400 Gallon

Ongoing power problems with Oncor

melev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:43:37 +0000

Ongoing power problems with Oncor melev Mon, 11/21/2022 - 23:43

For the last 7 weeks, my entire home has had power fluctuations that were really frustrating. Initially I noticed lights flickering in the bathrooms and kitchen. But it got worse, much worse.

My reef uses the Apex controller, which comes with the Eb832 energy bars. Normally we use them to turn things on and off that are plugged into them. They measure power consumption and can tell you if a pump is using too much or too little energy. However, they do something else: they measuring the incoming voltage. I was looking at those numbers specifically 18 months ago during our ice storm that knocked out power to 20 million people in Texas. My system was running on a generator, but the power wasn't coming out cleanly and the Voltage reading were concerning. But I digress.

When I was vacuuming my home, which takes about 20 minutes, I couldn't help but notice that the motor was at one speed, then slowed down for 10 seconds, then sped up again. That's weird. Another occasion I was using a Waterpik and heard that device slow down and ramp up. My iMac's screen would go dim, then brighten, but I wasn't touching the brightness buttons.

I called the electric company to have them check the incoming power. They removed the meter, and hooked up two different devices to measure the voltage as well as the amperage. Of course everything was "normal" during the 10 minutes of testing. My power issues happen whenever, sporadically. There was no way to align it with anything. One night I turned off the breaker that feeds power to the Studio, in case that was it but it didn't make a difference.

That's when I checked my Apex to see what it was reading. Each screenshot shows the low reading, the high reading, and the average number. At the top you can see the dates. Apex Fusion keeps track of 12 weeks of data, so I was able to look at what the voltage measured back in August. Week by week, I could scroll through the graphs, studying the highs and lows. The week of August 12-19, the power graph looks normal, but you will see how it changes for the worse image by image.

August 17-24: Voltage begins to look different. The variance measures 117V - 126V

August 23-30: The power is slowly trends downward each day. Variance: 116V - 126V

September 11-18: The drop continues, more so in the latter half of the week.

September 24-October 1: Spikes or surges are tracked. Variance 114V - 128V

September 30-October 7: Variance 113V - 129V

October 12-19: The spikes are varying 113V to 130V, and UPS systems beep in distress.

October 31-November 7: Minimum 109V and maximum 133V

I own two Eb832 energy bars on two different circuits that had matching voltage readings. I also have the Hydros controller on another tank on yet another circuit, which reports voltage too. It doesn't graph it like the Apex, but when I opened up the app, I could see the current value, which then matched what I would see in Fusion at the same time.

I called the power company a second time to come inspect the power. I really wanted them to hook up a device that tracks and records data of the power entering at the meter, but they don't offer that. Would you believe the Smart Meters do NOT track the power flow? They only act like an odometer, measuring what we use, nothing more. That seems unfortunate to me. Wouldn't it be great if they could activate that feature when the need arises, to help identify potential issues?

Like the first time, the lineman said everything was normal. He replaced the connections where the power connects to the house, but that made no difference. Power fluctuated from 106V to 134V within the hour.

I was wondering if I needed to replace my entire breaker panel to solve the problem. But if I hired an electrician and spent upwards of $2000 "fixing it" only to find everything was still flickering because the problem was actually from the power company, I'd be really upset (as would anyone else). I don't mind paying to fix a problem, provided it's my responsibility and the correct solution.

November 14-21: The roller coaster continues, but wait, what have we here?

The lowest number yet, 105 volts was recorded. But as of Saturday afternoon, the graph indicated a big change. That was promising.

Here's a closeup of 24 hours:

For the past 24 hours, voltage varies from 118V to 122V, with an average of 120V. At last!

Clearly, my home's breaker box was NOT the problem at all, nor any of its components. Nor the addition of the Studio. As I figured all along, this was a problem somewhere in my neighborhood that needed to be mended.

I've put in a call with the power company to find out exactly what they fixed. I've had to live with these circumstances for seven weeks, two service calls, plus a few things were damaged during that time. About 1/3 of the outdoor LED string lights blew out (22 out of 72), and a 12V power supply for the Apex took a hit. I'm sure if this situation had continued, more gear would have been damaged or their longevity reduced.

