Skimmer

**CompulsiveAqua** · 08-31-2009, 06:55 PM

I was picking through other peoples trash on trash day and came across some pumps and powerheads, and a broken 10 gal tank. Yep I'm a garbage picker. At home I had a Via aqua 3300 w a bad impellor(found in trash)...Do you believe it????!!!, one of the pumps from the trash had an impellor that fit the 3300. By the way does anyone know the gph on the 3300? So my crappy skimmer has a 500gph pump on it. My ques is, I know the 3300 in more powerful than the 500gph, if I hook the higher gph on the skimmer, will it make it better.
other ques?
1.Should i have flow in my 65g sump?
2.My calcium is 520 and my KH is 8. Is the is ok? What is optimal?
3.Does a clam,acropora, favia, and gonipora use alot of calcium?

Day 1 Acan
ACAN EARLY (2).jpg

4 months later
ACAN LATE.jpg

I love him!

**Phurst** · 08-31-2009, 07:28 PM

Wow, nice growth on that acan.

Generally skimmers are designed for X amount of flow. Too much more or less and the skimmer won't work properly.

I aim for 9dkh for alk and 450 for calcium. IMO, 8dkh is OK, but 520 is a bit high for calcium.

All the creatures you listed use calcium and alk. Demand will vary depending on how large they are, and how rapidly they are growing. The best way to judge hpow much is to test often and log the results.

**CompulsiveAqua** · 08-31-2009, 07:39 PM

i'm using Liquid Calcium and B-ionic two part to keep up with the calcium...last Sat I was at 560 Ca and 11 KH. I let is go for one week....no additives and ended up at 460 Ca and 8 KH. That night I added 40 ml Liquid Ca and tested the next day..it was 520 and 8KH. It is still a tad confusing with the PH,KH,CA deal. Should I add the b-ionic(part1) to raise ph and KH. Does part 2 just stabilize the Ca? Can I use one and not the other (B-ionic 1&2)?

**CarmieJo** · 08-31-2009, 08:03 PM

IMO you should add the Ca part when it falls below 450 and the alk part when it falls below 9. I never recommend just dosing according to the package directions but in response to testing. You should also be testing Mg and adding when it falls below 1250. This article is pretty helpful A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

V · 09-01-2009, 05:04 AM

Yep I'm a garbage picker.

Gold bud!!!

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-01-2009, 10:20 AM

Soooo not predictable fsh tanks are!!!! Wait I sounded like Yoda. So I added 40ml of B-ionic 1&2 yesterday. You would think that my testing would change...nope! still 520 Ca an d 8 KH. When my tank was at 520 Ca and 11 KH the coralline algae was growing out of control...and that is what I want! I know, what you're gonna say, " Be patient". Since then it has slowed. I was told that those readings are too close to percipitation, how close? and why when I added the B-ionic did nothing change? So what you are sayng CJ is that I CAN use one w/o the other?

CORALLINE (2).jpg
From nothing to a week and ahalf
GONIOPORA EARLY (5).jpg
first day my wife got me the goniopora 3 months ago
GONIOPORA (4).jpg
Now. The lighting makes it look kinda bleached, but the top polyps and some side polps have a deep maroon on them.

**Missy** · 09-01-2009, 04:12 PM

So what you are sayng CJ is that I CAN use one w/o the other?

I use one and not the other.

**Phurst** · 09-01-2009, 04:41 PM

Yes, it's fine to use one without the other to get things in balance. Once that is achieved, you should find that both parts are required in equal amounts. Even if not, you can always add a little more of one, or none of one to suit your needs. just make sure you test religiously until you have a good idea of the cal and alk demands of your system.

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-01-2009, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by CarmieJo

IMO you should add the Ca part when it falls below 450 and the alk part when it falls below 9. I never recommend just dosing according to the package directions but in response to testing. You should also be testing Mg and adding when it falls below 1250. This article is pretty helpful A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

About 5 weeks ago I changed my salt to Red Sea Coral Pro Salt...expensive. And I do 15g water changes a week...This salt has 1320 Mg in it along with Ca 480ppm at 1.025 in it. Do you think I would need to add Mg? What salt do you use?

