This is the ELOS "Natural Skimmer" 500 that comes with the System 70, complete with a Eheim 1250 pump. The NS 500 is a variation of the popular venturi injection method that ELOS entitles "Top Down Injection System" or TDJ for short. I am not sure if this makes it special or typical, but ELOS certainly markets it as being unique. My jury is out until I start seeing it produce decent skimmate...but here's a video of the NS 500 model from another user that looks promising.
The unit came to me with a bit of manufacturing debris in the main chamber, which was easily removed by unscrewing the thumbscrews to access the interior. Despite this, the skimmer is extremely well built. The Collection cup sits on the main chamber with just a slight lip holding it in place, which makes the cup easier to remove in tighter spaces.
After the initial sandstorm, I have been running the skimmer while the tank is establishing its cycle to help produce a biofilm in the chamber for when the water really gets polluted. The skimmer has not produced much in the first week. I assume this is because my LR was pre-cured for 3 weeks before putting it into the tank.
I have read that this skimmer's Venturi needs periodic cleaning in order to work optimally. Specifically, the end air inlet tube should be dipped into some warm RO/DI water while the skimmer is operating. The water will be drawn up the tube and will help clear the tube of salt crystals that may build up and constrict the airflow.
One thing that I really like about this skimmer is how easy the large round collection cup is to clean. I have a OXO bottle brush that is the perfect size for this, and with just a few revolutions to wipe the cup and a few strokes to clean the riser tube, I am done. This is so much easier than my rectangular Remora cup with all its corners.
The air injector inlet is tuned by screwing the threaded end cap. Bubbles are bigger when the cap is off or loose, and finer when the cap is tight. Once the water has dissolved organics, I will spend some time getting the right setting.
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
Do you own/recomed that coral book. I have been looking for agood book on corals.
John
This is a good book. The Site Navigation Panel to the left has a link to the TR Library with books suggested by members and is a good place to start when you are looking to add to your library.
Well I have not updated the tank thread in a while. Here's a summary on how things are going:
Water parameters are still the same. Nitrates at 5 ppm. My salinity was a wee bit high at 1.027, so I have gradually reduced this back down to the optimum 1.026. I am currently using ESV B-Ionic to help raise/maintain calcium/trace ions and alkalinity. Right now my Salifert Ca test results are 380.
I seem to be the only one I know who has a DSB in an ELOS tank. Slowly, gas bubbles are appearing on the edges of the tank. I have seen some clumping in the sand that was revealed by one trough created by my Vortech. Should I break the clumps when I see them? All in all - the sandbed is definitely forming a bio-film. The sand does not get blown like it used to. I will be ordering some micro-fauna from IPSF based on Amphibious's rec.
Two minor diatom blooms have come and gone. The two fighting conch I have make quick work of the brown dust. I have several types of algae that I find curious. I will take a set of pictures and post them soon.
I installed the ELOS Osmocontroller II that came with the tank. I quickly broke the glass snail guard. I thought it was plastic, and I tried to mount the guard onto some egg crate in order to avoid using the suction cups it came with. I pulled on the zip-tie firmly and PING! - the guard cracked in half! Oops. A new guard would cost me $12, but I would just find a way to break it again. Therefore, I devised a new (rock solid) mount for the sensor that I was pleased with. I ended up using a Maxi-jet bracket and rim clip and fastened them (quite soundly) to some eggcrate. All I have to say is that Zip-ties are fantastic when one is trying to avoid using adhesives.
The Osmocontroller draws water from the ~4.6g reservoir and pumps it into the sump for a certain number of seconds, adjustable by the user. The time limit helps to safeguard the Sump from being filled in error. Seems to work well so far. My evap is at about 3/4 gallons per day, so the reservoir should last about 6 days. I have never had a ATO, so I really am enjoying the one less task to perform.
Here's a pic of the built-in reservoir and the ATO pump:
I will be ordering some micro-fauna from IPSF based on Amphibious's rec.
