Equipment

How to Test for Stray Electricity

melev — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 18:47:28 +0000

How to Test for Stray Electricity

Feeling a jolt? Investigate it now

melev Sat, 07/13/2024 - 21:47

Stray electricity in the aquarium is unsafe for you as well as your livestock. Usually the only time it is noticed is when a person reaches in the tank with a nick on their finger, quickly feeling a tingle or even a jolt. After that unpleasantness has passed, it's time to determine what is causing it.

There are worse scenarios, such as that acrid smell, sparks, or even fire. Let's assume that is not the case, because if it is you should be calling 911 rather than perusing my website.

First of all, you will need a voltage meter. I prefer a digital meter over analog, because you can read the results precisely instead of watching a fluctuating needle. Such meters are available at your hardware store, Radio Shack or Harbor Freight. Wearing rubber-soled shoes during this test is important too, especially if the floor is damp or wet. Concrete floors, tile, wood, or carpeting all have the ability to conduct some electricity, and your safety comes first.
If your aquarium and/or your sump have grounding probes installed, you need to remove these prior to the test. The purpose of a grounding probe is to divert stray electricity from an object to the ground wiring of your place of residence. Once the probe has been removed, any electricity in the water will show up as a measurement on the meter.

Two different grounding probes are connected both in the outlet as well as the center screw. These were removed for testing.

This digital voltage meter from Harbor Freight was less than $7 (on sale).

Turn the meter on, and adjust the device to measure 200v AC power. One probe is inserted into the ground hole of a nearby outlet, the other into the water. The reading you want to see is 0. Do this test in the sump as well as the aquarium. Remember that water conducts electricity, so a leaking pump in the display tank will affect the water in the sump because the water in circulation between the two is still in movement. Common sources of electricity are going to be powerheads, heaters, and lighting. If any of these are failing or aren't grounded properly, they need to be repaired or replaced.

Black probe is inserted into the ground hole.

Red probe is placed in water.

If you don't have an outlet close enough to do this test, run an extension cord to where you are working. The cord should have a grounded prong though; an older cord lacking this prong won't work. Also if you are using a pump that has that prong broken off, either accidentally or intentionally, that needs to be resolved. Years ago, people would remove this prong out of annoyance because the nearby outlet didn't have room for three prongs for whatever reason. This type of risky behavior is just begging for disaster.

In speaking to one hobbyist, he told me that water had seeped under the floorboards of his home and into the house wiring beneath. He could feel the shock when simply feeding his tank, to the point that he would stand at a distance to toss the food in. Crazy, but true. Eventually he found out what was happening and had it repaired. In my own tank, I had a number of items leaking power to the combined amount of 48v. One was a still functioning powerhead in my refugium that was over 10 years old. Removing that pump dropped the reading on the meter to 16v. One by one these were all removed or replaced until the system was measuring 0 again.

To determine what item or items are leaking power into the water, turn off every single item. That may require unplugging every cord. With the meter at the ready, plug in one item, and test with the voltage meter as directed above. If the number stays at zero, plug in the next item and retest. When the numbers suddenly jump, that's the culprit. You may discover that a number of items are individually releasing a little power into the system, but as a group it adds up. A few small powerheads leaking a little bit of power isn't a disaster yet, but should be replaced as soon as possible.

In being reasonable, isolate the items causing the problem and determine what can be fixed immediately and what may need to be fixed in a day or two. If the return pump is the cause and yet you can't get a new one until Monday morning, so be it. If it is a cracked or broken heater, it probably should be removed immediately because the metals within can do even more damage if left as is. If the reflector is the cause, screw a (green) ground wire to it and run this to the ballast's grounding screw. As soon as you know what the problem is, you can determine what priority you need to apply to the situation, but it should your top priority. The risk of you or your family getting zapped is important, but your livestock (such as Tangs that will exhibit HLLE symptoms) and corals will decline the longer it goes on. Electricity and saltwater can even arc to the point that a fire may break out causing massive losses to your home and finances. Don't delay!

Grounding probes should be reinstalled once everything has been tested, as they protect you from being shocked. Think of them as a fail-safe backup, not the cure to this problem. Any 6-way power strips that have begun to age or display signs of salt creep need to be replaced before an issue develops. These power strips are relatively cheap, but they do not last forever in salty, humid environments. Check them closely to see any signs of discoloration, cracking, or melting. If you have any doubt at all about it, replace it with a new one.

Lastly, if you have stubborn plugs that are hard to insert or extract from outlets, this product is a wonderful solution that is safe to use. Spray it on the prongs, wipe them off of any excess liquid, and plug it in a few times to lubricate and protect the outlets internal clips. This product is sold in the electrical department at Home Depot.

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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.

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"Favorite" mode on the Sky fixture

melev — Wed, 19 May 2021 21:12:39 +0000

"Favorite" mode on the Sky fixture

I have a few handy profiles to select from when I quickly want a certain look.

melev Thu, 05/20/2021 - 00:12

My 400g has been converted from Metal Halide lighting to all LED lighting. I installed three SKY fixtures over my reef three weeks ago. Today's blog is about quick photography of the reef without having to use a orange gel filter.

By switching my reef to Favorite, I have the four channels set to these percentages:

The tank looks like daylight in this configuration, heavily leaning into the yellows. However, I still have my XHOs turned on as well, that add a crisp blue into the mix. This combination is what you see in the image at the top of this blog. The reef looks like this:

This picture was taken with an iPhone 12, and I didn't use a filter of any kind.

