Neal's Barebottom SPS & ZOA System...

ok, so i got my new skimmer pumps yesterday... i was using the one on the left for the entire time ive had my current system for a year and a half, and the previous system i had in California, until the pumps finally died out... then for the last 2 months i have been using the one on the left... now its back to the bad boy on the right, and its got my peace of mind back in place... i like to go big, and i am a firm believer that there is no such thing as too much skimming... i wasnt able to get the bubble blaster pumps i wanted (perhaps in the future) but the sicce 2500 psk's seem to have some modifications to better their construction and function, which is good... it was either $450 for the bubble blasters, or $260 for these sicce's, so i had to unfortunately go cheaper this time around given the time of year and the holidays... still very happy to be back with my bad boy skimmer... rated for a 300g system... i myself have between 95 to 100 gallons of water in my system, since i had to raise the water level in the sump about 5 inches...

jus a little size difference ;)

but im pleased :beer:

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/?action=view&current=IMAG1728.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/IMAG1728.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>
 
Correction of my previous post, its the large reef octopus extreme 300 dual pump on the right that i have always used aside from the last couple months...
 
damn bud, thats one massive skimmer for your tank size! I raked myself back and forth when deciding on a skimmer. I read and read and it just seemed that most folks prefered a skimmer that was rated at double the volume. Then of course there were still tons of folks that do like you and go way overboard. I just wanted to keep my fuge large in my sump so I went for an appropriately sized one. I sorta wish I went overboard instead although I dont even fill my cup in a weeks time let alone every few days like most do. I have no clue why either. Ive tried wet and dark skimming but if I make it fill the cup in a few days it seems to overflow a bit and is quite watery.

SO how long does it take to fill that giant cup? DO you ever have times where it doesnt skim? Thats what I wanted to avoid, a skimmer that drew tons of power but didnt skim half the time with no head built up. Just curious.
 
these pics where taken with 2 new ati purple plus' and 2 new ati blue plus'... not great shots at all, but i wanted to share...

sunset monti...

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/?action=view&current=IMAG1748-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/IMAG1748-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>

ora pearlberry...

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/?action=view&current=IMAG1755-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/IMAG1755-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>

ora red planet...

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/?action=view&current=IMAG1756-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/IMAG1756-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>

strawberry shortcake...

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/?action=view&current=IMAG1744-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/IMAG1744-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>

green milli...

<a href="http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/?action=view&current=IMAG1746-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/Pallobi11/System%20December%202011/IMAG1746-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"></a>
 
also, i got all new bulbs in yesterday... they are all ATI... 8 bulb fixture configured as follows...

blue plus
aquablue special
purple plus
blue plus
blue plus
purple plus
aquablue special
blue plus

i have changed my lighting times... the middle 4 consisting of 2 blue plus and 2 purple plus are on from noon to 10, and the outer bulbs which include the 2 aquablue specials, are on from 2 to 8...

I have my light about 10" above the surface... and will be adding a fan in the near future to keep the bulbs cool...
 
I bought a Reef Octopus rated for 200g, and am using it on my ~ 100g twv system. I believe going big with my skimmer was possibly the best equipment decision I've made yet.

I also have a Tek fixture - how do you plan to cool the bulbs with the fan? I've heard there's a fine line between doing it right and doing it wrong.
 
That skimmer looks just the right size to me.

Love the new tile size. Looks like they will be a lot more stable when your colonies get bigger. Which doesn't look like it will be too long by the way they're growing. They all look really happy. So clean. Not a speck of algea.
:thumbsup:
 
Not a speck, I wish lol, i am having my own issues with dino's right now... My second bout with them this year... All well, lol, we do what we can, and take it as it comes :)

Happy new year everyone, and thank you for the compliments guys n gals!!
 
Really wicked set up man.

I haven't set up a reef tank yet, and i cant really have one till about this time next year (Still have 7 months left of deployment and then hopefully moving out of CA to WA) and i was planning on having a big reef setup with the LR and sand, but i think you have me sold on my DT. I was going get a tank around the 300DD size but i think i might just go long, wide, and low.

Thanks for the inspiration!
 
Bushpig_2 said:
Really wicked set up man.

I haven't set up a reef tank yet, and i cant really have one till about this time next year (Still have 7 months left of deployment and then hopefully moving out of CA to WA) and i was planning on having a big reef setup with the LR and sand, but i think you have me sold on my DT. I was going get a tank around the 300DD size but i think i might just go long, wide, and low.

Thanks for the inspiration!
Click to expand...

thats a great compliment, thank you... have fun with whatever you decide :)

:beer:
 
REEF SMAC said:
That skimmer looks just the right size to me.

Love the new tile size. Looks like they will be a lot more stable when your colonies get bigger. Which doesn't look like it will be too long by the way they're growing. They all look really happy. So clean. Not a speck of algea.
:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

i love my skimmer :)

and i think these tiles will work out so much better as well, in a few regards... i like the look ALOT more... i really like their texture as well... a much better material for this application and feel...
 
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