Wildman926

i highly recommend setting up an ATO. it'll keep your water level the same and your livestock will love the balance. it'll also prevent your skimmer from running dry...IMO the ato is one of the best addtitions to a tank.

get the ATO, raise the skimmer, and keep the water level.

X2... AN ato will keep your system stable, both in specific gravity and water level. Your skimmer will operate at max efficiency if kept at a solid level. It then becomes a set it, and forget it, till next maintenance cleaning. I put a mark on the adjusting tube and bracket for a quick reference to put it back where it was after cleaning.

I posted HERE a simple ATO setup that I use on both my 80g and 110g. By using an ATO, it allows you to enjoy your hobby more.

Very cool....

I've used tap water for years also. This thread is useless without pics as most people clicking this link will be looking for tanks that actually use tap water. BTW, regarding things in faucet water, what do you use when you brush your teeth? RO water?

This thread is NOT useless, as you don't want to give someone the wrong impression that their tap water is ok to use, and then their tanks ending up crashing due to the tap water. As stated before, it depends on the quality of your tap water whether you are able to get by with tap water only.

"what do you use when you brush your teeth? RO water?" We put many things in our body that we would never allow our tank to have in them. Why don''t you try pouring a bottle of scope in your tank, if you want to take that analogy.

What a beautiful tank! I am currently looking into changing my lights to LED. Just curious where did you get yours?

Thank you very much. I got these at Saltwateraquarium.com. He is a friend, and best prices, low shipping costs ($8.99). I can't wait to get the other strips of 12k and Deep Water 453nm. I wanted to show pics to demonstrate the brightness and color. And this is with an Iphone to boot.

Here are pics of the two 36" LED Pro strips, LED Strips with a Nova Extreme T5 HO, and a standard Coralife T5 on the 80g. IMHO, each strip is as "bright" as a single T5 HO bulb. This tank has been running since April. Here are the pics -

LED Pro only -

LED Pro/T5 HO -

LED Pro/Coralife STANDARD T5

I purchased these strips, for both my 110g (48x18x31) and 80g (39x21x25). I put them on and what a difference from the T5 HO's. Beautiful color! I purchased the 12k and Fusion. I liked it so much, I tested adding the 36" with the 48" on the 110, and I was VERY impressed to say the least. I already have 4 more strips coming, both 36" and 48", two a piece, 12K and a 453nm Deep Water. Here are some pics of my 110g after only running since mid May -

48" FUSION AND 12K ONLY-

BOTH 48" AND 36" -

HERE is the link to the Austin Water report. Why would you want your tank to have all of those contaminants?

Very nice. Did you make the float valve holder, or is this something that can be purchased? Thanks for sharing!

Actually, it is all one item from Eshopps, their float valve. Just make sure you set your valve on the container to just drip. The L bracket that the float valve sits on will come apart and you can just use super glue to repair it. I have had this happen to me, and read this at Foster and Smith in the reviews. Easy fix to do once you get it before you put it to use. Other than that, it is a very nice unit. I have two of them, one on an 80, and another on a 110.

Whena 75gpd 6 stage ro/di units cost around $150, it is a wise idea to invest in one. If you want, you can add a TDS meter for less than $20 to make sure your output is pure water.

No way would I do it now. I did when keeping a reef tank when I lived in Cedar Park in the early 90's. No problems, all looked great. Moved to Houston, and what a disaster. The water treatment plants are required to put so muh in the water today. You can go online and see a water report, or request one.

TTT

I have a new 125g wet dry filter/sump. It comes complete, ready to install. Dimensions are 24x10x17. Has slide out drawer for easy maintenance of prefilter pad. This will start back up after power failure. Has drain bar to evenly distribute water across filter pad. Catalina Aquariums 2200 return pump 850 gph. Hose attach without clamps. $150

oh should tell you. if your planing to re seal the entire tank. do it in steps. bottom and right side or bottom and left side seams and so on. this will keep the tank some what structurally sound why you work on it. other wise it will shift.

