Newyorksteelo, what kind of lighting matters for a sump? Fluorescent is ok you said? But fluorescent light is not ok for the main reef display? Im very confused after doing lots of research...
@SHMIBLY If it is Power Compact Fluorescent, it will work OK with both a refugium and the main display. Its when you use a standard fluorescent tube that it is not recommended. I used PCF for may years when I first started in the hobby and was able to keep lots of corals and a Sebae Anemone. I even was able to restore the Sebae Anemone from being bleached white, to regaining its color in 6 to 8 months. There are other lighting alternatives such as T5's that will work as well. Good luck.
I was referring to the ghetto collection gallon that is connected to your skimmers collection cup! I was wondering if you did an alteration to the skimmer! Because my Marineland skimmer has a very small collection cup! So; therefore, I might have to modify mine to hold more skimmate! Thanks Bro! Peace.
@Sisco296 Oh, no I did not. This skimmer comes with that drain valve so you can have the collection cup drain into a bigger reservoir in case it overflows.
@TheMeli81 I cannot answer this question specifically without measuring your sump buddy. You need to build the sump according to the space below on your bow front, and you also need to look into the AquaC website and take down the measurements before making the purchase. Lot's of planing needs to take place because of the odd shape of your tank. Had you obtained a 75g rectangular tank instead, you would of had a lot more freedom and could of added a bigger sump refugium than the one seen here.
here I go,Well don't know if u remeber but I have a 72 bow front 1 inch drain 3/4 inch return .. and I bought the ev 180.. it dosent fit in my drain compartment, so it fits in the refugium section, it will minimize the accutual refugium to 5 in wide and 11 inches length, is tht okey? How high is the the 2nd piece of glass and how far is the 3rd piece of glass from the 2nd? How high is the 3rd piece of glass? Final the cap that is in between the 3 glass and bottom is how much?
@TheMeli81 That's fine. I had to do the same to this DIY sump refugium and had to incorporate the skimmer on top of the sand bed and in the refugium stage. The dimensions of the refugium area only are 15 X 14 inches but do keep in mind that your bow front shaped tank will make it extremely difficult to have a refugium as wide and as long as mines. Mines is a total of 30 inches long and 14 inches wide, but because of the bow shape, you will not be able to add a refugium of this size.
@TheMeli81 I wish I could grant you a phone call but unfortunately, I am too busy most of the time with work, the family, and answering questions on this YouTube channel. You can however try and ask the questions here, and I will try my best to answer them :)
@TheMeli81 I would not run the EV180 with a mag 7. Has to be with a mag 9.5 so you can really see this skimmer pull out gunk. The SWC is decent but the EV is better. Good luck.
Ny steelo, how r u? I have 72 bow front, with 20 gl sump/refuge, build similer to urs... With 1 inch drain and 3/4 inch return. Wht kind of protein skimmer do u recomend and Wht rate? Thx u
@TheMeli81 The EV180 with mag drive 9.5 pump will work well for this system, only I would check if it will fit on your sump. For flow through rate, I recommend at least 10 times turn over rate through the system. Good luck.
Hey thanks for the info NYSTEELO. There are a few methods for overflows, from what I have read, so I would definitely like to see a vid on that.. I have a 60g cube that I am going to set up once I move, but need to get my sump and overflow/return plans down in advance. Also I know you bought a new sump what was the brand again?
What about the other question about return pumps and overflows? This is a difficult area for me to understand how to size or purchase the right equipment.
@1997LT1Camaro Its too much for me to explain on here. I would need to make a video on this subject so you can get a general idea. What I do recommend is a minimum of 10 times the total tanks water volume flow through rate. So in example, if you have a 100 gallon tank, multiply that by 10, you get 1000 gph flow through rate. Hope this helps. Good luck and stay tuned as I may make this video in the near future and cover the details.
Hey is the mag 18 too much flow for the chiller? I know when I bought mine they suggest a certain flow rate for them. Also can you explain return pump selection and maybe overlow options? I have never had a sump, but have used AIO tanks and HOB equipment, but would like to know more about this area.
@1997LT1Camaro Not when you have the mag 19 going into the chiller, and then traveling to the top of the main display. The flow is ridiculously slowed down when this pump has to travel so far :) I often found it needed more flow and so now I use a dedicated mag 7 for the chiller alone.
Hey Steelo me again lol I wanted to ask I may be mistaken but only you know your set up. Do you have holes drilles under the bottom part of your DT? Seems like you run some plumbing and hoses under your DT to your sump. The reason I asked is because my stand has a rear and top open. I been having the idea of drilling some holes on the bottom part of my DT to run my plumbing down inside my stand. But i hear most stand are tempered from the bottom and is not possible to drill holes. advice?
@nymxcar Yes I do. My tank came like this and if you buy a tank labeled, "Reef Ready", your tank was build for a reef. In your case, I would not recommend you attempt to drill the tank yourself, or you may be heading back to the lfs and buying another tank. This is best left to be done by a professional, that wont crack the bottom tempered glass. You can also buy a hand on the back overflow box and avoid the drilling altogether. CPR makes some really nice overflow boxes. God Bless and good luck.
@newyorksteelo I bought my set up second hand. I still got the past owner number to ask him if he knows. I definitely to want to destroy the tank. I even heard some places where they drill the holes for you by "professionals" is not guarantee your glass wont crack no matter where they drill. But I am going to check my local aquarium store if anyone drills holes there. I will also check out the CPR overflow boxes. Thanks again! and sames goes to you.
hey Steelo, i first want to thank you for recommending this skimmer.... i have no regrets my only hiccup is that i have not figured out how to get the lid off the collection cup, am not sure what else to do....... my final question is other than "fishtownusa and "manhattan aquariums" what other good fish stores are there in New York and New Jersey..... any help is appreciated......
@bikeboss11 There are so man shops in NY that its too much to list here. What I can tell you is that these are the best ones out of them all. The others are mediocre and specialize more in freshwater with just a small saltwater section. The best LFS's are the ones that have more saltwater than freshwater systems. Not quite sure what you mean by the lid on the skimmer. You can call AquaC and they will gladly help you with any issue you may have. Good luck.
@newyorksteelo i was talking about the black cover on the top of the collection cup that u remove in order to get all the green stuff out.........and i been trying to contact aqua c for 2 days now and am still waiting for a reply but i would keep trying because it might be a defect or may be am doing it wrong.... i appreciate your time bro
@bikeboss11 Really, their customer service is immediate most of the time. The black part screws on the same way the collection cup screws onto the skimmer.
awesome videos :D i wanted to ask though, if i'm not using a protein skimmer [temporary.. lol] would the whole thing be running off just the one return pump in the last stage? also, what size is the whole sump/refugium & the main tank and how fast is the last stage pump? :s cheers, te1 :)
@tacitelimination1 Yes, One return pump is all you need to run the system, with the option of adding power healds for more flow on the main display. Once you get the skimmer, you will need another pump to power the skimmer separately. Good luck.
