Hey for the quick response my ammonia is 0 ppm so is nitrata,nitrite,ph is low working on that having some issues its at 7.8,calcium 400 ppm, alk 196.9 ppm,phosphate are .25 if not less,and the salinity is at 1.024 don't have test for anything else...and just started dosing my tank for about 3 days now with iodide,iron/maganese,strontium/molybdenum...thanks for the help..oh and something called ballance for the ph level...thanks a lot...
@rsxmelreef11 This alga does not require much of any nutrients to thrive, but it does require proper PH levels, proper calcium levels, proper Iron levels, major and minor trace elements, decent water movement, as well as proper intense lighting. Understand the alga and it's needs, and it will thrive and grow while at the same time consume and remove nutrients as you prune it. Good luck.
Hey I was hopeing to see if you can tell me why my macro algae keeps dying..iam on day 40 and have a 10,000k light bulb in the regugium and the macro just fades away...please help..!!!! Thanks...
@MrRommelD Please visit my video titled "How To Setup A Saltwater Aquarium Deep Sand Bed" to find the answers you seek. On the contrary, they are quite beneficial. Good luck.
@G4m1nguru Not recommended to feed your fish chaeto because most fish wont eat it. You can however grow and harvest Gacilaria Algae and feed it to your tangs of which they love this algae.
Hey Steelo i was planning to add some culerpa to my sump to aid in my nitrate reduction but i have gotten some bad reviews on them. whats your views on culerpa.
@ganasilk You cannot go wrong if you use Chaetomorpha. Some of the other caulerpas have the tendency to go asexual and release toxins, but not Chaeto. Hope this helps.
What is a uv sterilizer for?? Also to block some bubbles from going in to the second stage u can get some sponges and stick it down in between the glass by the drain pump and maybe that would help to
@dedog56 Less than 2 gallons of water will fall into the sump and thats the end of it. See what you fail to understand is that the overflow boxes pull water from the surface, not from the bottom. So in a sense, once the water level in the main display drops below the top of the overflow box, all you will have is water stuck in the tank. Until you turn on the return pump below, to bring the water level above the overflow box, absolutely no water will drain. Its common sense buddy :)
@reefman46@ItzRules if your fish are dying then calcium and magnesium should not be your first concern. Test your levels yourself and see where you stand. Calcium and mg become a priority when you are keeping sps corals which use up high levels of calcium. Calcium, magnesium and alkalinilty go hand in hand
@six2sevenproductions Oh, this post was intended for Itzrules, my mistake :) so I deleted my response, but it appears the question he was asking is how to dose calcium and alkalinity, not that his fish are dying :)
hi this is gene again i hope im not driving you crazy but im trying to keep my fish alive and no one seems to care about answering question now just a few more questions if you dont mind how often do you put calcium & magnesium in your tank is this something im supposed to do like add this in doses or make my own calcium & magnesium reactor and put like a drop thing going into my sump can you help me out thanks
@reefman46 you need to have something that measures your calcium, and magnesium! magnesium, around 1300 ppm, and calcium i'm not sure, but you cant just dose, or just turn on a reactor on your tank!
@thrasher373 It should be the heart of your filtration system. This is not freshwater and so with a marine aquarium, a protein skimmer is one of the best way to go. when used in conjunction with live rock and a refugium, you cannot go wrong :)
Should I connect my canister filter to a sump it cost me a lot of money and seems a waste not to use it,if so where? Thanks for your videos very educational
@msimmons1906 Keep watching as I cover this in detail in the parts 3 and 4 of this video series. I will also be releasing a new video containing three different sumps and for you guys to make the choice. This video is coming up soon. Thanks for watching.
@300pzl It does that and more. Please feel free to browse through my educational videos on my channel to learn more about refugiums. In saltwater marine aquariums, the use of live rock, a protein skimmer and if possible a refugium is all the filtration you need and the best too. good luck.
thanks bro. . .I been watching almost all your videos and the truth is that seeing the results of your corals and fish They look very healthy and that's what I want to accomplish, I am one of those who when they want to do something it should be done right. . .
@karlek110188 It depends on how much space you have in the sump, or whether you plan on having a hang on the back skimmer. This is why it is recommended to get the skimmer first, and then build the baffles in the sump around your skimmer.
thanks. . . bro hey can u check out my 20 gal long video and give me your opinion if I could create a refugium in the middle section of my sump. . . I would greatly appreciate it''
@karlek110188 Nice set up you have there. You already have a refugium section from based on the video. Have you both my systems? The 30 g system I have has a hang on the back refugum on it. Consider visiting my page for other videos including educational videos.
hey, in my sump my chaeto keeps wanting to get sucked through the bubble trap into the return section, and it doesnt seem to be doing that in yours..any thoughts?
@ryjack26 It may be because my baffle is taller, or because you need to let the chaeto grow to a huge mass so it can sink to the bottom. Do not touch it or prune it till it is the size of 2 footballs.
@ryjack26 Also, you can try placing a small rock on top of it to prevent it from getting away from where you want it to stay. Another thing to consider is if your calcium and alkalinity are at good levels, the algae will be so strong and tough it wont easily break off. Do consider testing your system to know whats been going on in there.
nice filtration. i just set up a wet/dry/skimmer/fuge it does 75g and i have it contected to a 29g biocube. i have live rock in fuge, and have some sand but thinking about adding mud. do you think mud is better then sand or would you just put the sand in with some micro alg like yours. thanks i love my system. your is sweet
@TheLabguy6 If you already have live rock in the system, there is no need for bio balls or the wet dry section. Consider watching my other filtration videos as well as many of my other videos. Particularly, I have a video on wet/dry filtration VS Refugiums you might want to check out. Subscribe if you'd like as I add videos weekly. Thanks for watching,
Tigere! this is a nice tank 1:24. You need a HD camera and a trypod, set the camera level with the tank and you will have superb videos of the fishes.. Record like 30 min of it then edit with music. You can loop it and have a 2 hr video with music...
