Im going to say this one more time (in addition to what multiple people have told you):
don’t block the weir. Gradually remove the blocks and monitor the water level in tank and sump. You are asking for a flood or a burned out return pump if the remaining teeth are clogged. The aquarium doesn’t have the water level you want — that doesn’t mean it wasn’t designed correctly (unless there are actual issues with the drain config per
@homer1475). Overflow weirs are designed to have some amount of extra room for water movement, blockages by algae or animals, etc.
I’d like to circle back to the beginning of this thread. Have you taken any of the steps I suggested? (specifically measuring your lights). You arbitrarily set your powerheads to 90% — not what I suggested. The ICP test is a good start as discussed, but not a complete answer to your problems.
At this point I’m going to bow out. It takes a lot of time for someone to try to understand the context of your position and provide actionable advice to get things on track. I‘d suggest providing the same level of respect and desire to learn in return.
The people on this site who take the time to write detailed responses such as mine or @homer1475’s tend to know what they’re talking about. A lot of us research reefs in our free time because it’s our passion.
The manufacturer of the aquarium who was also maintenance guy, blocked the teeth 6+ months ago. I'm not removing them unless there is a solution to getting rid of the gap of water level before the canopy, which blocking the teeth solved. Im not going to have blinding light coming through the room at me because the water doesn't block it out when sitting on the couch.
I'm not some traveling business guy that is never here. Any block and I will remove same day. I have apex and a buzzer alerting me of any increased water level in the sump.
Unfortunately if I have to choose between having water level reach canopy so it's not ugly and kessil lights blinding through the room, or better filtration, or some sort of risk of flood somehow, then I choose the look. That is why we all have aquariums - the look. I was screwed over by Trenton Smith of Crystal Dynamic Aquarium, and thank you both for your warnings against blocking the teeth - your posts will go in exhibits in my $20,000+ lawsuit against this criminal company that included theft.
No, I did not get PAR equipment yet. The rental thing seems weird to time and it's not available, I'll just be paying $500+ for one. You told me last week, how would I have got a PAR already? I'm sure 90% of people on here have never had their hands on one, so why you sounding like I "didn't even" do a Par meter yet. Neither maintenance guy I had ever suggested or had a PAR meter, so I'll get to it. Yes I raised the intensity as the night goes on, not to 95% and that's that, and not arbitrarily. it goes from 46% at 6pm, to 100% by 12am, before that it's 80% at 10pm. Obviously just having intensity at 30-50% the entire 10 hours was not enough, corals were dying. So I've bumped the slope up some. Especially based on you or others here even told me I'm not reaching the depths of this 50 inch tank. How was this increase arbitrary? How I previously had it set was arbitrary, but now based on corals not happy and you guys saying depth too deep, I've increased intensity.
Right now I'm laying on the couch and took a picture. See my finger? See that water level? It's still not good enough, but it's as good as it will get. Even now, the kessil lights shine through at me when the water waves go back and forth. Imagine 1 full inch lower water level than this, and lights just shining. Now at least after blocking the teeth 6+ months ago, the water level blocks 95% of the lights from being seen by us. It's a horrible situation. But homer has given me some kind of hope that piping adjustments can raise the water level? But that would just put the overflow box lid underwater and it would float around, so I don't think he understands or I'm not understanding his vision.
Even if an anemone or fish blocks the remaining teeth, then the water would continue to filter out above the blocked teeth / in between the lid of the overflow box (which I put bumpers on the bottom of the lid so the lid is elevated a little bit). Even when return pump is off, the sump/refugium does not overflow.
Sucks my first aquarium experience I went big with 300 gallon, and got scammed big-time by Trent Smith of Crystal Dynamic Aquarium. He literally ran off with my 10K coral budget in January and investigations uncovered they pushed me to give them 10K upfront, while aquarium was being made, so his girlfriend Zoya Popova could pay off her American Express lawsuit that had been filed against her for $19,000+. So disgusted with this entire experience.
I appreciate all your replies, especially bankruptcy and homer. Hoping to find a way to have maximum filtration and visibly appealing, but unless something is suggested, got to stick with visibly appealing, and hope that increasing wave flow so no gamma corners in aquarium or too little flow exist, washing frozen foods, changing rowaphos more often will be 3 things to lower my phosphates as triton lab results shocked me with
Empowering aquarists around the world since 2008. Click to view shared sea water analysis.
www.triton-lab.de
That's my results. Shocking to see my phosphates are not the 0.25ppm that maintenance guy kept saying they were. Very hopeful that doing those 3 things + consistent water changes will bring my phosphates down. I'm hoping they are only where they are because of tank crash last May, and never having a water change even until August, and even then 20-30 gallons , and even to to this day probably only about 300 gallons in water changes now. So I've had it with their junk test kits giving wrong results, and charging me $100 for water changes ($200 - $300 maintenance visits), and half the time flaking MIA no shows, so for 2 weeks I've been doing my own maintenance after being ripped off by lazy, so called maintenance professionals like Trenton Smith or his referral, Patrick Maynard. Anyone in so cal, beware of these guys and crystal dynamic aquarium.
Really hope doing those 4 things will prove my filtration is ok despite blocked teeth on overflow box. Will do another test with triton in a month. And ordered the Hanna checkers thanks to homer.
This has been a helpful thread for anyone reading, thanks for all that's contributed. We learned that:
1) test kits are junk, get digital or triton lab results
2) that a maroon clown will probably eventually kill off all the other clowns despite first months behavior otherwise
3) buying small clams is a fail. Get big 5 inch maxima
4) everyone rent a Par meter, few probably ever heard of one but sounds like it will help.
5) do not hire Trenton Smith of Crystal Dynamic Aquarium to make your tank or to do your maintenance. Just Google his name and company.
photos.app.goo.gl
