http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/ en Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:57:00 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.3reef.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/ http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/specific-gravity-notes-307.html Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:34:55 GMT *_Specific Gravity (SG)_* *Recommended Target Levels* Liveaquaria.com -Suggested Reef Aquarium 1.023 - 1.025 -Suggested FOWLR Aquarium 1.020 - 1.025 -Natural Reef 1.025 3reef.com Users 6.5% 1.022-1.023 64.5% 1.024-1.025 Specific Gravity (SG)
Recommended Target Levels
Liveaquaria.com
-Suggested Reef Aquarium 1.023 - 1.025
-Suggested FOWLR Aquarium 1.020 - 1.025
-Natural Reef 1.025

3reef.com Users
6.5% 1.022-1.023
64.5% 1.024-1.025
29% 1.026

Conclusion : Target 1.025

Parameter Measurement Options
1) Refractometers
2) Hydrometers
3) Conductivity Probes

Refractometers : Optical measurement. Place a drop of water on the refractometer surface, look through eyepiece and read value. Must be calibrated for temperature. Accurate, reliable, low cost.

Hydrometers : Either float hydrometers (building in with thermometer) or plastic hydrometers. Work based on density of water. Inaccurate, very cheap. Not recommended.

Conductivity Probe : Probes can be stand alone or attached to higher end Aquarium Controller. Accurate, limited life ( a few years), expensive (approx $90).

Conclusion : Refractometer.

Parameter Out of Range Isolation Steps
If SG is not at desired target, investigate the following isolation steps.

1) Automatic Top Off System : If ATO fails open putting excess RO/DI water in the tank, it would lower the SG. Water Level in Sump would be higher than normal. If ATO is out of water and evaporation has occured, it would raise the SG. Water level in the Sump would be lower than normal.

2) Water Changes not at Target Level. Ensure new water being added to tank is at the target level. Too high raises SG level, too low, lowers SG.

3) Water Change water not at desired target. Lack of circulation or evaporation could cause water change water to have changed salinity since prepared. Check SG before adding to tank.

4) Check calibration of measurement device.

Once desired target is reached, SG should not varying greatly as long as Water Change Water is at target level.


Parameter Recovery Steps
If SG is below target,
Option #1) Add small amounts of salt to sump every few hours to gradually raise it. Roughly 1/2 cup per hour for a 75 gal total water volume system until 1.025 is reached.

Option #2) Add salt water to ATO. Will gradually raise SG as evaporated water is replaced.

Option #3) Perform Water Change with water at SG higher than target.

If SG is above target,
Option #1) Take some water out and replace with RO/DI every few hours to gradually reduce it. Roughly 1/2 gal salt water removed and 1/2 gal RO/DI replaced every hour for a 75 gal total water volume system until 1.025 is reached.

Option #2) Increase skimmate produced from skimming to induce greater use of ATO replentishment.


Option #3) Perform Water Change with water at SG lower than target.

NOTES ON RECOVERY STEPS
1) Do not raise or lower SG by more than 0.001 per day.

Related Articles
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com ]]> MMcDonald http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/specific-gravity-notes-307.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/display-tank-stand-300.html Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:00:25 GMT DYI stand from previous Fresh Water set up Attributes 1) Already had it 2) Plumbed for easy refilling of ATO, Water Change Out and Dosing reseviors. Issues 1) Only just large enough to hold tank. No work surface for performing water tests, etc. Needs a work surface. Recommend a... DYI stand from previous Fresh Water set up

Attributes
1) Already had it
2) Plumbed for easy refilling of ATO, Water Change Out and Dosing reseviors.

Issues
1) Only just large enough to hold tank. No work surface for performing water tests, etc. Needs a work surface. Recommend a pull-out work surface.
2) All wood. Top should be "water resilient" surface for eventual spills.
3) Not high enough to easily accomodate skimmer, wiring, equipment, etc. underneath.
4) Not enough storage in general. Sump/Refugium, Skimmer, Dosing Chemicals, , Automatic Top Off Resevior, GAC/GFO Reactor, future Calcium Reactor possible, CO2 Bottle, etc, etc. Spare dosing chemical, additives, food, spare equipment, tubes, etc. Definitely need much more storage.
5) Access: Modified to allow better access but access is very crammed.
6) Should be spill protection so that spills do not damage near by walls, molding, sheet rock etc.
7) Needs wire trays to hold wires
8) Need better access from back for plumbing, wires.
9) A "shell" design with removable side panels and doors would be optimal.
10) Want weight distributed over entire circumference. Not centralize weight on legs or footings. Too much concentrated weight can break tiles or damage floors. ]]> MMcDonald http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/display-tank-stand-300.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/display-tank-299.html Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:41:32 GMT Display Tank is a 55 gallon Glass Tank

