Thanks brutha! Now for another question to you who have used skimmers, how can I get one on this reef? Better yet, how can I modify one to hang over the side and not have to be drilled...
I have realized that gallon-pico reef setups have totally spoiled me in terms of water changes, I do not like keeping non-skimmed Nano setups and relying on changes to export them, waaaay to much work. I have not appreciated, in the least, having to cart around 3 five gallon water jugs of SW to compensate for my lack of skimming, relative bioloading and water change preferences.
Though nitrate testing shows an acceptable max buildup over my water change period (dip strips, maybe not the most accurate but at least an indicator) I can still guage systemic impact of nitrogen by watching my algal communities rise and fall. For the first time, I have had somewhat persistent hair algae patches spring up and this has always been an indicator of a down-hill trend in my previous pico experiements. Ive learned to accept brown algae, diatoms and even hitchhiker macros as acceptable cycling plant growth but never that dastardly green filamentous hair algae. In my opinion, one has not cared for systemic nitrogen and incoming hitchhiker strands if they see this blooming community, and now I'm in this boat on a two month old reef!!!
So, I am about to break more new ground for myself by using a skimmer. Currently I have removed my fish, (back to coral only and light water chagnes) and feed very lightly now. Removed feather dusters as well... I am wanting to bend a standard 3-inch wide, two-foot long acrylic strip into a 90 degree angle and lip it onto the mouth of the reef. This should create a place to install a HOB skimmer which will now be spaced about one foot from the mouth of the system...I know its confusing so I'll post a drawing of it. the point is, the bowl is curved and a skimmer would be heavily tilted if placed on the mouth of the system...will this work or will it affect draw and return of the skimmer? How about extending the intake and output tubes of a certain brand so they will reach the new distance afforded by the acrylic arm..? Thanks for your suggestions guys
B
I have realized that gallon-pico reef setups have totally spoiled me in terms of water changes, I do not like keeping non-skimmed Nano setups and relying on changes to export them, waaaay to much work. I have not appreciated, in the least, having to cart around 3 five gallon water jugs of SW to compensate for my lack of skimming, relative bioloading and water change preferences.
Though nitrate testing shows an acceptable max buildup over my water change period (dip strips, maybe not the most accurate but at least an indicator) I can still guage systemic impact of nitrogen by watching my algal communities rise and fall. For the first time, I have had somewhat persistent hair algae patches spring up and this has always been an indicator of a down-hill trend in my previous pico experiements. Ive learned to accept brown algae, diatoms and even hitchhiker macros as acceptable cycling plant growth but never that dastardly green filamentous hair algae. In my opinion, one has not cared for systemic nitrogen and incoming hitchhiker strands if they see this blooming community, and now I'm in this boat on a two month old reef!!!
So, I am about to break more new ground for myself by using a skimmer. Currently I have removed my fish, (back to coral only and light water chagnes) and feed very lightly now. Removed feather dusters as well... I am wanting to bend a standard 3-inch wide, two-foot long acrylic strip into a 90 degree angle and lip it onto the mouth of the reef. This should create a place to install a HOB skimmer which will now be spaced about one foot from the mouth of the system...I know its confusing so I'll post a drawing of it. the point is, the bowl is curved and a skimmer would be heavily tilted if placed on the mouth of the system...will this work or will it affect draw and return of the skimmer? How about extending the intake and output tubes of a certain brand so they will reach the new distance afforded by the acrylic arm..? Thanks for your suggestions guys
B
