Nevs
New Member
I'm new to the whole SW fish keeping thing. I recently moved and tore down my old planted FW tank, and decided that it was time to move on to some salt water stuff, and my girlfriend likes the fish more anyway. I am slowly re-starting my 37 gallon tank gallon tank. I was running a low light, co2 injected planted with liberal dosing of fertilizers.
Any way, I know That I would prefer to have a larger tank, however it's prohibitive in our third floor apartment. I was able to find a great deal on some used stuff on Craigslist. I know I want to run a sump, however I don't have the means to drill the tank at the time, and will be running dual siphon overflows. Anyway, I was able to get a used Eshopps 30 gallon sump tank, already plumbed and drilled, a "Del Rey" HOB Protein skimmer - a pump, and a return pump, and 25 pounds of cured live rock.
I had to pull the bulkhead for the return line for the external pump because PVC had broken off inside, not a problem, a new bulk and a little plumbing and that will be in business.
I went with a 1 inch or so bed of live sand and some dry caribsea dry sand to fill in some patches that were a little low around my LR.
The issue that I am actually currently having is the protein skimmer. Because it didn't have a pump I went and purchased one, albeit a relatively cheap one. I had to get some new flexible hosing for the skimmer to the in tank pump, works like a charm, somewhere in the 600 gph rang, but I don't think it is quite that high. However when I hook up the air hose to the pump it fills with water and pumps water also, I am assuming because the water line has too much resistance and is backing up the water, preventing the impeller from being able to create air bubbles for the skimmer. This is 3/4 flexible tubing, and fits the skimmer, and output of the pump as it should. I have tried running an air pump connected to the other end of the airline, to try to prevent water from entering the air hose, however that was not enough, and it still filled with water.
Has anyone experienced this issue before/How do I go about resolving this issue?
Any way, I know That I would prefer to have a larger tank, however it's prohibitive in our third floor apartment. I was able to find a great deal on some used stuff on Craigslist. I know I want to run a sump, however I don't have the means to drill the tank at the time, and will be running dual siphon overflows. Anyway, I was able to get a used Eshopps 30 gallon sump tank, already plumbed and drilled, a "Del Rey" HOB Protein skimmer - a pump, and a return pump, and 25 pounds of cured live rock.
I had to pull the bulkhead for the return line for the external pump because PVC had broken off inside, not a problem, a new bulk and a little plumbing and that will be in business.
I went with a 1 inch or so bed of live sand and some dry caribsea dry sand to fill in some patches that were a little low around my LR.
The issue that I am actually currently having is the protein skimmer. Because it didn't have a pump I went and purchased one, albeit a relatively cheap one. I had to get some new flexible hosing for the skimmer to the in tank pump, works like a charm, somewhere in the 600 gph rang, but I don't think it is quite that high. However when I hook up the air hose to the pump it fills with water and pumps water also, I am assuming because the water line has too much resistance and is backing up the water, preventing the impeller from being able to create air bubbles for the skimmer. This is 3/4 flexible tubing, and fits the skimmer, and output of the pump as it should. I have tried running an air pump connected to the other end of the airline, to try to prevent water from entering the air hose, however that was not enough, and it still filled with water.
Has anyone experienced this issue before/How do I go about resolving this issue?