Dimensions are as follows:
Length: 48"
Width: 12 1/2"
Depth: 18"


Attributes.
1) Used it because I had it. Former freshwater tank.
2) Had stand already as well.
3) Glass tank for display. Does not scratch like arcylic does. Arcylic for sump, refugium would be preferred since it is much easier to drill and work with, but not for a display

Issues:
1) Want a reef ready tank pre-drilled for overflows.
2) Width is insufficent. Not enough room to stack live rock and leave sufficent room in front.
3) Want larger tank for greater tank water chemistry stability.
4) Tank has center brace that interferes with lighting and everything else. Would prefer not having center brace. ]]> MMcDonald http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/display-tank-299.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/mcdonald-55-gallon-build-blog-298.html Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:22:11 GMT The purpose of this blog is for me to capture and document my system and rationale for the system so that I can iteratively improve and refine it. My end goal is a much larger display tank, so I want to capture what I have done and improve on it for that eventual system. I also hope this blog... The purpose of this blog is for me to capture and document my system and rationale for the system so that I can iteratively improve and refine it. My end goal is a much larger display tank, so I want to capture what I have done and improve on it for that eventual system. I also hope this blog will get comments from others to help me improve and/or help others. ]]> MMcDonald http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/mmcdonald/mcdonald-55-gallon-build-blog-298.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-camera-new-pictures-292.html Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:20:46 GMT My wife and I got a new digital camera for each other for christmas. It is a Panasonic Lumix FZ35, it shoots in RAW so it opens the ability to really fix the white ballance after the shot is taken, a great feature for reef pictures. It comes with some nice software to work with. Here are a few of... My wife and I got a new digital camera for each other for christmas. It is a Panasonic Lumix FZ35, it shoots in RAW so it opens the ability to really fix the white ballance after the shot is taken, a great feature for reef pictures. It comes with some nice software to work with. Here are a few of the new shots and the link to the album, some are better than others.

Link to Album: http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/u.../New%20Camera/


Green Slimer


Frogspawn


Anthelia


New red/green brain, it's out of focus but new so I thought I would share the picture anyways.
]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-camera-new-pictures-292.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/been-long-time-but-update-281.html Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:40:12 GMT It has been a very long time since I made an update, but here it is. I have been battleing some cyano in a few areas, but after a few large water changes and some flow changes I may be over that hump. I also am in a battle with red flatworms. I picked up a yellow wrasse (Halichoeres leucoxanthus)... It has been a very long time since I made an update, but here it is. I have been battleing some cyano in a few areas, but after a few large water changes and some flow changes I may be over that hump. I also am in a battle with red flatworms. I picked up a yellow wrasse (Halichoeres leucoxanthus) and it has started picking them off the rocks already. I am fine with having a few of them, but they can reach plague proportions, so the wrasse with help with that.

You can view more pictures here from yesterday here.
Tyler 11-29-09 pictures by JuicyBone - Photobucket




Fathead/Sunburst Anthias


Yellow Wrasse


Possum Wrasse (and Chalk Bass)
]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/been-long-time-but-update-281.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/reef4girl/starting-2nd-reef-tank-75g-277.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:12:19 GMT Started November 1,2009 75 pound of live rock 60 pounds Caribsea oolite sand 20 pound Caribsea live sand Im not sure if I am completely happy with the aquascaping yet but for now this is it.I am just gonna let it cycle. I have ordered the lighting right now just a standard bulb. Image:... Started November 1,2009
75 pound of live rock
60 pounds Caribsea oolite sand
20 pound Caribsea live sand
Im not sure if I am completely happy with the aquascaping yet but for now this is it.I am just gonna let it cycle.
I have ordered the lighting right now just a standard bulb.
]]> reef4girl http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/reef4girl/starting-2nd-reef-tank-75g-277.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/oceanparadise1/my-home-made-food-235.html Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:37:32 GMT 4 ounces peeled shrimp 2 ounces clams 2 ounces mussels 2 ounces oysters 2 ounces spinach 1/4 clove of garlic 2 teaspoons of coral frenzy 2 ounce frozen brine 2 ounce of chopped krill 2 ounces of frozen mysis 4 ounces peeled shrimp
2 ounces clams
2 ounces mussels
2 ounces oysters
2 ounces spinach
1/4 clove of garlic
2 teaspoons of coral frenzy
2 ounce frozen brine
2 ounce of chopped krill
2 ounces of frozen mysis
2 ounce of vitiam C
1 packet of gelatin


