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Thanks. I’m really sort of happy that other tank broke
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Durand tank build (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter reef junkie
- Start date
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Did a water change today. Noticed one of my frags had fallen behind the corner rock structure. This may just have to live there now, LOL One bad thing about this style tank i guess is having areas you can no longer get to. Was not a prob in the peninsula style tank.
Think the skimmer has broken in. Forgot how terrible that smells
LOL was not very full but figure it was turned off for water change so it was a good time to clean.
After wiping down the return pump chamber, i made sure to fill to a lower level on that side. So far seems to be agitating the water much more with that longer waterfall. See how it looks in a week. Just really dont want to add another pump. Seems like there should be enough flow coming through to take care of all of this. But guess time will tell.
Added a 90 to the skimmer to get the outlet under the water a little more and the micro bubble have gone away. So half the problem is gone.
My Goldline is looking really skinny compare to the rest of the fish. It was hiding between some rocks after i did my water change which is not normal, and getting piked at by the damsels. So I grabbed it and put it in the sump. After a few hours i added some nori to a clip and it started eating. So may keep it in the sump a few days and see if I can give it more opportunity to eat on its own. Might need to add another meal during the day If its just getting enough food. Not much to graze on for the rockwork in the tank so I’ve been adding nori 2 days a week. I mostly just feed pellets but this may not be cutting it. I lost some fish hear and there and feel like maybe its due to there diet
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Think the skimmer has broken in. Forgot how terrible that smells
LOL was not very full but figure it was turned off for water change so it was a good time to clean. After wiping down the return pump chamber, i made sure to fill to a lower level on that side. So far seems to be agitating the water much more with that longer waterfall. See how it looks in a week. Just really dont want to add another pump. Seems like there should be enough flow coming through to take care of all of this. But guess time will tell.
Added a 90 to the skimmer to get the outlet under the water a little more and the micro bubble have gone away. So half the problem is gone.
My Goldline is looking really skinny compare to the rest of the fish. It was hiding between some rocks after i did my water change which is not normal, and getting piked at by the damsels. So I grabbed it and put it in the sump. After a few hours i added some nori to a clip and it started eating. So may keep it in the sump a few days and see if I can give it more opportunity to eat on its own. Might need to add another meal during the day If its just getting enough food. Not much to graze on for the rockwork in the tank so I’ve been adding nori 2 days a week. I mostly just feed pellets but this may not be cutting it. I lost some fish hear and there and feel like maybe its due to there diet
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Just an update. Added 5 new chromis yesterday. They are schooling right along. So cool. Also picked a few coral frags. 
One of my damsels was not being a very good house guest and got banned to the sump for a few days. Hopefully I can reintroduce with out any issues. They are cool looking fish but just jerks LOL
All in all mostly going well. having issues getting the overflow box to maintain a normal height. So still playing with that. had a recommendation to switch out the u shape and add A strainer. SO order one today from BRS. Thinking something is going on when I put my are in the tank. Makes water level higher, and then when I remove the water level goes down in the overflow. Maybe air is getting trapped in the u shape main line??? Hopefully strainer will take care of this.
Also seems like every time I add to my top off container water goes from my top off container and starts a very slow drip in to the main. OR something is happening. Filled up yesterday evening. Checked that no water was coming out of the ato line. But when I woke this am my top off was much lower and my water line was much higher in the Sump. but it was not running and then noticed the float was stuck on the cord so alarm never went off. But no more water was running. Its very strange. SO hopefully get that figured out soon. May need to just unplug the ato when ever I top off the ato container. The ato container and sump are at the same height. The pump sits on the bottom of the ato container, and the line sits higher then both. But now that I think about it when the container for the ato is full the return line from ato pump is lower then the water level in the ato container. Maybe Im having a siphon when the ato actually turns on when called for and then water keeps running until it gets lower then the return line.
. Im going to have to water this more closely and maybe just raise my return line from ato more and keep the water level lower in ato container.
One of my damsels was not being a very good house guest and got banned to the sump for a few days. Hopefully I can reintroduce with out any issues. They are cool looking fish but just jerks LOL
All in all mostly going well. having issues getting the overflow box to maintain a normal height. So still playing with that. had a recommendation to switch out the u shape and add A strainer. SO order one today from BRS. Thinking something is going on when I put my are in the tank. Makes water level higher, and then when I remove the water level goes down in the overflow. Maybe air is getting trapped in the u shape main line??? Hopefully strainer will take care of this.
