My First Attempt at the Big Time: WaterBox PP 230.6 Tank Build

[Fin]

Many of us are hoping that whatever @tdlawdo comes up with next will NOT be any more odd looking selfies!

Ha! The one under the house was the kind of thing that gives little kids nightmares. Also the kind that makes me glad my house isn’t on piers, so varmints like that can’t nest and creep around at night.

 

[tdlawdo]

Ha! The one under the house was the kind of thing that gives little kids nightmares. Also the kind that makes me glad my house isn’t on piers, so varmints like that can’t nest and creep around at night.

I nest there all the time!!

 

[tdlawdo]

Ok some sump questions?

Is the “air” sponge between the return pump on the far right and the fuge/skimmer box necessary?

Is there some type of device (solenoid) etc that can stop the drip that occurs after the ato adds water to the sump. This only happens when the level on the fresh water side with the RODI is near the top and this higher level than the sump. If I reach in and lift the tip a little it stops and then no problem. But each time it turns on I have to tip it until the reservoir is closer to the level in the sump. I even tried raising the tube so it was up hill.

Anybody run a filter free sump? No socks, no roller mats, no sponge?

Add on: the white tube in the return area is part of the AWC and runs from a DOS under the house and up into the water closet. The black tube near the front is the RODI connection to the reservoir.

The flexible hose is getting nasty and will be changed out this week with solid black flexible tubing for the return so no algae can grow.

 

[count krunk]

I will be running a filter free sump, as in no sponges, mats etc.

Now i may occasionally use some floss, but doubtful. The idea is to just have a sponge (the living kind) zone, skimmer, and fuge.

Wife is heading out of town this weekend so I will be throwing some hours at my tank.

 

[Scurvy]

I currently don't have anything mechanical filtration aside from the coarse black sponge between the skimmer and return sections. My Fuge is before the skimmer section per Triton. Right now that coarse sponge is all that prevents lose strands of chaeto from getting into the display. It traps all kinds of junk really.

Just ordered a 14”x2”x2” magnetic floss tray from Octoaquatics that Ill be able to use after the fuge at which point I may remove the coarse sponge altogether. Will depend on how effective the new tray is.

 

[Hemmdog]

Ok some sump questions?

Is the “air” sponge between the return pump on the far right and the fuge/skimmer box necessary?

Is there some type of device (solenoid) etc that can stop the drip that occurs after the ato adds water to the sump. This only happens when the level on the fresh water side with the RODI is near the top and this higher level than the sump. If I reach in and lift the tip a little it stops and then no problem. But each time it turns on I have to tip it until the reservoir is closer to the level in the sump. I even tried raising the tube so it was up hill.

Anybody run a filter free sump? No socks, no roller mats, no sponge?

Add on: the white tube in the return area is part of the AWC and runs from a DOS under the house and up into the water closet. The black tube near the front is the RODI connection to the reservoir.

The flexible hose is getting nasty and will be changed out this week with solid black flexible tubing for the return so no algae can grow.

My systems are filter free. That sponge is to trap bubbles mainly. Your ato should feed into your fuge section though to reduce micro bubbles and avoid over topping off. IME it has made a difference.

 

[EmilyXLC]

Dang I wish it was in Disney during the winter! That's always when I go down. We're always forgotten in the northeast... Maybe one day I'll go to Jersey when reefapalooza is up this way

Next time you’re here, you HAVE to hit the reef shops! Living Reef Orlando is incredible.

I’m hoping to attend RAP next time! MACNA will be my intro to conventions, so depending on how I like it, I may start begging to go along for additional ones!

 

[Hemmdog]

I currently don't have anything mechanical filtration aside from the coarse black sponge between the skimmer and return sections. My Fuge is before the skimmer section per Triton. Right now that coarse sponge is all that prevents lose strands of chaeto from getting into the display. It traps all kinds of junk really.

Just ordered a 14”x2”x2” magnetic floss tray from Octoaquatics that Ill be able to use after the fuge at which point I may remove the coarse sponge altogether. Will depend on how effective the new tray is.

After the fuge? Won’t that just catch all your awesome pods though?

 

[Scurvy]

After the fuge? Won’t that just catch all your awesome pods though?

It will try! The Coarse sponge is effectively doing the same thing just before the return chamber anyway. This way I'll hopefully be able to get away without that coarse sponge. Its the one thing I dont like about Triton. The version 2 Trigger triton sumps have a sock option that i would really like. V1 left me with little choice.