@linbeg Not necessarily. When the gunk starts to form, the foam rises and so it appears thats where the water level is but its not. My only recommendation to you is to make sure you are running it with a mag 7 instead of a mag 5 to really see the potential to this skimmer. Just keep the water level at the top of the box right where the neck starts and let it be. From there, you make small increments and changes over long periods of time till you find the sweet spot.
Nice video newyorksteelo!!! You are very knowledgeable i must say!Would you be kind enough to check out my setup video and give me a hand?let me know wat i can do to improve...Thanks man
Nice video and nice set up I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank with just fish and rock for now but I want to convert it to a reef tank so I'm trying to build a good sump/refugium, but here did you get instructions on how to build it if you know a site than it would be helpful thanks and also is 15 gallons good enough for my size tank I read it should be 20% your main tank size
@josue3404 I basically build it on my own. I have other videos on different brands of sump refugiums which i recommend you take a look at just in case you may want to get any ideas from those as well. Bigger is always better when it comes to sump refugiums. Be sure to check out my last 2 videos to see what I have done to this setup;.
very cool set up! I'm in the process setting up a 190 gal that I've inherited. My problem is that the old setup had an Amiracle wet/dry (2 chambers) and I want to convert it over to a sump/refugium like yours. This will be my very first saltwater so I'm trying to do all the research to have a successful reef tank. I need step by step instructions. Can you or anyone help? Is there such a website? Thanks in advance.
@youbugme2 Without being there to see it, it would be hard to walk you through the process. I have educational videos on other sump refugiums in my channel which may give you an idea on how to go about doing this. Consider posting a video of your sump and maybe we can take it from there.
@pulga2389 I used regular glass not the tempered one as this one can be expensive. When it comes to acrylic VS glass, there are too many props and cons to list on here so wait out till the video on this subject. When it comes to a sump refugium though, since it is a small system, either way you go will work. Good luck.
@newyorksteelo also the "AquaC EV-180 Protein Skimmer w/ JG Fitting + Mag-Drive 7 Pump" only comes with the mag 7, can i swap it out with a 9.5? So just to clarify.. I should wait for the bigger tank to grab the EV 240?
@illaddictmrm If you are going to get the EV180, do not get it with the mag 7, trust me on this one. Having it with a mag 9.5 will overdrive the skimmer and give it way better performance. Check out the online instructional manual for this skimmer on the AquaC website to read up on installing it with the mag 9.5. You can try calling marine depot to see if you can swap out the mag 7 for the 9.5. If you were going to upgrade in 6 months or less, I would say get the EV240 with mag 18 instead.
What up Steelo, I've seen most of your videos and i gotta hand it to you! I was wondering which skimmer would be better for my new 75 g tank a Super Reef Octopus SRO-XP3000INT with a bubble blaster pump or an Aqua C EV-240 Protein Skimmer With Iwaki MD40RLT Pump? I am also going to up grade to a 200g to 240g in about a yr or two and would hate to buy 2 expensive skimmers. I am brand new to the game and would appreciate any advice you have. Thanks
@illaddictmrm Both of these skimmers may be a little too much for your system. A simple AquaC EV180 with mag drive 9.5 would suffice. I would say get the EV180 in of a SRO skimmer because I have 2 friends that have this skimmer and are very unhappy with it. Between both of them, they had to replace the pump 3 times and their pumps are really noisy, plus, Coral Vues customer service is really not all that, where as AquaC customer service is one of the best in the aquarium industry. Good luck.
@illaddictmrm If you are going to upgrade in a year though, I would get the EV 240 for sure. it works really well on my system but thats because my system is over stocked with fish. good luck my friend and sorry for double posting but had to put the right info in.
@youngpo47 lol, happy to hear that and I hope the videos have been informational for you. many more to come buddy. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I may have missed this in one of your other videos but when cycling a tank should I go ahead and cycle the refugium. If so can I go ahead and add macroalgea?
@youngpo47 You can add the macro algae since day one of your set up. It will eat everything including ammonia and nitrate out of your system and help further. No need to cycle a refugium. Good luck.
How are you keeping your water levell at where it needs to be in the refugium? I would like to build something similar but im not understanding how your water level is at that level in the video. please help?
@dee12dee12 Its quite simple. I have an AUto Top Off system and there is a video in my channel about what it is and how it works. Be sure to check it out and check out some of my other videos on my channel. Subscribe if you havent done so already. Thanks for watching and if you have more questions, I here. Peace.
@newyorksteelo Thanks Steelo! Of course I've suscribed. I just purchased a 210g which is an upgrade from my 55g. Would my 55g be a good size sump for my 210 or should I use a 75g. My LFS advised me to to get a 75g for the sump.
@jonnyfish76 He has more nutrition in there than on the tank. After all, it is right beside the refugium area and is there to keep it clean too. Be sure to check out my channel and other videos. Thanks for watching.
hi newyorksteelo i am in new york as well and i am putting togather 75 gal reef tank and i have learned a lot from your videos and i am waiting for your new update about miracle mud as well, i am thinking of using miracle mud for my refugium as well . ?
@ravisingh197699 It is entirely up to you if you want to use the miracle mud on your refugium. I have to continue to see the negative and positive effects of using this product for an extensive period of time (at least 6 months) before I can truly recommend it, So far it has been working well for me but it's only been a month and a half of testing. Stay tuned for future updates on the mud to see if I truly recommend the use of MM down the road. FYI, my last video has a bit of an update on it.
@newyorksteelo Thanks...you make this hobby very understandable, I'm glad I came across your posts...I now look forward to watching more videos from you...thanks :)
@newyorksteelo im from north jersey. can u build me one. is it hard i have no ideal what im gunna get myself into. i have a 150g. i always had a 55 g with the generic filters. no getting into the next level. what size sump u think i need
@psuhurdler Why not just buy one ready built and save you the time and hassle? It depends on the size of the hole on the overflow box. Usually a 1" hole will give you about 800 to 1,000 GPH flow through rate. For your 150g tank, this should be OK with a pump that will give you about 800 to 1,000 gph flow.
Like i said im new at saltwater and i have a couple of corals in my tank, what do i need for them to stay healthy and stay alive and looking good? Is ther things i can buy at my LPS like liqued calcium or other add-ons?
@MsMan259 You need to do lots of research in order to maintain corals in a saltwater system. Corals need calcium and low levels of phosphates in order to grow and maintain a healthy state. With this said, the answer is yes, but you must do research and test your water weekly or biweekly to ensure proper levels of elements needed. Again, I suggest you watch my videos because mostly all of this information is in them, and I make the videos to educate and not have to repeat myself.
