System Checkup (4/17/08) **SEMI PICTURE INTENSIVE**

[Gabriel_T]

I finally took the plunge and started my sump after having the tank set up with only powerheads and a heater for over a month and a half.

I'm posting this to make sure no red flags come up in regards to anything I am doing.

Things I still need to add:

1) Ozone (Have)
2) Calcium Reactor ( Do not have)
3) Kalkwasser Reactor (Do not have)
4) Phosphate Reactor (Do not have)
5) DIY Sulfur Denitrator (Do not have)
6) MORE FLOW!!! ( I'm trying to find my 9.5 Mag Drive)
7) Mods to G-2 (Mesh, Recirc, etc..)
8) Auto Top Off (have)

Questions/Concerns I have:

1) How do I stop bubbles from coming out of the return without reducing flow? (Should I raise the water level in the aquarium?)

2) Should I have a pre-filter on the tank drain before the UV? If so, what should I add?

3) How/ where should I put the various reactors I want to add to the system?

4) Is the protein skimmer all right?

5) How high should I keep my sump water level?

6) Where/ how should I place my (2) Koralia 3's without creating much of an eyesore?


Here are the pictures:

My display


My sump w/ G2


G2 bubble height


sump water level


space (or lack thereof) under the display

[Gabriel_T]

^bump^

[D to the P]

Originally posted by Gabriel_T
I finally took the plunge and started my sump after having the tank set up with only powerheads and a heater for over a month and a half.

I'm posting this to make sure no red flags come up in regards to anything I am doing.

Things I still need to add:

1) Ozone (Have)
2) Calcium Reactor ( Do not have)
3) Kalkwasser Reactor (Do not have)
4) Phosphate Reactor (Do not have)
5) DIY Sulfur Denitrator (Do not have)
6) MORE FLOW!!! ( I'm trying to find my 9.5 Mag Drive)
7) Mods to G-2 (Mesh, Recirc, etc..)
8) Auto Top Off (have)

Questions/Concerns I have:

1) How do I stop bubbles from coming out of the return without reducing flow? (Should I raise the water level in the aquarium?)
are they the micro bubbles from your skimmer? if it is you can usually just let the water run through a sponge, but I know there are some other tips here on RC for that.

2) Should I have a pre-filter on the tank drain before the UV? If so, what should I add?
I wouldn't worry about it
3) How/ where should I put the various reactors I want to add to the system?
where ever they fit, but you shouldn't need a kalkwasser and a calcium reactor at the same time.

4) Is the protein skimmer all right? if it is graded for about twice the amount that your tank is, yeah.

5) How high should I keep my sump water level? this will probably take some toying around, when you find it mark it with a marker so you always know where it should be. You'll just have to keep adding water little by little until the tank is full, and the sump is full enough that everything can function properly.

6) Where/ how should I place my (2) Koralia 3's without creating much of an eyesore?
where ever it is necessary to make sure there are no dead spots in the tank, just take pride in your hardware and it won't be an eyesore haha.

Good luck with the ozone, don't kill yourself!
you might not even need all of those things, the tank doesn't look that big. IMO you would defeat the purpose of just about all of those reactors with good husbandry (free) and frequent water changes with RO/DI water (cheaper in the long run). I would just buy a RO/DI system, fill up a tub connected to your ATO, and do 10% weekly changes. It really isn't that much work if that is what you are worried about. hell I've seen systems ran on nothing but a big refugium and a big skimmer haha. Good Luck!

[Gabriel_T]

I have an RO/DI system and three rubbermaid trashcans which I use and plan to further use for water changes/ salt mixing.

I'm just really posting my progress to see if I am doing everything right and I need those questions answered.

[D to the P]

I put answers right under your question up in the quote, the answers are the part that isn't bold. first time I've done that and I just wanted to try it out haha.

[Gabriel_T]

LOL now I see, thanks!

The Protein skimmer is great and isn't making any bubbles (outside in the sump). The bubbles in question are produced by the tank drain hose which is run through the UV on the way down and the return section of the display.

In picture 1 you can sort of make out bubbles near the surface on the left side of the tank. This is the return side.

In picture 4 you can make out bubbles in the sump caused by the tank drain hose which is plumbed through the UV.

[D to the P]

Oh ok, well it looks like you might just need to put the return a little deeper in the water or bounce it off of the glass to break the bubbles up. The display tank looks like it could stand to have a little more water in it and that may help, but its hard to say without actually being there looking at the system as a whole. If the bubbles are coming from the drain line, let that line go through a baffle. Search on RC for some different sump designs, and you might get some ideas on where to put different things and ways to get rid of those bubbles. Seriousy though, I don't know you and I don't know what your experience is with ozone or what you have read or haven't read about it, but I would feel terrible if I didn't warn you that using ozone can be dangerous if you don't take the necessary steps of matainence for those systems. They work great, but if you haven't, make sure you do your research and cover all your bases. I don't mean to be condescending at all, again its just to be sure.

[Gabriel_T]

The return is about .75" from the top of the tank. When I raise the water level in the display it works to stop the bubbles but I risk flooding if my drain gets clogged. Any suggestions?

Regarding the ozone, I got the ozone unit produced by Ultra Reef which is sold by Marine Depot. I got this unit particularly because it claims to be user safe. I also have a ORP controller which I will use to control the ozone production.

Thanks for the heads up, though!

[EdKruzel]

That Rubbermaid isn't recommended as a sump. The clear plastic will eventually become brittle and crack, much faster with the use of ozone. Commercial grade Rubbermaid containers are only a few dollars more and will last many more years if not indefinitely.

[D to the P]

I think you have to get a carbon filter to go on your protein skimmer to filter out the ozone so it doesn't leak into your room. Maybe someone else knows for sure, but I think that is what I recall hearing about them.

[Gabriel_T]

Yeah, I need to run the return water through carbon before it enters the display tank in order to get rid of any O3 left in the water.

Should I prehaps make the return go through a filter sock full of carbon before it goes back in the tank or should I place a baffle filled with carbon between the skimmer and the return?

Also,

Which store can I find a variety of sizes of the commercial grade rubbermaids? Every HD I go to only has these kinds and the only thing a little sturdier are the trashcans.

[D to the P]

thats a good question...and I don't know...but I figured I'd give your thread a bump.

[EdKruzel]

A feed supply store will have the commercial grade under the title of animal trough used for food or water. In El Paso, TX it was the Pet Barn, here in Virginia I find them at Southern States and Feed.