Starting 90g Reef Tank Build... Finally!!!

[melev]

I need to see more of the sump before I can make that recommendation.

You could put the skimmer on a stand to raise it up a few inches. As long as it is with the prescribed depth, it should be fine. Rasing it up higher may place the offending plumbing over the baffle that is in the way currently.

 

[Tswifty]

Well if you need to keep yourself occupied until then, you can do those few simple mods I was talking about.

Here is what I mean by supergluing the airline fitting in for an air tight seal on the pump.

You just want to make sure the fitting doesn't pass too far into the body of the pump or it will impede the impeller from spinning.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12967132#post12967132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
Well if you need to keep yourself occupied until then, you can do those few simple mods I was talking about.

Here is what I mean by supergluing the airline fitting in for an air tight seal on the pump.

You just want to make sure the fitting doesn't pass too far into the body of the pump or it will impede the impeller from spinning.

thanks TJ---I am still not sure as to how the air is to be hooked up on this skimmer.

I also think the outlet and the two pumps are going to fit under the wall left from the trickle filter--it will be close
I am cleaning out all the live rock in the sump right now so I can try it

 

[Schwe]

drrrrr... I'm a Tard. I was wondering why the heck nothing has been going on with your thread... Turns out I somehow was unsubscribed! :lol:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12967087#post12967087 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I need to see more of the sump before I can make that recommendation.

You could put the skimmer on a stand to raise it up a few inches. As long as it is with the prescribed depth, it should be fine. Rasing it up higher may place the offending plumbing over the baffle that is in the way currently.

there is 5 inches underneath that baffle(which isn't really a baffle then) so I might be able to get the water return and the two pumps to fit under it---someone like it is with the berlin now.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12968670#post12968670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
thanks TJ---I am still not sure as to how the air is to be hooked up on this skimmer.

I also think the outlet and the two pumps are going to fit under the wall left from the trickle filter--it will be close
I am cleaning out all the live rock in the sump right now so I can try it

There is no air adjustment on these skimmers, you just hook up the clear tubing from the fitting on the pump (green arrow is pointing to it) to the silencer and let it rip.

You really need to pick up better clear tubing though. The tubing they include is very flimsy and collapses easily, not allowing as much air to pass through it.

But one thing I will repeat is... "Open your pumps carefully to check the mesh job."

It's very important. Your skimmer pumps should kick on "immediately" or at least within 5 seconds. If not then the mesh job more than likely needs to be trimmed back a little. It's just something I advise doing up front.

 

[kudora]

i have two pics tonight, one of the bubble coral from last night and the other of my hifin goby that is not moving around all that well. i have a pic of him, i have not seen him in over a week and was worried then while hooking up the new dvd player my daughter said she saw "lemon head", i saw him and soaked some of his favorite brine shrimp in garlic and got as close as i could and fed him, believe it or not the mandarin was stealing the food from him in his weakend state


bubble after spewing out red stuff

hifin goby, he has a pale red tint to him and is very sluggish
he is several years old but he has been in my care for the last 5 months.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970031#post12970031 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
There is no air adjustment on these skimmers, you just hook up the clear tubing from the fitting on the pump (green arrow is pointing to it) to the silencer and let it rip.

You really need to pick up better clear tubing though. The tubing they include is very flimsy and collapses easily, not allowing as much air to pass through it.

But one thing I will repeat is... "Open your pumps carefully to check the mesh job."

It's very important. Your skimmer pumps should kick on "immediately" or at least within 5 seconds. If not then the mesh job more than likely needs to be trimmed back a little. It's just something I advise doing up front.

Mine is a two pump system--not clear on how the air lines should be joined together at the silencer---all they gave me was the flimsy tubing as you suggested.

There are also two plastic pin wheels included--are they a replacement for the mesh

What am I checking for with the mesh job?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970789#post12970789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kudora
i have two pics tonight, one of the bubble coral from last night and the other of my hifin goby that is not moving around all that well. i have a pic of him, i have not seen him in over a week and was worried then while hooking up the new dvd player my daughter said she saw "lemon head", i saw him and soaked some of his favorite brine shrimp in garlic and got as close as i could and fed him, believe it or not the mandarin was stealing the food from him in his weakend state


bubble after spewing out red stuff

hifin goby, he has a pale red tint to him and is very sluggish
he is several years old but he has been in my care for the last 5 months.

that could be the problem causing the weakened state---can you take out the gobi and put it in a quarantine tank?

my track record is poor with bubble coral having lost two of them but they didn't do well on the bottom of my tank like it appears yours is
just a thought

 

[kudora]

he pepped up after eating a couple of shrimp his eyes still look bloodshot, need to go buy a small 10 gallon tank tomorrow just incase, i only have a couple of 30 gallons, i think thats over kill for him.

i moved the coral to the lowest flow point in my tank today and it was really happy today.

 

[raen]

Evening Gent's................nice to hear your tanks are well!

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12971113#post12971113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by raen
Evening Gent's................nice to hear your tanks are well!

clubbies---Rae's thread could split tonight with a little more attention from the clubhouse

 

[melev]

Have you tried to feed that bubble coral when it looks normal? In that state, it won't eat I don't think. Try thawing some mysis in a small cup of tank water, and squirt the mysis-flavored water at the coral. 10 minutes later, it should look a lot different, ready to eat hopefully.

Turn off the pumps, and squirt a meaty dose at / in to the center of the coral so it can close up. Feed the rest of your tank at the same time so your livestock won't bother it.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12971298#post12971298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Have you tried to feed that bubble coral when it looks normal? In that state, it won't eat I don't think. Try thawing some mysis in a small cup of tank water, and squirt the mysis-flavored water at the coral. 10 minutes later, it should look a lot different, ready to eat hopefully.

Turn off the pumps, and squirt a meaty dose at / in to the center of the coral so it can close up. Feed the rest of your tank at the same time so your livestock won't bother it.

over cut the next off a plastic pop bottle, put a few small holes in it so it will sink, and invert it over the coral after you squirted it with mysis. Keep it over the coral for about 45 min and let it feed without being bugged by the fish

 

[kudora]

will try that tomorrow night melev, if that doesnt work i will try your approach capn. it looked nice and big tonight(after moving it to a low flow area) unlike last night.
did i mention i got a green pagoda cup the other day too guys? been working 10 to 12 hour days the last week and a half so the tank is getting as much love and i can give atm. my wife has been great at feeding them at thier normal feeding time, 1:30 and 7pm. my T-5s are still in the box waiting for me to install on sat lol.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970789#post12970789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kudora
i have two pics tonight, one of the bubble coral from last night and the other of my hifin goby that is not moving around all that well. i have a pic of him, i have not seen him in over a week and was worried then while hooking up the new dvd player my daughter said she saw "lemon head", i saw him and soaked some of his favorite brine shrimp in garlic and got as close as i could and fed him, believe it or not the mandarin was stealing the food from him in his weakend state

hifin goby, he has a pale red tint to him and is very sluggish
he is several years old but he has been in my care for the last 5 months.

I was thinking about getting 2 of them to add to my tank. I still may... I think I have enough room around the rockwork in my tank that they won't cause any issues with my Yasha gobies.

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970961#post12970961 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
Mine is a two pump system--not clear on how the air lines should be joined together at the silencer---all they gave me was the flimsy tubing as you suggested.

There are also two plastic pin wheels included--are they a replacement for the mesh

What am I checking for with the mesh job?

I posted a question on the "New" MSX Owners thread for you. I don't know what it is but it seems like RC is not a fan of the MSX skimmers or something. Members have been banned like crazy who were running the thread, then the thread kept being hijacked by members promoting CV (ReefOctopus Skimmers)... without any of them being banned, and now the the thread is closed.

Anyway, I'm not sure what's going on behind the scenes with all of this, but it is kind of frustrating when I'm trying to find an answer.

Like I said, someone started up a new thread, and hopefully I'll get an answer regarding the airline hookup soon.

As far as the tubing itself... go out and pick up some better tubing from Lowes or Home Depot. I took my pump with me to make sure I got the right size.

As far as the mesh goes. Open up the pump, remove the impeller, and take 2 pictures of it:

1. From the top looking down on the mesh.

2. From the side of the impeller.

Here are the pics I took... Take the same angle shots, then post them on here.

 

[Tswifty]

My mesh job was pretty good. I had to clean it up and trim off some crazy strands here and there, but overall it was a good mesh job.

With the mesh on the impeller, you want to make sure it is the proper size, and trimmed up nice and neat, otherwise the mesh can interfere and cause the pump to have trouble starting up spinning the impeller.

 

[Tswifty]

Hey Scott, did the skimmer come with one piece of airline tubing or two?

I pulled up the breakout on Marine Solutions website, and from their diagram it looks like only one of the pumps should have an airline coming from it.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12971501#post12971501 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kudora
will try that tomorrow night melev, if that doesnt work i will try your approach capn. it looked nice and big tonight(after moving it to a low flow area) unlike last night.
did i mention i got a green pagoda cup the other day too guys? been working 10 to 12 hour days the last week and a half so the tank is getting as much love and i can give atm. my wife has been great at feeding them at thier normal feeding time, 1:30 and 7pm. my T-5s are still in the box waiting for me to install on sat lol.

Kudora please do not take this the wrong way because I think of you as one of the TJ clubbies

but until you get your lighting hooked up and have time to check out your water parameters, you maybe should slow down on the coral purchases

Just a suggestion my reef friend, definetly not a criticsm
Scott