cheese

Yesterday drop in 2 sand sifting starfish at $3 each. Today measurement: CA 800 (This is the exact value from 2 test kit, not 600) Ammonia 0 N02 0 N03 5-10ppm (is this high?) KH 8dkh Salinity 1.024 (done some water change) Temp 27.5 Happened to drop by an aquarium shop in the West. Didn't know a yellow tang can cost $25!!! Small one somemore. Never buy, just c only. Also managed to get some macro algea from sentosa (happened to be there, woo. yahoo... ) It was floating around, my friend grapped and said good stuff, but don't know wat's that. Palm size. Hope it works. Here it is. Anyone know wat it called. Should be something very common.

I redraw the schematic, 14 elbow + 26 T, if didn't count wrongly. No choice need it to be strong to hold those rocks. I remember I bought 20/30 (the other way round), so with remaining for the piping behind, about just nice. All outlet holes are 4mm dia. As you can see it wasn't alot of them, but concentrate at the front part and pointing inwards. In fact just trial an error, and was surprise to see it really works. Can see debris being push around around. Cheers!

No problem bro. Will take it real slow. Cheers!

I'm using the Ehiem 1250. Now Yihu control all liao, 100 bucks, damn heartache. But no choice, seems to be one of the most proven able to work out of water brand. Other brand with that reputation is even more ex. My sump cannot house any more pump. So that's the only way to go. Use it solely for the chiller, so no problem. Total about 30 elbows and 20 T joints, if didn't remember wrongly. Anyway, 15-20cents ea. so not too bad.

Thanks. Just tried my best. In fact, I have learned alot from all the experience shared by the Masters in this forum. Without them, nothing possible.

Ha, ha, they r sure better life than me. (Ha, ha, they r actually 'shined' by the brothers here, my daughter n wife too, u know? So, dun play play.) I was worried as I c the water temp hitting 33 degree in the afternoon, and night not dropping below 32. Really scare they heatstroke, so got the chiller. Actually wanted to DIY using the bar fridge (already decided using the ELBA black one), but my wife said I siao. And she agreed paying more for a specific thing for the specific work. So, I buy lor. Anyway, there will be coral coming in later, when all r really stable, and completed the light DIY. But that will be maybe end of next year liao. Just measured the water again. CA 600 - still high (could it be those sea shell my daughter dump into the sump 2 weeks ago?) KH 8dkh - meet specs after the Reef builder dose NO2 0 - maintained NO3 5 - maintained Salinity 1.023 PH 8 - do I need to bring this higher? Ammonia 0 - maintained Temp 28 Any other thing to check?

The most regret thing was forgotten to take a picture of the completed piping. I only got the one 70% done. Can see the Plenum also.

Hi, Those 2 r for the chiller to/return. I only have 1 return from the sump, but it was splitted n controlled by 2 valves into the UV, and the other path back to the tank. The other pipes hidding behind the overflow box (circled in green), r for the S overflow construction into the sump. U can see the only red arrow pointing up is the intake to the chiller which also control by a valve. The return, also control by a valve, are in fact pump into the LR rack and travel along those red arrow and out in various location underneath/behind the LR. The rack is just covered by the sand, then followed by about another 2-3" of sand with the plenum right at the most bottom layer. There r 1 or 2 small holes at the few highest spot of the LR rack pointing up for the air to be chased out when water is pumped in. Not too sure will this really work, just happened to day-dream one day and thought of it. But I do see bubbles coming out from all the designated holes throughout the full lenght of the rack when water are pumped in from the chiller initially. So, should be working as expected. Anyway, when all the LR r in, those piping should be well covered. Especially to cover that ugly intake pipe which I saw myself. Please comment lah.

