Have everything; need help setting up
 

Yes...yes...I hate to admit it but that now that I have all the equipment, I need help figuring out how to put it all together. Anyone up for helping me figure out how to set this gear up? Our powerheads and skimmer is on it's way, but everything is here(well we have 3 bulbs needing to be ordered on monday).

This is for a 75g reef.
http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/47...600x600Q85.jpg

Corner overflow
http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/48...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

Our light fixture
http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/56...600x600Q85.jpg

The sump
The idiots we bought this from, had not only forgotten our stand in the huge order, but they had also missed the sump, so they gave us one slightly bigger at no cost.
http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

So these are the parts we have. Also have a refractometer I picked up yesterday. Our RODI unit is also on the way. Waiting for out Koralia 4 powerheads to come in and the skimmer. Ordered in the states so should be here this week sometime. Now my problem lies with not knowing what to attach where with what, a matter of putting all the pieces together. Appreciate the help.

You can never have everything, theres always something on my list :lol:

Congratz on the new setup up, hopefully someone can help you out.

I like! i like the whole new out of the box feeling from the photos provided LOL! goodluck on ur setup!:biggrin:

step one...plumb!!!! Figure out what you want to run for overflow etc and how you want your return(s) to be plumbed into the tank. there's lots of helpful reefers in Calgary who I'm sure could lend you a hand if you had any questions! Red Coral is a good place to start for plumbing needs/questions as well

Thank you so much :biggrin: definitely excited about setting this up.

setup
 

very nice setup should be fairly easy if you like plumbing good luck

That's right, with the help of a local, I heard about him and he's helping me with the lighting for the set up.

Do we have any iChatters in the house?

Shiny new stuff! As suggested, give Kevin at Red Coral a call, he'll sort ya out :)

I get my hair cut at Chatters, does that count?

Fiance's sister is a hair dresser-she would get you in trouble for going there! :lol: so no, my darling...it does not count!

By the way, you are missing salt :)

Nooo! I have salt. Let me go get a picture, also have a pic of the pump I bought a few months ago while I was waiting for the rest of the order to come through...one momento. Another thing I'll need help with. I have no idea what the standard rule is for mixing salt.
http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/40...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg

hair dresser sister-inlaw, that clued me in. lol

but ya looks like you just need to get all your plumbing components together. btw nice sump, where did you get it from?

Got it from Big Al's on 32nd.

The general procedure although there's been some recent break throughs in Technology using canoe paddles us to mix minimum 24hrs in advance using a pump or powerhead and use a heater if needed to make your water tank temp for water changes, not important for the first fill.also lateryou may want to add additives like calcium to make your salt what your tank is but not important for your first fill . Always gave some ready made saltwater on hand in case you need it. Cheers on the new build it's the best part of your tank :)

welcome to canreef and goodluck on the new build :) Following along :):)

Generally speaking it's about a cup of salt per 2 gallons. But, what you want to do is get a hydrometer if you don't already have one, because what you SHOULD do is add the salt and then check it after a few hours and add salt (or water) to get to your target specific gravity ("SG"). You'll quickly get a feel for how much salt it takes but you always measure your SG regardless. A refractometer is the easiest and most effective tool. A swing arm hydrometer is subject to huge amounts of error in readings (learned that the hard way) and no 2 swing arm hydrometers will tell you the same value anyhow .. a plumb-bob/glass hydrometer is good for reliability and ease of use and accuracy, but the glass is so thin you just look at them wrong and they break and it sucks to clean up all those little tiny lead ball bearings that fall out when they do. So, yeah, refractometer is the ONLY way to go. Plus, you'll feel all Star Trek and stuff looking into one to get your SG reading.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/t-...actometer.html

I ran a Rio Hyperflow for a few years. Nice pump, but when it goes, it's going to fail like this: the magnet will swell and the impeller will fail to turn. You can get a replacement impeller for about $20 less than a whole new pump. Stellar. And Big Al's is the only place left who sells these pumps. Don't sweat this purchase for now, it's a good pump when it runs right, and you'll get at least a year or two out of it in the meantime. Which, if you think that sounds not bad, consider that I have Mag drive pumps that have been running except for a few hours for cleaning, or power failures or whatever for .. I think the one driving my skimmer is about 8 years now (purchased in summer 2002. Used! :eek: - the impellers may not be original but the cost to replace those is nomimal). So yeah, I myself am done with Hyperflows, not impressed at all with them on their impeller replacement cost. I have the pump in my dead equipment pile because I can't bring myself to throw out a "perfectly good pump, it just needs a new impeller" but then the stupid impeller costs $150. FAIL!

Like I said don't sweat it for now, it will get you going and get you going good in the meantime.

Also you may want to consider an electronic thermometer, usually for around $20 or so, or you can just use a glass one floating in your sump, you'll get a more consistent reading. The stick-on-the-glass kind are a neat novelty but not really the best for a solid reading since they are on the outside of the glass so the tank temperature has to travel through the glass and also fight with the room air temperature and so on.

The pump was actually $99.99, so the impeller would be much more expensive than buying a new one. (Sorry, I clicked on one of your pic which took me to yours webshots album where i saw a shot you took of your receipt.)

What do you have for a skimmer?