@girotube Man I only wish i knew about this camera stuff has as much as I do about marine aquariums lol. I will be getting a tripod with the new camera though.
@ray50g If your tank is not reef ready, get yourself a hang on the back overflow box, the refugium down below, and a return pump rated for equal to, or less than, the flow of water that the overflow box drain hole can handle. Good luck.
@ray50g Aside from my previous answer to your post, continue to watch my videos as there are lots of videos with much info on them about this hobby, and don't forget to subscribe. I release videos weekly. Good luck.
@techboy710 It depends on whether you have metal halides or some other high output lighting. It also depends on whether you place in the sump or the main display blowing air on the surface o the water causing evaporation which in turn cools the water. Check out my other videos especially my new 30 gallon set up. Thia one uses a hang on the back reugium. Subscribe if you'd like as I add videos weekly.
@saltwaterfishguy427 Do you mean because there is a foam pad before the last stage? If this is what you mean, the foam pad is not as tight as it can be so water flows through it nicely and slowly. I do however have to rinse out the foam pad once a week to prevent clogging.
hey i have 3 questions... where did you get your sump from? what are the dimensions of the sump? do you think the Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer is a good protein skimmer?
@teddybearssuck I built the sump myself out of glass pieces and aquarium safe silicone which is why this video is labeled DIY, but if you want to buy it already built and made of acrylic, Ecosystems makes the same type of sump. The dimensions are 30" long X 14" wide x 18" tall. The coralife needle wheel super skimmer really is a bad investment man. If you don't believe me, check out the reviews on this skimmer on internet forums and marine depot. I would buy an AquaC EV series skimmer instead.
@newyorksteelo Yea the aqua c ev is very good but i would reccomend the reef octups skimmer becouse of its pinwheel impelar the aqua c uses jets for aspiration were the reef octupus uses pin wheel which chops the water to get finer morefluent bubbles also the super skimmer works badly like he said the needle wheel creates a whipping action instead of a chopping one with the pinwheel
@saltwaterfishguy427 I have played around with the reef octopus and it has it's flaws. Yes it creates fine chopped bubbles but the water through flow rate is drastically lowered because of the use of a venturi which pulls in air and water from the pump. Also, the air intake comes no where near the amount of air that the EV series skimmers pull in. Don't get me wrong, the reef octopus is a decent skimmer but I collect 3 times more gunk in a week than the octopus does in the same amount of time.
@saltwaterfishguy427 I have video proof of how efficient the AquaC EV 240 is. GO and check out the videos I have on my channel with this skimmer and you will see how it progresses in 48 hours. I have like 4 videos on this skimmer since I first got it. Look at it this way, the EV 240 pulls in 1800 gph though the skimmer with a mag drive 18 while a reef octopus pulls in about 400 gph with their much larger units. More water processed = more air intake = more gunk production.
@newyorksteelo Check it less water flow through a skimmer is better although you may have a less amount of gunk you gunk is thicker and more througholy skimmed
@saltwaterfishguy427 Who told you that my friend and where did you get this information? Have you seen my videos on my new AquaC EV 240 skimmer with mag drive 18? Check the videos out and you will see how often I have to clean the collection cup and how much gunk it produces. I made those videos for people that doubt this skimmer. There are like 4 videos altogether. Check em out and if you can find another skimmer to produce this much this fast and this nasty, let me know and provide proof.
@newyorksteelo I agree that that skimmer is great and triumphant but i still like slower moving skimmers your a fan of lafishguys as am i check out the protein skimeer special it will explain wat im talking about.
@saltwaterfishguy427 My friend, in the Euro Reef videos on lafishguy, what the guy was trying to say is that the flow of water from the main display to the refugium should be slowed down so as to remove more nutrients but not the flow of water through a skimmer should be slowed down. I think you need to recheck that. Besides, the videos had biased opinions, and jim himself is a person that does not believe in natural filtration and is stuck in the past. His money is in fish only tanks.
@saltwaterfishguy427 When you have recommendations from someone like me who does videos just to help others out, and I do not work for AquaC, you better believe my opinions are unbiased and truthful. However, when you get opinions from the person who sells skimmers himself, ofcourse he is going to appraise his skimmers. Don't get me wrong, I highly recommend Euro Reef skimmers as they are great but the more the skimmer processes, the more it will remove.
@saltwaterfishguy427 The guy from Euro Reef even trhashed cone skimmers saying that if cone skimmers were really efficient, Euro Reef would embrace it and add it to their skimmers. Think about it buddy, you are getting advice from someone trying to sell his skimmers and also getting advice from someone who believes wet/dry filtration is the best and does not like to use live rock on his systems. Times have changed bro.
@newyorksteelo yes you are correct he says there the best for fish only systems and cone skimmers are trashed in the video but they are very efficent still and the guy does say that slower water movement is important
@saltwaterfishguy427 Yes, he says slower water movement through the sump is important recommended but not that slower water through the skimmer is recommended or important. I have played around with the octopus skimmers and have found them to be inconsistence and an issue with water level. In the end, it's all about what makes you happy. if this skimmer makes you happy then thats all that counts. Enjoy it.
I really like your sump/refugium setup and think that it is one of the best I have seen on youtube. At 3:50 you were discussing your skimmer pump and mentioned using 4ft of hosing to decrease the flow from 950 to 800. It doesn't work quite like that, their energy loss (use) that results in decreased flow is attributed to the vertical distance(potential energy) between the beginning and the end (from the pump to the skimmer) and some due to friction in the tube. Your flow is probablystill >800gph
@dinosaxnick I couldn't tell you with exactness what the flow is however, I can tell you that with 4 feet of tubing, whether vertical or horizontal, was making the water level inside to be right at the top of the box which is where I wanted to be. When using one feet of tubing, the level would rise to 1" above the black box and it would be too much. I guess I should of explained it like this, instead of giving numbers lol. Major changes since part 2 of 4. Check out the other parts and subscribe.
