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Don't know if it matters, but I'd put a right angle barb on the intake of that ATS. That way you won't have the hose sticking out like that. Also consider getting a hose that is not clear color. If...

Could you expand on that? Do I let it grow more before cleaning, or just more time to mature?

Oh also, I'm dosing iron, but it doesn't seem to be helping. The scrubber (or other algal growth in the system) seems to be doing something though ask alk uptake continues to increase.

Ok so I still haven't built the first SM 200 besides the prototype. I hope to start on it this week. Anyways, I'm still a bit miffed with the prototype as far as algal growth. It probably is a flow...

Posting a progress update.

Screen is growing some green but still mostly that brown/purplish stuff. Center of screen directly in front of the lights is still yellowish. I've started dosing more...

I dose 2 part from bulk reef supply. So the Alk part is for you. My tank always has used massive amounts (Lots of coral).

Take a 5 gallon salt bucket. Drill two holes in the top. One large enough...

the problem with an iron nail is that there is no certainties that its pure. If there is copper in the alloy... watch out. Death machine. Now if you could get a small block of .999 fine iron.. thats...

First cleaning last Sat. Pretty much just a coating of brown sludge. Not very thick. Slightly thinner in the lighted area (I know more flow). The brown sludge, when it dries, turns green. Very odd....

Your nitrate is still too high for most corals. You can add mushrooms and softies at this point. If it makes you feel any better your N&P have come down more than you think. Your rock/sand is...

If you have a router, here is a link to quality up/down cut bits in all sizes you can can play with slot width:

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v10 ... piral_bits

I've been looking for an excuse to order a set of spiral up cut bits, so I just ordered a bunch of em. Should have them in a few days so I can make exact, repeatable varying length cuts.

Hooked up Mag 18. Slightly more flow, but not double. I hooked a watt meter up to the mag 9.5 and the mag 18. 9.5 was reading 80 watts, 18 is reading 98 watts. Pumps pull less wattage when their flow...

I'm also noticing some curious things.

1) My ph is rising. This is odd. Its at 8.32 now. I used to hold stable at 8.18 to 8.2 I had undetectable nitrates and phosphates with heavy carbon dosing....

Ok putting the photo period back to 18 hours. I realized I had an extra mag 18 sitting around here after I ordered one. Doh. I'll be hooking it up this morning an probably re-cutting the slot again....

I'm going to shorten the photperiod to 16 hours. I ordered a mag 18 which should be stupid flow. I'll see what happens :) On the plus side the over and under part are getting nice and black and...

I just re-cut the slot to be 4 mm. It was closer to 2.5 to 3 mm. Probably 2.5 mm. So its like 5/32 inch thick now (little bit larger than 1/8). I had assumed it was 1/8th before but i realized I had...

Rip it on a table saw, or upside down with a plunge saw/slide.

I decided I'm going to cut another tube tonight and widen out the slot a bunch. I'll probably cut 2 more tubes one 2x the thickness it is now and one 3x so I can see what the water flow is like with...

Ok. So Santa recommends a Eheim 1262 for a 22" slot in a 3/4" pipe. (thats what he's using for his SM 100) Thats 900 gph flow. I'm using a 1" pipe and a mag 9 (again 900 gph flow). I'm not doubting...

HLLE is almost certainly cause by a lack of diet and (possibly) free floating carbon in the system. I read a study (search RC) that showed the effects of nano-particle sized carbon (from carbon...

Hum. Interesting. I'm just perplexed why there is NO growth right in the middle of the screen, but lots of scum growth at the top and bottom. I'd understand if there was less growth, but the center...

850 gallons of flow for a 22 inch slot? (900 gph pump but I'm losing 50 gph in head pressure) that's 35+ gallons a minute per inch.. I measured the flow myself to confirm it. Water is cascading in a...

Ok 4th day.. and some problems. My nova extreme fixtures are 2.5 inches apart from the front of the glass. That means its 1.25" from front of the fixture to the screen. From the lights in the...

I only have one of the 3 units running. Slot is 22" long, probably about 1/8" wide.. maybe less. Its the thickness of the kerf of my blade. The screen fits snugly into it.

Mag 9. I plumbed it with 1 inch spa flex and 1 inch elbows to 1 inch tube. Vertical rise is only about 3 feet so I'm guessing 800+ gph. So over 35+ gph.

1) My 120x36x30 acrylic tank with dual external 36x6x16 overflows was manufactured by ATM in Vegas. Back was done is black acrylic. I had Tenecor and ATM give me quotes based on my design, and ATM...

I probably should take some pictures.. but its xmas eve.. Isn't going to happen :(

The cost isn't that bad. I ordered them from 1000bulbs.com. They are pretty cheap. Its the electricity draw that's the killer. On the other hand the amount I'm saving by offsetting the fuge lights,...

Oh one other important thing.. the Festool plunge saws all come with REAL Riving knives. Ie no more pinching and throwbacks.

Santa,

Quick tip. I'm a woodshop guy in my spare time and an Engineer IRL. I "graduated" tool wise and ended up moving a lot of my shop to Festool. You might want to check it out. When I built the...

Btw if it matters I built a wood shell prototype to hold the current usa fixtures. I built the unit and screen per your specs Santa. (Bought a multi-tool to rough up the screen which saved ALOT of...

I assume the #5 is ok also? I can only find large sheets in #5.

Another option would be be for you to make a Santa Monica 200. Same dimensions as a 100 just taller.... and with the beefier lights. Interested? :)

I'd rather not go into the pros and cons of skimmers. I'm here because I'm willing to admit that a scrubber leaves more food in the tank for corals.

As far as how much I'm feeding. I'm feeding...

I have a 560 gallon display. Along with the display I have a 175 gal sump (not totally ful) 65 gallon fuge/settlement tank, 40 gallon frag tank, and the external overflows are quite large.. they hold...

Thant makes me feel much better.

So realistically speaking, if I have 18 inches of screen vertically, and each slot is 20" my maximum (4 slot) system would be 1440 sq inches. Is this overkill? I...

Ok good info all around. I measured my utility tub and its shortest dimension is 23" so I'm ok. I can always have the long side of the screen stick out a bit, as long as I can get a good portion flat...

Excess light is not a problem. All the equipment is in a sealed fishroom. I can do whatever I like in there :)

The sump is 24" wide, 48" long, 36" deep. I have no problem with the top of the...

I'm in the process of setting up a large system. I have a 660 gallon display, 175 gallon sump, 65 gallon fuge, 40 gallon frag and 40 gal quarantine. The system has been up for about 2 months now and...