Noobie needing advice

[taaquatics]

Hello I’m new to the reefing hobby and just starting cycling my tank. However I can’t find any good information on the proper way to configure my AIO tank in regards to the water height in the main display portion. I don’t know if the water level should be near the top of the overflow grate or the middle or bottom. I added a RFG nozzle on the return and from what I read you need to increase the pump speed when doing that. So right now the pump is about 50% speed but the water line is right at the top of the grate. I’m also not entirely sure how best to control the height of the water level in the front main display vs the return chamber/filtration chambers.

For reference this is a UNS 60A 20 gallon tank.

Any advice at all would be appreciated!

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I think you're fine, and I wouldn't overthink it

Rather than worry about the water level in the display area, I like to set my AIO tanks up so that the water cascades from section to section in the back chamber. This way, you can increase gas exchange (CO2 out and O2 in), which goes a long way to keeping a healthy system.

I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[tbrown]

Where the water level is depends on the flow from the return pump. Keep in mind, chamber 1 will typically have some form of mechanical filtration like a filter cup or filter sock - that mechanical filtration can only handle so much flow (as can the weirs) so too much from the return pump will cause the display to continuously rise, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly.

Adjust the return pump until the display level doesn't continue to rise and then you can back it off from there if the level is higher than your comfort level.

 

[taaquatics]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I think you're fine, and I wouldn't overthink it

Rather than worry about the water level in the display area, I like to set my AIO tanks up so that the water cascades from section to section in the back chamber. This way, you can increase gas exchange (CO2 out and O2 in), which goes a long way to keeping a healthy system.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Thank you very much! That was actually something I hadn’t thought of!

 

[taaquatics]

Where the water level is depends on the flow from the return pump. Keep in mind, chamber 1 will typically have some form of mechanical filtration like a filter cup or filter sock - that mechanical filtration can only handle so much flow (as can the weirs) so too much from the return pump will cause the display to continuously rise, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly.

Adjust the return pump until the display level doesn't continue to rise and then you can back it off from there if the level is higher than your comfort level.

Thank you for explaining how and why the level kept rising that made it so much more simple to understand!

 

[UNS_Brandon]

Looks correct. The opening above the nozzle is an emergency relief to keep your display section from overflowing when the pump output is too high.