Glass lid with eggcrate? Tank reboot ideas?

[motortrendz]

So 2 things, I didnt notice or maybe I overlooked but what are your salinity,Nitrate, phosphate, alk and mag numbers?
How long are your lights on during the day?
Do you run a skimmer? Or just the filter floss and chaeto in your sump?

 

[Jamie knight]

To address the super noisy overflow I'm wondering because f the could just use the canister and have it pump out into the sump. I feel like that would technically work..

The noise is usually caused by an air lock fighting the water flow. One of the easiest ways to fix it is to insert a small (1/4,3/8) hose into the drain area. Usually 3 or 4 inches down. This allows the air to bypass the pull and stops the noise. It cost nothing to try and almost always works.

.........I COULD HUG YOU RIGHT NOW. Its still not silent by any beans but after playing with it I can now only hear it if I'm in the tank room. It was so loud before I could hear it upstairs in my bed with the door closed.. SO AWESOME THANK YOU!!

 

[Jamie knight]

So 2 things, I didnt notice or maybe I overlooked but what are your salinity,Nitrate, phosphate, alk and mag numbers?
How long are your lights on during the day?
Do you run a skimmer? Or just the filter floss and chaeto in your sump?

Salinity. 1.026
Nitrate: close to 0
Phos: Close to 0
I suspect they read close to 0 though because all of the algae has been absorbing it.

Alk: 9dkh
My magnesium is expired, I need to go pick up a new test for it.
Lights are the US Current IC pro 48" strips. They turn on about 11am and turn off at 10pm.

I have a tunze skimmer, it use to run in the sump but since the bevels failed the water level does not stay high enough for it to perform and it does not fit in the main tank with the current glass lids.

 

[Jamie knight]

Just to update, I spent the day cleaning out the sump as well as I could. I put in a filter sock where the pvc comes into the sump, and I am running the canister as well with carbon and Im thinking of trying GFO in a mesh bag in the canister as well.. if I can do that? But virtually all of the algae is gone from the sump. I've stripped it to just a glass tank with the pvc return and the pump sending it back out so I'm hoping the sock catches any floating algae I knocked around now.

The noise level with the 1/4 inch hose trick has been reduced tremendously.

( I also had a moment of weakness and got a small $10 zoa frag while at the store, but it has already opened up and looks happy, I know I should of waited, I am ashamed, nut they were so pretty...)

 

[dankaqua]

Can you get that skimmer back into operation?

 

[LostInTheDark]

The noise level with the 1/4 inch hose trick has been reduced tremendously.

Depending on the flow you have to experiment with different size hoses. I use a 3/8 to let more air down and it is perfectly silent.
This used to be the standard with an overflow but it doesn't generate any sales so nobody shares it anymore. Maybe if they could get you to buy a $48 special tube it would make a comeback.

 

[dankaqua]

Depending on the flow you have to experiment with different size hoses. I use a 3/8 to let more air down and it is perfectly silent.
This used to be the standard with an overflow but it doesn't generate any sales so nobody shares it anymore. Maybe if they could get you to buy a $48 special tube it would make a comeback.

@LostInTheDark, can you post a photo of your overflow? I'm working on an "overflow box" article and I'd like to include your design.

 

[aquaman67]

Not to derail but how long did it take Vibrant to clean up your tank?

 

[Jamie knight]

Not to derail but how long did it take Vibrant to clean up your tank?

About 5 weeks to get to where I am now. I also dosed twice a week, and one of those doses was double. I suspect I also had bryopsis so I dosed a bit heavier, as some of what looked like GHA had a feather like appearance.

 

[Jamie knight]

Can you get that skimmer back into operation?

I think I'm going to put egg crate behind the 4 inches by the glass top on at least one side and cut a space for it's top to poke out so it can just live in the main display.

 

[dankaqua]

I think I'm going to put egg crate behind the 4 inches by the glass top on at least one side and cut a space for it's top to poke out so it can just live in the main display.

It's a good practice to have it in the sump and have a surface slimming overflow in the display tank... That way surface proteins (bio film) get removed.

 

[Jamie knight]

It's a good practice to have it in the sump and have a surface slimming overflow in the display tank... That way surface proteins (bio film) get removed.