My wife came home with this yesterday.....NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
new and dog 027.jpg
I think there was some tongue
new and dog 032.jpg

**Missy** · 09-01-2009, 08:43 PM

Ah, so cute.

**Iron E** · 09-01-2009, 09:12 PM

I use RSCP and have never had to dose anything except a little Kh buffer. I have a 140 gallon system (90 G DT, 50 G sump/fuge) and change out 1 gal, twice a day.

I think your Mg is right in the middle of perfect.

That pup is adorable!

Tom

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-02-2009, 02:36 PM

Thanks for all the tips guys...My Ca is floating anywhere from 450-500 and having used the B-ionic part one my KH is at 9...I believe my saltmix will cover the Mg. The only thing I have to do is see how much my saltmix will raise my Ca when I do water changes. Is that why you do two gallons a day Iron E?,do you get any increase in Ca...or do your corals use it faster than changes?
Check this out... I think he is piissed...LTA
new and dog 006.jpg

new and dog 016.jpg

new and dog 017.jpg

**Iron E** · 09-02-2009, 03:37 PM

I do the 2X a day to keep things undisturbed and consistent. I never see any fluctuations in my params. I don't have to shut down my system and only spend 2-3 minutes a day instead of 45 minutes on the weekend.

Tom

**CarmieJo** · 09-02-2009, 07:45 PM

I use use Coral Pro and like it. Even so I test every batch because the parameters can vary from bucket to bucket. Generally I find that it mixes up at Ca 460, alk 10 dKH and 1300 Mg.

You really can't predict the uptake of minerals so the only way to know if you need to supplement is to test. If your Mg stays at 1320 that is great. If it falls between water changes then you will want to dose it.

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-09-2009, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Iron E

I use RSCP and have never had to dose anything except a little Kh buffer. I have a 140 gallon system (90 G DT, 50 G sump/fuge) and change out 1 gal, twice a day.

I think your Mg is right in the middle of perfect.

That pup is adorable!

Tom

So I actually went back to doing daily waterchanges, 3 gallons a day. And you were right Mg was 1470, perfect, Ca is 500 and KH is 8..do i wanna bump that up? New question: since you do daily water changes do you keep saltwater somewhere. I have an 18 gallon tub that I put my reserve in. After about 3 days I start to get a film on the top of the water..I even use a powerhead in there and it still has it. Do you know what that is? Is some element becoming a solid? The new saltwater has particles in it when its acouple days old too..i'm sure thats not good...any advice?

**Iron E** · 09-09-2009, 11:10 PM

I wouldn't worry unless you start getting Kh down near 7. Mine used to be consistently low but has recently leveled out around 10. I was using the alkalinity part of recipe #2 on this site for DIY 2-part...

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

I've never needed the other part. Now it seems, (at least for the time being) I don't need either.

I use a 32 gallon rubbermaid garbage can to make up my SW. I usually do 24 gals at a time. I continually have a powerhead circulating and aerating. I have never noticed the film or particulates you mentioned. I will have to look a little closer to see if I am missing something. I made a fresh batch yesterday and no sign yet.

Tom

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-10-2009, 01:22 AM

So you are telling me I only have to use Arm&Hammer baking soda to raise my Alk...thats retarded...I got another one do you feed your fish once aday or twice?

**Iron E** · 09-10-2009, 07:14 AM

Yes, Arm &Hammer! LOL!

Twice a day.

Tom

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-10-2009, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Iron E

Yes, Arm &Hammer! LOL!

Twice a day.

Tom

how much do you use our systems are close,...125g w 65g sump and 20g refuge..bout 190g total water. I have the 3 Tangs and a bunch of corals and am concerned w the feeding for diminishing water quality...can fish be fed once a day, is the 2-3 a time a scam to buy and use more food?

