Blog Comments

Everything is looking GREAT Marc! Thanks for the new background images for my computer at work! People always ask me about your pictures. You have become a real pro with your camera. Thanks again for sharing.

Let me take a stab at it...
1. Sunset
2. Birdsnest
3. Blue Polyp Monti
4. Candy Cane
5. Green Chalice
6. Cyphastrea
7. Green Birdsnest
8. Green Polyped Monti
9. Jedi Monti
10. Limer
11. Monti
12. Nephthea
13. Pagoda
14. Pink Monti
15. Red Polyped Monti
16. Turbinaria
17. Valida
18. Brown Birdsnest
19. War Coral
20. Chalice Polyps
21. Chalice Polyps different view.

I might have had some help

Awesomeness

Glad to hear it motivated you. It's pictures of other reefs that motivates me, so we are all the same in that way.

Yep, I'm back to dosing Prodibio, but this time I'm going to go at it without biopellets.

I haven't had to dose Magnesium since 2010, due to the high Mg content of Sybon salt, but since I don't have any left and am looking to find a new brand to use for my reef, I may have to resume dosing some from time to time.

At the time of this comment, this blog entry has been viewed 6402 times! Pretty cool!

Thank you for the video's Marc! You've inspired me to roll up my sleeves and get my tank straightened out. I'll review your videos often to keep me going I'm sure. Are you still using Prodibio? and what do you do for maintaining Magnesium?

Thanks y'all!

Congrats!! Your system is truly breathtaking and beautiful

Congrats on the Anniversary ,, the whole system is awesome to behold,,

I used my Kung Fu grip. No worries. Plus it's a cork. Those things are soft.

Marc the tank looks great and happy anniversary! I have to admit, I held my breath a bit when you popped the cork on the wine while it looked like it was facing the tank.

Should be later tonight. I'm uploading videos now, and those take time.

Happy Anniversary! Looking forward to a special post today!

Cool! Congrats

Can't wait to see the video

Pure vinegar for 20 minutes won't work for as well as HCL does. However, look at you straining the vinegar for re-use. So green.

Vinegar works just as well. 20 minutes and voila. I then let the disolved crust settle out and pour off the clean Vinegar. Then strain the vinegar through a coffee filter to save for the next cleaning

How long you soak something may dictate if anything is 'cooked' for lack of a better word. I used to put my Tunze pumps in it even though they told me not to. I never had a problem, but it will cause rubber to deteriorate. Maybe pull the O-rings next time, or don't leave it in so long.

I have had identical experiences with the stuff, it's the best thing in the world for cleaning a dirty skimmer. I'm wondering if there's anything you think it might be to strong to use on? I'm thinking specific types of rubber/plastic. The reason I ask is I recently cleaned all my pumps/ sump ect in muriatic acid and when I put my skimmer pump back together I just could not get the seal around the impeller (which has an o-ring) to seal and not leak micro bubbles. Also I soaked my mp40 wet side and it seemed the nut on top of the shaft never went on tight again, and eco tech ended up replacing the wet side. I have no proof that muriatic acid contributed this, but I'm more paranoid about the stuff ever since.

I like filter socks. I like the way they reduce noise, reduce salt creep, but I loathe cleaning. So, I switched to knee high stockings. Time to change...toss 'em and slip on a new one.

Membranes are more efficient during long runs, which is why I recommend running it once a week instead of daily collection. My reef's top off reservoir is big enough to last over a week, but I also collect drinking water to a bladder tank under the sink that stores 3g of water. That amount is used for making coffee, tea, drinking water on-demand, and the fridge's icemaker. Link: http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php...my-RO-DI-setup I tend to use that up quickly, so the RO system is turned on twice a week.

For a common week starting on Sunday, this is the process:

Turn on RO system and bleed off water before the DI stage into the washing machine for 90 seconds. Check the TDS via the meter - all is well - close the bleed valve and open up the valve that feeds the bladder tank under the sink. Once full (15-20 minutes), close the valve. Then close the valve on the red line going into the RO system just as a precaution even though the system is off, silent, and fully pressurized. I used to only do this for trips, but now I just do it every time. The idea is limiting the risk that something could let go and shoot water everywhere, although this has NEVER happened.

On Thursday (about 3-4 days later), repeat as above to refill the bladder tank. I know it is low because the water coming out of the spigot on the sink will be quite a bit slower. Once the bladder tank is full, I'll close that feed's valve and open the valve that refills the ATO reservoir under the reef. This takes 3 hours or so, and this is when the DI resin is being used. Since I had the RO system running to the bladder tank first, the membrane is 'warming up' so to speak. The TDS is low since it is have been running for a duration, and the DI resin lasts better for me that way. When the container under the tank is full, the float valve rises up and pinches off the line. I'll hear the RO/DI system shudder to life every 20 seconds, an audio reminder to go turn it off. Since I'm in the general area this works out nicely. I'll close the ball valve feeding to the fish ATO reservoir, and then again the ball valve feeding the RO system. This method has been my routine since early 2011.

If you watched the video in the TDS Creep article, you'll see how quickly it rises and falls. This is how I've always done it and it makes sense. A flush valve bypasses the flow restrictor in the waste line. It should only be opened 15 seconds, the closed - the idea is to wash away the water sitting around the membrane. I'm not sure why you are observing the readings you are with that method you described because in theory no water would be coming out of the product line because the flow restrictor isn't applying back pressure on the membrane. Maybe you should try my system instead. I put a link in the top of this post showing how it is all plumbed together, but I can always add more pictures or maybe do another video.

That's a very large, and very pretty, tiger cowrie. I really love the look of these interesting creatures; think I may get one (most likely some smaller ones as I only have a 75 gallon).

When you say you let the water run for 90 seconds or so after the membrane, isn't this the same as using the flush valve? I didn't have one installed for the first year when I began my reef and DI resin exhausted so quickly. Flush valves are definitely a money saver. I also like to watch the TDS meter when running the flush valve, and when running, all year round no matter what time, the TDS seems to not increase at all but starts around 25-50 and will decrease to about 6-10 after roughly 3 minutes. That is the que to turn the flush off and DI on. Oddly though, it seems like the longer I'm making water, I'll check the TDS output off the membrane and it will have actually decreased from 6-10 to 1-5. Less work for the DI I guess. I take it that the lower TDS after the membrane for me compared to you has something to do with our cities various water treatment methods/chemicles.

On another note, I plan to email you soon Marc to get some ideas and price quotes on building a custom sump for my system. Keep checking your inbox!