Looks great !
Here a bump... to your skimmer questions above...
Here a bump... to your skimmer questions above...
Phil's new RSM 500
- Thread starter phf
- Start date
legazya
Member
Looks very good, maybe a bit excess of LR, indeed, but it depends on what kind of tank you are going to keep. I can't be of much help with the skimmer issue because of my own problems with it. Anyway, things are going better if you keep controlled the water level in the sump, and also, if don't place the filter sock until you get satisfied with the skimmer production. What about the chiller, is it really silent?
Choff
Well-Known Member
Hope someone can answer my previous post.
Now at last I have completed my assembly of LR and here is the scenary :
I am rather happy with it though I thought the result would be visually lighter. But all in all that's 70 kg of rocks. I bought too many I am afraid (there are another 10 kg are in the sump !).
More photo available if you like it.
Dude! That looks awesome. You clearly did a a much better job at trying to copy that pict that I did.
Damn my parents for not passing me a single artistic gene.
RedSeaKev
RS Sponsor
Hi Phil, a couple of answers here for you, any skimmer pump mixing air and water does not run silently so to an extent this is normal, fine adjustment however ill help, water exiting the skimmer all the time normal and nothing to worry about.
OK, adjusting the C skim, open the air and water outlet valve fully, then open the red handled water feed valve until you have an Air & Water mix showing 50% of the viewing window in the skimmer cup, I would leave this adjustment then for 24 to 48 hours when the skimmer will start to settle down, you can then adjust the water flow again to suit.
Dude! That looks awesome. You clearly did a a much better job at trying to copy that pict that I did.
Sorry for not answering sooner. Thanks a lot for your nice comments ! I decided to revamp my islands to get more open spaces as you recommend. Not an easy task, I really have difficulties to put together my rocks in a vertical way rather than horizontal because they are not stable ! I should do this over the week-end and shall of course let you see the final result.
Thanks for your message. Fully agree on the thermometer position !
No bare bottom but I'm waiting for the rocks' sediments to settle and plan to use Caribsea special grade reef or super reef sand. Any experience/comment with this sands ? For RSM500 owners, how many lbs/kg have you used ?
Big thanks for your help. Actually it is getting better. I am still fighting since basically I don't succeed in getting dry foam but only wet foam/water or nothing. But I keep trying !
Dow you have a picture of this ?? I too was totally confused about this pipe as it isn't shown in the videos. I have mine connected but it goes to the left of the skimmer and dumps the water there. So I guess I have it totally wrong. Maybe that's why I can't get get the skimmer dialed in well. So it is supposed to go high over the right side of the skimmer (as you face it) to the back?
Red seas instructions are seriously lacking in some areas. How hard would it be for them to include and extra sheet of paper with the new pipe showing how it is to be connected?
See below (as mentionned in page 3 of this thread) :
If it is not clear to you, I can take another photo. I have changed the position of the black sponges at the back of the sump (downpipes) so that the pipe end lays on it, otherwise, the pipe lays on the separation between the back and front chambers and vibrates. I fully agree that RedSea should update (at least online) their documentation.
If it is not clear to you, I can take another photo. I have changed the position of the black sponges at the back of the sump (downpipes) so that the pipe end lays on it, otherwise, the pipe lays on the separation between the back and front chambers and vibrates. I fully agree that RedSea should update (at least online) their documentation.
See below (as mentionned in page 3 of this thread) :
If it is not clear to you, I can take another photo. I have changed the position of the black sponges at the back of the sump (downpipes) so that the pipe end lays on it, otherwise, the pipe lays on the separation between the back and front chambers and vibrates. I fully agree that RedSea should update (at least online) their documentation.
Thank you! I had mine on the other side. Do you think this lead to any build up of film or anything bad on the internals of the main chamber? I think the way I had it was leading to massive restrictions in the out flowing water because the pipe was on an uphill run for the exiting water.
I changed it and now it is quiter and the bubble pattern in the window is much different. Getting very small bubbles now with lots of over foam if I put it on the settings I had previously.
So I have the air valve full open, and closed down the feed water value (the red handle) to about 50% open. Any other adjustments just produce massive amounts of foam. This has the foam mixture about 1/2 way up the window. Guess going to leave it here for a while and see what happens.
Choff
Well-Known Member
Phil, are you going to lock your rocks in place or just leave them stacked? Looking forward to seeing the changes, but I really liked what you had. I lived with my design for 2 weeks and then made my tweaks to the left island the other night and locked it in with reef putty. Doing the same this weekend with the right side.
I agree more sand does look good (once I learn to keep it white) and some things do like to be on the seabed. If I were to comment, I would say leave the left island as is and just thin out the right one. More space all the way around it. I am reworking my right island. I like my space up front and between the left island, but I have no space in back. I want fish to be able to swim around it. My problem is all my rocks are too big. I am going to just break them so I can shape things better. I am fortunate that I have a ton of extra rock so if I have plenty of room for error when I get to smashing...err splitting.
I agree more sand does look good (once I learn to keep it white) and some things do like to be on the seabed. If I were to comment, I would say leave the left island as is and just thin out the right one. More space all the way around it. I am reworking my right island. I like my space up front and between the left island, but I have no space in back. I want fish to be able to swim around it. My problem is all my rocks are too big. I am going to just break them so I can shape things better. I am fortunate that I have a ton of extra rock so if I have plenty of room for error when I get to smashing...err splitting.
