So to start im totally new to salt water. I haven't even set my tank up yet but Im working on it. the guy i got my 180 gal setup from had it setup so the skimmer was behind the tank but alot of the tanks I see have the skimmer sitting in the sump. Is there a right way or best way or just what ever seems to work best. I looks like i have an mrc/mr1 skimmer. Thanks
Another skimmer question...
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thehammer1985
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It depends on the skimmer itself some are made to hang on the back. While others are made 4 in dump use for external. The thought process behind it is relatively the same however it is firmly believed that hang on the back skimmers tend do not have a large enough diameter body to allow for contact time with the bubbles. In some and externals traditionally have larger body diameters and allow for better removal of Docs
melypr1985
totally addicted
it looks like that skimmer is made to be external, meaning it's made to sit outside the sump. Look it up on youtube (that's what i did) You'll probably be able to get a better grasp on how it's supposed to be installed and used that way.
thehammer1985
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Don't feel silly this is a freak place to ask questions and get great feedback
buggynutt
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Ok so I will just leave it external as it was setup before. I also have about 5 things that kinda look like skimmers but not really..lol. I will research and figure out what they are and ask more questions later. thanks
melypr1985
totally addicted
Please dont feel silly. As mentioned, this is a great place to ask these questions. Sometimes you just need to know where to look for answers and this is a good place to start.
Patto005
Active Member
They are more than likely some type of reactor. Look up some different ones and see if that's what you have i.e. Calcium reactor, carbon reactor, kalkwasser reactor, gfo reactor, biomedia reactor, zeovit reactor or something along those lines, or you can post pictures here and someone more than likely will be able to ID them and give you personal feedback about them
buggynutt
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I think i have at least on of all of those reactors. I have a lot of the books that came with everything so I will look thought them and see what I have. I will probably need to figure out what ones I need to use and what I dont. Thanks again for all the help.
Pfisherman
Active Member
You should post pics and we can crack at id on them. In sump skimmers are much preferred for countless reasons, but the biggest one is that when the cup overflows it doesnt end up on the floor. Does your tank have a sump?
buggynutt
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From what I can tell I think the other 2 things I have are poop tanks for the skimmer. Any one know if the solaris I5 70 inch can be used with the Neptune controller. I have both but the guy never used any of the controller stuff.
Pfisherman
Active Member
Okay, your skimmer is an external deal. I know nothing of that. looks like you have a pretty advanced setup. Im out lol, im not that deep yet 
thats a nice precision marine sump.
thats a nice precision marine sump.
buggynutt
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Lol. Now you know why I'm lost. I got this setup from a guy who is kinda related, my wife's , aunts , husbands, son from a different maraige and he gave it to me because he can't deal with it and everything else going on in his life. If I add up all the receipts he gave me it jumps over 11k. It's a major advanced setup and I need to learn it so I can have the tank of my dreams and also show him that it has a great home and can visit anytime.
Patto005
Active Member
I can't see all of your plumbing because some pictures are dark, but from what I can tell there are gate valves on the suction/inlet to your pumps, and no valves on the discharge/outlet. Is this correct? If so, those valves should be used for cleaning only-do not use them to regulate flow. If you use them to regulate flow, it will cause cavitation in your pump and will tear it up over time. It will also sound like you have gravel in your pump, so it will be louder. To have a valve to regulate flow, it needs to be on the discharge side of the pump.
melypr1985
totally addicted
Ok so, I would suggest setting this tank up with just the basics. Keep and clean the rest of the equipment for when you need it later. You have 3 pumps each with a different job. The pump on the left feeds your skimmer which then empties clean water via that white pvc pipe , also on the left, back into the sump. The Ehiem pump on the right feeds your UV. You might want to replace the bulb for that and do some research on what the proper flow rate and bulb size is for your tank - this way you know if it is even going to help you or not. They have to be tuned perfectly to be effective at anything. The back right pump is your return. It's going to take the water from your sump to your display.
It looks like you have two main drains from the display into your sump that dump into filter socks. those holders at the end of those pipes hold socks. Get several and change them out often. The center of the sump looks to be refuge. You can put live rock in there or macro algae. Either will work to your benefit but the macro algae will need to be lit to grow.
The controller would be helpful right off the bat, but you'd need to find a manual or go to the controllers section of the forum for better help with that part.
Like i said, set this up basic. You wont need any of the reactors right now anyway, and probably for 6 months or more. You can set it up and have it running and cycling while you start researching the rest of this equipment and decide what you want to keep or sell. Just my oppinion of course. Good luck!
It looks like you have two main drains from the display into your sump that dump into filter socks. those holders at the end of those pipes hold socks. Get several and change them out often. The center of the sump looks to be refuge. You can put live rock in there or macro algae. Either will work to your benefit but the macro algae will need to be lit to grow.
The controller would be helpful right off the bat, but you'd need to find a manual or go to the controllers section of the forum for better help with that part.
Like i said, set this up basic. You wont need any of the reactors right now anyway, and probably for 6 months or more. You can set it up and have it running and cycling while you start researching the rest of this equipment and decide what you want to keep or sell. Just my oppinion of course. Good luck!
buggynutt
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I don't need to clean any of the reactors up as they are all new. I will put them away for now and setup the tanks with the basics as mentioned. My RO/DI system will be here in about a week so I will probably be working on how to use the Neptune controler system and getting everything mounted and hooked up. I have about 30 sock filters for the sump, and it has lighting and fans as well. Should I do a teat run with regular water so I can check for leaks and flush the system before I buy sand and rock? Thanks for all the help. You have all been really helpful and I'm shocked at how great everyone has been.
