Something is not right on this new tank setup

[SeaTila]

Only one overflow and flakes just swirls around the tank until I get them out. much just swirls and never goes to overflow. I did a 50g water change and vacuumed sand bed yesterday am...the tank is up and running three weeks. I have pics here. I know we had a change in pipe size due to alignment issuea since we started filling tank with saltwater before the sump was plumbed.

Elos 200g 160xl. One overflow into 30g ice cap. Overflow can only keep up with 3 out of 5 speed on aquaexcel dc10000lv 2600 us gph.

I need to change the skimmer from this size but its been working but not well...theres a seal leak and its only a classic c-110 int. I dont think the overflow pull is strong enough. The water level of tank is mostly covering the overflow pipe opening.


My last tank had two return pumps and two overflows and flakes would be caught in overflow almost immediately. If I turn up return pump then water compartment will drain so flow is not able to keep up with pump at 4 or 5

Is one overflow enough on these tanks? I was told it would we quuet but the splashing is louder than my last 120g. I am getting a lot of hair algae in tank and I have not had that issue before.

I didnt know I would need to hold a phd to get a tank to work correctly! Please tell me what you see may be wrong. Im also not sure if I should add filter pads but concerned about slowing flow more. The gyre may not be placed correctly and swirling debris too fast to be caught in overflow...just one of 100 ideas and this is so frustrating to spend this much and have something wrong. please help. My husband wants to drain it because its taking all my time. I know it will get easier once working.



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[BrianKC]

I can't tell for sure, but that looks like a 1" return pipe. I have one 1" return on my 65g and it seems about "adequate." I had to dial back to a slower return pump to accommodate it (I came off of a 180g with dual 1.5" returns). I'd guess you're turning over about 500 gph. That seems pretty weak to me for a 200 gallon tank (fine for my 65). People want to go way crazy sometimes with 15x - 20x turnover, which is unnecessary...10x is plenty fine if you have good supplemental in-tank circulation. But 3x/hr is pretty low; seems like temp control, at minimum, would be hard.

If you want to check specifically, get a pitcher or something you know the volume of, and let the return line fill it. Do some maths, and you can figure out the gph. If you have a split return, just multiply the result by 2.


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[CStrickland]

What Brian said.

Also, I can't see the pics well because I smashed my phone screen yesterday, but is it possible that you have the drain and the return really close together so that it's just swirling the clean water around in a circle at one end of the the tank?

And if that's what your skimmer always looks like it isn't working right. The stuff in the cup should have a dirty color too it, like brownish or greenish tea. YOu should either raise up the skimmer or lower the water level so that it is at the manufacturer recommended depth, or open the valve a little by turning the red knob counter clockwise a little bit.

Chin up. You've gotten tanks running smoothly before and you will with this one too. Just a speebump but it will be worth it in the end. Tell hubby to go play outside

 

[BrianKC]

What Brian said.

Also, I can't see the pics well because I smashed my phone screen yesterday

THIS IS WHY WE CANT HAVE NICE THINGS!



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[CStrickland]

If you find yourself thinking "I can live with this spiderwebby screen, maybe it will be good cause I'm on the phone too much anyway" because you'd really rather spend that money on a sweet frag you saw at the lfs last week ... You might be a reefer

 

[SeaTila]

THIS IS WHY WE CANT HAVE NICE THINGS!



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My skimmer is a "scummer" and huge "bummer". I bought it new about 3+ months ago and think the lfs, when putting in 2nd overflow pipe and new return pump, installed it defective. I figured I was the last idiot on Earth since I couldnt get it to consistently work from beginning. Then I noticed the collar to hold to clip hose was not put on mine and then seal is flat in one place leaking but it was facing rear. I hadnt owned one before so it took me a couple of months to realize all this. I thought moderate leaking was normal. I kept reading how they have to break in so never even questioned that I got a defective one.

I thought...oh so its like that? I have to ask for original box etc now or a fix may be a used part returned to lfs they grab collecting dust on shelf like the auto repair shop does to everyone. Obviously times are tough when there's brs online etc. The 300w sump heater from same lfs ...also no box but looked new and paid for new..had the light on but NO heat in sump today. So after all this b.s. and all the $ I had a 3 degree drop on tank having left house for few brief hours.

And you are right about the temp... I was lucky I had backup but took all day to rise a couple of degrees. Now I know I need a serial heater setup detecting a drop in temp to then turn on in case one dies the first minute I step out.

I had this hobby tank and had to babysit it thru cycle , add plumbing pumps skimmer ....clean it etc so I shopped around for tank and said I want a lower maint tank, very quiet tank, a little bigger and one you can see thru.