**Iron E** · 09-10-2009, 12:13 PM

When my water got below a Kh of 7, I would add about 2 cups of the alkalinity part of recipe #2. I usually added a cup at a time and tested in an hour or so to see where I was at. Then added more if necessary.

"They" say you can't over feed your fish. They really are happy when they can eat all day. But, I think it's easy to overfeed your tank. My system is fairly fresh. Only 4+ months old. I really don't think it has developed it's full capacity for de-nitrifying, so I try to keep feeding to a minimum. Otherwise I see the nitrates begin to show up. I have a Foxface, 2 Clowns, 2 PJ Cardinals, a Watchman goby and 3 Chromis. For inverts, I've got 4 different stars, 1 Pistol shrimp, a large Longspine Urchin, 10 Emerald Crabs, 15 Hermit Crabs and about a hundred snails. I feed a mixture of "fish-mush" and frozen mysis. The fish mush is frozen in slabs approximately 1/4" thick and I break it into 1" squares and break off a 1/2" square of mysis. I rinse off the frost and let that thaw in a few oz's of tank water. That amount, I split into 2 feedings for the day. Every other day I give my corals a shot of the same food, but I still do not increase the total (in the tank) for the day. I am experimenting with a simple floating turf scrubber to see if I can increase the feeding without raising the excess nutrient levels. I recently moved my 2 Clowns and Foxface to a QT to treat for ich and have seen a marked increase in the water quality of my DT. I will not be returning them to that tank. the Foxface is going in my new 40 gal. FOWLR and the Clowns are getting their own, private tank.

Tom

Also, I rubberband a piece of nori to a rock for my Foxface. He munches on it all day and very little is lost to become detritus. I reload the rock whenever he has munched it clean. Since you are so Tang-heavy, this might also help you reduce excess nutrients. They love nori and it will give you the ability to monitor the volume of food they actually eat.

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-10-2009, 05:16 PM

It is nice to have someone with the same parameters as me. I have 4" Hippo tang, 5-6" Yellow tang, 8-9" Naso tang, a percula clown and a tomato clown( I know, they should be fighting but for some reason they stopped when I took the other percula out and put him in the refugium), they are best friends, its weird. and a madrin goby. In the morning they get a mix of mysis/spirilina brine/with a shot of vitamin C...all of them eat that (1"sq piece of mysis and brine cubes lasts 2-3 days) at night I suction cup a pretty big piece of nori, I watch them eat and they eat it all...nothing left...2"x3" sometimes 3"x3"..for an add on I hand feed the Naso kelp flakes( he takes them out of my hand) anything left over the other tangs eat ( 1 pinch) and a small pinch of formula 1 pellets for the omnivors. My tank is about 9 mos and going strong..I felt the mandirin would be fine because early on I had ich and and cleared the DT for three mos..the amout of bugs was insane!!! Twice a week I feed the carpet and long tentcle anemones...my 4 emerald crabs usually clean up the leftover, or the two cleaner, or two peppermint shimp. Wow seems like a lot of food ...not done..my Acan, Favia and Goniopora ( been 8 mos and it is growing awsome, iron supp

) get cyclopeez three times a week...and oh yeah and three drops of Phytomax every other day. Let me know what you think. I have a ASM G4XX coming to my house in a week..do you think that it will help my water quality...lol..

**Iron E** · 09-10-2009, 06:04 PM

It doesn't sound like you are overfeeding. i don't know what you've got for a skimmer now, but the G4XX is probably a great skimmer! I've got a G3 and am extremely happy with it's performance.

Tom

**CompulsiveAqua** · 09-11-2009, 12:21 AM

Right now I have an Odyessea 150, that I bought online 59.00...prob came from Japan, no directions ..you know...the works

. It was a toss up between Octo or ASM..I got more feed back from people with ASM so I went with them. Thia 4XX has 15000 Sedra pump and is rated for 450-500 gallon tank...lol overkill.. I really want a 180g in the future. Trying to plan ahead. Please keep me informed w the reserve water...mine looks like poop!