@MsMan259 You will get all the info you need on a Phosphate Reactor by watching my 4 part video called "Phosphates Problems And Solutions. As for a calcium reactor, I have yet to make a video on one but it basically doses calcium to your system for the purpose of your saltwater animals which depend on it. I will soon be doing a video on calcium and alkalinity so stay tuned for that and subscribe if you'd like. Check out most of my videos as they contain lot's of info on marine tanks.
Hey Steelo, I'm just curious about you running that MagDrive 18 trough your chiller! Don't you think that MD18 is a little too powerful for you chiller and could do damage to it?
@sputnik790 Go to marine depot, look up MD pumps, then scroll down to look at a chart of head pressure loss. A mag drive 18 after making it up to the top of the stand, then back and around to the chillers input, then under and out of the chiller, then back up and behind the stand, then into the stand and Y fitting, then split into 2 returns, then reaching both y returns and finally into the tank, by the time the mag 18 reaches the tank, it would be like 600 gph with all of that head pressure.
@sputnik790 I hope you understand what I was trying to explain on the previous post. Just in case you did not, heres an example. Lets say you are using a mag drive 7 as a return pump. This mag 7 is giving you 700 gph if you don't have anything connected to it. However, since you need tubing to reach the return back into the display, it is no longer 700 gph. If your tubing needs to go up 4 feet to get water back into the tank, thats 4 feet of head loss and the pump will now only flow 480 gph.
@sputnik790 Yes the chiller goes first but it's so much head pressure that only like 600 to 700 gph are actually going through the chiller. Before i had it like this, I used 3 mag 7's, one for each return and one for the chiller alone. It worked well but it was too many pumps, when instead, I can use a mag 18 to power everything and it worked out well, only the flow from my sump back to the tank is significantly lower than what it was when I was running 2 individual mag 7's for returns.
@sputnik790 Check the chart on the marine depot website for head loss of these mag drive pumps and you will understand better what I am trying to explain. In my case, I am using one pump as a chiller pump and a return pump at the same time. In your case, it all depends on how you plan to plumb your chiller that would be the factor in choosing the size on pump you need.
@newyorksteelo I have ordered Oceanic 1/6hp chiller that requires up to 550gph pump and i ordered MD 5 with it. I think the best way in my case, would be running chillers inlet and outlet in the return chamber! What do you think?
@sputnik790 if you are going to plumb this chiller with a mag 5 and return it right into the sump it should be fine. If instead you decide the plumb the chillers output back to the display you will have trouble as the flow of water will be so low, you probably won't feel water coming out the tanks return. You have to take head pressure loss into consideration before purchasing a pump to be used as a return or to plumb a chiller.
@newyorksteelo Yeah, first i wanted to buy MD 7 and run the chiller to the main tank, but then my sump and overflow box won't be able to handle the waterflow, so i decided to get MD5 and loop it in the sump return chamber!
@sputnik790 My friend, to achieve this you would have needed a mag 9.5 or possibly even a mag 12. With a mag 7, by the time your tubing enters the chiller, then more tubing is used to return the chiller back into the main display, by the time water exits the return your mag 7 has turned into a mag 1 with a little over 100 gph.
@sputnik790 Understand that a chiller must go outside of the aquarium stand and needs to breath. Once you chose the location, know that the tubing from the pump needs to be about 3 to 4 feet long to reach the chiller so thats about 4 feet of head loss there. Then, most tanks are about 4 to 5 feet tall. So you can now add another 4 feet of head loss. Thats 8 feet total. A mag 5 at 8 feet of head pressure only gives you about 80 gph flow rate. Does this make sense to you?
@sputnik790 That would work perfectly. Please do research well before you buy something my friend. it will save you lots of time and money in the long run.
@newyorksteelo Thanks again Steelo, i just hope i don't mess up the chiller with all that power lol, maximum flow on that chiller is 550gph! But i also got a ball valve so i can control that 9.5 beast :)
@sputnik790 Flowing more than needed water though a chiller would not damage it, it just would not cool properly cause the flow is too strong. You most probably will not need the ball valve. It's a beast of a pump, but totally turns into a baby's strength the more it has to push water and the longer the plumbing. Why did you not get the arctica chiller? they can handle a lot more flow and cool a lot more faster and i have not had problems with mine for 3 years.
@newyorksteelo I liked the heating option in that chiller, plus the reviews are very positive! I asked you for your opinion on that chiller in your channel, you said that you never owned one and can't really say much...
@sputnik790 I believe I explained this in part 2 of this video series or part 3. In one of these videos, you will see that I was using a mag 9.5 to pump water into the AquaC EV 180 skimmer. I stated that the skimmer works best at 800gph of flow unrestricted. SO then I further explained that I made the tubing feeding the skimmer 4 feet long so as to give the skimmer 800 gph instead of 950 gph. My videos contain lots of info and knowledge of this hobby.
@sputnik790 Lastly, if you look up the specifications for this 1/4 HP chiller, you will see that it can handle flows between 480 gph up to 1,920 gph. You have to do the research before you chose what kind of chiller you want and what pump you need to run it.
@vanhalenman60 lol, thats what saltwater will do for ya. Not a good idea to siphon by sucking it through a tube. there are other ways of creating a siphon without having to suck through a tube.
hey steelo another ? for ya man.How did you hook up that waste tube that runs into that jug from the protein skimmer? was that a custom mod or was it was that outlet tube allready there? If it was a mod from your crafty self how did you instal that?
@ThisIsKingBalls The skimmer itself had a drain elbow fitting in the collection cup with a 3/4" hose barb connector. I simply added the hose and directed it down into the waste container you see next to the sump. Having one of these drain fittings not only helps out with the waste collected but it is also very important especially if your skimmer overflows. It gives you a chance to rectify the problem before you have a water mess on the floor.
@haivang1 That foam pad needs to be there regardless of micro bubbles or not. It helps to prevent larger critters like snails from getting past this area and getting stuck in the return pump, possibly breaking the impeller. Have you seen my video called "Reef Tank Ecosystem Mysis Shrimp And Other Critters"? In this video, you will see that the same critters I have in the refugium, I also have in my main tank even with the foam pad. Check out the video and see that I have even more critters uptop
Just a thought, if you remove the foam pab for the micro bubble after the micro algae area, before the return pump you can let all your critter like copepobs and mysis shrimp circulate into your main tank. If you do had it in your refugium. That way they don't get trap in the foam pab.
@haivang1 The critters never get trapped in the foam pad but instead circulate around the entire refugium and I really am not worried about critters not making it back into the main tank. There are just as many critters in the sump as there are in the main display. Having the foam pad is very beneficial because it prevents detritus from returning back into the display. All I really do is clean this foam pad once a week to rid the system of excess detritus and viola, tank is clean as a whistle.
@ryjack26 Yeah, I had seen it the light on Scott's tank but at the time that I saw it on his tank, I did not have the EV240 and had the 24" light that was working well for me. Once I upgraded the skimmer, I had to get a smaller light but did not want to sacrifice high wattage. This is a great refugium light for it's price range. The only thing I did not like is that it needs to be hardwired because it does not bring a cord to connect to a wall socket. You have to hardwire it yourself.
