I use a redsea C-skim1800 external skimmer and I am happy they also have a 1200 for smaller tanks.
Another thing to consider before everything is final when you are doing water changes you will end up having to close or turn off the main pump so you don’t run the sump dry. So if you can figure out a size to accommodate still holding enough water so you dont have to cut anything off and also be able to hold enough water in case the power goes out.
That is one of the issues I have run into with the sump/fuge setup I have. It drives me crazy. One day when I am feeling extra motivated I will upgrade my setup.
@ Scottman81 - Here is a picture of my skimmer, its as ancient as my tank, and wet/dry. I plan on trying to put it into action until the Reef funds replenish after this startup. Main tube is 3", stands 19" tall. It’ll fit in the refugium. The converted wet/dry is pretty much cut in half, leaving me 5.5" on either side.
Tank has been cycling for roughly 24hrs at this point:
Salinity: Note to self, don’t use a refractometer used for measuring SG of Beer wort. If using a refractometer its gotta be setup for salt…my bad. Thought I’d use my costly refracto’ shoulda just used my hydrometer. Original salinity was 1.035. Yeah…that water change sucked!
Salinity: 1.026 - Just a tad high, down from 1.027. Giving the tank time to settle before adding fresh.
Ph: 8.2 - Just added 1 tsp of Marine Buffer
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate 40ppm - tested my tap water…40ppm, thats where it came from.
A few hours ago I put in 5cups of Carbon in a sock. I rinsed the CRAP out of it under the faucet of a shower tub for about 5min. I put it in my tank under the input to the sump…now everything is gray…/sigh ARGH. Before that the water was still pretty cloudy. Hopefully it clears up. I need to get some Live Sand for the DSB in the fuge, and some Chaeto as well to start dealing with this Nitrate problem. RO/DI unit in my future for sure.
Anyone else in the Elkton MD, area have high nitrate out of the tap? (well water)
Oh, tested the fuge in a power off situation, she’s good! Had to drill a 1/8" hole in the return head after the 1st test and wondering why the syphon wasn’t stopping.
Few people have probably tested their tap water for Nitrates. After an RODI with 0 TDS = 0ppm Nitrates. You’ll be hard pressed to find any successful aquarist who using tap water in this area.
If you installed the electrical yourself and have the ability to move it to the far right hand side of the stand I think it would be a wise idea. Get it out of the splash area.
I wouldn’t bother testing your pH at this point. If you are using a chemical test kit it is probably wrong.(pH probe is the accurate way to measure) Regardless of what your pH is there is no fixable reason for it to be off. High ammonia or low carbonates could mess with your pH, but ammonia you let time and bacteria solve and you have no carbonate depositing animals yet.
Looks like it’s coming along. So much potential. So many possibilities. Best of luck to ya.
Yes,
here in elkton, we have nitrates, and hard, iron heavy water. rust and scale stains abound if I don’t use a water conditioner. When I prepared to set my tank up, the first thing i bought after the tank and light was the rodi system. I also check every couple of weeks so i know when to replace the membrane…etc…
At least that’s 1 think I’ve done right. :BEER
1" & 3/4" ball valves installed. 1" tuned to full siphon w/o airbubbles. System is quiet and 110% acceptable for being in close proximity to my office desk. I know the risks of the ball valve in the drain, but the tank isn’t drilled and its gotta be quiet. The pre-filter is the 1st line of defense on the HOB overflow. 3/4" drain tuned to the input levels of the 1" drain.
Ancient (as in OG, Gen1 Vintage) Protein Skimmer is online
1 Green Chromis
RO/DI unit is ordered and enroute
Looking for some Live Rock Rubble and a few regular pieces for the DT to seed the DIY rock when that gets put in.
Once the RO/DI unit is setup, it’ll be used for top off water. I should have purchased it earlier, i know. I can only hope that I can get decent enough bio-filtration to handle the excess Nitrates and any Phosphates that are present from the tap water.
After I make the DIY rock, and while waiting for it to cure (30-90days) I’ll be researching / saving up for a DIY LED setup. I’ll post a separate DIY for that if I can do it affordably. If I’m too close price wise to other acceptable turn key solutions I’ll go that route.
Still need to do some trim work but here is the current status…
Chaeto is a good call. High nitrates plus a bit of iron should = significant growth. I would loosen up the clump you have though, spread it out a bit so all areas get a bit more flow and light.
You have plans to replace the powerhead I assume? MaxiJets work better for pushing water into a reactor then pushing water around a display tank.
With the LEDs consider two important things in your cost analysis. If you save $20 and put in 4 hours worth of work you value your time at $5 / hour… If you enjoy it and don’t consider work then that is a different story, but if looking over others DIY plans it doesn’t seem fun it may not be worth it.
Point number two if you spend $500 when you can get the whole set up put together for $550 and you fry half your LEDs because you wired something improperly… you didn’t save a dime, the finished product isn’t as nice, and your putting possibly twice the amount of time into it.
If you sit in the room with the office a bit the look of DIY may not be as nice either unless you build a full hood/canopy on top of the tank. Personally I rarely care about the look of a light fixture though I know many people do. Reason I do not care is I like to use canopies to help prevent fish from jumping, so it is typically hidden on my aquariums anyways.
