Rock wall DIY'ers

[steveoutlaw]

Steve, do you add anything to your IO before adding it to the tank? For example, I add calcium chloride, magenesium chloride, and sometimes magnesium sulfate, to bring the levels to where I want them. I also mix my water up a week ahead of time, keep it circulating and raise it to tank temperature before water changes.

 

I don't add anything to my saltwater when I mix it. I use a 5 gallon bucket and wash the bucket out everytime I use it. I let the water mix for 24 - 48 hours at the correct salinity and temp prior to adding it to the tank. I'll send a PM to the folks at BRK and see if they have heard anything on this issue.

 

On another note.......the one time the skimmer in the new tank actually looked like it was skimming was after I added water from the holding tank. I figured that a tank cycle would provide some organics to be skimmed out.......am I wrong here?

[Origami]

I received my first reply from the folks that make IO. I got a standard explanation about water levels, density, and "hydrophobic compounds" that may have been depleted which are being replaced. (I'm unaware of any hydrophobic compounds that should be a regular part of ASW mix - most should be ionic compounds.) I don't expect them to 'fess up to anything here that might explain this behavior.

 

There should be little to skim from newly mixed ASW. Most of what a skimmer removes are dissolved organic compounds: fats, lipids, some proteins & amino acids, sugars and the like. If the water from your holding tank is relatively clean of these impurities, there may not be much to skim from it. As for cycling, it may be easier and better to take a small piece of raw shrimp and toss it into the new tank for a day or two to provide some real food that the bacteria that you're trying to cultivate can enjoy. That's a technique that I've read about and seems to be a standard accepted protocol.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Origami2547

[steveoutlaw]

Tom,

The system has been set up with water for over a month. The tank was populated by 1/2 dead and 1/2 live rock. I also put a couple of big scoops of live sand in the tank. There are hermits and snails currently in the tank and they have been for about 2 weeks........doing just fine. Also, I've been switching out a gallon of water per day between the holding tank and the new tank. The tank should be fully cycled.

 

I was thinking that there would be something to skim just because I've been putting some food in every few days to keep the hermits and snails happy. It's not a heavy bioload, but I would think that SOMETHING would be skimmed out.

 

I'm afraid to put any fish in it because I don't know if they would survive with the water being that oxygenated with all the microbubbles from the skimmer.

Edited September 25, 2009 by steveoutlaw

[Origami]

Unless there's something toxic in the water, I can't imagine that the microbubbles would be of any consequence at all to introducing fish. As I said earlier, I'm dealing with microbubbles right now that have only recently shown up in my tank (and which I'm still wondering about on the eve before swapping out return pumps). Snails and hermits don't often represent much of a bio-load. They're often considered load-neutral or even load-negative because they assimilate other food and waste. Since inverts are often pretty reliable indicators of water quality and since they appear to be faring well in your new setup, maybe it's time to try acclimating one of the fish.

[steveoutlaw]

Ok, so I moved the skimmer to my holding tank. It's not putting out any microbubbles, but it's definately not broken in. I also bought 3 small green chromis that I put in the new tank. So far they seem to be doing well. They are schooling and they are not looking stressed. If this continues to be the case, I'm going to try my yellow tang and clowns in the tank next. And if that works.......I'll start moving some corals over.

 

Who knows.......this may work after all.

[Origami]

Sounds good, Steve.

[Novi]

How did this turn out?

[steveoutlaw]

It turned out in my backyard. I had to rip the rockwall out because the epoxy I used just wouldn't cure. After months of my skimmer not skimming and a tank full of microbubbles I went a different route. You can see the new setup in my build thread.

[ctreptow]

WOW!! never thought about the foam Rock wall causing microbubbles. I had the same problem with mine, I kept getting microbubbles from my closed loop and could not figure out why. My other expereince was hair algae I could never get ahead of it.

 

My rock wall tank leaked 3 months ago and I replaced it with a new tank from Naga and the system has been great since.. HA almost gone and new corals are doing great.

[Fabs]

Man i just added my rockwall and the same thing happen. i'll give till my RODI comes in the mail. has anyone have this happen and the bubbles left