When I switched the Skys back to their normally scheduled programming, this is what the reef looks like with the same iPhone camera:

Could I have just put the Polyp Labs Coral View lens on my phone to take the picture? Yup! But I wanted to use the feature that I'd programmed, and it took a couple of seconds to set the tank to the ideal look. Could I have dialed in the blues better in the Sky to not need the XHOs? Probably. But I own both, so this is simply an example of what I did today to share with you.

I'll post a few top down images of the reef in my next blog. Happy reefing!

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Sequence Dart: Replacing the Seals

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 04:02:16 +0000

Sequence Dart: Replacing the Seals melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 07:02

Much to my displeasure, my Sequence Dart started gushing water out of the area where the pump's drive shaft was located. After contacting Sequence Dart for assistance, they quickly shipped out replacement seals free of charge.http://www.reeflopumps.com/

Installing them wasn't as easy as I'd hoped, and thus I decided I might as well document the process for others that wish they had some pictures to go along with the instruction sheet provided.

The new seals arrived, bagged and stapled to the instruction sheet.

I read them over carefully before I began to gather up the tools I'd need.

Two flat-tipped screwdrivers, a 3/8" wrench and needlenose pliers were needed.

The pump was moved to my workspace, and I proceeded to remove the six nuts that hold the impellar housing together.

Using the 3/8" wrench, I carefully removed each one as well as the matching bolt. Once done, the cover came off.

Next the instructions state to insert a screwdriver in the end of the pump so as to be able to unscrew the impellar by hand.

Once it was removed, I was now ready to remove the ceramic bearing and rubber plug.

Please note that you should not lose the metal washer (dead center in the image above). Using the screwdriver, I was able to pry up the white bearing and the rubber around it.

In this picture, you can see how I damaged the center, and now the metal washer is clearly visible (to the left). When I first tried to extract the bearing, inadvertentely a small piece of gray plastic snapped off. Be careful.

Next I had to remove the back plate of the impellar housing from the pump. Four screws hold it in place, and they are almost impossible to get to. Using needlenose pliers, carefully grip them and loosen them a bit at a time. It makes you wonder what tool or machine they use to tightened them in the first place.

At first I thought you had to completely unscrew these four screws, but I discovered there are keyholes on the back of that plate, which makes this task a little easier.

Once I figured out the keyholes existed, I was relieved that I didn't have to work those screws out completely after all.

If you loosen all four screws a little, that should be enough to twist the black section slightly to remove it from the pump, as seen above.

In this picture, you can see how the screws are still in the pump's body, and the section we just removed is freestanding.

The next step is to remove the old seal in the back plate, and to do so you need to support the plastic section but leave clearance under the seal so as to be able to tap it out.

The back plate is facing down, keyholes visible.

A 13/16" socket fit perfectly. It was placed on the surface of the seal, and I tapped once or twice to make it pop out between the two boards..

After that was done, I flipped over the black plate so as to be able to insert the new seal, o-ring side up.

This time I used a 1" socket to drive the seal down into the plate, making sure it was flush. One or two taps with the hammer should suffice.

The aluminum section is now fully seated in the backing plate, and the spring & seal are undamaged in the process.

Reassemble the pump

Aligning the four screws in the keyhole slots, I made sure the body of the pump was oriented correctly with the plate to make sure it stands properly on its feet before proceeding.

The four screws were carefully tightened with the needlenose pliers. Odds are a 6 mm wrench would do the job, but I didn't have one handy.

To screw the impellar back on, place the screwdriver back in the end section, then handtighten the impellar on the shaft.

It screws on clockwise.

Once done, it should look like this, and spin freely.

Frankly, it is amazing to me that this works. The white bearing spins against that spring-loaded opposing bearing, and water stays in the pump in the process. As you spin it by hand, you'll see the spring & bearing moving a fraction to and fro, always maintaining contact.

The O-ring should be checked for damage and lubricated with a silicone lubricant. I had some from years ago that was still good.

Once that has been applied and the O-ring is in place, the impellar cover can be realigned to the back plate.

Hand tighten all the nuts, then using the 3/8" wrench, tighten them down in a criss-cross pattern. In doing so, the coverplate will be secured properly and evenly. Everything should look uniform, with the coverplate sitting evenly in the base and the screws should should all have the same amount of threads visible.

Make sure all six screws are equally tightened, but not so hard that something breaks. You don't need gorilla strength to tighten these down.

And that should be it.

The final test would be to plumb it and test run it with water. If everything was assembled correctly, the pump should be as good as new.

Additional Reading:

How to replace bearings and seals - http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/338-Dart-pump-wailing-replacing-seals-and-bearings

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PAR - Measuring Lighting Intensity with a Meter

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:57:08 +0000

PAR - Measuring Lighting Intensity with a Meter melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:57

After years of running Metal Halide (MH) lighting over my tanks, I really wanted to take some measurements to find out what type of intensity (PAR) the bulbs would give off. Dr. Sanjay Joshi recommends better reflectors, stating that they will increase lighting output by 300% compared to the standard 'spider' reflectors I've been using.

3/21/08: A friend of mine let me borrow his PAR meter. It is battery-operated, and calibrated at the factory. I fabricated an acrylic handle to keep the sensor level at a fixed height within the tank as I tested various locations.

Phase One

The handle allowed me to get these readings without creating shadows.

The sensor had a small screw in its base which I used to secure it to the acrylic handle.

The meter's numbers would dance around quickly as the surface of the water constantly changed the way the light hit the sensor with all of the pumps on. Each location was observed for about 20 seconds and the best average number was recorded.

Using blue tape, I marked the distance on the handle to keep the sensor at the same height as it was moved horizontally through the tank.