The overflow does indeed have surface skimming so thats good at least. Also, I think I may have figured out my nutrients/algae issue... I was watching a video today and they mentioned brute trashcans for water mixing/storage due to the plastic not leaking anything into the water. I've been using a cheap plastic bin from walmart to store and mix my rodi water, its hard to tell because my tds goes off the charts when I test the mixed water but I believe Im going to switch to a brute and see if that helps!

 

[dankaqua]

The overflow does indeed have surface skimming so thats good at least. Also, I think I may have figured out my nutrients/algae issue... I was watching a video today and they mentioned brute trashcans for water mixing/storage due to the plastic not leaking anything into the water. I've been using a cheap plastic bin from walmart to store and mix my rodi water, its hard to tell because my tds goes off the charts when I test the mixed water but I believe Im going to switch to a brute and see if that helps!

I'm glad you are continuing to research. Have you looked at some of the BRS videos (especially for ULM tanks)? Those videos walk thru the setup and progression of each tank, and although they throw a ton of cash at each one, the basic steps are good to know.

Ok, a couple points. You mentioned that your overflow has surface skimming. I assume that your talking about the overflow that's going to your sump... Yes, that's good, but the skimmer should be in the sump to help remove the proteins/bio films/etc that flow down there.

So I hope you can get your sump back into working order with the skimmer in the sump.

Regarding the Brute trashcans, it seems they are "food safe".. which means the amount of leachates should be minimal ("within mandated standards"). I don't know specifically what the other trash cans from Walmart are made out of, but I doubt there is a huge difference.

In any case, I have never heard of plastic trash cans which leach algal nutrients. Many cheap trash cans are made from polyethylene which has a chemical formula of (C2H4)n... so basically it's a hydrocarbon. There are various densities of polyethylene but all have pretty stable properties.

Where did your live rock come from? If you bought it as "live rock" then there's a very good chance it has quite a bit of nutrients in it. Even if it was "dead rock", if it was in the ocean or in someone's tank in a prior life, then it can have plenty of phosphates which can leach out.

So my guess as to the source of the nutrients feeding your hair algae is your rock and the food you feed the fish (not the trashcan where you store your salt water).

my tds goes off the charts when I test the mixed water

By "mixed water" I assume you mean after you mix in the salt?

Wikipedia: A TDS meter indicates the total dissolved solids (TDS) of a solution, i.e. the concentration of dissolved solid particles. Dissolved ionized solids, such as salts and minerals, increase the electrical conductivity (EC) of a solution. Because it is a volume measure of ionized solids, EC can be used to estimate TDS.

So checking a salt mixture with a TDS meter doesn't really tell you much (other than there is salt in there!). A refractometer should be used to test salinity.

I've been trying to think of a good analogy for following "best practices" in reef keeping... the best one I've come up with it "cooking"...

(so, if you'll bear with me....)

Let's say I want to make pancakes. I could get some flour, mix in an egg, add a bit of water and cook up "pancakes".

The result would be some pretty stiff and dull pancakes.

Or I could follow "best practices" and be precise in using the "best ingredients" (that I can afford) and the result should be some pretty fine grub.

What I'm trying to say is, you can kinda-sorta follow some of the established "best practices" of keeping a reef tank ... but the result will typically not be what you are hoping for...

 

[Jamie knight]

I'm glad you are continuing to research. Have you looked at some of the BRS videos (especially for ULM tanks)? Those videos walk thru the setup and progression of each tank, and although they throw a ton of cash at each one, the basic steps are good to know.

Ok, a couple points. You mentioned that your overflow has surface skimming. I assume that your talking about the overflow that's going to your sump... Yes, that's good, but the skimmer should be in the sump to help remove the proteins/bio films/etc that flow down there.

So I hope you can get your sump back into working order with the skimmer in the sump.

Regarding the Brute trashcans, it seems they are "food safe".. which means the amount of leachates should be minimal ("within mandated standards"). I don't know specifically what the other trash cans from Walmart are made out of, but I doubt there is a huge difference.