Thaw any thing frozen, chop up shrimp and put everything in blender. Stop when solids are small enought for your fish and corals, but use the pulse setting. Take a small piece of egg crate and place on top of wax paper. Pour food into the egg crate and freeze. Now you have home made fish and coral cubes!! ]]> oceanparadise1 http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/oceanparadise1/my-home-made-food-235.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/oceanparadise1/must-read-if-your-just-starting-reef-tank-234.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:34:03 GMT Seen this on another site and thought id share!!! GREAT INFORMATION!!! *Dont over feed. If you have tons of unexplained algae, you are probably feeding too much. *Frequent water changes are a must. *No salt water tank is complete without a skimmer. Some people will say you can get... Seen this on another site and thought id share!!! GREAT INFORMATION!!!


*Dont over feed. If you have tons of unexplained algae, you are probably feeding too much.

*Frequent water changes are a must.

*No salt water tank is complete without a skimmer. Some people will say you can get away without one but thats like saying you can go on a cross country road trip in your car using only first gear. Why bother?

*Use coral food sparingly.

*Don't buy a fish thinking 'I will buy a bigger tank when it outgrows this one'.

*Many people, including both neophytes and seasoned veterans of the hobby, will tell you that certain things have to be done certain ways. A lot of the times these people are 90% or more correct but always do a little investigating before making your own decision. Sometimes people on the internet are wrong.

*I will never setup a tank without a sump.

*In woodworking you measure twice, cut once. My advice is to research a new livestock purchase twice, buy once.

*Adequate flow and tank turnover are two of the most important factors in tank health and are often overlooked at the beginning.

*For God's Sake, cycle that tank before stocking it with livestock.

*If you own a fish before you own a test kit you are doing it wrong.

*T5 lighting alone IS enough to grow basically any coral. PC lighting is not.

*Support local retailors. Yes sometimes stuff can be found online cheaper, but good luck calling up when you suddenly have a tan k problem. It has been my experience that every local store I've ever been in has been more than happy to stop and talk/educate/teach about anything salt water related and this knowledge is far more valuable than the $5-10 you would have saved on the frag online.

*Never spend more than $20 on a frag of common Xenia or Green Star Polyps.

*If 10 people say that livestock X will probably die in your tank and 1 person says that he has had one healthy for 2 years and you'll be fine, it will probably die in your tank. Don't buy it.

*Be generous to other reefers and they will usually be generous back.

*Super glue gel is an amazing tool for mounting rocks and coral.

*Hydrometers are junk, get a refractometer.

*Frag swaps are fun ways of getting cheap corals and meeting new people.

*Homemade frozen food is cheaper and easier to maintain quality control than ready made mixes like Prime Reef.

*Regular Frozen brine shrimp is to fish what potato chips are to humans.

**Probably the most important thing I've learned is that good things happen slowly, and only bad things happen fast. Patience is key when it comes to having a good reef tank. Often times the best thing to do is provide a stable environment and keep your hands out of the tank as much as possible. ]]> oceanparadise1 http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/oceanparadise1/must-read-if-your-just-starting-reef-tank-234.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/back-vacation-227.html Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:36:28 GMT I was on vacation for the last week and my brother was watching the tank for me. Thankfully everything looks good and I finally have some pictures to share. Hope people like the aquascaping and the few corals that are in there. Next weekend there is a big frag swap at Atlantis Marine World... I was on vacation for the last week and my brother was watching the tank for me. Thankfully everything looks good and I finally have some pictures to share. Hope people like the aquascaping and the few corals that are in there. Next weekend there is a big frag swap at Atlantis Marine World (Riverhead, NY) hosted by the aquarium and the local reef club (LIRA). I will be picking up a few things while I am there. Anyways, here are the pics. Colors didn't come out great, but I dont like enhancing, so they are what they are.

FTS



Another FTS



New Clowns


Monti caps



Sorry, cant upload all the pictures, only 4 at a time. ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/back-vacation-227.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-light-fish-225.html Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:08:16 GMT Got my fish (two black ocellaris) and the feet and acylic shield for my light. So I set up the light and put it on the tank. Two more T5's makes a surprising difference, also that there are individual reflectors on the Tek light. The clowns look really good two. They are both juvies, so it's more like a bonded pair than a mated pair. But in time one will be the dominate female. Thats the update, hoping to have pictures soon (keep saying that). ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-light-fish-225.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/inverts-224.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:29:35 GMT I received my order from reefclearns.org. It was shipped from Florida this morning and I got it this afternoon in New York, amazing. Everything looks great. The Pencil Cap macros are very cool looking, and my penny macro (random macro for .01) was Red Gracillaria and looks good in the corner of the... I received my order from reefclearns.org. It was shipped from Florida this morning and I got it this afternoon in New York, amazing. Everything looks great. The Pencil Cap macros are very cool looking, and my penny macro (random macro for .01) was Red Gracillaria and looks good in the corner of the tank. The shipped with quite a few extras over everything to compensate for loss in shipping I guess.

