Neptune Aquatics

Rygh's 250 gallon - Rev 3

Apex salinity probe went wonky again, at 2 AM.
Perhaps the probe is going bad. Or the Apex. It is a pretty old classic now.
Probe is clean as far as I can tell.
I don't think it is stray voltage, or it would be all over the place, all the time.

salt2.jpeg
 
rygh said:
Apex salinity probe went wonky again, at 2 AM.
Perhaps the probe is going bad. Or the Apex. It is a pretty old classic now.
Probe is clean as far as I can tell.
I don't think it is stray voltage, or it would be all over the place, all the time.

View attachment 10003
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Unless it's something that's turning off and on. Does the wonkiness parallel anything else like the heater going on/off?
 
RandyC said:
Unless it's something that's turning off and on. Does the wonkiness parallel anything else like the heater going on/off?
Click to expand...

Good question. I am really glad you asked.
I checked, and there was one thing, but an effect, not a cause.
(Nothing else)

The connection - my Auto-Water-Change stopped exactly at that point.
But it was because the salt was too high. I programmed AWC to stop if it was way off.
So I temporarily reprogrammed it.
 
What's a hybrid inverter?

Either way congrats, here with PG&E rates, even if you aren't in that 400% tier pay off of solar panels is WAY quicker than the rest of the country. Think it's like 24 cents per kWh in the 101-400% range... and it's only going to go up.
 
sfsuphysics said:
What's a hybrid inverter?
....
Click to expand...
Yeah, that can mean many things. :)

You can connect all your solar panels in a string to one big inverter.
You can connect micro-inverters to every solar panel.
Or a hybrid, where you have one big inverter, but each panel has a small DC-DC converters,
to optimize and balance the power of each panel.
Adds a bit of cost, but you can get up to 20% or so better efficiency.
 
Tank is coming along well. Still slowly bleaching/fixing/adding the old rock.
Might improve a structure in one corner as well.

And of course Diatoms and algae!
Even though it is a reboot, acting like any new tank. Normal.

IMG_3065.jpg
 
One issue, my blue chromis are definitely not happy with each other.
They were peaceful before. But now there is a lot of aggression between them.
Probably the lack of coral hiding places. Although there is a lot of rock.

I have 3, which yes, is a terrible number.
But they are old and big, and if I get more, there will be a huge difference in size.
 
Seagrass and Cherub Angelfish for refugium???

I have been thinking of what might be fun for the fuge.
The idea is to build an acrylic box, about 4" deep, fill with sand and mud.
Plant seagrass. Specifically Halodule, Shoal grass.
Then after it is established, get a small Cherub Angelfish.

In theory, those angelfish eat micro algae not sea grass.
That should keep the fuge nice an clean of nuisance algae.

And the combo should be rather fun, and possibly very low maintenance.
Small auto feeder, and occasionally trim the grass.
I have no real interest in seahorses.

A fair amount of nutrient export also, although not like a big algae scrubber.

Since it is in a box, it is removable if I change my mind. Plus keeps sand and mud away from pumps.

Thoughts???
 
A long time back had a similar idea, not as shallow mind you, with shoal grass, my problem was that cyano and other algae literally covered the leaves of the shoal grass and killed them off. Didn't realize the angelfish picked at the micro algae though.
 
sfsuphysics said:
A long time back had a similar idea, not as shallow mind you, with shoal grass, my problem was that cyano and other algae literally covered the leaves of the shoal grass and killed them off. Didn't realize the angelfish picked at the micro algae though.
Click to expand...

My Bicolor Angel definitely picks at algae on the rocks.
In fact, perhaps just moving that fish would be better. It can't be that different.
And it does tend to nip at corals on occasion....

The trick is to find a fish that eats Micro algae but not seaweed. Not so easy.
The cherub angelfish is "supposed" to. I heard it on the internet, so it must be true.
:)

No fish will touch Cyano of course.

I plan to have snails as well. And pretty strong random flow. (for a fuge)
That may knock algae and cyano off the leaves a bit.
 
Yup, strong flow is good, I seem to recall doing an tiny surge system for that... mind you sand got kicked all over the place, but just couldn't find that sweet spot where sea grass grew but other algae didn't. Would have loved to figure it out, as the shallow tides of sea grass actually look quite nice, IMO.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Yup, strong flow is good, I seem to recall doing an tiny surge system for that... mind you sand got kicked all over the place, but just couldn't find that sweet spot where sea grass grew but other algae didn't. Would have loved to figure it out, as the shallow tides of sea grass actually look quite nice, IMO.
Click to expand...

Well, it will be an experiment that may totally fail...

Also important is how healthy the seagrass is.
If seagrass can get nutrients from mud + detritus in the substrate, it can out compete micro-algae,
or at least handle being somewhat coated.
But if it is borderline dying, it gets coated and wiped out.

Another tidbit I get is that the substrate is key.
Not just mud and sand.
But the correct bacteria from where you get the seagrass.
I did find a place that sells both. - floridapets.com

Lots of local mud in the bay near me... Hmmm.
 
Any thoughts on using mud from the bay for a refugium substrate?

Paying $60 + shipping for a few pounds of dirt just seems so wrong....

And while there is some risk of pollution with local mud, it seems like less risk
of getting troublesome pests, because anything local is cold water based.
 
Why not just use some very fine sand?

That said I wouldn't use RO/DI'd water that came from a desalinization plant that pulled water from the bay.
 
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