. I was getting some aggressive growth of hair algae on the bottom glass and tried out a Seahare to fix the problem. Even though it did a decent job, it didn’t ‘fix’ the problem. After hearing some good reviews, I tried AlgaeFIX, a product from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. They’re based in Chalfont, Pa, about a 5 minute walk from my Dad’s house! So far the results have been incredible. After 3 recommended doses, my hair algae is virtually gone! Cleaning my glass have become a weekly chore, instead of every three days. I’ve noticed that this product only effects the small hair algae and not the larger algae I have in the tank. Those seem to get weaker and need to be pulled out manually. My chaeto in my frag tank/refugium has taken a hit though; it’s not doing well. Overall, I’m very happy w/ this product. My long term cure is to add additional live rock for biological filtration(getting cooked now). Also, I’m going to restart my phosban reactor.

Here’s a link to the product: AlgaeFIX

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Tunze Support= A++

Alex — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:03:02 +0000

I’ve been a long time supporter of Tunze products. I currently have their osmolator top-off device, 2 Tunze nanostream 6025s, and 2 Tunze streams 6065s. I recently had some problems w/ my Tunze 6000 controllable pump. Since this pump is discontinued, some parts are no longer available. I contacted Roger, the man behind Tunze USA, and he informed me to send it in. After looking at it, he said he could fix it for $25 or offer to sell me their current controllable pump, 6105, at a huge(did I say huge?) savings. I opted to get the new pump and received it yesterday.

The new pump is a major improvement from the old pump. The new brackets allow the pump to swivel in all directions; the old pumps would only allow left or right movement. The new pump uses a computer laptop looking power supply and the driver is built in; the old pump had separate driver and power supply. My old 6000 was rated for 1850gph, the 6105 is rated for 3,434 gph (don’t ask me how they figure these numbers out?). I can reduce or increase the overall power of this pump w/ the supplied 12v, 18v, and 24v jumpers. This pump is so much more versatile the the old one. I just hooked it up to my APEX controller and it’s controlling the Tunze to pulse from 30% to 100% power. Nice flow. Two thumbs up for Tunze!

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In-Sump Filter Sock Holder- Design Stage

Alex — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:51:56 +0000

I’m a strong believer in using filter socks to capture detris from the water column. As long as you replace them every few days, they shouldn’t be a problem creating nitrates. I’ve been using off-the-shelf filter sock holders in my sump. Although they work OK, they’re not as cleanly designed and simple to use, as I would like. One of the problems is that I’m using a 4″ and a 7″ filter sock holders to handle 3 inlets. That means I need to replace different size filter socks periodically and removing these socks from their holders are a pain in the butt. Recently at MACNA, I saw some custom sumps that had integrated filter socks holders. I’m going to copy these designs into my own in sump filter sock holder. I’ll be building this holder from 1/4″ pvc sheet. Much easier to work w/ than acrylic (but just as expensive!). Here’s the initial design. Water from the display and frag tank will be plumbed into a 18″x 4″x 10″chamber. This should reduce water splashing noise from these returns. The water chamber overflows into the filter sock holding area and into the skimmer area of my sump. What I like about this design is that the socks can be easily removed without moving the plumbing around, unlike existing hang-on filter sock holders. I may add an additional baffle to redirect all the water, coming through the filter socks, directly to my skimmer’s pumps intake nozzle. This should really make my filter system work at it’s optimum potential.

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The Hidden Reef Anniversary Sale

Alex — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:31:32 +0000

The Hidden Reef is one of the largest LFS’s in the SE PA, NJ, & DE area. Every year, they have their huge anniversary sale a week before Thanksgiving. Usually the lines start early and it’s a mad dash to get the best livestock and drygoods. Discounts are pretty decent, 50% off freshwater fish, 20% off all saltwater, and 20% off all drygoods. Most of their prices are the same as internet prices to begin with, so the added savings are huge. I heard a rumor the first guy in line brought all 20 MP40’s available. Sounds fishy to me (pun intended!).

Biggest deals of the day? Fiji live rock for $2.29 a pound! Did I mention they have the best salt pricing around, better than most online stores? With the 20% added savings, a bucket of Seachem Reef salt went for $30 and a bucket of Tropic Marin for $48. I generally go through 6 buckets of salt a year, but only brought 2 buckets this year (Seachem Reef and Brightwell NeoMarineSalt). Why so little? I’m waiting for Seachem Aquavitro Salinity to finally come out!

Pictures of the lines below:

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