New Readings!!!

[chuck]

ok, I am terrible with reading test kits... but I think my ammonia is at 0ppm or VERY close...and my nitrites are at .25 ppm.

I am starting to get red slimy stuff growing with the diatom bloom. also, what looks like green hair algea.

I have 440 watts of PC running 12 hours a day(roughly)

My tank is 80F and the salinity is 1.020

it has been two weeks since I put in the live rock...

am I on track?

also, thinking of using a rubbermaid container as a sump... I have a current wet/dry, but I want to be able to section it off for a skimmer/fuge area. I am looking for something in the 30 gallon or larger... good idea?

 

[newfish]

i just got ride of red slim with cemi clean and phosphate remover follow cemi ins. good

 

[smcnally]

You need to get that salinity up. 1.025-1.026 (if you're doing reef) Don't use any chemicals, your tank is just starting and should go through these phases at first.

 

[NateHanson]

I'd stay away from the clear rubbermaid bins, they seem more prone to cracking. Also, avoid anything with feet moulded on the bottom of it, or put the tub on styrofoam to avoid pointloading the plastic around those moulded feet.

 

[chuck]

ok, next water change I will raise salinity

also, I was thinking about the rubbermaid roughneck containers...

 

[NateHanson]

You can just let the salinity rise over a few weeks by topping off with salt water instead of fresh water?

Just to check, are you using RODI water?

For a sump you can often buy a used glass tank from someone to use as a sump. Not sure what size you're looking for, but you should be able to find something for $20 or so, not much more than a roughneck. With glass tanks you can silicone in baffles for bubble trap, refugium, etc.

I'll actually be selling a 24"x12"x13" glass sump with baffles, etc, in the next couple weeks when I finish a bigger sump.

Nate

 

[chuck]

ok, how many gallons is the sump you will be selling? Good for a 75? Ideally I want something I can see through, but I am not very handy with making my own. I was only thinking of a roughneck to save some money.

I am not using RODI water, I am using treated tap. I know that is not a great idea, but since now I am saving for a skimmer, and a fuge... and then livestock I did not spring for a RODI. Plus I really have nowhere to hook one up in my apartment.

BTW, thanks for your help.

 

[NateHanson]

Mine's a 15g long. Probably a bit small for a 4' long tank. Basically you want the biggest sump you can fit. A 30g tank would probably fit under your stand.

You might make a WTB post in the equipment forum. It's sometimes amazing how often someone is itching to get rid of just the thing you're looking to buy.

Nate

 

[nunofs]

The aquarium as a sump suggestion is a good one, but before you actually go out and buy one (I just saw your post on the marketplace forum) make sure you measure your stand... if it's the regular AGA pine stand for their 75g, a 30g tank will not fit through the front doors or the back openings, and it may not even fit from the top (you'd have to remove the main tank from the stand beforehand)... I have one of those stands and I'm using a 20g long (same dimensions as a 30g, only 4" less in height) as a sump, and it was a pretty tight fit to insert it from the top, I doubt a taller tank would fit.

I think the only way to fit such a tank inside the stand with a full tank on top would be to remove the center brace of the stand, while properly supporting the tank weight, and then reinstall the brace...

Nuno

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Hello!

Hello Chuck!

Chuck here as well! If u are interested, I will be giving a free Intro Reefkeeping class on April 23. See my thread on the BRS Bussiness Forum. Let me know if u are interested since space is limited.

Good luck with your new tank.

Regards,
Chuck Spyropulos

ok, I am terrible with reading test kits... but I think my ammonia is at 0ppm or VERY close...and my nitrites are at .25 ppm.

I am starting to get red slimy stuff growing with the diatom bloom. also, what looks like green hair algea.

I have 440 watts of PC running 12 hours a day(roughly)

My tank is 80F and the salinity is 1.020

it has been two weeks since I put in the live rock...

am I on track?

also, thinking of using a rubbermaid container as a sump... I have a current wet/dry, but I want to be able to section it off for a skimmer/fuge area. I am looking for something in the 30 gallon or larger... good idea?

 

[chuck]

ok, Nuno, I have a 20 long so I will see if that fits. The only reason I didn't use it is because I was told it was too shallow. Also, I have the modern series stand if that means anything.

Chuck, I am interested in your class, I have to see if I can get the time off. Thanks.

 

[NateHanson]

Sometimes shallow is good, because it gives you more height under the stand to remove skimmers and stuff from the sump. If you have a very tall tank, within a foot of the top of your stand, it could be hard to get stuff in and out of the sump.

 

[nunofs]

Nate: that's exactly the reason why I went with a 20g long and didn't even consider a 30g... with just around 23" of vertical space under the stand, a tank that's 16" tall like the 30g wouldn't let me remove the skimmer from the sump (or at least not easily).

Nuno

 

[NateHanson]

Is a 20L 36" longx12"wide?

 

[nunofs]

A 20L is 30x12x12.

I actually meant I hadn't considered a 29g (which is 30x12x18 tall), not a 30g (which is 36x12x16 tall)... the 30g was too long for me anyway.

Nuno

 

[chuck]

ok, so would a 20 long give me enough depth in case the pump gave out?

I just don't want to flood my floor, but I do want a fuge.

 

[nunofs]

It works for me, you just need to adjust the water level to make sure there's enough space in the sump to accomodate all the water that will flow down in a power outage (ie, add water little by little, while switching off your return pump every now and then and letting the sump fill up, until you reach a comfortable level for you).

Here's a pic to show you how much space a 20L takes under my 75g tank:

Nuno

 

[NateHanson]

Here's another way to figure out a safe water level in your sump: With return pump off, allow the tank to stop draining into the sump, then fill the sump to the maximum level you'd want it at when the return pump stops. Then just turn on the return pump, and after a minute or so, when the water level in the sump equilibrates, you can draw a line on the outside of the return pump chamber of your sump. You should never fill your sump above that level when the pump is running.

Nate

 

[nunofs]

Thanks Nate, that's much simpler than my trial-and-error, stop-just-before-you-flood-the-floor approach

Nuno

 

[NateHanson]

Hey, if I can save just one marriage out there in the community from flood-related discord, I'll consider my contribution a success.