Solana tank owner thread.
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
pweissma
Member
I'm getting ready to get my Solana going again after moving. Just last night I ripped out the divider between chambers 1 & 2 leaving the return chamber untouched. I'm going to add a baffle to maintain a constant 14" (or so) of water in the combined chamber. It should fit a Tunze 9004, or 9006 or bubble magnus NAC 3+ but I plan on using my Aquamaxx HOB at least in the short run.
I wouldn't recommend combining all 3 chambers since then you can't have a constant depth skimmer chamber. Also you want to keep live rock, sand, chaeto away from your return pump and ATO sensor.
RiddleEagle18
New member
Chamber Leak
Chamber Leak
When I had the Solana filled with vinegar/water solution for cleaning, I noticed the rear chambers were not water-tight from the display side, but I wasn't sure if the leak was around the silicon bead or through the return bulkhead. I am hoping it's just through the bulkhead, meaning an easier solution to stop the leak.
Has anyone made a determination of where exactly does water leak into the rear?
The tank was put back into storage pending where my girlfriend ends up moving to (and if that apartment would allow aquariums) so I don't want to bring it back just to fill it with water, dump, and return to storage.
I wasn't too happy about this apparently "normal" design as I'd rather not have the water level on the display side drop into the rear chambers when the return pump shuts down as I would like to be able to completely drain the rear chambers periodically for any maintenance.
--
UPDATE: I think I figured it out from deduction. The leak is probably through the Loc-Line via siphoning effect as pressure equilibrium forces water from the display side through the Loc-Line until the water level is equal on both sides.
Chamber Leak
When I had the Solana filled with vinegar/water solution for cleaning, I noticed the rear chambers were not water-tight from the display side, but I wasn't sure if the leak was around the silicon bead or through the return bulkhead. I am hoping it's just through the bulkhead, meaning an easier solution to stop the leak.
Has anyone made a determination of where exactly does water leak into the rear?
The tank was put back into storage pending where my girlfriend ends up moving to (and if that apartment would allow aquariums) so I don't want to bring it back just to fill it with water, dump, and return to storage.
I wasn't too happy about this apparently "normal" design as I'd rather not have the water level on the display side drop into the rear chambers when the return pump shuts down as I would like to be able to completely drain the rear chambers periodically for any maintenance.
--
UPDATE: I think I figured it out from deduction. The leak is probably through the Loc-Line via siphoning effect as pressure equilibrium forces water from the display side through the Loc-Line until the water level is equal on both sides.
RiddleEagle18
New member
Mine is the same way. Its such a slow leak though that I routinely suction out the rear chambers during water changes and it holds long enough for that. If you wanted to completely dry them then i guess you will have to find the leak.
I actually highly recommend cleaning those chambers out during your water changes. I cant believe the stuff that comes out of them sometimes.
I actually highly recommend cleaning those chambers out during your water changes. I cant believe the stuff that comes out of them sometimes.
RiddleEagle18
New member
DIY Media Rack
DIY Media Rack
The top black tray in chamber 2? I literally threw mine out today when I did this. Sorry :-(
I made a media rack for the second section of the back chamber of my solana. This will serve a couple purpouses for me over just having bags of media floating back there. It will allow me to more easilly remove and replace the media rather than having to reach in and fish for it. It should also help with better flow through the media as i can get the bags nice and flat across each shelf. Being DIY is nice too because the commercial one(while very nice and pricey $60)only has 3 shelfs but I wanted 4.
Im going to run floss on the top shelf, carbon on the second, gfo or phosguard on the third and purigen on the bottom. In the future I may run macro on the second shelf so I left it a bit larger.
The top shelf sits about 2 inches below waterline. The rack extends several inches above the water line just to give me something to grab to get it out. It doesnt extend beyond the tank so there is no eyesore.
DIY Media Rack
Does anyone have the "Top Drip Plate (with pull loop)" for the middle chamber they don't need? Willing to buy it off ya for a reasonable fee and shipping!
The top black tray in chamber 2? I literally threw mine out today when I did this. Sorry :-(
I made a media rack for the second section of the back chamber of my solana. This will serve a couple purpouses for me over just having bags of media floating back there. It will allow me to more easilly remove and replace the media rather than having to reach in and fish for it. It should also help with better flow through the media as i can get the bags nice and flat across each shelf. Being DIY is nice too because the commercial one(while very nice and pricey $60)only has 3 shelfs but I wanted 4.