What are your plans for the sump area? things like reactors, cheato, etc?

Which pump do you recommend?

I guess I should have mentioned that mine was the 32HF. It's been a while since I checked into this and it looks like prices have come down somewhat. Now the listed price online for the pump is now $155 and the impeller $99 for the 32. They only list replacement impellers for the 20 ($89), 26, and 32 (both $99). Maybe they don't bother selling for the smaller versions since it looks like it would be equivalent to a whole new pump.

As to what pump I recommend "per se" is a difficult question to answer, each pump will have pros/cons and some will better suit someone to a task over others - it's a little like Ford vs Chevy or something.

In general Mag drives have been dependable workhorses for me, but they are not the quietest nor the least-power draw for the amount of flow. But dependable, and easy to service (ie., can replace the impeller housing if need be, or the impeller itself, for reasonable cost).

Eheims tend to be the best blend of quiet, efficiency at power draw and volume output. But also tend to be the most expensive to buy, so they get you one way or the other.

I'm running a Hydor Seltz as a sump return on one tank and I like the pump. Smaller than the equivalent Mag drive, quieter, and less energy used. For a while there they were really popular and easy to find but nowadays they seem harder to find someone who sells them.

It's not like you should regret the purchase of the Rio Hyperflow. It is a good pump. I just found the longevity factor with it wasn't there though compared to others. If, a year or two from now you find that it's not starting for you, take it apart and check the magnet. If it's a perfect cylinder then it's still fine but if it has started to swell and is more egg shaped then you know that it's done at that point.

Most important, check the tank for leaks.

3 Key steps setting up a new tank:

1 - Patience
2 - Patience
3 - Patience

For the beginning, try to get some used salt water, and a cup or 2 of sand to start "seeding" the tank with bacteria.

You can also use products like Prodibio's Start Up, or Seachems Stability.

To keep the costs down, don't go overboard with the salt, you can use basice IO salt, then upgrade to reef crystals. Keep your salinity lower, you don't need to have 1.025, you can get away with 1.020 (use less salt during the setup time).

Make sure your refactometer is calibrated.
Ditch the stick on thermometer
Timers for your lights
I would recommend a second heater, so if one fails there is a backup. Also less work on just 1 heater.

Next step is preparing your live rock, we warned, buying used live rock is great, but be prepared for organisms that may be already growing on the rock that you may not want in your tank. In all our new setups, unless the customer has his own rock, we will supply new semi-cured live rock that have been sitting in our holding tanks for a few weeks.

you should be able to get any help on these forums or your LFS, but if you need, don't hesitate to contact me here.

Ken - BWA

+1
I would agree with Tony

The Rio isn't necessarily a "bad" pump. Are there some better quality units out there? Yes. I am a huge Eheim fan... but as Tony said, you are going to pay for it. It's the same for almost all of the equipment out there. Koralia's work great for powerheads but then you get into a whole new league with powerheads like Vortechs ($300-$500 for a single unit). Same with skimmers.. Does everyone NEED a bubble king? ($1000+) No. There are lots of good skimmers out there to fit the consumers needs and budget.

Do your research, ask tons of questions, and take your time... you will be happy you did.

HTH

Ryan

Done deal, I'll head out on tuesday after work to see if I can get one then.

http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpgas for reactors and cheato? I dont know what that means :n00b:

Appreciate your honesty and info. I'm glad to know about it now and learn this from your experience because it's not something I would have known. Going to try to see if I can return the Rio and get something better on tuesday. I accidently thru out the receipt last week for it :mrgreen: so Im going to see if they will still take it back in exchange of a better pump. Will keep you all posted. Thanks again for all the info-MUCHLY appreciated. Every single piece of equipment I got, I got because of the advice someone gave me, so hopefully we'll keep making some good decisions!

Cheato is a type of algae you put in your sump which you grow to help in nutrient export and food for your fish.
Reactors are mainly used to hold activated carbon, gfo, phosban etc. to keep them in one place and makes them more efficient in doing what they were meant to do.

Have had my 150 gallon up for a year and a half....
 

You will have tons questions as you already have found out, but I am learning something new everyday.

Welcome to reefing!!

You are kidding either! I'm learning more and more as I go along. Some things I didnt even know I was missing or needed to know about :biggrin:

Santa came over
 

I had a little trip from Santa this afternoon. An expensive trip :wink: but a good one. The powerheads and skimmer arrived in the mail. The guys at Aquacave are absolutely phenomenal. Never had such great customer care from anyone.

Never realized how freaking huge those skimmers were!
http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/15...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

In case you haven't figured out already, red acrylic is a total reef geek magnet. It's like turning on a "sexy" switch.

Oh ya, BTW, sexy skimmer!!!! BOO YAH!!!!!!

:lol:

(I wish I was kidding.)

:eyebrows:

Nice skimmer. Yeah surprised me too how big those ones are when i started. My vertex has about the same capacity as that one but the footprint is slightly larger.

HEHE, all I can say is CHICKA BOW WOW, CHICKA BOW WOW

Turn down your lights,
Put on some Romantic music,
NOW, Picture Tony dancing in his best porn star attire. OMG!!! :Banane21:

:pop2:

Was there any extra shipping costs from aquacave?