My 1st FOWLR tank journal

[stevenkoh08]

the skimmer looks great but after a week later once you on the skimmer do look out for over flow as it will skim alot. just keep pour it away it'll slow down once the water start to clean

[stevenkoh08]

The return hose is a PVC flexible hose. Because i want to prevent using PVC elbow.

oh ok as long it strong enough to hold the pvc but you may also consider to buy cable tie to tighten it before too late

[reef999]

oh ok as long it strong enough to hold the pvc but you may also consider to buy cable tie to tighten it before too late

Noted~

[reef999]

Day 15 of cycling.

Update the water parameters today:

PH: 8.0+

KH: 7 dkh (checked on last week after dosed KH buffer around 9 dkh)

Ammonia: Almost 0 ppm

Nitrite: Almost 0 ppm

Nitrate: 20 ppm

sg: 1.019 (refractometer)

Is this reading normal for day 15 of cycling? Though ammonia and nitrite will stay longer? Or the ammonia spike is not high enough for ANN cycling as i only put in the market prawn 24 hrs during initially stage?

[Firestarter]

Hi, you have very good DIY skills.

Just some suggestions to improve your setup.

1. You can implement a drainage to your skimmer cup so you don't have to keep removing it for cleaning. Can see that the cup is almost hitting the base of the tank, might be hard to remove all the time.

2. The sump water stains will eventually come off after time if kept wet, you could remove it with some cleaning agent but I guess it too late for now.

3. Your T- return is pumping water back into the sump at the same time?

4. Maybe you can do something about the multiplug, it looks prone to water splash.

Keep up with your DIY! Cheers.

[reef999]

Hi, you have very good DIY skills.

Just some suggestions to improve your setup.

1. You can implement a drainage to your skimmer cup so you don't have to keep removing it for cleaning. Can see that the cup is almost hitting the base of the tank, might be hard to remove all the time.

2. The sump water stains will eventually come off after time if kept wet, you could remove it with some cleaning agent but I guess it too late for now.

3. Your T- return is pumping water back into the sump at the same time?

4. Maybe you can do something about the multiplug, it looks prone to water splash.

Keep up with your DIY! Cheers.

Thanks.

1. You can implement a drainage to your skimmer cup so you don't have to keep removing it for cleaning. Can see that the cup is almost hitting the base of the tank, might be hard to remove all the time.

I already connected the drainage pipe to the skimmer collection cup.

2. The sump water stains will eventually come off after time if kept wet, you could remove it with some cleaning agent but I guess it too late for now.

The sump stain mark is too stubborn to remove.

3. Your T- return is pumping water back into the sump at the same time?

The T-return is come with a valve which only use for standby if flowrate is too strong for the return pump. Currently the valve is totally closed at all time.

4. Maybe you can do something about the multiplug, it looks prone to water splash.

Will do something with the multiplug. Thanks for ur advise.

[reef999]

Today bought a 24W Actinic blue tube.

I am using 2ft light with 3 x 24W T5HO with 2 switches which previously use for planted.

I am wondering whether to use 2 white 1 blue, or 1 white 2 blue?

Any suggestion?

Some pictures taken with different light mode.

1 x 24W White

1 Blue + 1 White

1 x 24W Actinic blue

[stevenkoh08]

FOR ME I'M USING 2XBLUE AND ONE WHITE looks great but my is a 4ft tank think yours 1blue and one white is good enough and look more like a ocean blue

[reef999]

Day 24 of cycling.

Update the water parameters today:

PH: 8.3

KH: 7 dkh (Weekly dosage of 2.5 teaspoon of KH buffer still unable to bring the KH value maintain at 10dkh weekly. Any advise?)

Ammonia: 0 ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate: remained 20 ppm

sg: 1.019 (refractometer)

Ca: 320 mg/l

Also introduce a chiller which set to 28C, and a 9W UV.

Thinking of DIY a algae scrubber to reduce the nitrate. Is it a good approach?

[tiffanydunk]

juz get a handful of chaeto to deal with nitrates.

[albinosage]

Bravo on your DIY skills, you put MacGuyver to shame haha! This is truely impressive, your entire system is practically scratch built. I'll be watching this thread to see what else you are gonna wow us with

ps. Your cycling was faster than normal because of the live sand, the parameters are alright now.

[peacemaker]

How's the skimmate?

[Rex Ng]

lr whitish, needs lots of mag I guess.

