My Marine Adventure

[gregswimm]

OK Thanks, But someone here recommended the API tests. Also when speaking to the guy at my lfs store i asked if i needed the API test kit or the Reef Master kit which did KH (carbonate hardness), calcium, phosphate and magnesium, He told me i needed the API Test kit so i spent 30 pounds on that

API will work for the time being, but it is cheep in both price and quality. Other test brands are more expensive but when you are dealing with hundreds of dollars worth of livestock, its worth getting an accurate measure. I would work on either returning it or phasing it out as the need arises.



I found some salifert tests on amazon 7-£16 per kit and red sea kits(what I have been switching to from API) 20-40 USD per kit. Red sea seem to be the best for alk, Calcium, magnesisum, and nitrate. Many people also use the hana checker for phosphates. It should also be noted that salifert did have an issue with their kh test, but if that means all their tests are garbage; I don't know.

Salifer does have a low and high range nitrate test for considerably less than red sea.

 

[gregswimm]

Should I take the API test kit back and get the master reef one ?

Or keep that and buy the master reef one ?

Hope to be adding the live rock on Wednesday.

Will be leaving it for a while so maybe I can hold up on the master reef test kit.

If you can, I would take it back. If you cannot afford to get all red sea and salifert tests then I would stick with API till you can.
Tests you will need are- Ammonia, Nitrate, KH, Calcium and Magnesium. Phosphate isn't 100% crucial but it is good to have.

 

[Xraymark]

My tank has been up and running now for four months. I have salifert pH,ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kits. A red sea phosphate kit.


Now that I have corals, no SPS, I'll probably get calcium and magnesium testers. My corals are doing fine so I don't expect any real issues, fingers crossed. I expect my water changes with new salt, 10% a week to be replenishing my water levels.

 

[Chris7]

Should I take the API test kit back and get the master reef one ?

Or keep that and buy the master reef one ?

Hope to be adding the live rock on Wednesday.

Will be leaving it for a while so maybe I can hold up on the master reef test kit.

 

[Chris7]

The Master Reef test kit:

This kit tests 4 key parameters in reef aquariums: Calcium, Carbonate Hardness (KH), Phosphate and Nitrate.

So that leaves Ammonia and Magnesium that the test kit does not cover. Will i need t buy separate test kits for Ammonia and Magnesium.

Salifert test kits i can only find single ones not a kit that does it all.

Same with the Red Sea tests, Although i can find them with 3 different tests in but still does not cover what i need.

 

[gregswimm]

Red sea has some kits, nitrate and phosphate come together in what I think is called "algae control" or something similar. There is also a red sea kit that has KH, calcium and Magnesium together in "reef foundation".

I have the Red Sea magnesium test and it is one of the best test I have ever used, I highly recommend it.

I would go with the salifert for ammonia, you won't be using it a whole lot once you are cycled (really only using it if you encounter problems after you are cycled).

 

[Chris7]

Will i need Calcium and Magnesium now, I am not planning putting corals in for some time. Maybe if that test is used for corals only then i wont need to buy it just yet.

If i stick with my API kit i will then only need a Phosphate test for what i need atm right. That will be Phosphate, PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate covered. For FOWLR would this be suitable. I will be getting corals but am in no rush and money will slow me down. If i can get Phosphate with either calcium or kh i will do.

 

[Chris7]

OK i have put my skimmer in to see what it was all about. I understand i probably dont need it running atm any advice on running it now or waiting until live rock in would be nice.

I put it in and tbh struggled to fit it into the compartment. I took a little video as i was not sure if it was running right, Can someone let me know if its correct.



Also there does not seem to be much flow from compartment to compartment, There is some scale on top and it just moves around in a circle and does not go through the sponge and into the other compartments.

I see this video here and around 3 mins there seems to be good flow between compartments compared to mine, Is this because he has a pump from that thing on the side of his tank and its pushing the water through.....

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjFy8woiYcQ&feature=g-upl

 

[Chris7]

Any advice on the above please.

Also i noticed the water in the chambers is the same height as my water in my main tank all the way through. Is it supposed to be like that.

There does not seem to be any water flow from the compartments, There is bits of debris and they are not moving anywhere.