Hi Buddies! Really pie-say to open a new topic on my case, thought of continue from my previous one, but closed liao. Anyway, thanks for all the encouragement left to me in my previous post. Really no hard feeling but instead caution me and guided me. And that I will never be left alone on this hobby. In fact, very touched... To begin, I must CONFESS! My family cannot bare to leave the 3 clowns at my friend's hse. So, I hold on to the water, and kept the tank running. 2 days later (28 OCT), I got them back. My 3 clowns were those that like to eat. So just drop some food, they all rush to the front, and quite easily got them all 'packetted'. I monitored the water very closely since then. Surprised me till today, that I hardly measured any Ammonia throughout with test kit, in fact the Ammonia Alert from Seachem also never seems to change colour too. The week after, 1st week of Nov. I bought 2 pieces of LR. Took out some water from the tank to rinse them and position them. Ammonia remain 0, but observe Nitrite rise gradually, hitting 0.3mg/l at the end of the week. Nitrate remain 0. Done 10% water change. 2nd week of Nov. Bought n put in 3 pieces of LR from another place. Ammonia = 0, Nitrite continue to rise to 0.5mg/l max, then sudden fall to between 0.3mg/l & 0.5mg/l at the end of the week, then drop to 0 on the next day. Nitrate = 0. Done 5-10% water change. 3rd week of Nov. Another batch of 3 pieces LR. Ammonia remain 0, Nitrite remain 0, but Nitrate gradually increase to 5mg/l for the past 3 days. Today drop in a baby cleaner, while the 3 clowns remains as active as before, still love to eat. They will never fail to beg for food, whenever someone move close to the tank. Now the cleaner join in too. Have crashed the food pallets, so each time just drop enough for them to grap. Maybe that's why they r always hungry, but no choice leh. kH 5dKH PH 8.0 - 8.8 CA 600mg/l Dosing it with Seachem Reef builder a bit by a bit per day to slowly up the KH. Water temp 27.5 Equipment Ehiem Wet/Dry 2 tier Sump tank with refrigum n bio-balls filter. Turbo-twist 3X UV Resun CL650 Prizm protein skimmer Seio 650 temporary light with: 1 3' cheapo white light - on only for viewing 1 3' cheapo Antinistic light - on for 12 hours daily Looks like will continue to drop in 2-3 pcs of LR per week till landscape complete, will not add any live stock. At the same time DIY a nice light hood. Will c how the Nitrate level go, may throw in some Macro Algae into the refrigum equipped with a 18W PL light. Any recommendation for the Macro Algae? Which type n where buy? Or, anything I have missed? Please please hit me with your comments. Thank you!

It's all done n OK now. Have just sent that 3 fellows to my friend's hse. My children cried n cried n I took really quite some time to explain to them. *sign*...so sad. They were all so happy when they carried them back home this afternoon, and staring them for the whole evening. My wife was so angry with me that I made the whole family so unhappy over that $1 each Nemo, where each gold fish easily cost more than $5 nowaday. And spending so much time to drive them to my friend's hse, plus the to n fro petrol already cost more than $3. Nevertheless, I'm now at least no more guilty and taking the advice from the people here to try and keep the Nemo alive. Since the LR should come in many months later, and running the tank with just sand would gain nothing beside wasting electricity; even if I throw a prawn in, the LR still will not come in sooner, and by that time the whole ANN will have to restart all over again. Hence, I have shutdown all the pumps and drained out the water, and will clean them up slowly. Ha, ha, that was $30 of salt + water down the drain. I really thought I have already been real patience enough to take almost a year to reach this stage... Well, will read up more, and really save up more before starting again. No $, really dun try Marine. Thought it was happy beginning when I started this thread this afternoon to share my joy, didn't know it could end up by the night making the whole family crying n sad, except wife...angry. Moderator, Since my tank have stopped now, there seems no point to carry on with this thread. U may like to remove it as this thread has no more meaning, because my tank is dead again. Thank u guys for your sharing. Wait till my tank is alive again, c u! Cheers!

Got it! Will send them to my friend then. Ha, ha, looks like going to stare at the sand for months liao. Or, actually should not have filled the tank n turned on the pumps so early, but wait till next year. Mistake. No choice lah....

My plan is just to start with these 3 Nemo for a month or so,(actually I asked for 2, but these 3 just keep staying together so closely that the fellow who catched for me could not leave the bigger 1 out, so just take all lor). Then, probably in DEC start adding a kg or 2 of live rock (that will only cost me $8 to most $16. A kg or 2 I guess will only get me a piece or 2, or even less, right?), and c how the water go. If really too bad, then perhaps cure them separately. So, probably would take till end of next year to complete all the live rocks. While at the same time c whether can DIY the lights and Chiller. When all well done up, only then will add live stocks, and even corals(so, that maybe 2 or 3 years later). I'm going to take a very very slow pace, adding bit by bit. As I mentioned before, all my equipment took almost a year to purchase (skimmer, uv, return pump, etc.). Lightingstrike knew me better when I first PM him on his juwel tank long time ago. The canister was left over since 8 years ago when I do plant tank. Budget is really tight and also I'm rather patience type. Actually, I did think of leaving it bare with just sands until I save enough and get all the live rocks to throw in all at once, but seems like that no meaning and it could mean a very very long time later, hence just put 3 fishes in and get it going first. While looking after them, continue to motivate, save and buy.... Really hope my plan could work and not abusing any lives. Really appreciate all the kind comments for me to learn more. Cheers!