In any case, I have never heard of plastic trash cans which leach algal nutrients. Many cheap trash cans are made from polyethylene which has a chemical formula of (C2H4)n... so basically it's a hydrocarbon. There are various densities of polyethylene but all have pretty stable properties.

Where did your live rock come from? If you bought it as "live rock" then there's a very good chance it has quite a bit of nutrients in it. Even if it was "dead rock", if it was in the ocean or in someone's tank in a prior life, then it can have plenty of phosphates which can leach out.

So my guess as to the source of the nutrients feeding your hair algae is your rock and the food you feed the fish (not the trashcan where you store your salt water).



By "mixed water" I assume you mean after you mix in the salt?




So checking a salt mixture with a TDS meter doesn't really tell you much (other than there is salt in there!). A refractometer should be used to test salinity.

I've been trying to think of a good analogy for following "best practices" in reef keeping... the best one I've come up with it "cooking"...

(so, if you'll bear with me....)

Let's say I want to make pancakes. I could get some flour, mix in an egg, add a bit of water and cook up "pancakes".

The result would be some pretty stiff and dull pancakes.

Or I could follow "best practices" and be precise in using the "best ingredients" (that I can afford) and the result should be some pretty fine grub.

What I'm trying to say is, you can kinda-sorta follow some of the established "best practices" of keeping a reef tank ... but the result will typically not be what you are hoping for...

Fabulous advice and information, thank you!

Mixed water= water I already added salt to yes.

I use plastic bins, like rubbermaid storage bins, only they're not rubbermaid brand. One has the recycle symbol with the 5 in it, seems like that should be food grade and safe enough. The other one, that I keep all my fresh RODI for top offs and use the most of doesn't have that stamp at all, with any number, so I don't know what it's made of, but I know all food safe plastic has that stamp so I would assume no stamping at all means it may leach something.. for the menial cost of a new trashcan, I think it's worth it to just try a new container If it doesn't make any difference, hey, I got another storage box for other junk.

The rock I bought was live rock(fiji if it makes any difference) from my local store That fish Place. Would it possibly have enough phosphates stored in it to leak out for so long? We're approaching 2 years in... April.. June? But I definitely have had algae since right after the diatom period when I had a fully working sump with a protein skimmer, though it took I think 6 months to get crazy out of control. I don't actually feed a ton(or I'm wrong and I do). The lionfish gets half a silver side every other day, I occasionally feed 1/4th cube of mysis or krill, and besides that about two pellets per fish once a day of the omega one marine pellets. As well as a 4th sheet of omega one green seaweed for the yellow tang at least once a week.

Maybe I need to upgrade the skimmer altogether? What I have is the Tunze 9004.

 

[dankaqua]

The rock I bought was live rock(fiji if it makes any difference) from my local store That fish Place. Would it possibly have enough phosphates stored in it to leak out for so long? We're approaching 2 years in... April.. June? But I definitely have had algae since right after the diatom period when I had a fully working sump with a protein skimmer, though it took I think 6 months to get crazy out of control. I don't actually feed a ton(or I'm wrong and I do). The lionfish gets half a silver side every other day, I occasionally feed 1/4th cube of mysis or krill, and besides that about two pellets per fish once a day of the omega one marine pellets. As well as a 4th sheet of omega one green seaweed for the yellow tang at least once a week.

Maybe I need to upgrade the skimmer altogether? What I have is the Tunze 9004.

The Tunze might be a bit undersized for your system. I have not used that model. I would say that if you are producing good skimmate, then you are removing waste products.

The amount of food you are adding doesn't sound overly egregious.

From the history you outlined, it sounds like you had some waste products building up over time and the algae came in to take advantage of that. And then you became stuck in that scenario with other issues related to your sump.

Did you check your inbox? That's a summary of the best plan that I could come up with.

 

[Jamie knight]

The Tunze might be a bit undersized for your system. I have not used that model. I would say that if you are producing good skimmate, then you are removing waste products.

The amount of food you are adding doesn't sound overly egregious.

From the history you outlined, it sounds like you had some waste products building up over time and the algae came in to take advantage of that. And then you became stuck in that scenario with other issues related to your sump.

Did you check your inbox? That's a summary of the best plan that I could come up with.

Just responded, thanks!