Re-re-boot

[bakbay]

Yea, thought about calling Roger, but at this point... I need something yesterday.. i agree the old ones work better.. I have one of the old ones I am contemplating moving over from the 120, but .. I'll know better today. Im back at work, so things will happen at a different pace now...
I also have a Kamoer pump, but don't think its designed to be an ATO pump. Much lighter duty.

I use a Kamoer fx-stp2 pump, runs continuously, feeding into Avast K2 kalkwasser stirrer, and into the tank. Mine runs at 8mL/min on the big tank and 4mL/min on the little tanks.

 

[ndrwater]

And I found a new old stock 3155 (old style)
Got it for a better price than the new ones. My ATO is now ATO-ing as it should.. my issue with the new style is that stupid little sensor. Just seems too wasy to get buildup or whatever on it and waaaaay too easy to ruin it if you try and clean it.. ask me how i know...
The new pump is definitely better, and the new one is smaller, but i just feel like less "technical" moving parts and redundancy built in with the old one was the better way for me. I have a ton of live rock in the sump and the probability of the new one getting gunked up again was high... I chose old school...

 

[Jimbo327]

I run the 3155. After looking at the osmolator 3, it doesn’t have a separate controller, so I prefer the 3155. I would recommend to upgrade the pump to the new one.

 

[ndrwater]

So... As i have been plugging away at this re-re-boot, a couple things I never thought of have popped up... For example, being a FOWLR for the last few years, and me being about a diligent as a kindergartner, my Nitrate was..... Um ..... Lets just say unacceptable...
Thanks to by shiny new high range Nitrate tester, I am now fully aware of this oversight.. today i take step one in rectifying this issue... We'll see if the Hanna registers anything other than ABORT!!! after this water change...

 

[ndrwater]

Welp..... At least its not flashing and choking and itself anymore, but ... Apparently i have work to do ..
Gonna prep another 100 gallons for tomorrow.....

 

[k.tran]

How high was it?!?

 

[ndrwater]

How high was it?!?

High enough that all I got was flashing .... Meaning over 75ppm....
Now...
After 100 gallons onlf shiny new water..... Im at 71...... Hence the next big water change tomorrow...

 

[ndrwater]

Oh... And the aluminum extrusion finally ahowed up at the local FedEx... Good thing i paid extra to have it delivered to my house ... C'est la vie . Light upgrade post coming soon...

 

[bakbay]

High enough that all I got was flashing .... Meaning over 75ppm....
Now...
After 100 gallons onlf shiny new water..... Im at 71...... Hence the next big water change tomorrow...

If you’ve changed 100gal and it’s at 71ppm, you were around 150ppm?

After factoring dilution, mine was around 230ppm so yours ain’t that bad!

 

[ndrwater]

If you’ve changed 100gal and it’s at 71ppm, you were around 150ppm?

After factoring dilution, mine was around 230ppm so yours ain’t that bad!

You math matches mine.... I have another 100 gallons warming up now . Thankfully, I have the capacity to make that much water..
Sadly, the dilution ratio wont be 50% this time, but should be close...

 

[bakbay]

You math matches mine.... I have another 100 gallons warming up now . Thankfully, I have the capacity to make that much water..
Sadly, the dilution ratio wont be 50% this time, but should be close...

The struggle is real, esp dealing with big tanks. I went down the sulfur denitrator route (fun, learned a lot but not worth it) on my 450gal. Problem was: I didn’t have a way to make 200gal in one batch!

Good luck - you should be good for corals after your next WC!

 

[ndrwater]

#2 today ... Should be pretty close to 100 gallons again ..

 

[ndrwater]

The struggle is real, esp dealing with big tanks. I went down the sulfur denitrator route (fun, learned a lot but not worth it) on my 450gal. Problem was: I didn’t have a way to make 200gal in one batch!

Good luck - you should be good for corals after your next WC!

All in, I can hold +/- 275 gallons... Going through most of that today... My RODI makes +/- 150gpd...
Bigger issue is having enough salt... Last time i bought salt I bought 900 gallons worth.. think i have 50 left..
Where are the sales? I have a feeling i will need more soon

 

[bakbay]

lol - that’s a crazy setup! I only have 2 x 35gal Brute bins with wheels.

Given it’s only a FOWLR, why not go for a bigger WC? Otherwise, I suspect that your NO3 will still land around 40ppm.

 

[ndrwater]

lol - that’s a crazy setup! I only have 2 x 35gal Brute bins with wheels.

Given it’s only a FOWLR, why not go for a bigger WC? Otherwise, I suspect that your NO3 will still land around 40ppm.

WAS a FOWLR for the last couple years due to Mr McDicksrson the Asfur.. was always an SPS tank for the last dozen or so years... We are moving back to being a reef tank again.
Since we are meeting regularly with the SoCaliReefer Meetup again, the motivation is back...Amazing what hanging with your reefer nerd friends will do for you
Shameless plug, this Friday at Brewheim... 7pm
https://www.socalireefs.com/index.p...li-reefer-meetup-brewheim.117451/post-1144660

 

[ndrwater]

this was about 7-8 years ago... Before all the corals grew out of the tank and up against the glass . Look carefully and you can see the Asfur in the middle...
There was a time this tank grew anything and everything like crazy... Working in getting back there ..

 

[ndrwater]

Down over 100ppm give or take after two big water changes...
Done for the day. Still high, but waaaay down. Atill a long ways to go, but we'll get there

 

[Jimbo327]

What is your plan for nutrient control? Refugium? Sulfur denitrator? Carbon? Any of these will drop the nitrates over time.

 

[ndrwater]

What is your plan for nutrient control? Refugium? Sulfur denitrator? Carbon? Any of these will drop the nitrates over time.

Once I get things back to reasonable or better, I think nature and water changes will take care of the rest. Anaerobic bacteria in the sand bed in areas where little to no agitation to the sand, with LOTS of live rock in the sump and tank also help with anaerobic activity within the rock. Couple that with some regular less spectacular water changes and all should be right with the world again.. i like to keep a simple tank. While things like sulfur denitrators and or a refugium are absolutely effective, it's more effort than I'm willing to put in. Couple that with more gear that I'd have to buy, simple is going to work better for me. Besides tried and true

 

[bakbay]

If you have water, dilution is a great solution!

For me, chemical solutions are easier since I’m also lazy.