Thankfully this problem appears to be gone. Hopefully never to return.

Reef Blog

400 Gallon

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Equipment

400g reef

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 20:06:08 +0000

400g reef melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 23:06

The centerpiece of my hobby is the 400g Starphire Reef.

My Tanks

400 Gallon

RO/DI system and Water Storage

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 20:01:46 +0000

RO/DI system and Water Storage melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 23:01

Using a 150gpd system provides 6.25 gallons per hour. After MACNA 2012, I had a 300gpd system on hand and decided to use it as well. Running the two systems side by side speeds up water production significantly, at a rate approaching 19 gallons per hour. I ran it like this for about a year or so, then reverted back to a single 150gpd system. Eventually, I decided to change out the membrane for a 100gpd instead due to the better 98% rejection rating which helped waste less DI resin over time.

Over the years, it has become a bit of an octopus because I have it feeding water to a bladder tank under the kitchen sink to supply drinking water from a spigot, and cold water / ice cubes from the fridge. My blog explains how I set that up: http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/27701-A-fancy-upgrade-to-my-RO-DI-setup

Another line runs through a line over the kitchen cabinets to the fishroom, feeding water to this 265 gallon poly tank and the 45g ATO reservoir. Both containers have float valves, designed to stop water from flowing into the vessel when full. As soon as it is filled to capacity, I close the ball valve at the container and also at the RO/DI system to avoid any accidental floods.

The ATO reservoir is refilled about once a week. The poly tank is filled up every 2-3 months, once all that water has been used up during water changes.

In the picture above, the container is being filled up with RO/DI water. Once it holds 250g of water, I'll add two cases of salt that is rated for 300g. That mixes up to 1.026 specific gravity.

When the poly tank looks dirty, I'll clean it thoroughly before it is filled up with fresh water. Muriatic acid works great for this task. Sloshing it back and forth within the poly tank when horizontal, the deposits and sediment break free and can be rinsed out with a jet nozzle on my garden hose. Tubing directs the water out of the house and down the driveway.

I'd recommend you watch this video to get some additional insight when it comes to making and storing water.

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Apex - Aquarium Controller

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:58:32 +0000

Apex - Aquarium Controller melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:58

I use the Apex to turn various pieces of gear on and off, to get alerts when certain items are out of range, and to track water parameters.

For the last decade, I've been using Neptune System's Aquacontroller. First I had the AC II, then later upgraded to the AC 3. Near the end of 2011, I gifted myself the Apex controller, the latest available version at that time. The Apex has been around for a couple of years, and many of my friends swear by it.

The controller turns the lights on and off, as well as the heaters and fans (or chiller, if you have one). If the tank runs too hot, the controller can shut off the lights to stop adding further heat to the water. And if it has been set up with a battery backup, it can notify you via text or email if the power goes out.

When the Aquanotes App came to market, I instantly bought an iPhone so I could stay in touch with my tank when traveling. It allowed me to check on the system, and I could call a friend if there was a major issue. I didn't have it programmed for more than what I considered the essentials. I used x-10 modules to control the various lights and heaters, letting the AC3 act as the timer for each piece of gear. Over time, the x-10 modules became flakey, not working consistently which was very frustrating.

The upgrade from the AC3 to the Apex was a big jump forward. I bought the base model, two Power Bar-8s (PB-8) and one Power Bar-4 (PB-4). I bought an extra 12v power supply for the UPS, used in a power outage to keep the Apex on for communication to my router. Also, I ordered a 15' extension USB cable, because 15' + 6' was just enough wire between the EB-8 and the Controller module itself. This time, all my gear would work like it should.

I have Cat5 cable running from my router through the attic to the fishroom, as I didn't want to use a wireless bridge. To me, that's just one more point of failure, especially in an emergency. The router is plugged into a UPS, so if the power goes out, the Apex and the Router are still running and I'm able to receive texts and emails being sent to me. If I'm home and one of the pre-programmed parameters is out of range, or if a PB detects a power outage, the display plays an alert chime to get my attention. I've only heard it when the probes were exposed to air or when I unplugged something intentionally.

