Solana tank owner thread.

[lhoy]

Posting some Pictures of My Solana

Posting some Pictures of My Solana

Well, I downgraded from a 215 tank to the Solana and I couldn't be happier. When starting to sell the 215 gallon, I realized that there were some corals and inverts I just didn't want to get rid of. I had a 24 gallon Aquapod, but wife wasn't a huge fan of the look. I was in River City trading in some of the last corals and dropping off stuff for others and saw the Solana. I had seen them before but decided that would be great to have.

So, I bought the tank and black stand (decided I wanted a different light fixture) and RCA made me a great deal. It was setup virtually overnight with rock, corals and inverts from the 215. Only a couple of corals browned out or paled out with all the moving back and forth from the 215 to the Aquapod then the Solana.

I wanted to keep my Orange Skunk Clownfish pair and just a few days ago I found the female had jumped out and died. I will be looking for another as these are far and away my favorite clowns. Hard to beat the awesome yellow lines around the fins.

Here are the specs:

34 Gallon Rimless Tank
Black Stand
AC JR, DC8, Temperature & PH Probe
24" Current USA Outer Orbit 150 Watt/2 X 65 Watt - will replace 10K bulb with Phoenix 14K
JBJ ATO with 10 gallon reservoir
(2) Tunze 6025 Nanostreams
(1) Koralia Nano
Stock Skimmer is working great may someday replace with Tunze 9002
Current Prime 1/10 Chiller

FTS:

Some inhabitants:

 

[tmantaylor18]

Nice tank lhoy! Very nice collection of corals there!

 

[SOLANA34]

anyone know how important filter floss is? I put the tunze where the filter pad was now I dont really have a place for it wondering what people are doing out there after replacing the stock skimmer for the 9002. Also anyone getting a thumping noise from their 9002 every so often??

 

[lhoy]

I actually pulled out the stock filter pad. When I first set up the tank, the settling of the sand had accumulated in the pad and the water level in the display had risen dangerously near the edge as the level in the back had dropped. I could see a mechanical filter causing the water level to rise enough in the display to overflow the glass!!

If you use, be sure and rinse frequently.

Lee

 

[Lowredranger]

I use one of the pura pads with the carbon & phosphate remover in it. I think it works very well but gets clogged very easily I was it out every 1-3 days. I will be on vacation next week and i am taking out the filter pad and the over flow sponge.

 

[SOLANA34]

so you dont need the filter floss?

 

[Lowredranger]

I am using the pura pad instead of the filter floss. I feed a lot and i feel that is a good way to get all the crap that the coral and fish didn't eat out of the tank before it starts to decompose.

 

[SOLANA34]

on the rio2500 pump is it more noisy or less?

 

[Lowredranger]

To me it doesn't make any sound at all. I never used the stock pump so i cannot compare. I stated above i do have some micro bubbles but i am not sure if that is caused from the Rio2500 upgrade.

 

[SOLANA34]

i have micro bubbles as well are they bad?

 

[Lowredranger]

Just annoying at times. If you already have the micro bubbles the rio2500 should not add that many more. I am sure you probably have the bubbles b/c you have the skimmer in the middle section and the outlet goes straight to the pump instead of through rock/filter floss, I am not sure. I have a lot of water going through the back of my tank with the bigger pump the skimmer and the refuge pumping water out of the 3rd chamber and back into the 1st, I wish i could do that the other way.

 

[laserjim]

Question ....Will the Tunze skimmer fit in the chamber where the stock skimmer is ?

 

[Lowredranger]

I too would be interested if anyone tried putting the tunze in the first compartment

 

[wahoo]

9002 in compartment 1

9002 in compartment 1

I put my 9002 in the first compartment. I had to cut out part of the corner of the overflow box to get the round collection cup to fit. Was easy to do. You don't need to remove the magnet if you are putting it in compartment 1.