What is the height of the open area inside your stand? I plan on building a stand soon, and I was thinking 30" would be enough. I was also planning on at least 4" of sand in the refugium, so if your skimmer is 26" that won't be enough room. I wanna think for the future, because I'm thinking of getting a skimmer like yours and selling the one I have now.
@epinkerton108 My Oceanic Tech Stand is 33 inches tall. If it were me building a new stand, I would make it at least 34 inches tall. Mines is 33 inches tall and i was able to add my skimmer on top of the sand and still have a 5 inch deep sand bed, therefor, 34 inches tall would be more than enough. Making the stand a bit taller has it's benifits, not only for the extra tall space, but also because your main display will be more eye level as opposed to looking down at it.
you should get some mangroves and/or same grape caulerpa in your fuge. also does trimming/pruning your chaetomorpha help reduce nitrates/phosphates in your aquarium since its going to be feeding and growing off it more?
@gprime22 The mangroves would work well but for that, I would need to install the lighting higher and doing that is out of the question because it would light the whole fuge ,and I don't want that. I want light only where the algae is. The grape algae is also invasive and it would be like having the same Caulerpa Prolifera I have there. The truth is that the Chaeto is all you need. Chaeto is the best, safest and most recommended macro algae for refugiums. Pruning will result in less nutrients,
@newyorksteelo didnt know that about the grape caulerpa =P i plan on just getting mangroves and cheato in the sump for my 120g. in my 10 gallons sump i just pruned out half of the cheato and spread it out that i had, first time i've done that in the 6 months its been in there.
@gprime22 That is a mysis shrimp my friend. Copods walk around on the glass and are tiny and walk slowly. This Mysis Shrimp was swimming around. I have Copods, Amphipods, Isopods, and Mysis shrimp by the thousands if not close to the millions. Take a look at 2 of my videos, one called "Live Rock Hitchhikers" and the other one called "Reef Tank Ecosystem Mysis Shrimp And Other Critters" and you will see the mysis swiming around in large numbers. Totally different than copods my friend.
@oscar2hot4u The answer is that they are both bad for the live stock, and also displeasing to look at. Micro bubbles are troublesome to the fishes gills and especially to corals. They also look bad because we as hobbyist strive to have a system that looks similar to the reefs, where there are no micro bubbles in the deeper areas, and the fishes look as if they are swimming in thin air. When you have micro bubbles, it looks like the fish are swimming in micro bubbles lol.
@oscar2hot4u Freshwater is totally different in water hardness and chemistry. In freshwater, it is ideal to have an air pump so that oxygen is available to the life in the tank. In saltwater, constant massive amounts of micro bubbles can affect corals and fish. Some micro bubbles is OK, and sometimes inevitable but to add an air pump to a saltwater tank is not ideal nor recommended. Water movement via power heads is all you need to provide a saltwater tank with oxygenated water.
@Dustoff100 The question should be "what don't i do" lol. I do anything and everything to make a quick buck. But if you mean my main job, I work for the city, as in the City Of New York.
@EpicDriver97 I got it from Home Depot. I cannot post links on this comments page cause YouTube wont let me do it unless it's via private message. Google search "Lights Of America Fluorex Flood Light" and you will see many stores that sell it.
Newyorksteelo, what kind of lighting matters for a sump? Fluorescent is ok you said? But fluorescent light is not ok for the main reef display? Im very confused after doing lots of research...
SHMIBLY 1 week ago
@SHMIBLY If it is Power Compact Fluorescent, it will work OK with both a refugium and the main display. Its when you use a standard fluorescent tube that it is not recommended. I used PCF for may years when I first started in the hobby and was able to keep lots of corals and a Sebae Anemone. I even was able to restore the Sebae Anemone from being bleached white, to regaining its color in 6 to 8 months. There are other lighting alternatives such as T5's that will work as well. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 week ago
@newyorksteelo I have a 55g tank, so what size is ok? is 24 inches ok? what about color? sorry for the annoyance!
SHMIBLY 1 week ago
@SHMIBLY I now use a small light called JBJ Macro Glow 25w Refugium Light. Comes in a 6500K - 6700K color. Works like a charm :)
newyorksteelo 1 week ago
I was referring to the ghetto collection gallon that is connected to your skimmers collection cup! I was wondering if you did an alteration to the skimmer! Because my Marineland skimmer has a very small collection cup! So; therefore, I might have to modify mine to hold more skimmate! Thanks Bro! Peace.
Sisco296 1 month ago
@Sisco296 Oh, no I did not. This skimmer comes with that drain valve so you can have the collection cup drain into a bigger reservoir in case it overflows.
newyorksteelo 1 month ago
Steelo did you do the modification to the collection cup?
Sisco296 1 month ago in playlist Reef Aquarium Sump Refugium Options
@Sisco296 What modification?
newyorksteelo 1 month ago
great stuff"" iam building 29 gal same size as this one will try not to ask ques but just learn off the vidios...exellant.thanks
thebigshow28 1 month ago
@thebigshow28 Your welcome.
newyorksteelo 1 month ago
@ newyorksteelo I was wondering where you bought the float valve for your RO top off system and how it's held in place
Robertjohnmcgintyjr 2 months ago
@Robertjohnmcgintyjr I have a video that covers this called "JBJ ATO Auto Top Off System Setup" which covers the answers you seek.
newyorksteelo 2 months ago
One more if my sump is 20 gallon with ur design and the ev180 will it work??
TheMeli81 6 months ago
@TheMeli81 I cannot answer this question specifically without measuring your sump buddy. You need to build the sump according to the space below on your bow front, and you also need to look into the AquaC website and take down the measurements before making the purchase. Lot's of planing needs to take place because of the odd shape of your tank. Had you obtained a 75g rectangular tank instead, you would of had a lot more freedom and could of added a bigger sump refugium than the one seen here.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Sorry don't mean to bother I
TheMeli81 6 months ago
here I go,Well don't know if u remeber but I have a 72 bow front 1 inch drain 3/4 inch return .. and I bought the ev 180.. it dosent fit in my drain compartment, so it fits in the refugium section, it will minimize the accutual refugium to 5 in wide and 11 inches length, is tht okey? How high is the the 2nd piece of glass and how far is the 3rd piece of glass from the 2nd? How high is the 3rd piece of glass? Final the cap that is in between the 3 glass and bottom is how much?
TheMeli81 6 months ago
@TheMeli81 That's fine. I had to do the same to this DIY sump refugium and had to incorporate the skimmer on top of the sand bed and in the refugium stage. The dimensions of the refugium area only are 15 X 14 inches but do keep in mind that your bow front shaped tank will make it extremely difficult to have a refugium as wide and as long as mines. Mines is a total of 30 inches long and 14 inches wide, but because of the bow shape, you will not be able to add a refugium of this size.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Steelo is there any way where u can give me ur email so I can give u my number so I can talk to u about my sump so many question....