The (2012) Apex App is much nicer than the previous Aquanotes App. And once I updated the firmware in the controller, the latest version of the App allows me to make changes to the programming right from my phone no matter where I am. The new graphs are easy to access, faster than previously, and I can zoom in and out the the flick of a finger.

And now we have Apex Fusion (2014) that is cloud based. It makes connectivity easier, and you can turn this on and off from any device that uses a browser. I had to update the firmware, create an Apex Fusion login account, and then enable it via the Apex Dashboard. The rest of it kind of just worked without any fuss.

The PB-4 is used to run the heaters as they draw 300w each. The PB-4 is plugged into its own circuit. Three heaters are plugged into the power bar, with room for one more if need be.

The lower PB-8 is used to run these items: Refugium LED lighting, Frag tank LED lighting (whites and blues), Icecap 120mm Cooling Fan, the Skimmer Swabbie, with room for a few more items. The upper PB-8 runs all the lights: 250w Metal Halide, 400w Metal Halide, 250w Metal Halide, VHO actinics, and LED moonlighting, with room to add more if necessary.

The PBs use USB cables (supplied) to connect one another, with one cable connected to the controller (or brain). The Display Module can plug into the brain, or to any of the PBs. All the PBs are securely mounted in areas where they should stay dry and safe from splashing.

I don't use the Apex to control my calcium reactor nor the Vortech pumps. I'm not dosing anything, yet. But what it does for me now, it does perfectly and I'm very pleased.

Below are three more screenshots from the Apex App, released in the first quarter of 2012:

Here's a screenshot of Apex Fusion on my desktop. It's a nice scrollable screen on my iPhone, if I want to access it that way.

Check out the new graphs, which you can scale to show you a few hours or a few days at a time. It displays the past 24 hours in the big wave, and the past 7 days in the smaller pattern.

Parking my current (9/15/15) Apex code here for reference:

Amp_3 - Lower powerbar for various gear (skimmer, refugium light, frag tank light, etc)
Amp_4 - Heaters via 4-way powerbar
Amp_5 - Lighting on light rack

Text messages:
base_Alarm
SndAlarm
Sound B
Set OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then ON
If Temp < 75.0 Then ON
If Power EB8_3 Off 000 Then ON
If Power EB4_4 Off 000 Then ON
If Power EB8_5 Off 000 Then ON
If Power Apex Off 003 Then ON
If Outlet PwrRestored = ON Then ON

Local alarm:
base_Warn
SndWarn
Sound A
Set OFF

Email notifications:
base_email
EmailAlarm
Email
Set OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then ON
If Temp < 76.8 Then ON
If Temp < 70.0 Then ON
If Power EB8_3 Off 000 Then ON
If Power EB4_4 Off 000 Then ON
If Power EB8_5 Off 000 Then ON
If Power Apex Off 003 Then ON
If Outlet PwrRestored = ON Then ON
If Outlet Skim_Float = ON Then ON

Feed mode for frag tank:
3_5
Mp10 Hourglass
Advanced
Set ON
If FeedA 005 Then OFF

All lighting is programmed to shut off if the tank rises over 82°F to prevent adding more heat:

5_1
L-VHOs
Light A
Advanced
Enabled
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 11:00 to 22:00 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

5_5 
MH1
Light A
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 13:00 to 18:30 Then ON
If Outlet MH1_Switch = ON Then OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF

5_3
MH2
Light A
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 14:30 to 20:00 Then ON
If Outlet MH2_Switch = ON Then OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF

5_2
 MH3
Light A
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 16:00 to 21:30 Then ON
If Outlet MH3_Switch = ON Then OFF
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF

3_3
FragLEDblue
Light B
Advanced
Enable
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 14:30 to 21:15 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

3_2
FragLEDwhite
Light B
Advanced
Enable
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 14:30 to 20:30 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

3_1
Refugium
Light B
Advanced
Enable Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 14:30 to 23:30 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

