375-500G Projected Build - need some input

Failed pump after 1 week.

So I have 3 new L1's on this setup as one can see - one which is now being replaced under warranty. All 3 pumps have been in use a total of maybe a week and already have a 1/3 failure rate...my very promising, let's hope the others hold up.

Glad I decided to go with a redundant setup on the return and that I don't have any livestock yet.

For those wondering about the issue:

Pump says its overheating but feels the same as it has over the last few days. Also, it says it's off online but the pump is running. Support had me reset the pump which fixed it the first time then within a few hours it's reporting its off when it's not.

Support folks were great at jumping to replace it but I'm no so happy to have a failing pump after 1 week...

Also, the iPhone app says all my pumps are at 50% when they are not, so not sure what's up with that.




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What kind of lighting are you planning to use? Are you concerned about shadowing from all the return valves/pvc hanging over the top?
 
375-500G Projected Build - need some input

Because it's a fish only system the lighting will be (2) Aquamaxx led units, so I don't have to worry so much about heat. Not worry about the shadowing since the pipes already sit into on top of the glass bracing some of that light would of already been somewhat blocked as its not low iron.


Edit: they are (2) Aquamaxx 72w Nemolight which is more than sufficient for my needs/taste on a fish only system.


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Since I'll be using kalk in the ato to keep my ph in line (too low) I've made this little thing so that the pump doesn't suck the sludge from the bottoms of the ato tank.


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Since I'll be using kalk in the ato to keep my ph in line (too low) I've made this little thing so that the pump doesn't suck the sludge from the bottoms of the ato tank.


584fe2885e19ea9bc7c4219808056cc2.jpg



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Nice setup...you should have the ATO flow through a separate container (kalk-reactor) with a check-valve behind it, and not put the kalk directly into your ATO container, your top-off pump will last much longer
 
Mine lasted three years before I even had to soak it in vinegar. Even while I let it suck up the sludge from the kalkwasser.
 
Nice setup...you should have the ATO flow through a separate container (kalk-reactor) with a check-valve behind it, and not put the kalk directly into your ATO container, your top-off pump will last much longer



Thanks.

I'm only going to be dosing 3-4 1/2 tsp per 13g (size of ato). Since it will be a fish only I'm using it to keep my ph in balance. I've also noticed that anything past that dosage and my ato water is cloudy as heck even after 24 hours, and that was still based on 1/2 tsp per gallon. So I lowered it to just using (3-4) 1/2 tsp per 13g.




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I put in about 7-8 heaping teaspoons for 10 gallon reservoir. I use that up in less than a week.



Won't dissolve on my end.
I'm using Seachem reef kalk
Will be switching to BRS not sure if that will make a diff or not


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It never does dissolve fully. Even at much lower mixtures.

Since yours is fish only, PH is essentially irrelevant.



What do you by ph is essentially irrelevant? I'm using this to bring my ph without increasing alk.


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Fish don't care at all what the PH level is. It has no effect on them. As long as it is stable and doesn't vary too much, anywhere between 7.6 and 8.6 is acceptable. For saltwater even those are extreme. It will settle somewhere in the middle. Only sps corals are finicky about higher PH.
 
Right, I'm trying to maintain 8 to 8.1 but you right I could go with 7.8-7.9.

Currently I'm at 7.58 so need to bring it up but alk is already at 13 so can't and dont want to use ph buffer

Here is a pic of the ato with only 3 1/2 tsp...that's 13G
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Getting there.

Just need the top piece now - that will be a while :(

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Do you use sodium carbonate, or sodium bicarbonate?
Sodium bicarbonate will lower the PH, sodium carbonate will raise the PH.
Using the kalkwasser as you are should be effective as well. Use as much as you like to get the desired PH level in conjunction with how much your tank evaporates.


Daniel. :wildone:
 
Do you use sodium carbonate, or sodium bicarbonate?

Sodium bicarbonate will lower the PH, sodium carbonate will raise the PH.

Using the kalkwasser as you are should be effective as well. Use as much as you like to get the desired PH level in conjunction with how much your tank evaporates.





Daniel. :wildone:



I'm using the Seachem Kalkwasser product.

Mixed it in the ato water, tested and the ph on the ato water is at 11.52.

Interestingly enough, however; the ph in my tank hasn't changed after 24 which makes no sense to me since the ato water is indeed being added automatically.

It's been running for 24 hours now.

I am also going to do doing a co2 scrubber to skimmer because I did take a long tube outside and hooked to skimmer and not only did my skimmer work better (tighter, smaller and a ton more bubbles) but my ph rose 7.57 to 7.71 in 2 hours alone. I bet if I let it run 24 hours it probably hit 8 to 8.1 without problem. But I REALLY don't want to drill my wall so I'm going to see how well the co2 scrubber works and how quick it exhausts the media.

I'm betting on a 5g jug lasting me over a year so if that's the case I'm ok with that and it will effectively raise my ph even higher since it will be cleaner air than what's outside in terms of co2 concentration. But if the media doesn't last long then I'm drilling a hole :)


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CO2 scrubber below. pH has gone from 7.73 to 7.81 in less than an hour. Let's see how high it will go and where it will stabilize.

d7c3e3e0687d502e48f4c39d42da495c.jpg



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