GregT's RSM250

NJ Reefer

NJ Reefer

Active Member
PREMIUM
One other consideration Greg. If you shut down your pumps and skimmer when you feed like I do, you will need to set them on a timer also. I set mine up so that the pumps and skimmer shut down a few minutes before the food dropped, and turned back on about 15 minutes after. A bit of a pain since you will have to unplug everything from the main power strip and connect all through one timer, but it worked.
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
Thanks, I try not to shut down my pumps as I get bubbles in my hose to the sump - but I probably should put my skimmer on a timer :)
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
Went away for 2 weeks to Akaroa.
Two days before we left I heard a funny noise coming from the tank in the morning.
Got up to check and to my horror the display tank was overflowing!

Quickly turned off the return pump and the auto-topup, grabbed towels and mopped up before my wife got up! Luckily, it had failed not too earlier and 'only' dumped about 30 litres onto the carpet!

A bubble in the overflow was the cause due to me having dialled down the flow too much I think.
I couldn't find my instructions to restart the flow so gave up until I could devote time to it after my holiday.

Jury rigged a solution using my auto-topup to pump water from my sump to the DT, and moved the autodoser to above the tank and the hoses directly into the DT. This was going to increase the Ca and Alk and the salinity but I wasn't too concerned. Also with my skimmer in the sump I was going to see an increase in Nitrates.
Tested my water today before doing a water change and results were:
Ca 465
Alk 11.5
Salinity 1.028
Mg 1365
Nitrates 1.0

Just did a decent water change, removed my tank cover and fixed the overflow and increased the flow. Everything all back in its right location now and working fine.

One thing that I've considered is how lucky I was that my power cables are over the ground and have slack so the water cannot flow to the wall Power point.
I think I'll investigate a solution so the return pump cannot overfill the DT again.
 
D

Danreef

Well-Known Member
Hi Greg

A solution could be a float valve that shut-off the return pump. It can be in you display tank sending the signal when the water goes over a certain level or it can be in the sump shutting-off the return pump when the water goes under a certain level.

Cheers
Daniel
 
goma

goma

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
PREMIUM
On the Lifereef overflow, if you turn the flow down too much, you will get a bubble or two develop in the U-Tube. Once one develops, slowly over time more will develop until the flow stops all together. I had this exact same thing happen to me in the past. To ensure it doesn't happen again, I did two things, one was to turn up the flow and periodically take a look at the U-tube and make sure there are no bubbles in it. The second thing I did was install one of these in the rear chamber. If the water level in the DT gets too high, it shuts off the return pump.

http://autotopoff.com/products/ST1/
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
nanoreefing4fun said:
Glad you caught it when you did Greg - cheers for sharing - here hoping you sort !
Click to expand...

Danreef said:
Hi Greg

A solution could be a float valve that shut-off the return pump. It can be in you display tank sending the signal when the water goes over a certain level or it can be in the sump shutting-off the return pump when the water goes under a certain level.

Cheers
Daniel
Click to expand...
Thanks Daniel, Just trying to source a good one.
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
goma said:
On the Lifereef overflow, if you turn the flow down too much, you will get a bubble or two develop in the U-Tube. Once one develops, slowly over time more will develop until the flow stops all together. I had this exact same thing happen to me in the past. To ensure it doesn't happen again, I did two things, one was to turn up the flow and periodically take a look at the U-tube and make sure there are no bubbles in it. The second thing I did was install one of these in the rear chamber. If the water level in the DT gets too high, it shuts off the return pump.

http://autotopoff.com/products/ST1/
Click to expand...

Thanks GOMA,
Due to the increased flow I had an increase in water sound so I've added a diffuser to the return outlet and drilled this.
Really struggled with getting the siphon on the LifeReef pipe going until I inverted and filled it first, sealed the ends with cling wrap and rubber bands and reinserted. Jeff from LifeReef was a great help - and prompt.
I like the switch you sourced and will find one over this side of the world.

The Autofeeder I added worked great.
Cheers
Greg
 
Wrangy

Wrangy

Acropora Nut
RS STAFF
PREMIUM
GregT said:
Thanks mate,
Apart from tidying up the sump there's not much I can do. Softies seeding all over the place so throw a lot out every water change. I've been using NSW for my water changes for years but might give the Red Sea pro salt a go over the winter.
Click to expand...
Go blue bucket ;) a little cheaper and closer to natural levels but if you run the tank and coral pro levels ignore me completely haha the tank doesn't look like it needs anything at all :)
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
Thanks Cam. Would you like some?
I've just been trying to find your new RSM tank thread?? Is it the 'Adding Sand' one?
 
NJ Reefer

NJ Reefer

Active Member
PREMIUM
Greg, my hairy mushrooms are growing a little too rapidly and are taking over some zoas and threatening my duncan's. I removed one, but it very messy. How are you removing yours?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
NJ Reefer said:
Greg, my hairy mushrooms are growing a little too rapidly and are taking over some zoas and threatening my duncan's. I removed one, but it very messy. How are you removing yours?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Using rubber gloves and goggles, I pull a rock out of the tank and holding the rock over a bucket of tank water, the hairy mushrooms slowly stretch. I then use a sharp knife and prise, cut and scrape them away as closely as I can. Rinse the rock in the bucket then replace in the tank and grab the next rock. Using one of those kitchen flambé things I've also tried burning the mushrooms foot once I've done this.
It is a messy process, but you can't leave them otherwise they'll take over. I let the mushrooms grow on the rear wall now but anything on the main rockwork is now a target to remove. Done one island and need to do the remaining still. Good luck with yours.
Cheers
Greg
 
GregT

GregT

Active Member
I'm finding my sump return pump is pumping more flow into the DT than there is entering the sump sometimes. Wondering if this is a sign I have a bubble in the siphon hose or something else. There are no bubbles coming into the sump from the overflow hose and it's silent.
I'm pulling a wire from my ATO to ensure it doesn't overflow the DT ie I manually top up my sump with the ATO then shut the ATO down.

Other task for the week. Still have some hairy mushrooms on one Island I need to get rid of. They're creeping up some of my SPS.
EA0D2797-3E1F-4FE2-BE6F-2C2A1ABB37BE.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wrangy

Wrangy

Acropora Nut
RS STAFF
PREMIUM
Would be worth having a check of the plumbing just to make sure, hopefully you can figure it out :)

Tank is looking killer though mate! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top