Having some troubles with the parameters.

[AmberLynn97]

I’m surprised that trigger has not ate any fish or corals for lunch. IMM, not reef safe.

No corals to munch on. But he does pick on the snails every once in a blue moon. My dragon wrasse is the biggest bully. He flies the snails and hermits around and and clams on a half shell he’ll steal away from the humu. All of my fish I got out of the display tank at my job when they switched it to a bamboo shark tank. Plus everyone is fed regularly and hefty as well. I’ve gotten lucky with my fish. lol

 

[AmberLynn97]

Back on the parameter topic .
I would first grab a cheap refractometer from Amazon . It will cost roughly $20

next I would grab a bucket of salt ( your choice ) but be sure it’s close to the same parameters you want . The issue with io it’s good . Many use it but you will have to dose to maintain or achieve proper levels later .

rodi unit would be the next purchase .
and lastly . A higher quality test kit . I would recommend salifert as it’s affordable but accurate .
The only one you will need first would be nitrates and alkalinity .
you will rarely ever use a ammonia test kit again.
nitrites are not important in saltwater
Ph will fluctuate from day to night . ( I haven’t tested ph in almost 20 years . I don’t plan on starting either .
Salinity is by far your most important at this time .
frequent water changes will keep nitrates in a tolerable range .

do you have a skimmer ?

My salinity is a bit high right now but I need to top the water off. It’s at 1.028. I have a bucket of instant ocean I used to make my saltwater. But my store makes 100gal of saltwater(instant ocean) that goes up for sale. I might grab some of that so I don’t have to make it myself. At least until I can get a rodi unit that is.

I bought a protein skimmer for the tank but returned it the next day because of the tank I have. There is a lip all the way around the tank for the top to slide on so there is no way for the skimmer to sit on the tank. I was very upset about that when I found that out. I’d have to cut part of the lip off as well as a chunk of the lid off and I don’t think I have the right tools to do so. This line of tank fluval made wasn’t the most thought out in my opinion and I slightly regret getting it.

I did add a picture of the top of the tank so show the lips in talking about.

 

[Idech]

I bought a protein skimmer for the tank but returned it the next day because of the tank I have. There is a lip all the way around the tank for the top to slide on so there is no way for the skimmer to sit on the tank. I was very upset about that when I found that out. I’d have to cut part of the lip off as well as a chunk of the lid off and I don’t think I have the right tools to do so. This line of tank fluval made wasn’t the most thought out in my opinion and I slightly regret getting it.

Look at Tunze internal skimmers. I have the Tunze 9012 docline skimmer; it sits inside the tank, right below the brace. Next to it (on the right) is my Tunze filter.

 

[AmberLynn97]

Look at Tunze internal skimmers. I have the Tunze 9012 docline skimmer; it sits inside the tank, right below the brace. Next to it (on the right) is my Tunze filter.

Does it suction cup to the inside of the tank? There is a lip that the lid sits on inside of the tank so I can’t hang anything into the tank from the tank. The design for the fluval shaker wasn’t fully thought through.

 

[AmberLynn97]

Look at Tunze internal skimmers. I have the Tunze 9012 docline skimmer; it sits inside the tank, right below the brace. Next to it (on the right) is my Tunze filter.

Also beautiful tank!

 

[Rmckoy]

My salinity is a bit high right now but I need to top the water off. It’s at 1.028. I have a bucket of instant ocean I used to make my saltwater. But my store makes 100gal of saltwater(instant ocean) that goes up for sale. I might grab some of that so I don’t have to make it myself. At least until I can get a rodi unit that is.

I bought a protein skimmer for the tank but returned it the next day because of the tank I have. There is a lip all the way around the tank for the top to slide on so there is no way for the skimmer to sit on the tank. I was very upset about that when I found that out. I’d have to cut part of the lip off as well as a chunk of the lid off and I don’t think I have the right tools to do so. This line of tank fluval made wasn’t the most thought out in my opinion and I slightly regret getting it.

I did add a picture of the top of the tank so show the lips in talking about.

There is always a way to make
Anything work ….
perhaps a different model
Skimmer ?
you don’t have a sump and use a canister filter ? Sorry trying to remember without scrolling all the way to the top .

 

[Rmckoy]

My salinity is a bit high right now but I need to top the water off. It’s at 1.028. I have a bucket of instant ocean I used to make my saltwater. But my store makes 100gal of saltwater(instant ocean) that goes up for sale. I might grab some of that so I don’t have to make it myself. At least until I can get a rodi unit that is.

I bought a protein skimmer for the tank but returned it the next day because of the tank I have. There is a lip all the way around the tank for the top to slide on so there is no way for the skimmer to sit on the tank. I was very upset about that when I found that out. I’d have to cut part of the lip off as well as a chunk of the lid off and I don’t think I have the right tools to do so. This line of tank fluval made wasn’t the most thought out in my opinion and I slightly regret getting it.

I did add a picture of the top of the tank so show the lips in talking about.

