just got me a lee's skimmer and a aquaspacelight*help*

[tdsounds]

I got a 18gal via aqua tank and I just recently built me a refuge and put a lee's skimmer and heater in it. The instructions tell me to adjust the tube that doesn't connect to the airstone. But some wierd reason there is a sticker on the airstone tube side that says adjust it first? So far I got it to foam into the collection cup, but its only foaming white foams in. Am I doing it right?

 

Also I got my 150watt aquaspacelight with the electronic ballast. I use to have a csl 2x40w/moonlight on it. So far I'm hanging it about 12in above the surface and running only on 6hr photoperiod so my coral don't bleach. Am I doing it right?

How long do I need to do this? and when everything is acclimated how long do I run the halide?

 

Man I put out a lot of my time on this tank. I have lots to learn!

[MrConclusion]

Run that light, dude! Don't worry about corals bleaching. They come from an exotic part of the world where the sun actually shines for more than 6 hours... every single day!

 

Just kidding, I had to say it.

 

I have a Via Aqua 11 gal with a 150 watt HQI (PFO brand but very similar to yours) and I run it for 9-10 hours. It's a nice light, but it's not brighter than the sun, so don't worry.

 

Realize that corals naturally experience sunny days and cloudy days, so they're made to deal with light levels going up and down. Most "bleaching" issues I have actually seen are really "death" issues not caused by too much light.

 

The color of your corals is bound to change, because you have changed the spectrum of light they're receiving. But this is not necessarily a good or bad thing, it's just that way it's gotta be. Every lighting system is a compromise.

 

Adjust the skimmer so that you have a good cloud of fine bubbles in the reaction chamber, and decent water movement through the chamber, without passing fine bubbles into the tank. I have a lot of experience with different skimmers, Including Lee's, and I don't think there's much real-world relevance to the "which one to adjust first" question. You'll be more or less constantly tweaking them both as the water chemistry changes and the wooden air diffuser ages.

[kennerd]

Yeah, the Lee's definitely takes some tweaking, an dfind someone who you can buy the wooden diffusers in bulk, too. I've had them only last from 3 weeks to 2 months at best.

 

White foam is normal. Foam Fractionation (ie: Protein skimming) is based on the proteins drying on the outside of the bubbles, and then sticking together and being pushed into your collection cup. (50 cent description, of course), so it will take a little time for the crud to begin forming.

 

Good call raising the lighting, but IMO, changing the photoperiod is uneccesary. As long as you minimize the immediate change in constant intensity, and slowly acclimate the corals to the increase, you're good shape.

 

MrConclusion: I'd agree with the corals being used to sun/clouds in the wild. Hopefully these are corals that were captive raised, and have been used to consistent sunny days.

[tdsounds]

thanks guys, I bought the wooden airstones at drsfostersmith.com for like 1.69 each. I think I bought like 12 of them just to keep it handy when I need to change them.

[nanephilim]

I also have a lees skimmer. The problem is that they put the (adjust first) sticker on the wrong tube. Basicly you want to adjust the Air lift/bubble counter to get water flowing into the top of the skimmer and then down and out the air lift. once the flow is estblished, then SLOWLY turn the air on to the diffuser. Youll know you've got it right when the bubbles from the diffuser stay inside the reaction chamber (not bubbling out the water intakes).

[kennerd]

Typically, you will not have to adjust the air lift the one time. If things start to slow down (the bubbles have longer spaces between them), it's most likely from salt creep at the bubble outlet in the tube..toothpick time.