TheMeli81 6 months ago
@TheMeli81 I wish I could grant you a phone call but unfortunately, I am too busy most of the time with work, the family, and answering questions on this YouTube channel. You can however try and ask the questions here, and I will try my best to answer them :)
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Hey steelo sorry to bother u.. but Wht I found was a ev 180 with Mag 7... Or a swc extreme 160 with the pump from factory Wht do u think??
TheMeli81 6 months ago
@TheMeli81 I would not run the EV180 with a mag 7. Has to be with a mag 9.5 so you can really see this skimmer pull out gunk. The SWC is decent but the EV is better. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Ny steelo, how r u? I have 72 bow front, with 20 gl sump/refuge, build similer to urs... With 1 inch drain and 3/4 inch return. Wht kind of protein skimmer do u recomend and Wht rate? Thx u
TheMeli81 6 months ago
@TheMeli81 The EV180 with mag drive 9.5 pump will work well for this system, only I would check if it will fit on your sump. For flow through rate, I recommend at least 10 times turn over rate through the system. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Oh ok
TWhite2345 6 months ago
What happend to the clownfish??
TWhite2345 6 months ago
@TWhite2345 He is now in my 90g system.
newyorksteelo 6 months ago
Hey thanks for the info NYSTEELO. There are a few methods for overflows, from what I have read, so I would definitely like to see a vid on that.. I have a 60g cube that I am going to set up once I move, but need to get my sump and overflow/return plans down in advance. Also I know you bought a new sump what was the brand again?
Thanks for your help.
1997LT1Camaro 7 months ago
@1997LT1Camaro The new sump is made by Trigger Systems. I have a detailed video review on it you may want to check out. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 7 months ago
What about the other question about return pumps and overflows? This is a difficult area for me to understand how to size or purchase the right equipment.
1997LT1Camaro 7 months ago
@1997LT1Camaro Its too much for me to explain on here. I would need to make a video on this subject so you can get a general idea. What I do recommend is a minimum of 10 times the total tanks water volume flow through rate. So in example, if you have a 100 gallon tank, multiply that by 10, you get 1000 gph flow through rate. Hope this helps. Good luck and stay tuned as I may make this video in the near future and cover the details.
newyorksteelo 7 months ago
Hey is the mag 18 too much flow for the chiller? I know when I bought mine they suggest a certain flow rate for them. Also can you explain return pump selection and maybe overlow options? I have never had a sump, but have used AIO tanks and HOB equipment, but would like to know more about this area.
1997LT1Camaro 7 months ago
@1997LT1Camaro Not when you have the mag 19 going into the chiller, and then traveling to the top of the main display. The flow is ridiculously slowed down when this pump has to travel so far :) I often found it needed more flow and so now I use a dedicated mag 7 for the chiller alone.
newyorksteelo 7 months ago
nice... can i get the old skimmer....lol... love youre videos...
wwjdajaic 8 months ago
@wwjdajaic I actually sold it to a fellow subscriber that won one of my giveaways. Sorry! Thanks for the feedback :)
newyorksteelo 8 months ago
Hey Steelo me again lol I wanted to ask I may be mistaken but only you know your set up. Do you have holes drilles under the bottom part of your DT? Seems like you run some plumbing and hoses under your DT to your sump. The reason I asked is because my stand has a rear and top open. I been having the idea of drilling some holes on the bottom part of my DT to run my plumbing down inside my stand. But i hear most stand are tempered from the bottom and is not possible to drill holes. advice?
nymxcar 9 months ago
@nymxcar Yes I do. My tank came like this and if you buy a tank labeled, "Reef Ready", your tank was build for a reef. In your case, I would not recommend you attempt to drill the tank yourself, or you may be heading back to the lfs and buying another tank. This is best left to be done by a professional, that wont crack the bottom tempered glass. You can also buy a hand on the back overflow box and avoid the drilling altogether. CPR makes some really nice overflow boxes. God Bless and good luck.
newyorksteelo 9 months ago
@newyorksteelo I bought my set up second hand. I still got the past owner number to ask him if he knows. I definitely to want to destroy the tank. I even heard some places where they drill the holes for you by "professionals" is not guarantee your glass wont crack no matter where they drill. But I am going to check my local aquarium store if anyone drills holes there. I will also check out the CPR overflow boxes. Thanks again! and sames goes to you.
nymxcar 9 months ago
@nymxcar Anytime :)
newyorksteelo 9 months ago
hey Steelo, i first want to thank you for recommending this skimmer.... i have no regrets my only hiccup is that i have not figured out how to get the lid off the collection cup, am not sure what else to do....... my final question is other than "fishtownusa and "manhattan aquariums" what other good fish stores are there in New York and New Jersey..... any help is appreciated......
bikeboss11 10 months ago
@bikeboss11 There are so man shops in NY that its too much to list here. What I can tell you is that these are the best ones out of them all. The others are mediocre and specialize more in freshwater with just a small saltwater section. The best LFS's are the ones that have more saltwater than freshwater systems. Not quite sure what you mean by the lid on the skimmer. You can call AquaC and they will gladly help you with any issue you may have. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 10 months ago
@newyorksteelo i was talking about the black cover on the top of the collection cup that u remove in order to get all the green stuff out.........and i been trying to contact aqua c for 2 days now and am still waiting for a reply but i would keep trying because it might be a defect or may be am doing it wrong.... i appreciate your time bro
bikeboss11 10 months ago
@bikeboss11 Really, their customer service is immediate most of the time. The black part screws on the same way the collection cup screws onto the skimmer.
newyorksteelo 10 months ago
awesome videos :D i wanted to ask though, if i'm not using a protein skimmer [temporary.. lol] would the whole thing be running off just the one return pump in the last stage? also, what size is the whole sump/refugium & the main tank and how fast is the last stage pump? :s cheers, te1 :)
tacitelimination1 10 months ago
@tacitelimination1 Yes, One return pump is all you need to run the system, with the option of adding power healds for more flow on the main display. Once you get the skimmer, you will need another pump to power the skimmer separately. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 10 months ago
How did you manage to attach that T fitting to your protein skimmer's output?
linbeg 11 months ago
@linbeg Screwed it in. They sell both slip or screw in T fittings.
newyorksteelo 11 months ago
i saw that your skimmer bubbles was set up to the middle of the neck, is that how i should set my aquac ev 120 to?
linbeg 11 months ago
@linbeg Not necessarily. When the gunk starts to form, the foam rises and so it appears thats where the water level is but its not. My only recommendation to you is to make sure you are running it with a mag 7 instead of a mag 5 to really see the potential to this skimmer. Just keep the water level at the top of the box right where the neck starts and let it be. From there, you make small increments and changes over long periods of time till you find the sweet spot.
