Hello From Southern England

[seffieuk]

Yep you are nearly there, just need those nitrites to disappear and its water change time - woo hoo, wait 24 hrs, test again, if nitrates are <10 go get your cuc what cuc are you going to have?

Seffie x

 

[APG78]

Hi,

Well - our first little 'emergency' last night. But it really was only caused by myself. Hadn't spotted how low the water level was getting in the last chamber of the sump that the return pump pulls the water from. Got a jet of bubbles blasted into the tank so had to switch the pump off, and start my first filling process.

Only thing I had to make up a quantity of water was a half full salt bucket - that was heavy when we poured it into a few bags. Thought it was going to split... but got the RO flushed and started filling, then borrowed the heaters from the sump and let it warm up. Then a cup of salt, mix, wait 30 mins, test with refractometer, add more, wait - (play on Red Dead Redemption on the PS3, great game). Add more salt. Realise the salinity has gone up to 1.030 - oh well, main tank was dropping anyhow - which was odd, as I thought evaporation left the salt in the tank, increasing the salinity? Unless there is a slow leak I've not found yet???

I have also got a cheap and cheerful cover for evaporation on top of the sump now.

That took me from 2130h through to 0200h
Wondering how long my 25% (127 litre) change is going to take then...

Posted 22 May 2010 - 11:44 AM

Yep you are nearly there, just need those nitrites to disappear and its water change time - woo hoo, wait 24 hrs, test again, if nitrates are <10 go get your cuc what cuc are you going to have?

Seffie x

Hi. Those readings on the nitrites are the lowest reading @ 0.3 - did you mean the nitrates? If not, I better read up again on the cycle - We are thinking of Clibanarius tricolor, Paguristes cadenati, Calcinus elegans for crabs. Maybe something big in the main tank, as I do eventually want to have a fuzzy dwarf lion. Maybe a Stenopus hispidus, but people have said they're not good - I think because they'll destroy any kind of corals or the like? Otherwise a couple of these if they're big enough: Lysmata debelius. As well as Lysmata amboinensis.

Depends on what the LFS think too.

 

[drsquirrel]

I think she meant wait until nitrites are 0
water change
wait 24hrs
if nitrates are <10 then go ahead...

If 25% is too much in one, what about splitting into 2 separate times, or a bigger container with a spare pump to pump it in, so you don't have to pour it.

 

[APG78]

I think she meant wait until nitrites are 0
water change
wait 24hrs
if nitrates are <10 then go ahead...

If 25% is too much in one, what about splitting into 2 separate times, or a bigger container with a spare pump to pump it in, so you don't have to pour it.

Good plan - was thinking of different ways and different methods of doing this. One large 'bin' to mix and heat up in, and then just run a hose from the main tank into the sink, and pump straight from the 'bin' back to the main tank. Something not too powerful - but something that will to 127L in less than an hour...

(starts the search)

 

[ben1987]

that looks like some of the best rock ive seen. looks nice in the tank too

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I may have this wrong but did you top off the tank with salt water?

If you did then double check the salinity in the tank as it has probably gone up.

When you top off the tank just use RO water. If you use salt water then the salinity in the tank will go up (a lot). Only time you need to put salt water into the tank is when you have physically drained some out.

For the pump have a look for a second hand maxijet. Will do the job just fine.

 

[drsquirrel]

I think she meant wait until nitrites are 0
water change
wait 24hrs
if nitrates are <10 then go ahead...

If 25% is too much in one, what about splitting into 2 separate times, or a bigger container with a spare pump to pump it in, so you don't have to pour it.

Good plan - was thinking of different ways and different methods of doing this. One large 'bin' to mix and heat up in, and then just run a hose from the main tank into the sink, and pump straight from the 'bin' back to the main tank. Something not too powerful - but something that will to 127L in less than an hour...

(starts the search)

I have a micro pump that does 450l an hour

My return pump does well over 2000l an hour, just get a cheap brand, make sure it's suitable for salt though.

You could always connect the end of the pump to your current return pump inlet.

 

[APG78]

that looks like some of the best rock ive seen. looks nice in the tank too

Thanks. It's FULL of life - thanks for the tip on the red light - I think you mentioned it? LOADS of things in it.

 

[ben1987]

that looks like some of the best rock ive seen. looks nice in the tank too

Thanks. It's FULL of life - thanks for the tip on the red light - I think you mentioned it? LOADS of things in it.

yea that was me, its amazing what comes out at night! all from just stones

 

[APG78]

I may have this wrong but did you top off the tank with salt water?

If you did then double check the salinity in the tank as it has probably gone up.

