TriggerHappyDude Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Well, I've had a few buckets of RO/DI water out there and it doesn't even seem to get to 80 degrees with the heat in the garage, so I think its ok, I'll keep an eye on the temps. I have a cover for the Brute and can keep a Maxi Jet 1200 running and aerating it. Link to comment
34G Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Sounds great then. I was just thinking that if it did get really hot, water is harder to cool than heat. But if its staying around 80 degrees, that's ideal! Your tank is really coming along nicely. Good to see your taking your time to do things right. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Ok all you out there who own a Solana, or who know how they work well. I just did my very first water change, and felt like a fumbling idiot while in the process. Made a mess, probably scared the crap out of my snails and crabs, lucky for me they are all that is in there right now. Please people explain your process of a water change, what all do you turn off or leave on while doing so? I just stumbled through mine and know there is an easier way. Here is what I did, I started to take the water out with a small 1/4" tube and small pump (the stock skimmer pump), but I didn't even turn it on it just started siphoning out semi-slow, where I felt comfy leaving it doing that, then I turned off the return pump and skimmer and power head and lights, had everything off, the display got really low so I turned all the pumps back on...then I used my Maxi-Jet and a bigger 1" tube to put the new salt water that had been mixed/heated over night, back in. Started with it in the main tank, but ended up putting it in the 3rd chamber. Where I felt dumb was I turned the pumps back on before I had the water level back up and so there were lots of micro bubbles and pumps making spitting noises, till I got the level back to a decent height. So what is the best way to do a water change in these Solana tanks? Link to comment
ryanmilo Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I take the water out of my rear chambers and switch back and forth from my pump chamber one week and skimmer area another. I find this best for a lot of detrius removal as I do not vac my sandbed and I can get the bottom of my hose to suck up everything on the bottom. I take the pump out and clean that out every week also since it sometimes gets clogged with cheato leaching over from my middle chamber, wipe the heater with paper towel, and brush my powerheads with a toothbrush. My water has been crystal clear since I have been doing this. I add to the tank itself with the same amount I took out with a pint sized cup. Also while the tank is turned off I take and try to get all the apstasia that might be seen, not that many maybe 5 or so just trying to keep it under control. It is a lot of work but once you get a weekly schedule in place it gets easier. Link to comment
d'Espresso Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 im still on the search and researching on what to do, what i need to get started and equipments on building a simple, clean look, automatic, and easy to handle to build a tank like yours. i am going for the Solana 34 gallon. So i landed on your page and enjoyed what you have done. i will be following your thread but i would like to know if you can pm the list and price and where to get everything done. This would be a thrill to me if you can do that. thanks Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 im still on the search and researching on what to do, what i need to get started and equipments on building a simple, clean look, automatic, and easy to handle to build a tank like yours. i am going for the Solana 34 gallon. So i landed on your page and enjoyed what you have done. i will be following your thread but i would like to know if you can pm the list and price and where to get everything done. This would be a thrill to me if you can do that. thanks I honestly don't remember where and how much I paid for everything, this has been several months ago. I've been good at listing the equipment, just do some google searching and you'll find the prices. The only thing I purchased locally was the Solana Tank and Stand, which cost me about $550 total. I take the water out of my rear chambers and switch back and forth from my pump chamber one week and skimmer area another. I find this best for a lot of detrius removal as I do not vac my sandbed and I can get the bottom of my hose to suck up everything on the bottom. I take the pump out and clean that out every week also since it sometimes gets clogged with cheato leaching over from my middle chamber, wipe the heater with paper towel, and brush my powerheads with a toothbrush. My water has been crystal clear since I have been doing this. I add to the tank itself with the same amount I took out with a pint sized cup. Also while the tank is turned off I take and try to get all the apstasia that might be seen, not that many maybe 5 or so just trying to keep it under control. It is a lot of work but once you get a weekly schedule in place it gets easier. So you don't do 4 - 5 gallon water changes like a 4% - 5% amount? You do pints (like the size of a beer glass)? I was trying to do like a Home Depot bucket sized change, is that too much? Link to comment
ryanmilo Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 No I do a Home Depot bucket every week. I just fill it using a cup so I do not disturb my corals and sand bed, just to put it in nice and slow. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 No I do a Home Depot bucket every week. I just fill it using a cup so I do not disturb my corals and sand bed, just to put it in nice and slow. Ok, but thats where I'm kind of confused, cause when we take this much out of the tank, the pumps in the back chambers don't have a lot of water, and a lot of air bubbles occur...do you turn both skimmer and return pump off? My skimmer is in chamber 1 and my return pump is in chamber 3, once that much water is taken out of the tank, all 3 chambers in the back are low and lots of air bubbles. Do you have this same issue? Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 What if you turned off all the pumps (and skimmer) before siphoning? After that, you would siphon, pump water back (aiming the tube at a rock can help with the cloudiness), and turn on the pumps. Link to comment