@ThisIsKingBalls Chemipure Elite, it's hands down one of the best filter bag carbon medias out there that can last up to 6 months. Check out my other parts of this video series and subscribe if you'd like. I add videos weekly. Peace!
@EpicDriver97 When I upgrade to the 180g system which will be at the end of this month, he will go in the main display. I will documment this 180 build on my youtube channel so if you havent subscribed, do so if you wish. I usually release videos weekly.
just tried to post a comment and it banged me out...Anyways..tight setup. Using the long tube for the skimmer is a great call. Good action in a tight little setup. I'm gonna use an old c-pack skimmer as a hang on cause I have no sump. ( you can check it) but looking tight...Moorish idol is another topic, amazing bro
@Dustinsfishtanks I got the other comment. Thank you for you compliments my friend. If I am not mistaken, the skimmer you are reffering to is the CPR Back-Pack skimmer. I had one of those with my first saltwater set up. It's a decent skimmer but difficult to get it dialed in correctly. I had to constantly mess with the air intake to get it to work properly.
@Dustinsfishtanks Oh, my mistake, I thought when you referred to the skimmer as Cpack I thought you were referring to the CPR skimmer but now after watching your video, I see it's a coralife skimmer. This skimmer is also a pain in the ass and requires constant tunning of the air intake to get to produce decent foam. I said this before to lot's of people and I'll say it again, In this hobby, when it comes to a skimmer, never go cheap because you get what you pay for. Nice tank setup.
That refugium set up is awesome man. I like how you got it all dialed in. I wouldn't have thought about making your tube to the skimmer longer, good thinking. My skimmer sucks if your got any advice about it, (cant run it open like you do though.). Id love lot hear it. I have an old cpack skimmer that I think im gonna use as a refugium instead now after watching the goodness in yours. Nice setup. The M.Idol is a whole nother story..tight...
@Dustinsfishtanks Thanks man! The results accomplished by me of this sump/refugium is equivalent to 2 years of troubleshooting this sucker. All in all, I am very happy with it and if I could change anything from it, I would make it bigger. Did you say you have a CPR bAck-Pack Skimmer?
@And3rsonA05 It's really not that hard to accomplish a refugium. I must admit, when I first started in this hobby I was intimidated too but once done it's a lot easier than it looks. If you need help or have any questions dont hessitate to ask. I always answer back quickly with my iphone. Subscribe if youd like as I will be adding more videos in the future. Peace!
im using a filter sock atm and i want to go a different rout because im tired of the upkeep on them. what exactly keeps the sediment from main tank from going to your sump/refugium ? meaning what keeps fish turds etc from overloading the sump with debris
@Nugburner420 There are a few things thayt keep the fish turds and piss from overloading the sump with debris. Here they are. #1. copods, amphipods, mysis shrimp, britte starfish, bristtle worms, tube worms, baby white brittle starfish ect. ect., all of these critters living in the sand bed and small rocks are cleaning my sump nice all day and night. whatever they cant get, I get when I rinse the foam block once a week. #2.
@Nugburner420 #2. The strong amount of watermovement in the sump is keeping the debris suspened and being picked up by the skimmer. The suff that the skimmer does not get is settling ontop of the foam pads on the stage before the last stage and mostly eaten by the critters. Here is an example of the water movement in the sump. Returns1400g hr, Skimmer 800g hr, chiller pump 700g an hr. This means that in that small 30g sump flows 2,900 gph continously.
@Nugburner420 Have you see all of my videos? If you decide to you will know why I nolonger use a filtersock. Watermovement is key to keeping debris suspended. The only form of mechanical filtration I use now is the foam pads. They are mostly used to trap bubbles returning to the display but they alos serve and a debris trap. I clean them out weekly. Hope this helps. Hit me up if you have further questions.
oh ok but there isn't any fluctuations in the salinity levels due to the evaporation??? for example the evaporation causes salt creep .. and with the addition of R O water this doesn't dilute the saltwater? i only ask cuz this is what killed my tank last time ,.i knew about the auto top off but i didn't really research it enough... not to mention where i live there is only a handful of saltwater hobbyists lol
@zombienation89 No fluctuations in the salinity levels whatsoever with the use of an auto topoff system. Why? because when water evaporates from your tank salinity does not evaporate with it but instead stays in your system. As more and more water evaporates, the salinity gets more and more concentrated and rises. With the use of an auto top off system, the water level in the tank stays constant and never drops.
@zombienation89 That's a great question. Actually, I do and I don't, or better said, I did and now I don't lol. The fact that I have major water movement on both my main display and my sump and because both my sump and main display are topless, this causes about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of evaporated water per day. To fix this, I added a white 20 gallon top off container, filled with RO/DI water, located next to the tank. I also use a JBJ ATO System for topoff water.
@zombienation89 Check out my other videos about doing a fast and easy water change and you will catch a glimpse of the 20 gallon white container I am talking about located next to the tank. I also use this container as a stand sort of by placing important equipment on top of it such as food, test kits and so on
with a sump do u need a filter? do u have a filter on top of ur main tank or in ur sump? how about powerheads with a sump do u need powerhead in ur main tank or in ur sump? im new to all this ;o lol
@charmanderzor My friend, it is important to understand that a fresh water filter is complately different from a saltwater filter. In saltwater, the main filter used is a protein skimmer which you see in this video. A fresh water filter is intended to house bacteria that break down waste but in a saltwater tank, that bacteria lives in the live rock and live sand.
@charmanderzor Having a freshwater filter running on a saltwater tank is not a good idea because that filter will become a nitrate factory and nitrates in a marine tank can lead to massive algae problems. to answer your question, plain and simply put, your main filtration in a saltwater tank is the Skimmer, the live rock and the live sand.
okay i sorta get it, so no filters in a salt water reef tank. but i have a question - protein skimmers only clean up really small things, so what would filter things like fish poop and big particle waste? hey i added u on msn do u think u could get on sometime and we could talk??
