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New 32g Cube Build

Documenting my tank cycle journey over 5 days, Day 3 was the worst and it looks to be clearing up at this point! I'll keep posting as tank conditions keep changing.
 

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Here is my semi-complete water mixing station using two 35g containers from Tractor Supply. Top is fresh RO water feeding into the bottom salt water tank. I still need to add a mixing pump to the salt tank. Adding an inline pump or just a pump into the salt containers are two options. Open to feedback.
 

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Here is my semi-complete water mixing station using two 35g containers from Tractor Supply. Top is fresh RO water feeding into the bottom salt water tank. I still need to add a mixing pump to the salt tank. Adding an inline pump or just a pump into the salt containers are two options. Open to feedback.
Very nice!!!!!
How many gallons are those containers?
Also I don't see DI resin on your RO unit or you do run DI resin?
 

amado

Dal
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Each of those are 35 gallons.

Norwesco Horizontal Leg Tank, 35 gal.


The RODI unit is the
AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD


Yeah the aqua life ro buddie has RODi.

If I can give you one advice that was given to me.
Use the same pump you are using as a return for your tank. That way if your return pump In your display goes bad you will have a replacement.
If your return is too expensive you can get a cheap one that will move the same water.

I really like those jugs. That station looks better than my mixing station. Lol
Good job
 
Yeah the aqua life ro buddie has RODi.

If I can give you one advice that was given to me.
Use the same pump you are using as a return for your tank. That way if your return pump In your display goes bad you will have a replacement.
If your return is too expensive you can get a cheap one that will move the same water.

I really like those jugs. That station looks better than my mixing station. Lol
Good job

That is great advice! in fact, just placed the order for it. lol.

Next task is trying to get my skimmer dialed in. Its nothing but micro bubbles in the tank and the skimmer wont calm down...i think it just needs more time.
 

amado

Dal
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That is great advice! in fact, just placed the order for it. lol.

Next task is trying to get my skimmer dialed in. Its nothing but micro bubbles in the tank and the skimmer wont calm down...i think it just needs more time.

You should turn off your skimmer for now.
While you cycle your tank you don’t need it.
Wait until you add fish
 
You should turn off your skimmer for now.
While you cycle your tank you don’t need it.
Wait until you add fish
I thought about that and @DangerDave mentioned that as well. My thought process is that I wanted to break it in before i got the fish so I don't have to worry about the micro bubbles. At this point, I have had it running for 1 week so do I turn it off or just let it keep running to break it in?
 
I thought about that and @DangerDave mentioned that as well. My thought process is that I wanted to break it in before i got the fish so I don't have to worry about the micro bubbles. At this point, I have had it running for 1 week so do I turn it off or just let it keep running to break it in?

Pasted below from some reefing blog. Even if the skimmer isn't pulling any waste out, it's still developing that biofilm.

When acrylic is manufactured there is a film left behind on the acrylic that while harmless, does not lend itself to good protein skimming. As this film goes away, the skimming process is improved. Most people refer to this as “breaking in a skimmer” and it refers to the process of breaking down / removing this film for proper skimming.

However, that is only half of the story. In addition to the loss of manufacturing film, there is a gain in biofilm. This biofilm is made up of bacteria and other fauna that grows on the surfaces of the skimmer. This biofilm creates a slippery layer on the acrylic which allows the bubbles produced by the protein skimmer to rise more efficiently.
 

diana a

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So are you suppose to wipe clean the body of the skimmer that is from the water line and upward(not including the cup) or leave it dirty?
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
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NJRC Member
If you are using Bacteria to cycle your tank.
The instructions say to turn skimmer off.
Your tank is still to new. The skimmer isn’t going to do anything.

I clean the whole skimmer. I clean the cup and the neck. I put my skimmers in a Home Depot bucket
And run it with vinegar/water to clean the skimmer. I do that like every few months as needed
 
If you are using Bacteria to cycle your tank.
The instructions say to turn skimmer off.
Your tank is still to new. The skimmer isn’t going to do anything.

I clean the whole skimmer. I clean the cup and the neck. I put my skimmers in a Home Depot bucket
And run it with vinegar/water to clean the skimmer. I do that like every few months as needed
What's your take on using Citric Acid vs Vinegar for cleaning equipment?
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
What's your take on using Citric Acid vs Vinegar for cleaning equipment?

To each his own. I have never personally lost a pump to cleaning with vinegar. I always have vinegar in the house and I can pick it up for $1 at the dollar store.
 

DangerDave

NJRC Member
I thought about that and @DangerDave mentioned that as well. My thought process is that I wanted to break it in before i got the fish so I don't have to worry about the micro bubbles. At this point, I have had it running for 1 week so do I turn it off or just let it keep running to break it in?

I say leave it up because of all those nutrients leaching from your rock....
 
ok, i need some Skimmer help and it sort if along the same lines as above.

I have a Bubble Magus NAC3.5 Protein Skimmer that has been running for about 10 days and it showing now signs of calming down or "breaking in". I cant seem to get the bubbles in the cup to calm down, they constantly overflow no matter what setting I have it on. And on top of that, tons of micro bubbles are coming out from the bottom of the adjustment arm (sort of hard to see in the photo) I do think I have a ton of nutrients due to dirty rock so i am doing a 5g water change every 2 days to see if i can get rid of as much as i can.

Anyone have any suggestions on getting this thing to work? or does it just need more time?
 

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ok, i need some Skimmer help and it sort if along the same lines as above.

I have a Bubble Magus NAC3.5 Protein Skimmer that has been running for about 10 days and it showing now signs of calming down or "breaking in". I cant seem to get the bubbles in the cup to calm down, they constantly overflow no matter what setting I have it on. And on top of that, tons of micro bubbles are coming out from the bottom of the adjustment arm (sort of hard to see in the photo) I do think I have a ton of nutrients due to dirty rock so i am doing a 5g water change every 2 days to see if i can get rid of as much as i can.

Anyone have any suggestions on getting this thing to work? or does it just need more time?
Oh, and i raised the water level in my sump from 6in to 8in to be inline with online review and product suggesitons.
 
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