Lynn's Fish Room

[lynn.reef.nerd]

I don't want to disappoint Alan...

 

As many of you guys know, I am very new to this hobby. I have always wanted to start a saltwater fish tank, but with both my spouse and I being dual military for many years, it was just not feasible for us to start one. We made it work for our many dogs, but fish was a whole new level of care. These are our puppers... aren't they so cute???

 

Kylie, Cauchy (If you recognize this name...you must love Math), & Dante

 

 

We finally left the service a couple of years ago and moved to Maryland for work. Our recent purchase of a home made it possible for us to start our "FISH ROOM".

The first tank to go in of course was a freshwater tank ... just getting our feet wet.

 

 

Our second one is a 65 gallon (not plumb for reefing). I really did not like the way this tank look and was quite disappointed in myself for not doing enough research. I have a picture of when started. Everything is broken down to bare minimum now for the upgrade.

 

 

Still regretting those dang cardinals... I will get rid of them someday!  After much research I realized that I wanted a Red Sea Tank. I am not a plumber or am I particularly good at fixing things and the Red Sea tanks are just perfect for me. Of course the price definitely made me cry. My solution? I got a second "job"! After about a month, I got the Red Sea Max E-170.  This tank is stocked with mostly what my husband wants (need to make him happy for the "bigger" tank). We dedicated this mainly to anemones and soft corals (He likes to see things "move"). He picked out most of the fishes and I added the mandarins.

 

 

 

 

I recently ordered a Red Sea S500 and can't wait to actually get it (a second time). Unfortunately, the first one came and I found a crack in it and had to return it. More to come!!! Thank you to everyone who has helped me with all my questions. Thank you to all who sold me corals and anemones. I just love this hobby. oh, I will go back to just 1 job soon.

Edited October 21, 2018 by littlelise1985

[AlanM]

Wow.  Good job on the freshwater one!

 

Nice looking nem's too, is that a valentini puffer?

[lynn.reef.nerd]

Wow.  Good job on the freshwater one!

 

Nice looking nem's too, is that a valentini puffer?

Thanks! That is a valentini. We named him/her Val. He is actually a very fun fish to have. I actually can pet him during feeding. It was actually very hard to try and get a cleaning crew because of this guy.  Had to stick with turbo snails and emerald crabs. He snacks on SPS corals which was not a big deal since we plan to only have soft corals.

[lynn.reef.nerd]

After listening to the talk yesterday, I might have to consider moving my mandarins to the big tank. However, I am not sure if this is a good idea. The inhabitants of the anemone tank are very peaceful and slow eater and has been perfect for me target feeding my mandarins. I got quite lucky with the mandarin pair. I made sure they at least eat live mysis shrimp at the fish store. I started hatching live brine shrimp at home and target feed with frozen rod's food.

 

 

Within the week both started eating frozen brine and rod's food.

 

I continue to culture copepods and phyto as a supplement to my tanks to make sure they stay healthy.

 

 

What do you guys think? Should I move my mandarins?

[lynn.reef.nerd]

The rocks have been cycling in a tub for about 2 months now waiting on the new tank. I'm just using a Dr. Tims product.

 

 

Equipment and others for the big tank:

 

2 x MP40

2 x 200 Watt Cobalt Thermometer

2 x Marine Pure

4 x 20lb sand

 

[Reefoholic]

Looking good. 

[Dmb0921]

Looks great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lynn.reef.nerd]

On 10/24/2018 at 8:52 AM, Reefoholic said:

Looking good. 

 

On 10/27/2018 at 5:15 PM, Dmb0921 said:

Looks great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you guys!

[lynn.reef.nerd]

Tank came yesterday. Let's just say that this is the worst tank to put together EVER! I would rather put together a house full of Ikea furniture. ?

I is all set up (I think) and can't seem to get the main pump to stop spitting out little bubbles. Hopefully Red Sea and resolve this issue.

[A.ocellaris]

wow! How come I never saw this post before???  How big is the redsea? it is looking good!!

[flooddc]

15 minutes ago, littlelise1985 said:

Tank came yesterday. Let's just say that this is the worst tank to put together EVER! I would rather put together a house full of Ikea furniture. ?

I is all set up (I think) and can't seem to get the main pump to stop spitting out little bubbles. Hopefully Red Sea and resolve this issue.

It's going to look awesome once you put everything together!