Hi everyone,
Here are some long overdue photos from my tank. It is now stocked and running well. I'm planning to add a few more fishes (hopefully a flame angel and 5/6 green dottyback). I am still wondering whether I should get an anemona for my tomato clown fishes. More corals should come also. Slow but sure.
I have a few hitchhikers in my tank. One is, I am afraid, an aptaisia. The other 2 I don't know : maybe you can tell me ?
I still have to spend more time than I thought I would have to in cleaning the tank. The back and glass walls are getting "dirty" quicly to my point of view. The sand is also loosing its whiteness quickly as well and I am not sure of how to clean it : are you just stirring the sand from time to time ? are you using a "vacuum cleaner" ? other way ?
WC is about 5% per week, quickly done thanks to an additionnal pump located in my sump connected to the power center. On my saltwater side, a another pump is in the main bucket where the water is prepared and remotely started from my tank. Water adjustment is therefore really easy.
Sorry, the quality of the photos is not very good.
General view
Closer view right side
Closer view left side
Side view, right
Side view, left
Aptaisia, right ?
What's this ?
What's that ?
Here are some long overdue photos from my tank. It is now stocked and running well. I'm planning to add a few more fishes (hopefully a flame angel and 5/6 green dottyback). I am still wondering whether I should get an anemona for my tomato clown fishes. More corals should come also. Slow but sure.
I have a few hitchhikers in my tank. One is, I am afraid, an aptaisia. The other 2 I don't know : maybe you can tell me ?
I still have to spend more time than I thought I would have to in cleaning the tank. The back and glass walls are getting "dirty" quicly to my point of view. The sand is also loosing its whiteness quickly as well and I am not sure of how to clean it : are you just stirring the sand from time to time ? are you using a "vacuum cleaner" ? other way ?
WC is about 5% per week, quickly done thanks to an additionnal pump located in my sump connected to the power center. On my saltwater side, a another pump is in the main bucket where the water is prepared and remotely started from my tank. Water adjustment is therefore really easy.
Sorry, the quality of the photos is not very good.
General view
Closer view right side
Closer view left side
Side view, right
Side view, left
Aptaisia, right ?
What's this ?
What's that ?
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Thanks looking great!
I clean the 3 sides using a "flipper" brand of magnet and scraper. For the back wall i use a Tetra stick. This makes very light work of cleaning the back wall. I also clean the pump nozzles and water input covers every few weeks by dipping in acetic acid (3 or 4 spoons of crystals in a bucket of water). This routine keeps the glass and tank spotless.
I used to syphon the sand bed weekly, to keep the substrate clean. Then bought an orange spotted goby who works like a trojan sifting the substrate for food and now it remains spotlessly clean. He is an incredibly hard worker and my favourite fish. If you get one of these little fish, make sure you feed sinking pellets so he doesn't starve. Mine goes crazy when i add them at feeding time. He seems to clean the substrate 24/7.
I personally do a 20% weekly water change and run purigen and seagel in the media tray. This has kept my nitrates consistently down to 0 (with just carbon my nitrates were 20)
Hope this helps.
My weekly water change and tank cleaning routine takes about an hour a week at most.
I clean the 3 sides using a "flipper" brand of magnet and scraper. For the back wall i use a Tetra stick. This makes very light work of cleaning the back wall. I also clean the pump nozzles and water input covers every few weeks by dipping in acetic acid (3 or 4 spoons of crystals in a bucket of water). This routine keeps the glass and tank spotless.
I used to syphon the sand bed weekly, to keep the substrate clean. Then bought an orange spotted goby who works like a trojan sifting the substrate for food and now it remains spotlessly clean. He is an incredibly hard worker and my favourite fish. If you get one of these little fish, make sure you feed sinking pellets so he doesn't starve. Mine goes crazy when i add them at feeding time. He seems to clean the substrate 24/7.
I personally do a 20% weekly water change and run purigen and seagel in the media tray. This has kept my nitrates consistently down to 0 (with just carbon my nitrates were 20)
Hope this helps.
My weekly water change and tank cleaning routine takes about an hour a week at most.
How big is your CUC? I don't get near as much buildup on the back wall as you. Are you running some GFO? Sorry I haven't read your whole tank thread so if it is in there I haven't seen it.
I have 150 snails and run GFO in a posban reactor - the back wall stays pretty clean. I have never scraped it in the three months I have had the tank running. I just use a mag float to clean the glass every couple of days
I have 150 snails and run GFO in a posban reactor - the back wall stays pretty clean. I have never scraped it in the three months I have had the tank running. I just use a mag float to clean the glass every couple of days
David, Sailagain, thanks a lot !
David, so you moved from Matrixcarbon to Seagel ? I use he same tools as you do but don't siphon the sand, just stirr it. I will look into getting a goby since I don't have one. Is there any other than the Orange spotted goby in this family that is also efficient in cleaning the sand (not sure to find an orange type soon).
Sailagain, waouh, so many snails you have ! I barely have 5 or 6, plus 10/12 hermits. That may be an excellent explanation to my difficulties.
My level of phosphate is low though at 0.1 ppm. How low is yours ?
David, so you moved from Matrixcarbon to Seagel ? I use he same tools as you do but don't siphon the sand, just stirr it. I will look into getting a goby since I don't have one. Is there any other than the Orange spotted goby in this family that is also efficient in cleaning the sand (not sure to find an orange type soon).
Sailagain, waouh, so many snails you have ! I barely have 5 or 6, plus 10/12 hermits. That may be an excellent explanation to my difficulties.
My level of phosphate is low though at 0.1 ppm. How low is yours ?