SeaClone Protein Skimmer

[dd]

:help: I bought a protein skimmer and am not sure how fast the water is to be running. Before I just had a Cascade 300 power filter but everyone told me I needed a protein skimmer. When I took the Cascade out and installed the protein skimmer the fish started getting a little slower in moving and didn't look like they normally did so I checked the water and everything was ok except the salt level had dropped so I added salt. I also installed the Cascade along with the protein skimmer and this morning everything looks great - but should I need both filter systems and the foam wasn't coming to the top on the SeaClone and I turned the water to run a little slower just at the point that the water bubbles weren't coming into the filter and now I can see a little foam coming to the top. This is sooo confusing to me since I am a NEW saltwater tank owner!!! Please give me your "knowledgeable" advice....thanks so very much....dd

 

[mombostic]

I have the SeaClone 150. I run it almost wide open with very little water flowing back into the tank, and this produces the most foam and brown gunk in the collection cup. It took several days, really over a week, before it started though, because I put it in at the same time I put in the fish, so there wasn't much organic waste for it to process yet. How many fish do you have? How much live rock do you have?
Also, as to needing the filter, I use a filter and a skimmer, but there are lots of people who say all you need is abundant live rock and a skimmer for adequate filtration.
I'm sure you know this, but never add salt directly to the tank. Always mix it in another container.
I know it can take a while of fiddling with the skimmer to get it going good, but I really think you need one. Personally I live having my hang-on filter as well, just to run carbon in, plus it has two bio-wheels to add to my biological filtration.
Good luck!

 

[dd]

Thanks so much for your advice. I did empty some of that "yuk" brown stuff from the protein skimmer tonight. I have 4 damsels (ginnie-pig fish - my first ones so I wouldn't loose much money if they died. I also have a mandarin gobie, 2 catfish that look more like eels, a hermit crab, 3 shrimps, some little crabs, 2 clownfish and one other...I'm not sure what he is! I've still got a lot to learn. I do have algae that I cannot seem to get rid of. My tank has been set up for about 6 months and it started getting a brown algae and I read that that was normal for newly set up tanks and to just change water adding distilled water. I've done that but now I'm getting a hard green algae that is really hard to scrape from the sides. Don't know what that is....duh! I have some live rock but can't tell you how many pounds and of course live sand. I have ordered a Jebo 4/65 light because I was told I didn't have enough light also. I hope I can get some other "things" when I get the light in. I love the water, the ocean and it is sooo relaxing watching everything...oh, I also have 2 feather dusters...I have tried 9 aneomones (sp?) but they all died. What do you have in your tank and what kind of lighting do you have? Mine has 4 moon lights....like I know what that does. I ordered it off of ---- and got it lots cheaper than I priced in a fish store. Again, thanks for your help and ANY advice you can give me will be GREATLY APPRECIATED:jumping: dd

 

[mister t]

dd i have a sea clone 100 and it works great . the tech. guy told me how to set the skimmer he said to open the air valve all the way open and when an air pocket forms at the bend in the water tube turn the valve in slowly so the air goes away and you should be all set hope that helps!

 

[mombostic]

The brown algae could have a lot of causes. It's probably diatoms, which isn't really an algae, but it's caused for a lot of the same reasons, IMO. I think that overfeeding is a big problems for a lot of people. Any food that lays on the bottom begins to break down and pollute the aquarium. Watch your fish closely as you feed and make sure there isn't lots of food leftover in the water. Also, make sure to be diligent with your cleaning and water changing--this helps. I also think you'll find adding the skimmer will be a big benefit. Also, don't ever use tap water. It may contain the nutrients algae need to grow. If you filled your tank with tap water, it may take a long time to cycle all of that out.
You have a pretty heavy load of fish, so good filtration and cleaning is extra important for you. Make sure to keep your filter media nice and clean. The filter pads catch the waste, but until it is completely removed from the system, it still sits there and leaches unwanted materials back into your water, thus feeding algae and such. I use a product called Seagel in my filter. It's a mix of carbon and a phosphate sponge, just to be on the safe side.
By adding more light, you will also encourage more algae to grow, so don't freak out. The anemones are challenging to keep and need strong lighting--undoubtedly that is why the ones you had died. I would consider 4 65 watt lights to be a minimum for an anemone like the bubble tip anemone. Supplemental feeding are still required. There are tons of good thread in the clownfish and anemone forum that you should check out. Some anemones require much stronger lights, usually in the form of metal halide. Some will say that no anemone should be kept under anything less than metal halide. But I can say that the 4 65's are a world better than the basic lighting that came with your hood. With that lighting you should be able to keep mushrooms and polyps successfully, maybe even some leathers, but someone else will have to field that particular question. I have 560 watts on my tank, so it's a little different for me.
On a final note, you may want to re-consider your mandarin goby. What is he like? How long have you had him? They are very specific feeders that eat living organisms called "pods" in your tank. You need tons of live rock in a well-established tank, and even then they will feed on the pods until they are depleted. Usually the only people who have long-term success with them are the ones who say they have "taught" them to accept prepared food, or those with a refuge for the pods to reproduce in undisturbed.
Well, I hope this helps and that the skimmer is doing its job now! Good luck!