newyorksteelo 11 months ago
Where'd you get your bulb? Is it something that can be purchased at a home improvement store? Thanks
Johnb6070 11 months ago
@Johnb6070 Try "Lights of america" and look for flood light. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 11 months ago
Love your videos. What wattage bulb and type of bulb do you use in refuge? Thsnks
Johnb6070 11 months ago
@Johnb6070 65 watt 67K
newyorksteelo 11 months ago
Nice video newyorksteelo!!! You are very knowledgeable i must say!Would you be kind enough to check out my setup video and give me a hand?let me know wat i can do to improve...Thanks man
mysteryimpt 1 year ago
@mysteryimpt I will take a look when i get a chance.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Nice video and nice set up I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank with just fish and rock for now but I want to convert it to a reef tank so I'm trying to build a good sump/refugium, but here did you get instructions on how to build it if you know a site than it would be helpful thanks and also is 15 gallons good enough for my size tank I read it should be 20% your main tank size
josue3404 1 year ago
@josue3404 I basically build it on my own. I have other videos on different brands of sump refugiums which i recommend you take a look at just in case you may want to get any ideas from those as well. Bigger is always better when it comes to sump refugiums. Be sure to check out my last 2 videos to see what I have done to this setup;.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
very cool set up! I'm in the process setting up a 190 gal that I've inherited. My problem is that the old setup had an Amiracle wet/dry (2 chambers) and I want to convert it over to a sump/refugium like yours. This will be my very first saltwater so I'm trying to do all the research to have a successful reef tank. I need step by step instructions. Can you or anyone help? Is there such a website? Thanks in advance.
youbugme2 1 year ago
@youbugme2 Without being there to see it, it would be hard to walk you through the process. I have educational videos on other sump refugiums in my channel which may give you an idea on how to go about doing this. Consider posting a video of your sump and maybe we can take it from there.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hey steelo what type of glass did u use? any specific type? tempered or not. is acrylic better than glass.
pulga2389 1 year ago
@pulga2389 I used regular glass not the tempered one as this one can be expensive. When it comes to acrylic VS glass, there are too many props and cons to list on here so wait out till the video on this subject. When it comes to a sump refugium though, since it is a small system, either way you go will work. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
On the light that jim used in his vid also with the algae filter, whats the name or where can I find it. And also what is the pricing?
lillilmike 1 year ago
@lillilmike You can find it on "Lights of America" look for 65 watt fluorex flood light and you will find it. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
thanks bro. Much appreciated!
illaddictmrm 1 year ago
@illaddictmrm :)
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo also the "AquaC EV-180 Protein Skimmer w/ JG Fitting + Mag-Drive 7 Pump" only comes with the mag 7, can i swap it out with a 9.5? So just to clarify.. I should wait for the bigger tank to grab the EV 240?
illaddictmrm 1 year ago
@illaddictmrm If you are going to get the EV180, do not get it with the mag 7, trust me on this one. Having it with a mag 9.5 will overdrive the skimmer and give it way better performance. Check out the online instructional manual for this skimmer on the AquaC website to read up on installing it with the mag 9.5. You can try calling marine depot to see if you can swap out the mag 7 for the 9.5. If you were going to upgrade in 6 months or less, I would say get the EV240 with mag 18 instead.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Cool, thanks again man!
illaddictmrm 1 year ago
What up Steelo, I've seen most of your videos and i gotta hand it to you! I was wondering which skimmer would be better for my new 75 g tank a Super Reef Octopus SRO-XP3000INT with a bubble blaster pump or an Aqua C EV-240 Protein Skimmer With Iwaki MD40RLT Pump? I am also going to up grade to a 200g to 240g in about a yr or two and would hate to buy 2 expensive skimmers. I am brand new to the game and would appreciate any advice you have. Thanks
illaddictmrm 1 year ago
@illaddictmrm Both of these skimmers may be a little too much for your system. A simple AquaC EV180 with mag drive 9.5 would suffice. I would say get the EV180 in of a SRO skimmer because I have 2 friends that have this skimmer and are very unhappy with it. Between both of them, they had to replace the pump 3 times and their pumps are really noisy, plus, Coral Vues customer service is really not all that, where as AquaC customer service is one of the best in the aquarium industry. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@illaddictmrm If you are going to upgrade in a year though, I would get the EV 240 for sure. it works really well on my system but thats because my system is over stocked with fish. good luck my friend and sorry for double posting but had to put the right info in.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
I think I have prolly watched 85% of your videos in like 2 weeks. Hehe :)
youngpo47 1 year ago
@youngpo47 lol, happy to hear that and I hope the videos have been informational for you. many more to come buddy. Thanks for watching and commenting.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
I may have missed this in one of your other videos but when cycling a tank should I go ahead and cycle the refugium. If so can I go ahead and add macroalgea?
youngpo47 1 year ago
@youngpo47 You can add the macro algae since day one of your set up. It will eat everything including ammonia and nitrate out of your system and help further. No need to cycle a refugium. Good luck.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
How are you keeping your water levell at where it needs to be in the refugium? I would like to build something similar but im not understanding how your water level is at that level in the video. please help?
dee12dee12 1 year ago
@dee12dee12 Its quite simple. I have an AUto Top Off system and there is a video in my channel about what it is and how it works. Be sure to check it out and check out some of my other videos on my channel. Subscribe if you havent done so already. Thanks for watching and if you have more questions, I here. Peace.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Thanks Steelo! Of course I've suscribed. I just purchased a 210g which is an upgrade from my 55g. Would my 55g be a good size sump for my 210 or should I use a 75g. My LFS advised me to to get a 75g for the sump.
dee12dee12 1 year ago
@dee12dee12 Both would work well for you but if you can add the 75g one, bigger is always better but nonetheless, the 55 would work well too.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Thanks!
dee12dee12 1 year ago
Man.. Hook up that Serpent Sea Star... Move him somewhere a little more fun.My man is on lockdown!
jonnyfish76 1 year ago
@jonnyfish76 He has more nutrition in there than on the tank. After all, it is right beside the refugium area and is there to keep it clean too. Be sure to check out my channel and other videos. Thanks for watching.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hi newyorksteelo i am in new york as well and i am putting togather 75 gal reef tank and i have learned a lot from your videos and i am waiting for your new update about miracle mud as well, i am thinking of using miracle mud for my refugium as well . ?
ravisingh197699 1 year ago
@ravisingh197699 It is entirely up to you if you want to use the miracle mud on your refugium. I have to continue to see the negative and positive effects of using this product for an extensive period of time (at least 6 months) before I can truly recommend it, So far it has been working well for me but it's only been a month and a half of testing. Stay tuned for future updates on the mud to see if I truly recommend the use of MM down the road. FYI, my last video has a bit of an update on it.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Does your calcium....my bad ....phosphate reactors...(LOL).. still feed directly to your main tank or back into the refugium? ...
gmoney1961 1 year ago
@gmoney1961 It still feeds directly into the main tank, but you can have it feed anywhere you want to depending on how you set it up..