Maybe the new pump was set up wrong im not sure, There is two pipes connected to each outlet pumping water into the main tank, But no water seems to be running through.

 

[gregswimm]

Will i need Calcium and Magnesium now, I am not planning putting corals in for some time. Maybe if that test is used for corals only then i wont need to buy it just yet.

If i stick with my API kit i will then only need a Phosphate test for what i need atm right. That will be Phosphate, PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate covered. For FOWLR would this be suitable. I will be getting corals but am in no rush and money will slow me down. If i can get Phosphate with either calcium or kh i will do.

Unfortunately snails, crabs, shrimp coralline algae all consume calcium and magnesium. Shells and exoskelitons will become brittle if you are low on calcium or carbonates and having the right level of magnesium is important to keep either of these in solution. Magnesium is consumed to some degree by inverts but with the exception of coral, coralline algae consumes the most.


As for the skimmer, you shouldn't be getting water in it. From what I understand you will really only be getting thick foam when there is organic mater for it to extract, so right now you shouldn't be getting much of anything.

I'm pretty sure this is what you are going for:

Edit: As for the pump, you may have to prime it. Not sure what pump you are refering to. What is the make and model of the pump? And aim your powehead at the surface of the water, not the floor. This will put more oxygen in your system, keep your sand bed from eroding and splash more water into your overflow

 

[Chris7]

Yes thats the effect i am getting with my skimmer, It was making the bubbles and after a few hours there is water in the cup, But as i have nothing in there, there wont be anything to collect right. Meaning the tank is just full of water so there will not be any bad stuff to collect right now. I just put the skimmer on for a few hours to see what it did. Once my rock comes i will put it on.

I will get a calcium and magnesium test kit.

I had my powerhead pointing at the surface anyway. The pump is in the 4th compartment and i can't see much of it as its at the bottom. There is one pipe connected to the top outlet that pumps water into the main tank, That pipe then runs into the pump, However there is another pipe that goes from that or another pump and onto the lower outlet. Its pumping water out into the tank as i have tested it, But it does not seem to be pulling the other water through the compartments.

When i bought the tank it originally said: MaxiJet 1000 return pump (used)

Which was then changed to: Note : I have just replaced the MaxiJet pump with 2x smaller pumps (one on each weir oulet) as it's impeller was looking worn, and grinding a little. It's much better now

So someone changed the old pump for 2x new ones.
Here is a few little video's, I put a piece of grass on top of the water for you to see the flow.

As you can see in this video the water does not take the grass anywhere near the filter section in the chamber.


As you can see in this video the blade of grass sits on the top of the water in chamber one. Should it not suck it down through the filter sponge. It gets a lot of debris sitting on top of this chamber. When it gets to chamber two and three there is little to no flow and chamber four where the pump is its dead still in there, Take a look.



Any help or advice will be most welcome.

Thanks...

 

[gregswimm]

Grinding pumps are no good, sand in the impeller can kill pumps. I have lost several this way. Double check to make sure it is still working.

Is something connected to the bottom exhaust and is it closed or open? I would guess that if the top exhaust is open with nothing going to it the water is going in the bottom exhaust and out the top.

I have no idea about the skimmer; I have never used one and all I know about them is from what I have read.

 

[Chris7]

Thanks Greg but they are brand new pumps.

There is a tube from one pump connected to the top exhaust and that pumps water out i can feel it with my finger, The lower exhaust also has a pipe connected to it im guessing from the other pump and that too pumps water into the tank but not as much as the top one. I am just worried that the water is not going through the channels like it should be.

Probably needs someone who has the same tank to advise me.

Does not seem that active around here though

 

[gregswimm]

Ya, I have never ran a tank like that before. In the first video you posted there appears to be channels from one section to he next, I don't see them on yours.



You could go ask reef-central, they have a nano section and I'm sure someone runs he same type of tank as you.

 

[Chris7]

OK just a little update, Had a few problems with the Live Rock being delivered. The guy was bringing it himself on friday but had some problems, He has now had it couriered and it should be arriving in the morning fingers crossed.

I was looking in the tank tonight at the skimmer, Looks like i am still having problems with the water flow through the chambers at the back. There is now a few bubbles or scum from the skimmer it seems. You can actually see better now that the water isnt going through the chamber im guessing how it should be.