@charmanderzor You would be amazed at the crap a protein skimmer can pull out of your water. It depends on how much you spend on the skimmer and my advice to you is "Don't go cheap with the skimmer". You mentioned on an earlier post that you wanted to know more about the biological, mechanical and chemical filters for saltwater tanks. let me try to break these down for you on the following post.
@charmanderzor Biological filtration on a marine tank means mostly the bacteria needed to grow in the system that breaks down waste and turns it into a less toxic substance for your fish and overall life in the tank. This form of filtration grows on your live rock and live sand, unlike in a fresh water tank, where the bacteria need a filter media to grow on and the media needs to be housed on some sort of hang on the back filter or canister filter.
@charmanderzor Mechanical filtration is best explained as some sort of foam pad that restricts or blocks large paticles or debris from staying suspended in the water column. In a saltwater tank, mechanical filtration can be used in the form of filter socks or foam pads whcih I use in my sump to block out the large particles and microbubbles from getting back into the display. This form of filtration needs to be cleaned out constantly in a marine tank to prevent nitrate spikes on your system.
@charmanderzor The chemical filtration is best described as the use of carbon in your system. In my opinion, the best way to incorporate this form of filtration to your system is to use a carbon product called chemipure elite. This form of filtration polishes your water by removing uneanted nutrients from your system. I use Chemipure elite inside of my sump on top of the foam pads before the last stage of the sump.
@charmanderzor The main difference between a fresh water hang on the back filter and a marine filter incorporating a skimmer is quite simple. A HOB filter is used for all three bio, mech, and chemical but fails to remove undisolved organic compounds from your water column like a skimmer does. The HOB filter only keeps these organics in the filter so it can get broken down into nitrates. Why not have a skimmer that removes these organics from your system before they break down into nitrates.
@charmanderzor I' am at work right now and should be home sometime later on tonight. I'll try and hit you up on MSN so we can talk more about this. I hope it's making some sense as to what I am trying to explain to you.
@charmanderzor To answer your question about powerheads in the sump, the answer is that having a power head in the sump is a matter of prefference. It is not necessary to have a power head in the sump because water already has to flow through it before it goes back into your main tank. You do however need power heads on the main display as watermovement is one of the most important aspects of marine keeping.
okay, i gotchu with the power head part lol. ok.. about the filter part.. so i just need a protein skimmer, live sand, and rock.. theres no special filter for salt water reef tanks?? im confuse cause i read about like bio, mech, and chemical filters etc n things like canister filters i dunno which filter i need for reef tank lol
@charmanderzor The Protein skimmer, Live Rock and Live sand should be your main filtration in a marine system. I would definately stay away from a canister filter. I'll tell you what, I have a freshwater tank in my room and a marine tank in the living room. I will make a video talking about the difference between both filtration systems in a 2 part video. Maybe this will help you undertand it better?
okay that would be cool :D maybe u can make a beginners guide to a reef tank video like talk about all the things a person needs and doesnt need, and just suggestions etcc =P
@littleazn17 Don't get discouraged. It's actually quite simple once you get the equipment and start to set it up. You can learn just as I did and you can also get a great deal of help from myself and others on here. If you want to do it the right way, the best advice I can give you is to let you know ahead of time that this hobby is expensive. Have you ever had a freshwater tank before?
Ment to say thanks for the quick response lol..sry
rsxmelreef11 3 weeks ago
Hey for the quick response my ammonia is 0 ppm so is nitrata,nitrite,ph is low working on that having some issues its at 7.8,calcium 400 ppm, alk 196.9 ppm,phosphate are .25 if not less,and the salinity is at 1.024 don't have test for anything else...and just started dosing my tank for about 3 days now with iodide,iron/maganese,strontium/molybdenum...thanks for the help..oh and something called ballance for the ph level...thanks a lot...
rsxmelreef11 3 weeks ago
@rsxmelreef11 This alga does not require much of any nutrients to thrive, but it does require proper PH levels, proper calcium levels, proper Iron levels, major and minor trace elements, decent water movement, as well as proper intense lighting. Understand the alga and it's needs, and it will thrive and grow while at the same time consume and remove nutrients as you prune it. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 3 weeks ago
Hey I was hopeing to see if you can tell me why my macro algae keeps dying..iam on day 40 and have a 10,000k light bulb in the regugium and the macro just fades away...please help..!!!! Thanks...
rsxmelreef11 3 weeks ago
@rsxmelreef11 What are your water parameters when it comes to calcium, alkalinity, PH, Salinity, Phosphates, Nitrates, etc etc?
newyorksteelo 3 weeks ago
Why is a 7 inch sand bed so beneficial....I have heard a deep sand bed...causes problems
MrRommelD 1 month ago
@MrRommelD Please visit my video titled "How To Setup A Saltwater Aquarium Deep Sand Bed" to find the answers you seek. On the contrary, they are quite beneficial. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 month ago
with the algae you have in your refugium can you feed that to the fish in your tank?
G4m1nguru 2 months ago in playlist Reef Aquarium Sump Refugium Options
@G4m1nguru Not recommended to feed your fish chaeto because most fish wont eat it. You can however grow and harvest Gacilaria Algae and feed it to your tangs of which they love this algae.
newyorksteelo 2 months ago
Hey Steelo i was planning to add some culerpa to my sump to aid in my nitrate reduction but i have gotten some bad reviews on them. whats your views on culerpa.
ganasilk 2 months ago
@ganasilk You cannot go wrong if you use Chaetomorpha. Some of the other caulerpas have the tendency to go asexual and release toxins, but not Chaeto. Hope this helps.
newyorksteelo 2 months ago
What is a uv sterilizer for?? Also to block some bubbles from going in to the second stage u can get some sponges and stick it down in between the glass by the drain pump and maybe that would help to
TWhite2345 6 months ago
@TWhite2345 Watch my video called "Ich Whitespot Disease Problems & Solutions" to find the answers you seek.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
What happens if the power cuts off and the return pump dies?