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Thanks...you make this hobby very understandable, I'm glad I came across your posts...I now look forward to watching more videos from you...thanks :)
gmoney1961 1 year ago
@gmoney1961 More videos to come soon. Thanks for watching and for your generous comments.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
No nor pump. Sump tank under. How many gallon tank u think I need
psuhurdler 1 year ago
@psuhurdler The biggest one you can fit under your stand.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
how much was it to make the sump. just the tank.
psuhurdler 1 year ago
@psuhurdler About $100 to $125 bucks for the glass pieces. the glass cutter and the aquarium safe silicon.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo im from north jersey. can u build me one. is it hard i have no ideal what im gunna get myself into. i have a 150g. i always had a 55 g with the generic filters. no getting into the next level. what size sump u think i need
psuhurdler 1 year ago
@psuhurdler Why not just buy one ready built and save you the time and hassle? It depends on the size of the hole on the overflow box. Usually a 1" hole will give you about 800 to 1,000 GPH flow through rate. For your 150g tank, this should be OK with a pump that will give you about 800 to 1,000 gph flow.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Like i said im new at saltwater and i have a couple of corals in my tank, what do i need for them to stay healthy and stay alive and looking good? Is ther things i can buy at my LPS like liqued calcium or other add-ons?
MsMan259 1 year ago
@MsMan259 You need to do lots of research in order to maintain corals in a saltwater system. Corals need calcium and low levels of phosphates in order to grow and maintain a healthy state. With this said, the answer is yes, but you must do research and test your water weekly or biweekly to ensure proper levels of elements needed. Again, I suggest you watch my videos because mostly all of this information is in them, and I make the videos to educate and not have to repeat myself.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Im new at saltwater fish tanks and i was wondering what a calcium reactor and a phospahte reactor do
?
MsMan259 1 year ago
@MsMan259 You will get all the info you need on a Phosphate Reactor by watching my 4 part video called "Phosphates Problems And Solutions. As for a calcium reactor, I have yet to make a video on one but it basically doses calcium to your system for the purpose of your saltwater animals which depend on it. I will soon be doing a video on calcium and alkalinity so stay tuned for that and subscribe if you'd like. Check out most of my videos as they contain lot's of info on marine tanks.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Hey Steelo, I'm just curious about you running that MagDrive 18 trough your chiller! Don't you think that MD18 is a little too powerful for you chiller and could do damage to it?
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Go to marine depot, look up MD pumps, then scroll down to look at a chart of head pressure loss. A mag drive 18 after making it up to the top of the stand, then back and around to the chillers input, then under and out of the chiller, then back up and behind the stand, then into the stand and Y fitting, then split into 2 returns, then reaching both y returns and finally into the tank, by the time the mag 18 reaches the tank, it would be like 600 gph with all of that head pressure.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@sputnik790 I hope you understand what I was trying to explain on the previous post. Just in case you did not, heres an example. Lets say you are using a mag drive 7 as a return pump. This mag 7 is giving you 700 gph if you don't have anything connected to it. However, since you need tubing to reach the return back into the display, it is no longer 700 gph. If your tubing needs to go up 4 feet to get water back into the tank, thats 4 feet of head loss and the pump will now only flow 480 gph.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Yeah, i understand the head pressure fact, but the first element that gets hit by your MD18, is the chiller!?
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Yes the chiller goes first but it's so much head pressure that only like 600 to 700 gph are actually going through the chiller. Before i had it like this, I used 3 mag 7's, one for each return and one for the chiller alone. It worked well but it was too many pumps, when instead, I can use a mag 18 to power everything and it worked out well, only the flow from my sump back to the tank is significantly lower than what it was when I was running 2 individual mag 7's for returns.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Check the chart on the marine depot website for head loss of these mag drive pumps and you will understand better what I am trying to explain. In my case, I am using one pump as a chiller pump and a return pump at the same time. In your case, it all depends on how you plan to plumb your chiller that would be the factor in choosing the size on pump you need.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo I have ordered Oceanic 1/6hp chiller that requires up to 550gph pump and i ordered MD 5 with it. I think the best way in my case, would be running chillers inlet and outlet in the return chamber! What do you think?
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 if you are going to plumb this chiller with a mag 5 and return it right into the sump it should be fine. If instead you decide the plumb the chillers output back to the display you will have trouble as the flow of water will be so low, you probably won't feel water coming out the tanks return. You have to take head pressure loss into consideration before purchasing a pump to be used as a return or to plumb a chiller.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Yeah, first i wanted to buy MD 7 and run the chiller to the main tank, but then my sump and overflow box won't be able to handle the waterflow, so i decided to get MD5 and loop it in the sump return chamber!
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 My friend, to achieve this you would have needed a mag 9.5 or possibly even a mag 12. With a mag 7, by the time your tubing enters the chiller, then more tubing is used to return the chiller back into the main display, by the time water exits the return your mag 7 has turned into a mag 1 with a little over 100 gph.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Understand that a chiller must go outside of the aquarium stand and needs to breath. Once you chose the location, know that the tubing from the pump needs to be about 3 to 4 feet long to reach the chiller so thats about 4 feet of head loss there. Then, most tanks are about 4 to 5 feet tall. So you can now add another 4 feet of head loss. Thats 8 feet total. A mag 5 at 8 feet of head pressure only gives you about 80 gph flow rate. Does this make sense to you?
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo I just canceled MD5 and ordered MD9.5 with a ball valve!
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 That would work perfectly. Please do research well before you buy something my friend. it will save you lots of time and money in the long run.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Thanks again Steelo, i just hope i don't mess up the chiller with all that power lol, maximum flow on that chiller is 550gph! But i also got a ball valve so i can control that 9.5 beast :)
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Flowing more than needed water though a chiller would not damage it, it just would not cool properly cause the flow is too strong. You most probably will not need the ball valve. It's a beast of a pump, but totally turns into a baby's strength the more it has to push water and the longer the plumbing. Why did you not get the arctica chiller? they can handle a lot more flow and cool a lot more faster and i have not had problems with mine for 3 years.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo I liked the heating option in that chiller, plus the reviews are very positive! I asked you for your opinion on that chiller in your channel, you said that you never owned one and can't really say much...
