The McKay build thread.

[Steve McKay]

My lamps for my Tek light will be here tomorrow,I have decided to go with 4 Aquablue+ and 2 Actinic+ for now.The Tek light will be here Friday.Along with the lamps are mounting legs for my old pc lighting,which had been laying directly on the top of the tank.I will take off the glass canopy and use the pc lighting until I get a splash guard for the Tek.I'm going to add a little Purple Tech tonight to help get the Coralline algae growing on the new rock.I'll mention at this time that I clean my filter pad every two days to reduce the the production of nitrate,I should probably do it everyday I would like comments on this.It has been nine days since start up and no algae on the glass to speak of.I only have the single 96watt running in the front because the Prizm HOB sticks in to far to allow the glass canopy to lay flat.So right now it's laying on top of the skimmer inlet.A funny thing to mention after the Red Sea C-Skim 1200 incident,yet another design flaw in Red Sea products.When the mounting legs get here tomorrow and the glass comes off I'll be able to put more light into the aquarium.I also feed Reef Bugs every few days,Everything seems to like that including the fish.I haven't seen the goby take part in this though.It is nice to see him sifting sand now that I have sand,I 'm sure he enjoys that.I would like suggestions on how often I should feed Reef Bugs,I try to feed as little as I can to help keep nitrates down or would this have little affect.

[charlie]

Watch the Reef Bugs, If I am not mistaken, that stuff is pretty high nutrient, and your Prizm may not get all the bad stuff out.
Removing the glass top will be a good thing. It will promote air exchange besides letting more lite in.

[Steve McKay]

Thanks Charlie,just waiting for the mounting legs so I can get rid of the glass and put some light in.The Fighting conch is out of the sand and seems to be eating the algae or diatoms that have developed in two spots.A turbo has put a good dent in the other spot.I'll take a few more photos then I'll post some.

[Steve McKay]

Here's three of the tank and one of the cave that is on the right,under the purple rock.

[Steve McKay]

The Fighting conch is now exploring the tank,there were two spots on the sand that had a tan algae.He has finished one and is working on the second one,he did have some help from a turbo.Here are a few shots.

[Steve McKay]

He is earning his keep already,the mounting legs for the pc lighting arrived along with the lamps for the Tek T-5.I'll use the pc lighting until the Tek gets here Friday but I'll also wait until I have the splash guard for it.Then after that I'll use the pc lighting as backup.
Now I'll check and see if the lamps arrived in one piece and pull the glass canopy off,
mount the lights and see how it looks.

[Steve McKay]

The lights are mounted,but the lights are off now so photos tomorrow.The mounting legs fit securely,they slide on using a dovetail.They fit very tight,had a little trouble getting them on because of that but tighter is better.The only negative wasn't with the mounting legs but the fact that if I had two doubles,instead of a single and double they would not fit or rather they would hang over with a loss of light.But all in all not bad.The tank should run cooler now with the glass canopy off.Now with both lights on there is finally some decent light,might even have enough to grow algae.
I should mention the lamps were packed very well and were unharmed,they got through the monkeys at UPS.Good job Foster&Smith.

[Steve McKay]

I got lazy last night after I fed my Sun Coral and didn't clean the glass,But it's not that bad.Here's a few photos of the tank and rock with the pc lights finally mounted.

[Steve McKay]

I really like this little guy,he just eats and eats.He doesn't move like a snail,he hops I might call him Hoppity hop.Anyway a couple more of the Fighting conch.

[charlie]

Tank is looking really good Steve.

I wouldn't name him right away, I do that and they die the next day!!!

[Steve McKay]

Thanks,it's coming together.I said might,usually I don't name critters of the sea I just go with their real name.

[charlie]

Steve, I am gonna post a bunch of pics that are just for you in this thread either tonite or tomorrow early, OK?


Motivated or what--The rebuild of the 300

[Steve McKay]

Go for it,everybody is welcome to post.One can learn from criticism so I don't mind that either.

[Steve McKay]

I'll read that kick in the *** rebuild thread in a minute,I'm doing some water tests.

[charlie]

Check the link that I left Steve, that is my build thread, I think you missed that part.

[charlie]

Pics will be on the last page.

[Steve McKay]

I got it,will do.

[Steve McKay]

I just tested for nitrate,and I like the results.I did use a few gallons of my old water to setup this new 50,I tested the water right after start up and the nitrate was below 5 judging from the color chart but more importantly by the color of the test sample as it changed.The test kit is API and it is not a low range test kit,not only that the 5 and 10 are so close in color it is hard to distinguish them apart.It has been 11 days since start up,the nitrate showed 5 or 10 most likely around 5.What I did see was after shaking the sample for a minute was that the sample stayed nearly yellow for most of the 5 minute wait,something I have only seen once when I tested the water at start up.I do need to get a low range test kit,most likely a Salifert test kit I here there good.The DSB has not had time to start working so that also pleases me,once it does I'll be even more pleased.Ninong said it would take several weeks.I'm about to do my first water change sometime this weekend.After the water change I should be 5 or under,if it was my old 30 with crushed coral I would be fighting to stay under 15 may be 10 if I was lucky.

[Steve McKay]

The Tek 6x39 T-5 HO fixture came today along with mounting brackets I'm impressed with the looks and I like the individual reflectors,the one thing that hit me when I opened the box was that the width of the fixture.I knew the fixture was about 14",but didn't realize the width of the lights and reflectors were only about 11".If I would have know this I would have gone with 8 or 10 lamps,I'm only disappointed with myself.I could send them back but I don't think they make over a 6 lamp 36" fixture.I'm sure 6 lamps will get the job done but I envision myself trying to add either the single or double pc fixture to the equation.By the way my tank is 36"x18"x18".I won't setup the Tek until I need it,acquiring corals will be farther down the road.At this time I'm waiting to see new Coralline algae growth on the new rocks,I have already noticed what seems to be white calcium buildup on the new rocks that usually precedes new Coralline algae growth.The Blue Damsel has found a new food source and is eating the tan algae that has started to grow on the sand bed,the algae is probably there do to the tank being newly setup.But I would like any comments on this,I run my lights for 10 hours and have 288 watts.I have noticed the water evaporates a lot quicker now that the canopy is off.If it wasn't for the fact that I'm home all day I'd consider a top off system,and still may do so.For the exception of the algae everything seems to be going quite well.

[charlie]

Believe me, 6 lamps will be fine Steve!!!!!

The algae you are is probably diatoms and will cycle thru.