The first set of readings were taken with the lights just as they are - slightly spotted with salt spray, the reflectors less than clean.

It is interesting to see just how weak the right side of the tank reads. That bulb is powered by an unknown magnetic ballast received in trade, years ago. The PAR is half that of its counter part on the left side of the tank, which uses an IceCap Electronic Ballast. Both ballasts are 250w ballasts, and both use the same ReefLux bulbs. The age of the bulbs is unknown, because as they break they are replaced and I don't have a handy log with those facts unfortunately. I do post when such things occur, but wading through my Reef Log or my 280g diary thread is more work than I'm willing to do. Sorry guys.

The water in the tank is quite clear - a water change was performed 6 days ago, and active carbon filtration is ~10 days old.

Phase Two

3/22/08: All three reflectors were removed from the light rack. I cleaned them with vinegar, and polished them with a reptile glass tank cleaner and paper towel. The cleaner is neat because it gets the glass clean and makes it feel very smooth, so I figured it might be good to use on the reflectors. And no, once the lights were on, it didn't smoke. ;)

Considering the fact that these reflectors are nearly 4 years old, they clean up pretty nicely.

All three bulbs were replaced with brand new bulbs. Two 250w ReefLux 10,000K bulbs and a Radium 20,000K bulb. The lighting rack was reassembled with the clean reflectors.

Here are the ballasts I'm using for my lighting. Remember you are looking at it from the reverse side, if you are comparing ballasts to PAR readings. Each picture is labeled with the type of ballast over the column of numbers beneath it. The VHO ballast (IceCap 430) was not included specifically in the PAR meassurements, but was providing actinic lighting to the tank during each test.

Measurements were taken once again with the clean reflectors and brand new bulbs. The bulbs burned for about 30 minutes before the PAR readings were taken. You will notice the numbers rose compared to the old bubls, which is to be expected. I do not know if the PAR values would change after the initial 100 hour burn in period. These are brand new, out of the box.

Specific readings taken in tank:

12" from the surface of the water, 4" from the front glass, centered under each bulb respectively - 210 | 225 | 121
Clam's mantle - 208
Bubble Tip Anemone's oral disc - 196
Zoanthids on substrate beneath left VorTech - 75

Measuring the PAR values under the Radium bulb, here are the high and low values, before a median number was determined:
1" beneath surface - 749 to 646
6" beneath surface - 463 to 344
12" beneath surface - 349 to 283

I next took out the 250w 10,000K bulbs and replaced them with brand new ReefLux 250w 12,000K bulbs, and took new readings. As expected, the PAR declined slightly.

While I was at the glass shop on Friday, I brought home a piece of 1/4" glass that is 20" x 20". This was placed on top of some acrylic strips spanning the tank, putting the glass squarely beneath each bulb. PAR readings were taken to see how much light the glass filtered out. Because the glass was essentially in my way, I used the acrylic holder to hold the probe 12" directly beneath the bulb, and took only one reading. There was very little drop off in PAR.

I repeated the test, this time using a 1/4" thick piece of clear acrylic (AcryLite FF). Again, not having room to move the sensor, measurements were taken at 12" and recorded.

PAR values change dramatically due to the flow in the tank. As ripples occurred, the numbers changed rapidly making it hard to get a specific number. Holding the probe 6" beneath the water 4" from the front glass of the tank under one 12,000K bulb (IceCap E-ballast), the PAR dropped to 334 and rose as high as 456 during a 30 second period. Measuring again under the other 12,000K bulb (Unknown Magnetic ballast), the numbers varied from 116 - 154 in the same time span.

One thing that is very apparent is that the unknown magnetic MH ballast is in need of replacement. However, looking at how beautifully the right side of my tank is doing, I'm unsure if I want to increase the PAR and risk cooking the huge Toadstool Leather. In an effort to acclimate my tank to the new Lumenbright reflectors, I'm probably going to install the used MH bulbs and later replace them with new bulbs. This should prevent the corals from being shocked by the huge increase in light.

I contacted a local glass shop to order 20" x 20" pieces of tempered Starfire glass to keep the bulbs and reflectors clean of any saltwater spatter. The plan is to install the glass about 1" below the reflector to allow heat to exit and still protect the light fixtures. I do expect a slight drop off in PAR, but not anything major based on what I saw today. The glass will cost about $55 per piece, and should be here by the end of the week.

I will probably replace the unknown magnetic MH ballast with another IceCap 250w e-ballast and take some measurements during Phase Three.

Phase Three

3/24/08: The lighting rack was taken down, and new Lumenbright reflectors were temporarily placed over the tank. Once they are secured, PAR readings will be taken.

3/25/08: The new Lumenbright reflectors were sold to a DFWMAS member. I ordered different ones (pictured below) that had the glass already included, which arrived a few days later. They will be mounted with the bulb 18" off the water, at a slight angle to shine down into the reef.

3/31/08: The replacement reflectors I ordered from ReefSpecialty.com arrived quickly, and it didn't take me long to install them. Each reflector has a painted outer shell that allows heat to exit via vents and also holds a piece of tempered glass to keep the inside reflector & mogul clean.

5/08/08: PAR tests were performed.

In this first test, I tested the PAR of the lighting "as is" using the bulbs that have been over my tank for the past month

The 250w Reeflux bulb on the left side of my tank was installed one month ago, brand new. It has been burning approximately 140 hours over that time period, as the tank was acclimated to the intensity (Week 1: 4 hours per day; Week 2: 4.5 hours per day; Week 3: 5 hours per day; Week 4: 6 hours per day)
The 400w Radium bulb is probably 3 months old.
The 240w Reeflux bulb on the right side of the tank is quite old and very yellow (probably 8 months used). I purposely did not change it until I could perform these tests to compare the differences in PAR between a new Reeflux and a used one.

