elvishpants
Member
I feed my fish a mix of thing,
frozen brine shimp, flakes, and pettles
frozen brine shimp, flakes, and pettles
new to the sump world
- Thread starter elvishpants
- Start date
2quills
Well-Known Member
Flakes and pellets are going to be your biggest cause for the clowdy water. I would recommend better frozen foods. In the mean time running a filter sock on your drain will help clear up the clowdyness. And defintely would remove the sand from the return chamber because that could also be bad for your pump in the long run if any is getting in there.
elvishpants
Member
now that i have the sump.. i need to get a in sump protein skimmer... what would be the best one to get?
elvishpants
Member
would a sock filter in sump, where the over flow comes into the sump help clean out the shit floating in the water
2quills
Well-Known Member
Yes it will help catch the doo doo and stuff. Need to clean them out regularly, even daily if possible. The best skimmer would be one that fits your budget. SWC and Super reef octopuss skimmers are good brands for the price. The cone skimmers are a popular choice these days.
elvishpants
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385443/new-to-the-sump-world/20#post_3381706
Yes it will help catch the doo doo and stuff. Need to clean them out regularly, even daily if possible. The best skimmer would be one that fits your budget. SWC and Super reef octopuss skimmers are good brands for the price. The cone skimmers are a popular choice these days.
what about a marineland in sump 300.. that any good
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385443/new-to-the-sump-world/20#post_3381706
Yes it will help catch the doo doo and stuff. Need to clean them out regularly, even daily if possible. The best skimmer would be one that fits your budget. SWC and Super reef octopuss skimmers are good brands for the price. The cone skimmers are a popular choice these days.
what about a marineland in sump 300.. that any good
elvishpants
Member
http://www.shop.reeffiltration.com/product.sc?productId=39&categoryId=2
i was thinking about going with this one
is a good and do i need to buy anything with it or is it just plug in and go
i was thinking about going with this one
is a good and do i need to buy anything with it or is it just plug in and go
elvishpants
Member
is this one also good
http://cgi.ebay.com/Reef-Octopus-Needlewheel-Protein-Skimmer-150-Gallons-/140542610644?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b8fe0cd4#ht_1156wt_905
is so .. should i chose between the 2 of them
this one or the SWC Cone 160
http://cgi.ebay.com/Reef-Octopus-Needlewheel-Protein-Skimmer-150-Gallons-/140542610644?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b8fe0cd4#ht_1156wt_905
is so .. should i chose between the 2 of them
this one or the SWC Cone 160
S
saxman
Guest
Definitely don't get the Marineland...it's REALLY picky about water level.
I'd go for the SWC, which I'm told is a Canadian knock-off of the Bubble King. I'm a huge fan of cone skimmers, and the price is right on SWC.
I'd go for the SWC, which I'm told is a Canadian knock-off of the Bubble King. I'm a huge fan of cone skimmers, and the price is right on SWC.
elvishpants
Member
ever since i added the sump...
i have all this little micro particles floating around in the tank, makes everything look so dirty..
how do i clean this up
i have all this little micro particles floating around in the tank, makes everything look so dirty..
how do i clean this up
elvishpants
Member
also,
now i have green hair algae growing also,
i have a phostpate reactor coming in the week and i have a lawnmower fish in there
would a uv sterilizer work too
now i have green hair algae growing also,
i have a phostpate reactor coming in the week and i have a lawnmower fish in there
would a uv sterilizer work too
S
saxman
Guest
Are they really particulates or are they microbubbles?
If the pump bay of your sump has bubbles in it from the water flowing into it, or from the inflow. Once they make it to the pump bay, they're "shredded" by the pump impeller.
As mentioned, a filter sock on the inflow as well as a sponge where the water goes over (or under) the baffle leading to the pump bay should help. If it's blowing detritus, then you'll want to adjust the direction of your flow, altho a sock should help filter this out and after awhile, this should get the tank cleaner.
A UV unit may help with algae spores, or any suspended critters, but that's about it.
If the pump bay of your sump has bubbles in it from the water flowing into it, or from the inflow. Once they make it to the pump bay, they're "shredded" by the pump impeller.
As mentioned, a filter sock on the inflow as well as a sponge where the water goes over (or under) the baffle leading to the pump bay should help. If it's blowing detritus, then you'll want to adjust the direction of your flow, altho a sock should help filter this out and after awhile, this should get the tank cleaner.
A UV unit may help with algae spores, or any suspended critters, but that's about it.
elvishpants
Member
no they are particulates...
i think its bits and pieces of dead algae from the dieing green hair algae and the red slim i treated for 1 1/2 ago
i got 2 blue pad btw the baffles after the return to the sump....
they are dirty .. the go from blue to brown in one day.. so i am clean then daily .. should i be?
i think its bits and pieces of dead algae from the dieing green hair algae and the red slim i treated for 1 1/2 ago
i got 2 blue pad btw the baffles after the return to the sump....
they are dirty .. the go from blue to brown in one day.. so i am clean then daily .. should i be?
drewsbrews
Member
My sump is designed the same as his and I don't have any issues. My experience was when I have enough light for the Chaetomorpha to grow it renders the skimmer useless. I took out the reef octopus skimmer I bought because there was little to skim anymore. An expensive lesson, since it's sitting in my closet unsused now.
