Protein skimmer

[armyman16]

Where should I keep the water level? What would be best?

 

[mr_X]

Where should I keep the water level? What would be best?

There should be a minimum safe level (you don't want to run the pump dry), and you should have some of the bio balls exposed. Will you be topping off evaporation daily yourself or will you be using an automatic top off for this purpose?

Mr x what kind of sumps do u run in yur tanks? How are they configured?

I have my display draining into a 50 gallon stock tank that holds a large refugium and a protein skimmer, and that drains into a 100 gallon stock tank that just has some live rock and the return pump in it.
There should be some pictures of it in my tank build.

 

[armyman16]

I can to it off, so It does need to be done daily? Even if it is under my tank, in my stand with no light on it?

 

[mr_X]

If you mean will it evaporate, the answer is yes. Your tank will evaporate and all evaporation will be seen in the sump. How much evaporation will depend on a few variables:
How humid is the room it's in
lighting
lids or not
and of course the size of the return area in the sump. If it's fairly large, you won't have to top off daily, but I have a feeling you are going to need to in that wet/dry.

 

[armyman16]

Okay so you are saying I should fill it up so that the pumps are completely submerged but not to much filled so half the bio balls are exposed?

 

[mr_X]

It depends on the height of the bio balls. Yes, there should be at least a few inches over the return pump, but I'm not sure the correct water level for that particular trickle filter. yes, a portion of the bio balls should be exposed to air and have water trickling over them.

 

[armyman16]

Well I have a pic of it on this thread, can you look at that an tell me how many inches should be submerged, I'm filling up the tank now

 

[mr_X]

I would say with that chamber filled with bio balls should be filled to the top with balls and they should be submerged about half way.

 

[armyman16]

Would all bio balls be best or should I add some rock or live sand?

 

[Sniperhank]

You'll need rock and sand as well.

 

[mr_X]

you'll want rock and sand in the DT, but I wouldn't put any in the wet/dry.

 

[armyman16]

Oh yeah I know about in the DT I just bout 20 pounds of live sand to seed the 60 or so pounds of sand that used to be living, and I just bout 5 pounds I am using to seed the 45 pounds of base rock, but over the next month or so while the tank is cycling I will add another 30-40 pounds of live rock

 

[armyman16]

Oops sorry I meant bought*