bubbles on surface??? cant lower temperature?

[mindytoy]

hi guys...

my tank is getting tiny bubble colonies at the top, its barely the 1st week cycling is this normal?

also my temperature is at a constant 80 degrees when the lights are off and about 81.5 when the freshwater 40wat light is on (havent gotten my reef lghting yet)

i took off the top lids. also my thermometer ws right on top of my powerhead so im thinking maybe that affects it a bit too. i moved the thermometer by the filter and hope its lower. wheres a good spot to put it? also the windows are always closed and the a/c vent is pointed at it and i have refrigerated ac so its cold in the room maybe about 75 or so...

equipment is aqua C remora 120 gal skimmer, fluval 404 canister filter, 2 small powerheads..

i also have a RIO 2500 powerhead but when i turn it on it makes the LR go through a storm so hes unplugged as well as the heater.

is this a safe temp for a soft coral and fish w invertebre tank? i mean its bearly cycling but i cant be putting frozen bottles everyday either so if this temp wont do i might just get rid of it dont want any problems right off the bat.

the temp doesnt go over 81.7 but doesnt go under 79.9

 

[Tswifty]

your temp is fine... I don't worry until my temp gets upwards of the 85 degree range.

I try to keep my tank between 78-84 degrees.

Temp stability isn't always the best thing. Temps on a reef can fluctuate quite a bit.

RC member Greenbean has the professional answer though.

 

[MinnFish]

Is the RIO used as a return pump (rated at 748gph)? To solve the bubbles on the surface. Point a PH upward to break and move the water (and oxygenate). Temp solution (not a problem but, if it concern you) install a clip on fan to push air across the surface of the water.
[welcome]

 

[mindytoy]

oh ok i was sweating on the temp thing i have a book and it says reef is 72-78 but reading here on RC says that you can be even at 86 or so as long as the temp is gradually and not drastically?

also the rio isnt powering the skimmer. the rio is just a powerhead i have which isnt on its too strong. the 2 powerheads i have are a aqua clear 50 and a powerhead 402. thats what it says on them. the pump for the skimmer is a big "utility pump" a bit bigger than that rio. it says 15 volts

 

[mindytoy]

my temp was 81.7 right now and when i moved the powerhead direction in a minute it dropped to 81 thats pretty cool

 

[drparker]

You said you took the top lids off. As in glass? Keep them off, you'll have lower temps and better gas exchange.

 

[mindytoy]

yeah the glass lids, i had them on to prevent evaporation right now they are off.

whats weird is my light, its only 40watts. yet it is brighter than the reef lighting i have seen. it is yellowish white. i also turned on a 28 watt 36" hood with purpleish white bulb..

 

[drparker]

Yeah the standard 40 watt can produce what looks like a lot of light, but that light has very little energy in it that the corals need for photosynthesis. While the reef lighting might not seem as bright to you they produce the energy need by the corals.

 

[mindytoy]

yeah im sure it wasnt light intensity which mad growth...

also my water is now 80.5 so like i said it stays within 80-81.8

the salinity is 34 ppt and 1.025 gravity...is that ok for the cycling process?

also if you had to pick one of these which one would you get? its all my budget allows me to afford and i think soft corals and anenomes will do ok in them...

either...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360061801044&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=023

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270253475888&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=017

i have to pick one so which one do i get?

 

[mindytoy]

also the nova has white lunars and power compact has blue

 

[mindytoy]

?

 

[MinnFish]

Do you have a overflow and sump? Closed loop? How are you turning the water over?

 

[mindytoy]

i just have a fluval 404 canister filter which is doing good rated for 100gallons and it has like 4 shelves one which has carbon bags and the others have thesse white cylinders in there.


if you guys arent farmiliar with the surfline, the stand has a small compartment/door where my filter sits perfect.... i left the door opened and faced the AC vents to the tank (i thought they were but they were facing the floor)

left for an hour when i came back the temp lowered from 81.7 to 80.5 WITH the light on, so w/o it im guessing i will finally hit 79

 

[mindytoy]

yeay its now at 79.6 lowest temp ive yet seen

 

[fishnut__2]

temp

temp

my tank is on my enclosed patio, hot in summer and cold in winter...

in summer it gets up to 84... so i use fans....... drop down 3-4 degrees

one pointing down on sump, on blowing across tank, good for lights also.

the trick is temp fluctuations. i turn my heaters up to 79, so the temp doesnt fluctuate too much.

the corals can survive 80, but the ups and downs are a killer

 

[ahullsb]

You aren't running a sump right? If I were you I would add one and you can use your rio 2500 for a return pump. I would ditch the lids as well. That should lower your temperature all by itself. Try something like this instead if you are worried about fish jumping.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=12606665
What kinds of corals do you want to keep? That will play a big factor in how much you need to spend on light!

 

[mindytoy]

hmmm...as for the fish jumping i might get the reptile aquarium mesh lids they are like $5-$20 at the lfs and are tank specific.

actually id have to do a custom one due to my aquarium shaped as a wave

also im a little stressed on the temp.

yesterdya it hit a high 81.7

at night it hit 75.5

THATS A HUGE DIFERENCE in temp in one single day!


however im experimenting with it...

because when i aimed the ac vents down to the tank and opened the compartment that houses the filter it did get to like 79 and staid there the whole day. ill be monitoring it and make sure it doesnt get above 80 and also get the heater setup so it doesnt go under 77 or 78 so that way i dont have such a big shift...

does this affect the lr?

also i went hunting last night to see what id spot in the LR with a flashlight and there were like 7 centepiede looking things with 2 long antenas. anyone know what those are?

 

[ahullsb]

The temperature swing is not that bad. What is your heater set at? Just raise it a few degrees and you should be fine. The centipede looking things a bristle worm or a brittle star or something. A picture would help. Or google search both and see what you think.

 

[mindytoy]

well i didnt have a heater i mean i have 3 but i hadnt put one in. i just pt in the bigger one. its only 300watts but its adjustable by 1 degree and fully submersible. so i set it to 75 and my temp right now is 77 so i think it wont go over 78 because with the ac pointed at it (from the other side of the room) it hasnt spiked over 78 with the light on and the cabinet closed. hopefully it stays at that 76-77... if it stays like this for a couple days i have solved the problem..

and now i can drop the temp to 75 just by turning off the light opening the compartment where my filter is and disconnecting the heater. so if it overheats sometime im prepared, and heating is easier, just adjust the heater and move the ac vents....


as for the worm things ill check into it they looked more like a shrimp than a worm though they had little legs and maybe the size of an ice cream sprinkle..

 

[mindytoy]

actually its not a bristle worm, this looks like a mix between a shrimp and the bristle worm....

i cant find anything that looks like them