Blog Comments

Long overdue update. I've been slowly making inroads to get the tank back on track. Last night I took the calcium reactor offline and cleaned it up, replacing the media and the skangy looking hoses. My reactor came with a filter sponge at the bottom and it was plugged solid. I rinsed it out and after re reading the set up instructions from Lifereef I chose not to re install it. I am using Reborn media this time. I ran the reactor without co2 for 30 minutes to purge all the air out and get everything stable. No leaks. That's great as I am running it externally. I set the effluent rate and started the co2. Now 24 hours later I'm finding I need to inject more co2 to get the pH down to 6.5 in the reactor with the same effluent rate. I think I'm going to need to check alk daily to see where things are headed and adjust accordingly.

Correct, only 100ppm per day is recommended. But double check your Magnesium results first. Make sure your other parameter are within the target levels: salinity, calcium and alkalinity should be in range. And 1300ppm is probably fine, but I do prefer 1400ppm.

Yes, most likely. Compared to calcium or alkalinity, magnesium takes a considerable amount more to raise. I'd make sure to dose relatively slowly, not raising much more than 100ppm magnesium daily.

Yes it is installed before the reactor and the output flows unrestricted. Its tough to recommend a specific model as there are so many variations. The head and pump are generally sold separately and the head caries a specific tubing depending on which head you choose. What I generally do is look to see what is available on ebay and then check the specs on Masterflex's website to see if it will match what I want. I think that one of the other forums has a long Masterflex thread going as to selection etc.

So the Master Flex is installed before the reactor and the effluent would just drain into the sump unrestricted? Can you recommend a particular model?

The peristaltic pump (Masterflex) is your feed pump so no additional feed pump or feed off of the manifold needed. The difference is that you can control the flow rate via speed of the master flex which is why you don't need the needle valve anymore.

Do you still need to run a feed pump or, in Marcs' case, a manifold feed to provide water to the reactor from the sump?

Ive been using the Masterflex Peristaltic pump for a few years now. I had the valve that you were thinking of before and like Melev I had to do daily adjustment. Since using the Masterflex it has been a set and forget, no needle valve to be constantly tinkering with. Between the Masteflex and the AP regulator my Calcium Reactor is set and forget. You can find the CP pumps on ebay.

Yeah, that works but I honestly do have to twist the handle slightly daily. Sometimes it will work fine for a week or more, then it starts slowing down. I've been told a dosing pump is ideal, but haven't tried that myself.

Thanks.

And our own Melev is in the latest online version of Coral Magazine! Congratulations Marc!

Well, I would dip the corals that are affected to reduce their population.

I am pretty sure these are not aeolids. These are smooth flatworm shaped creatures with a tiny raised bump in the center. They seem sticky and they move quite easily all over the coral. The best I can describe is "slither" or slide. There is a pink hammer close to it that does not have this infestation. That said, the 2 hammers do not touch at all.

Can you post a picture of them? Are they aeolids?

I just blogged about those shows here: http://melevsreef.com/blog/back-back-shows-05042014

Here's the Happy video for all you lurkers: http://youtu.be/3__WBdre_Ho


Time for my tank blog now...

Yeah, I think I saw the same video, where everyone was dancing to the song "Happy", from that article on ReefBuilders. Marc, you have killer moves!! You must be slaying the babes left and right. Lol

Oh boy. What a mess. How's the livestock?

I ordered them direct from James at Orphek.

Hey!

Did you get the Orpheks in town or order in? They look great over your tank.