Also seems like every time I add to my top off container water goes from my top off container and starts a very slow drip in to the main. OR something is happening. Filled up yesterday evening. Checked that no water was coming out of the ato line. But when I woke this am my top off was much lower and my water line was much higher in the Sump. but it was not running and then noticed the float was stuck on the cord so alarm never went off. But no more water was running. Its very strange. SO hopefully get that figured out soon. May need to just unplug the ato when ever I top off the ato container. The ato container and sump are at the same height. The pump sits on the bottom of the ato container, and the line sits higher then both. But now that I think about it when the container for the ato is full the return line from ato pump is lower then the water level in the ato container. Maybe Im having a siphon when the ato actually turns on when called for and then water keeps running until it gets lower then the return line.
. Im going to have to water this more closely and maybe just raise my return line from ato more and keep the water level lower in ato container.
BlindSwordsman
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My 2 cents: Chromis are still damsels but with more mellow personality and you'll have less issues. Damsels are known to be out right evil and get very aggressive. I think 99% of damsel keepers regret that they keep one in the first place and that is why they are pretty but cheap. People also usually say they can not keep the chromis as a school for long and they'll end up with 1 left at the end. I have kept about 15 in the past for 1 year or 2. They schooled when they were new. When they got older, they parted way and every one claimed and defended its spot. They would start doing more lip to lip biting, tail nipping, etc. They also acted like clown fish and liked to sort of nested or hung around in between coral branches/opennings and wagged the tails or bit the corals if they were not happy with the corals. ... Also, when they are young, it is easier to catch them. You can put the net in and catch them out. When they get older, they get smarter and impossible to catch. ... Alrighty! Enough yapping from me. Gotta go and cut down my plants, get ready for winter! Good luck! 
OP
OP
I am aware of the both scenarios. Damsel”s are jerk and chromis may pick each other off and or give up schooling at some point. And I’m ok with both. Thank you though for sharing your experience. Always appreciated.My 2 cents: Chromis are still damsels but with more mellow personality and you'll have less issues. Damsels are known to be out right evil and get very aggressive. I think 99% of damsel keepers regret that they keep one in the first place and that is why they are pretty but cheap. People also usually say they can not keep the chromis as a school for long and they'll end up with 1 left at the end. I have kept about 15 in the past for 1 year or 2. They schooled when they were new. When they got older, they parted way and every one claimed and defended its spot. They would start doing more lip to lip biting, tail nipping, etc. They also acted like clown fish and liked to sort of nested or hung around in between coral branches/opennings and wagged the tails or bit the corals if they were not happy with the corals. ... Also, when they are young, it is easier to catch them. You can put the net in and catch them out. When they get older, they get smarter and impossible to catch. ... Alrighty! Enough yapping from me. Gotta go and cut down my plants, get ready for winter! Good luck!
We just cut down our plants as well today to prep for winter. lol.
I ordered 30 chromis one time to give it a real shot. Not sure what qualifies as a real chance, but I went with 30. I put them in a 180 qt for a long time. Lost 5 in about the first week. QT the rest and put in my display tank. they were ok. They did school and it worked, but I was hoping for more of a wow factor. I had the green chromis…sometimes they are a pretty green, sometimes more of a pale green.
I have had the itch to try anthias
I have had the itch to try anthias
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Anthias! Now your talking. That would be beautiful.
I don’t care if they school or not. In the end they are a pretty fish. Would just be cool if they stayed schooling.
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Final got around to testing my alk. I have to different reg fluid. Same lot, same exp date 3/23. As tested 125ppm and the other 150ppm. I believe the 150 more then the other. Only because of the coraline that is quickly growing on the glass already. But I’m confused the two very different readings. This could be problematic once the what I’m calling the hood fluid runs out next round of testing.
Other news. Have removed the u shape return in the overflow box and now just have a bulkhead strainer. Over flow level still changes depending on time of day. Prob a few inches the water goes up during the night and drops back down during the day. Only thing that changes in terms of flow are the mp10’s drop to 50% at night. Next step I’m going to remove the return pump from apex and plug directly into wall and see if that maybe changes anything.
