pics of my newly setup tank

skennelly · 12-14-2004, 11:06 AM

Hi All,
Thought I would post some pics from my newly setup tank. I went to purchase live rock last Friday and my supplier only had 30# so that's all I have right now. I am going for about 70 more #'s this Friday. I have a yellow tank and 4 pecula clowns and some hermits to get the tank cycling.

View my newly setup 90 gallon reef

Birdlady · 12-14-2004, 02:34 PM

Cool! I have the same overflow...don't you love it! sooo quiet

skennelly · 12-15-2004, 03:34 AM

YES I love the cpr's.....I don't know why some people give them such a bad rap..I think the rejuvination pump idea to keep air out of the c tube is excellent. I don't even mind the shot of micro bubbles into the tank every so often.

Thanks

MacnReef · 12-16-2004, 08:56 AM

You have to understand that CPR got a bad rep because most of us used them before the pumps...So the damage was done.

I see a problem with your system. The inlet of the mag drive 18 is way to constricted. If you are going to make an elbow on the inlet, they you need to make sure the plumbing is one size bigger and reduce at the pump. Also, you use to many hose barbs. Those put a lot of restriction on pumps. I would think you have a ton of micro bubbles in the tank. Do you? If not it would truly amaze me. Does the mag 18 run through anything else besides the main returns? Seems like those overflows would be struggling if it was running wide open...although all of those hose barbs are probably reducing the flow by a lot.

Besides that, its a good start.

Oh yeah, almost forgot...lose the berlin skimmer those are just as bad as cpr overflows without the pump.

Mike

Birdlady · 12-16-2004, 03:59 PM

There are several of us on this forum that run the Berlin skimmers with NO problems whatsoever. I have zero ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate.

with my berlin skimmer.

MacnReef · 12-16-2004, 04:49 PM

Ha...sure. And I bet you test often. Have you ever used another skimmer? I would think that if you seen what a real skimmer can do, that you would change your mind.

Mike

Birdlady · 12-16-2004, 04:58 PM

Yes, I test weekly. Yes I have used other skimmers. I like mine just fine thanks.

MacnReef · 12-16-2004, 05:01 PM

What other skimmers have you used? I have tried many including Berlin (couldn't get it to produce squat). But I have run CPR bakpak, remora, MRC, EuroReef, MadDog and AquaClear Aquatics.

Mike

Birdlady · 12-16-2004, 05:11 PM

I forget the brands off hand but they were the older types of counter current and one other venturi. When I set my system back up this year, I looked into other skimmers, but decided to keep my berlin. I did upgrade the pump from a 500 gph to a 950 gph. My water quality is excellent. I use salifert test kits. Everything is healthy, albiet lightly stocked at the moment. I get about a half cup of skimmate per week (that is what I adjusted it to).

If water quality is excellent, why change? I can use that money for other items on my tank.

There is another fella here that uses this skimmer also on a heavily loaded tank...here...
http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?album=da_colts
with the same skimmer with excellent results also.

Phil5613 · 12-16-2004, 07:13 PM

two pieces of advice:plug the bulkhead on th rerurn pump put the mag in the sump and let it free syphon ( it takes all the restriction out of the intake) and get the 90's off the Berlin skimmer the back pressure is not gonna let you balance the skimmer as well. its at this point you can use hose barbs and extend the returns out a bit I usually let the return flow through a sponge to cut the noise down. ok more then two pieces, why the guge check valve? you can use it now that you bought it but I prefer a seep hole in the return fitting inside the tank, whole lot cheaper and works well. The 90's will allso crank up back pressure if the ends of the line should become submerged which equals the skimmer not making bubbles and skimate but cruddy water that over flows the catch cup and dumps back to the sump and with current setup maybe the floor too.