Bro, can also tell me the way to clean the canister? Million thanks!

Really thanks for the advices. Will continue to read on...while saving for live rock to come in. Probably, will transfer the Nemos to a small tank, when the live rock are throw in. Will put 100% attention on the babies. BTW, got a Prizm skimmer in the sump tank + a UV. Lights n chiller will take my time after all the live rocks in. Corals n other lives will only be considered next year, when all are complete. Cheers!

Now I feel so guilty....but buy liao, will keep an close eye to them, if no good, will transfer them to a small tank with good water... I'm using the Ehiem Wet/Dry with 2 tier trays, + also a sump tank with bioballs. Hope that could be enough. Cheers!

Hee, hee, not too sure should open a new topic for my no big deal stuff. Anywhere just post for the Masters here to comment lah. My juwel 180 tank was left there empty almost 6 years, after a few years of freshwater planting. Now it's alive again! It's been a year since I started buying all the Marine stuff 1 at a time (so ex!), finally something is really coming up. What now left I think, will be a chiller, some power heads, and a decent lighting set(on drawing board now using 6 x T5 concept), and saving real hard for the live rocks too. Well, it all started till now only 2 days. Actually, wish to start the cycle by prawns, but seems too boring looking at the sand, so bought 3 x $1 Nemo today. Here they are looking happy, wondering around, eating well, so far so good, and really hope that they will live through the whole cycle in the dark tank and continue forever, while I saved for a month or 2 for the live rocks and the rest of the things to come in bit by bit slowly. A-mit-tou-fo! They will only have friends next year, hope they not too boring staring at one another. Cheers! (Really hesitate whether should I post or not with this 3 NEMOs...., pls dun laugh at me....)

If your pump that power, perhaps the out may not able to catchup. I'm using Elheim 1250, going at only 1200l/h, which is just nice to cycle the refugium tank and the UV, supplementing my 2-tier Elheim wet/dry main filter. Hope all would work well.

Bro, looks like only got both of us. But as wat I told u before, it's really going very very slow due to finance constraint. If I can make it to your standard, perhaps Juwel should pay us some advertising fee. So, have Juwel contacted u already? Ha, ha! Cheers!

Hi Dr, Can also pm me all the info too? Need to DIY. Million Thanks!

Hi Rock, Can pm me the price n order info please? Thank you!!!

When water is added to the main tank the water level inside the box will just raise, then it will drop back and stablise to the same level again. The height of that stablised level, I believe, which is also logically, depend on the return pump power. Well, will let it run for a few days to check for leak, install the additional valve onto the main return line, clean the tank, well, I think that's when my marine hobby should kick off. Unfortunately, my $ dun maintain strong just like that water level inside the box. So, will go real slow at a time. Till then, once again, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all the bros who have shared their experience & goodies, which are really benefittial and also helps to spread the hobby. THANK YOU ALL!!! CHEERS! Here's another picture.

Here's what I do for the overflow. Silicone a black tinted glass box. Ha, ha finally all can see how it looks like inside the overflow box! The water level shown is the stablished situation. It will stay there unless, 1. the pump is off - the water level inside the glass box will go down until the T-joint (till slight below the level of the horizontal pipe behind the tank as shown) then stop. 2. if the output valve of the overflow pipe is shutoff (i.e. stop the output from the overflow) , the water level inside the box will raise till the sump tank empty (worse case, I mean). For both cases, when the pump is on back/the output is open again, the water level inside the box will raise/drop back to the level as shown again. The output will restore back to as powerful as before. No need to reinitialise the flow.

By using dandelion76's method in starting the flow, here's the how the receiving end like. The flow is really powerful and splashing! And sounds like water fall.

Hi Bros, Finally done! I think it took me almost a year to absorb all the info given by all the helpful & kind bros here, squeeze out a design that IMHO suit the Juwel tank. Here's what I made for my 100cm Juwel tank using 1/2" PVC. The T-joint has yet to attach with the 'taller' pipe for ######. On the left is the return. Still need to add 1 more valve along the main return line to control the branching flow to the UV.

Hi Chipson1, Could you please enlighten me how do the initial startup? Thanks!