5_4 Moonlighting
Light B
Advanced
Enable
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 21:58 to 23:00 Then ON
If Temp > 82.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

Cooling fan when tank temperature rises over 79.0:
5_8
Fan Fan
Chiller
Off Temp
79.0
78.0

All 300w heaters are plugged in a PowerBar-4 rated for a total of 15 amps:
4_1
Heater1
Up/Down Arrows
Heater
Off
Temp
77.0
78.0

4_2
Heater2
Up/Down Arrows
Heater
Enable
OFF
Temp
77.0
78.0

4_3
Heater3
Up/Down Arrows
Heater
Enable
OFF
Temp
77.0
78.0

Code for Skimmer Swabbie:
3_8
Swabbie2
Hourglass
Advanced
Fallback OFF
OSC 030:00/002:00/148:00 Then ON
If Outlet Skim_Float = ON Then OFF

Code to disable skimmer pump when waste collector full:
3_4
Skimmer
Hourglass
Advanced
Fallback ON
Set ON
If Outlet Skim_Float = ON Then OFF
If Outlet Feed_Sw = ON Then OFF
Defer 005:00 Then ON

3_6
ReturnPump
Bars
Advanced
Fallback ON
Set ON
If Outlet Feed_Sw = ON Then OFF

Virtual Switches
Cntl_A1
Skim_Float
Up/Down Arrows
Advanced
If Sw1 OPEN Then OFF
If Sw1 CLOSED Then ON

Cntl_F16
PwrNormal
Sun
Advanced
Set ON
If Power EB8_3 Off 000 Then OFF
If Power EB4_4 Off 000 Then OFF
If Power EB8_5 Off 000 Then OFF
Defer 001:10 Then ON

Cntl_G1
PwrRestored
Sun
Advanced
Set OFF
If Power EB8_3 On 000 Then ON
If Power EB4_4 On 000 Then ON
If Power EB8_5 On 000 Then ON
If Outlet PwrNormal = ON Then OFF
Defer 000:10 Then ON

Power Cycle Metal Halides to switch color spectrums:
Ctnl_G2
 MH1_Switch
Up/Down Arrows
Advanced
Set OFF
If Time 15:00 to 15:01 Then ON
Defer 001:50 Then ON

Cntl_G3
MH2_Switch
Up/Down Arrows
Advanced
Set OFF
If Time 16:29 to 16:30 Then ON
Defer 001:50 Then ON

Cntl_G4
MH3_Switch
Up/Down Arrows
Advanced
Set OFF
If Time 18:00 to 18:01 Then ON
Defer 001:50 Then ON

Cntl_G5
Feed_Sw
Thermometer
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sw2 CLOSED Then ON
Defer 010:00 Then OFF

Cntl_G6
Blue_Button
Left/Right Arrows
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sw3 CLOSED Then ON
Defer 015:00 Then OFF

Cntl_G7
White_Button
Left/Right Arrows
Advanced
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Sw4 CLOSED Then ON
Defer 015:00 Then OFF

On WMX module
Radion_6_17
12:56 0% Custom (75,75,100,100,100,0)
14:00 31% Custom (75,77,100,100,100,35)
15:31 57% Custom (0,0,100,100,0,44)
16:48 70% Custom (62,75,100,100,100,55)
18:01 78% Custom (45,60,100,100,100,40)
19:15 69% Custom (35,50,75,75,75,39)
21:00 37% Deep Blue (45,45,100,100,100,22)
22:13 15% Deep Blue (0,0,0,100,100,0)
23:38 0% Custom (0,0,0,100,100,0)

To override the above Radion code, this screen has to be accessed in Apex Fusion to enter the Radion programming.

Click the Advanced Tab to see these two lines. One is for the blue button to turn on blues only (20,000K); the white button is for white lighting for photography (10,000K).

Resources:
Link to "Apex Comprehensive Reference Manual" on this page: http://www.neptunesystems.com/support/docs/ This is THE guideline for setting up the Apex properly.
Link to the firmware update page: http://www.neptunesystems.com/support/sw-updates/

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Present Livestock list

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:52:39 +0000

Present Livestock list melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:52

Since the 400g and the 60g Anemone Cube are tied into the same sump, all livestock will be listed below. This list needs updating from time to time.