I have 2 18watt 6500k spiral compact flood lights (spiral bulb inside a flood bulb "75watt equivalent") over a very small refugium section (8x12x10) and the bulbs are only an inch or so away from the surface. I grow chaeto so fast I haveto toss a huge clump every 2 weeks, and have had undetectable nitrates since the first 2 weeks. For your setup I'd suggest 3 to 4 bulbs and much closer to the water than you have now.
I'd nearly guarantee the sand in the return is causing the majority of the cloudyness. When the water level gets low in the return side the water running down the baffel will shoot straight into that sand and stirr it up. My water level in the return section goes down several inches in a day.. It's due to evaporation. I haveto top off a gallon a day (65gal display, 20gal sump) That spot should be the ONLY area where the water level changes. if it changes anywhere else for more than a minute or so there is a problem.
As long as you can turn off the pump and the sump doesn't overflow; the baffel height is fine.
I have 2 18watt 6500k spiral compact flood lights (spiral bulb inside a flood bulb "75watt equivalent") over a very small refugium section (8x12x10) and the bulbs are only an inch or so away from the surface. I grow chaeto so fast I haveto toss a huge clump every 2 weeks, and have had undetectable nitrates since the first 2 weeks. For your setup I'd suggest 3 to 4 bulbs and much closer to the water than you have now.
I'd nearly guarantee the sand in the return is causing the majority of the cloudyness. When the water level gets low in the return side the water running down the baffel will shoot straight into that sand and stirr it up. My water level in the return section goes down several inches in a day.. It's due to evaporation. I haveto top off a gallon a day (65gal display, 20gal sump) That spot should be the ONLY area where the water level changes. if it changes anywhere else for more than a minute or so there is a problem.
As long as you can turn off the pump and the sump doesn't overflow; the baffel height is fine.
S
saxman
Guest
Did I miss something? I don't recall anyone saying there was sand in the return or that the baffles were too high...
elvishpants
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrewsBrews http:///forum/thread/385443/new-to-the-sump-world/20#post_3382608
My sump is designed the same as his and I don't have any issues. My experience was when I have enough light for the Chaetomorpha to grow it renders the skimmer useless. I took out the reef octopus skimmer I bought because there was little to skim anymore. An expensive lesson, since it's sitting in my closet unsused now.
I have 2 18watt 6500k spiral compact flood lights (spiral bulb inside a flood bulb "75watt equivalent") over a very small refugium section (8x12x10) and the bulbs are only an inch or so away from the surface. I grow chaeto so fast I haveto toss a huge clump every 2 weeks, and have had undetectable nitrates since the first 2 weeks. For your setup I'd suggest 3 to 4 bulbs and much closer to the water than you have now.
I'd nearly guarantee the sand in the return is causing the majority of the cloudyness. When the water level gets low in the return side the water running down the baffel will shoot straight into that sand and stirr it up. My water level in the return section goes down several inches in a day.. It's due to evaporation. I haveto top off a gallon a day (65gal display, 20gal sump) That spot should be the ONLY area where the water level changes. if it changes anywhere else for more than a minute or so there is a problem.
As long as you can turn off the pump and the sump doesn't overflow; the baffel height is fine.
how do you thing this will work.. lights about a little less that 1 1/2 above the water
only problem i got is i got my return pump hard piped and cant get the pump out to remove the sand... any ideas how to get it out without cutting my pipe
but my big concern is about my lights... what do u think
Originally Posted by DrewsBrews http:///forum/thread/385443/new-to-the-sump-world/20#post_3382608
My sump is designed the same as his and I don't have any issues. My experience was when I have enough light for the Chaetomorpha to grow it renders the skimmer useless. I took out the reef octopus skimmer I bought because there was little to skim anymore. An expensive lesson, since it's sitting in my closet unsused now.
I have 2 18watt 6500k spiral compact flood lights (spiral bulb inside a flood bulb "75watt equivalent") over a very small refugium section (8x12x10) and the bulbs are only an inch or so away from the surface. I grow chaeto so fast I haveto toss a huge clump every 2 weeks, and have had undetectable nitrates since the first 2 weeks. For your setup I'd suggest 3 to 4 bulbs and much closer to the water than you have now.
I'd nearly guarantee the sand in the return is causing the majority of the cloudyness. When the water level gets low in the return side the water running down the baffel will shoot straight into that sand and stirr it up. My water level in the return section goes down several inches in a day.. It's due to evaporation. I haveto top off a gallon a day (65gal display, 20gal sump) That spot should be the ONLY area where the water level changes. if it changes anywhere else for more than a minute or so there is a problem.
As long as you can turn off the pump and the sump doesn't overflow; the baffel height is fine.
how do you thing this will work.. lights about a little less that 1 1/2 above the water
only problem i got is i got my return pump hard piped and cant get the pump out to remove the sand... any ideas how to get it out without cutting my pipe
but my big concern is about my lights... what do u think