Solana tank owner thread.

[djbetterly]

I have a solana with a few mods, and I'm quite happy with everything. One of the things I'm curious about is if others shut all pumps off, including the skimmer, when they feed? I have always done this, but I hate the fact that when all the pumps shut off, and the water level in the sump area fills up, it fills my skimmer cup up with water as well. I have checked so many times that my skimmer isn't too low.

Would it be the end of the world if I didn't shut the pumps off when I feed?

 

[Augster]

I use a feeding ring to keep the food from floating into the overflow. It does the job competently enough so I don't have to shut off my return pump.

 

[calistyle]

Let's see some updated FTS of Solanas!

 

[Esage]

I have a solana with a few mods, and I'm quite happy with everything. One of the things I'm curious about is if others shut all pumps off, including the skimmer, when they feed? I have always done this, but I hate the fact that when all the pumps shut off, and the water level in the sump area fills up, it fills my skimmer cup up with water as well. I have checked so many times that my skimmer isn't too low.

Would it be the end of the world if I didn't shut the pumps off when I feed?

I just shut off my vortech when feeding. You could just remove the skimmer collection cup before you turn it off.

 

[nova65ss]

Let's see some updated FTS of Solanas!

My most recent and some other pics to go along with the fts. Sadly this tank will be taken down in about a month because I upgraded to a 93 cube!

My favorite chalice

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I am trying to figure out how to post my live feed from my dlink camera to the forum by using the dlink website. Want to show off the Solana without giving my account information out. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[calistyle]

Some what updated side tank shot:

 

[summoner12]

Some what updated side tank shot:

Very nice,

Go Angels! :headwalls:

 

[calistyle]

U mean, go Dodgers!

 

[alexk3954]

I will post some pics of my tank this evening hopefully. I just moved it less than a week ago and everything survived except for all of the coralline that had encrusted on the back wall. Everything is finally in good shape after a several month global warming simulation.

For the longest time I could not figure out why everything was bleaching out and I was getting very frustrated. All parameters were in check, AI leds were set very low, etc..
It turns out that I was cooking everything in my tank. My heater was set to 79, my glass thermometer read 79-80. One day I was digging through my basement just looking at all of my old equipment and I stumbled across a digital thermometer and figured I would use that instead. As soon as I put it in the tank, it reads 87 and I thought it was busted. I go to test it out on a friends tank and sure enough it is spot on. My heater was busted AND my glass thermometer was 7 degrees off.

So, now I have a new heater and invested in an apex controller with temp probe. Everything is looking great (finally!). Some pieces literally came back from the dead. My mummy eyes chalice had the FAINTEST speck of orange in the mouths and the rest was absolutely white. I would have thrown it out, but I sort of lost the will to work on the tank after so long of not being able to ID the problem, especially when I had really good luck in the past with way lower tech tanks. Today, that chalice is so brightly colored it is ridiculous, it looks better than it ever has, all in a matter of a few weeks!

My AI sol is turned pretty far down because I thought for a while that I was burning everything with light. My lights ramp up to ~22W 25B 28RB for two hours, stay there for 6 hours, and ramp down for 2 hours.

If you use an AI sol on your solana, what is your lighting schedule like? I am turning it all up very slowly, but really don't want to burn anything and want to get an idea of where my upper limits are so I can say a safe distance away

 

[calistyle]

bump for some Solana love

Who's got new mods? pics? Let's see em.

 

[FiShTaCo]

Sry, no updated pics, my Solana is long gone.

calistyle - I've been out of the reef game for about 5yrs & am not recognizing the type of clownfish in your Solana. What species is he? Onyx Percula?
Oh, and...
You're tank looks awesome. Have fun upgrading.

 

[calistyle]

Fishtaco, ORA snowflake and ORA Domino (a. ocellaris)

I'm actually considering a 90G setup, but not sure the wife will approve. I'm really like the low maintenance on my Solana.

 

[RiddleEagle18]

Little update from my solana. Love this tank but I'm thinking of cutting out the back and going to a sump. It would really allow you to take full advantage of the 20"s of cube.

 

[steinerc]

anyone with the stock skimmer? Help with setting it up....I just set mine up and it looks like a hot tub! bubbles everywhere....while there are none in the tank itself, the back is just full. ? I don't know how it's actually supposed to look or be? help? with photos? Thanks!

 

[summoner12]

anyone with the stock skimmer? Help with setting it up....I just set mine up and it looks like a hot tub! bubbles everywhere....while there are none in the tank itself, the back is just full. ? I don't know how it's actually supposed to look or be? help? with photos? Thanks!

Did you use the mini bio-balls in the return chamber of the skimmer? It also helps to have a foam sponge in there.

 

[steinerc]

no Bio balls, foam sponge in the skimmer chamber? where does it go? on the top of the skimmer?

 

[E.intheC]

Kind of a downer question, but has anyone had a leak or blowout with their Solana? My tank is slightly unlevel and is lower by about 1/6 inch on the back left hand side and I'm worried about it.

I know they're made pretty well and I've seen solanas with chips, etc in them, and I've never actually seen or heard about an issue. ...but I'm being pretty OCD about it

 

[summoner12]

no Bio balls, foam sponge in the skimmer chamber? where does it go? on the top of the skimmer?

There is the round cylinder that the pump drives the bubbles into and then that flows down around the cylinder and then up a rectangular 'tube' to rejoin the overflow water as it goes into chamber 2.

That up-flowing portion should have red/orange mini bio-balls with a foam pad that occupies the last couple of inches.

 

[boakley]

I moved about two years ago and have my 35g solana still packed in the basement until we move into a permanent house. Wondering if in the past few years has a nice LED fixture become available the fits well on the top? What about good skimmers. Need to read through all the past posts.