I love a mixed reef, and try to make sure the fish I buy are compatible as well as reef-safe.

The current list of reeflings in my Marineland 400g Starphire reef (updated December 2015):

46 Fish:
Naso tang - Spock (2004)
Purple tang - Crown Royal (2004)
In 60g: Amphiron ocellaris (female, born 2003)
In 60g: 15 Amphiron ocellaris
Lyretail Anthias (3) (2015)
Pajama Cardinalfish (5) (2011)
~~Mystery Wrasse (2011)~~
ORA Orchid Dottyback (2011)
ORA Psychedic Mandarin, blue (2011)
Yellow Tang (2) (2011)
~~Melanurus Wrasse (2011)~~
Yellow Eye Kole with White Tail (2014)
(11) Skunk clownfish (Feb 2015)
~~Flame Angel (2013)~~
Copperband butterfly (Mar 2016)
In 60g: Hippo tang (2016)

Invertebrates and Other Life:
Cowries (2)
Tiger Cowrie
Blood Shrimp
Fighting conchs (6)
Tigertail cucumbers (5)
Mexican Turbo snail (1)
Astrea snails (50)
Ceriths, large (5)
Blue Leg hermits (25)
Emerald Crabs (5)
Starfish, red serpent
Starfish, banded serpent
Starfish, brown Serpent (2)
Starfish, black brittle
Sebae Anemone
In 60g: Bubble Tip Anemones (4)
In 60g: Bubble Tip Anemone, Rose (3)
In 60g: Green bubble Tip minis (8)

Softies, etc:
Zoanthids (10 types)
Zoanthus spp.
Zoanthus spp.
Zoanthus sp.
Yellow sponge
~~Gorgonian - purple~~
~~Gorgonian - golden~~
Gorgonian - tan

SPS:
Montipora capricornis
Montipora undata
Montipora digitata - red
Montipora digitata - green
Montipora sp. (vericosa?)
Montipora sp. (purple rim, green plate)
Montipora sp. "Sunset"
Montipora sp. "Superman"
Montipora sp. "Chili Pepper"
Birdsnest (unknown)
Birdsnest "Sour Apple" - maybe?
Birdsnest "Bird of Paradise"
Birdsnest "Ponape"
Birdsnest
Birdsnest - green polyped
Psammacora , green
Psammacora , honey brown
Blue Ridge
Scrolling Pavona
Green Pavona
Acropora tortuosa "Blue Tort"
Acropora tortuosa "Oregon Tort"
Acropora sp. "Pink Lemonade"
Acropora sp. - Blue tipped Stag
Acropora sp."Tricolor"
Acropora yongei "Green Slimer"
Acropora loripes
Acropora lokani
Acropora samoensis
Acropora rosario
Acropora austera
Acropora valida (upper left)
Acropora millepora (4)
Acropora millepora - pink with blue tips
Acropora loisetta
Acropora turaki (lower right)
Acropora sp. - Deepwater
Stylophora "Rainbow"
Porites - branching
Porites - plating

LPS:
Pink Branching Hammer
Green Hammer
Green Torch
Green Frogspawn
Candy Cane
Duncansammia (2)
Tubastrea
Tubastrea, branching - black
Dendrophyllia
Acanthastrea echinata (3)
Acanthastrea lordhowensis (5)
Pink Chalice
Dotted Chalice
Spotted Chalice
Peach Chalice
Blue/Grey Chalice
Green Chalice
Yellow Spot Chalice
Platygyra pini
Leptastrea
Lobophyllia (2)
Nepthea
Cyphastrea
Favia "war" coral (2)
Green & Gold Favia
Australian Tongue Coral
Fungia plate populated with babies
Fungia plates (20)
Yellow Scroll Coral
Puffy Maze coral
Lithophyllon

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Artificial Salt Mixes used

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:48:39 +0000

Artificial Salt Mixes used melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:48

I've used a number of brands but usually stay with one I like for years at a time. Two brands I liked: Red Sea's Pro Reef & Kent's Sea Salt. From 2011 to 2014, I've used Sybon's Reef Formula.