I have bugs all over the sump anyway so some are getting through.

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

Very nice! I look forward to the progress!

 

[Fin]

And remember that fish poop is coral food also. I prefer to not strip the water going through the sump of all detritus. When I use socks, I use the mesh ones that catches the big debris, but allows some small particles through the sump and back into the display for hungry corals.

I also like to help keep detritus from heavy build up in the sump by placing powerheads in the sump. This keeps solids suspended to be better caught by the skimmer, or sent back to the display.

 

[tdlawdo]

My systems are filter free. That sponge is to trap bubbles mainly. Your ato should feed into your fuge section though to reduce micro bubbles and avoid over topping off. IME it has made a difference.

So learn me of these micro bubbles. What’s the risk? If I put the ATO into the fuge section won’t it top off too much before raising the level in the return to turn off the ATO? This whole micro bubble phobia has puzzled me for awhile. I ran without any socks or coarse sponge for a week and the tank seemed better and not at all sediment driven which I thought it would. This is my first sump so I’m still learning :/

 

[tdlawdo]

And remember that fish poop is coral food also. I prefer to not strip the water going throw the sump of all detritus. When I use socks, I use the mesh ones that catches the big debris, but allows some small particles through the sump and back into the display for hungry corals.

I also like to help keep detritus from heavy build up in the sump by placing powerheads in the sump. This keeps solids suspended to be better be caught by the skimmer, or sent back to the display.

I like that idea. I too use the mesh. And the power head idea is intriguing me! What part of sump do you put the power heads?

 

[Fin]

I like that idea. I too use the mesh. And the power head idea is intriguing me! What part of sump do you put the power heads?

Well, when I did have a functioning sump - and tank - I had a powerhead in the skimmer section. That keeps everything in suspension longer, so the skimmer can grab more than if the detritus would just pile up in the corner somewhere. It won’t get it all, but it helps. If you find where stuff is still piling up in an area of low flow, you can add more flow in that direction.

 

[sean rand]

Ok so before I watched the BRS video about stocking fish I thought I had bought enough fish to pick and choose alone. So with the GHA I thought I’d get a foxface rabbit fish. I bought it from Blue Zoo which I have never had issue with.

He went from this

To this before making it to the display.

I learned later it was possibly ammonia burn from an overnight shipment and long acclimation period. Thought I was helping and only made it worse. Poor little guy never had a chance.

On a Better note...Bluezoo gave me full credit.

Looks more like velvet than ammonia burn

 

[Murica]

Next time you’re here, you HAVE to hit the reef shops! Living Reef Orlando is incredible.

I’m hoping to attend RAP next time! MACNA will be my intro to conventions, so depending on how I like it, I may start begging to go along for additional ones!

Sounds good to me!

 

[Fin]

By the way, the powerhead I used in my 40B sump was a Maxi-Jet 1200, with the propeller attachment that comes with it.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Ok some sump questions?

Is the “air” sponge between the return pump on the far right and the fuge/skimmer box necessary?

Is there some type of device (solenoid) etc that can stop the drip that occurs after the ato adds water to the sump. This only happens when the level on the fresh water side with the RODI is near the top and this higher level than the sump. If I reach in and lift the tip a little it stops and then no problem. But each time it turns on I have to tip it until the reservoir is closer to the level in the sump. I even tried raising the tube so it was up hill.

Anybody run a filter free sump? No socks, no roller mats, no sponge?

Add on: the white tube in the return area is part of the AWC and runs from a DOS under the house and up into the water closet. The black tube near the front is the RODI connection to the reservoir.

The flexible hose is getting nasty and will be changed out this week with solid black flexible tubing for the return so no algae can grow.

Mine is an AIO, but I use no socks, sponges or pads. When I blow off the rocks and bare bottom, I add filter pads for a couple of hours then remove them.

 

[najer]

I don't run socks, floss or pads, as mentioned above, corals like nutrients and "bits" in the water, I keep gorgs and dendros now, the dendros get fed a liquid food first thing in the morning and are growing and have pe virtually all day.

 

[tdlawdo]

Mine is an AIO, but I use no socks, sponges or pads. When I blow off the rocks and bare bottom, I add filter pads for a couple of hours then remove them.

I like this idea! I have been recently doing it that way with the diatoms. Thanks