dedog56 7 months ago
@dedog56 Less than 2 gallons of water will fall into the sump and thats the end of it. See what you fail to understand is that the overflow boxes pull water from the surface, not from the bottom. So in a sense, once the water level in the main display drops below the top of the overflow box, all you will have is water stuck in the tank. Until you turn on the return pump below, to bring the water level above the overflow box, absolutely no water will drain. Its common sense buddy :)
newyorksteelo 7 months ago
DO YOU STILL USE SOCKS? OF IS IT UNFILTER?
eunicec10 7 months ago
@eunicec10 I no longer use socks and I explain it on the future videos so keep on watching :)
newyorksteelo 7 months ago
@reefman46 @ItzRules if your fish are dying then calcium and magnesium should not be your first concern. Test your levels yourself and see where you stand. Calcium and mg become a priority when you are keeping sps corals which use up high levels of calcium. Calcium, magnesium and alkalinilty go hand in hand
six2sevenproductions 8 months ago
@six2sevenproductions Oh, this post was intended for Itzrules, my mistake :) so I deleted my response, but it appears the question he was asking is how to dose calcium and alkalinity, not that his fish are dying :)
newyorksteelo 8 months ago
hi this is gene again i hope im not driving you crazy but im trying to keep my fish alive and no one seems to care about answering question now just a few more questions if you dont mind how often do you put calcium & magnesium in your tank is this something im supposed to do like add this in doses or make my own calcium & magnesium reactor and put like a drop thing going into my sump can you help me out thanks
reefman46 9 months ago
@reefman46 Check my video on "calcium and alkalinity" as well as "reef aquarium supplements" to find the answers you seek.
newyorksteelo 9 months ago
@reefman46 you need to have something that measures your calcium, and magnesium! magnesium, around 1300 ppm, and calcium i'm not sure, but you cant just dose, or just turn on a reactor on your tank!
ItzRulez 9 months ago
why did u choose to go with a skimmer?
thrasher373 9 months ago
@thrasher373 It should be the heart of your filtration system. This is not freshwater and so with a marine aquarium, a protein skimmer is one of the best way to go. when used in conjunction with live rock and a refugium, you cannot go wrong :)
newyorksteelo 9 months ago
Should I connect my canister filter to a sump it cost me a lot of money and seems a waste not to use it,if so where? Thanks for your videos very educational
dcskelton 10 months ago
@dcskelton You can use the canister for carbon use but no filter pads or bio media. Clean frequently on a weekly basis.
newyorksteelo 10 months ago
How can I get my girl interested in marine sumps?
dcskelton 10 months ago
@dcskelton Make more money :)
newyorksteelo 10 months ago
Just for clarity, does the water spill from the refugium to the final chamber? Great job BTW. I'm stealing some of your ideas!
msimmons1906 1 year ago
@msimmons1906 Keep watching as I cover this in detail in the parts 3 and 4 of this video series. I will also be releasing a new video containing three different sumps and for you guys to make the choice. This video is coming up soon. Thanks for watching.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
does a sump/refugium take away the need for a separate filter?
300pzl 1 year ago
@300pzl It does that and more. Please feel free to browse through my educational videos on my channel to learn more about refugiums. In saltwater marine aquariums, the use of live rock, a protein skimmer and if possible a refugium is all the filtration you need and the best too. good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hello again my friend'''' hey can you tell me where can i get the micro algae. . .around here no body knows about it""""
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 Many websites online sell it, or you can ask your local fish store to order if for you.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Well I already have the aqua c remora 75g in sump. . .so do you think that skimmer should be anough??
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 For your 20g long tank, I would say that skimmer is more than adequate. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
do you mean excessive or ok?
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 The bigger the better :)
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
thanks bro. . .I been watching almost all your videos and the truth is that seeing the results of your corals and fish They look very healthy and that's what I want to accomplish, I am one of those who when they want to do something it should be done right. . .
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 Looks like you are on the right track but you need a good quality skimmer which should be the heart of your filtration.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
'any recommendations for a protein skimmer. . enough for my 20 gal long I will thank you a lot''
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 It depends on how much space you have in the sump, or whether you plan on having a hang on the back skimmer. This is why it is recommended to get the skimmer first, and then build the baffles in the sump around your skimmer.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
thanks. . . bro hey can u check out my 20 gal long video and give me your opinion if I could create a refugium in the middle section of my sump. . . I would greatly appreciate it''
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 Nice set up you have there. You already have a refugium section from based on the video. Have you both my systems? The 30 g system I have has a hang on the back refugum on it. Consider visiting my page for other videos including educational videos.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
what kind of light should i use for a refugium similar to yours??
karlek110188 1 year ago
@karlek110188 The stronger the light the better. I use power compacts on mines.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hey, in my sump my chaeto keeps wanting to get sucked through the bubble trap into the return section, and it doesnt seem to be doing that in yours..any thoughts?
ryjack26 1 year ago
@ryjack26 It may be because my baffle is taller, or because you need to let the chaeto grow to a huge mass so it can sink to the bottom. Do not touch it or prune it till it is the size of 2 footballs.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@ryjack26 Also, you can try placing a small rock on top of it to prevent it from getting away from where you want it to stay. Another thing to consider is if your calcium and alkalinity are at good levels, the algae will be so strong and tough it wont easily break off. Do consider testing your system to know whats been going on in there.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Cheers man but your filtration looks better than my display tank
ollieflp 1 year ago
@ollieflp When you set up a system the right way, you will have similar results.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
nice filtration. i just set up a wet/dry/skimmer/fuge it does 75g and i have it contected to a 29g biocube. i have live rock in fuge, and have some sand but thinking about adding mud. do you think mud is better then sand or would you just put the sand in with some micro alg like yours. thanks i love my system. your is sweet
TheLabguy6 1 year ago
@TheLabguy6 If you already have live rock in the system, there is no need for bio balls or the wet dry section. Consider watching my other filtration videos as well as many of my other videos. Particularly, I have a video on wet/dry filtration VS Refugiums you might want to check out. Subscribe if you'd like as I add videos weekly. Thanks for watching,
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Tigere! this is a nice tank 1:24. You need a HD camera and a trypod, set the camera level with the tank and you will have superb videos of the fishes.. Record like 30 min of it then edit with music. You can loop it and have a 2 hr video with music...