Due to space constraints, I need to buy bagged salt instead of by the bucket. It takes six bags to mix up 250g of saltwater at a time.

The external pump mixes up and keeps the saltwater in circulation until needed. Since the container is in the fishroom, the water temperature is close enough to the reef's temperature that water changes are easy. Opening a valve feeds new saltwater into the sump.

In 2015, I began using Aquavitro's Salinity. It comes in a large barrel (pictured at the top of this page) - basically a year's supply. Here's my initial blog: http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/29230-Trying-out-Salinity-salt-for-the-first-time

Also, I use a digital Refractometer to measure the salinity of the water. Here's my review: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/384-Product-Review-Milwaukee-Digital-Refractometer

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Deep Sand Bed

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:42:04 +0000

Deep Sand Bed melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:42

My preference is to run a 4" or greater sandbed in my reef.

I prefer a 'deep sand bed' (DSB) for my reef tank, rather than a shallow one. When the flow moves it around, it doesn't end up with bare spots that way. From a maintenance perspective, a DSB helps with nitrate reduction and also makes it easier to reach items in a 30" deep aquarium. I chose to use larger grain (Tropic Eden Reef Flakes) specifically because I use Vortech pumps that can move water both with their ebb and their flow.

It's nice and clean, ready to use out of the bag. That being said, it still doesn't hurt to rinse it out more, or at least install a filter sock to trap what comes out initially during the first couple of days. I saw tiny bits of plastic from the packaging process, which I removed as encountered.

My bunny approves this sand too. ;)

It stays nice and clean with a good clean up crew.

Additional reading: How to rinse out used sand when starting up a new system

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Plumbing: Drains, Returns, and Manifold

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:39:09 +0000

Plumbing: Drains, Returns, and Manifold melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:39

Using a combination of PVC and SpaFlex, the plumbing has lasted years without issue.

The 400g's plumbing needed to look sleek to match the rest of the system. For now, all the documentation on ReefAddicts is linked below:

Return line to Penductors (2011): http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/1285-Plumbing-Return-assembly-with-Penductors

Return line to Penductors (2013): http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/28974-The-400g-is-officially-running-(Blog-500!)?bt=45774

Drain lines: http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/1287-Plumbing-Drain-lines-to-the-sump-and-refugium

Manifold system: http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php/1286-The-Manifold-Assembly-Running-multiple-items-from-a-single-pump

Inside the fishroom, the large vertical poly tank holds 250g of saltwater that is constantly in circulation. It is mixed up with synthetic sea salt (Sybon Reef) each time it is refilled with RO/DI water. To make water changes easier, I ran Spaflex tubing from the circulation piping to the sump, installing it through a Uniseal fitting. All I have to do is open a valve, watch it fill up, then close it until next time.

Here's a video showing how I use the REVERSE check valve method with penductors, and why

My Tanks

400 Gallon

A brief Overview of the 400g's gear

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:28:53 +0000

A brief Overview of the 400g's gear melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:28

Here's a simple summation of my 400g reef

Tank: 400g Starphire Reef-ready with external overflow, custom-made by Marineland. It's 84" x 36" x 30" with double criss-crossed eurobracing. The viewing panes on three sides are Starphire glass. All four walls are 3/4" thick, the bottom panel is 1" thick with perimeter bracing for additional strength to avoid leaking.

Sump & Refugium: 150g custom-made sump, made by Melev's Reef. It's 58" x 31.5" x 17" and runs about 80g during normal operation. The refugium zone is the full length, 6" wide and the water level is 12" tall and is filled with sand and feather caulerpa. The sump is made of 3/8" cast acrylic.

In-sump gear: Nyos Quantum 300 protein skimmer with Skimmer Swabbie and waste collector, NextReef SMR Reactors for carbon and biopellets, as well as a Lifereef Calcium Reactor

CO2 tank: (2) 5lb cylinders, using an electronic regulator & e-bubble counter, made by AquariumPlants provide the gas for the calcium reactor.