Other news. Have removed the u shape return in the overflow box and now just have a bulkhead strainer. Over flow level still changes depending on time of day. Prob a few inches the water goes up during the night and drops back down during the day. Only thing that changes in terms of flow are the mp10’s drop to 50% at night. Next step I’m going to remove the return pump from apex and plug directly into wall and see if that maybe changes anything.
Have you tried keeping the MP10s constant overnight as a test to rule them out as the cause?
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Not yet. Its my next step to try after moving the return pump to a standard plug. Will see what tonight brings.
Don't think moving the return pump plug will do anything. Power is either on or off for the plug and should be the same as the wall. If you have an EB832 you can see the power draw of the pump over time.
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I also dont think it will do anything but its worth a try. Figured between this and or keeping mp’s at full and not 50% reduce speed at night are the only things I could think of that maybe are causing the difference in overflow box water heights. I think my old school ac3 I can run a network cable and see some info. But I don’t currently have that set up.
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Ok, moved the return pump to outlet and off controller, also turned off mp’s night mode. Took first picture at 2:43 pm yesterday. Second picture was 7:38 am today. 
here is my theory, I’m guessing I get more evaporation during the day then at night. I’m also noticing that the smallest of change in the water flow or height in the return pump chamber of the sump causes a major swing in height on the overflow box since it’s so small. I’m also noticing it takes a long time, longer the. It should I feel for the tank to zero out or go back to normal run hight with any changes…..ie….. putting arm in tank, turning off return pump for water change, etc……. My thought is water level goes to the lowest point in the evening before ato kicks on. Then when the chamber is at its max height late in the day or at night, it takes a few hours for the water level to rise back to its normal hight now that the sump is at its max height. The. Eventually the water level rises in the overflow box and starts flowing through emergency drain.
I’m thinking I could lower the water level a little and that might make it that at night it’s not going through emergency drain but during the day it’s so low the overflow box is loud. I don’t think the gate valve that came with the tank is great maybe also. I can’t make micro adjustment like the gate valve that came with my skimmer. It almost stick when trying to turn and when it finally moves it a bigger turn then you want. Not nearly as smooth as the skimmer.
here is my theory, I’m guessing I get more evaporation during the day then at night. I’m also noticing that the smallest of change in the water flow or height in the return pump chamber of the sump causes a major swing in height on the overflow box since it’s so small. I’m also noticing it takes a long time, longer the. It should I feel for the tank to zero out or go back to normal run hight with any changes…..ie….. putting arm in tank, turning off return pump for water change, etc……. My thought is water level goes to the lowest point in the evening before ato kicks on. Then when the chamber is at its max height late in the day or at night, it takes a few hours for the water level to rise back to its normal hight now that the sump is at its max height. The. Eventually the water level rises in the overflow box and starts flowing through emergency drain.
I’m thinking I could lower the water level a little and that might make it that at night it’s not going through emergency drain but during the day it’s so low the overflow box is loud. I don’t think the gate valve that came with the tank is great maybe also. I can’t make micro adjustment like the gate valve that came with my skimmer. It almost stick when trying to turn and when it finally moves it a bigger turn then you want. Not nearly as smooth as the skimmer.
Doesn't your ATO run 24x7?
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Technically yes. It is set to run when called for. It’s the tunze ato. The amount evaporation that happens in the return chamber is minimal between highest point and lowest point. Between ato cycles. I’m just trying to put together any sort of what is changing in the tank during the day.
Here is as of 9:04am
Here is as of 9:04am
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The main drain is under water. The emergency is above so I can hear it splashing when in use Alerting of a problem. Changing the water height in the tank ie my arm does affect the Water height in the overflow briefly and then Agin in the sump. Its this weird surge of water and the overflow rises first then drops really low and then after removing arm eventually level off. But this is not the issue Im having with water rising and dropping in over flow during day and or night time levels.
I never have my main overflow pipe going to the sump under water. I think it creates back pressure. I usually cut them short and then add a Loc-Line type flex fitting. This lets you bend it so it runs out parallel along the surface and is quite. It also helps to keep the surface water moving.
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That’s a good idea for getting more flow through the surface of the sump. In my only reef ready internal I had 10 years ago I had the return really close to the bottom of sump to keep micro bubble down. I get the idea on back pressure. But that would I think be a something that would stay consistent and not change with time of day maybe????