The distance of the bulb to the surface of the water is 18". The glass shields on the reflectors was relatively clean with a few bits of spatter, but not enough to alter the results of this test. The pumps were running, and each time a spot was measured for about 20 seconds to find the average reading (between the highs and the lows that quickly flicked across the display).

The next test was change out that ugly yellow bulb on the right side of my tank. The new bulb was lit for 30 minutes prior to testing. The difference in PAR was substantial.

Also, note the numbers (rows 2 and 4) between the reflectors. I thought it was interesting how up high, the numbers were lower than what was measured 6" beneath the surface. The reason for this change must be caused by the light intersecting at that point as the light shines from both reflectors into one spot. Specifically, I'm referring to "482" and "472" - compared to the "442" and "440" that were measured above those points.

Once this was done, I took out the 10,000K bulbs and replaced them with 12,000K Reeflux bulbs and measured again. These are brand new bulbs, burned about one hour prior to this test.

Testing with zero flow

I know that some people also like to measure the PAR in a tank devoid of flow. To do that, I turned off the return pump as well as the VorTech pumps in my reef. By doing so, the distance between the water's surface and the bulb was increased to 19" since my tank drains 1" when the return pump is off.

Please keep in mind that the numbers are slightly different, not easily compared to the prior tests. The surface is 1" further away from the bulb, and the rest of the numbers were the result of having to penetrate 1" less water than standard conditions.

First the test with the "as is" bulbs.

Next, the right 250w bulb was replaced with a new one.

And then the 10,000K bulbs were removed and replaced with 12,000K bulbs.

After all this testing, one has to ask what the final conclusion is. Let's just compared two slides. The very first one from this page that had my old light rack and spider reflectors, and then the more recent slide showing the lighting I'm using now.

As you scroll back and forth looking at various points in the tank, you'll see overall there is an increase of light. Some may think that the numbers are somewhat misleading because I didn't use the same magnetic ballast on the right side of the tank, which is true. When I upgraded to the newer reflectors, I had to tidy up the fishroom and in the process I made that change. Be that as it may, the old lights were 9" off the water and the new bulbs are 18" off the water now. Far less heat is pouring into the tank during the photo period each day, which is a huge benefit to my reef. Additionally, my livestock has shown marked improved growth since changing to these reflectors, which are only lit six hours per day instead of my previous nine hour photo period.

I touched on this briefly before, but I'm going to reiterate this point: Due to the increased intensity created by these reflectors, it is critically important that you reduce the time the bulbs are lit -- especially on an established reef. When I installed these, I was warned to not run them more than 4 hours per day for a solid week. That seemed so short, so I staggered the lighting so I could enjoy my tank longer each day. The first bulb was on from 12-4pm, the second one from 2-6pm, and the third from 4pm to 8pm. The actinics ran from 12-9pm. This way no corals were overwhelmed with the increased PAR, and yet those same corals would get a little light from the neighboring light that was still on. No corals were burned nor bleached by the light, and everything adjusted beautifully to the new set up. It was a little bit annoying to see part of my reef dark during the day time.

A week later, I increased all the timers 30 minutes for another seven days. The following week, each bulb burned five hours a day, and the fourth week each bulb burns six hours per day. When I purchased these reflectors, I was told that I would start saving money because I wouldn't have to run the lights nearly as long as I used to, and it appears that this is true. With the increased growth from my corals, I don't see why I would need to run them any longer than six hours per day. I may change the way the lights are staggered in the future, but for now this is the photo period:

Lighting

10,000K ReefLux (right)	1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
20,000K Radium (center)	2:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
10,000K ReefLux (left)	3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
VHO lighting	11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

I really like all the space I have above my tank to work with no risk of being burned. Even moreso, I like the way my tank looks evenly lit with no shadows.

Not specific enough for you yet? How about this...

What I did was take a few measurements next to specific corals to get an idea of what kind of light they each received. As you look at the following pictures, the number nearest each coral is what it read on average. Beneath each image, I'll detail the item specifically.

230 - Blue tipped Staghorn from Aaron
400 - My pretty Tyree frag
270 - The "snowflake" A. granulosa
275 - The ORA Sunset Montipora

562 - Blue A. tortuosa from Michael
528 - Birdsnest from Mike
426 - Red tabling Acro from Robert
176 - Unknown acro from CRASE

172 - Unknown acro from CRASE
528 - Birdsnest from Mike
373 - Lavendar Frilly Mushrooms
285 - Bright orange Montipora
275 - ORA Sunset Montipora
245 - Blue T. maxima clam
182 - Bubble coral on substrate

249 - Purple A. millepora in rear of tank
299 - Montipora undata
341 - Blue A. tortuosa fraglet
316 - Superman Monti from Aaron
282 - BTA near clownfish
354 - Acropora plana
210 - BTA lower in tank near front / shaded

249 - Purple A. millepora
282 - Bubble Tip Anemone
315 - Acropora plana & Branching Hammer
210 - Bubble Tip Anemone

648 - Blue tipped Acro from Pete
426 - Toadstool Leather (core)
292 - Bubble Tip Anemone
246 - Zoas on substrate

While my son felt that all this testing was crazy since this is only a hobby, I found it very very interesting. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of what we are trying to accomplsh, and I hope you too will find it useful.

