Solana tank owner thread.
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
I'm not sure, I have a Tunze Osmolator with a rubbermaid tupperware in my stand to hold my top off water. I just put a couple gallons in every so often. Also, I don't use the glass lid. One thing to note about the Osmolator, it says not to put ANY additives in the top off water. I'm not sure if people have done it in the past, but I don't. This is my first ATO, so I really don't know too much about them other than that my Tunze works good.
Hey guys, I'm pretty new here. I had a tank about 5 years ago but had to break it down when I moved from Texas back to Arkansas so I'm not officially a newbie.
I just got my solana today! I was really looking forward to tearing open the boxes and setting it up. However, the stand gave me fits! Big time! I'm not sure if the hardware for the door (hinges and magnets) were supposed to come already on there or not but my manual showed them already put on. They also did not list a step or instructions for doing so. I found this to be a bit odd. Anyway, I proceeded to attatch the hinges with the small wood screws provided. They were a B#TCH to get in there. CHEAP, CHEAP screws. They were stripping easily and I had 3 screws break off inside the hole. They just twisted apart! I wasn't even using a drill! Needless to say I was livid. I called Current USA and left a pretty nasty message(was after business hours. Isn't it always?). Also my front and side piece for my drawer were partially broken off where the bottom slides in. P.O.'ed. Grrrrrrrrrr... I didn't really know what to do. I just put it together the rest of the way. It looks o.k. but I can't use the door. This sucks! Maybe they'll give me some credit or something. I'm not gonna break this whole thing down and send it back now.
Well I finally got the tank set up. I bought the one with the 108w NEP light and I really like the color. Nice blue tint. Still waiting on my salt, sand (40lbs live), 50#'s of rock (pre-cured dry Marco rock which I probably won't use all of), and all the other essentials. I figure the sand should seed the rock pretty quickly, right? Oh, and I went ahead and put fresh RO water in the tank to make sure everything was running good. It's cool to just mix the salt in the tank as long as I don't have anything else in there right? One more thing... I also have 2 Koralia 2's on the way. Think that'll be too much? Should I just go with one?
Anyways, I'll be sure to keep you guys up to date. Looks like there are quite a few of us new to the solana family huh? Cycle buddies! :rollface:
Any suggestions to speed up my cycle please let me know.
I just got my solana today! I was really looking forward to tearing open the boxes and setting it up. However, the stand gave me fits! Big time! I'm not sure if the hardware for the door (hinges and magnets) were supposed to come already on there or not but my manual showed them already put on. They also did not list a step or instructions for doing so. I found this to be a bit odd. Anyway, I proceeded to attatch the hinges with the small wood screws provided. They were a B#TCH to get in there. CHEAP, CHEAP screws. They were stripping easily and I had 3 screws break off inside the hole. They just twisted apart! I wasn't even using a drill! Needless to say I was livid. I called Current USA and left a pretty nasty message(was after business hours. Isn't it always?). Also my front and side piece for my drawer were partially broken off where the bottom slides in. P.O.'ed. Grrrrrrrrrr... I didn't really know what to do. I just put it together the rest of the way. It looks o.k. but I can't use the door. This sucks! Maybe they'll give me some credit or something. I'm not gonna break this whole thing down and send it back now.
Well I finally got the tank set up. I bought the one with the 108w NEP light and I really like the color. Nice blue tint. Still waiting on my salt, sand (40lbs live), 50#'s of rock (pre-cured dry Marco rock which I probably won't use all of), and all the other essentials. I figure the sand should seed the rock pretty quickly, right? Oh, and I went ahead and put fresh RO water in the tank to make sure everything was running good. It's cool to just mix the salt in the tank as long as I don't have anything else in there right? One more thing... I also have 2 Koralia 2's on the way. Think that'll be too much? Should I just go with one?
Anyways, I'll be sure to keep you guys up to date. Looks like there are quite a few of us new to the solana family huh? Cycle buddies! :rollface:
Any suggestions to speed up my cycle please let me know.
Last edited:
My stand was a pain to put together also. Had to dig around, but did find a manual in the packaging. I didn't put the back on the stand because I wanted easier access to the back. Someone told me that that might be a really bad idea. So far, my tank hasn't fallen over, but I am definitely NOT recommending you do what I did.
I don't know about the bagged sand. A lot of people say its just regular sand with nothing beneficial. Nothing bad about it, just a waste of money. I would throw in a small piece of shrimp or fish once you get your sand and rock in. If your sand has good bugs in it, your cycle will be shorter. If not, then it'll be longer. I added a piece of fish from my freezer, waited until my Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates were zero, then added a couple live fish and removed the freezer fish at the same time. I put the frozen fish into a mesh bag so it would be easier to see and remove.
Have you thought about seeding your tank with a bit of sand from a fellow reefer's established tank?
No problems mixing salt in the tank as far as I know.
I have a Vortech mp20 in my Solana, and I know people who have a Vortech mp40w, so your Koralias won't hurt anything. Depends on what you want to keep.
I don't know about the bagged sand. A lot of people say its just regular sand with nothing beneficial. Nothing bad about it, just a waste of money. I would throw in a small piece of shrimp or fish once you get your sand and rock in. If your sand has good bugs in it, your cycle will be shorter. If not, then it'll be longer. I added a piece of fish from my freezer, waited until my Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates were zero, then added a couple live fish and removed the freezer fish at the same time. I put the frozen fish into a mesh bag so it would be easier to see and remove.
Have you thought about seeding your tank with a bit of sand from a fellow reefer's established tank?
No problems mixing salt in the tank as far as I know.
I have a Vortech mp20 in my Solana, and I know people who have a Vortech mp40w, so your Koralias won't hurt anything. Depends on what you want to keep.
It depends are you using fans for cooling (speeds evap)? What are the ambient conditions around the tank? Are you using the glass lid? With the glass lid, my solana's evaporation was a very negligible amount; with a mesh lid I find it's about a 1/4 a gallon per day. I don't use my fans that often if at all anymore, and I live in FL where the heater is rarely on and my house temp is from 76-78.
TriggerHappyDude
New member
You all with Solana stand issues, please just write an email to their support, until you get an answer, I did, and they sent me a whole new stand...mine had major issues with one of the sides with legs, and I was worried it wouldn't support the weight of the tank...
The stock return pump? It shouldn't be that as there is no where for it to draw air from. Stock skimmer pump perhaps. What have you had in your tank for the two+ weeks you've been running it? I find the skimmers need a to experience a good portion of the "cycle" or have a consistent amount of dissolved organics running through them before they "slime up" and the microbubbles subside.
Hooked4life
New member
Turn off the skimmer and see if the bubbles stop.
Reefinabox
New member
If you have the water level in the back high enough you can get bubbles from the return pump. The tubing and fittings are super tight so if they get exposed they will draw air in.
AquatiCoug
New member
I am using one on my sorry excuse for a frag tank. I like it. I am in the market for one for my Solana too.
Ron
Reefinabox
New member
That was supposed to say "aren't super tight" Didn't make much sense the way I said it.
TriggerHappyDude
New member
Wow looks awesome kmu, what kind of sand bottom are you using there? I love that bright white look!
- Status