So I currently have a few frags in the tank along with zoas and kenya trees that were on the live rock. I have 4 heads of Frog Spawn, a green and a red monti cap and pink star/daisy polyps. Everything is looking good. I'm hoping to get pictures soon, no camera right now because my wife took it out of town with her this week. ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/inverts-224.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-rock-added-223.html Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:28:49 GMT Well I picked up my live rock off of a local reefer who was moving. I ended up with about 60-65 lbs at $3/lb. They were very nice pieces, some really large ones and some smaller ones gave me good options as to how to aquascape. I have a nice layout now and dropped in two frags from my brothers tank... Well I picked up my live rock off of a local reefer who was moving. I ended up with about 60-65 lbs at $3/lb. They were very nice pieces, some really large ones and some smaller ones gave me good options as to how to aquascape. I have a nice layout now and dropped in two frags from my brothers tank (green monti, red monti and pink star polyps), both frag rocks are doing great.

The live rock came with some mushrooms and a few zoos on them already. There are a good amount of brittle stars as well as astrea stars. I made an order from reefcleaners.org for my new cleanup crew (ceriths, blue leg hermits, nassarus', nerites) and I threw in a pencil-cap macro to see how it does.

I also met a guy at one of the fish stores and bought his 6 bulb 36" Tek T5 fixture to upgrade from my 4 bulb CurrentUSA SunDial. The SunDial will go to my brother who is upgrading to a 40 breeder. I got a good deal on the light and ordered the legs and acrylic shield for it from specialty-lights.com.

Lastly I bought a black ocellaris pair from someone in Maryland for $40 and will recieve those sometime this week. The Chalk Bass is lonely. Hopfully I will have pictures up soon. ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/new-rock-added-223.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/switching-reef-221.html Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:43:09 GMT I've decided to make the switch to a reef. I found someone on the island that was selling for $3.50. Yesterday I emptied out most of my local rocks and fish. The only fish I kept was the chalk bass I had purchased, the two remaining Mummichogs and a Sergeant Major went to my nephews tank for them to enjoy. The crabs and rocks went back into the bay. Saturday I will be getting the new live rock and Monday reefcleaners.org will be sending out my order for a new CUC.

As far as new corals my brother will be fraging a few of his things to get me started. As far a fish, I already have the Chalk Bass. I am also interested in getting a dwarf angel like a Coral Beauty or a Potters Angel, maybe an assesor basslet or a royal gramma if they can get along with the chalk bass, a starry blenny, either a trio of cromis or (more likely) cardinals. We will have to wait and see. But that is the update. Pictures to come when I get the rock. ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/switching-reef-221.html http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/seining-213.html Wed, 27 May 2009 12:52:45 GMT Its been a while since i have updated so I figured I would do such. My brother and I decided to go seining on Saturday to get some more local fish for the tank. So we got the 30 foot sein net from my work and headed east to Montauk (the far east end of Long Island). We went to one of the more... Its been a while since i have updated so I figured I would do such. My brother and I decided to go seining on Saturday to get some more local fish for the tank. So we got the 30 foot sein net from my work and headed east to Montauk (the far east end of Long Island). We went to one of the more secluded spots and dropped the net in and did a long sein. We ended up with a good catch and took out the better looking fish that we wanted. I ended up with 1 large silverside, 4 stripped killifish, 2 Mumichugs, and 5 juvenile bluefish (two of which have died). The bluefish (I think they are bluefish) are bout 1/2-3/4" and kili's (3-4 juveniles/small males and 1 mature female) are all about 1-2" and the silverside is about 4". I also picked up some more sand/grass shrimp.

After about a day they stopped crowding in the corner and started exploring the tank. The kili's/mumichugs will dive into the sand, head first, to about eye depth and then spit out the sand. Probably looking for something to eat. It is very interesting to watch because this is something you never get to see them do in the wild. It's impossible to watch them in the open water, but in the tank it's very intresting to see them behave in their natural way. The additions added a lot of movement to the tank, and it finally looks "full". ]]> Beaun http://www.3reef.com/forums/blogs/beaun/seining-213.html