CADlights 39g Pro build thread
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i also used teflon tape -- worked fine to hold the pump in the skimmer.
speaking of the skimmer... mine's been running for about a week, and the bubbles/water level doesn't even get into the collection cup's center chamber (let alone the collection compartment of the cup. eddie had said to run the skimmer with the valve wide open (parallel with the pipe), but i'm curious as to what everyone else is doing.
speaking of the skimmer... mine's been running for about a week, and the bubbles/water level doesn't even get into the collection cup's center chamber (let alone the collection compartment of the cup. eddie had said to run the skimmer with the valve wide open (parallel with the pipe), but i'm curious as to what everyone else is doing.
reeftivo
Skim junkie
Holy smoke!!
This thread is alive again?
Very Cool!!!!! I gave up a while back after checking over and over with no replies. I guess I will be chiming in once in a while.
TEFLON TAPE for sure on the collar to hold the pump in on the skimmer. I only needed one wrap and it fit snug.
Cadlights tanks rock!
This thread is alive again?
Very Cool!!!!! I gave up a while back after checking over and over with no replies. I guess I will be chiming in once in a while.
TEFLON TAPE for sure on the collar to hold the pump in on the skimmer. I only needed one wrap and it fit snug.
Cadlights tanks rock!
reeftivo
Skim junkie
The DSB in your fuge should work fine. The only problem you may have is keeping the turnover critters in it. The lower inner baffles are not very high and with a laminar flow over the DSB, those critters (other than pods) may very well end up chopped or back out in the display. I went with 2" of live sand mixed with fiji mud. I put in a couple of ceriths, one nassarius and two bristle worms from the main display. I see the ceriths all the time but rarely see the nassa. It seems to be working fine. The mud holds my Ca and Alk pretty well so I'm only dosing 5ml of two-part every other day.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15642195#post15642195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by timdanger
this great thread just ends?! how can this be?
I set up my new 39g pro recently, putting a DSB in the refugium. I feel like I haven't seen anyone else using a DSB there, but I wasn't sure if that was because they were using that area for extra equipment (zeolite reactor, phosban reactor, etc.). I was a little concerned with the small-ish surface area and the fact that I understand that DSBs are less useful toward edges(? i think i read this on wetwebmedia.com, but there's so much information there that I can't remember).
Also, I've put this in my bedroom, and it is still rather loud at night. I'm using the stock durso drain with a piece of airline tubing in it, which has mostly silenced the gurgling. i then put a piece of foam at the overflow to cut out most of the "waterfall." however, i'm still getting a fair amount of sound from the drain's outlet and from the stock return pump. i figure the return pump is what it is, but what about the drain outlet? my thought has been to get a piece of PVC and stick it on the end of the tube to act like a "Y splitter" for the water to kind of diffuse the current (and thus cut the sound). Has anyone else had success with this? other suggestions?
Ca=460
Alk=10
reeftivo
Skim junkie
My tank is in my living room and I do get some noise through the stand from the drain. The light fixture fan is the loudest thing on my tank so I really don't mind the drain noise. If I couldn't stand the noise I would direct the drain into one of the walls of the first chamber using a 45 degree elbow or use one of my pre-filter sponges from one of my mag pumps at the end of the hose. I run a filter sock now at the drain and cut it to about 2/3 length. I love the sock because I have two and change them out. They pick up just about everything. Once one is noticeably dirty, I just lift the drain hose up and out of the sock then move it over (without shutting down the pump), pull out the old sock then stick in the clean one. I was washing the socks in my washing machine (no detergent-of course) but I found that just taking it outside and blasting it with a water hose actually cleaned it better.
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reeftivo
Skim junkie
Forgive me but I'm not sure what you mean by center chamber.
Half way up the neck of the collection cup?
How long has your tank been running?
If it is fairly new just leave the valve completely open for now and look to see if your air/water line is just below where the cone portion of the skimmer body meets the collection cup. The air water line is a fine line where you can see all the cool microbubbles spinning in the chamber and then a fine line of more condensed bubbles just right above that. If it is just below the bottom of the collection cup where the taper starts in the body of the skimmer then you should be fine. Just let it break in.
I knew that looked familiar. You're the guy who had posted on the cadlight forum
The loudest part of my system was the cooling fan, but I think this was because it is defective. I smelled very hot, maybe even burning, plastic the first time I turned it on so I've decided to leave it off.