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Metal Halide Lighting - A brief overview

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:54:01 +0000

Metal Halide Lighting - A brief overview melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:54

Lighting consists of three parts: ballast, bulb, and reflector. The combination of these three makes the difference between good lighting and great lighting. The following information should give you a better grasp of the choices involved.

Some basics:
Electronic ballasts are smaller, run quietly, and reportedly save money in electricity usage (~10%).
Magnetic ballasts are larger, have an audible hum to them, and get pretty hot.

The ballast must match the bulb, no matter what. A 250w ballast is for a 250w bulb - always. You can not, nor should you, try to light a 175w bulb with a 250w ballast.

There are (or were) probe start and pulse start ballasts. Matching the bulb to the ballast can be tricky. For me, there is really only one choice: IceCap Electronic ballasts. They light virtually every bulb, and their warranty can't be beat. Now that IceCap is gone, a similar choice is the Coralvue e-ballast.

Placement:
MH bulbs should be 9" to 12" off the surface of the water with standard reflectors.
Each bulb covers a 2' x 2' area, unless you use the Luminarc reflectors mentioned below. They can spread light over a larger area.

Wiring:
Mogul sockets have two wires usually, which connect to the ballast. It doesn't matter how these are connected; either way will light the bulb. Adding a ground wire to the reflector and/or socket is a wise option, mainly for safety.

Bulbs:
SE (singled ended) mogul bulbs can be screwed in to ceramic mogul sockets.
DE (doubled ended) bulbs snap into ceramic or plastic retaining clips.

Note: DE bulbs always require a piece of tempered glass beneath the bulb to block UV from burning / bleaching corals. If you break or lose this glass, you must get another piece of tempered glass. Regular glass will shatter from the heat within minutes.

I've used both, but primarily like SE bulbs because of the greater options (brand & color spectrum) and their lower price. DE bulbs are more frail, and can be damaged during installation.

Wattage:
SE bulbs: 175w, 250w, 400w, 1000w
DE bulbs: 70w, 150w, 250w, 400w

Bulb Kelvin Rating:
Bulbs come in various 'colors'.
6,500K is yellow, and unpopular. People used them to get fast growth out of their corals.
10,000K is a popular color with good penetration (or PAR)
12,000K is another popular choice, with some blue
14,000K leans into blue.
15,000K is more blue.
20,000K is very blue.

PAR is a way to measure intensity; how much light will punch through the water. 10,000K bulbs have much more PAR than 20,000K bulbs.

People that use 10,000K bulbs tend to use Actinic VHO lighting to supplement the blue and get a nice overall look.

I've used several brands of bulbs over the years. I really like XM bulbs and ReefLux bulbs. Ushio is another good brand at a higher price.

Bulb Installation: Always wear gloves or maybe slide a sock over your hand to keep your skin's oils of the bulbs as you screw them in or snap them into place. This is very important.

Reflectors:
Spider reflectors are inexpensive and popular. It is what I used originally, and cost ~$35 per reflector & socket.
Luminarc III reflectors reportedly are 300% better at spreading light, so you get more light for your money. These reflectors are huge (16" x 16" x 8"), and cost ~$125 each.

This is a picture of how my lights were set up for three years. The light rack rolled back and forth for better access in the tank.

Later I upgraded to Lumenbright reflectors that provided more than 300% more light, which I proved to myself by measuring PAR levels. Not only were they brighter, I was able to raise them up much higher off the water. That added clearance made working in the tank pleasurable. I've used Lumenbright reflectors ever since. With these, the MH bulb should be 16" to 18" off the water's surface.

Hope that helps!

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Ecotech Marine's Vortech Mp40w pumps

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:50:51 +0000

Ecotech Marine's Vortech Mp40w pumps melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:50

To create flow in your tank with minimal visual distraction, the VorTech pump is a very nice option. The pump has a wet side that fits inside the tank and a dry side that aligns on the outside, and using magnets it drives the impeller right through the wall of the tank. I've been using the VorTech since January 2006, and liked it enough to get two more to replace my other pumps. I'm a huge fan of these pumps, and here's why:

The perk about this pump is its easy placement wherever you want it, but you'll have to use both hands to move both halves at once. There is no need to drill the tank for these pumps because they work on the front, sides, back or even possibly from underneath the tank (in a barebottom system). Adjust the flow from 500gph to 3000gph to match your system's needs. I've been running VorTech pumps on my reef tank for almost two years, and love how they take up very little space visually and physically, plus they use low voltage to create tons of flow. The wetside's intake grate has a solid section that can be oriented toward the sand if it is used near the substrate or toward the surface if used up high. This should decrease the likelyhood of sucking sand or air into the impellar section. The slots in the grated area are wide enough so that food doesn't get trapped against them nor can nuisance algae clog them up.

Due to their design, there are no powercords in the water, they don't add heat to the tank since the motor is external, and they have a very small footprint visually as they are about the size of a hockey puck (3" wide x 2.25" thick). The motor is the same size, hanging on the outside of the tank with the cord pointing upward. It comes with fasteners to secure the cord to the top rim of the tank, which is very important. If for some reason the two parts separate, you don't want it to do damage as it falls (and prevent damage to the pump as well!). When viewing the tank, it really isn't much of a distraction (eye sore); guests often ask about them. The flow is wide compared to most powerheads, and because it draws water into its sides there is a significant undertow that is easy to note during feedings or by observing how the sandbed shifts after a day or two.

