First water change, need help...

[Mamaslilocean]

So we got RO water 2 days ago mixed in the salt. Check the levels today and all the levels checked out. We shut the wet/dry off and had a puddle under our feet in minutes, I think this happened because i was supposed to take water out of the overflow right after we shut it off. OOPS!! We learn from our mistakes though!

Completed the water change and PH is low between 7.5 and 8.0 (cant get an accurate # with the test strips, waiting for our new test kit in the mail). I dissolved some marine buffer according to the directions and hope this ups it to 8.3 soon.

The other problem is the water level is low in the tank but the overflow in the wet dry is high, I cant seem to figure out why? What is going on?

 

[Mamaslilocean]

Got some more RO today and Im going to attempt to add more water but if the overflow in the sump rises Im not sure what to do. Also I have a question about my protein skimmer, since I bought the tank used I dont have a user manual for the sump. It is a sealife systems pro series 150 with a protein skimmer. The skimmer does not work at all (completely dry) Is it clogged or something? There are lots and lots of white 'worms' or something all over it? ugh! I want to remove the whole thing and clean it and hope that is the solution. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[carey]

Do youhave the skimmer attached to a pump?

 

[Mamaslilocean]

Hmm... Let me describe my sump

3 parts: 1st part has the protein skimmer and 1 pump
2nd has bio balls and
3rd is the overflow and there is a pump in there too

Are you asking if the skimmer is attached to the first pump? It looks like the pump is just sitting on the bottom. Since I bought a used tank I figured I might have to fix what someone else neglected but it is worth it.

 

[Mamaslilocean]

 

[carey]

The skimmer should be attached to the pump and then turned on. It will fill and generate lots of bubbles. Give it a try! Good luck!

 

[Mamaslilocean]

Thanks. Ill work on all of this tomorrow.

 

[Henry405]

For your second problem, your overflow is dumping water into your sump at a certain gph and your return pump is pushing water back into your DT at about the same gph. Therefore if you add water to the sump, only the sump water level will increase, not the DT. If your DT is low right now, I would just put SW into the DT until it is as high as you want it. After that, you add FW to the return section for evaporation. If the explanation is kinda hard to understand, just ask and I'll try to clarify more

 

[Mamaslilocean]

That makes sense the only part I'm confused on is you said 'add FW to the return for evaporation....

 

[Phlex]

Hes saying that when you need to replenish the evaporation with fresh water, put it in the sump instead of the DT.

 

[mr_X]

you can put it anywhere you want- it does not matter. you will only see evaporation in the sump though. what henry meant was that when salt water evaporates, only the water leaves the tank....the salt stays. for replacing THAT water, you only need to add fresh.
if your display tank water level is a bit low, you will need to raise the level of the surface skimmer box which is part of the overflow. that is the only thing that will raise the water level in the display.

as for the water all over the floor, this could be from a few things:
1. the return lines that come from the return pump and end inside the tank under water will back siphon if you turn the pump off. it will drain the tank until the siphon breaks. you will need to drill a hole in this return line just under the water inside the DT so that when the power goes off, the hole will suck air almost immediately and the siphon will break.

2. you have been adding water to try to raise the dt water level and all you are doing is overflowing the sump. all water fluctuation will be seen here. you'll never see any difference in the DT. it will always remain full (filled to the top of the overflow box).

 

[Mamaslilocean]

Hes saying that when you need to replenish the evaporation with fresh water, put it in the sump instead of the DT.

Oh i see. thanks for the help.

 

[Mamaslilocean]

you can put it anywhere you want- it does not matter. you will only see evaporation in the sump though. what henry meant was that when salt water evaporates, only the water leaves the tank....the salt stays. for replacing THAT water, you only need to add fresh.
if your display tank water level is a bit low, you will need to raise the level of the surface skimmer box which is part of the overflow. that is the only thing that will raise the water level in the display.

as for the water all over the floor, this could be from a few things:
1. the return lines that come from the return pump and end inside the tank under water will back siphon if you turn the pump off. it will drain the tank until the siphon breaks. you will need to drill a hole in this return line just under the water inside the DT so that when the power goes off, the hole will suck air almost immediately and the siphon will break.

2. you have been adding water to try to raise the dt water level and all you are doing is overflowing the sump. all water fluctuation will be seen here. you'll never see any difference in the DT. it will always remain full (filled to the top of the overflow box).

I will definitely raise the overflow box, it makes perfect sense! That will allow the DT to hold more water! Much appreciated!

Now on to the rest of my problems (algae, bristles, detritus worms and last but not least diatoms) yes I think I have it all. Posting a new thread....

 

[mr_X]

bristle worms are not a problem. they are helping. if you have very many of them, the tank was overfed for some time. cut back on feeding and the bristle worm population will decrease.