Hello from pacific palisades!

[Peter Hall]

First time saltwater here. Picked up this tank for cheap off craigslist a few months ago. Im having fun sorting through its problems and what not. I'm battling high nitrates right now.

Peter

 

[Peter Hall]

 

[Untico]

Go to bulk reef supply and get a phosphate reactor. It will make things much easier


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[LAreefguy]

Looks nice! Welcome to scr, yea a reactor will Deff bring down your nitrate. But there are Deff reason they are high. Over feeding? To many fish. Sometimes fixing the problem is best goodluck!

 

[Peter Hall]

One step ahead of ya guys, got a reactor running for the past two weeks. phosphates have gone down but nitrates are still high. I may need a new test kit since im using the api one that came with the tank

 

[SanClementeEric]

First off, welcome. Secondly, love your town and thirdly, and I could be wrong, but I think there might be a problem with how your sump is set up. The way I think it should go is from the tank to where your skimmer is, then the refuge and then to the return area back to the tank. I can't see how it all is but it looks like some sections might need to be swapped...

 

[Wankel]

I agree with Eric, looking at it the way it is now, drain should be on the right, skimmer middle, return left.

 

[Peter Hall]

your guys reasoning? I thought skim dirty water and I am able to control flow to the fuge

 

[SanClementeEric]

Well I can't see the plumbing details but skimming dirty water as your first step sounds right to me but it looks like the skimmer just before your return pump. I've always heard don't skim just before the return. Can you explain the water flow into, through and out of your sump?

 

[Peter Hall]

Overflow drains into skimmer on left, flows through bubble trap to return in middle, then return which T's off to display then fuge

 

[Wankel]

Interesting, never thought of it that way, my drain is my fuge, no extra flow needed, then skimmer/bubble trap/return.

 

[SanClementeEric]

Okay. I guess that works. The bubble trap huh... Can you adjust the skimmer so there are not so many bubbles that escape it? I'm no expert, just conjecturing...

 

[Jhuneke]

Welcome! Been following along, and have a question for you.. Doesn't splitting your return that way drop your head pressure in your pump.. And cut down on your turnover rate to the display? Maybe t-ing off your drain( skimmer and fuge) then your return will be full pressure. Just thinking out loud, curious how it works for you

 

[Peter Hall]

Actually my protein skimmer has no bubbles escaping it. Its the drain the makes a huge amount of bubbles, which I need to figure out how to lessen.

And I havent had an issue with less pressure/turnover rate. Even with the T theres still a ton of flow going through the entire system. The two hydor 750 on either side def help with that.

Quick questions
What color should skimmate be? I've been playing with it and have it so its a light tea color. (skimming wet?)

What does the beginnings of coralline look like? I have small hard green growths that are starting on the arylic.

 

[Fly5150]

I think your sump setup is fine.


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[Jhuneke]

The algae your seeing is probably green coralline .. I have a bit as well. Same as purple aside from color the bubbles from your drain can be eliminated by using a filter sock on the drain . You just need to change it out as it gets clogged. Installing a durso standpipe ( if you haven't) will help to, as well as quieting your drain.
Regarding skimmate.. Mine varies from tea colored to a greenish tea.. Lol but I skim wet as well

 

[Peter Hall]

I could try a filter sock. I took out all the sponges and filters because I want a system where I dont have to clean that many things and I was cleaning them every few days. Right now I get out a lot of crap once a week with water changes and the water seems clear enough during the week