Im told this tank and setup is a bmw ...+ box of chocolates...compared to my POS hobby homebuilt at home. I say I have to travel, automate, have good equipment etc so I dont have to worry about the tank while away. I have things to do and this old tank is killing my time and making me home-bound.

I get a quote and I ask for what else do I need to make this easier. The quote was tank, cabinet, sump, dc pump, gyre, sand, delivery, install. I paid it...whole thing since I'm eager to get back to work or take a vacation...definitely tired of watching sump levels on old tank so I'd pay whatever within reason. I'm told I'll have s better set up than most, also told my stupid 110 skimmer will work even after they saw the POS. Lol

BUT I feel like I bought a bmw but it came disassembled in 20 boxes and told here's your bmw. I dont mind a little work to set up etc but tbe lfs idea of setup was a sump and plumbing. I didnt have the last 30g so they hooked it up left and didnt return. I have no idea if I set this up right or not...what the sump should show in water level ideally etc.

Next month I'll be told...why dont you have this x type of "filter" in your sump or something is in wrong place as if I have 24x7 to learn what they know. Whats the point of paying so much on a tank set up for the bmw of tanks but you are told you have to go to tire store by bus because you dont have a car to drive there. Then I'll be told I should research more and about productsnever mentioned previously...when you buy a tank I think the lfs should quote a qt tank set and supplies like stability, testing kits etc. I have thought of 10 things I would fix to revolutionize this industry hobby in the way we buy but when I sell my current company I'm retiring. The lfs owners will have to figure it out without me

I digress further...keep reading I have simile with boat buying..This is so much like when I bought a 30' Eliminator Supercat. Bought from local franchise dealer rep/whatever in TX and then when I picked it up from manufacturer in CA found out what really comes standard for that big price tag ...but was all substituted out with side deals by my local dealer. So I bought it brand new and got the hull but local dealer made all his profit off delivering used modified parts to the manufacturer etc. to be put in new hull.

The boat manufacturer owner asked why I didnt go with the twin new merc 500hps and I felt like an idiot. I got 550hps but figured out they were used, modified and put in as new. The engines gave me trouble on day 1 because nothing was standard or under waranty. I thought I bought an eliminator but it just looked like one.

..ridiculous when you know how much $ is involved.

But after all the boat was paid in full when I got the keys... if those engines didnt turn over the first day it was not their problem. I thought I bought a running tank but I was wrong...I bought a bunch of stuff when put together by an expert ...works great...but I forgot to include the tank i was buying was to run like the one in the store...big misunderstanding...no one can just buy a tank and have a saltwater fish. No, I have to be a marine biologist to run a tank.

Wow..sorry about the off topic tirade lol.

Yes my bmw tank is only going at a top speed of 30mph...***...over. lol.

Only one overflow and flakes just swirls around the tank until I get them out. much just swirls and never goes to overflow. I did a 50g water change and vacuumed sand bed yesterday am...the tank is up and running three weeks. I have pics here. I know we had a change in pipe size due to alignment issuea since we started filling tank with saltwater before the sump was plumbed.

Elos 200g 160xl. One overflow into 30g ice cap. Overflow can only keep up with 3 out of 5 speed on aquaexcel dc10000lv 2600 us gph.

I need to change the skimmer from this size but its been working but not well...theres a seal leak and its only a classic c-110 int. I dont think the overflow pull is strong enough. The water level of tank is mostly covering the overflow pipe opening.


My last tank had two return pumps and two overflows and flakes would be caught in overflow almost immediately. If I turn up return pump then water compartment will drain so flow is not able to keep up with pump at 4 or 5

Is one overflow enough on these tanks? I was told it would we quuet but the splashing is louder than my last 120g. I am getting a lot of hair algae in tank and I have not had that issue before.

I didnt know I would need to hold a phd to get a tank to work correctly! Please tell me what you see may be wrong. Im also not sure if I should add filter pads but concerned about slowing flow more. The gyre may not be placed correctly and swirling debris too fast to be caught in overflow...just one of 100 ideas and this is so frustrating to spend this much and have something wrong. please help. My husband wants to drain it because its taking all my time. I know it will get easier once working.

View attachment 352723View attachment 352724View attachment 352725View attachment 352726View attachment 352727

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[SeaTila]

If you find yourself thinking "I can live with this spiderwebby screen, maybe it will be good cause I'm on the phone too much anyway" because you'd really rather spend that money on a sweet frag you saw at the lfs last week ... You might be a reefer

Lol. Or you think to yourself...I can put off going into the office for another week...the company has expanded enough this year...I have to keep an eye on a sick fish...

My skimmer is a "scummer" and huge "bummer". I bought it new about 3+ months ago and think the lfs, when putting in 2nd overflow pipe and new return pump, installed it defective. I figured I was the last idiot on Earth since I couldnt get it to consistently work from beginning. Then I noticed the collar to hold to clip hose was not put on mine and then seal is flat in one place leaking but it was facing rear. I hadnt owned one before so it took me a couple of months to realize all this. I thought moderate leaking was normal. I kept reading how they have to break in so never even questioned that I got a defective one.

