help with new 75 gallon set up

[hdsoftail1065]

What is your salinity at now?

 

[cristoe]

What is your salinity at now?

Like 1.35

 

[nereefpat]

Like 1.35

Nuh uh.....

 

[hdsoftail1065]

1.035? Maybe? What are you using to measure?

 

[Captain Quint]

Do you have a fill line on your sump? To me it almost sounds like your water level is to low. Before adding my ato and manually topping off if I had more than usual evaporation it would suck air until I added to my fill line. Do you have pics? What brand and model return pump are you running?

Welcome to R2R

+1. An easy way to do this is to add a bit of water so the return pump is not gulping air which would be a minimum mark on your sump Grease pencil...piece of tape.

Then power off of the entire system and let it drain to the sump (also a good time to check power head location in the DT) completely into the sump...add water to a higher level which will be your maximum and mark it as well...then just keep it between the two lines...like the HWY. :)

Hope this made sense.

 

[Captain Quint]

The pump is a Rio 2100, the sump is a pro clear aquatics 4 gallon 4-1 edition. Now I just added a gallon roi water but that's it.

You're doing good. The level in the pic is way low. I noticed you mention 1.035 and curious as well as to what device you are using? Hydrometer or refractometer?

I'd shut the skimmer off and then get the water level to proper level in the sump and adjust the skimmer. If you cannot dial it in, you could use egg crate atop a few pvc loose connections to raise the body of the skimmer until it performed optimally.

 

[cristoe]

You're doing good. The level in the pic is way low. I noticed you mention 1.035 and curious as well as to what device you are using? Hydrometer or refractometer?

I'd shut the skimmer off and then get the water level to proper level in the sump and adjust the skimmer. If you cannot dial it in, you could use egg crate atop a few pvc loose connections to raise the body of the skimmer until it performed optimally.

Refractometer

 

[Captain Quint]

Refractometer

Good news. It should be okay if calibrated.

If 1.035 is correct it would be good to add RODI Fresh which you could do in the sump to help lower. If still not correct you could dip some out of the DT and add as well.

You have no livestock yet...correct?

 

[Captain Quint]

1.035? Maybe? What are you using to measure?

You looked busy friend so I spoke up...hope that was cool with you.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

You looked busy friend so I spoke up...hope that was cool with you.

Perfect my friend. Stuck at work so my time is limited!

 

[cristoe]

Good news. It should be okay if calibrated.

If 1.035 is correct it would be good to add RODI Fresh which you could do in the sump to help lower. If still not correct you could dip some out of the DT and add as well.

You have no livestock yet...correct?

yes i have livestock, how do i calibrate a refractometer??

 

[cristoe]

Perfect my friend. Stuck at work so my time is limited!

I am at work too lol but I am appreciating all the help!

 

[Porpoise Hork]

yes i have livestock, how do i calibrate a refractometer??

You can calibrate it with wither known 0 TDS water or by getting a bottle of refractometer calibration solution that's set to 35ppt (1.026). If you use 0 TDS water then when looking throghh the meter you want to adjust the blue line until it zeros out. If you use the calibrated solution, you would adjust it to match what the solution is set to. To adjust it, most meters have a small flathead screw that's recessed just behind the hinge. Your meter should have come with a screw driver for doing this.

 

[cristoe]

You can calibrate it with wither known 0 TDS water or by getting a bottle of refractometer calibration solution that's set to 35ppt (1.026). If you use 0 TDS water then when looking throghh the meter you want to adjust the blue line until it zeros out. If you use the calibrated solution, you would adjust it to match what the solution is set to. To adjust it, most meters have a small flathead screw that's recessed just behind the hinge. Your meter should have come with a screw driver for doing this.

Me being kinda new about a year into reefing, I got it wrong I have a hydrometer. Sorry, rookie mistake.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nice move! As you encounter your journey, be sure to see what others are doing to help both your planning and techniques for success

 

[Captain Quint]

Me being kinda new about a year into reefing, I got it wrong I have a hydrometer. Sorry, rookie mistake.

We've all been where you are. :)

Can you have an LFS check your salinity?

MHO is that your water is probably not 1.035 if you have livestock.

 

[cristoe]

well guys, first off thanks for all the help. it seems the problem was flow and water level issue. i addressed both. i put another valve on the return lowered the pressure and wha laa! fuge is filling up (although not overflowing with too power) and i added about 5 gallons of roi and everything seems to be functioning correctly!