JBJ 28 Gallon Nano Owners Club

[septicdeath]

Have you tried taking the T off and using just a 90 degree? Ive heard others do this, although I didn't need too. Its important that the return from the skimmer is not submerged (not sure if you have the extension on it or not? Make sure the T or 90degree is connected to the output tube, and then just the short clear pipe, twist it so that the output (most of it) falls into the return chamber rather than back into the skimmer chamber (it requires the input and output to be twisted slightly). I played with it dropping right into the skimmer chamber and also twisting it the other way having it fall mostly into the skimmer chamber, as well as right in the middle). I seem to remember the best results when it dropped the extra distance into the return chamber (far left). Lowering the water level was also required, the main goal here was to make sure that the water "fell" into the water in the return side.

Im sure others have little tricks too, but by doing this, I found that I didnt get near as many micro-bubbles.

 

[septicdeath]

double post

 

[image]

Ok guys i just got my Aquamaxx HOB-1
I set it up exactly as ange062 did with the return on the left side and on top of the black stock sponge that came with the media basket.
The problem is the micro bubbles thy just keep on coming into my tank.
I even tried it with the center compartment so there was a longer way to the pumps but still was getting the bubbles.

What other solutions are there?
Should I get a big sponge to fill in the pump compartment? maybe that will help.

Also i should mention it was used for several months but i got in nice and clean.
maybe i should soak it in vinegar to clean it better? Does the brake in period has to do anything with the bubbles going into the tank?

Thanks.

I got bubbles for the first couple days, it's possible that it's just the break in period. After the first couple days I noticed that the skimmer stopped producing so many bubbles and they didn't "overflow" back on to the other side of the middle plate. To minimize the bubbles in that first few days, I directed the return to pour half on the top of the long black sponge in the end compartment, and half back into the 4th compartment. When I looked at the back, I could see the 4th compartment had a ton of bubbles, but the tank had less (still had some).

Edit: forgot to mention, I also tried the sponge that came with the media basket, and it did nothing for me either. I think it's too porous to stop them or something. Better to direct the return at the long black sponge, which is a little "finer"

 

[wisnia99]

Thanks guys ill be plying with it tonight.
Also ill probably let it break in couple of days to.

I will be installing the JBJ 1/15 Chiller today. Should i maybe feed the chiller with the left side pump where the skimmer is and than from the chiller to overflow that may reduce the bubbles as well. Or is it a bad idea.

 

[ange062]

Ok guys i just got my Aquamaxx HOB-1
I set it up exactly as ange062 did with the return on the left side and on top of the black stock sponge that came with the media basket.
The problem is the micro bubbles thy just keep on coming into my tank.
I even tried it with the center compartment so there was a longer way to the pumps but still was getting the bubbles.

What other solutions are there?
Should I get a big sponge to fill in the pump compartment? maybe that will help.

Also i should mention it was used for several months but i got in nice and clean.
maybe i should soak it in vinegar to clean it better? Does the brake in period has to do anything with the bubbles going into the tank?

Thanks.

Not sure if you have seen this thread, but it has tons of info on how to setup the skimmer and work around any possible issues:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2027481

 

[ange062]

Thanks guys ill be plying with it tonight.
Also ill probably let it break in couple of days to.

I will be installing the JBJ 1/15 Chiller today. Should i maybe feed the chiller with the left side pump where the skimmer is and than from the chiller to overflow that may reduce the bubbles as well. Or is it a bad idea.

My chiller is hooked up to the right side stock return pump. The return from the chiller feeds directly back into the display through the stock return port on that side.

If you hook up the chiller to the left pump it's going to be very difficult / messy to run the hoses down to the chiller since the skimmer is in the way on that side.

Check out these pics of how it looks back there on my tank. You can see the two chiller lines running between the TLF Reactors:

You can see the left side is already taken up by the skimmer, so the chiller lines would either have to be run on the side of the tank, or over the media basket, neither of which is a clean solution:

 

[image]

Thanks guys ill be plying with it tonight.
Also ill probably let it break in couple of days to.

I will be installing the JBJ 1/15 Chiller today. Should i maybe feed the chiller with the left side pump where the skimmer is and than from the chiller to overflow that may reduce the bubbles as well. Or is it a bad idea.

Hmm... never thought about installing the chiller on the same side as the skimmer... I guess it might work? I've got my chiller on the opposite side, with the chiller return piped directly to the display.

 

[wisnia99]

Hmm... never thought about installing the chiller on the same side as the skimmer... I guess it might work? I've got my chiller on the opposite side, with the chiller return piped directly to the display.

Yes it may work but i think there is no way for the bubbles to escape inside the chiller since its a closed loop so it would be the same effect.

I will have to figure something out with a denser sponge or floss for the skimmer return.

 

[ange062]

Yes it may work but i think there is no way for the bubbles to escape inside the chiller since its a closed loop so it would be the same effect.