The second loudest is the water fall into the overflow. Have any ideas for fixing this without a chance of clogging the durso? Also, are bio balls bad to use? I was going to use them for the microbubbles problem, but I think I remember from back in the day when I had a 75G, for some reason bio balls are bad. What are you guys doing to treat the micro-bubble problem?
reeftivo
Skim junkie
Hi itsdarrow! Hows it going over there?
Hope everything is running smooth!
Mine is doing great. I did change a few things on my set up, but nothing difficult.
1) substituted the stock return T for a 1/2 in. barbed Y fitting so I could get equal flow from both returns.
2) changed the single fan in the stock square housing for a more quiet fan.
3) Changed the stock return pump out for a Rio 20F hyperflow pump and use a ball valve for control off the pump.
4) my stock fuge light literally blew up one night and I since changed it for a small 8" home depot clamp on spot light fixture with an 11 watt 65K compact flourescent. $10 for everything.
5) Threw out the filter pads and now alternate between a couple of filter socks cut to size.
6) Filled a media bag with live rock rubble and placed it in the first chamber for more bio filtration and ease of cleaning-just pull it out and rinse.
7) Put in a 2 inch layer of live sand mixed with fiji mud in the fuge with chaeto (need more chaeto since most died because of the lack of a fuge light for a while).
8) Put a small via aqua reactor in the last chamber to run GFO and Chemipure Elite. The pump for the reactor also pushes thru my chiller.
9) Took out the light diffuser I was using to space the skimmer up a bit because it was trapping detritus. I sliced some 1/2 in. vinyl tubing and slipped it along the bottom edges of the stand to bring it up to level.
10) put a length of RO tubing in the top of the durso because the more powerfull pump was causing whistling.
11) Put a clear CD cover into the overflow and zip tied it to the elbows coming off the returns to quiet down the waterfall effect/works awsome. I had been using pond filter mesh but it was trapping detritus and started generating nitrates.
That's it!
reeftivo
Skim junkie
Hello ItsMee,<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15673037#post15673037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ItsMee
I knew that looked familiar. You're the guy who had posted on the cadlight forum
The loudest part of my system was the cooling fan, but I think this was because it is defective. I smelled very hot, maybe even burning, plastic the first time I turned it on so I've decided to leave it off.
The second loudest is the water fall into the overflow. Have any ideas for fixing this without a chance of clogging the durso? Also, are bio balls bad to use? I was going to use them for the microbubbles problem, but I think I remember from back in the day when I had a 75G, for some reason bio balls are bad. What are you guys doing to treat the micro-bubble problem?
Hope your doing awsome!
Bio balls are effective for fish only tanks but are not good for mixed reef because they dont support the low oxygen bacteria needed for denitrification (nitrate factories). For the micros you may want to try using a very coarse piece of sponge directly under the output of the skimmer with the output directed into the far left corner of the first chamber. The sponge can be easily cleaned weekly during water changes. I can't recommend enough the use of a filter sock for this set up because it filters just about everything and is so easy to clean and maintain. Get two, cut the plastic circular collar off so the sock is only 2/3 its original size and use a lighter to gently melt the nylon at the stiches where you cut because it may come apart if it's not melted together. Then walla! You can throw them in the washer or blast them with the water hose to clean and you're ready to go each time.
the overflow can be quieted down by placing a piece of coarse pond mesh (wont trap to much junk as pads will) against the wall directly below the wiers. Don't put the mesh to high up against the wiers because it will reduce flow down into the box. this should help alot. If you want you could take apart a CD case and take the cover portion off and use that against the wall. I took one off and noticed it had a couple of slots that I could put a couple zip ties through and fasten them to each of the return elbows. When you place the cover inside with the zip ties inserted, you just cinch them up until the cover angles against the wall at the bottom and you're set. If it still makes alot of noise you could then cut a small strip of mesh and place it along the bottom of cover where it comes close to the overflow wall and it should work. I've done this and it works well for me. I'll get a pic tonight and post tomorrow-I'm at work right now trying to be productive-LOL!
Hope that helps!
Have fun,
Tivo
Thanks Tivo for the CD case idea, it worked awesome. I'll have to buy some filter socks and a sponge for the micros I guess. Massive amounts of micro bubbles is actually a good thing if you consider that it means your skimer is doing it's job I can't wait to get some live rock! Where did you get the fiji mud?
