Project5k and the new 75Gal salt tank

[project5k]

yea, now that i'm hearing that, i am starting to remember something about these plastic things not "ageing" well, ok, that'll have to be one of the things that i pick up from the lfs next trip(possibly today) cause if thats off, it can throw everything off..

ok, just called the lfs, they have refractometers for $60, seems a little high, so time to look around, i know the drs have one for like $45....

 

[Bifferwine]

You can get one online for $40. Your salinity at 1.023 would not be harming your zoas at all. I can guarantee that's not the problem. I wouldn't be surprised if your refractometer is wrong though. Your salinity could be WAY off, but swing arm hydrometers are usually so inaccurate, you'd have no idea.

 

[project5k]

but i dont have a refractometer Biff... :(

so, i didnt have time last night, but i remembered this morning... so heres what i got...

1.023, 1.022, 1.026, yea, i'll go with 1.225 as my "average" cause that one is just too much of an outlier.

 

[ccCapt]

I got mine off Ebay years ago. As long as you get some calibration fluid, there is no need to buy an expensive unit.
Here's 1 for $20
Salinity Refractometer ATC for Aquarium Salt Water - eBay (item 180433419687 end time Nov-23-09 05:58:16 PST)

 

[d2mini]

Definitely get a real refractometer!
I've had mine for years.
It's from National Industrial Supply and they are a huge ebay seller of refractometers.
Looks just like the one in Capt's post.
Definitely worth the cost in the long run over those plastic pieces of garbage.

 

[project5k]

yea, i'm looking on ebay now...

BIFF!!!! so, what do you think might be causing my zoas decline?

Calibration fluid? wouldnt that be pure distilled or ro/di water?
cant really see needing something more than that....

 

[ccCapt]

Yes...calibration fliud, not RO/DI water. Refractometers are made for measuring SALTWATER (saline solutions), not seawater. There is a big difference. You can calibrate your refractometer with RO/DI so it shows 0, but then you will not get an accurate reading when you test your SEAWATER (aquarium water).
Calibration fluid will read 35ppt on the unit and that will accurately calibrate for SEAWATER.
Salinity Calibration Fluid | Calibration Solutions | Testing Equipment | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com

 

[project5k]

well alrighty then, i didnt know that... thanks for the info, now i just gotta find one and order it and the fluid i guess...

now, what about automatic temp comp? i'm guessing dont get one without it?

 

[Jschoon]

Calibration fluid? wouldnt that be pure distilled or ro/di water?
cant really see needing something more than that....

Great question Project. I was wondering the same thing myself...:question:

--dang I am slow....

 

[project5k]

well, according to what i've been reading, you can, but then there is a correction factor of some sort, but what that is, is still excaping me...

it does seem to just be easier to use the correct cal fluid and just be done with it...

 

[project5k]

just got back from lunch and for my lunch, rather than eat, i ran all the way out north to the austin light bulb shop, and got 20 t5 bulb sockets and a workhorse 5 ballast, that combined with the plywood and 1x2's that i have, along with the workhorse7 and the workhorse5 that are already at the house, and i think i have all the makings of my new canopy.. and the wife is gone this weekend, so i'll have the place all to myself to just work...

WOOHOO my new lights are gonna start comming together... 8x54W 4 foot t5's outta give me all the light i need.. and i'll have 3 stage lighting... first 2 bulbs will come on, then the other 2 then the 4, and then reverse that for turning them off... something tells me that all this new light is gonna bring me up to date and get my algae go'n good...

 

[Jschoon]

And the plan comes together..... Ha Ha Ha Haaaaa.....

That is going to be a lot of light. You should get some good growth. What typs of bulbs? 10k, 12k, ???

 

[tankedchemist]

Sweet! Good luck getting those lights together-- maybe my bad luck means you'll have good luck.

Pics!!?

 

[project5k]

there will be a mis of 420 actinics(gotta love em just cause of the 420 part, right?!?!?) heheheheh anyway, yea, actinic, some 6500 and some 14k or 18k, not sure gotta compare the suggested list from previous posts to what's available local for now...

oh, something that i was wondering about, was brands of t5 bulbs, the austin LFS has some, crap, and i cant remember the name now, i wanna say it sounded german... but thoes things are 35 bucks a pop, and i need 8,

the sa LFS has api i think and they are like 20-21 bucks each....

Input?

 

[Jschoon]

check ebay. I was looking for new bulbs and I saw this.

T5 HO Aquarium Tank Light Tube 12000K 54W 48" Bulb - eBay (item 250525198000 end time Dec-04-09 12:23:21 PST)

probably other or better deals too...

Joe

 

[tankedchemist]

Geissman bulbs are german and supposed to be the awesomest bulbs on the planet. IMO, just look at the country of manufacture. IME western countries produce better, longer-lasting bulbs than asian/middle eastern countries do. That's not a racial statement, just a matter of how they do business, so no one get pissed at me for not being PC :)

 

[project5k]

well i think you know it wont be ME that gets upset by not being PC hehehehe

geissman, yup thats it... well, maybe after i get it all up and running, and the cheaper bulbs start ageing out, i can start replacing them a couple at a time with the better ones, but for now, and cause i gotta buy so many all at once, i'm gonna go cheap...

ebay... yea, i'm looking at some of those.. but by the time i get shipping and insurance and all, i end up spending about the same as i would buying the better bulbs local,

i think i'll just get the cheaper ones local for now, and upgrade a couple at a time later on...

 

[daugherty]

geesimans are very good bulbs along with ati and ge

 

[project5k]

good, i'm glad that the ones that are more in my price range arent the cheapest of the cheapest...

 

[tankedchemist]

good, i'm glad that the ones that are more in my price range arent the cheapest of the cheapest...

too bad that doesn't apply to "escorts" too, eh p5k? :mrgreen: