What do you think of my BB tank?
- Thread starter NoSchwag
- Start date
NoSchwag
Premium Member
Update
Update
I re-did my sump setup and I'm pretty happy with it. This is the one thing in my tank that is going well.
I cracked my other sump because of my stupid clumsyness...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=709174
...so I set up a new one
The way I set it up is great, maybe even perfect. My tank dumps into the right side of the sump where the skimmer pickup is. Since my skimmer and return pump are the same, the skimmer is able to skim most of the water in compartment 1. Also the baffles are pretty close together here so it takes care of the bubbles from the return and gives detritus a place to settle. This is also where my temp probe is.
Compartment 2 is the biggest, and where my skimmer return is. I have it pointing away from compartment 3, so the micro bubbles have a chance to pop before being returned to the tank. This is where my heaters are. I will be adding some eggcrate there to slow the water down.
The baffles between compartment 2 and 3 are about 2" apart and 2.5" high off the bottom. This slows the water down so the micro bubbles are not sucked into compartment 3.
Compartment 3 is where my autotop off and my return is. I find if I make my makeup water with a sg of about 1.023, the tanks sg stays pretty stable.
I modded my skimmer so that the pump goes straight in to the Beckett (no 90's). I also raised the Beckett housing up, I have no idea what this does, but I hear it's good to do.
My girl is making me get one of those Chinese curtain things to hide all of the equipment, she thinks it's ugly :/
Update
I re-did my sump setup and I'm pretty happy with it. This is the one thing in my tank that is going well.
I cracked my other sump because of my stupid clumsyness...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=709174
...so I set up a new one
The way I set it up is great, maybe even perfect. My tank dumps into the right side of the sump where the skimmer pickup is. Since my skimmer and return pump are the same, the skimmer is able to skim most of the water in compartment 1. Also the baffles are pretty close together here so it takes care of the bubbles from the return and gives detritus a place to settle. This is also where my temp probe is.Compartment 2 is the biggest, and where my skimmer return is. I have it pointing away from compartment 3, so the micro bubbles have a chance to pop before being returned to the tank. This is where my heaters are. I will be adding some eggcrate there to slow the water down.
The baffles between compartment 2 and 3 are about 2" apart and 2.5" high off the bottom. This slows the water down so the micro bubbles are not sucked into compartment 3.
Compartment 3 is where my autotop off and my return is. I find if I make my makeup water with a sg of about 1.023, the tanks sg stays pretty stable.
I modded my skimmer so that the pump goes straight in to the Beckett (no 90's). I also raised the Beckett housing up, I have no idea what this does, but I hear it's good to do.
My girl is making me get one of those Chinese curtain things to hide all of the equipment, she thinks it's ugly :/
Floridiot
Member
NoSchwag said:
Don't give up man.
Your tank will be successful if you stick with it. My recommendation to you would be to purchase a calcium reactor and set it up. It will probably take you a week or two to get it dialed in properly. Calcium reactors are definitely not a necessity, but they make life much easier. A Ca reactor will definitely help you achieve stability.
Once it is dialed in, sit back and chill until after the holidays and enjoy what you have so far. By mid January, the airlines will resume to a more normal schedule, and your tank will be much more established.
Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.
BTW... I like your new sump.
rdmpe
New member
Re: Update
Re: Update
Nice tank I like the aquascaping (except I also like the look of sand - but to each his own!). I'll be following along too.
Re: Update
Nice tank I like the aquascaping (except I also like the look of sand - but to each his own!). I'll be following along too.
You shouldn't be loosing any salt from evaporation, just water evaporates. So if you are making up for evap with saltwater, I think that your tank's SG will slowly rise.NoSchwag said:
NoSchwag
Premium Member
Re: Re: Update
Re: Re: Update
My tanks sg does rise, that's why I make my makeup water with a low sg. With the amount of tank water I am taking out by wet skimming and evaporation, the makeup water evens the tank out pretty well.
I'm sure I will have to make minor adjustments here and there.
Re: Re: Update
rdmpe said:
My tanks sg does rise, that's why I make my makeup water with a low sg. With the amount of tank water I am taking out by wet skimming and evaporation, the makeup water evens the tank out pretty well.
I'm sure I will have to make minor adjustments here and there.
glassbox-design
New member
Dont give up, you have a great set up, it'll be worth it!
NoSchwag
Premium Member
My nitrate is about .3 I'm not sure if that's acceptable or not, I'm hoping someone can let me know.
I do really overfeed I think. Here is a picture of my skimmer after almost 3 days, notice the mass of food thats in there.
Should I worry about the nitrate? In my own defense that was a reading after almost a week of no siphoning.
Here is my carbon air filter for the beckett.
Here is my divider that keeps most of the dirty water where my skimmer pick up is.
Here is my skimmer dressed up for christmas.
Here is my skimmer now
I will be taking more pics, I'm just waiting for the skimmer to remove all of the krill from my tank.
I do really overfeed I think. Here is a picture of my skimmer after almost 3 days, notice the mass of food thats in there.
Should I worry about the nitrate? In my own defense that was a reading after almost a week of no siphoning.
Here is my carbon air filter for the beckett.
Here is my divider that keeps most of the dirty water where my skimmer pick up is.
Here is my skimmer dressed up for christmas.
Here is my skimmer now
I will be taking more pics, I'm just waiting for the skimmer to remove all of the krill from my tank.
Last edited:
NoSchwag
Premium Member
Here is one of the 2 rocks that were pretty bad with the hair algae. The first pic was taken maybe a week after it started (it was a lot worse before the urchins got at it), the second pic was taken tonight.
This rock was the other rock that was bad with the algae. I wish I had gotten a picture when it was at it's worst.
This rock was the other rock that was bad with the algae. I wish I had gotten a picture when it was at it's worst.
elephen
In Memoriam
Looks good man. I should be getting my 120 on Saturday so hopefully I can get all my shoping for it done and switch everything over by next week.
Is your peice of starboard all one peice or is it 2 peices?
I notced that from CuttingBoardCompany.com if you by 2 premade/precut peices its about $20-30 cheaper then if you by a custom size peice that fits the 120. Shipping is also cheaper on the 2 smaller peices.
What do you think would be better since they would be butted up next to each other, possibly siliconed together to make sure no detrius got inbetween a small crack. Not to hijack your thread or anything.
Is your peice of starboard all one peice or is it 2 peices?
I notced that from CuttingBoardCompany.com if you by 2 premade/precut peices its about $20-30 cheaper then if you by a custom size peice that fits the 120. Shipping is also cheaper on the 2 smaller peices.
What do you think would be better since they would be butted up next to each other, possibly siliconed together to make sure no detrius got inbetween a small crack. Not to hijack your thread or anything.
NoSchwag
Premium Member
no no they're pictures number 6 and 7 on this page.
I'm not sure of any deminsions. I got the tank used and the dude I got it from sold me the tank and starboard as a package deal I can measure when I get home if you want..
Hey on a side note I'm forcing myself to use linux (redhat es v.4 u2) on my work machine and I feel like I'm using a computer for the first time I'm starting to get the hang of it..
I'm not sure of any deminsions. I got the tank used and the dude I got it from sold me the tank and starboard as a package deal
I can measure when I get home if you want..Hey on a side note I'm forcing myself to use linux (redhat es v.4 u2) on my work machine and I feel like I'm using a computer for the first time
I'm starting to get the hang of it..