Dosing: Calcium and alkalinity are added via Calcium Reactor, and the Prodibio line is added to the tank twice monthly.

Steel Stand: Custom built with walkboard, built by a local welder. The stand is made of 1/4" thick steel, 85.25" x 36" x 38" and powder coated. The walkboard is awesome, and I use it all the time.

RO/DI system: 150gpd RO/DI system with booster pump, made by Melev's Reef. The booster pump keeps the unit running at 75 PSI. The tubing runs from the RO unit to the fishroom. With the twist of small inline ball valves, I can fill up the top off reservoir or the larger saltwater storage tank.

Controller: Apex system with three power bars, made by Neptune Systems. It it connected to a UPS to provide power to the controller at all times, and is hard-wired to the router. I can receive emails or texts thanks to this configuration. The Apex App is handy to check on the tank as well as turn gear on or off as desired. The Apex is programmed for the lighting schedule, and powers the heaters and fans, primarily.

Light Rack: Custom-made rolling light rack, parts from Ez-Tube and McMaster. All the lighting, ballasts and a Apex powerbar are mounted on the rack. It all moves as a unit.

Lighting: (3) 400w 10,000K/20,000K TwinArc bulbs, 6' VHO URI Super Actinics, LED Icecap moonlighting, Reefbrite and Coralvue e-ballasts. The lighting period is staggered to mimic how the sun crosses the sky, and because I run TwinArc bulbs the color spectrum shifts from a 20,000K blue to 10,000K white daily. The moonlights are on from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., thereafter the reef is dark for the livestock to rest.

Refugium Lighting: Adjustable height 48" 6500 Kelvin LED fixture, made by UniqueLED Lighting. I don't move the lights position often, but have the ability to raise it up out of the way if I really need to access the refugium zone. The light runs from 2:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

In-tank Flow: (2) Mp60w ES Vortech pumps, (1) Mp40w ES Vortech pump; two 1" Penductors and that's it. The Vortechs run in Reefcrest mode around 60% flow.

External pumps: (2) Sequence Dart pumps, from Reeflo Pumps. These pumps run quietly and move a lot of water.

All Black Plumbing: Plumbed returns, drain lines, and manifold, parts from flexpvc and Savko. It probably costs three times as much as white PVC, but it looks great.

Saltwater Storage: 265g poly tank with Coralife circulation pump, tank purchased locally. The tank is so large than I can't remove it from the room. I have to purchase salt that is bagged because there is only 9" of space above the tank to pour it in. Once a year I tilt the container on its side to clean it out with muriatic acid, then rinse it out well. Once clean, it's refllied with RO/DI water and salt.

RO water storage: 45g ATO Reservoir, made by Melev's Reef. This container is made of 3/8" cast acrylic and is a sealed unit other than a single access door in case I have to adjust the float valve. It provides enough water to top off the reef for about 10 days before it has to be replenished. 22" x 15.5" x 33" fits exactly in the space I provided under the tank. The float valve shuts off flow from the RO unit so my floor never gets flooded, but once full I turn off the feed with an inline 1/4" ball valve so it won't add more water until I allow it again.

Top Off: Automatic top off for evaporation, SmartATO from Melev's Reef. Rather than having the Apex handle this, I prefer to keep parts separate to avoid the "all my eggs in a basket" scenario.

Frag Tank: Frag System from Melev's Reef. The tank is 48" x 18" x 16" and holds 60g of water. This is a self supporting system with its own sump, refugium, top off and triple dosing container.

Ventilation: Ceiling vent fan exports moisture and heat out of the attic vent, and this has worked well for the past 10 years. The fan is "1 Sone" so it is dead silent. The higher that number, the noisier the vent fan. The cover grate is taken down for cleaning from time to time. Read this blog entry.

Cooling: 120mm Icecap variable speed fan activated by the Apex as needed. It's an inexpensive way to keep the temperature of the reef in check, and no chiller is required.