SWEET!!
girotube 1 year ago
@girotube Man I only wish i knew about this camera stuff has as much as I do about marine aquariums lol. I will be getting a tripod with the new camera though.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
I just wanna know what I have to buy to get water from my tank to a refugium down below.. could you help me out? anyone? lol
ray50g 1 year ago
@ray50g If your tank is not reef ready, get yourself a hang on the back overflow box, the refugium down below, and a return pump rated for equal to, or less than, the flow of water that the overflow box drain hole can handle. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@ray50g Aside from my previous answer to your post, continue to watch my videos as there are lots of videos with much info on them about this hobby, and don't forget to subscribe. I release videos weekly. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo thanks :] Is an overflow box the only way? or is there a pump I can buy?
ray50g 1 year ago
@ray50g You need both a pump and an overflow box.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@ray50g I need a pump and an overflowbox to get the water underneath..l or just a return pump
ray50g 1 year ago
@ray50g just to get the water to the bottom tank?
ray50g 1 year ago
how hot does it get without a chiller because i live in new york to and im afraid that over the summer it will get to hot
techboy710 1 year ago
@techboy710 It depends on whether you have metal halides or some other high output lighting. It also depends on whether you place in the sump or the main display blowing air on the surface o the water causing evaporation which in turn cools the water. Check out my other videos especially my new 30 gallon set up. Thia one uses a hang on the back reugium. Subscribe if you'd like as I add videos weekly.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Dude insane how did you get the water coming down from the tank to match your return without you water in the pump being sucked dry
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 Do you mean because there is a foam pad before the last stage? If this is what you mean, the foam pad is not as tight as it can be so water flows through it nicely and slowly. I do however have to rinse out the foam pad once a week to prevent clogging.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hey i have 3 questions... where did you get your sump from? what are the dimensions of the sump? do you think the Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer is a good protein skimmer?
teddybearssuck 1 year ago
@teddybearssuck I built the sump myself out of glass pieces and aquarium safe silicone which is why this video is labeled DIY, but if you want to buy it already built and made of acrylic, Ecosystems makes the same type of sump. The dimensions are 30" long X 14" wide x 18" tall. The coralife needle wheel super skimmer really is a bad investment man. If you don't believe me, check out the reviews on this skimmer on internet forums and marine depot. I would buy an AquaC EV series skimmer instead.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Yea the aqua c ev is very good but i would reccomend the reef octups skimmer becouse of its pinwheel impelar the aqua c uses jets for aspiration were the reef octupus uses pin wheel which chops the water to get finer morefluent bubbles also the super skimmer works badly like he said the needle wheel creates a whipping action instead of a chopping one with the pinwheel
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 I have played around with the reef octopus and it has it's flaws. Yes it creates fine chopped bubbles but the water through flow rate is drastically lowered because of the use of a venturi which pulls in air and water from the pump. Also, the air intake comes no where near the amount of air that the EV series skimmers pull in. Don't get me wrong, the reef octopus is a decent skimmer but I collect 3 times more gunk in a week than the octopus does in the same amount of time.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 I have video proof of how efficient the AquaC EV 240 is. GO and check out the videos I have on my channel with this skimmer and you will see how it progresses in 48 hours. I have like 4 videos on this skimmer since I first got it. Look at it this way, the EV 240 pulls in 1800 gph though the skimmer with a mag drive 18 while a reef octopus pulls in about 400 gph with their much larger units. More water processed = more air intake = more gunk production.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Check it less water flow through a skimmer is better although you may have a less amount of gunk you gunk is thicker and more througholy skimmed
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 Who told you that my friend and where did you get this information? Have you seen my videos on my new AquaC EV 240 skimmer with mag drive 18? Check the videos out and you will see how often I have to clean the collection cup and how much gunk it produces. I made those videos for people that doubt this skimmer. There are like 4 videos altogether. Check em out and if you can find another skimmer to produce this much this fast and this nasty, let me know and provide proof.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 Check out the gunk being collected man.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo I agree that that skimmer is great and triumphant but i still like slower moving skimmers your a fan of lafishguys as am i check out the protein skimeer special it will explain wat im talking about.
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 My friend, in the Euro Reef videos on lafishguy, what the guy was trying to say is that the flow of water from the main display to the refugium should be slowed down so as to remove more nutrients but not the flow of water through a skimmer should be slowed down. I think you need to recheck that. Besides, the videos had biased opinions, and jim himself is a person that does not believe in natural filtration and is stuck in the past. His money is in fish only tanks.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 When you have recommendations from someone like me who does videos just to help others out, and I do not work for AquaC, you better believe my opinions are unbiased and truthful. However, when you get opinions from the person who sells skimmers himself, ofcourse he is going to appraise his skimmers. Don't get me wrong, I highly recommend Euro Reef skimmers as they are great but the more the skimmer processes, the more it will remove.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 The guy from Euro Reef even trhashed cone skimmers saying that if cone skimmers were really efficient, Euro Reef would embrace it and add it to their skimmers. Think about it buddy, you are getting advice from someone trying to sell his skimmers and also getting advice from someone who believes wet/dry filtration is the best and does not like to use live rock on his systems. Times have changed bro.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo yes you are correct he says there the best for fish only systems and cone skimmers are trashed in the video but they are very efficent still and the guy does say that slower water movement is important
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 Yes, he says slower water movement through the sump is important recommended but not that slower water through the skimmer is recommended or important. I have played around with the octopus skimmers and have found them to be inconsistence and an issue with water level. In the end, it's all about what makes you happy. if this skimmer makes you happy then thats all that counts. Enjoy it.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 I think im gonna get a aquac
saltwaterfishguy427 1 year ago
@saltwaterfishguy427 Look into the AquaC Remora hang on the back skimmer. It's great for small systems like the one you have.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
I really like your sump/refugium setup and think that it is one of the best I have seen on youtube. At 3:50 you were discussing your skimmer pump and mentioned using 4ft of hosing to decrease the flow from 950 to 800. It doesn't work quite like that, their energy loss (use) that results in decreased flow is attributed to the vertical distance(potential energy) between the beginning and the end (from the pump to the skimmer) and some due to friction in the tube. Your flow is probablystill >800gph
dinosaxnick 1 year ago
@dinosaxnick I couldn't tell you with exactness what the flow is however, I can tell you that with 4 feet of tubing, whether vertical or horizontal, was making the water level inside to be right at the top of the box which is where I wanted to be. When using one feet of tubing, the level would rise to 1" above the black box and it would be too much. I guess I should of explained it like this, instead of giving numbers lol. Major changes since part 2 of 4. Check out the other parts and subscribe.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
aaat 6.00 ,HEMIPEED? what is exactly is that man.Id love to try it out on my system if it would help
ThisIsKingBalls 1 year ago
@ThisIsKingBalls Chemipure Elite, it's hands down one of the best filter bag carbon medias out there that can last up to 6 months. Check out my other parts of this video series and subscribe if you'd like. I add videos weekly. Peace!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
how do you prevent overflow...
