live sand/new setup

[cloakerpoked]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14753979#post14753979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bnmir
I would build the internal overflow now. To add later, youll have to drop the water level, then wait for silicon to cure before raising it back up. That means no flow to-from the sump while it cures.
As hard as it is to go slow at the start, getting the plumbing right is worth it in the long run.
You may need to throttle back the pump, if the flow through the sump is too fast, even with baffles you can have noise and bubbles. A filter sock can help, too.

+1

I don't think a mag 7 will go to quickly through a 20 long, so that shouldn't be an issue. Especially since at a 3 or 4 foot head, it won't be pushing 700gph.

Definitely put the overflow in now or never. It will help with surface skimming, and be a failsafe, but wouldn't be absolutely necessary.

 

[acer]

Yep, adding the filter sock tonight and will work on the sump ( adding baffles to the 20 long) tonight. Also. I know that I will have to lower the water level for 48 hours to get the internal overflow in while the silicon cures. But, I wanted to get the sand and rock "Cooking" and make sure all other problems are fixed. And my boy "absolutely" could not wait another week. Ye ,Ye - like we were never young... Hopefully I will be able to make the internal overflow this Sunday from Weldon obtained at the frag swap. I will attempt to install the internal overflow before the tank cycles, prior to putting anything live in it. I think putting in a airstone and a small powerhead while the water level is low should afford continued bacterial growth. Have to buy a new Dremel tool or get to sears and ask them to get the old bit out- in order to detail cut acrylic- using a hacksaw/circular saw to make the baffles is a pain. Never have the right tool when you need it.

 

[cloakerpoked]

haha, well as long as you're just using it for LR cycling, honestly you could do that in a rubbermaid tub with a heater and pump running and leave the actual tank dry. Guess it would defeat the purpose of getting the sand "live" though.

 

[acer]

OK too tired to build sump tonight- but got the filter sock with activated carbon on the down flow pipe hanging in the sump and the micro bubbles are already improved in less than one hour. PH=8.2, Refractometer reading = 1.022. no point in testing much else yet. I Used 1/2 reef crystals and 1/2 coralife salt. Good luck at the swap and well see you there.

 

[acer]

OK -tank has cleared and put live rock in the the tank last night. Put sponges between the skimmer and down-flow and the return pump in the temporary 10 gallon sump ( until I get the 20 long sump completed) and they took care of the microbubbles. We picked up a bunch of frags yesterday that are going to stay in my other setup for a while. Python ( Sam= club pres. ) and Ray gave us some live sand = thanks guys. Skimmer ( fixed with super glue and silicon) is working well and tank "looks good". Testing today for nitrates, Po4, Ca, Alk . PH has gone down to 8.05 on the Pinpoint meter. Salinity= 1.022. Finishing sump and mounting pendant today.

 

[cloakerpoked]

I'd bump the salinity up to 1.024, and the higher you can keep your pH, the more alk you'll be able to keep in your water column. Since I doubt if you have a calcium reactor for this bad boy, keeping your pH closer to 8.2 or even 8.3 might not be such a bad thing. Of course, with no lights and no photosynthetic animals in the tank, your pH will naturally be low anyway.

 

[acer]

OK - so far tests results: Nitrate= 50 ( not too bad considering) , Alk 8.0= low. Adding a little more salt (per Cloakerpoked suggestion) to raise salinity and PH and maybe Alk as well. Alk supplement ( baked Armour Hammer baking soda) if necessary which should raise Alk and PH. Ca+= 440 ( interesting) , Po4 = <.03 - but expired test - any difference?? , mg+=1125

 

[acer]

WOW- since I was testing the new system I figured I would test the "stable" setup= 4 yrs old. The nitrates = 100, PO4= 1. What the heck!!??? CA+= 420, Mg 1200, ph=8.0, Alk= 9.0 , salinity 1.025. I did disturb the sand bed getting live rock out to transfer to new setup and I bought a mj12000 mod ($15) at the frag swap and tested that which blew some sand around and several corals off there perch within a few seconds - too powerful!! Will be setting up my phosband reactor immediately. No wonder I have getting some Bryopsis and hair algae lately. BUT all corals and fish look good. Maybe this is what the last meetings speaker was talking about. Hmm....

 

[cloakerpoked]

all of your coral should be visibly stressed out with a nitrate reading that high. 20 would be high for SPS. I wonder if your nitrate test kit is bad...because I wasn't even aware the scale went that high.

 

[acer]

Corals are beginning to look stressed in main tank now and hair agea is Blooming - Retested Nitrates- it is at 50 . Brand new Salifert kit purchased after the frag swap in Cleveland. The scale goes to 100. Running carbon and phosphate remover. retesting tomorrow. The new setup looks great- clear as a bell. Retesting that tomorrow- need to find my ammonia and nitrite test kits.

 

[cloakerpoked]

Yeah, with nitrates that high, its definitely dangerous for the tank. Do you have a DSB? If so, this could be a very compelling argument against them as a long term viable option in a reef tank.

 

[acer]

I have about 3 inches- new setup has about 4 inches, Maybe rethinking that.

 

[acer]

Tank up and running with a sump = no refugium yet. Have the usual daitom bloom currently. Figured out the high nitrate and Phosphates in my 4 year old reef was from overfeeding ( 13 year old all exited). He put 1/4 of the bottle of DT's that I won at the frag swap in all at once.

 

[acer]

Tank doing well - 2 Chromis and a peppermint shrimp doing great- diatoms nearly gone. Phosphates = under .1, Nitrates = under 1. Ph=8.2 , Alk=10, Ca=410. Better chemistry than my 4 year old reef currently - thanks to the overfeeding ( see above) . Got the 150 watt MH pendant hooked up= attached it to a piece of 1" x 2" x 3 feet long piece of wood that is attached to a large hinge that I attached to the wall so I can move the pendant to clean,etc. . I love the "shimmer effect".