Using the speed control on the driver, you can set the amount of flow that works best for your corals. Due to this ability, this pump can be used on a smaller tank and later moved to larger one when you upgrade systems. The only limitation appears to be that the tank walls cannot be more than 3/4" thick. At one MACNA, I've seen it used on a 29g with seahorses (a protective foam sleeve was on the wet side), and the flow was gentle yet discernable. For my reef, I have all three of mine running at about two-thirds their rated speed, or roughly 2000gph each.

Since the release of the Wireless Wave Drivers, it is now possible to have the pumps communicate with each other in several ways. Some have chosen to create a wave in their tanks, while others opt for a different flow. The WWD has four programmed settings: Constant, Pulse, Lagoon, or Reefcrest mode. In addition, you can set up each driver to be a master or a slave pump. The master can communicated wirelessly (as long as they are in line of sight) to multiple slave pumps. The slave pump can be set to Sync mode (so it copies the master) or Anti-sync mode (so it does the opposite of the master). On my tank, I've chosen to set all my pumps to master; two of them in Reefcrest mode and one in Lagoon mode. The pump's driver has been pre-programmed to ramp up or down (strongly in Reefcrest; gradually in Lagoon), and with all three in master mode, I feel like I'm getting the best random flow since each pump could be at any particular spike in their cycle around the clock. Here is an 8.5 meg video with the return pump off. Here is a 17 meg video with all the pumps on. (Right Click and Save As to your harddrive please.)

In addition, one of my pumps is hooked up to the IceCap Battery Backup. If there is a power outage, the battery will keep the pump running for 24 hours at 50% flow. I could hook up a second pump to the battery, but for half the time. The battery backup is different from a UPS because this battery hooks up directly to the pump's driver and provides the low voltage necessary to keep the pump on. A UPS uses its batteries to convert power back to AC, which would then send power to the VorTech's power supply which would convert it back to low (DC) voltage. Due to all the converting, a UPS is not an economical nor wise solution because it doesn't have nearly the run time that the Icecap BB does. For me, the importance of maintaining flow in my tank during a power outage made the choice of buying these pumps a simple one. Circulation is maintained until I can get back home to turn on the generator, and my reef remains safe.

Cleaning the wetside is easy. Take it out of the tank, and soak it in a container of vinegar and water. Place the wetside on the countertop rubber side down, and twist slightly to unlock the strainer basket. Clean everything with a toothbrush under running water, reassemble and reinstall. The motor never has to leave the tank and there is no risk of getting it wet. Align the two halves and turn it back on.

The pumps run quietly for me. Running them at their maximum flow, there is an audible sound to the motors, but for in-wall applications it won't be distracting. Those running the pumps in Pulse mode have noted that it makes more noise, but that is a trade-off for making waves in your tank. The magnet has a plastic coating since it is built into the wet side, and may need to be replaced annually ($15). The pumps come with a one year warranty and EcoTech Marine has been quick to resolve any issues I've had. These pumps (MP40-W) are an investment as they cost ~$420 each, but for what they do for my tank and my peace of mind, they are worth every penny. I'm very glad EcoTech Marine created these pumps!

Oct 31, 2007: Picture of my tank with three Vortech pumps (one on the right is obscured):

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How to Prime a HOB overflow

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:46:28 +0000

How to Prime a HOB overflow melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:46

A HOB (Hang On Back) overflow or weir is a device used to drain water from the aquarium safely into a sump.

You need to prepare yourself, as this is about 30 seconds of your life that will get your heart beating faster than you'd expect.

Get a piece of flexible airline tubing, about 30" long.
Get a large cup filled with RO or tank water.
Get a second person to be in charge of turning the pump off if needed.

Thread the piece of tubing into your overflow box so that the end is at the top (apex) of your U-tube (or U chamber if you have a wier). The other end goes in your mouth.

Have your assistant turn on the return pump. Water from your sump will pour into your tank and the water level will rise. Do NOT panic, you have about 30 seconds to do the following, which is plenty of time.

Take your cup of water, and pour it in the OUTER section of your overflow box. Without delay, suck out the air out of the U-tube until it is full of water. Bite down or pinch the tubing firmly, so that no air can go back into the U-tube.

Holding the U-tube in place with one hand, completely pull out the flexible tubing gently.

Any trapped air in the U-tube should be washed through by the flow of water.

If for some reason you aren't able to get this worked out the first time, tell your assistant to turn off the pump, and water will drain down via the return plumbing. Once things level out, try again as explained above.

If you have two or more U-tubes, just suck the air out of each tube, one by one systematically.

When you are done and all is working, turn off the pump. Carefully inspect the overflow box to make sure the siphon has not broken and that the U-tube(s) is(are) still full of water. If the siphon is not broken, all is set up correctly. Restart your system and the overflow box will continue as before.

If it worked correctly, you can be assured that all will be fine in the event of a power failure and subsequent return of power to your system - even when you are away.

To set the correct water level in your sump, please refer to my What Is A Sump to prevent your system from ever overflowing.

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Installing the Aquahub ATO kit

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:43:35 +0000

Installing the Aquahub ATO kit melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:43

With the new set up, I've tried to avoid holding anything back and went "all in" so to speak. So I got busy one night, wiring up this ultra safe system by Aquahub. The way it works: You have two float switches wired in series, which are powered with a 12v DC power supply. When the switches are down, a relay opens the flow to a 110v power cord to supply power a pump that can push top off water from a reservoir into the sump. As the water level rises, the float rises and cuts power to the relay, which stops power to the 110v cord shutting off the feed pump. If one float fails, the second one is a back up to make sure power is cut to the feed pump.

