Skimmer upgrade

[Kreeger1]

I think just about every skimmer out there has been modded or there is a thread about how to mod them. I see no realdesign difference between this skimmer, asm, euro reef ect. Its all the same principals involved in makeing the foam. Just different pump/ materials used to make the tube ect. All should preform about the same give or take
Erik

 

[Thinslis]

The bulb in the fuge light is a PC 65w 5500k bulb.

Thank you for the offer for help CleveYank, I may have to take you up on that. The only thing we would need is the Kill A Watt. I'll see how much those are.

I just spend $300 on a generator today since I've been with out power twice now since the first of the year.

I'd still like to talk about the sump design...

Also here is a picture of the algae issue.

 

[Kreeger1]

That could be bryopsis a hole different ball game then. Can you get a close up of one of the patches.
Erik

 

[Thinslis]

This is the best I can do.

 

[Kreeger1]

Looks like hair algae, so I'd say your lucky on that. I'd bet in a few weeks running the reactors and your water changes it should clear up.

 

[Thinslis]

How often should I change my Phosban media? The container said once a month...

Also, Do I need to change my sump design? to be Sump ===> Fuge ====> Return?

 

[Kreeger1]

I've seen t set up your way before, I see no real draw backs from that.
I set mine up as skimmer, fuge, return to help with micro bubbles. If you don't have micro bubbles I don't see how that will make a real impact.
refugiums were designed as a place to let things grow in a safe manor, Thats what yours is doing so I'd say that I'd leave it that way.

I might also knock the photo period back some for a few weeks too.
How long are your lights on the tank?
Just until the problem is fixed that is

 

[Thinslis]

Attinics on at 11am
Daylights on at 12pm
Daylights off at 6pm
Attinics off at 7pm
Moonlights from 7pm to 11am

So 8 hours

Should I increase the flow into the fuge, its only about 1/4 of the total flow through the sump which is about 700gph

 

[Kreeger1]

I'd say it wouldn't hurt to do that. Maybe rip your chaeto up a little to incourage more growth ends?
I'd change the phosoban once a month. Is it sort of bubbling in the reactor? the top surface should move a little sort of rumble I guess
Erik

 

[Thinslis]

Yes, the flow is enough to make the whole top surface move but is just short of causing particles blow tumble off the surface and into the water collum. The carbon doesn't move or tumble, should I increase the flow on that reactor? They are not chained.

Also, should I cut my photo period down to say 1pm Attinics 2pm Daylights 6pm Daylights off 7pm Attinics off (6 hours instead of 8 hours)?

 

[Kreeger1]

The carbon won't bubble, I'd say yes to dropping photo period for a week or so. Hit it all hard, water change, scrub the rock and the rest of the stuff your doing should make a good dent. Maybe also change some of the directions on your power heads to help if/with your dead spots in the tank.
Good luck
Erik

 

[Thinslis]

I did a lot of manual removal of the algae this evening and I chunked up my cheato in the sump to stimulate growth. I'm going to look into new bulbs tomorrow for my light.

On a positive note: now that I repostioned my power heads my GBTA is looking MUCH beter. My Red Acan from the Frag workshop has 4 new heads growing, and my Acan I got from the raffle in Oct has about doubled in size.

 

[itZme]

Kill-A-Watt meters are available at Harbor Freight for $29.99. Here's a link. You do not have to open up the volute to see a huge improvment over the original design. If you make the mesh mod pump into a recirc design you will need a small powerhead like an MJ600 or 900 to feed water into the skimmer. I have about 550 gallons total volume and I run a MJ900 to feed the skimmer with a Sedra 5000 modded pump for recirc.

You could also pick up a generic Dremel at Harbor Freight for about $8 if you wanted one. Here's a link to that.

My hair algae problem was about 3 times worse than yours in 2x 75g tanks. I bought a sea hare that tore through all the hair algae that I had. I then added a couple tangs and haven't seen any algae since then.

Hope that helps.

 

[Thinslis]

I called everyone looking for a Sea Hare and no one has any in stock =(

Thanks for the heads up on the Kill-A-Watt and Dremel, those are not all that expensive.

 

[Thinslis]

Ordered all new bulbs for my light today (Thank you SC).

Blue Plus
Super Actinic
Aquablue
Aquasun
Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
Aquablue
Blue Plus

 

[Thinslis]

Well my gate valve showed up today. I'll be doing that mod this evening and I'll be looking to do the Mesh mod sometime in the near future.

 

[Thinslis]

Oh, and the phosban is def helping, the algae is getting visably better.