I couldn’t imagine lugging buckets of water from the lfs
Imagine a water change for a 230 gal and having to carry every bucket ?

 

[Idech]

Does it suction cup to the inside of the tank? There is a lip that the lid sits on inside of the tank so I can’t hang anything into the tank from the tank. The design for the fluval shaker wasn’t fully thought through.

It uses two very powerful magnets on the wet side, and 2 more on the dry side. In my tank I needed 2 extra ones (you can buy them separately). Go on Youtube and check for unboxing and setting up videos.

Also beautiful tank!

Thank you !

 

[AmberLynn97]

There is always a way to make
Anything work ….
perhaps a different model
Skimmer ?
you don’t have a sump and use a canister filter ? Sorry trying to remember without scrolling all the way to the top .

I’m looking into the Tunze submersible skimmer. Seeing if that will work. And by the looks of it, I think it just might.

yeah I have a canister filter. The Shaker comes with the tank(which is predrilled), the stand, the lighting system, the canister filter(a Fluval 407), and the heater. I had gotten an air pump and a Fluval wave maker. I believe I have the CP3 because I was mainly looking to keep the surface moving. At one point I thought I have any an issue with oxygen but I know now I don’t.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m looking into the Tunze submersible skimmer. Seeing if that will work. And by the looks of it, I think it just might.

yeah I have a canister filter. The Shaker comes with the tank(which is predrilled), the stand, the lighting system, the canister filter(a Fluval 407), and the heater. I had gotten an air pump and a Fluval wave maker. I believe I have the CP3 because I was mainly looking to keep the surface moving. At one point I thought I have any an issue with oxygen but I know now I don’t.

With it being pre drilled there is a option to add a sump for filtration instead of the canister ?
That could essentially be a great place for a skimmer , and to hide other items such as the heater .
This could open many other options including more volume for stability .

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m looking into the Tunze submersible skimmer. Seeing if that will work. And by the looks of it, I think it just might.

yeah I have a canister filter. The Shaker comes with the tank(which is predrilled), the stand, the lighting system, the canister filter(a Fluval 407), and the heater. I had gotten an air pump and a Fluval wave maker. I believe I have the CP3 because I was mainly looking to keep the surface moving. At one point I thought I have any an issue with oxygen but I know now I don’t.

May I ask what the air pump is for ?Adding a skimmer will also help with oxygenating the system .

 

[AmberLynn97]

With it being pre drilled there is a option to add a sump for filtration instead of the canister ?
That could essentially be a great place for a skimmer , and to hide other items such as the heater .
This could open many other options including more volume for stability .

May I ask what the air pump is for ?Adding a skimmer will also help with oxygenating the system .

That is a possibility but it would be a very small sump due to the small space underneath the tank unless I take the shelves out of the middle of it and bust a wall out. But would leave the sump out in the open… ya know… The more information I’m giving the more I’m starting to think I was set up to fail from the start. I’m thinking this tank was probably designed more for fresh water than it was for marine.

When I decided to get the air stone is when all of my fish were breathing heavily. Probably close to a month ago. I thought maybe the wave maker wasn’t breaking enough surface tension. I know an air stone doesn’t add oxygen to the game itself but it breaks the surface to allow more oxygen to get into the water.

 

[Rmckoy]

That is a possibility but it would be a very small sump due to the small space underneath the tank unless I take the shelves out of the middle of it and bust a wall out. But would leave the sump out in the open… ya know… The more information I’m giving the more I’m starting to think I was set up to fail from the start. I’m thinking this tank was probably designed more for fresh water than it was for marine.

When I decided to get the air stone is when all of my fish were breathing heavily. Probably close to a month ago. I thought maybe the wave maker wasn’t breaking enough surface tension. I know an air stone doesn’t add oxygen to the game itself but it breaks the surface to allow more oxygen to get into the water.

By breaking the surface it will provide sufficient oxygenation . A canister being a closed system , no air inside . You would need the return Into the tank to be at the surface to break the surface of the water .
I believe any system can be used for either fresh or salt . But some might be easier to maintain .
With yours equipped with a drilled hole
For a overflow it would be beneficial even if it was a small sump . A small skimmer and return pump is all that’s needed For space in the sump

 

[quentin17110]

Look at Tunze internal skimmers. I have the Tunze 9012 docline skimmer; it sits inside the tank, right below the brace. Next to it (on the right) is my Tunze filter.

Hello, just a quick question, does the Tunze 9012 produce micro bubbles in your tank ? Thank you in advance

 

[Idech]

Hello, just a quick question, does the Tunze 9012 produce micro bubbles in your tank ? Thank you in advance

Not when it’s set up properly. I had trouble with it making micro bubbles in the beginning but after a few months it stopped.

It also did it for a few days after my last big annual clean-up.

 

[quentin17110]

Not when it’s set up properly. I had trouble with it making micro bubbles in the beginning but after a few months it stopped.

It also did it for a few days after my last big annual clean-up.

Thank you for your answer