Installing the floats was easy. My sump had two float switch brackets glued in and pre-drilled. Threading the cord up through the hole, I placed the switch in position, and screwed the nut in place to keep it secure. Then I screwed the plastic round tube to the top, filled it up with silicone and pressed 1/2 tubing down over the plastic piece. This creates a dry zone even if the water level rises in the sump. For safety, I went ahead and filled the tops with silicone as well.

Using the instructions on the website, I followed the images and directions to wire the switches first, and test it. Then the 8' extension cord was wired in and the system was tested again.

The tools were simple - most people have these on hand.

The one thing I did differently was to use these little low voltage connectors.

After I knew everything was working, I modded the enclosure box to permit the cord to come out each end.

This is what you end up with, although cord lengths may vary based on need. The black transformer powers the relay, and the plug on the left feeds power to the outlets on the right. The black 'project' box keeps the relay assembly clean and dry.

I'm using an Aqualifter to move water from the reservoir to the sump. It needs a mere 3w, but with this kit you could use a larger pump without concern. Don't use a pump rated greater than the extension cord can handle; usually for top off we don't need a fast pump but rather just enough to get the job done quietly.

Using zip ties, I affixed the box to the center beam of my stand.

I had some cable management tubing to keep the wires tidy. Note how I keep the outlet tied up where it can stay dry.

The same tubing gathered up the fine wires from the two floats.

The two cords run to the DJ switches at the end of the tank. I can flip off either switch to turn off the ATO system whenever needed, like during a water change.

When the water is being topped off, this tall tube keeps the water from splashing and prevents siphoning out too much water if the reservoir is full.

It's working perfectly, and I'm very happy about that. Top off is pretty important, and not having to lug water to the fishroom any longer is wonderful. Having a safe top off system installed to replace evaporation is key to making this hobby more enjoyable.

The vertical tube (pictured above) is on an acrylic riser plate I made.

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How to set up a Calcium Reactor

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 03:34:55 +0000

How to set up a Calcium Reactor melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 06:34

A calcium reactor is a piece of equipment that helps maintain alkalinity and calcium in a reef tank. For years, I didn't buy one mainly because they are expensive, and dosed my tank with B-Ionic daily. That worked fine for a 29 gallon and a 55 gallon reef, but if your tank is larger than those, you may decide that a calcium reactor is the better choice long term.

Many companies build reactors, some better than others. When I bought my 280 gallon system, it came with a Lifereef Calcium Reactor. Prior to that purchase, I was planning to build my own, using a DIY design. I'd acquired all the goodies, but was worried about making a good venturi that would work as expected. My procrastinating paid off, because I ended up with a very nice unit that I've been using since 2004.

Let me explain what you see above. The tall object on the left is the Calcium Reactor. The silver aluminum cylinder on the right is the CO2 tank, using the same CO2 gas used for carbonated drinks. CO2 can be purchased at liquor stores and welding suppliers. The thing screwed onto the CO2 tank is called a regulator. This regulator has two gauges on it: one to measure how much CO2 gas is in the tank, and the other is how much pressure is going to the calcium reactor.

At the base of the regulator, you can see a black cord. This is a safety device called a solenoid. If a power outage occurs, it closes the valve and stops any more CO2 from being added to the system and your reef. Definitely something every reactor should have, especially when used with a pH controller (more about that in a few minutes).

Some regulators come with a bubble counter. In the picture above, you can see some airline tubing below the black cord on the regulator that is leading up to the built-in bubble counter on the reactor itself.

At the base of the Calcium Reactor, a Mag 7 is plumbed in. Its job is to create circulation through the reactor all the time. Lifereef provides these pumps with a two year warranty, because they are glued shut and can not be taken apart for periodic cleanings. Inside the reactor is a sponge at the bottom of the media chamber, and a full container's worth of ARM (Aragonite Reactor Media) by CaribSea.

Not included in the picture is a Maxijet pump. That pump is placed in the sump, and pushes water through some tubing into the reactor, and the effluent comes out of a fitting at the top of the reactor. Effluent is the water coming out of a Calcium Reactor.

So how does it work?

Once the reactor is full of tank water, the Mag 7 is plugged in and will remain on 24 hours a day. It circulates the water through the media from the bottom to the top all the time. The CO2 tank has a needle valve that is opened up to allow a very small amount of gas to be added to the reactor. As more and more CO2 accumulates within the reactor, the aragonite (calcium-based media) dissolves very slowly into liquid calcium. The Maxijet introduces new water into the reactor from the sump, which forces some effluent out the top - this is dripped back into the sump full of alkalinity and calcium.

Where does it go?

The calcium and alkalinity is constantly being taken up by corals, fish and invertebrates, as well as coralline algae. By adding it to the tank around the clock, stability is attained and overall growth is improved.

I chose to place my reactor in the sump, so if it ever leaked the water would stay in the system. I made a stand for it so that it would keep the pump out of the water to avoid adding heat to the tank during the summer months. In the winter, I can submerge the pump and let the heat of the pump aid in keeping the tank temperature up instead of paying for heaters to do that job. In the picture below, you can see the Maxijet pump on the floor of the sump, which feeds water into the reactor at the bottom left. The extra wires and tubing you see is just there to add to your confusion. ;) The CO2 tank is on the floor next to the sump.

In the background, you can see a red cup filled with water. That is my old effluent cup. It worked in conjunction with a pH Controller, which would control how much CO2 is added to the reactor. The effluent's pH is measured with a pH probe. Later, I replaced that red cup with this.

The effluent is pouring (not dripping) out of the tubing into the acrylic container, where the pH probe can measure it at all times. The effluent then pours out a small hole in the front and trickles into the sump below. You can see the Milwaukee pH Controller in this picture below. It is the bright green device.