I received my order from Indo Pacific Sea Farm about 2 weeks ago. Everything came in alive and in good shape. I am so pleased with the Micro Hermit Crabs, I've ordered 100 more of them from IPSF.
The reason is, they are eating my problematic Bryopsis algae. I received about 10 of them. Six of them wound up on the same rock and stayed their. That rock is now devoid of all traces of Bryopsis. YEA!!! I have battled this for 12 months or more. I haven't done a tank thread upgrade since 12/'06 because of it. I seem to have it under control (before the micro hermits were added) but it will not go away. Now, it appears, the hermits will erradicate the bitchin stuff.
Be sure and get some of these.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
I am so pleased with the Micro Hermit Crabs, I've ordered 100 more of them from IPSF.
The reason is, they are eating my problematic Bryopsis algae.
...
Be sure and get some of these.
Thanks for the tip.
Are micro-hermits smaller (and less bully-ish) than typical hermits? I ask because I always read that hermits can be trouble makers toward small inverts, picking on snails and causing some corals to slime when they walk all over them. I now have 3 red-legged hermits that are very small, and somewhat harmless, but their contribution to the tank is not obvious. I have found them picking on some overturned Astraea in the past.
I believe this is full grown. I'm told they are herbivorous in nature. They may fall prey to larger hermits and some aggressive fish but are reef safe.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
Great photo...I will definitely order some of those.
IPSF is like a candy store. I should just be buying the Live Sand Activator Plus, but then when you add the standard $29 shipping, you might as well get the Mix-N-Match (with Free shipping). Once you do that, you think to yourself, I want some mini-stars and more mama-mias, and then suddenly your order is $140.
Seriously Amph, how did you like the Wondermud? Find any cool critters inside? If so, please elaborate...
I didn't get the wondermud. I did get the Live Sand Activator Plus and found 5 more Micro Hermits, 3 small snails, 4 Mini Stars and Pods galore. Yes, my order hit $140. I got confirmation today the 100 Micro Hermits are on the way, $129.95. A small price to pay if they do the job on the Bryopsis.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
I wanted to express my thanks to drfostersmith.com. Even though I generally can get things much quicker from Los Angeles based Marine Depot and their drygood selection is not always as deep, I prefer them for their eco-packaging, fair shipping rates on heavy items and good customer service. Today they exceeded my expectations...
I recently called about an order I placed for a bucket of Reef Crystals. The shipment was supposed to arrive in 5-7 days, and I was already on day 7 with an expected delivery on day 9. I wanted to make sure the bucket would arrive by Friday, since I was running low on SW and the tank was overdue for a WC. The FedEx tracking made it seem as though USPS was handling the package(?), and the tracking indicated that it went from WI to CA and then to GA(!). Whoops.
I called F&S, and they offered to send me out another package of salt, at no charge. I assumed they were rushing a smaller bag of salt to me overnight, but they actually sent me another bucket!!! I received the original shipment on day 9 (Friday), so it did not matter that the courtesy bucket did not arrive until today.
The mounting of my Solaris LED fixture to the ZeroEdge Lamp Tree wasn't perfect. To make a long story short, the vertical arm touches the back of my tank and the fixture does not mount flush to the cross-bar because the curved part of the arm acts as an obstruction.
I've been thinking for several weeks on the best way to rectify this, and I assumed that hanging the fixture from the cross-bar with cables was my only solution.
Low and behold, I receive an email from the ZeroEdge rep today asking about a previous inquiry and was wondering how the install went. I explained about the obstruction and how the arm touches the back of the tank, and he replies that he has some mounting spacers he can send me for the lower bracket (that attaches to the stand) and another for the cross-bar to alleviate the obstruction.
This is super sweet, since I am never satisfied with my DIY kludges...
icon under their name to add to their reputation. 
Slowly, gas bubbles are appearing on the edges of the tank. I have seen some clumping in the sand that was revealed by one trough created by my Vortech. Should I break the clumps when I see them? All in all - the sandbed is definitely forming a bio-film. The sand does not get blown like it used to. I will be ordering some micro-fauna from 