[stevenkoh08]

wow looks great you might add in double the kh buffer but don't pour at one go slowly and test right after an hour and see does it improve for fowlr try to maintain at at least 8-10 and the cycling seem great

algae scrubber is good i'm using one also nitrate been maintain at 0 all this while so try and see

[reef999]

juz get a handful of chaeto to deal with nitrates.

Been thinking of that but there's no room in the sump for the chaeto...

So have to think out of the sump idea.

Bravo on your DIY skills, you put MacGuyver to shame haha! This is truely impressive, your entire system is practically scratch built. I'll be watching this thread to see what else you are gonna wow us with

ps. Your cycling was faster than normal because of the live sand, the parameters are alright now.

Thanks...I am in progress of DIYing a algae scrubber. But now scratching head to search for a location to place it. Will post some picture when done.

How's the skimmate?

The skimmate been reduce after 2 weeks of running of the skimmer.

lr whitish, needs lots of mag I guess.

Those rocks are dead rocks. I seen some purple patch start to grow on the surface.

"Mag" means magnesium? sorry i am newbie....

wow looks great you might add in double the kh buffer but don't pour at one go slowly and test right after an hour and see does it improve for fowlr try to maintain at at least 8-10 and the cycling seem great

algae scrubber is good i'm using one also nitrate been maintain at 0 all this while so try and see

Will try to dose more for the KH buffer to see the result. How often do you dose the KH buffer?

Looks like the algae scrubber work well for you! How often do you clean up the screen?

[reef999]

Some flea/bugs was observed today. Small little tiny white dot pest around the sump and main tank.

They should be harmful right?

Also some brownish algae on sandbed. What should i do?

[stevenkoh08]

Will try to dose more for the KH buffer to see the result. How often do you dose the KH buffer?

Looks like the algae scrubber work well for you! How often do you clean up the screen?

ONCE IT STABLE I ONLY DOSE ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS

algae scrubber i've to clean every 5 days cuase the glow was fast but the m aintian the nitrate at zero no matter how much i feed but only on my 3ft

as for my 4ft (with bio-home plus 2kg intent to add somemore) don't intent to do it cause i'll like to try two different system

and for my QT only with coral chip and bio-home plus also doing great

[stevenkoh08]

Some flea/bugs was observed today. Small little tiny white dot pest around the sump and main tank.

They should be harmful right?

Also some brownish algae on sandbed. What should i do?

don't worry it (flat worm or round worm) won't harm your fish one i've it too you may consider add in turbo snail or sea cucumber as for your brownish sand try increase the water flow it help for me

[Kalib]

The fleas/bugs that you observed are most probably pods, mostly harmless inverts that make good natural live food for your fish.

[reef999]

Today finished the algae scrubber. But somehow i under estimate the flow requirement hence the water flow not really flush down evenly on the screen.

Also if the out flow pipe not able to cope the volume, haiz....Consider a failure project. Here the picture.

Front view:

Side view:

Top view:

[reef999]

Added my 1st livestock in the tank on Sunday 28 Jun. The cleaner shrimp!!

But it keep hiding behind the rocks. But just now when i throw in few small pieces of Tetra bits which use to feed my fresh water tetra, the shrimp grab it greedily!!

Due to the algae scrubber project not successful, i bought a pack of chaeto today to put in the maintank with container temporary.

Thinking of convert the algae scrubber box to become a small overflow filter with chaeto and light. Is the flowrate need high or low? Any advise?

[reef999]

Recently seems the sandbed algae getting worse. Now even on the rocks with this kind of brownish algae.

What's wrong?

Anyway I'll try to get a diamond spotted goby to clearing the sandbed. Anyone know currently which LFS selling?

Meanwhile i also done another version of algae scrubber which hang on in sump type.

I m connecting the chiller outflow to the screen. Current configuration: pump-->Chiller-->UVC-->Algae scrubber.

Here's the picture.

The 1st day screen.

And my compact sump

[reef999]

Update livestock in tank.

Cleaner shrimp.

2 x clown

[yeowyin]

not a very effective system coz by the time the chilled water reach your tank it would have been heated up by he UV and the algae scrubber's light.......

[reef999]

not a very effective system coz by the time the chilled water reach your tank it would have been heated up by he UV and the algae scrubber's light.......

I think so, but i don't wish to increase anymore powerhead in the sump for the scrubber as it generate heat.

Currently with this configuration, chiller kick in roughly once per hour, each time run about 13~14 minutes.

Here's the screen after a week.