Devoted Reefer 250

[powers2001]

@pelphrey I know you have a COR pump and you probably lower your flow way down without shutting it down while feeding? Is this correct? With my Sicce return pump I shut it off when feeding and water back-siphoned from the return nozzle down through the overflow box. The back-siphon added a lot of water to my sump and caused problems with my ATO. To combat this I drilled a siphon break hole in the return nozzle. When water in the display tank draws down to the level of the hole air enters the pipe and the siphon is broken. It doesn't have to be big and it can be on the underside. Depending on where the hole is it can cause salt-creep. You probably won't need this modification. Does your ATO FW enter your system in the refugium? If it does the water could take some time to level-out with the return section of the sump. Can you post an Apex graph of your salinity level?

 

[pelphrey]

@pelphrey I know you have a COR pump and you probably lower your flow way down without shutting it down while feeding? Is this correct? With my Sicce return pump I shut it off when feeding and water back-siphoned from the return nozzle down through the overflow box. The back-siphon added a lot of water to my sump and caused problems with my ATO. To combat this I drilled a siphon break hole in the return nozzle. When water in the display tank draws down to the level of the hole air enters the pipe and the siphon is broken. It doesn't have to be big and it can be on the underside. Depending on where the hole is it can cause salt-creep. You probably won't need this modification. Does your ATO FW enter your system in the refugium? If it does the water could take some time to level-out with the return section of the sump. Can you post an Apex graph of your salinity level?

I don’t have a salinity probe. I’m checking manually and calibrating it before each test. I do run the COR Pump but I don’t reduce the flow on it ever. It’s either on or off. I am pumping water into the refugium section, which I wouldn’t think would make a difference. As soon as water hits the bottom of the Tunze optical eye it should shut off.

 

[powers2001]

Have you cleaned the optical switch?

 

[pelphrey]

Have you cleaned the optical switch?

I cleaned it when I put the new sump in!

 

[pelphrey]

Took the optical and float sensor out and cleaned them. I did top off with some salt water, salinity is currently 1.023 - water is above the optical sensor but not activating the float.

1.025-1.026 is always my target.

 

[tenurepro]

For two weeks now I’ve battled super I consistent water levels in the return chamber. Not sure what’s going on. The Tunze ATO worked flawlessly with my old sump, my skimmer adjustments haven’t moved. Any help is appreciated, my salinity has been on a roller coaster.

Is there some kinda of flaw in the design of the new sump that makes water levels inconsistent?

 

[pelphrey]

The yellow box is where I had the ATO dumping water, from what I can tell the pumping water into that fitting may have created a siphon.

I went back to the way I had my reefer sump setup, the ATO is now fed into 1/2" vinyl tubing (red box) which is how I ran the reefer sump flawlessly for 2 years. This morning I marked the tap where the ATO water level is, measure salinity (1.204 up from 1.023) put the date and time on there. My tank typically evaporates a gallon a day, that hasn't been the case with the new setup.

Skimmer has been working great the last few days, it took awhile to get it dialed in and I did have to raise it a little, it is sitting in 8" of water.

Is there some kinda of flaw in the design of the new sump that makes water levels inconsistent?

I don't believe so, I think I was just feeding the ato water wrong. The low salinity also leads me to believe it has been a siphon issue over the last 2 weeks, I'm lucky it didn't create a bigger problem. I've kept a close eye on the salinity and been topping off with salt water, so my ato hasn't been running a lot.

 

[pelphrey]

Came home and checked the tank, the ATO did pump about a 1/2 a gallon of water today, but the water level was again a little high. Salinity was 1.023 after I calibrated the refractometer. So now I’ve opened the skimmer up... A LOT! Since it isn’t the ATO it has to be the skimmer, it is in just under 8” of water. Nyos recommends 8” on the skimmer, it was in 7” of water in the reefer sump!

I’m going to get this figured out, and thanks for all the help so far!

 

[pelphrey]

Salinity still 1.023.... but it looks like the skimmer adjustment has worked today. 1 gallon of evaporation in 24ish hours is right for me.

 

[Crabby48]

Weight of your shoulda now the problem is resolved. I’m confused how the skimmer was effecting the water level?

 

[pelphrey]

Weight of your shoulda now the problem is resolved. I’m confused how the skimmer was effecting the water level?

I hope it is resolved! The tank has taken a toll!

The water level in the skimmer wasn’t consistent, the Nyos skimmer is an awesome skimmer.... once it is tuned! It can be a major pain to get there. I fought it 2 years ago when I set it up in the reefer sump. Forgot how much I hated that part! The skimmer really likes to find it’s happy spot! It’s also in what I would consider a pretty high flow chamber, and with it being small the water rushes through it rather quickly.

 

[Crabby48]

I have a Nyos and been playing with setting it up. I’m new but find it can be tricky also

 

[pelphrey]

Emerald crabs really doing work on the bubble algae! Emerald crabs from reef cleaners.

 

[Scurvy]

So far each shot you've posted of the emeralds I havent been able to see them. Its like a torturous game of where's waldo for me! lol

Glad they're doing their job! Tanks looking great!

 

[pelphrey]

So far each shot you've posted of the emeralds I havent been able to see them. Its like a torturous game of where's waldo for me! lol

Glad they're doing their job! Tanks looking great!

I bought 3, which was a lot for my tank. But I took DOA into consideration. I’ve only seen two, they are hard to find, they blend in well! One of them is pretty large. I’m thinking 2” at least while the other is small. When they came in I thought for sure they were dead, after temp acclimation they came back to life and as reef cleaners guarantees they will eat bubble algae. And these certainly do.

I also picked up some of the snails they claimed ate red turf algae and that seems to be working great as well! My big rock structure had a thin layer covering 70% of the rock probably.

 

[pelphrey]

 

[pelphrey]

Off today, just watching the tank!

 

[pelphrey]

Heart shaped scoly... RARE! Hahaha

Picture of yellow tang with natural light, radions off!

Bristle worms in the sump! I have a decent population in my tank. I don’t mind them, I did before I understood what they did for me!

 

[pelphrey]

 

[pelphrey]

Witnessed a royal gramma picking on the ruby head wrasse last night. Ruby better toughen up and show them who is boss!

It’s that time of year again, spring forward and the tank gets some sun light again!