Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

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I am also contemplating which protein skimmer to get. I just ordered my sump "eshoppes" due 11" width max to go in cabinet.
 
I have a 54g corner and have the eshopps psk100h skimmer and its fantastic!!! Pulls some nasty dark gunk everyday!!!! I highly recommend it!!

The corners have no room in the stand and I am happy I was able to replace the terrible skimmer I had before!

Good luck
 
Rosesrblu1 said:
I have a 54g corner and have the eshopps psk100h skimmer and its fantastic!!! Pulls some nasty dark gunk everyday!!!! I highly recommend it!!

The corners have no room in the stand and I am happy I was able to replace the terrible skimmer I had before!

Good luck

So do you have the skimmer in a sump. If so, which one does it fit in? How often do you have to empty the collection cup?
 
I had the LFS build to fit, lol only bad thing is the only way in and out is the top. As far as a skimmer I went with the reef octopus in sump space saver. I love it
 
Ronin77 said:
I had the LFS build to fit, lol only bad thing is the only way in and out is the top. As far as a skimmer I went with the reef octopus in sump space saver. I love it

Reef octopus is obe that I am considerong as well. Thanx fkr the recomendation
 
This is the skimmer I have:


Reef Octopus NWB-150 6" Protein Skimmer

The sump I have came with the set-up and its just an acrylic sump that was converted from bioballs.

In the sump I have the skimmer, return pump, heater, pump for GFO / Carbon reactor, and water. Nothing else.

It holds a whopping (4-5) gallons of water with everything in it displacing volume.

I only get about a half of a cup of crap every 2 weeks. I don't know if its because I have a low nasty level, or if its just never been dialed in correctly.

I did add a silencer to the skimmer output when I first got it, but it didn't have a negative effect.
 
I made a sump out of a 10 gallon (knocked out one of the front boards) and used a aqua C remora on the back of my 54 corner. Worked great for me, was always pulling nasty gunk out of my tank
 
These might help you Hank. Bigger reef Octo skimmer but basically same thing.
 

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My Duncans and my trumpet coral have been looking terrible the last couple days. These have been two solid growers for a very long time. The Duncan has about 10 heads that won't come out and the trumpet has lost about 10 fully, right in the middle of it. It's the end of my cycle before pwc, so I did a bunch of tests and here's the results:

Sg - 1.025 / refrac.
PH - 7.8 / API
Ammo - 0 / API
Trite -0 / API
Trates - 40 / API
Alk. - 5.4 / Salifert
Calcium - 457 / Hanna
Phos. - .07 / Hanna


My PH has remained at 7.8 since I've had the set-up, even when I tried to buffer, so I'm ruling that out.

40 trates are higher than I expected after just 7 days, but not a coral killer.

Alkalinity at 5.4 made me say +{^]%{^#+#={^.
I think that's the one.

I don't have a magnesium test so no idea what that is...

What is the trick to raise alkalinity?
 
That's classic, low alkalinity will cause the polyps to retract and flesh will pull back on the skeleton. I keep mine as high as 13 dKH. I suggest dosing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as that will not affect ph as much as sodium carbonate (soda ash) will. Soda ash will raise ph, but in your case that might not be so bad. Dry about 500 grams in a 350 deg oven on a cookie sheet for an hour then dissolve in 1 gallon of RO/DI water. This cooks out any C02 the bicarbonate has absorbed in the box. Add this at the same rate you might add b-ionic as it is essentially the same stuff they use in their alkalinity solution. Go real slow, but it is the fastest way to increase alk

I would be real sure the alk level is correct before taking these steps first.

I also like P to be under .05 for hard corals.
 
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Thanks for those very clear instructions. Looks like I'm not as much on "cruise control" as I'd like to believe.
 
As a old IRF rated pilot, I will give you one more piece of advice. Don't always believe one instrument, it may be wrong and get you into trouble. Be sure and double check your salinity as that can throw alk off. If it is indeed low, why? Generally a "acidic" tank uses up alkalinity, but those tanks are usually old ones like mine that get a detritus buildup. Anyway, adding a alk booster slowly shouldn't hurt. I am sure there are more chemists on this thread that could add more. But there may be a relationship between your low alk and low ph.
 
Set up my dosing pump today and mixed up my first batch. Update to follow.

Also I have two good things happening. Has anyone heard of an anemone hosting a clownfish? Normally the clowns seek out the anemone, but I bought a small bubble-tip and it walked halfway around the tank and settled right on the spot the clowns were hosting!

Too funny.

Also here's the other new addition. I was hesitant with my low alk, but it was such a cheap sale I couldn't pass it up. It's the blood shrimp.

New friends:
 

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Been a long time

Wow I haven't posted anything in a while. Anyway glad the thread is still being used. All is well in the tank. Just picked up a Hanna checker for phosphate and salifert for trates. Phosphate is at .03 trates 2 which always sounds great but I'm wondering why I'm getting a little red slime and hair algae. Very little as of now by the way. It's just irritating. My fuge isn't growing chaeto. I have a good enough lite, so that is ruled out. I was told I may not have enough nutrients which I might agree with had I not seen the small patch of red slime and hair. Im running one mp 10 and was told maybe its a flow issue. Tim i read a post that your tank was t too happy with one mp10 so you added a second one from your frag tank. What changes did you see going from one to two and what power level are you using. Im at about 75-80 percent with one. Also what is the placement of the two (directly across from each other).Well that's all for the moment. Thanks in advance.
 

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