Guv's 800*800*800mm Saltwater Money Sink...[TOTM Jan07]

[Guv]

Latest change is that I've managed to wire up a relay using a 12V trigger from my Tunze osmolator. End result is that when my osmolator float switch reads high water level, in addition to that annoying buzzer it also triggers the relay box to cut power to my skimmer pump - preventing the 'stinky water everywhere' scenarios I used to have to deal with when power returned after a blackout.

Also picked up one of the el'cheepo 12V pvc peristaltic dosing pumps from eBay. Looks great all wired up... just doesn't work very well. I'll go as far as to say it is crap. Going to be revisiting what pump to use for my ATO - the original Tunze pump has failed twice now so was hoping to go with an alternative... any suggestions? Might end up just putting together another 12V relay box to drive a larger and hopefully more reliable pump.

Lastly - although no pics just yet - is that the rock is literally covered in feathery algae around 80-100mm long. I'm still really hoping it isn't a form of Bryopsis... it is closer to a really fine Taxifolia but doesn't appear to have the characteristic rhizome - so fingers crossed something eats it when I start stocking!

Nice read. I'll be following this resurrection!

Welcome. Tithes will be collected at the door.

[Steve Campbell]

Geday Guv, it's good to see your money pit is up and running again and I'm sure your reincarnation will be every bit as good as the last.

Electrical box now mounted well off the floor - a one year old forced the change.

Kids have a way of changing everything we do, but for the better mostly, we moved interstate for our son and I have no regrets. As for the tank, I don't think my wife will ever get over the mess and hassle that it caused. I've kept a lot of the equipment but have no plans for another tank.

[Guv]

Geday Guv, it's good to see your money pit is up and running again and I'm sure your reincarnation will be every bit as good as the last.

Electrical box now mounted well off the floor - a one year old forced the change.

Kids have a way of changing everything we do, but for the better mostly, we moved interstate for our son and I have no regrets. As for the tank, I don't think my wife will ever get over the mess and hassle that it caused. I've kept a lot of the equipment but have no plans for another tank.

G'day Steve - not sure how I missed your post! Long time no chat.

Yup, our little man LOVES the tank. Or more correctly he loves the Trochus - I'm still trying to convince him that fish and coral is more interesting...

[Guv]

Going to be revisiting what pump to use for my ATO - the original Tunze pump has failed twice now so was hoping to go with an alternative... any suggestions?

Well I crumbled after a few comments from fellow reefers as to their Tunze Osmolator pumps not being noisy at all... and bought another. Guess what? It is quiet and works well.

Lastly - although no pics just yet - is that the rock is literally covered in feathery algae around 80-100mm long. I'm still really hoping it isn't a form of Bryopsis... it is closer to a really fine Taxifolia but doesn't appear to have the characteristic rhizome - so fingers crossed something eats it when I start stocking!

Well, I'm gonna just call it GHA - although it looked a little different to the type I'd seen before. For whatever reason I couldn't find a blenny for sale in Perth on three separate trips up there (other than a bicolor at Vebas but was hoping for something different this time round) - so ended up making the rookie (& desperate) decision to add a Tang first up. It demolished the GHA over about 3 weeks and has left the tank pretty much bare. Not looking forward to adding subsequent fish now though...

Have picked up a couple of extra Tunze 6100's locally. One has been modded and added to the tank, the second is an on-hand spare (Cheers melting_pointau). Have arranged the 3 in-tank streams into a bit of a psycho-gyre-whirlpool arrangement... working well so far.

Also picked up a DI stage to add to my underbench drinking RO system. So previously just RO to the sink tap - and now a bypass through the new DI canister for RODI to reef ATO bucket). Also swapped out the sediment, 1st carbon and RO membrane while I was at it. (Cheers PSI filters).

First few frags/colonies are in (Cheers Stormtrooper & AcroAl). All looking great. These followed a test acropora solitaryensis (bright green plate at front) - picked up from Vebas for $20 in badly receding condition. Came good within days, cut off the dead stuff and it healed over the breaks in about 2weeks. Is now fluoro green under T5s.

And talking about the lights, after a stupid amount of reading and almost pulling the trigger on a DIY LED system a few times - took the easy option and just replaced my MH globe. Giesemann MEGACHROMEcrystal - so far I don't like the colour (supposedly 17,500K) and wouldn't recommend them... but time will tell.

10th April Reboot:

[jayellul]

Looking good mate. What don't you like about the globes? I was looking at them the other night actually lol.


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[Guv]

Thanks. They just seem 'green' - the 'Coral' model seemed bluer... But it has been a while so might just be my memory.

[n0rk]

I personally don't rate the Giesemann MH lamps, they're a bit meh in their colour rendition. I found the Crystal actually gets greener as it burns in as well, and the colour in corals never seems as nice as it should out of MH.

That said, overdriving them does blue them up reasonably well, but still nothing compared to other options.

[Guv]

Funny. I've always found the megachrome range very good (comparing to AB, BLV, XM and a few cheaper brands...). Just thinking now that the crystal was on super special for a reason!!

[n0rk]

They tweaked their line about 2-3 years ago (don't ask me to recall) and really ruined what they had going with the older lamps, moving towards a more white colour that a lot of Euro tanks prefer. They've seemingly added more green to the mix which probably isn't bad for growth, but the colour looks cack as a general rule. Sad too, their old lamps were the bomb.

[jayellul]

Ah I see. I'm looking for a good globe for my Geismann infinity pendant.


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[jayellul]

Time for an update!

[Guv]

Time for an update!

To be fair, 11 days is an eternity in a bare tank...

Acropora Solitaryensis - Glowing green plate. Hairy as a yak in winter.


Tricolour - Encrusted and growing well


Dallas - 'Encrusting' isn't the word... this stuff 'melts' onto rocks. Already fragged. Broken tip in background already showing ~4 axial corallites!


Pink Millipora - New axial corallites forming all over the joint (and my current fave!)


Stormtrooper's Potential - Dave saw something in this one... let's hope he's right!

[notsomot]

Wow man, looking really good.
You get all of those from the last meeting? You coming up next Sunday?

How about a FTS?

[Guv]

Thanks Mot. Yup, all from Dave's excluding the plate (which has been in there maybe 3 weeks longer - it was the sacrificial tester that came good). Also got a brown one with blue tips that Dave likes... hehe. I spose I should get a shot of that too... sometime.

Unfortunately won't be around this Sunday. Will try to make future meets when I am though.

FTS? Here is one from a few days ago.

[jayellul]

Some nice bits there mate :-)


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[cody.sheridan-2008]

Nice work, how's it going now?

[blacjack]

Great to see this one going again

[jayellul]

UPDATE!

[Autonomy]

, please? Pretty, pretty please.