finally got my 55 gal up!!

[Hondachico]

It was an auction on eBay lol

 

[Reefpete]

Any way you could return it and get one that fits in the sump?

Yeah that's a better idea would look better tucked away

 

[Hondachico]

Yea but can't. W.e I'll see what to do with it

 

[Flreefer]

It was an auction on eBay lol

Bummer. Maybe re-auction it. I think you'd be happier with it underneath. I got tired of looking at my HOB skimmer, before I had a sump.

 

[Hondachico]

Im getting a custom canopy so i think that should do the trick if not ill re sell it

 

[Hondachico]

I have a question for you guys, do any of you guys have a UV sterilizer?

 

[Flreefer]

Hey Honda, I have never used one, mainly because I've always had a reef and heard that they really weren't good to use on one. Don't know if that's true or not though.
First ever aquarium 8 years ago was my 135 tall, never even had a freshwater tank, and I went reef right off the bat. I just thought that a UV sterilizer would strip beneficial stuff out of the water, having corals.
I think with fish-only systems that it would be beneficial though.
I'd like to see what the consensus is on this topic.

 

[Hondachico]

Oh ok i see, i was asking just to see what it is and if it would benefit or not so i guess not lol, i may be bothering too much but i have a ro system that my parents bought for the house and i wantec to know if i can use it to make water for aqaurium.

 

[Flreefer]

Without the deionization unit on it (RO/DI), it may still have some TDS. You could probably add a DI unit to it though, it will give you purer water.

 

[Hondachico]

Oh Ok i see well I'm going to take a pic of it to see what it actually has and if it's just the DI part I will buy that an just add it, also it has to be next to a sink right?

 

[Flreefer]

It doesn't necessarily need to be by a sink, but you need a water feed line and a drain line, so near a sink works well.

 

[Reefpete]

0PPM Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis RO+DI Filtration | eBay

60 something bucks i bought it and works like a champ..i know some people like to have the clear cases but for the money cant go wrong...i have never had a problem with it and its a steal

 

[Hondachico]

Thanks man that looks like I might buy it, not worth risking it with the other one. Also how can u measure that the water has 0 ppm to make sure all the filters work right.

 

[Reefpete]

Thanks man that looks like I might buy it, not worth risking it with the other one. Also how can u measure that the water has 0 ppm to make sure all the filters work right.

when you use a refractometer it will read O ppm and then you can calibrate your meter with that water also

 

[spoonman]

Refractometer measures salinity not TDS. You need a TDS meter

 

[Reefpete]

Refractometer measures salinity not TDS. You need a TDS meter

lol oops thats what i meant had a brain fart

 

[Hondachico]

Ok thanks, love this app helps out alot

 

[NyteGTI]

when you use a refractometer it will read O ppm and then you can calibrate your meter with that water also

Refractometer measures salinity not TDS. You need a TDS meter

also calibrating against RO water isn't always accurate(refractometer talk now). it's better to get the calibration solution. I've seen them off by as much as .008 which doesn't sound like a lot but when you're trying to keep your tank as close to 1.026 as you can. it could be pretty high.

 

[Hondachico]

Finally got my skimmer on and working still don't know how to use one but I'm trying to learn lol any suggestions?

 

[Flreefer]

There easy man, just get the bubbles going up the throat to the collection cup. You want the bubbles just barely coming over the top, so they fall into the cup. You should have an adjustment of some sort, to adjust the flow into the cup. More flow into the cup is a wetter skim, less is a drier skim.
The wetter the skim, the better, but the more top-off required and more emptying of the cup too. I go for the middle of the road.