manunitedfan117 1 year ago
@manunitedfan117 Do you mean on my skimmer?
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
good job. good info. thank you
mofoglenn333 1 year ago
@mofoglenn333 Thanks! Stay tuned for future videos!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
You better get that clown fish out if there
EpicDriver97 1 year ago
@EpicDriver97 When I upgrade to the 180g system which will be at the end of this month, he will go in the main display. I will documment this 180 build on my youtube channel so if you havent subscribed, do so if you wish. I usually release videos weekly.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
just tried to post a comment and it banged me out...Anyways..tight setup. Using the long tube for the skimmer is a great call. Good action in a tight little setup. I'm gonna use an old c-pack skimmer as a hang on cause I have no sump. ( you can check it) but looking tight...Moorish idol is another topic, amazing bro
Dustinsfishtanks 1 year ago
@Dustinsfishtanks I got the other comment. Thank you for you compliments my friend. If I am not mistaken, the skimmer you are reffering to is the CPR Back-Pack skimmer. I had one of those with my first saltwater set up. It's a decent skimmer but difficult to get it dialed in correctly. I had to constantly mess with the air intake to get it to work properly.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@Dustinsfishtanks Oh, my mistake, I thought when you referred to the skimmer as Cpack I thought you were referring to the CPR skimmer but now after watching your video, I see it's a coralife skimmer. This skimmer is also a pain in the ass and requires constant tunning of the air intake to get to produce decent foam. I said this before to lot's of people and I'll say it again, In this hobby, when it comes to a skimmer, never go cheap because you get what you pay for. Nice tank setup.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
That refugium set up is awesome man. I like how you got it all dialed in. I wouldn't have thought about making your tube to the skimmer longer, good thinking. My skimmer sucks if your got any advice about it, (cant run it open like you do though.). Id love lot hear it. I have an old cpack skimmer that I think im gonna use as a refugium instead now after watching the goodness in yours. Nice setup. The M.Idol is a whole nother story..tight...
Dustinsfishtanks 1 year ago
@Dustinsfishtanks Thanks man! The results accomplished by me of this sump/refugium is equivalent to 2 years of troubleshooting this sucker. All in all, I am very happy with it and if I could change anything from it, I would make it bigger. Did you say you have a CPR bAck-Pack Skimmer?
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Looks nice!!!!!! just the concept of the refugium/sump was a bit confusing. Tank looks incredible though!
And3rsonA05 1 year ago
@And3rsonA05 It's really not that hard to accomplish a refugium. I must admit, when I first started in this hobby I was intimidated too but once done it's a lot easier than it looks. If you need help or have any questions dont hessitate to ask. I always answer back quickly with my iphone. Subscribe if youd like as I will be adding more videos in the future. Peace!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
awesome job!!!
kbrown5992 1 year ago
@kbrown5992 Great to hear man. Thanks!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
great review! i love the details!
im using a filter sock atm and i want to go a different rout because im tired of the upkeep on them. what exactly keeps the sediment from main tank from going to your sump/refugium ? meaning what keeps fish turds etc from overloading the sump with debris
Nugburner420 1 year ago
@Nugburner420 There are a few things thayt keep the fish turds and piss from overloading the sump with debris. Here they are. #1. copods, amphipods, mysis shrimp, britte starfish, bristtle worms, tube worms, baby white brittle starfish ect. ect., all of these critters living in the sand bed and small rocks are cleaning my sump nice all day and night. whatever they cant get, I get when I rinse the foam block once a week. #2.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@Nugburner420 #2. The strong amount of watermovement in the sump is keeping the debris suspened and being picked up by the skimmer. The suff that the skimmer does not get is settling ontop of the foam pads on the stage before the last stage and mostly eaten by the critters. Here is an example of the water movement in the sump. Returns1400g hr, Skimmer 800g hr, chiller pump 700g an hr. This means that in that small 30g sump flows 2,900 gph continously.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@Nugburner420 Have you see all of my videos? If you decide to you will know why I nolonger use a filtersock. Watermovement is key to keeping debris suspended. The only form of mechanical filtration I use now is the foam pads. They are mostly used to trap bubbles returning to the display but they alos serve and a debris trap. I clean them out weekly. Hope this helps. Hit me up if you have further questions.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Good shit homie, tank looks good. Keep it up. I'm going to be putting my tank on youtube soon.
