Be nice to the new guy!

[reeffreak]

Tank looks great and those rocks look really nice.I don't know why the skimmer is filling up at night.Its a new setup.,it shouldn't really be skimming anything yet.Maybe its water additive/conditioner causing it to foam.Thats only a guess.BTW,skimmers usually need a break in period,usually 2 weeks,before it starts working properly.

[kevinsimons]

RF, I wasn't expecting the skimmer to do much, either - but there's definitely foaming action going on - although I've added no conditioners until about an hour ago.. (see below).

I'm going to assume the live substrate has lots of live stuff in it - esp. since I tested again today - and now have ammonia... I also determined that I read the pH test wrong yesterday; my water actuatlly tests at 8.0 (which is, I'm told, is the pH of San Francisco water). I added 1 tsp of Kent Superbufer dKH to bring it up, per the direction of one of the LFS here in SF.

The water is, BTW, crystal clear now. Thanks for the kind words on the rock. There are a few advantages to living on the left coast - proximity to Fiji being one of 'em.

[jhnrb]

As long as your waste in the cup is dark in color you are fine. if not you need to adjust for a dryer foam. Your overall oxygen level in the system will tend to drop at night and thats where the skimmer will kick in a bit more to remove the impurities that are not oxidized in the tank. less oxygen, lower redox, more co2, skimmer removes more. tank looking good.

[kevinsimons]

Thanks, JHNRB - I love understanding the science behind the hobby - completely makes sense that the skimmer would be producing more when the oxygen levels drop at night.... and yes, the waste is dark
Here's the latest pic; water is completely clear now, Still have Ammonia at .25, but everything else is good.

[RigoSharon]

looking good..those nova t5 really pack a punch...as a suggestion..can those nova be mounted on ligths stand or mounting kit?? cause that way there gonna be space between ligths and water..that is beneficial to liberate heat and better gas exchange..

[yote]

I agree with Rigo.
You got it looking good.I would get a set of legs for your lights.Even though T-5s dont put out a lot of heat,you still want to allow your tank to breath.

[kevinsimons]

I do have legs for the Nova - but I hate the way it looks when it's mounted that way... PLUS - I'm really unclear about this - if I leave the top of the tank open so it can breath - what happens when a fish decides to take a leap? This is a plexiglas tank, and I have covered the front openings (large ones) with glass, as the Nova shouldn't be placed on Plastic. I enlarged the rear openings, and am not planning on covering them - is this adequate?

[yote]

That will allow gas exchange.But not as much as an open top.
The way to keep fish in without the tops is eggcrete.But every body thinks different,some like the tops,some do better with out them.

[Bifferwine]

Definitely eggcrate, you can find it at Home Depot or Lowe's in the lighting section. It lets light through, doesn't overheat, keeps fish in, and lets the tank breathe.