[Origami]

Bubbles can come from a lot of places. If you've got an integrated skimmer in there, then try turning that off and seeing if the bubbles disappear. If they do, it could just be the newness of the skimmer. But if it persists even after turning the skimmer off it may be that the water level is low in your return chamber or water is dropping a long ways in your return chamber and causing your return pump to suck air. 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

4 hours ago, A.ocellaris said:

wow! How come I never saw this post before???  How big is the redsea? it is looking good!!

Maybe the new update? It's total volume is 135 (include sump).

4 hours ago, flooddc said:

It's going to look awesome once you put everything together!

I hope so. It's a pain to get everything set-up. At one point, I wanted to put it back in the box and send it back. :)

2 hours ago, Origami said:

Bubbles can come from a lot of places. If you've got an integrated skimmer in there, then try turning that off and seeing if the bubbles disappear. If they do, it could just be the newness of the skimmer. But if it persists even after turning the skimmer off it may be that the water level is low in your return chamber or water is dropping a long ways in your return chamber and causing your return pump to suck air. 

I experimented with the skimmer and it was not affecting the production of bubbles. The sump level was above the top of the pump. I did play with the level to see if it had any affect, but nothing. Red Sea suggested that there might be some trapped bubbles in the system and can take some time. She said to let it run for about a week and if that doesn't work to call them back. Apparently this happens often with their system?

[Origami]

My experience with Red Sea tanks goes back quite a few years. I don't know exactly how they're configured now. I'm having to look up pictures of the configuration.

Are using the integrated (rear) sump or are you using a below-tank sump?

Are the bubbles coming from one or both tank returns? Are they micro bubbles or bursts of larger bubbles?

How high is the water in the back chambers and is it at the same level in both the left and right chambers (where the return pumps are)?

Air can become trapped, that is certainly an option. 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

10 hours ago, Origami said:

My experience with Red Sea tanks goes back quite a few years. I don't know exactly how they're configured now. I'm having to look up pictures of the configuration.

Are using the integrated (rear) sump or are you using a below-tank sump?

Are the bubbles coming from one or both tank returns? Are they micro bubbles or bursts of larger bubbles?

How high is the water in the back chambers and is it at the same level in both the left and right chambers (where the return pumps are)?

Air can become trapped, that is certainly an option. 

This is a below-tank sump. The bubbles are coming from the tank return (the other 3 circulation pumps are good). They are micro bubbles. There are only one chamber in the back. It is the same level as the return grid (??).

[Origami]

Can you post a picture of the sump so I can see how it's organized?

Do you have the skimmer in the sump, then?

Submerged or external pump for the return? Is there a filter sock or anything similar at the end of the drain line? 

Microbubbles often point to the skimmer as the source. The problem tends to decrease with time. However, microbubbles can also show up in systems with an external return pump with pinpoint holes in the intake plumbing. If the air bubbles were larger or came in bursts, it could be from an occasional vortex forming and allowing air to be sucked into the return pump intake. Another source, as you've been told, can be trapped air - microbubbles that are trapped and forming on the insides of new surfaces that are released until things stabilize. This, too, can take days, even weeks to settle out. This is why you were probably told to try waiting it out to see if it goes away.

Finally, sometimes people mistake tiny particulates floating in the water of new systems as microbubbles. Many times it's from unwashed substrate. This, too, goes away with time as bacteria colonize the dust and are either skimmed out or settle and bind to other, larger particles of substrate.

[lynn.reef.nerd]

11 hours ago, Origami said:

Can you post a picture of the sump so I can see how it's organized?

Do you have the skimmer in the sump, then?

Submerged or external pump for the return? Is there a filter sock or anything similar at the end of the drain line? 

Microbubbles often point to the skimmer as the source. The problem tends to decrease with time. However, microbubbles can also show up in systems with an external return pump with pinpoint holes in the intake plumbing. If the air bubbles were larger or came in bursts, it could be from an occasional vortex forming and allowing air to be sucked into the return pump intake. Another source, as you've been told, can be trapped air - microbubbles that are trapped and forming on the insides of new surfaces that are released until things stabilize. This, too, can take days, even weeks to settle out. This is why you were probably told to try waiting it out to see if it goes away.

Finally, sometimes people mistake tiny particulates floating in the water of new systems as microbubbles. Many times it's from unwashed substrate. This, too, goes away with time as bacteria colonize the dust and are either skimmed out or settle and bind to other, larger particles of substrate.