Electrical: 6 dedicated circuits to avoid nuisance trips in a subpanel, divided around the fishroom. Running everything divided across multiple circuits means no one circuit is overtaxed. For example, the portable A/C unit is on one circuit, the heaters on a different one, and the lighting on yet another.

Power Station: Houses all the electronic components, includes the Apex, the pH controller, Vortech power supplies and drivers, and American DJ Switches and keeps everything nice and tidy. It's easy to turn items off or on when I need to do maintenance, or when I feed the reef.

Backup: A UPS powers the Apex during an outage, and 6250w gasoline generator for extended black outs wired to sub panel. All the Vortech pumps are plugged into Ecotech Battery Backups that can power their pumps for up to 24 hours in a row.

Access: The fishroom has two separate entry doors, the room is 12' x 9'. I poured the concrete floor of the fishroom myself. I can enter the fishroom from the garage or from the livingroom. I'm able to access the reef from all sides to work on it.

Floor Drain: A french drain runs the length of the room, plumbed with PVC to run any water under the garage door in an emergency. Best idea ever.

Woodwork: Some day... ;)

My Tanks

400 Gallon

Water testing - when and what I measure

melev — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 19:26:18 +0000

Water testing - when and what I measure melev Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:26

Water testing is a necessity for a happy reef.

Water tests are performed often. Specific key areas may be checked or tested daily or every few days, but the full battery of tests are done once or twice a month. When those are completed, that is when I update my spreadsheet and post it on the site.

For more information about testing and maintaining stable water parameters, refer to this article: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/302-Maintaining-Good-Water-Quality

Below are the basic parameters within acceptable range limits, but a tighter swing within the high and low range is best. For example, if pH measures 8.1 to 8.3 daily, that would be better than 7.9 to 8.4 daily. The more consistent with limited variation, the better.

Test Type	Recommended Parameters matching Natural Sea Water (NSW)
Salinity	1.026 sg - a calibrated refractometer is the best tool to measure salinity. A hydrometer will measure specific gravity, while a refractometer will show parts per million. 35ppt is the target measurement that is closely equal to 1.026 sg.
pH	7.9 to 8.3 - this varies daily in a tank; measure with a Pinpoint Meter or controller rather than a test kit.
Temperature	78° F to 84° F - average reef temperature tends to be 81° F; try to keep within a 1.5° to 2° swing at the most.
Alkalinity	8 to 11 dKH -or- 2.86 to 3.89 meq/L
Calcium	390 to 450 ppm
Magnesium	1350 - 1400 ppm (or 3x Calcium levels)
Phosphate	.03 ppm - leading cause of nuisance algae in your tank: click for article
Ammonia	0 - anything higher is toxic
Nitrite	0 - anything higher is toxic
Nitrate	10 ppm or less - huge water changes bring down nitrates: click for article

Here are some example measurements over time, many years ago. I probably should do some type of online record once more seeing how it's 2017... I'm still testing water often, but not adding them to the website like I used to years ago. Here's this week's latest measurements at least:

May 7, 2017
Alkalinity 9 dKH - Elos
Calcium 375 ppm - Elos
Magnesium 1350 ppm - Elos
Phosphate .25 ppm - Elos
Nitrate <2 ppm - Elos
pH 8.35 - Apex pH probe
Temp 78.8° F - Apex temp probe
ORP 295 - Apex ORP probe
Salinity 1.024 sg - Milwaukee Digital Refractometer

EDIT: November 2017: I just started tracking my parameters with the new iOS ReefTrace App.

In February 2011, my new 400g reef was started. Readings are taken at various times, and are documented here to allow you to see how the parameters vary over time.

2011

Readings from my 280g reef were taken at various times, and are documented here to allow you to see how the parameters vary over time. This aquarium ran for nearly six years, but in early July 2010 it sprung a leak. Any measurements thereafter were taken from the livestock vats while the new system was being built from the ground up.

2010

2009

2008

2007 - 2006

2005 - 2004

2004*

* Both reef tanks were upgraded to a 280g during this year.

2003

Blank entries were not taken for whatever reason. Certain tests are ignored, such as Ammonia because they typically result in 0.

My Tanks

400 Gallon