Tank issues after installing chiller and sump - Aquarium Advice

techiegirl · 09-27-2005, 05:04 PM

I set up a new sump for my 65 [acronym:491fd41b82="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:491fd41b82] reef tank last week, complete with new chiller and new protein skimmer.
The temp used to generally run 81-83 degrees and that is with fans blowing and lights raised by building a middle canopy area.
The sump is running well.
The temp is now 78-80 degrees.
Here are my other H2O parameters:
[acronym:491fd41b82="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82]
[acronym:491fd41b82="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 20 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82]
[acronym:491fd41b82="Ammonium"]NH4[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82]
pH = 7.8-8.0 (closer to 7.8... low, I know and I am always having issues with this)
[acronym:491fd41b82="Phosphate"]PO4[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0-0.3
[acronym:491fd41b82="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 5.6 [acronym:491fd41b82="Degrees of carbonate hardness"]dkh[/acronym:491fd41b82]
Calcium = 440 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82]
Salinity = 1.025 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Thousand"]ppt[/acronym:491fd41b82]

Three prety major things have happened:
1) Completely different current flow. I was using the returns for water flow but it's just not enough so I put the 2 [acronym:491fd41b82="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:491fd41b82]'s back in yesterday afternoon.
2) Temp difference - obviously.
3) Lighting is different. Because the lights were higher above the tank and now they are lower so it seems like things on the sides of the tank do not get enoughlight even tho it's closer - is that possible??

My toadstool leather is on the right side of the tank and has been closed up since earlier this week. No polyps extended at all. Usually his polyps are fully out and wide open. I am aware of shedding but he just doesn't seem happy. I thought it might be the lighting and was going to move him but he has attached not only to the rock he came on, but the adjacent rock, which has a feather duster in it which has attached himself to another adjacent rock so it's going to be a whole big procedure to move him elsewhere unless I cut or tear part of him off which I don't want to do.

Anyways, any ideas? Is it the lighting? The flow changes? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

09-27-2005, 06:53 PM

The height of the light above the water can make a difference in the amount of light that gets refracted throughout the tank. It has to do with the way the reflector angles the light back toward the tank and at wich angle that light is reflected. Being that you'r not getting enough light at the sides suggest moving it back up and when doing this you should be able to watch the light as it cuts threw the water move up the inside of the aquarium. A few dead spots in the tank will always be there unless you suspend really powerful lights above it or cover the whole top with lights. Mainly the dead spots only appear dirrectly in the front and back parts of the tank due to the fact that many reflectors are shaped in somewhat of a v pattern, Look down the side of the tank threw the water column, do you see a bright spot in the middle and two dark spots on the sides close to the top.

09-27-2005, 05:04 PM	#1
techiegirl Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 40	Tank issues after installing chiller and sump I set up a new sump for my 65 [acronym:491fd41b82="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:491fd41b82] reef tank last week, complete with new chiller and new protein skimmer. The temp used to generally run 81-83 degrees and that is with fans blowing and lights raised by building a middle canopy area. The sump is running well. The temp is now 78-80 degrees. Here are my other H2O parameters: [acronym:491fd41b82="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82] [acronym:491fd41b82="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 20 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82] [acronym:491fd41b82="Ammonium"]NH4[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82] pH = 7.8-8.0 (closer to 7.8... low, I know and I am always having issues with this) [acronym:491fd41b82="Phosphate"]PO4[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 0-0.3 [acronym:491fd41b82="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:491fd41b82] = 5.6 [acronym:491fd41b82="Degrees of carbonate hardness"]dkh[/acronym:491fd41b82] Calcium = 440 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:491fd41b82] Salinity = 1.025 [acronym:491fd41b82="Parts per Thousand"]ppt[/acronym:491fd41b82] Three prety major things have happened: 1) Completely different current flow. I was using the returns for water flow but it's just not enough so I put the 2 [acronym:491fd41b82="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:491fd41b82]'s back in yesterday afternoon. 2) Temp difference - obviously. 3) Lighting is different. Because the lights were higher above the tank and now they are lower so it seems like things on the sides of the tank do not get enoughlight even tho it's closer - is that possible?? My toadstool leather is on the right side of the tank and has been closed up since earlier this week. No polyps extended at all. Usually his polyps are fully out and wide open. I am aware of shedding but he just doesn't seem happy. I thought it might be the lighting and was going to move him but he has attached not only to the rock he came on, but the adjacent rock, which has a feather duster in it which has attached himself to another adjacent rock so it's going to be a whole big procedure to move him elsewhere unless I cut or tear part of him off which I don't want to do. Anyways, any ideas? Is it the lighting? The flow changes? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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09-27-2005, 06:53 PM	#2
Guest Posts: n/a	The height of the light above the water can make a difference in the amount of light that gets refracted throughout the tank. It has to do with the way the reflector angles the light back toward the tank and at wich angle that light is reflected. Being that you'r not getting enough light at the sides suggest moving it back up and when doing this you should be able to watch the light as it cuts threw the water move up the inside of the aquarium. A few dead spots in the tank will always be there unless you suspend really powerful lights above it or cover the whole top with lights. Mainly the dead spots only appear dirrectly in the front and back parts of the tank due to the fact that many reflectors are shaped in somewhat of a v pattern, Look down the side of the tank threw the water column, do you see a bright spot in the middle and two dark spots on the sides close to the top.