Daphne's_Reef
Community Member
The two sections are separated by a dashed line.
I've got an aquaready (formerly aquamaxx?) 1.5 skimmer for my tank. The blue one from Bulk Reef Supply. Tank's a 40 breeder.
Got the skimmer. It worked great. Tried to clean it and lost an o-ring on the impeller. After a few months of back and forth with BRS, was told I could buy a new impeller as it'd have the o-ring. Got that. Got the skimmer put back together. It wasn't moving water. I mean, it would for a bit, but then lose its prime, I guess, and just be bubbling in the body and not doing anything else. Grr. Took it by the place I get water, they got it running, (I swear I took it apart and put it back together 5x, they did a couple extra times and it was fine) I put it back on the tank, and it has been moving water since (a couple/few weeks now.)
NOW, the issue. I had the cup all the way down and while it was bubbling well and pushing some bubbles out through the overflow back into the tank, none of it was making it into the cup itself. Scraped out some of the old gunk (have been told, though I admit I don't fully know, that making one squeaky clean will leave it needing to build up some gunk before it starts skimming again) and it was still just sort of getting to the top, but not going anywhere. Heck.
Until last night! I woke up this morning and my tank was about 2" lower than it had been. Heck again. Thankfully I'd unplugged my ATO because it'd been screaming (got it a tiny bit over-full in a water change recently). There's no way that's evaporation since I usually go through about a gallon a week, so I went over... and found a puddle next to the new tank. TRIPLE heck! I just got a new one because I was afraid that the old tank was on its way out! I know there's a small (couple mm) bump in one corner of the stand, but I'd put it up because I didn't (have any sandpaper to knock the wood glue off) notice until I was in the middle OF setting it up with everything in buckets on my floor. Looked around, couldn't find any wet spots, looked at the trash can I have the skimmer cup draining to (just in case) and it was full and running back into my room from the closet. **facepalm**
I've now raised the cup up past the point that it has bubbles reaching the top, but what in the world do I do next?
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Then onto the equipment bit: Currently on there is a fluval 105, my ATO, the skimmer, and a gyre-type powerhead. Oh, and the reef breeders LED. Don't mind the plants on top of the tank (really need to move those) or the fluval being in front. I need to grab some more egg crate so I can put a couple holes in the back corners of the crate to move that. I don't think my parrots could fit through the gaps as they are now, but I am paranoid and am not willing to risk it.
Under the stand currently is just my ATO jug, will eventually be the fluval, and I've got right at 20" from the side of the stand to the ATO jug, which should give me just enough room for a 10 gallon. Assuming I can manipulate it next to the canister. I'd sort of like a spot to grow some macro for my tang (bristletooth, I know I will need to rehome her at some point when she outgrows the tank, but for now she seems content grazing on the rocks and doesn't do anything like pacing that makes it seem like she's stressed) if I can find a sort she likes. I was thinking about using the overflow box I have to do that, assuming I can get the return pump working (I clogged it by not putting baffles in when I did try before, and sadly killed all the algae that came on my rock
) OR saving up for a while and doing a HOB fuge so I can put my betta's tank under the reef stand.
Is either way better than the other? I doubt I'm going to get any more equipment for the tank (though some "weedy" coral like xenia or GSP for looks could be fun since I don't want it in my tank), so I don't need it really as a sump for that.
I've got an aquaready (formerly aquamaxx?) 1.5 skimmer for my tank. The blue one from Bulk Reef Supply. Tank's a 40 breeder.
Got the skimmer. It worked great. Tried to clean it and lost an o-ring on the impeller. After a few months of back and forth with BRS, was told I could buy a new impeller as it'd have the o-ring. Got that. Got the skimmer put back together. It wasn't moving water. I mean, it would for a bit, but then lose its prime, I guess, and just be bubbling in the body and not doing anything else. Grr. Took it by the place I get water, they got it running, (I swear I took it apart and put it back together 5x, they did a couple extra times and it was fine) I put it back on the tank, and it has been moving water since (a couple/few weeks now.)
NOW, the issue. I had the cup all the way down and while it was bubbling well and pushing some bubbles out through the overflow back into the tank, none of it was making it into the cup itself. Scraped out some of the old gunk (have been told, though I admit I don't fully know, that making one squeaky clean will leave it needing to build up some gunk before it starts skimming again) and it was still just sort of getting to the top, but not going anywhere. Heck.
Until last night! I woke up this morning and my tank was about 2" lower than it had been. Heck again. Thankfully I'd unplugged my ATO because it'd been screaming (got it a tiny bit over-full in a water change recently). There's no way that's evaporation since I usually go through about a gallon a week, so I went over... and found a puddle next to the new tank. TRIPLE heck! I just got a new one because I was afraid that the old tank was on its way out! I know there's a small (couple mm) bump in one corner of the stand, but I'd put it up because I didn't (have any sandpaper to knock the wood glue off) notice until I was in the middle OF setting it up with everything in buckets on my floor. Looked around, couldn't find any wet spots, looked at the trash can I have the skimmer cup draining to (just in case) and it was full and running back into my room from the closet. **facepalm**
I've now raised the cup up past the point that it has bubbles reaching the top, but what in the world do I do next?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then onto the equipment bit: Currently on there is a fluval 105, my ATO, the skimmer, and a gyre-type powerhead. Oh, and the reef breeders LED. Don't mind the plants on top of the tank (really need to move those) or the fluval being in front. I need to grab some more egg crate so I can put a couple holes in the back corners of the crate to move that. I don't think my parrots could fit through the gaps as they are now, but I am paranoid and am not willing to risk it.
Under the stand currently is just my ATO jug, will eventually be the fluval, and I've got right at 20" from the side of the stand to the ATO jug, which should give me just enough room for a 10 gallon. Assuming I can manipulate it next to the canister. I'd sort of like a spot to grow some macro for my tang (bristletooth, I know I will need to rehome her at some point when she outgrows the tank, but for now she seems content grazing on the rocks and doesn't do anything like pacing that makes it seem like she's stressed) if I can find a sort she likes. I was thinking about using the overflow box I have to do that, assuming I can get the return pump working (I clogged it by not putting baffles in when I did try before, and sadly killed all the algae that came on my rock
) OR saving up for a while and doing a HOB fuge so I can put my betta's tank under the reef stand. Is either way better than the other? I doubt I'm going to get any more equipment for the tank (though some "weedy" coral like xenia or GSP for looks could be fun since I don't want it in my tank), so I don't need it really as a sump for that.
