Interesting... You may have just saved me $500. I've been running an ATO for a long time (Tunze) as I know that a consistent water level is imperative for a skimmer to work properly.
I just don't find that the stock skimmer works that well. Even adjusted aggressively. Plus it's a nightmare...
Yeah, I looked their first. Discontinued....
http://www.marinedepot.com/Deltec_Internal_Protein_Skimmer_MC500_In_Sump_Venturi_Needle_Wheel_Protein_Skimmers-Deltec-DD1513-FIPSISNW-vi.html
I did luck out and found a red sea parts distributor about 15 mins from office. Walked in and bought a...
I'd love to buy one. There don't appear to be any distributors in the US though. This skimmer is really hard to find...
When you click on Deltec's list of the US suppliers, you get this:
http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/deltec-authorised-dealer-list-america
My skimmer pump, has died again. Sigh...
I looked at old posts and they recommended the Deltec model. Apparently that is discontinued and no longer available.
I guess I could get a new pump, but I don't love the design on this skimmer and it really doesn't do that good of a job in my...
I've got some paly's that are running wild in my tank and are starting to grow into other colonies and choke them out.
I've tried aptaisa X, but there's always a little collateral damage as it's hard to be precise with it.
Any other ideas?
I had a nice green cluster that looked great for a about a year. Not it has all recessed back into skeleton. It's still alive, but hasn't been out in a month or two. Nothing has changed, so I have no idea why it's failing. I did move it to the sand bed from up in the rocks to see if that...
You can see some light passing through into the display tank but it's not that noticeable. Which I'm kind of surprised as the media basket is blacked out on the display tank side.
These little halogen lights are pretty darn bright.
Oddly enough, I didn't see a single pod in there...
Got my lights in and it's all up and running. Pretty cool so far. I'm running chaeto in the bottom two shelves and using the pump 2 foam filter in the top shelf for mechanical filtration. Which also doubles to keep the chaeto out of pump 1.
20140818_170043 by deputydog95, on Flickr
That stuff looks perfect. It will catch large chunks but let micro debris through.
Honestly, I think it's just AC air handler filter material. This can probably be purchased at home depot and cut into appropriate sizes.
Yeah, I saw that. Not sure if it applies to me.
I am running a very slow return pump in pump chamber 1 and I use ectotechs for water movement in the main tank. So I may not get nearly as much chaeto pull through as people with stock pumps.
Or.... I could slice up the pump 2 foam and...
Interesting. Good to know. I'll have to come up with a solution. Maybe I'll slice an inch of the black sponge off and use that as a barrier.
That being said, I have a much slower pump in the pump 1 compartment. The stock pump is total overkill. I forget the turnover rate, but it was...
Same here. I use the Tunze. It's awesome. I have a 7 gallon res in the stand. Lasts about 2 weeks. Keeps the skimmer chugging along nicely since it maintains sump water levels.
Almost there. All I need are lights. Took the foam block out of the pump 1 area. Took the pump 2 foam block and put it on the bottom. Put chaeto in the top two chambers. So in theory the water should be filtered of heavy particles before the fuge, and pods etc should be able to free flow...