GentleBen Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I have the solana and change 5 gallons of water every week. I really think you are over thinking this. I have everything but lights and fan on one power strip. I turn off power to the power strip cutting off all power to tank, remove skimmer collection cup, pollyfill and bag of carbon from second chamber, siphon out 5 gallons. I then clean all the glass inside. Sometimes I will clean the top of gravel with a aquarium air hose zip tied to a wood rod, the tube is so small it does not disturb much. I then replace the water with a plastic pitcher that holds about a half gallon of water, clean and replace skimmer cup, put carbon bag and new pollyfill in second chamber and turn all the pumps back on. Water is back to crystal clear in about 30 minutes. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Ok update, not much really to update, I have been in life's little whirlwind, my wife delivered our first born son on Friday so I've been reeling in that all weekend! Right now the only thing I know about my tank is that some of my new snails from my CUC, have been crawling out of the tank and onto the floor. Lucky thing I've caught them all soon enough to spare their lives. I hate to put a lid on this tank, cause the look is ugly, but what else can I do, why do these snails crawl out? Is it a sign my water is bad? Link to comment
reefrider Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 my wife delivered our first born son on Friday so I've been reeling in that all weekend! That is awesome, there is nothing like the gift of a child! Congrats! some of my new snails from my CUC, have been crawling out of the tank and onto the floor. Lucky thing I've caught them all soon enough to spare their lives. I hate to put a lid on this tank, cause the look is ugly, but what else can I do, why do these snails crawl out? Is it a sign my water is bad? I have had the same problem but only with my blackfoot/margarita snails. The other types stay in. My first thought was water quality as well. I have been struggling to bring up PH and Calcium however this week I have been using B-Ionic and adding a little PH to my top off water so levels are rising. All other parameters are acceptable so not sure its water??? Not much help but thought I would share that I have had the same experience. Link to comment
GentleBen Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Congrats on your first born, life will never be the same. I purchased a screen kit from Home Depot for my Solana and the look is not bad at all. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Congrats on your first born, life will never be the same. I purchased a screen kit from Home Depot for my Solana and the look is not bad at all. Can you share pictures? I've thought about doing this but worried about the rust from the metal frame. Link to comment
ermartin Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Sounds great then. I was just thinking that if it did get really hot, water is harder to cool than heat. But if its staying around 80 degrees, that's ideal! Your tank is really coming along nicely. Good to see your taking your time to do things right. I do all my tanks the same way. I unplug the heater as I dont want it to turn on and get burn up. I then siphon out the water with something like this http://www.petco.com/product/102258/JBJ-In...at=OnSiteSearch after that i refill using a large plastic pitcher. as soon as my 5 gallon container is about half full I lift it and pour it right in the tank. Because sand beds are less for filteration and more for looks in a NANO I like to give it some MINOR disturbance as well as my live rock . It helps bring all the settled bad stuff up so it can be filtered out... Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 I do all my tanks the same way. I unplug the heater as I dont want it to turn on and get burn up. I then siphon out the water with something like thishttp://www.petco.com/product/102258/JBJ-In...at=OnSiteSearch after that i refill using a large plastic pitcher. as soon as my 5 gallon container is about half full I lift it and pour it right in the tank. Because sand beds are less for filteration and more for looks in a NANO I like to give it some MINOR disturbance as well as my live rock . It helps bring all the settled bad stuff up so it can be filtered out... Thanks I like that siphon, I need to get one. That would have made things less messy. So do you leave your pumps on then? Link to comment
ermartin Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks I like that siphon, I need to get one. That would have made things less messy.So do you leave your pumps on then? I do yes. Maybe not the best practice but its all over very quick so i dont worry much about it and the bubbles arent going to hurt anything. Ive been doing it the same way on my aquapod's as well over 2 years and never had a pump failure. Those type of siphons are great as they are self starting Link to comment
GentleBen Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Can you share pictures? I've thought about doing this but worried about the rust from the metal frame. I've had it on about a month now, does not seem to draw moisture. It's always dry when I take it off to do weekly water changes. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks GentleBen! What exact size did you cut the frame to? I like the black frame, but might consider silver as it might blend in better with my light fixture which is silver. What screen did you get? Did you buy your hardware at Lowes or Home Depot or elsewhere? Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Congrats on your son! Hope you're ready for a whirlwind adventure. Also, would love to see pics of him. Are the snails that are climbing out Nerite snails? If so, they're doing it cause they're an intertidal snail, it's a normal behaviour for them. It IS a little disconcerting to find them on the floor though, isn't it? Link to comment
GentleBen Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks GentleBen! What exact size did you cut the frame to? I like the black frame, but might consider silver as it might blend in better with my light fixture which is silver. What screen did you get?Did you buy your hardware at Lowes or Home Depot or elsewhere? Screen size is 15 1/4" X 19 1/4", fits snug along back of wall. That leaves two small opening on either side that I filled in with clear plastic. I have full access to all three back chambers and can lift up clear plastic to feed. No way a fish can get on the floor or in back chambers. I bought all the parts at home depot for under $20. I'm just using standard screening that the home depot guy said would block the least light. My fancy cooling system cost $6 at wallyworld. Link to comment
TriggerHappyDude Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Congrats on your son!Hope you're ready for a whirlwind adventure. Also, would love to see pics of him. Are the snails that are climbing out Nerite snails? If so, they're doing it cause they're an intertidal snail, it's a normal behaviour for them. It IS a little disconcerting to find them on the floor though, isn't it? Thanks Weetie! You can see pics in my Flickr link in my sig... Yes those are my 8 large nerites, so I need to get used to them leaving the water for air, or get something to keep them in? Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Pretty much, yeah. The odd thing is, I have the same Nerites and they don't leave my tank, but they do for 2 other ppl I know. Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Congratulations for your baby! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.