So I'm guessing that your parents buy everything then..........I would say then that u should do some research on products.......come up with a tank plan to kno exactly what you need......then make a price list........after the price list and plan are finished make a presentation to your parents so they can understand a little bit more what you are trying to do
Make my tank better! w/Poll
- Thread starter travisurfer
- Start date
travisurfer
New member
No, i have to pay for EVERYTHING! Im not a spoiled little rich kid. My parents are just strict on what I use my money to buy. Like the ATO I want to get, he thinks its too expensive and that my tank will be fine for 4 days while we are on vacation. I have to talk them into everything ands its a major pain. I think the only reason they let me buy stuff is because I have been buying everything slowly over the winter so that they dont notice it as much. I guess making a presentation would help but they just dont really know anything about the tank even though i try to tell them. Its very frustrating. You cant imagine what it took to get my dad to let me put 20 gallons of saltwater in my room.
Wombat_101
Reefer
Travisurfer, don't worry about your skimmer right now. The skimmer has nothing to skim. Looking at our tank pics it looks like their is no fish in it right now. If this is a new setup, it will take the skimmer about 2 weeks to break in anyway. The break in period should also help with the micro bubbles but you may need a pre-skim box.
I've heard decent things about the bakpak skimmer. I would use it and when you start adding fish see how it skims. If you feel that it is not cutting it than you can replace it. If you have spending limitations spend it on the other things you want for the tank.
Good Luck
Greg
I've heard decent things about the bakpak skimmer. I would use it and when you start adding fish see how it skims. If you feel that it is not cutting it than you can replace it. If you have spending limitations spend it on the other things you want for the tank.
Good Luck
Greg
travisurfer
New member
If i was any good with acryllic id try making one. Anyway, the skimmer has been on the tank for almost a month and its still throwing out bubbles though it did stop for a day.
Wombat_101
Reefer
check this out
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1
You might be able to adapt it to work on your skimmer.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1
You might be able to adapt it to work on your skimmer.
lessans
New member
travisurfer, depending on how much water surface agitation you have from power heads, your tank salinity could potentially fluctuate a lot because you have a 20 gal tank. BTW, I bought the ATO you're considering for when I went on Spring Break this year. It was very reliable. Back during Thanksgiving Break, I left the tank for a week and my auto top off I made consisted of a bucket filled with water raised about 4 feet above the surface of the sump water and put a C-clamp on the 1/4" tubing producing the drip effect used for acclimation. Sometime during my vacation it stopped dripping even though I had tested two-5 gal buckets on the setup before the trip and the water level in my sump was low enough that the pump for my skimmer was slightly above water. My tank loses about 2 gal water/day. Luckily for me the salinity won't fluctuate that much in my 65 gal, but imagine the effects on your 20 gal. The ATO is a good investment and fairly easy to set up. Just needs tweeking of the level you want to set your water sensors.
Another word of advice. Before the trip, if you have any power heads, clean the algae behind them and off the suction cups. I didn't do this back during Thanksgiving Break and the first time the powerheads lost suction against the glass was while I was gone. The powerheads had altered the usual water flow pattern and thus blew some of my mushrooms off the rocks b/c the flow was too strong. Hope this helps.
Another word of advice. Before the trip, if you have any power heads, clean the algae behind them and off the suction cups. I didn't do this back during Thanksgiving Break and the first time the powerheads lost suction against the glass was while I was gone. The powerheads had altered the usual water flow pattern and thus blew some of my mushrooms off the rocks b/c the flow was too strong. Hope this helps.
travisurfer
New member
thanks. i couldnt stand the suction cups so i mounted my powerheads on the edge of the tank(penguin 550's). with the ac on, i lose less than half a gallon a day on my 20H which couldnt be too bad since im keeping a brittle star. im looking to get my ATO from www.autotopoff.com . anyway, i may consider a surface skimmer that is made for the bakpak. the bubbles are slowly going away, hopefully they will stay that way.
lessans
New member
When I said ATO I meant the actual product by JBJ called the ATO System Water Level Controller. This baby costs $100 and I know what you said about how your parents put money restraints on your budget, but this thing I can trust. I chose not to use one of those DIY top off sensors because who knows what defects it may have. I also went with the JBJ ATO b/c it took away the hassle of wiring the top off myself which is necessary for the float valve in the hyperlink you made. I strongly suggest trying to convince your parents to buy this. However, if you can get someone to help you wire the DIY auto top-off well, then by all means do that; it'll save you money. Just give it some thought.
travisurfer
New member
It looks like you just have to plug a pump into it. there is another one from topoff.com? that looks good as well.
travisurfer
New member
i cut up eggcrate and put it into the outlet of the skimmer in an attempt to keep snails out. it seems like the bubbles have finally stopped too, even though my skimmate is still really wet, ill be trying to get it dryer and i may get a used preskimmer if the price is right.
Wombat_101
Reefer
Andrew, my friend uses one of these on his aquac remora skimmer. Works great for the price. Proteins gather at the surface and it could improve his skimming.
Price being an issue with him a $10 surface skimmer is a great cheap start. Only thing extra would be tubing to the inlet of his pump.
travisurfer
New member
my skimmer is a venturi so i need to have an airline through the intake. cpr makes one secifically for the bakpak. i may get it if i keep the skimmer.
travisurfer
New member
ill probably stick with the cpr version if i decide i want to keep the skimmer. i may end up using xenia for nitrogen absorption.
travisurfer
New member
btw, anyone have any xenia in the southeastern NC area?
travisurfer
New member
what do you guys think of the small size cpr intank fuge inside a 20H?
rustybucket145
New member
did your temp guage say 62 in the first pic?
travisurfer
New member
im guessing it was 82. the lowest my tank normally gets is 76 or so.
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