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Richiero's Tank & Scrubber

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Richiero, Jan 10, 2014.

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  1. Mar 18, 2014 #61
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
  2. Mar 18, 2014 #62
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
  3. Mar 18, 2014 #63
    Kerry

    Kerry Member Trusted Member Customer

    128
    6
    Shreveport, LA
    Good info SIR!!!
    Ok, I dont bake it because I dose kalk water and dont ever have an issue with pH being low. So baking makes the pH and ALK go up and just baking soda makes the ALK go up. I do think I am reading this correctly. Also its BAKING SODA we both called it powder so dont buy the powder get BAKING SODA.

    Recipe #2 is for use in reef aquaria whose pH is on the high side (above 8.3 or so). It will have a very small pH lowering effect when initially added. The pH drop achieved will depend on the aquarium's alkalinity and, of course, on how much is added. Adding on the order of 0.5 meq/L of alkalinity drops the pH by about 0.04 pH units immediately upon its addition.
    Recipe #2, Part 2: The Alkalinity Part

    Dissolve 297 grams of baking soda (about 1 1/8 cups) in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 950 meq/L of alkalinity (2660 dKH). As mentioned earlier, Arm & Hammer is a fine brand of baking soda to use in these recipes. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

    I normally just take about a quart of tank water out and add a teaspoon of soda to it then dose it back in over about 20-30 minutes then do it again if I still need the ALK raised to where I need it. I rarely have to do this
     
  4. Mar 21, 2014 #64
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    Ok I finally got around to splitting this discussion off to another thread @Richiero, also, I'm making a large batch of slot pipes this weekend so let me know what you need.

    I will need the following:

    Total length of pipe without end caps
    Width of screen (actual, measure it down to the 1/16" or even 1/32")
    Relative center of slot on pipe (meaning, is it dead center, or offset to one side and if so how much)
    Do you want and end cap and threaded adapter welded on (just a couple $ for the parts)

    Bud
     
  5. Mar 24, 2014 #65
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    will get back with that info
     
  6. Mar 24, 2014 #66
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    so for the mag portion of this recipe from reef keeping i would mix epsom salt and this http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-magnesium-sulfate-aquarium-supplement.html or this http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-sodium-bicarbonate-aquarium-supplement-1.html.

    Dissolve Epsom salts (3 cups) and magnesium chloride hexahydrate (5 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 1 gallon total volume. There will likely be a precipitate that forms even if you fully dissolve both ingredients separately. That precipitate is calcium sulfate (calcium as an impurity in the magnesium chloride and sulfate from the Epsom salts). It is fine and appropriate to dose the precipitate along with the remainder of the fluid by shaking it up before dosing.

    What is magnesium chloride hexahydrate considered? thx
     
  7. Mar 24, 2014 #67
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    I'm not sure. I would just get the pre-portioned bag of Mag it's super cheap

    http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-part-magnesium-mix-aquarium-supplement.html

    I don't use much Mag in my systems. I go through about 2 bags (2 gallons) per year on 3 tanks. Comparatively, I use a lot more alk and cal. But I still get those in the pre-portioned bags as well (I have a wholesale account so I get them way cheap)
     
  8. Mar 27, 2014 #68
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    Let me know on the slot pipe dims. Making more this weekend!
     
  9. Mar 28, 2014 #69
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    Ok will do, i have been so busy the last week hoping to get them to you buy today. Thank you for the reminder
     
  10. Mar 28, 2014 #70
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    smallscreen.JPG small screen2.JPG Here are my dems, the pipe is 16" long you can just leave the end w/o threads. As far as the slot being off center is there any advantages to having it that was ? Right now my slot is dead center, And my screen is 5 7/8" w x 8" L. I also have a question on my growth i am only getting that brown growth on the screen. i am altering light fixtures for a total 10 hr period and the diffusers are in place. Here are some pics. The growth looks green in the pics but it is brown. That growth is after 2+ weeks. Second batch of pics might be better.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 28, 2014
  11. Mar 28, 2014 #71
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    You're right, it does look quite green in the pics, why would it look brown in person? I'm wondering if the brown you are seeing is a layer of diatoms on top of the green growth. Also when you harvest and squeeze it the liquid is usually brown which is a mixture of detritus and diatoms. I would say it looks like pretty decent growth now, just not really thick and clumpy. The real question is - is it effective at reducing tank algae and nutrients?

    No advantage to offseting the slot from the center. I just don't know how yours is set up, that's all. Some people make a long pipe with the slot at one end. I can do a 16" pipe with a slot for a 5-7/8" screen pretty easily, that's near the size I cut on the L2 slot so I just have stop short of the mark on the router jig. Just so I'm clear, pipe only, no end caps or anything bonded on (you would do that), correct?

    I would include the light blockers and water creep blockers (which are just airline with zip ties) as well.
     
  12. Mar 28, 2014 #72
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    The nutrients seem to be lessened, my algea seems to show up later i have some on the back glass now. My salefert test kits show nothing on P04 or N03. Any suggestions? and i will take an end cap on the pipe.
     
  13. Mar 28, 2014 #73
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    I just cleaned the screen see what happens this time around with the growth.
     
  14. Mar 28, 2014 #74
    Richiero

    Richiero Member

    88
    1
    Staten Island NY
    Floyd do you any suggestions on how i can get better growth? And yes address is current.
     
  15. Mar 28, 2014 #75
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    Compare these pics to the ones you posted a month ago - it's a night and day difference. I would say you are on the right track. Remember that when you change one thing, the system must re-balance. So you have a functional scrubber now, and that is doing some work. The system might still need to adjust to the different filtration that is now taking place. So you might have some variations in bacterial populations and such, might be getting some more sponge, pod, and tube worm growth - it's all very dynamic. I would just leave things the way they are and not try to chase any particular issue. Keep your Alk, Cal, Mag, K, Salinity all in line and watch for any trends or consistent issues over a few weeks to a month. It helps to keep a notebook and take notes on when you harvested, about how much it was (however you measure it, just keep it consistent, like if you squeeze and weigh or if you just eyeball the amount in the palm of your hand, etc). If you're really wanting to know how it's working, that's the way to do it. Because you won't remember details.
     
  16. Mar 28, 2014 #76
    Kerry

    Kerry Member Trusted Member Customer

    128
    6
    Shreveport, LA
    How long are you running the scrubber lights? If its brown you could bump the lights up an hour every cleaning till its green if you have not had issues with too much light in the past. I didnt go through your thread but I have never had a scrubber that took less then 14 hours on but dont do that if you have had issues in the past with too much light. Also dont be tempted to bump up 2 hours at each cleaning time, an hour is plenty each cleaning until its green. Nice and slow, Bud also makes a good point with the log and dosing chems.
     
  17. Mar 28, 2014 #77
    Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    2,907
    156
    Iowa (United States)
    Yes, good advice Kerry - add 1 hour after each cleaning.
     
    Kerry likes this.
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