I thought...oh so its like that? I have to ask for original box etc now or a fix may be a used part returned to lfs they grab collecting dust on shelf like the auto repair shop does to everyone. Obviously times are tough when there's brs online etc. The 300w sump heater from same lfs ...also no box but looked new and paid for new..had the light on but NO heat in sump today. So after all this b.s. and all the $ I had a 3 degree drop on tank having left house for few brief hours.

And you are right about the temp... I was lucky I had backup but took all day to rise a couple of degrees. Now I know I need a serial heater setup detecting a drop in temp to then turn on in case one dies the first minute I step out.

I had this hobby tank and had to babysit it thru cycle , add plumbing pumps skimmer ....clean it etc so I shopped around for tank and said I want a lower maint tank, very quiet tank, a little bigger and one you can see thru.

Im told this tank and setup is a bmw ...+ box of chocolates...compared to my POS hobby homebuilt at home. I say I have to travel, automate, have good equipment etc so I dont have to worry about the tank while away. I have things to do and this old tank is killing my time and making me home-bound.

I get a quote and I ask for what else do I need to make this easier. The quote was tank, cabinet, sump, dc pump, gyre, sand, delivery, install. I paid it...whole thing since I'm eager to get back to work or take a vacation...definitely tired of watching sump levels on old tank so I'd pay whatever within reason. I'm told I'll have s better set up than most, also told my stupid 110 skimmer will work even after they saw the POS. Lol

BUT I feel like I bought a bmw but it came disassembled in 20 boxes and told here's your bmw. I dont mind a little work to set up etc but tbe lfs idea of setup was a sump and plumbing. I didnt have the last 30g so they hooked it up left and didnt return. I have no idea if I set this up right or not...what the sump should show in water level ideally etc.

Next month I'll be told...why dont you have this x type of "filter" in your sump or something is in wrong place as if I have 24x7 to learn what they know. Whats the point of paying so much on a tank set up for the bmw of tanks but you are told you have to go to tire store by bus because you dont have a car to drive there. Then I'll be told I should research more and about productsnever mentioned previously...when you buy a tank I think the lfs should quote a qt tank set and supplies like stability, testing kits etc. I have thought of 10 things I would fix to revolutionize this industry hobby in the way we buy but when I sell my current company I'm retiring. The lfs owners will have to figure it out without me

I digress further...keep reading I have simile with boat buying..This is so much like when I bought a 30' Eliminator Supercat. Bought from local franchise dealer rep/whatever in TX and then when I picked it up from manufacturer in CA found out what really comes standard for that big price tag ...but was all substituted out with side deals by my local dealer. So I bought it brand new and got the hull but local dealer made all his profit off delivering used modified parts to the manufacturer etc. to be put in new hull.

The boat manufacturer owner asked why I didnt go with the twin new merc 500hps and I felt like an idiot. I got 550hps but figured out they were used, modified and put in as new. The engines gave me trouble on day 1 because nothing was standard or under waranty. I thought I bought an eliminator but it just looked like one.

..ridiculous when you know how much $ is involved.

But after all the boat was paid in full when I got the keys... if those engines didnt turn over the first day it was not their problem. I thought I bought a running tank but I was wrong...I bought a bunch of stuff when put together by an expert ...works great...but I forgot to include the tank i was buying was to run like the one in the store...big misunderstanding...no one can just buy a tank and have a saltwater fish. No, I have to be a marine biologist to run a tank.

Wow..sorry about the off topic tirade lol.

Yes my bmw tank is only going at a top speed of 30mph...***...over. lol.









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[tazdvl]

The only comment I have is it looks like you have one supply line to your Tank and one drain line to your sump.....if that is the case leaving this tank alone for any length of time most likely result in a large amount of salt water on your floor under the tank. If someone plumbed this setup for you I would ask you to ask them what happens if a snail crawls into drain. Because what will happen is the pump in your sump will pump all the water to the main tank and with no drain open will overflow the sides of your main tank. It will continue to do this till it runs dry then if might overheat and cause a fire, so could be a serious problem. Hate to add any misery to this story but if above is true get someone to plumb this tank right with a quiet , robust, and fail safe system like a bean animal setup. (after further looking at pictures of set up let me amend my post. Looks like your sump would just empty the return pump portion not enough water to flood , but the other stuff still applies.....i.e. NOT A SAFE SETUP

 

[GimpyFin]