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Now that you said the 1/5 HP only handles 550gph, I would have gone with the JBJ Arctica chiller for sure.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo It's actually 1/6hp with 550gph, i only got 50/20 gallon system.
sputnik790 1 year ago
@sputnik790 I believe I explained this in part 2 of this video series or part 3. In one of these videos, you will see that I was using a mag 9.5 to pump water into the AquaC EV 180 skimmer. I stated that the skimmer works best at 800gph of flow unrestricted. SO then I further explained that I made the tubing feeding the skimmer 4 feet long so as to give the skimmer 800 gph instead of 950 gph. My videos contain lots of info and knowledge of this hobby.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@sputnik790 Lastly, if you look up the specifications for this 1/4 HP chiller, you will see that it can handle flows between 480 gph up to 1,920 gph. You have to do the research before you chose what kind of chiller you want and what pump you need to run it.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
one time i did a siphon in a skimmer and yuck it went into my mouth abd i throu up like 3 times
vanhalenman60 1 year ago
@vanhalenman60 lol, thats what saltwater will do for ya. Not a good idea to siphon by sucking it through a tube. there are other ways of creating a siphon without having to suck through a tube.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
hey steelo another ? for ya man.How did you hook up that waste tube that runs into that jug from the protein skimmer? was that a custom mod or was it was that outlet tube allready there? If it was a mod from your crafty self how did you instal that?
ThisIsKingBalls 1 year ago
@ThisIsKingBalls The skimmer itself had a drain elbow fitting in the collection cup with a 3/4" hose barb connector. I simply added the hose and directed it down into the waste container you see next to the sump. Having one of these drain fittings not only helps out with the waste collected but it is also very important especially if your skimmer overflows. It gives you a chance to rectify the problem before you have a water mess on the floor.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Just use a small filter suck at the outlet of your skimmer to prevent any micro bubbles coming out and remove the foam pab and see if that work.
haivang1 1 year ago
@haivang1 That foam pad needs to be there regardless of micro bubbles or not. It helps to prevent larger critters like snails from getting past this area and getting stuck in the return pump, possibly breaking the impeller. Have you seen my video called "Reef Tank Ecosystem Mysis Shrimp And Other Critters"? In this video, you will see that the same critters I have in the refugium, I also have in my main tank even with the foam pad. Check out the video and see that I have even more critters uptop
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Just a thought, if you remove the foam pab for the micro bubble after the micro algae area, before the return pump you can let all your critter like copepobs and mysis shrimp circulate into your main tank. If you do had it in your refugium. That way they don't get trap in the foam pab.
haivang1 1 year ago
@haivang1 The critters never get trapped in the foam pad but instead circulate around the entire refugium and I really am not worried about critters not making it back into the main tank. There are just as many critters in the sump as there are in the main display. Having the foam pad is very beneficial because it prevents detritus from returning back into the display. All I really do is clean this foam pad once a week to rid the system of excess detritus and viola, tank is clean as a whistle.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Yes, as you said, your sump is "so fresh and so clean." I also use that same exact light!
wesleyforbes 1 year ago
that light was orig. used by scott-500g,.... u shoutld get a 500g lol
ryjack26 1 year ago
@ryjack26 Yeah, I had seen it the light on Scott's tank but at the time that I saw it on his tank, I did not have the EV240 and had the 24" light that was working well for me. Once I upgraded the skimmer, I had to get a smaller light but did not want to sacrifice high wattage. This is a great refugium light for it's price range. The only thing I did not like is that it needs to be hardwired because it does not bring a cord to connect to a wall socket. You have to hardwire it yourself.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
What is the height of the open area inside your stand? I plan on building a stand soon, and I was thinking 30" would be enough. I was also planning on at least 4" of sand in the refugium, so if your skimmer is 26" that won't be enough room. I wanna think for the future, because I'm thinking of getting a skimmer like yours and selling the one I have now.
epinkerton108 1 year ago
@epinkerton108 My Oceanic Tech Stand is 33 inches tall. If it were me building a new stand, I would make it at least 34 inches tall. Mines is 33 inches tall and i was able to add my skimmer on top of the sand and still have a 5 inch deep sand bed, therefor, 34 inches tall would be more than enough. Making the stand a bit taller has it's benifits, not only for the extra tall space, but also because your main display will be more eye level as opposed to looking down at it.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo Thanks man!
epinkerton108 1 year ago
you should get some mangroves and/or same grape caulerpa in your fuge. also does trimming/pruning your chaetomorpha help reduce nitrates/phosphates in your aquarium since its going to be feeding and growing off it more?
gprime22 1 year ago
@gprime22 The mangroves would work well but for that, I would need to install the lighting higher and doing that is out of the question because it would light the whole fuge ,and I don't want that. I want light only where the algae is. The grape algae is also invasive and it would be like having the same Caulerpa Prolifera I have there. The truth is that the Chaeto is all you need. Chaeto is the best, safest and most recommended macro algae for refugiums. Pruning will result in less nutrients,
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo didnt know that about the grape caulerpa =P i plan on just getting mangroves and cheato in the sump for my 120g. in my 10 gallons sump i just pruned out half of the cheato and spread it out that i had, first time i've done that in the 6 months its been in there.
gprime22 1 year ago
03:24 was a copepod not mysis =P but irregardless good to see live in a fuge.
gprime22 1 year ago
life*
gprime22 1 year ago
@gprime22 That is a mysis shrimp my friend. Copods walk around on the glass and are tiny and walk slowly. This Mysis Shrimp was swimming around. I have Copods, Amphipods, Isopods, and Mysis shrimp by the thousands if not close to the millions. Take a look at 2 of my videos, one called "Live Rock Hitchhikers" and the other one called "Reef Tank Ecosystem Mysis Shrimp And Other Critters" and you will see the mysis swiming around in large numbers. Totally different than copods my friend.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo meh, looked more like a copepod =P and i've watched all your vids my friend.
gprime22 1 year ago
are micro bubbles bad or are they just a bad look
oscar2hot4u 1 year ago
@oscar2hot4u The answer is that they are both bad for the live stock, and also displeasing to look at. Micro bubbles are troublesome to the fishes gills and especially to corals. They also look bad because we as hobbyist strive to have a system that looks similar to the reefs, where there are no micro bubbles in the deeper areas, and the fishes look as if they are swimming in thin air. When you have micro bubbles, it looks like the fish are swimming in micro bubbles lol.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
@newyorksteelo what about in tropical tanks or fresh water they have air stones is it just because there gills can take it
oscar2hot4u 1 year ago
@oscar2hot4u Freshwater is totally different in water hardness and chemistry. In freshwater, it is ideal to have an air pump so that oxygen is available to the life in the tank. In saltwater, constant massive amounts of micro bubbles can affect corals and fish. Some micro bubbles is OK, and sometimes inevitable but to add an air pump to a saltwater tank is not ideal nor recommended. Water movement via power heads is all you need to provide a saltwater tank with oxygenated water.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
What Do you do Meaning a job?
Dustoff100 1 year ago
@Dustoff100 The question should be "what don't i do" lol. I do anything and everything to make a quick buck. But if you mean my main job, I work for the city, as in the City Of New York.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago
Can you post a link to the refugium light
EpicDriver97 1 year ago
@EpicDriver97 I got it from Home Depot. I cannot post links on this comments page cause YouTube wont let me do it unless it's via private message. Google search "Lights Of America Fluorex Flood Light" and you will see many stores that sell it.
newyorksteelo 1 year ago