When you top off the tank just use RO water. If you use salt water then the salinity in the tank will go up (a lot). Only time you need to put salt water into the tank is when you have physically drained some out.

For the pump have a look for a second hand maxijet. Will do the job just fine.

Hi - I did use salted and heated water, but I had seen a drop in the salinity before hand. But noted, for water changes, use mixing methods, topping up, RO.

That would have been easier - but it's pretty cold stuff, does it matter? Guess not if done often enough instead of in one large go?

Did spot this, but not sure this will help - Maplin Battery Pump Maybe for serving drinks from a barrel?

Checked the salinity before I passed out this morning (was going to watch Lost too, doh...) and it was only up to 1.023 - I think. Will check again tonight.

 

[APG78]

I think she meant wait until nitrites are 0
water change
wait 24hrs
if nitrates are <10 then go ahead...

If 25% is too much in one, what about splitting into 2 separate times, or a bigger container with a spare pump to pump it in, so you don't have to pour it.

Good plan - was thinking of different ways and different methods of doing this. One large 'bin' to mix and heat up in, and then just run a hose from the main tank into the sink, and pump straight from the 'bin' back to the main tank. Something not too powerful - but something that will to 127L in less than an hour...

(starts the search)

I have a micro pump that does 450l an hour

My return pump does well over 2000l an hour, just get a cheap brand, make sure it's suitable for salt though.

You could always connect the end of the pump to your current return pump inlet.

Not as small as this I take it?
MicroPump
?

Could take a while with that.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Topping up with cold RO water will be fine. like you said unless you are topping up loads it wont effect the temp (and if you are topping up enough to effect the top then the salinity swing its going to cause will be a lot more of an issue).

The Newjet 400 and similar sized maxijet pumps go for around £15 new. the 900 and 1200 model maxi jets regularly go second hand for less than a tenner. The 900 and 1200 models of the maxijet can be modded as well to create a pretty good main tank powerhead (they also work well with wavemker switches, unlike most korillia and tunze powerheads).

 

[APG78]

Topping up with cold RO water will be fine. like you said unless you are topping up loads it wont effect the temp (and if you are topping up enough to effect the top then the salinity swing its going to cause will be a lot more of an issue).

The Newjet 400 and similar sized maxijet pumps go for around £15 new. the 900 and 1200 model maxi jets regularly go second hand for less than a tenner. The 900 and 1200 models of the maxijet can be modded as well to create a pretty good main tank powerhead (they also work well with wavemker switches, unlike most korillia and tunze powerheads).

Not sure some of them have the head height to work for me? Pumping from the floor up to the lid of the tank? Unless I'm going straight into the sump - but then I have to consider the rate at which I can add to it compared to what the ehiem is returning to the tank at? Sounds easier if I can just add slowly to the sump, rather than a bigger higher flow rated one to the main tank...

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah I would add directly into the sump. Not sure about the maxijets but the newjet pumps can be adjusted (so the 400 can be adjusted down to something like 120lph). If this is still too much you can always fit a T and valve to the hose to cut down the output from the pump.

To explain the above: Have your pump, attached about 6inches of hose to the pump. attached a T connector to the hose. Attached another bit of hose to the side of the T connector (say another 4 or 5 inches). attached a ball valve to this pipe. Attach pipe to this ball valve going back into your bucket/container with fresh SW. Finally attached hose to the other side of the T going to your sump or display tank.

Basically this pushes some of the water back into the bucket so its not all going to the sump/display tank. Its better then just putting a ball valve on a single piece of hose as this create back pressure which can damage the pump. If too much water is being pumped into the sump/display tank open the valve so more is going back into your bucket.

This sounds way more complicated then it actually is when I explain it

 

[APG78]

Yeah I would add directly into the sump. Not sure about the maxijets but the newjet pumps can be adjusted (so the 400 can be adjusted down to something like 120lph). If this is still too much you can always fit a T and valve to the hose to cut down the output from the pump.

To explain the above: Have your pump, attached about 6inches of hose to the pump. attached a T connector to the hose. Attached another bit of hose to the side of the T connector (say another 4 or 5 inches). attached a ball valve to this pipe. Attach pipe to this ball valve going back into your bucket/container with fresh SW. Finally attached hose to the other side of the T going to your sump or display tank.

Basically this pushes some of the water back into the bucket so its not all going to the sump/display tank. Its better then just putting a ball valve on a single piece of hose as this create back pressure which can damage the pump. If too much water is being pumped into the sump/display tank open the valve so more is going back into your bucket.

This sounds way more complicated then it actually is when I explain it

Bravo amigo! If I can understand that, anyone can! Thanks. Does indeed make sense.
I'll be on the prowl for a 127 litre bucket then!