http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); ]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090512-202821
Typically you would leave the valve open for about 5 minutes, close the valve and make the RO/DI water. I got side tracked. This morning I went to get water and the holding vat was still empty yet the booster pump was running... then I remembered. The valve was still open.

Going to get a big water bill next month. *sigh*

]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090510-202459
The new pump is sooo quiet. The old one sounded like a popcorn machine when the needle wheel chopped up the air bubbles.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090508-201228
]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090506-195056
I took a look around yesterday and found my Gold Tear Drop clam dead in its shell and removed it. Today the ORP reading is back to 310.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090504-194354
I expect the ORP to keep creeping upwards as conditions improve.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090503-193817


]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090501-185757 http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090428-185451 http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090427-143534


Picture of what the food crumbles look like.

]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090425-112531
]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090424-111111
When changing the battery its a good time to calibrate the pH probe. The probe calibration went perfectly required minimal adjustments.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090423-110310
I purchased a replacement step motor off e-bay and hard wired it to the top off water bottle relay switch which controls the top off water pump. Now when my 5 gallon water bottle of RO/DI is empty the water float relay will turn off the return pump and the kalkwasser mixer.

Hopefully this will extend the life of the mixer.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090422-105816


]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090421-115251 ]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090419-145349
This is the 4th impeller that has broke in this unit and they are expensive to replace. I'm going to consider swapping out the entire pump for a modified Eheim 1260 needle wheel pump instead. This is a very expensive upgrade but I'm hoping the impellers will last longer.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090418-144915
Temp: 78.5 F
pH: 7.92
Conductivity: 53.8 (35.5 ppt)
ORP: 300 (upward trend)
Calcium: 440 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.5 dKH
Magnesium: 1200 ppm

While the ORP looks low it started out in the low 200's, it is on an upward trend with peaks to around 320.]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090417-144702 http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090416-204446
As an interim fix, I programmed the AquaController Pro to add 2 degrees to the readout displayed and send an e-mail to Neptune Systems for clarification as the instruction manual hints that the probes are factory calibrated.
]]> http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090412-204002 http://blog.rl180reef.com/index.php?entry=entry090410-203524
The loss of the reference to the pH resulted in the calcium reactor being taken off line and tripping an alert of high salinity.

None of these are critical, just had to recheck levels manually with test kits and remove the calcium reactor and heaters from the switch boxes until a replace probe arrives which might take a week or so.
]]>