Im going to run floss on the top shelf, carbon on the second, gfo or phosguard on the third and purigen on the bottom. In the future I may run macro on the second shelf so I left it a bit larger.
The top shelf sits about 2 inches below waterline. The rack extends several inches above the water line just to give me something to grab to get it out. It doesnt extend beyond the tank so there is no eyesore.
RiddleEagle18
New member
It was pretty easy.
I went to lowes and bought some eggcrate. If you go there and ask them for it they will look at you funny. It goes by light diffuser and in my case was in the ceiling tiles section. It may be located in the florescence light section as well. I also picked up some zip ties. Less than $20 total and you will have a lot of eggcrate left. Perfect for a frag rack later. :spin3:
DO IT SOMEWHERE YOU DONT MIND MAKING A MESS, AND WEAR EYE PROTECTION!
This stuff is hard plastic and a pair of scissor worked fine but it leaves sharp edges and pieces crack and fly everywhere.
I basically did it through trail and error. I eyeballed a size and cut it. It initially was to big so I just cut it down one more block then zip tied the pieces together.
I started with the bottom shelf which is all the way on the bottom. Knowing my purigen pack is what I replace least frequently I decided that would go on the bottom. Knowing it is a small packet I made that compartment pretty small and set the next shelf fairly close to maximize space for the other compartments. Thats what great about DIY though you can make them however big you want.
Then I moved up making each shelf and ziptieing it in place until I got to the last shelf.
I inserted the unfinished rack and measured out where I needed the last shelf. I left the top shelf about 2 inches below the water surface for filter floss. I havent put floss in yet so I cant comment on if this was a proper height or not.
Hopefully that helps. Let me know if I can help with any direct questions.
Actually, I already bought the InTank Media Basket, and here it sits unopened brand new in the box. Why I'm deciding not to use it, nor any other type of removable media "tower" is because I'm going to ditch my stock Solana MH pendant light and try out the brand new waterproof, submersible Tunze Marine LEDs that uses a relatively large, round magnet to attach itself to some part of the aquarium perpendicularly or parallel to any vertical surface. Since I have a glass top on a rare Solana wooden frame, and I want to mount the LED holder magnet on the back out of sight, I am going to attach the magnet in chamber 2 with the LED holder and LED itself attached on the front face of the rear chamber wall. But with that large magnet in the chamber, there is no way I can fit any type of removable, full height vertical media basket.
The new Tunze LED, which is now just beginning to trickle in to US distributors this and next month, would allow me to have an absolutely clean setup with no bulky, unsightly light hanging above it; everything will be self contained within the glass top.
Hence my request for a spare top drip plate that someone no longer needs since mine didn't come with one when I bought the aquarium used!
The new Tunze LED, which is now just beginning to trickle in to US distributors this and next month, would allow me to have an absolutely clean setup with no bulky, unsightly light hanging above it; everything will be self contained within the glass top.
Hence my request for a spare top drip plate that someone no longer needs since mine didn't come with one when I bought the aquarium used!
kevantheman35
Member
Whos running biopellets? If so what reactor/pump/how much?
I am ready to go!
I am ready to go!
anyone looking for a LED for their solana? i upgraded and selling mine led fixture.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21097985#post21097985
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21097985#post21097985
Whos running biopellets? If so what reactor/pump/how much?
I am ready to go!
Im running bio-pellets on a cadlights nano reactor
I have to give "mad props" out to Current USA:
After getting a couple PMs here on lopsided "trades" for a Top Drip Plate in exchange for my BNIB InTank Media Basket, I figured I might as well try buying a new replacement one from Current USA so I shot out a simple e-mail to them inquiring where I could buy it, and they simply asked for my mailing address and will be sending a new one to me NO CHARGE.
Wow, talk about exemplary customer support. And this is for a discontinued product (they no longer sell the original Solana's with integrated rear chambers).
They sure demonstrated that they will stand by their customers, no matter how old the product! And I sincerely thanked them for that :beer:
After getting a couple PMs here on lopsided "trades" for a Top Drip Plate in exchange for my BNIB InTank Media Basket, I figured I might as well try buying a new replacement one from Current USA so I shot out a simple e-mail to them inquiring where I could buy it, and they simply asked for my mailing address and will be sending a new one to me NO CHARGE.
Wow, talk about exemplary customer support. And this is for a discontinued product (they no longer sell the original Solana's with integrated rear chambers).
They sure demonstrated that they will stand by their customers, no matter how old the product! And I sincerely thanked them for that :beer:
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