340 Gallon Mixed Reef
- Thread starter ericdm
- Start date
azjohnny
Active member
Not quite sure what the issue was, I was following the instructions running in 7" of water depth. They didn't have the neck extensions at the time. IMO the 2 issues I had with the skimmer was the neck and return height. The reasoning I got from not running in deeper water is there was too much back pressure on the pump but there are other skimmers with similar designs that didn't have that issue. I came to the conclusion the neck and return height were the only differences
I may have gotten a partial blockage in the airline. I now pour a hot cup of RO/DI water in the silencer once a week and remove, and inspect/clean the volute 2x a month (during a WC) all as part of routine maintenance. It has been common to find some salt creep in the volute.
Coralvue does sell a container with an automatic shutoff if it fills up, but if the skimmer was properly designed that would not be needed
I now have the collection cup drain disconnected and if it would overfill it would just go back into the sump ( The external models have this feature)
I may have gotten a partial blockage in the airline. I now pour a hot cup of RO/DI water in the silencer once a week and remove, and inspect/clean the volute 2x a month (during a WC) all as part of routine maintenance. It has been common to find some salt creep in the volute.
Coralvue does sell a container with an automatic shutoff if it fills up, but if the skimmer was properly designed that would not be needed
I now have the collection cup drain disconnected and if it would overfill it would just go back into the sump ( The external models have this feature)
Thanks for the advice I will do some thinking before I get that monster skimmer online also I plan on a mixed reef tank I would like to eventually have a medium to high bio load with lots of fish swimming everywhere any idea on how many fish people tend to have in a 300 plus gallon mixed reef?
Aquascape is done and I love it pictures do it no justice tons of caves and arches and multiple overhangs plus tons of room for the fish
Overall shape is a half moon tall in back and slopes down as it comes closer to the front panel again pictures do it no justice and can't capture the dark caverns made from the overhangs once corals are in should help
Overall shape is a half moon tall in back and slopes down as it comes closer to the front panel again pictures do it no justice and can't capture the dark caverns made from the overhangs once corals are in should help
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
Looks good and natural. Wait until the coralline kick in.
I see you are not full of water yet. (nice finger marks hahahaha)
Make sure that you have enough flow to NOT make any slow spots in those caves. Sometimes it is best to make the caves have an exit in the back.
Slow flow in those areas are going to make a detrus trap at times. You may have to make the PH bank off one section to get it into another one.
I do like the layout!
You have plenty of areas for frags to sit on the ledges.
When are you adding water? (mixed already I hope)
Make sure that you have enough flow to NOT make any slow spots in those caves. Sometimes it is best to make the caves have an exit in the back.
Slow flow in those areas are going to make a detrus trap at times. You may have to make the PH bank off one section to get it into another one.
I do like the layout!
You have plenty of areas for frags to sit on the ledges.
When are you adding water? (mixed already I hope)
My rodi unit it on and slowly filling the tank a member on here told me to fill with ro water first then mix salt and get to temp and bring equipment online its dry rock and sand so filling the tank with pure water then adding salt and bring temp up should be fine also its hard to tell but the caves all exit in the back so I can have lots of flow through the caves thanks for the compliments now I have to have patients and wait til the Rodi unit fills the monster
Just be caureful with the salt in it.
It might get in the caves and you go to measure it and add more salt, only to have what is in the caves finally dissolve and then be hyper salinity.
Might be better to take some salt and add it to a bucket and mix/stir it now. Make it HYPER salinity (too much salt). Then add it to the tank as it is filling. It will dilute it down to the level you need.
The good thing about mixing salt PRE tank is you know exactly how much to add.
In a filled tank you CAN NOT add 1/2 cup per gallon and expect it to be right because your rock/sand now take up many gallons of room.
It might get in the caves and you go to measure it and add more salt, only to have what is in the caves finally dissolve and then be hyper salinity.
Might be better to take some salt and add it to a bucket and mix/stir it now. Make it HYPER salinity (too much salt). Then add it to the tank as it is filling. It will dilute it down to the level you need.
The good thing about mixing salt PRE tank is you know exactly how much to add.
In a filled tank you CAN NOT add 1/2 cup per gallon and expect it to be right because your rock/sand now take up many gallons of room.
UlyssesG305
New member
I paid someone to cycle my first tank and they did it with tap water. What are your thoughts on that?
azjohnny
Active member
Sounds good if your favorite coral is algae....LOL
azjohnny
Active member
Eric
pics look good
you might want to point/or lower 1 or 2 of the power heads so you have flow in the lower areas also..I run Ecotech circulation pumps and they have a lot of undertow and this helps pull uneaten food and detritus into the water column where it can be filtered out
pics look good
you might want to point/or lower 1 or 2 of the power heads so you have flow in the lower areas also..I run Ecotech circulation pumps and they have a lot of undertow and this helps pull uneaten food and detritus into the water column where it can be filtered out
azjohnny
Active member
Nice FTS's
Typically a marine tank will cycle in 6-8 weeks, I used all fully cured Tukani live rock and dosed with Microbactor 7 and my 180 cycled in 7 days.
I have heard reefers using all dead rock taking longer than the 6-8 weeks, up to 3-4 months
It has been reported that dry Pukani live rock is very high in phosphates. Did you cook the rock before using?
Typically a marine tank will cycle in 6-8 weeks, I used all fully cured Tukani live rock and dosed with Microbactor 7 and my 180 cycled in 7 days.
I have heard reefers using all dead rock taking longer than the 6-8 weeks, up to 3-4 months
It has been reported that dry Pukani live rock is very high in phosphates. Did you cook the rock before using?
