Fleece roller VS Skimmer

[KHH]

I am not aware of that function. All I've been able to change is how much of the fleece advances when it does advance. You very well may be able to schedule off/on with the Reef Beat App but I have just done it with my Apex.

That’s what I was talking about what does your schedule look like? I was just thinking a .5 roll once a day but maybe even that is to much.

 

[esquare]

Can you post a picture of this set up?

 

[CapeCoralDan]

I upgraded my tank from 63 gal to 150 gallon. I installed a Reefmat 1200 & Algae scrubber from day 1. I do have a decent bio load.
My P04 is 1.26 and N04 is 26. I have live rock in my sump with an air stone.
I do weekly water changes and it didn't move. Adding a skimmer, not sure what else to do.
Corals are happy but I know it can be better.

 

[KHH]

dang mad scientist! Respect!

 

[dschuffert]

That’s interesting. I’m curious what is turning off the reef mat do? It still has to pass through the filter roll? Am I missing something cause I never shut my reef off when I do anything.

It allows any nutrients to overflow out of the ReefMat rather than being captured in the floss and pulled out of the system. I am trying to let any residual food that may still be suspended during the feeding cycle return to the tank.

 

[esquare]

dang mad scientist! Respect!

LOL, I don't know about the scientist but definitely Mad

 

[KHH]

I upgraded my tank from 63 gal to 150 gallon. I installed a Reefmat 1200 & Algae scrubber from day 1. I do have a decent bio load.
My P04 is 1.26 and N04 is 26. I have live rock in my sump with an air stone.
I do weekly water changes and it didn't move. Adding a skimmer, not sure what else to do.
Corals are happy but I know it can be better.

How long have you been up and running?

 

[CapeCoralDan]

6 months.

 

[esquare]

It allows any nutrients to overflow out of the ReefMat rather than being captured in the floss and pulled out of the system. I am trying to let any residual food that may still be suspended during the feeding cycle return to the tank.

This is why I started turning it off. I had 0 po4 and 0 po3 so I started turning it off for an hour after feedings. Then I bumped it to 2 hours and now I have it off completely until I get my nutrients up. When that happens, I will play around with the on/off times until I dial in the numbers I am looking for.

 

[KHH]

I’m running mine 24/7 with a 9 No3 and .08 Po4 so I’m not that bad. My PH is all over the place which is why I want a CO2 scrubber the whole reason I’m starting the exploration.

I do like your idea of bring fresh air in for the scrubber but not sure I want to make a permanent change to my house for it.

 

[esquare]

I’m running mine 24/7 with a 9 No3 and .08 Po4 so I’m not that bad. My PH is all over the place which is why I want a CO2 scrubber the whole reason I’m starting the exploration.

I have fought the ph Battle many times with previous tanks. Dosing Kalkwasser at night helps and so does co2 scrubber/outside air plumbed to skimmer. Also, using Soda Ash for your alkalinity portion of 2 part.

 

[KHH]

I have fought the ph Battle many times with previous tanks. Dosing Kalkwasser at night helps and so does co2 scrubber/outside air plumbed to skimmer. Also, using Soda Ash for your alkalinity portion of 2 part.

I’m working on getting the parts for a calcium reactor hoping that will solve the issue but only time will tell.

 

[esquare]

I’m working on getting the parts for a calcium reactor hoping that will solve the issue but only time will tell.

I've never run a calcium reactor but, from what I've heard, they tend to lower ph rather than raise it because you're dosing co2 into it to break down the media. As I said though, I've never run one so I could be wrong.

 

[KHH]

I've never run a calcium reactor but, from what I've heard, they tend to lower ph rather than raise it because you're dosing co2 into it to break down the media. As I said though, I've never run one so I could be wrong.

That’s what I always thought but I’ve watched tons of videos that say that’s a common misconception. It actually raises your pH.

This is my first calcium reactor so I guess I’ll find out lol.

 

[esquare]

That’s what I always thought but I’ve watched tons of videos that say that’s a common misconception. It actually raises your pH.

Learn something new every day.

 

[Pod_01]

I’ve watched tons of videos that say that’s a common misconception. It actually raises your pH.

Do the videos explain how this is achieved since CO2 is used in the reactor?

The process seems to suggest it reduces the drop.
I am not sure it can raise the pH!!!

Curious….

 

[KHH]

My understanding is the CO2 is consumed by the media. Now to be clear I’ve been watching videos referencing a two chamber system (where I will run magnesium). Even with that I was lead to believe that it would actually raise the PH.

Now you have me questioning everything. Back to the research!

Ok upon revisiting my sources I’m a bone head who almost made a huge mistake. It’s the second chamber that fixes the issue. @Pod_01 THANK YOU for catching this before I gained the wrong knowledge and passed that along.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

If you can, I would run both and this is why. Every tank is different. Currently I am running 4 tanks all have skimmers and rollers. My SPS dom tank I haven’t run the roller in forever because I cannot put in nutrient’s fast enough. That is not the case with my other three tanks, it is just the opposite. I also like the availability of a roller so I can do maintenance, stir up some sand, scrape some algae and pull the junk out of the tank. The next build I am doing (frag tank) is going to have a diverter valve so I can choose roller or not. Tanks go through different stages in there life that will require different needs.
If you do decide to go with a roller, make sure you find one that runs a 200 micron fleece (bigger), there is no reason to run a 50 micron. I actually use a Aquamaxx RS-170 roller and use the RedSea rs250 fleece with it.

 

[KHH]

Great explanation! I like that diverter idea. I might have to experiment with putting something like that on mine once I get a skimmer.

 

[Pod_01]

My understanding is the CO2 is consumed by the media. Now to be clear I’ve been watching videos referencing a two chamber system (where I will run magnesium). Even with that I was lead to believe that it would actually raise the PH.

Now you have me questioning everything. Back to the research!

Ok upon revisiting my sources I’m a bone head who almost made a huge mistake. It’s the second chamber that fixes the issue. @Pod_01 THANK YOU for catching this before I gained the wrong knowledge and passed that along.

Interesting discussion on calcium reactor and pH here:

Thread 'New CaRx - Huge hit time system ph - Help?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-carx-huge-hit-time-system-ph-help.933405/


Hope the link works, so the quick notes. Based on my quick reading the idea is to increase the potency of the effluent so you dose less and reduce impact on the pH.

As to your original question, I prefer to run skimmer only (no roller, no socks etc…). In my opinion when you combine systems, none of them end up working well. Also from my experience with socks I found that my NO3 was always elevated 30-50 range, took them out and with skimmer I am in the 1-3 range.

If you want to combine, pick skimmer one size down.

Skimmer should be sized based on the fish load. Corals and especially fast growing healthy corals act as a natural filler. They remove things from water.
Also skimmers add oxygen to the reef tank water, fleece doesn’t.