 

[dd]

Thanks Mr. T. I tryed what you said and it seems to be working. I looked and I have some more of the "yuk" in the skimmer. Should I empty it everyday if it has something in it? I would think so... What light do you have on your 55? I ordered a Jebo off ---- but wonder about the brand. I don't really know the best brands! Thanks again....dd

 

[dd]

Thanks Mombostic, The skimmer seems to be working properly now. I did fill my tank with tap water. We live in the country and don't have clorinated water so I thought it would be ok...evidently not! Now when I do change water I do use distilled water. I checked to see if I was feeding to much and yes sometimes I do. They all eat different things so it's hard to know how much of what to fill them up!! The "snakes" I call them eat pellets that sink to the bottom and the others eat flakes. The crabs eat whatever is on bottom and they like the shrimp that is in pellets that sink to the bottom also. The mandarin..I've had for about 4 months. I was told that he would be one that I could get with my lighting so I did...since then I've found out they don't eat anything but live shrimp and something else...can't remember what. I have not actually seen him eating anything but he is still very healthy so he has to be eating something. I don't want anything to eat the organisms on my rock because I'm hoping something beautiful will grow on those...in years to come..I understand!! What kind of live rock do you get...from where does it come and about how much a lb? I didn't realize I had too many fish. How many should I have in a 55 gallon??? I really like the reefs and just a very few fish but don't know how to get started...I think the new lighting will help with that. I'm very excited about getting some polyps, mushrooms and other things. I want something that flows with the water...it's so relaxing to watch. This man gave me some of his algae...it was beautiful...red...and looked great but something has eaten almost all of that or it just disappeared!! Do you buy your rock, corals and things from a store or have you ever ordered online? I just wonder what the difference in quality would be. I was told since the tusome (sp?) the quality of marine fish, etc. might not be as good as it was...what have you found? How long has your tank been established and what do you have in it? We don't have a saltwater dealer close. I have to go to Lynchburg..which is 1 hr. 15 min. away or to Durham, NC and I really haven't found anything for saltwater there! Durham is a 2 hr. drive. I am in the "BOONIES"!! Thanks again for your help and I will check out the are on anemones.

 

[thejdshow]

I have the SeaClone 150 as well, and i run mine almost wide open. Seems to be working great. Got the cyclone to look just like it does in the picture on the box. Once you find its "sweet spot" you can pry leave it. It may stop drawing as much when you do a water change.. but dont be so quick to adjust your airflow as it might go back to how it was after the water settles. Thats what mine does anyways. you dont have to change that cup every day... but if you have time, and there is stuff in it you might as well. Also welcome to the forum, there is soooo much great information on here. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[mombostic]

