Propagation tank

[ryanlio]

Need some advise from experienced bro here:

Case: Need to mount the easy Hanger to the hood so that the whole hood can be raise/lowered.

Refering to the pic attached

Plan 1: To have a y shaped connection from the hood to the hangers to the ceiling.

- the y connection will allow the hood fixture to be "balance" cos the wire cables can be tighten/loosen accordingly.

Plan 2: To have something like the Giesemann RAZOR T-5 Hanging Kit (www.reefdepot.com.sg) to mount onto the hood -> easy hanger -> ceiling. Though this approach will look nicer. will it be a problem balancing the hood? ie if the kit is mount too far off the the side, the hood fixture will be tilted...

Any recommendations on which / other approches from experts here?

[ryanlio]

as much as the idea looks good on paper... somehow it doesn't quite translate to the actual outcome (darn.. shouldn't have missed those physics lessons)... The fixture to raise/lower hood didn't work... details to follow.. pic shows a proof oc concept... realised that the hood is not "balanced", that is the whole hood tilts to the front -> UNUSABLE!!

[ryanlio]

Some details of y the design failed:

1. The lights are mounted with majority of the weight to the front. Causing the whole thing to tilt forward.

2. I was taking a bet on the YoYos all along to cater for the weight. Therefore even if the hood is balanced, it will have a problem to hold at the designated height during adjustments as the rated weight is 6kg/YoYo.

3. The YoYos comes with nylon string. Doesn't seemed like it can hold the hood.. Case of wrong application of YoYo (my bad) as I'm sure it can be use to hold a single light bar's weight. (Not flaming abt YoYo but really i made the wrong choice for my type of application)

Back to the drawing board..

any bro with idea to raise /lower the combined T5 fixtures.?

Pic attached showed how unequal the weight is distributed.. causing light to tilt.

[kareen]

The 3 metal plate that hold light is not at equal distance... This cause some imbalance that will need to work out on trial and error for the correct balance before mounting....

[Testament]

Wow! So you are the handyman around here...

[ryanlio]

The 3 metal plate that hold light is not at equal distance... This cause some imbalance that will need to work out on trial and error for the correct balance before mounting....

trying out your suggestion even as we speak.. :> Thanks Kareen

[ryanlio]

Plan B should the changes to balance the hood fails.

Plan B consists of aluminium track to act as guide to raise/lower the hood.

there will be 2 parts to this. 1st part is the main track where it will be mounted on the wall behind the tank. the 2nd part are frames mounted to the side of the hood and fitted in the aluminium track in the first part.

[ryanlio]

The counter weight at the front will be enough to hold the hood in place anywhere in along the tracks. To be safe, will also include pins that can slot into the desired height in order lock in the position of the hood on the track (similar to the pins used to hold the weights in the gym).

[kareen]

trying out your suggestion even as we speak.. :> Thanks Kareen

U r welcome.

Do include in your plan how u going to service the display tank....

[ryanlio]

Balanced out the hood as advised. it worked. However, discovered that the YoYos still can't take the weight.. Will be sourcing of a type of hoist that you would use to hoist a bicycle (ceiling mounted).. anyone any idea where to get the hoist, something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BICYCLE-GARAGE-LIF...8QQcmdZViewItem

[ryanlio]

updates Week 1

Water parameters

PH - 8

CA - 400ppm

PO4 - 0

the rest.. no info.. yet to get test kits.. hahaha :>

So far some observations/updates..

1. Cyno bloom (within the first 3 days)

- Cyno mostly grow on the LR in the middle of the tank. I reckoned its the adequate flow. Thus, I've included a Seio 820. Condition getting better.

2. will not run Skimmer until 3rd week. This is to allow enough dunk for bacteria growth

4. Zoos opening well after FW dip.

5. Skimmer pump effectively died on me. Will source for a replacement.

6. Getting a bicycle hoist in order to hoist the DIY hood with T5s.

Additions for the week:

Equipment

1. Seio 820

2. Dymax glass cleaner.

LS

1. Zoos

2. 5 X Nerite Snails

[ryanlio]

more snails today:

25 X Certith

25 X Nerite

[ryanlio]

Complete the hoist for the hood.. its doesn't quite blend in to my home's deco.. hey, but it works..

[ryanlio]

bike lift used... This item not so easy to find in singapore.. glad that i managed to lay my hands on one of this..

[ryanlio]

the clean up crews.

[ryanlio]

Quick thought.

idea of using normal tap water as topup..

heard that the only worry is that water contains PO4.

the effects of P04 is algae growth (or you can see algae as a natural PO4 eliminators).. then clean up crew will makan the algae...

So effectively i can DO use normal tap to topup. since i need something to feed the clean up crew anyways.

Any comments?

[ReDDeviLs]

there will be some stubbon green algaes that the crew cant do much on it.

[ryanlio]

So once the PO4 gets depleted, i would think the algae will die off slowly?

[ReDDeviLs]

but the problem is when u top up there will be po4

[Gouldian]

Complete the hoist for the hood.. its doesn't quite blend in to my home's deco.. hey, but it works..

Cool!

[ryanlio]

was testing the PO4 level of my tap.. non detectable via Salifert test kit... is this common? cos my previous dwelling did register some PO4 in tap..

[colinsoon]

i tested my tapwater at home using salifert also. not detectable. so i presume certain areas in sg has better water then others.

my water topup is all from the tap. straight from the tap. even if u do introduce any PO4, its gonna be rather insignificant for a 300L tank, especially if u tested it as negligible.

the PO4 from e tap water thing is too over-rated IMO. its not like there is a sizeable chunk of solid PO4 in every 500ml that you top up with.

[ryanlio]

Thanks Colinsoon... thanks for sharing the info...

i kinda liked those green algae actually.. as long as it doesn't spread to my corals, I'm ok.. Serves as a natural PO4 remover.. hahah :>

[ryanlio]

the green algae

[ryanlio]

My Nerite Snail hanging on to its dear life on the Cerith... Talk about piggy-bagging..