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MrX's Build (Started 03/01/2020)
- Thread starter MrX
- Start date
OP
OP
MrX
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Yeah, that or smaller spaced screen. lol.
Going to let things settle a little more and then start investigating some new fish (bigger ones).
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
I won the August R2R "WIN a Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410!! Back by popular demand!! It's the BUILT LIKE A TUNZE Giveaway!" and received it yesterday. Super fast turnaround by R2R and TUNZE!
I've been running my 125G (+40B sump) for about 5 months now without a skimmer. I was just recently thinking of purchasing one when I saw the contest thread and thought "why not?".
WOO HOO! I was the winner!
Yesterday was my last day of vacation, so it was perfect timing. I unboxed the DOC Skimmer. It was really nicely packed - outside box protecting the skimmer box itself (some packing peanuts and protective cardboard). The skimmer and associated parts were protected in their own product box with plenty of bubble wrap.
I laid everything out and quickly scanned through the manual. Yeah, I actually RTFM... strange huh?
Putting together the skimmer was pretty straight-forward. I've only owned one skimmer in the past so I don't have a lot of experience putting them together.
The Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410 is super simple to use. I had more trouble finding something around the house to use as a 'shelf' to get the skimmer at the recommended 5.5 - 6.0" of water. The only adjustments are the 'screw' on the air bubble line and the ability to raise or lower the skimmer post-filter height.
I know most skimmers don't immediately start making skimmate and that there's usually a break-in period. I was ready to let it run for days, or a week, before I started to see worthwhile frothiness.
There was one point where I was messing with the air knob when things went crazy and the skimmer cup filled with water. I just dumped it back in the sump and left it alone to do its thang.
To my surprise less than 6 hours after firing it up I was getting "tea".
When I checked about 18 hours later (the next morning) the skimmer cup was about 1/2-full of darker "tea" and some chunky nastiness (not a lot, just bits here and there).
I was easily able to remove the skimmer cup and dump it down the drain. A quick rinse of the cup itself, and then back into the skimmer body. I didn't even turn off the skimmer while I did this.
I wasn't really paying attention to the time, but the next time I looked the foaming was back in action.
As of writing this , about 12 hours later, there's just under a 1/4" of "tea" in the skimmer cup.
Tomorrow I'll look at the manual again just to re-read the suggestions to get a darker/thicker/dryer skim.
All in all I'm very happy with this DOC Skimmer from Tunze!
I've been running my 125G (+40B sump) for about 5 months now without a skimmer. I was just recently thinking of purchasing one when I saw the contest thread and thought "why not?".
WOO HOO! I was the winner!
Yesterday was my last day of vacation, so it was perfect timing. I unboxed the DOC Skimmer. It was really nicely packed - outside box protecting the skimmer box itself (some packing peanuts and protective cardboard). The skimmer and associated parts were protected in their own product box with plenty of bubble wrap.
I laid everything out and quickly scanned through the manual. Yeah, I actually RTFM... strange huh?
Putting together the skimmer was pretty straight-forward. I've only owned one skimmer in the past so I don't have a lot of experience putting them together.
The Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410 is super simple to use. I had more trouble finding something around the house to use as a 'shelf' to get the skimmer at the recommended 5.5 - 6.0" of water. The only adjustments are the 'screw' on the air bubble line and the ability to raise or lower the skimmer post-filter height.
I know most skimmers don't immediately start making skimmate and that there's usually a break-in period. I was ready to let it run for days, or a week, before I started to see worthwhile frothiness.
There was one point where I was messing with the air knob when things went crazy and the skimmer cup filled with water. I just dumped it back in the sump and left it alone to do its thang.
To my surprise less than 6 hours after firing it up I was getting "tea".
When I checked about 18 hours later (the next morning) the skimmer cup was about 1/2-full of darker "tea" and some chunky nastiness (not a lot, just bits here and there).
I was easily able to remove the skimmer cup and dump it down the drain. A quick rinse of the cup itself, and then back into the skimmer body. I didn't even turn off the skimmer while I did this.
I wasn't really paying attention to the time, but the next time I looked the foaming was back in action.
As of writing this , about 12 hours later, there's just under a 1/4" of "tea" in the skimmer cup.
Tomorrow I'll look at the manual again just to re-read the suggestions to get a darker/thicker/dryer skim.
All in all I'm very happy with this DOC Skimmer from Tunze!
If you like the skimmer, try their pumps for flow. I have two 6095's running 50% and waters lapping at the edges of a 4' tank.
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
I have their ATO unit and now the skimmer. If these Jebao Gyres die I'll definitely check out the Tunze flow pumps.
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
Hey @afboundguy, look what FamilyX got!
Aqua-cultured Blue Mandarin.
Soooo small!
Quick time-lapse video:
Aqua-cultured Blue Mandarin.
Soooo small!
Quick time-lapse video:
Man I forgot how tiny and skinny they are! Mine was like that but she's a huge porker now!!!
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
28+ hours and the Blue Mandarin is still alive!
It seems to have decided, so far, that it likes the right-side of the tank. It's been 'hunting' in that general area all day.
At one point I was watching a blue-legged hermit sneak up on it. At the last 1/2" or so the hermit sped up and 'rushed' the Mandarin. The Mandarin wiggled out of the way, then 'jumped' up into the water column and swam away (only about 3"-4").