For my system, dripping the effluent wasn't effective. I prefer to allow it to flow at a solid trickle (roughly 100 - 120 ml per minute). With the effluent flowing steadily, the pH probe can get an accurate measurement vs. what would occur within the reactor while effluent is dripping out of the tubing at a much slower rate.

Some Calcium Reactors have a probe holder built in, so the probe is inside the reactor getting a measurement. Since mine doesn't come that way, I made the effluent box to do the job this way.

The benefit of using a pH controller is that you can set it and forget it. Instead of constanly tinkering with your Calcium Reactor, let the controller do that job for you. Minor adjustments will need to be made, but it will allow you to enjoy the hobby instead of stressing over how to get your reactor to work correctly.

Regulators

There are a number of regulators on the market. I've been using Milwaukee regulators for years. Unfortunately, I see a number of posts about this regulator that I have to wonder if they are as good as promised. My regulator's bubble counter is set to release one bubble per second, but I've had it up as high as 3 bubbles per second to match my tank's demands. Here is a brief video (EDIT: sorry, had to point you to a different clip since the original is gone. Each red blink of the light is a bubble being released into the reactor) of the bubble counter in action. The thick liquid inside is from Marine Depot, and is called Bubble Counter Liquid 50ml. One bottle will fill up two bubble counters, and it doesn't evaporate. I filled mine up once and haven't needed to add another drop since.

After buying a new regulator almost annually, and eventually purchased a vastly better one from AquariumPlants.com due to their three year warranty. Here's my product review: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/181-AquariumPlants-CO2-Electronic-Regulator-Solenoid

Youtube video showing how the CO2 is dosed: http://youtu.be/-rO3s24nXjU

Getting Started...

Let's assume you have the Calcium Reactor, a full tank of CO2 gas, the media is in the reactor and you've filled it up with tank water. Purge the CO2 tank by briefly opening the valve to blast out any trapped dust, then attach the regulator to the CO2 tank. Use a wrench to make sure it is tightly sealed, so the gas isn't leaking out and wasted.

Turn on the circulation pump on the calcium reactor.
Turn on the feed pump to the calcium reactor.
Open the pinch (or needle) valve on the effluent tubing to allow water to flow out of the reactor freely and remove any trapped air.
Pour RO/DI, distilled water, or the oil mentioned above (NOT SALTWATER) into the bubble counter.
Open up the main valve on the CO2 tank. The gauge on the regulator should jump quickly to show how many pounds of pressure is in the tank.
Slowly twist shut the regulator's knob on the front (this could be a screw on yours). This will increase the pressure and the needle will rise in the second gauge. I would set this to 12 lbs of pressure.
Open the needle valve on the side of the regulator to allow a bubbles to rise in the bubble counter. To start off, one bubble every three seconds is recommended.
Close the pinch valve on the effluent tubing so that the output is roughly 40-60ml per minute.

That's it. Now you need to be patient, as any changes you make can take hours to affect the system. When I first started up my calcium reactor, I didn't even turn on the CO2 for two days. After I had a feel for how the reactor worked, only then did I open the valve and allow CO2 to enter the reactor one bubble at a time. Remember that CO2 lowers pH, which is why it is so important to limit how much is added to your reactor as well as your system.

Which is exactly why I use a pH Controller. With that, I can set the pH to 6.5 and it will measure the effluent at all times. Once the pH reaches 6.5, the controller simulates a power outage that the solenoid senses, and the solenoid then shuts the valve and prevents any more C02 from entering the reactor. The feed pump continues to push water from the sump (with a pH of 8.2) into the reactor, which causes the pH to rise slowly internally. When the pH reaches 6.9, the controller restores power, the solenoid senses power and CO2 resumes flowing bubble by bubble into the reactor. Gradually, the pH drops again until it reaches 6.5 at which point the C02 is shut off again for a duration.

This system has worked very well for me for the past 3 years. The Milwaukee SMS-122 costs less than $100 and is worth every penny.

Things to keep in mind

ARM dissolves at a pH of 6.5, while other products such as Schuran media needs to reach 6.2 before it will dissolve.
To increase alkalinity in the effluent, either slow the effluent rate even more, or increase bubbles per minute.
To decrease alkalinity in the effluent, allow more effluent to exit, or decrease bubbles per minute.
Any changes or adjustments you make should be tiny ones. Test your tank the next day to see how the parameters are currently. Try not to overreact. You can fine tune the system gradually over several days or even weeks.
It is very important to check the effluent tubing daily to make sure it is dripping or flowing at the normal rate. It can clog up, and if water cannot exit, the pH can potentially drop within the reactor to the point of causing all the media to melt down at once. Check the bubble counter as well.
Clean the pH probe if you use a controller, and calibrate it every six months.
Every six months, clean the reactor out well, clean the feed and circulation pumps and the tubing. Replace the media.
Have an extra tank of CO2 ready, so when you run out you'll be able to swap tanks out immediately. Refill the empty tank at your convenience.

With a properly set up Calcium Reactor, you should never (or rarely) need to dose extra Calcium or Alkalinity to your system, unless you are growing a fanstastic forest of corals. If that ever happens to me, I may have to update this last paragraph. :)

2011 and forward:

Two pictures from the current setup in my 400g. The reactor is located in the return section in the sump, and it is fed from a manifold valve. The manifold provides water to multiple pieces of gear from a single pump. I use a needle valve to control the flow of water going to the reactor, as it is the best way to set the precise rate coming out (the effluent).

Please read this excellent article as well.

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