[Greggz]

Love the new tank! And those Sunblasters are cool fixtures. Lot's of combinations you can come up with there.

I've got a feeling this one is going to be good! Expecting great things in that set up.

Looking forward to following along.

Subscribed!

 

[Greggz]

I was hoping @Greggz, or anyone really, could help with the last few questions I had.

1. I don’t have my float valve hooked up yet, but when I do and it cuts the water output once the bins are full, do I also need to manually stop the tap water flowing into the RO unit?

No. When the float valve is closed, it's like turning off the water at your tap. Pressure is still there to RO unit, just not flowing. Nowhere to go.

2. You said you only turn the heater on in your RO bins shortly before you’re about to use the water. Is it the same for the air and circulation pumps? And do they affect the float valve at all (continually switching on/off)?

I keep the air and circulation pumps going all the time. May not need to, but I like the thought of clean flowing aerated water. Plus mixes in the CaSO4/MgSO4 well. No effect on the float valve.

3. Any tips/tricks on flushing the system/keeping it clean/extending the lives of the membranes?

My system has an auto flush system, so no help there. I put the filter change (6 months) on my calendar so I don't forget, which extends life of RO membrane. But honestly my RO water TDS hardly ever changes, and I probably change the filters too frequently. RO membranes last a long time, 2 years plus.

 

[Greggz]

Hey I'm 30 minutes from Windsor............just sayin'!

 

[Greggz]

Welcome to the club!

Good to see I am not the only one who has gone completely insane!:wink2:

And nice job on the set up. I do love the projects and gadgets.

Well done Sir!:grin2:

 

[Greggz]

I struggled for a little bit thinking about how to set it up with an outlet timer so that it’s only “controlling the pH” - adding co2 - during the photoperiods. I settled on leaving the controller plugged straight into an outlet, so it’s always on, and plugging the co2 solenoid into a timer that I then plugged into the controller. I think this is how most people do it...

I set my target pH to 6.3. After running it for 2 days it looked like I was only ever getting down to 6.5. I double checked the 6.5 with my pen and it matched. So I opened my needle valve a bunch. Next time I checked it was at 6.3.

I haven’t adjusted the flow of my co2 in a long time, and testing with my pen was showing a consistent drop to 6.3 by the time the lights turned on. I wonder why there’s a difference using the controller?

First you really should calibrate with calibration fluids, not against another device.

And I'm sure it doesn't make any difference, but I keep the controller itself on the timer.

Now as to the pH drop, it could depend on how your controller works and how you have it set up. For instance, with my Pinpoint Marine, first you set the range. I set mine to 0.1. Now let's say I set my low pH to 5.85. When the pH gets to 5.85, the CO2 is switched off. When it goes above 5.95, it is switched on. So basically it's in a range 5.85 to 5.95 throughout the CO2 period.

So if I look at it at any particular moment, I could see readings anywhere in between those numbers.

Now the American Pinpoint is a pretty precise device, and a 0.10 range is pretty small in the scheme of things. Not sure how yours works, but I would check to see how it actually operates. I'm sure it also works within a range, just don't know what that might be.

The reason they won't keep an absolute set pH is that unit would be cycling on and off continuously as the pH drifts off the set point.

Hope that makes some sense.

 

[Greggz]

So yours doesn't display the pH outside of your photoperiod?

Correct.

Before controller: when lights turn on - CO2 is on, ph is 6.3
With Controller: when lights turn on - controller has CO2 on, pH is 6.5
Increase CO2 flow + Controller: when lights turn on - controller has CO2 on, pH is 6.3

Is the controller turning on at the same time that you were turning on the CO2 before? And were you following it this closely? Just saying that's not a big difference in the scheme of things, and I'm sure there is some other explanation.

Because logically the controller can't be making any difference in your pH drop. It's just turning on and off the solenoid, nothing more.

And I looked up that controller, and it also uses a 0.10 range. So if you set it to 6.3, the unit shuts off the CO2 once it gets below 6.3, and then turns if back on when it gets above 6.4. So it's basically bouncing around within that range all day. And the value can drift a little higher or lower than those numbers for a short time, as the response is not immediate.

 

[Greggz]

I've seen a couple people post their micros lately in some of the journals I follow, so I decided to do a comparison. I used micros from @slipfinger, @burr740, and @Greggz. I put in the numbers for @Quagulator too, but they are pretty much the same as the ones for Greggz. Also, I didn't have Joe's exact micro recipe, so I did his as a ratio to slipfinger's based on this:

Very interesting post, and lots of food for thought there.

As noted, I am dosing the highest out of that group. Now keep in mind that Burr was dosing at my levels for quite a spell too. He noted that some plants loved it, but others not so much. So part of the process is finding the sweet spot for your group of plants.

And you need to look at micro dosing in relation to everything else. I'm also dosing more macros than anyone on that list too. So is my micro dosing driving demand for macros? Maybe.

In any event, just shows that micros are not the bogeyman. If you saw some of the tiny levels we were dosing a couple of years ago (CSM+B), you'd gasp at how little it was.

Things are going very well in my tank right now, so I hesitate to make any sudden lane changes. But my next step is going to be reducing everything proportionally at once. But very, very slowly, and continue with daily micros and front end loading macros.

 

[Greggz]

Yeah I like the post trim too.

Things look more defined when it's tamed a bit.

And you guys north of the border are coming on strong.

Another great tank from Canada!

 

[Greggz]

Anyway Ive never been able to cause or cure bba by adjusting flow. Think it all boils down to organic waste, how clean the water really is. Healthy plants contribute to that more than we realize

I agree with this up to a point. No question to me that organic waste/unhealthy plants are the primary cause, and are the first things to be addressed.

However in my heavily stocked tank, I am probably closer to the edge when it comes to organic waste than most. A bit more out on the tightrope.

When I replaced my filter motors a little while back, it increased flow considerable, I developed some BBA on my driftwood in the high flow area quickly. It struck me as BBA is just something I don't have to worry about much. And it was only in the high flow area, and not on any plants.

I drilled out the holes in my spray bars, which created a much gentler flow. BBA receded almost immediately. So to me, high flow doesn't necessarily cause BBA, but it can be a contributing factor when you are on the edge.

 

[Greggz]

Right. But my point was that tiny particles of organic waste are greater in a high flow area, because there's more water getting blasted over that area. These organic waste particles, too small for the filter, are in the water. These tiny particles get caught on plants or wood or whatever and it grows bba.

I guess you can say flow is the "cause" either way you look at it. Except the less organic waste that's in the water, the less likely flow will cause it. That's just my personal theory of course

Very well put and agreed. Good food for thought for many.

Bump:

I look at it this way, if by me stepping up my game causes you to step up your game it can only benefit me and this hobby in the long run.

Some of us are just trying to get some game!!:wink2:

 

[Greggz]

Great picture.

I compared it to the "before" picture after the massive trim, and that's a lot of really nice growth.

Very well done!