moneymarkj 1 year ago
@moneymarkj Thanks Bro! I will upload more videos soon so subscribe if you would like and stay tuned for my next videos.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
oh ok but there isn't any fluctuations in the salinity levels due to the evaporation??? for example the evaporation causes salt creep .. and with the addition of R O water this doesn't dilute the saltwater? i only ask cuz this is what killed my tank last time ,.i knew about the auto top off but i didn't really research it enough... not to mention where i live there is only a handful of saltwater hobbyists lol
zombienation89 1 year ago
@zombienation89 No fluctuations in the salinity levels whatsoever with the use of an auto topoff system. Why? because when water evaporates from your tank salinity does not evaporate with it but instead stays in your system. As more and more water evaporates, the salinity gets more and more concentrated and rises. With the use of an auto top off system, the water level in the tank stays constant and never drops.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
do u have any major problems with water evaporation???
zombienation89 1 year ago
@zombienation89 That's a great question. Actually, I do and I don't, or better said, I did and now I don't lol. The fact that I have major water movement on both my main display and my sump and because both my sump and main display are topless, this causes about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of evaporated water per day. To fix this, I added a white 20 gallon top off container, filled with RO/DI water, located next to the tank. I also use a JBJ ATO System for topoff water.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@zombienation89 Check out my other videos about doing a fast and easy water change and you will catch a glimpse of the 20 gallon white container I am talking about located next to the tank. I also use this container as a stand sort of by placing important equipment on top of it such as food, test kits and so on
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
with a sump do u need a filter? do u have a filter on top of ur main tank or in ur sump? how about powerheads with a sump do u need powerhead in ur main tank or in ur sump? im new to all this ;o lol
charmanderzor 1 year ago
@charmanderzor My friend, it is important to understand that a fresh water filter is complately different from a saltwater filter. In saltwater, the main filter used is a protein skimmer which you see in this video. A fresh water filter is intended to house bacteria that break down waste but in a saltwater tank, that bacteria lives in the live rock and live sand.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor Having a freshwater filter running on a saltwater tank is not a good idea because that filter will become a nitrate factory and nitrates in a marine tank can lead to massive algae problems. to answer your question, plain and simply put, your main filtration in a saltwater tank is the Skimmer, the live rock and the live sand.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo
okay i sorta get it, so no filters in a salt water reef tank. but i have a question - protein skimmers only clean up really small things, so what would filter things like fish poop and big particle waste? hey i added u on msn do u think u could get on sometime and we could talk??
charmanderzor 1 year ago
@charmanderzor You would be amazed at the crap a protein skimmer can pull out of your water. It depends on how much you spend on the skimmer and my advice to you is "Don't go cheap with the skimmer". You mentioned on an earlier post that you wanted to know more about the biological, mechanical and chemical filters for saltwater tanks. let me try to break these down for you on the following post.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor Biological filtration on a marine tank means mostly the bacteria needed to grow in the system that breaks down waste and turns it into a less toxic substance for your fish and overall life in the tank. This form of filtration grows on your live rock and live sand, unlike in a fresh water tank, where the bacteria need a filter media to grow on and the media needs to be housed on some sort of hang on the back filter or canister filter.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor Mechanical filtration is best explained as some sort of foam pad that restricts or blocks large paticles or debris from staying suspended in the water column. In a saltwater tank, mechanical filtration can be used in the form of filter socks or foam pads whcih I use in my sump to block out the large particles and microbubbles from getting back into the display. This form of filtration needs to be cleaned out constantly in a marine tank to prevent nitrate spikes on your system.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor The chemical filtration is best described as the use of carbon in your system. In my opinion, the best way to incorporate this form of filtration to your system is to use a carbon product called chemipure elite. This form of filtration polishes your water by removing uneanted nutrients from your system. I use Chemipure elite inside of my sump on top of the foam pads before the last stage of the sump.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor The main difference between a fresh water hang on the back filter and a marine filter incorporating a skimmer is quite simple. A HOB filter is used for all three bio, mech, and chemical but fails to remove undisolved organic compounds from your water column like a skimmer does. The HOB filter only keeps these organics in the filter so it can get broken down into nitrates. Why not have a skimmer that removes these organics from your system before they break down into nitrates.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor I' am at work right now and should be home sometime later on tonight. I'll try and hit you up on MSN so we can talk more about this. I hope it's making some sense as to what I am trying to explain to you.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor To answer your question about powerheads in the sump, the answer is that having a power head in the sump is a matter of prefference. It is not necessary to have a power head in the sump because water already has to flow through it before it goes back into your main tank. You do however need power heads on the main display as watermovement is one of the most important aspects of marine keeping.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo
okay, i gotchu with the power head part lol. ok.. about the filter part.. so i just need a protein skimmer, live sand, and rock.. theres no special filter for salt water reef tanks?? im confuse cause i read about like bio, mech, and chemical filters etc n things like canister filters i dunno which filter i need for reef tank lol
charmanderzor 1 year ago
@charmanderzor The Protein skimmer, Live Rock and Live sand should be your main filtration in a marine system. I would definately stay away from a canister filter. I'll tell you what, I have a freshwater tank in my room and a marine tank in the living room. I will make a video talking about the difference between both filtration systems in a 2 part video. Maybe this will help you undertand it better?
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo
okay that would be cool :D maybe u can make a beginners guide to a reef tank video like talk about all the things a person needs and doesnt need, and just suggestions etcc =P
charmanderzor 1 year ago
@charmanderzor Let's see what the next few days unfold.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@charmanderzor I hope my posts have helped you and answered your questions. If you have any other questions dont hesitate to ask.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
everything looks great man! I'm really happy to here you will have an upgrade soon! can't wait to see what awesome tank you have in store.
ReptiCon725 1 year ago
i wanna start a salt water reef so bad but watching this is very discouraging i dunno what all this stuff is ._.
littleazn17 1 year ago
@littleazn17 Don't get discouraged. It's actually quite simple once you get the equipment and start to set it up. You can learn just as I did and you can also get a great deal of help from myself and others on here. If you want to do it the right way, the best advice I can give you is to let you know ahead of time that this hobby is expensive. Have you ever had a freshwater tank before?
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Nice video... Keep up he good work!
avanderlinde 1 year ago
@avanderlinde Thanks Bro!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
nice update keep up the hard work
benboarder09 1 year ago
@benboarder09 Thanks!
newyorksteelo 1 year ago