40br Problems..

[Freshnoob1]

I need some help.

I set up my 40 gallon breeder tank with 20g tall sump three days ago, and
for the overflow I used the Gla.s.s-Holes 700gph kit.

I got the tube of magic lube with the kit, and I applied it to all my gaskets and I've noticed the stuff accumulating a film on the surface of the water in my sump...

Is magic lube harmful to anything in saltwater if eaten/ ingested?

 

[paulweck]

I don't think so. I've sued the same stuff from glass holes with no side affects. Was all of your equipment cleaned real well before setting up the tank.

 

[Freshnoob1]

No, there was some dust and stuff in the tanks, maybe some spiderwebs too... I realized this after filling the tanks with water... I figured this stuff could be filtered out?

 

[paulweck]

I would let it run for a few days. Do u have any livestock in the tank yet? U can add a filter sock and a few spunges. Also are u getting good surface aggregation in your sump and display tank?

 

[Freshnoob1]

Nope, I have to 750gph powerheads in the display, and another one in the middle section of my sump so aggregation is good.
I also asked gl*******s if they had more information on the lube and they just said it's a grease which i figured.
I guess I'll let it run for a couple more days and get as much of the stuff out as I can and then start testing things.
Thanks for your help!

 

[LaWoWee]

If you can toss in some carbon in your sump, it would help out a lot

 

[Freshnoob1]

Very true. I have a big pad of it and filter floss so I should be good.

 

[Freshnoob1]

So as I've been running the tank with just saltwater,
a sort white-ish film has appeared and is now covering all the equipment, and most of the glass ...
this is yet another new thing for me... anybody have any ideas?

Oh and my mag 7 is ridiculously loud.
I tried making sure it was completely filled with water inside the impeller housing by rotating it all around underwater before attaching the return line to it underwater also.
I also tied rubber hosing to the bottom of it, and it's no different from when I started it.

 

[LaWoWee]

Dont really know what the white film is. Just scrub it off and let the filter pick it up. Do you have live rock in the tank? If not, itd probably be a good idea to start adding some. Have you tested your water (Amm, nitrite, nitrate, salinity)? Something might be wrong with your mag7. I have one and its the loudest thing about my tank but its just a humming noise and not unbearable.

 

[Freshnoob1]

Thanks to some simple research I learned that the white film is a calcium build up that sometime occurs when artificial saltwater is heated past 78 degrees Fahrenheit
So I scrubbed it all off, let it settle on the bottom of tank and sump, then siphoned it out. I also deduced that since my powerheads and heater were covered in hardened calcium deposits that the calcium depositing was more likely to occur..
My equipment is currently soaking in vinegar, which has already taken almost all of the build up off!
I'm going to test water tomorrow or Friday, my salinity has been greatly decreased due
to some errors on my part.
My pump has also decreased in loudness because i stopped it from vibrating on the
metal stand...
My last problem to tackle is truly sealing my 2 bulkheads as there is a hairpin leak in
both that opens up more when I move the piping ever so slightly.
My plan is to silicone the threads with some small beads so I can remove pipe if I really have to.
Is this siliconing a good idea? I couldn't think of anything better that would give me some flexing without leaking...
I tried silicone tape and it's not working out...
Any suggestions are truly appreciated!

 

[Ingy]

Teflon tape on the threads should provide a perfect seal.
What is your calcium level at? Shouldn't let it get above 400-420 or so or you'll suffer calcium build up.

 

[Freshnoob1]

Right. I tried teflon tape and it leaked. probably because I jiggled the pipe?

 

[Ingy]

No. Perhaps you have a metric to imperial miss match. But a good fixture shouldn't leak once tightened.

 

[Freshnoob1]

The fittings are pretty snug without tape.