6x2.5x2.5 Reef Tank Plans/Progress

[weileong]

Using a MD55 to power the skimmer with gate valve wide open and air intake dialled down to about 80%

I using the MD55 on my EV-240 too. My air valve is fully open and gatevalve closed abt 0.5 to 0.75 turns. Skimmate is pretty dry and very dark.

I installed a ball valve and closed it by 10%.

Was just wondering, the difference, did you had a hole drilled in the sump for the MD55?

[AlfaRomeo]

Yup Weileong, had a hole drilled in the sump for the pump. Hows the water level in your skimmer when you fullu close the air valve?

[zephyros]

I using the MD55 on my EV-240 too. My air valve is fully open and gatevalve closed abt 0.5 to 0.75 turns. Skimmate is pretty dry and very dark.

isnt it overkill to use a pressure rated pump for skimmer???

zephyros

[AlfaRomeo]

It depends actually, the Ev240 needs about 4000L/Hr to work efficiently and the induction gives an approximate pressure head of about 6ft. So to get a pump that can produce 4000l/hr at 6ft is not easy. Also, the cost of the pump is quite reasonable and consumes 130W. The MD55 is relatively quiet when compared with similar priced pumps too. With all these factors combined, i think the md55 is a very good pump to be paired with the EV240. IMHO

[terryansimon]

isnt it overkill to use a pressure rated pump for skimmer???

zephyros

AquaC does recommend the usage of Iwaki pumps under their pump recommendation list. (=

[roidan]

yeah..they recommend only iwaki 40RLT for the ev240..anything higher is a waste of electricity

they have a graph in the manual about using under powered or overpowered pumps..hehe

[surfedelic]

Hi Maxima, did run my RO/DI unit for top-ups so far and it seems to be working pretty fine. The output comes in little drips at about 3-5 drips/sec.

3 - 5 drps/ sec is slow. Mime is a constant flow. You might want to check your input pressure. I used to have the same problem.

[AlfaRomeo]

Surfedelic, how did you solve or increased the flow of your RO/Di output? booster pump?

[weileong]

Yup Weileong, had a hole drilled in the sump for the pump. Hows the water level in your skimmer when you fullu close the air valve?

I did not have a hole drilled. I use a 40mm PVC piping then do a U like in AT's tank and recommended by Alvy.

Wors great. As for the micro bubbles, difficult to kill, so I just added baffles with egg crates a few minutes ago and I think I managed to get rid of them already. Damn eye sore. See this photo on my DIY egg crate baffle.

When I close the air valve plus plug the John Guest fitting, the water level goes level than the grey tube.

Actually I think this MD55 drives my EV-240 very well. Comes to think abt it, AquaC says it will overflow if you use an over-rated pump but did not happen for my case so I dunno if the rating for the MD55 is accurate.

[AlfaRomeo]

Stats for the tank as of 02/25:

Temp : 26-27

Redox: 250

Salinity : 1.0230

Ph: 8.22 (Day)/8.0-8.1(Night)

Calcium : 380

Ammonia : 0

Nitrite : 0

Nitrate : 10-15

[AlfaRomeo]

Tank is now over 1 month old. Diatoms have cleared up from 2 weeks ago and now can see green algae taking over its place. Hope this phase will not last too long.

Should a tang or 2 be introduced into the enviroment to help deal with the green algae?

Top-ups are with RO/DI unit and soon should will be attached to Kalk Reactor.

[AlfaRomeo]

Have started to see some hair algae growing on the LR and have decided to get a kole tang to help control the growth.

Have reserved a nice medium sized kole tang and will take delivery of it this weekend i hope.

The 6 Anthias is the tank have started to appear contantsly out in the open after 3 dyas of hiding amoung the rocks. Yeahhhh!!!!! they are already eating cyclops the minute they are introduced into the tank. Very healthy specimens i guess.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

wow...bro Alfa ,

You're lucky to have your Anthias eating healthily.

Just be careful of that hair algae , must be "bryopsis" you're having with too much phosphates and silica....try some Rowaphos and start changing your water and siphoning your detritus.

I think you might want to invest some Sally Light Foot Crabs thats arriving this weekend at Eaquarist. They're reefsafe and very hungry for hair algae.

Bro Roidan has some pics of them in his tank... check it out and Eaquarist has a pic too.

[Joe_P]

I'm also lookin for those Sally Lightfoots....

Let me know if you guys are headin down to eaquarist....

[AlfaRomeo]

hmmm , putting in crabs in a reef tank... hmmmm... dunt know about dat... sounds dangerous.... will stick to the kole tank and an algae blenny and hope its enuff firepower to counter the hair algae. Also have a Yellow tang as a flanking force for the attack.. hehehe

Have dumped in 500ml of rowaphos but was told that a tank of my size will need at least 1L so will dump another 500ml this weekend.

Wonder how long i need to change 10% of the water volume, which is 100L usinf water from an RO/DI unit.. will prob need to generate the clean water overnight? sob sob...

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

hmmm , putting in crabs in a reef tank... hmmmm... dunt know about dat... sounds dangerous.... will stick to the kole tank and an algae blenny and hope its enuff firepower to counter the hair algae. Also have a Yellow tang as a flanking force for the attack.. hehehe

Have dumped in 500ml of rowaphos but was told that a tank of my size will need at least 1L so will dump another 500ml this weekend.

Wonder how long i need to change 10% of the water volume, which is 100L usinf water from an RO/DI unit.. will prob need to generate the clean water overnight? sob sob...

Bro Alfa , the Sally Light Foots are reef safe no need to worry.... The tangs are not so efficient and fussy eaters as they don't eat hair micro algae and go for macro only. Once they get use to feeding with what ever you give them , they won't want to touch your hair algae. So you gotta act fast before the hair algae takes over.....

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

I'm also lookin for those Sally Lightfoots....

Let me know if you guys are headin down to eaquarist....

Eaquarist said they will be bringing them in this weekend , so you better reserve all else all gone....

[patrick123]

Hi Bro,

Any update or new pictures of your tank now?

Thanks,

Patrick

[AlfaRomeo]

Hmmm, updates? having cooling issues with the 1.25HP Ti CHiller. I set the temp at 27.0 but the temp will slowly creep up during the day even with the chiller going on full swing. Trying very hard to solve the problem..

[roidan]

maybe you can relocate the chiller to a more ventilated area? or get a fan to blow cool air to the air intake of the chiller or blow hot air out of the vent of the chiller to assist the chiller exhaust fan?

[AlfaRomeo]

Thanks Roidan, exploring that possibility now... after Dr chill pays me a visit later tonite..

[AlfaRomeo]

Anyone know where to get distilled water in large quantities? wanna do a 10% water change and that means about 100L

[roidan]

100 bottles of watson's distilled water?

whitesand's watson's have them

[AlfaRomeo]

Roidan, was thinking more in the lines of getting those huge distilled water that the water dispensers use. Those kind found in offices

[roidan]

ahhh...call those water dispenser companies and ask?