A few minutes later that same hermit was playing possum and the Mandarin moseyed on over and kinda poked the hermit like "hey, where'd you go?"
I was about to give the hermit a free ride out into the woods if it tried going after the Mandarin again.
It seems to have decided, so far, that it likes the right-side of the tank. It's been 'hunting' in that general area all day.
At one point I was watching a blue-legged hermit sneak up on it. At the last 1/2" or so the hermit sped up and 'rushed' the Mandarin. The Mandarin wiggled out of the way, then 'jumped' up into the water column and swam away (only about 3"-4").
A few minutes later that same hermit was playing possum and the Mandarin moseyed on over and kinda poked the hermit like "hey, where'd you go?"
I was about to give the hermit a free ride out into the woods if it tried going after the Mandarin again.
absolutecarrot
Non-member
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
Haven't noticed yet. I hope so. I've tried to squirt some food in it's general area but it all floats away before I see it get anything. Tried turning off the Gyre pumps but even the return flow alone is too much. Tried turning the return off also and the food still floats away.
May look into the Mandarin feeder in Paul B and @afboundguy's threads. Not sure how much that will help cause I don't have any 'live' food to put in it.
We should have lots of pods. In the last month I added two bottles from a guy on R2R (thousands in each). Plus the bottle I bought from Algae barn.
Maybe I'll move one of my 'pod hotels' from the sump up to the DT again.
If you want hassle free baby brine shrimp hatching I can't speak highly enough of this dish (https://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/hatchery-dish) I clean it out every 4-6 days and I usually add more eggs to the outer ring after 2-3 days to get longer use out of it.
I was using that light you gave me as a light source to get them to come to the center but the past few days I've just relied on ambient light which seems to be working which in turn I'm hoping will let me go even longer between cleanings. I would say to buy it directly from brine shrimp direct as I bought it from somewhere else and it didn't come with the eggs like it does directly from them so it cost extra money in the long run
I was using that light you gave me as a light source to get them to come to the center but the past few days I've just relied on ambient light which seems to be working which in turn I'm hoping will let me go even longer between cleanings. I would say to buy it directly from brine shrimp direct as I bought it from somewhere else and it didn't come with the eggs like it does directly from them so it cost extra money in the long run
If you want hassle free baby brine shrimp hatching I can't speak highly enough of this dish (https://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/hatchery-dish) I clean it out every 4-6 days and I usually add more eggs to the outer ring after 2-3 days to get longer use out of it.
I was using that light you gave me as a light source to get them to come to the center but the past few days I've just relied on ambient light which seems to be working which in turn I'm hoping will let me go even longer between cleanings. I would say to buy it directly from brine shrimp direct as I bought it from somewhere else and it didn't come with the eggs like it does directly from them so it cost extra money in the long run
I have this one too. Bought it with eggs and spirilina powder from bulkreef. I was shocked how easy and how well it worked.
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
Day 2 - Mandarin is still kicking. Saw it up in the rock-work hunting. Came down into the sand again 3-4 hours later.
Ordered the brine hatchery that @afboundguy and @Slombardi suggested.
I ended up ordering it from BRS just so I could get my 1/8" clear screen that was in my cart. Between the BRS points I had (only $2) and the cheaper shipping it offset having to buy the brine shrimp eggs separately.
Also bought some Spirulina, Reef Chilli, and Selcon.
Ordered the brine hatchery that @afboundguy and @Slombardi suggested.
I ended up ordering it from BRS just so I could get my 1/8" clear screen that was in my cart. Between the BRS points I had (only $2) and the cheaper shipping it offset having to buy the brine shrimp eggs separately.
Also bought some Spirulina, Reef Chilli, and Selcon.
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
First batch of brine shrimp was a success (yeah, I know, it's not that difficult). lol.
Fed two or three cups so far; think I'll get one more today before it's time to clean it out and get ready for the next batch.
Mandarin is still doing well.
Picked up a couple of new Nems today from @rock-n-reef. A NY Funburst and a Speckled BTA. Hoping they stay in the area where I introduced them, but we all know how that goes.
Fed two or three cups so far; think I'll get one more today before it's time to clean it out and get ready for the next batch.
Mandarin is still doing well.
Picked up a couple of new Nems today from @rock-n-reef. A NY Funburst and a Speckled BTA. Hoping they stay in the area where I introduced them, but we all know how that goes.
OP
OP
MrX
Non-member
Another sad day. Our Mandarin didn't make it.
It was very active, hunting around, poking at things, up until about 1-2 days ago. Then we noticed it just hanging out in the same general area (next to or under the rocks) when we could find it.
Not sure what happened. We should have plenty of pods at this point, and I've added additional newly hatched brine shrimp, Cyclopeeze, etc. It was aqua-cultured so I was hoping between all that it would also grab some of the food from the normal feedings.
Will need to look into a Mandarin feeder if we decide to attempt another in the future.
It was very active, hunting around, poking at things, up until about 1-2 days ago. Then we noticed it just hanging out in the same general area (next to or under the rocks) when we could find it.
Not sure what happened. We should have plenty of pods at this point, and I've added additional newly hatched brine shrimp, Cyclopeeze, etc. It was aqua-cultured so I was hoping between all that it would also grab some of the food from the normal feedings.
Will need to look into a Mandarin feeder if we decide to attempt another in the future.