I will have to figure something out with a denser sponge or floss for the skimmer return.

It's pretty easy to find blocks of denser foam at an LFS, I use a roughly 3x4x12" block that I found locally for a couple of bucks. I just cut it in half and stuffed down both pump chambers in place of the stock thin sponges that the tank comes with. The skimmer output spills onto this and no issues with noise or microbubbles.

Go watch the video and read through the skimmer thread, all the info is there.

 

[wisnia99]

It's pretty easy to find blocks of denser foam at an LFS, I use a roughly 3x4x12" block that I found locally for a couple of bucks. I just cut it in half and stuffed down both pump chambers in place of the stock thin sponges that the tank comes with. The skimmer output spills onto this and no issues with noise or microbubbles.

Go watch the video and read through the skimmer thread, all the info is there.

Thanks again man. :beer:

 

[supersaltlick]

For those that have used fans to help cool your tank, what type of controlling mechanism are you using to turn the fans on/off? I am looking to set something up for the heat this summer. trying not to do a chiller but may have to. I have the hqi halide tank.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[supersaltlick]

For those that have used fans to help cool your tank, what type of controlling mechanism are you using to turn the fans on/off? I am looking to set something up for the heat this summer. trying not to do a chiller but may have to. I have the hqi halide tank.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[SlvrSurfRidr]

For those that have used fans to help cool your tank, what type of controlling mechanism are you using to turn the fans on/off? I am looking to set something up for the heat this summer. trying not to do a chiller but may have to. I have the hqi halide tank.

Thanks
Shawn

Any controller would work. I've got an APEX LITE

 

[corrado007]

Any controller would work. I've got an APEX LITE

+1, I have an Apex lite also and LOVE it! Affordable and super functional.

 

[madbomber]

For those that have used fans to help cool your tank, what type of controlling mechanism are you using to turn the fans on/off? I am looking to set something up for the heat this summer. trying not to do a chiller but may have to. I have the hqi halide tank.

Thanks
Shawn

I run an APEX too, though it does way more than fan control. Its worth the money. If you want to go cheap and are good at DIY stuff, get a cheap t-stat and a solenoid to control your fan. Like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tem...ltDomain_0&hash=item3cc308483c#ht_4408wt_1081

 

[supersaltlick]

Madbomber,
That's exactly what I'm looking for. Not really looking to get into reef controller yet. thanks!!
Shawn

 

[chrisryherd]

hi new nano

hi new nano

hi my name is Chris. i am new. i currently have a fluval spec 2g and a nano cube 28g quad cf. i would like to some day grow coral, soft, and lps. break down of the tanks.

nano cube

50 lbs live sand
10 lbs live rock plus another 10 lbs dry rock
koralia pump @ 425 gph
frank T's media basket
im at the end of a short cycle and hope to add some fish soon, and just ordered a clean up crew from reef cleaners.


fluval spec
live sand live rock
two cleaner shrimp
three blue leg hermit crabs ( with a few extra shells)
one blue damselflies

i am trying to find a good grow light for the spec. looking at the boost LED par 30
and the Rapid LED par38 :headwallblue:

i have read a lot being here and any suggestion or comments welcome.

 

[UofTOrange]

Heat with the CF Quad

Heat with the CF Quad

New 28g nano owner. I had the 12g before and moved up. I bought the CF Quad one as it seemed solid for the price and didn't have the money now (or rather couldn't get approval from the wife) to buy the LED.

Anyway, I've read about 100 pages of this thread and mostly it seems people have had heat issues with the HQI version. I haven't really seen anyone post about the CF Quad with heat issues. My water was at 84.6 degrees yesterday. I live in Texas, AC is always on at 75 degrees and there is no direct sunlight to the tank, though there is light in the kitchen from windows. Nothing added outside of stock right now. The lights were on for a long cycle 6am-8PM, but that's what I ran in my smaller tank before.

No money for a chiller right now. Should I be having this issue with this tank? I bought an extra fan and am going to put it in the canopy, and I can buy the azoo (or is there a better solution since I'm a year back still) if I need to, but would rather not have to have that conversation after spending the amount I already have to get this started.

Thanks, and I've learned a lot from this thread already. I'll try and get some pics up soon. Alright, back to reading!

 

[NMC]

I have an 28g LED. I have the Eheim auto fish feeder. Wondering how best to put it. I'm thinking of using velcro to secure it and have it hang over that feeding opening in the lid. Some of the fish I plan to keep are known jumpers and really, any fish can decide to be a jumper, so wondering how best to cover the rest of the opening....something easy on and off. Anyone got suggestions?

 

[wisnia99]

Hi I have a question about my JBJ LED light version. (its only 1 month old)
Today my dusk/down light blinked and its like %50 bright as it used to be.
Did that happened to anybody before?

The white is fine and its on its own ballast .
Dusk/Down is on different plug looks like AC converter.
What would cause this sudden %50 drop in intensity?

Thanks.