Tom's 55G Saltwater

[TommyP]

So I ended up just clipping an old nori clip to the end of the airline tube and it sinks right to the bottom.

[Sniperhank]

On my ato, I just have the tubing looped around my float switch to keep it in place and just toss the other end into a water jug. No issues with it trying to float up once water was in the line.

[TommyP]

That's a good idea. My line was brand new and was rolled up so it still was raising above the water level in my storage container even when water was in it so the clip did the job.

[TommyP]

Made new water on Friday and I'm still getting 004 out of the Tds meter I have. The center chamber leaks but its screwed on tightly. May be time for a new unit. Looking for an affordable one with a flush kit so the water doesn't sit in the chambers for a week before I make new water. Or is that not bad?

[Keithhjs]

Originally Posted by TommyP

Made new water on Friday and I'm still getting 004 out of the Tds meter I have. The center chamber leaks but its screwed on tightly. May be time for a new unit. Looking for an affordable one with a flush kit so the water doesn't sit in the chambers for a week before I make new water. Or is that not bad?

It's fine to leave the water in there. In fact I'm pretty sure most recommend storing it wet and not dry between uses.

[TommyP]

That makes sense. What's the benefit of a flush kit? I was thinking in getting a new unit. 75gpd one from brs. Built in pressure flush kit and inline Tds meter

[Daniel Fishy]

Are you testing with a hand held meter? I have a inline reads zero after di I would put the water in a 5 gal bucket then test it a day later and it would read 2-4 tds. I was using a bucket that I had saltwater in the residue would cause the reading. Get a inline easier and more accurate,less room for contaminating.

[Keithhjs]

Originally Posted by TommyP

That makes sense. What's the benefit of a flush kit? I was thinking in getting a new unit. 75gpd one from brs. Built in pressure flush kit and inline Tds meter

A flush kit flushes the RO membrane. It will prolong your membrane's life and help it to maintain its filtering capabilities.

[TommyP]

Yea I'm testing with a handheld meter in the container I store the water in. I tried a red solo cup af first too same reading. I'm going to wait until I need to get new filters, and just buy the new unit instead

Thanks !

[TommyP]

ok so i did a water change last week so I havent tested in a while .. heres what I got.

calcium 18 drops api reef kit = 360
carbonate hardness KH 9 drops = 161.1
phosphates 0
trates 0
pH 8.2
Salinity seems a little low 1.022 what do you think?

how do these look

[TommyP]

I had the 2, 120w dimmables from eBay and had them on 40% blue and 40% white and bleached 2 sps. Pink birdsnest is now less pink but I put it on the sandbed hope it makes it and my green birdsnest bleached completely. All other corals like the monti and lps zoas etc are great. So I lowered them to 30% 30% no cover hung 8" from the toP of my 55. The sps were half way up. Did water change yesterday. Hope to see more growth and color. I feel like everything doesn't open up as much the day or two after I change the water but well see. I've been slacking and doing like monthly water changes but since last week have been doing every week about 7 gallons or so.

[TommyP]

Bump bump

[TommyP]

So this new fuge is growing a lot of algae. It was never like this when I had the 10g tank with the divider. Does anyone have any flow in their sumps? Beside the overflow and returns? Do you use a magnafloat in the sump at all?

[Jaketit]

Tommy I tried putting a small power head in my fuge because I thought it was getting stagnant but it was more of a PIA than anything. And I keep my sump natural as far as cleaning the glass, I don't.

[TommyP]

Thanks. It seems like bubble algae, but I think it's just o2 bubbles. Some small strands of gha. It does seem stagnant. I have a lot of pods I see though, so it has to be semi-healthy.

[Jaketit]

It could be just air bubbles. Did you put a sandbed in it?? Yea mine was kind of stagnant at the first couple weeks but now the water rips right across my cheto.

[Keithhjs]

I keep a bare bottome fuge with just macroalgae and a couple rocks. On my DT I do have a second skimmer that returns there tough. I always thought low flow in the fuge was good but idk I guess lol.

[TommyP]

I have a bb fuge in the sump I have old lr rubble that I need to reci

[TommyP]

Oops ^. I have some lr that I need to cure and break up for rubble and put it in the fuge I was thinking of either leaving it bb like it is now or using live sand.

My skimmer is a hob reef octopus so it's on the dt.

[TommyP]

I took a video on my phone of my tank I guess post it on YouTube then paste the link here is the easiest?