Well, for the mandarin, you can actually buy the pods online to put in your tank and replenish the popluation--your mandarin will thank you! They don't eat the things that you are wanting to grow--they're reef safe I'm sure. The algae that you got was probably just grazed down by your fish--it's a tasty treat for them!
I live in the sticks myself, and we have well water. I used a water treatment when I filled my tank. It took forever for me to get it all cycled out and the algae to slow down. I can't use an Reverse Osmosis unit, so I buy distilled water at Wal-Mart. Now the only algae I see is a little green that gets on my glass some and on the rocks. The snails and crabs need it to eat on, though, and it doesn't hurt anything.
All of my live rock has come from the LFS. If it comes from the store, you can put it in the tank with your fish if you hurry and get it home. Rock that your order online should always be cured in a separate tank or bin before being added to your main tank. The die-off that happens during shipping could cause a cycle to happen in your tank and maybe hurt your fish. I added several pieces from the store, though, long after the fish were in and nothing bad happened.
As far as ordering online, it's about half and half with me. Of my seven fish, two came from online (but not SWF...I hadn't found them yet when I ordered!) I had a few DOA's in that shipment, so it was a little disappointing. I haven't had much luck with my cleaner shrimp shipping, so both of mine came from the store, but my peppermints came from online. About half of my snails and hermits came from online, and my bubble tip anemone came from online. Only my brain coral and flame tip came from online, the rest from the store, but all of those were fine. You will find that the prices online are cheaper, sometimes by half or more, but you pay shipping, plus a lot of sites require a minimum order, so you have to order several things at once, or else a high ticket item to meet the required amount. You also need to very carefully check out the guarantee policy BEFORE ordering. Not all guaratees are that great.
My tank has been up for 11 months, getting close to the one year mark. I just recently (Monday) switched to sand instead of crushed coral on the bottom. I have seven fish--yellow tang, coral beauty, scooter blenny, three-stripe damsel, 2 percula clowns, and a flasher wrasse. I have two cleaner shrimp, three peppermint shrimp, two emerald crabs, who knows how many hermit crabs and different snails. I have a bubble tip anemone, which is the newest addition to my tank, a brain coral, flame tip, colt, and some purple mushrooms--I'm not sure what they are. I just started collecting the corals, so hopefully I'll have more soon! I almost always have to order the corals online because there isn't a good supplier anywhere near me. There's a store about two hours away that sometimes gets them, but that's a long way to drive for sometimes!
As far as you having too many fish, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. It's a lot, but I KNOW that some people on this forum push the envelope with their bio load all of the time. As long as you have lots of filtration, good water movement, and make sure you always do your water changes, you will probably be okay. There is a thread going in the reef tank forum where a guy has a 55 with 26 fish in it! P.S. I wouldn't recommend pushing it that far!!!!!!!!
Well, I think you'll be very happy with your new lights and the options it opens up for you. Good luck and happy shopping. If you want to give me your e-mail, I have a web site I would like to send you, if you don't mind. I'm not allowed to post it on this forum.

 

[evilss]

i have been tryin to get my sea clone dialed in also. after readign this i cant wait to get home to try out what you guys have said. great post for sea clone keepers.

 

[dd]

Thank you all soooo much for all the NEEDED information. It really does help to hear from others that REALLY know what they are doing....because I have no idea....am learning tho!!! Mombostic I tried to email you but couldn't from your profile and didn't know if I could give you my email over this or not, don't mind but don't want to "get in trouble"!!! I went to the pet store over the weekend to buy more fish food and the owner there told me I still wouldn't be able to have many "things" with the new lighting (260 watt). I am taking you alls advice. He did advise against halide lights for my size tank because of the size and possible burning of "things". Anyway, I'm gonna try things and hope they work out. I have four freshwater tanks and one saltwater so the fish really keep me busy but I love watching them. This is the first time I've had freshwater babies and snails to multiply. It's great when you see SURPRISES! Oh, I wish that would happen in my saltwater...but I guess it will when "stuff" starts growing on my rocks!!! CAN'T wait...but I know you have to be patient......thanks everyone, again....dd

 

[mombostic]

I'll put my e-mail here-try again and see if it works.
I'm not too sure about that advice of not having metal halides over a 55--I'm pretty sure you can. Unless I'm mistaken, there are tons of threads where people talk about having them over much smaller tanks than 55. By having them, you pretty much open the door and can have just about anything.
You can have babies in salt water, too. Clownfish have babies, and my cleaner shrimp just recently hatched a brood of eggs. I also have little white snails about the size of the head of a pin. I think these may be babies. The bad thing about the shrimp eggs in my tank is that they IMMEDIATELY get eaten. It looks like a feeding frenzy.
Well, try this e-mail and see what happens.
mommybostic@aol.com