Just some food for thought. Looks like it’s coming along though! And again I think you did a very nice job with the in wall install. Props.
I inherited a 25w UV sterilizer from my father-in-law (Angstrom AN-25). Crazy thing has 1" in/out ports! Used another old MaxiJet pump to feed it. 3/8" line mated up to 1". Pump pulls right from the DT drain and feeds back into the DT drain area in the sump. I don’t want the UV messing up any beneficial bacteria or copepods from the fuge.
I also did a 20g water change (hence the cloudy water in the picture) to try and lower my nitrates. I started at 80ppm, and after 24hrs, I’m still at 80ppm…a little perplexing, I had hoped for a little drop. I AM now using RO/DI water, and the 20g was DI water and I use the DI water now for top-off. Ideas?
I removed the filter floss that I had in the bubble trap to help clear the water, and I cleaned the pre-filter sponge.
What do you guys think of me trying to cycle this tank w/o live rock, and just the sand in the DT and Fuge, both seeded with live sand. I was thinking about hitting up the LFS for some live rock rubble to assist with the seeding. What would you guys do next, as I was hoping to be able to cycle as is as I DIY the base rock.
[quote=“Faralon, post:29, topic:4981”]
Pump pulls right from the DT drain and feeds back into the DT drain area in the sump. [/quote]
Woah, change that right away. What happens if the return pump fails, but that pump keeps going… drains your tank into your sump however low your pump is in the tank? Not sure what I mean just turn your return pump off for a little while.
How much water did you change and how long did it mix? Probably doesn’t matter much now as there isn’t a lot to kill, but if the water is really cloudy then the chemistry probably wasn’t as good as it could have been and would stress animals in the tank. Add salt slowly to your mixing vat and mix thoroughly for 24 hours before use.(10 hours is likely enough, 24 is better)
The powerhead that feeds the UV is in the 1st chamber of the sump. If the return pump fails it should be like a power outage scenario where the UV is fed whatever water remains in the 1st chamber of the sump? Lemme go unplug the return pump…cross your fingers! Yep, just like a power outage. Sorry Gordonious it was probably the way I described it earlier that was confusing. But were good on that.
Now for the water…
20gallon Brute trashcan
Filled with 20gal of DI water
Pitched in the appropriate amount of salt
Pitched in some Marine Buffer (1tsp per 20gal)
Tossed in a MaxiJet pump to circulate and mix
I can’t remember if I let it run/mix overnight or not. Its possible I didn’t as I remember once the water was still and had time to settle it was clear. Once the Maxi was turned back on, it became cloudy again. I did only run off about a gallon or two off the DI canister. I also didn’t heat the water to tank temp. It was probably 10-12’ off. I’ll add it slower and over time next round. Is heating it necessary?
The water was clear this am.
Up to date parameters…note: Tank was filled with TAP, not RO/DI water…Tap was source of original 40ppm Nitrates.
Going to let the system coast for 2-4 weeks w/o any changes to see if the tank naturally cleans up some of the nitrates. The only bio load is one Blue Green Chromis. Hopefully the DSB and Cheato can eat it up. Worst case I bring online a Reactor with Bio Pellets.
Pics of some “freebies” from Molikens LR (can you identify?), the 1st of two pillar structures built from the LR, and the Favia Coral that I got via the meeting raffle. Bare with my lighting. I’m just using a clip-on with a 15w 65k CFL that is over the tank during the day, and on the sump in the evening.
Unknown Coral 2 main heads w/ 2 smaller heads.
An Unknown Albino? Zoa. I’ve never seen then all white, but they do open/close, and to the right, a Shroom?
Some Shrooms that are barely alive?
A small colony of green rim’d Zoa’s.
Favia Coral from the DRC raffle
Office Side of the tank.
Living area / Picture Frame…that still needs finishing.
Hey Rob, it was nice meeting you and your son at the meeting, thanks for stopping by. First let me say, yes, you definitely do need some lighting and I’m sure you already know that. Nice looking rock scape also and seems as your cycling is coming along. You say you have DSB. How deep is your sand bed? DSB should be at least 5" to 6" for it to be effective.
Comments on your pictures by the number.
it’s looks like some type of Favia, Acan or Blastomussa can’t really tell by its receding.
the reason why its white is because its been growing in the shade. To the right can’t really tell by the pic of what it is.
is not a shroom. same as the first pic, Favia, Acan or Blastomussa
Yah, same here man, had fun. I might pick up a T-5 hood for temporary duty, but the plan is to implement a DIY LED Solution ASAP. While I’m having fun with nitrates, I’m keeping the lighting to a minimum to prevent an algae over-run. DSB is in the sump, and is 5-6" deep. I have LR and cheato sitting onto of it. I have just recently been able to see some gas bubble formation just below the surface of the DSB…hoping its nitrogen gas from the anaerobic bacteria converting the nitrate.
The white zoa’s were white when I got them from Moliken, will be interesting to see what/if they color up to be. Atleast I now have a baseline from you guys as to what to research to try keeping my 1st few corals alive. Thanks!
A, (if I can call you that) yes I would like to “put” worms in the DSB, but don’t know any other way to do it other than hitch hikers on LR. Ideas, or do I just ask for a couple fist fills of someones sand? ::
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