Bored? How about Mentoring a Newbie?

[Scott Christenson]

I have a 75

I use the BRS 150GPD 5 stage water saver and I have been very happy with it over the past year. I do need to use a booster due to my water pressure.

Does it have the TDS meters?

 

[W1ngz]

Like others, I'm not gonna distract from the one-to-one relationship going on here, but I see a bunch of palys in the tank. A little lesson on palytoxin might be needed especially if they are going to be removed and disposed of to make room for SPS eventually.

 

[Scott Christenson]

Like others, I'm not gonna distract from the one-to-one relationship going on here, but I see a bunch of palys in the tank. A little lesson on palytoxin might be needed especially if they are going to be removed and disposed of to make room for SPS eventually.

Can you please educate me on this?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Does it have the TDS meters?

It does for both pre and post di

 

[W1ngz]

Can you please educate me on this?

I'm gonna stay out of the way at let @Ohashimz keep the lead in here.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

OK, so my plan is:
Get RODI installed ASAP
Remove rock and junk from sump
Figure out how to increase water volume in sump, no idea at this point
Replace phosphate remover in Reactor with carbon
Figure out why Skimmer is wet, no idea at this point
Ask mentor how he cleans his socks
Will not add any additional fish

Open your skimmer all the way up and let it be for a couple hours and see if it still skims wet. If so it's likely a water level issue. If it stops skimming then you just need to tune it. Biggest mistake I made when starting was always messing with the skimmer. Make tiny adjustments over long periods of time.

Personally I got tired of socks. I switched out my socks for the red sea cups. I bought three sheets of different sized foam. Coarse, medium and fine. I cut the sheets to fit the cups and layered them in the cup. I find this so much easier for maintenance

 

[Scott Christenson]

Open your skimmer all the way up and let it be for a couple hours and see if it still skims wet. If so it's likely a water level issue. If it stops skimming then you just need to tune it. Biggest mistake I made when starting was always messing with the skimmer. Make tiny adjustments over long periods of time.

Personally I got tired of socks. I switched out my socks for the red sea cups. I bought three sheets of different sized foam. Coarse, medium and fine. I cut the sheets to fit the cups and layered them in the cup. I find this so much easier for maintenance

I just did a quick search for those. Do they sell them in the rectangular shape.

 

[Scott Christenson]

Open your skimmer all the way up and let it be for a couple hours and see if it still skims wet. If so it's likely a water level issue. If it stops skimming then you just need to tune it. Biggest mistake I made when starting was always messing with the skimmer. Make tiny adjustments over long periods of time.

Personally I got tired of socks. I switched out my socks for the red sea cups. I bought three sheets of different sized foam. Coarse, medium and fine. I cut the sheets to fit the cups and layered them in the cup. I find this so much easier for maintenance

On the skimmer, when you say "Open your skimmer all the way up", you mean introduce as much air as possible?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

On the skimmer, when you say "Open your skimmer all the way up", you mean introduce as much air as possible?

There should be some sort of knob or valve that adjusts water flow out of the skimmer. If you open that all the way that means the water within the skimmer is lower

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I just did a quick search for those. Do they sell them in the rectangular shape.

Probably not red sea in particular but there are others that 3d print cups. Not sure that anyone makes a square one

 

[99Problems]

This is pretty cool to see the interaction.

Rodi system wise. I used spectra in the past, but went aquatic life 4 stage this time. Its less expensive up front and you can add on as you need to. I'm out $150 including shutoff and dual tds. I can add another membrane later if I choose. It might be up your alley, but I'd listen to your mentor. I'm out

 

[Neoalchemist]

While you reading let me share with you some thoughts.
Your data do not make alot of sense to me when it comes to the zero po4 no3.
You moved a 5 years old system
Used rocks that should be saturated with nutrients yet you did not clean it.
Your used the same sand, stirred it, did not rinse and put it in your system
You have massive bio load for your water volume which means lots of feeding
Your water change is 10g only so nothing crazy to justify reduction in po4 no3 that much...

All that,yet withen 3 months you went through a cycle and your nutrient levels are zero. You do not have cyano, gha or distoms...its hard to think 3 months is enough for the system to recover from all its nutrients.

Are you sure your testing is correct? Your kits are accurate? How much do you feed? What's your husband's like? Do you do anything during water change other than water change itself?

Yes we need to correct your parameters but this actually is not a big deal and can be done in a week or 2, but what I mentioned above is worrying me more. If we have high nutrients but we are unaware we will get results that are unexpected..

Either your test is wrong

Or indeed your levels are so low which might mean you are still in the cycle

Or previous owner used carbon dosing that is still in your system.

Any of these points ring a bell?

That skimmer is greatly overpowered for that system. I recently recently removed the same skimmer from my 90 gallon system because it was too aggressive.

 

[road_runner]

Ohashimz - Can you please pick out the RODI system that I should use? Don't worry about $$. Whatever you think is best for my situation. Because I cannot connect it to the ATO do you advice that I get a large drum to sit next to it to store the water? My current RO system in the basement has a 10 gallon holding tank which runs a line upstairs in which I can then fill 5 gallon buckets, and that works great. I could see if I can buy that from Culligan.

No worries I will send you some options soon.

 

[Scott Christenson]

That skimmer is greatly overpowered for that system. I recently recently removed the same skimmer from my 90 gallon system because it was too aggressive.

Ohashimz, how do you feel about Neoalchemist's comment?

 

[road_runner]

..

 

[Scott Christenson]

What if I only ran my skimmer for 12 hours or less?

 

[road_runner]

..

 

[road_runner]

What if I only ran my skimmer for 12 hours or less?

Do not panic. Just send me picturea if how the foam look like now.
Then dial down the knobe all the way down where you see the water level inside skimmer do not go any lower, let it run for 20min then take another pic and send me.

 

[LuizW13]

I have the BRS 5 stage, I like it a lot- been thinking about getting the water saver kit added to it.

 

[road_runner]

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