Matt

If he only removes the inside seal, the silicone that holds the glass panes together will keep it from shifting. I have resealed many tanks, 10-150 gallons, and it is imperative that you do it all at once to get a good seal and adhesion after removing and cleaning out the old silicone.

Once you have completely removed the old silicone, use laquer thinner to do a final cleaning, as it does not leave a residue. Your leak test, and final cleaning will remove anything else.

Here is a simple gravity fed ATO. I used an Eclipse 6 tank housing only, had a plastic lid cut for it, installed a John Guess valve 1/4" x 3/8", 1/4" tubing, and an Eshopps float valve. I made the stand (over did it), and painted it with Kilze oil base, and made sure it was at least 2" above the valve for the gravity affect. Only one line on the sump for quick reference now (old pic), and keeps the sump perfectly stable in water height. Just make sure you adjust the valve to a drip affect, just to help in case anything happens.

I have a standard overflow, but one of the drains aproximately 1/2" higher than the first. I used a Hofer Gurgle buster as my back up, but you don't have to. I was lazy in removing it and it is higher than the regular drain. Install valves after the overflow box drains to slow down the water on the lower one. Then use screen or mesh that is plastic or nylon, and ensure it is at least 1" taller than both drain pipes. Leave the taller drain pipe wide open, but close the lower drain pipe's valve until quiet. Use plasic zip ties and overlap the screen to ensure it is sealed to keep out debris and shrimp. I am looking at using hard plastic housings like what is used on powerheads to house the sponge filter to use instead of soft mesh screen to look more commercial. DONE!

There is no way any debris can get into your drain to clog, and you have a back up. I have had shrimp in there for days, no problem. I use the bio ball to channel the water, so I can open the valve more. The mesh does not impede the flow like an overflow prefilter sponge (they don't at first, but do when they grow bacteria and become a nitrate factory as well). This works with a overflow box and pump rated at 1200 gph. Works like a champ, no issues when there is a power failure, etc.

Here is a video of it. Just click on the link.

http://s150.photobucket.com/albums/s86/wildman926/Aquariums/New%20110/?action=view&current=9f4dbac3.mp4

And the hard plastic filter cover I am talking about. It is a Hagen power head filter. Just don't use the sponge obviously.

TTT - I am only selling due to going LED. They are all like new condition.

SOLD

Thanks ARC!

You can get glass cut, which is way cheaper than the store price for glass tops.

TTT - Lowered price - $125

PM'D

I just responded. Please note that this is a CFL, not a T5 light. Thanks.

I've had a huge aiptasia problem up until recently. I tried aiptasia-x, similar products and using lemon juice and a syringe worked best for me. I didn't try using kalk though. I also tried berghia nudi's two different times and didn't have any luck with them. I think since I had a few peppermint shrimp in there, the peps ate the nudi's. I'd be very careful trying them if you have a peppermint shrimp in there since the nudi's are pretty expensive.

What's worked best for me is wild caught peppermint shrimp from Port Aransas. I went out there a couple months ago and caught about 40-50 and threw them in my tank. I went from having HUNDREDS of aiptasia to having about 5 larger ones that I can see. I also cut down on feeding some when I added them to make sure they were hungry. Of course, I've tried peps before and didn't have any luck so I'm not sure why they're working so well (cutting down on feeding maybe?). Anyway, good luck! I know how annoying a frustrating they can be.

Mine were wild caught as well. Many of them are carrying eggs, so going to see how it works out in the tank once they hatch...

What model of Current light?

I use that kind of stuff as filler in my sump with the live rock. As long as it tests clean, you are good to go.

I have Eshopps PSK-100 and 150 on an 80 and 110. I am very happy with them.

PSK-100

PSK-150 after starting up new 110

I recently set up an 80 gallon and a 110. The 80 gallon housed all of the liverock for both tanks, and the liverock was full of aptaisia. I picked up a bunch of peppermint shrimp to put in the 80n gallon to clean up the liverock, and they cleaned out the aptaisia within 2 weeks, all of it gone, and have never seen them again.

TTT - Lowered price - $125