I have attached the pictures of the sump. Hopefully you can see it. The bubbles actually decreased already. I am hoping that by tomorrow there will be no more tiny bubbles. Sorry about the mess. I can't seem to get everything in there without it looking like a disaster.

Edited November 2, 2018 by littlelise1985

[lynn.reef.nerd]

Took a very long time but the fish and corals are in!  My wall of rocks... no skill what-so-ever on aquascaping rocks.

My blue hippo tang is one of the main reason I had to upgrade. I bought her when she was tiny (3/4'') hoping that it will take her a while to grow. Within 2 months she tripled (quadruple?) her size and was just not happy in the little tank anymore. She seems much happier now. Everyone made it over. No fish or shrimp death so far.

Edited November 2, 2018 by littlelise1985

[Origami]

It's kind of hard to follow the flow in the sump. It looks like water enters into the far right through those two, parallel pipes that terminate in to the white filter pad. However, that red, white and blue striped flexible hose that goes to the gray union in the back of the first picture looks like your return hose. So it looks like water enters on the right side and that that right side is divided into two compartments - the first compartment and the last compartment in the water flow through the sump. Am I close?

The water seems to reach that last compartment from the space under the white filter media in the center front of the first picture. I can't exactly figure out how water moves through the sump, though. Especially how it gets into that left compartment where it looks like the heater is. It's also a little unclear to me where the clean water comes out of that skimmer. Is it through the gray pipe that feeds back to the first compartment? 

Are there diagrams or instructions online for that sump?

I'm glad the bubbles are subsiding now. So this may be close to being OBE for you.

[YHSublime]

On 10/31/2018 at 3:06 PM, A.ocellaris said:

wow! How come I never saw this post before???  How big is the redsea? it is looking good!!

Looks like it's the RS Max S-500.

I like the Red Sea tanks. I hear the conversion on plumbing can be difficult. I'd love to see a FTS!

[AlanM]

28 minutes ago, YHSublime said:

Looks like it's the RS Max S-500.

I like the Red Sea tanks. I hear the conversion on plumbing can be difficult. I'd love to see a FTS!

I've heard the same, but I also really like them.  It's what I consider getting (the 170 model) when I think about doing a downsize.

[lynn.reef.nerd]

On 11/1/2018 at 11:05 PM, Origami said:

It's kind of hard to follow the flow in the sump. It looks like water enters into the far right through those two, parallel pipes that terminate in to the white filter pad. However, that red, white and blue striped flexible hose that goes to the gray union in the back of the first picture looks like your return hose. So it looks like water enters on the right side and that that right side is divided into two compartments - the first compartment and the last compartment in the water flow through the sump. Am I close? 

The water seems to reach that last compartment from the space under the white filter media in the center front of the first picture. I can't exactly figure out how water moves through the sump, though. Especially how it gets into that left compartment where it looks like the heater is. It's also a little unclear to me where the clean water comes out of that skimmer. Is it through the gray pipe that feeds back to the first compartment? 

Are there diagrams or instructions online for that sump? 

I'm glad the bubbles are subsiding now. So this may be close to being OBE for you.

You have it right regarding the sump. The flow out and into the back once it goes through the skimmer. All the water flows through the right hand side and flows down into the filter pad (I added the pad and that helped with the bubbles). I do not know if a diagram online. I can try searching some more. The colorful tubings are my dosing ... I can't find a good way to connect them (too short to pull all the up the tank). As of right now, the bottom is a mess... it it works (i think).

On 11/2/2018 at 4:08 PM, AlanM said:

I've heard the same, but I also really like them.  It's what I consider getting (the 170 model) when I think about doing a downsize.

I really like the 170. Sooooo much easier to put together. I do not have the sump on the bottom and regrets that. However, adding the sump would take up all the space on the bottom.

[lynn.reef.nerd]

On 11/2/2018 at 3:38 PM, YHSublime said:

Looks like it's the RS Max S-500.

I like the Red Sea tanks. I hear the conversion on plumbing can be difficult. I'd love to see a FTS!

What is FTS? Full tank shot?

[ImGoingCoastal]

Yup

-A-a-ron

[YHSublime]

8 minutes ago, littlelise1985 said:

What is FTS? Full tank shot?

NI! (Nailed it!)