I can't wait to get some live rock! Where did you get the fiji mud?When I say "center chamber" i just mean the cylinder in the middle of the collection cup that the bubbles travel up before spilling over the edge into the "reservoir" of the collection cup (where the skimmate ends up).
as far as where the bubbles come to now, I would say the highest bubbles are sitting at the "neck" between the main part of the skimmer body and the collection cup. i'm not sure what you mean by the "fine line" between the air/water -- it's hard to distinguish because of the mass of bubbles between the two.
My tank has been up for about 10 days now.
reeftivo
Skim junkie
COOL!!<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15674724#post15674724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ItsMee
Thanks Tivo for the CD case idea, it worked awesome. I'll have to buy some filter socks and a sponge for the micros I guess. Massive amounts of micro bubbles is actually a good thing if you consider that it means your skimer is doing it's job
The micros should settle down after a week or so. The skimmer works well for me at a sump level of 7.5 inches. The fiji mud can be purchased online at reputable site (Marine Depot/Acuacave Etc.) .
reeftivo
Skim junkie
Hi Tim,
Thanks, thats what I thought regarding the skimmer neck.
What is your level in the sump? Sorry but I forgot to ask.
The air/water line may be difficult to see at this point since your skimmer is not quite broken in yet. If you set your sump at about 7 inches that would be a good starting point. The more water you put in the display the higher the sump level will get (the display level will remain constant). If it's at 7 inches or so then make sure the valve is completely open and see where your bubbles are popping. If they are popping just above the bottom of the collection cup and you can see them popping in the riser tube then you're okay. If they are popping lower then turn the valve slightly until you see the bubble level rise to just above the bottom of the cup. This setting should be a starting point since the skimmer is still breaking in. If you adjust it too high at this point then when it does finally break in it will overflow the cup and put all the skimmate back into the sump. Just give it a few more days and see where you're at.
reeftivo
Skim junkie
10-4 Tim,
You may even try it at 8 inches and see what happens because even though they are the same tanks, everyone has varied results. Heck, at least it's a good starting point. If you don't have any animals in the tank yet then the progression will be slower. If you have added some starters (hermits,snails) that would speed it up a bit.
Have fun!!
Tivo
You may even try it at 8 inches and see what happens because even though they are the same tanks, everyone has varied results. Heck, at least it's a good starting point. If you don't have any animals in the tank yet then the progression will be slower. If you have added some starters (hermits,snails) that would speed it up a bit.
Have fun!!
Tivo
Where did you get your live rock Tivo? What kind is it? If I can't find a good store online to buy from, I might have one of my brothers that lives in LA make a trip to chino (or somewhere else there local that you know is good to get rock from) and mail me it. I wonder if that would be cheaper. My LFS really sucks, and there is only one, unless I want live rock from Petco....yuck. Atleast then I would know the rock was seen and liked in person instead of trusting what a website says.
reeftivo
Skim junkie
The live rock around here is hit or miss. I go to a few different places over here and sometimes I go in and they have junk, then other times they have beautiful rock. The base rock I have is seeded (supposed to be dormant?)Key Largo from Marco Rocks. I purchased that online and it is awsome looking. I ordered the 50 lb box and I'm using about 2/3 of it for base and have a large piece of Fiji branch rock at the top with some fiji out of my old system scattered in the back. The Branch piece I love because it is perfect for frag plugs and I bought it locally over here. The closest LFS had a ton of it. It did not have much coralline on it but was dated and cured so I had to have it.
I love the look of some others aquascapes where they build the foam wall over diffuser and put pretty little shells and everything under the sun on them. I've also had all the traditional rock wall scapes I can think of and wonder if the people that build those foam diffuser walls know what they are getting into as far as dead spots and accessability for cleaning go. I just tried to keep mine simple this time and make it super easy to clean-which it is!
I love the look of some others aquascapes where they build the foam wall over diffuser and put pretty little shells and everything under the sun on them. I've also had all the traditional rock wall scapes I can think of and wonder if the people that build those foam diffuser walls know what they are getting into as far as dead spots and accessability for cleaning go. I just tried to keep mine simple this time and make it super easy to clean-which it is!
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reeftivo
Skim junkie
I have never purchased actual cured live rock online before so I can't say as to how it looks or ships. I've heard that it can be very good but I'm pretty sure that once you stop the flow over live rock that it begins to slowly die off even if it is moist or under water. I have had fresh live rock w/water in buckets almost blacken the water after only a day with no circ.
Check out "The Marine Center" in the texas area and see what they have. They may be a good option since the are close
Check out "The Marine Center" in the texas area and see what they have. They may be a good option since the are close
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