The only comment I have is it looks like you have one supply line to your Tank and one drain line to your sump.....if that is the case leaving this tank alone for any length of time most likely result in a large amount of salt water on your floor under the tank. If someone plumbed this setup for you I would ask you to ask them what happens if a snail crawls into drain. Because what will happen is the pump in your sump will pump all the water to the main tank and with no drain open will overflow the sides of your main tank. It will continue to do this till it runs dry then if might overheat and cause a fire, so could be a serious problem. Hate to add any misery to this story but if above is true get someone to plumb this tank right with a quiet , robust, and fail safe system like a bean animal setup. (after further looking at pictures of set up let me amend my post. Looks like your sump would just empty the return pump portion not enough water to flood , but the other stuff still applies.....i.e. NOT A SAFE SETUP

The ELOS diamond tanks have sort of a closed box overflow with grates specifically designed so snails cannot get into them.


A side note to the O.P., nice tank! I'm sure it will be awesome once everything is dialed in.

 

[SeaTila]

The only comment I have is it looks like you have one supply line to your Tank and one drain line to your sump.....if that is the case leaving this tank alone for any length of time most likely result in a large amount of salt water on your floor under the tank. If someone plumbed this setup for you I would ask you to ask them what happens if a snail crawls into drain. Because what will happen is the pump in your sump will pump all the water to the main tank and with no drain open will overflow the sides of your main tank. It will continue to do this till it runs dry then if might overheat and cause a fire, so could be a serious problem. Hate to add any misery to this story but if above is true get someone to plumb this tank right with a quiet , robust, and fail safe system like a bean animal setup. (after further looking at pictures of set up let me amend my post. Looks like your sump would just empty the return pump portion not enough water to flood , but the other stuff still applies.....i.e. NOT A SAFE SETUP

I agree with you. I think I've got a long way to go to make this setup right. I read over gyre manual and figured out the placement may have been 1 of many issues so I adjusted it last night to vertical. I was told the tank has "passive" overflow intentionally. Then told it looks fine and better than most and is running great. I asked for quieter than last tank and a set up with low maintenance. I dont have that yet but on the positive...it looks good.

I'm not liking the passive overflow. Maybe its great for coral but I have to count flakes for fish or net the debris. I like the food and debris to be a little pulled in if it gets close...I see most all debris miss the overflow...its got a little pipe opening. My last tank had to large overflows and debris was pulled out if the tank very fast with two return pumps. I was not expecting this one little pipe in that overflow box. This issue along with a suboptimal skimmer doesnt take long to see swirling debris in the tank. I ask about filter pads or sponges to help stop floating debris better and that will just restrict flow worse. I suppose I need to hear how someone has setup this particular 200g tank as fowlr because I dont really see any room or way to fix this for better flow.

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[SeaTila]

The ELOS diamond tanks have sort of a closed box overflow with grates specifically designed so snails cannot get into them.


A side note to the O.P., nice tank! I'm sure it will be awesome once everything is dialed in.

The grate appears to possibly help slow down flow also. I hadn't thought of the 1 pipe getting clogged but it definitely concerns me for long term use. I am concerned about operation as much as the look. I cannot believe I'm the only person who isn't jazzed about the slow flow.

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[GimpyFin]

You should check the reef discussion section of the forum. Dennis (d2mini) has a thread for his tank build which is an Elos diamond 120xl. He does give some details about the Elos overflow and I think how to adjust it. You could probably post a question in his thread or maybe send him a message. I bet he'd be able to provide some insight. His tank is badass!

 

[SeaTila]

Thanx. Definitely will look it up.

 

[SeaTila]

Ok look at these two pipes for overflow. The tank is supposed to be set up with the flex and due to some alignment issue a different pipe was used. Ummmm. I was told its the same size pipe. Im not a fluid dynamics engineer but im pretty sure the smaller inside diameter of this replacement pipe could slow down already slow overflow....I think this is the issue. The tank is designed with one pipe and a different pipe was installed. I was left with the original provided flex pipe...I think I'll fix this myself. No wonder the flakes and debris swirl around...pics are being added soon

 

[SeaTila]

Inside replacement pipe is 1.25"...inside provided setup pipe is 1.5". The 1.5" is going into a larger flex pipe with side 2".

My setup by lfs is 1.25" inside all the way down with 45degrees and elbow 90degree turns...so the weak overflow is not what comes with the tank...its the swagging installation. No worries we'll rip it out ourselves so its done correctly.

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[SeaTila]

No pic yet but we fixed it today and already the tank is free of most of the accumulated debris since the tank was started. The 1.25 inch instead of 1.5 to 2inch flex now allows the speed to increase without draining the sump...and the overflow is pulling debris from tank. Its amazing what a little difference in pipe diameter can to make the tank work or completely not work.

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[CStrickland]

Wow, I wouldn't have thought that would make such a difference. Congrats!