I had previously removed the stock Solana black overflow filter / sponge, but after modifying the overflow box I put it back in to prevent water from washing over the top of the 9002 body.

Another alternative woudl be to buy / make a rectangular collection cup for the 9002. (The cup is the same footprint as the 9002 body). You wouldn't have to modify the overflow in this case. Wasn't worth the money or time to me. Easier to cut the corner off the overflow.

Ed

 

[Lowredranger]

Have you noticed a big difference in performance with the new skimmer in section 1 and have you noticed any difference in micro bubbles in the main display. Thank for the input. Can you maybe get a pic up when you have a chance.

As per a previous post of mine I redid my mesh top. I am now using the thiner lufa sponge with smaller holes cut to fit my screen top instead of the larger holed cast net. Will try and get some pics tomorrow night.

Jason

 

[SOLANA34]

pictures of the tunze in chamber 1 anyone?

 

[jet fixer]

Here's mine

Here's mine

I don't like sharing photo's cause my pictures never look good to me. I do have a good excuse though "I have an old camera and I don't know what all the settings do". (guess I should find/read the book eh')

Anyway here goes:
The white rock in the front under the Duncan was just taken out of the middle chamber to help the new jaw fish build his house.

Here is the stocking list:
Fish
Purple fire fish
McCosker Flasher Wrasse
Lawnmower blennie
Blue spot jaw fish

Coral
Branching hammer
Duncan
Ricordia florida
Small Zoo frag

Others
Coco worm
Hermits 1 blue/2 scarlet
Emerald crab
2 Trochus snails
4 Nassarious snails
6 Cerith snails
1 orange turbo snail

The tank has been set-up since Jan I'm going slow on the stocking because I'm so indecisive on what to get and where to put it. The next purchase will be a clam for the top center unless I decide otherwise.

 

[wahoo]

Here are some pics:

First the 9002 in compartment 1. Notice the toothpick through the black filter sponge. I got tired of having to fish it out with tweezers when I was first using it so I started using the toothpick to keep it at the top. You'll want to do this if you chop the overflow.

9002 in compartment 1 with the cup removed. Pumps are running. Notice no water making it past the black filter sponge. This is important. A lot of water dumping onto the 9002 will affect performance.

Close up of the cut out with the cup and black filter sponge removed. Notice the water cascading out of the overflow onto the 9002. This is noisy and tends to drown the 9002. You need the black filter sponge if you are going to do this modification. You also don't want to remove any more of the overflow than you have to.

For those curious, the hose dumping water into compartment 1 is the return from my chiller. The two hoses in compartment 3 are for the feed to my chiller and the ATO fill hose.

I used a flush cut saw to make the cutouts. A flush cut saw has a flexible blade that can easily cut in tight spots. You can get one for $10 at harbor freight or for $20 at most woodworking stores. Any fine tooth saw will work. You might even be able to get away with using a hacksaw blade (wrap tape to make a handle). Turn off the pumps and drop the water level in the tank before you start cutting with whatever you use. Don't gamble and use power tools unless the tank is drained. Dropping a dremel tool or trim router into the water could really ruin your day.

Ed

 

[wahoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12862027#post12862027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lowredranger
Have you noticed a big difference in performance with the new skimmer in section 1 and have you noticed any difference in micro bubbles in the main display. Thank for the input. Can you maybe get a pic up when you have a chance.

Jason

Jason - The 9002 takes a lot of fiddling and patience to get the air dialed into just the right amount. I'm pretty happy with how it's working after a week of tweaking it. It's a lot fussier than I had ever expected it to be, but once you finally hit the sweet spot with the air it doesn't seem to need as much attention.

I spent a week trying to get the stock skimmer to work and wan never really happy with it.

I don't have a problem with microbubbles with the 9002. Even with the stock skimmer, the microbubbles went away after a couple days.

Ed

 

[SOLANA34]

do you get a lot of trickeling noise since you chopped it? i would imagine a waterfall noise