Rich's 5G mini bow nano

[DaveTheReefGeek]

I would avoid putting anything into the already small contact chamber. If you let it run for a couple days with the settings I recomended, the bubbles will stop all together. It's kind of a break in period.

[TheBeak]

Originally Posted by DaveTheReefGeek

I would avoid putting anything into the already small contact chamber. If you let it run for a couple days with the settings I recomended, the bubbles will stop all together. It's kind of a break in period.

Once I get some bio load in there I'll try it again both ways.

I also added a sliver of the foam to the back of the stock filter cart to trap some more bubbles. works. (can be seen in pic below)

right now micro bubbles are manageable (cant see them unless your looking for them there so few and tiny.) and the skimmer is producing a small amount of foam. its just creeping up and down the collection pipe, so no actual skimmate collected, but its giving me hope that this will work once there is really something in there to skim.

[DaveTheReefGeek]

yeah, that's how mine behaved for the first few days. then the foam (pretty dry) spills over the edge of the tube.

[baum89]

Originally Posted by TheBeak

did some more work this afternoon.

Tank back painted. DIY skimmer built/ installed (from an old gravel vac and a pvc fitting) ready for water:




Tank filled, Rio pump running:



Salt in for 5 mins, first pic with tank light on (fake rocks out of fresh water rig that used to occupy this tank to give light something to hit. LR next week or so....):




One more, shot from across the room. Note that the room lights are on in this shot too. Normal kitchen bright, and the tank is brighter

what does it take to paint the back of an aquarium?
looks great btw

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by TheBeak

It's all good, without this thread, I'd have never met sluty-bo-peep.

Now that's the spirit! I have a few more pics like that too,.. I was rotating my avitar's through "Bo Peeps" for a while

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by fish.freak

oh you mean her
Just some guy, you know?

Sorry,.. no advice nano skimmer wise,.. but I was thinking that she needed to come to the new page.

Whiskey

[TheBeak]

Originally Posted by baum89

what does it take to paint the back of an aquarium?
looks great btw

Paint the outside, not the inside

Just rim the outside edge with some 2" blue painters tape, add some paper outside that to keep back any overspray (mask it off), then shoot it with a rattle can of some plastic safe spray paint.

took me longer to find my tape than it did to do the rest of the process.

[kerrnel]

I've also picked up the Rio Nano. There's a little plug on the intake pipe that goes down into the hopper. The instructions aren't exactly clear, but from what I've read elsewhere, the plug can be discarded...supposedly the skimmer works better without it.

Also, if the noise is too much and doesn't go away, you can superglue the impeller to the magnet shaft which should cut down the noise.

Mike.

[TheBeak]

The micro bubbles are still an issue. grrrr.

I'm probably being overly analytical though, since they are all thats in the tank. I probably wouldn't even notice them if i hadn't painted the tank back. it really reveals anything in the water for better or worse.

I'm going to try and chill out until i get something else in there.

[TheBeak]

Originally Posted by kerrnel

I've also picked up the Rio Nano. There's a little plug on the intake pipe that goes down into the hopper. The instructions aren't exactly clear, but from what I've read elsewhere, the plug can be discarded...supposedly the skimmer works better without it.

Also, if the noise is too much and doesn't go away, you can superglue the impeller to the magnet shaft which should cut down the noise.

Mike.

I removed my little plug already.

guess im not the only freak up this early on a sunday.

[kerrnel]

Originally Posted by TheBeak

I removed my little plug already.

guess im not the only freak up this early on a sunday.

For what its worth, I'm not sure what the superglue thing is about...I looked at it and it's not really clear what I'm supposed to glue to what.

The bubbles go away from everything I've read, either here or elsewhere. Best series of posts I can find on it is here, if you need a few days' more encouragement...

http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28861

Mike.

[DaveTheReefGeek]

Originally Posted by TheBeak

The micro bubbles are still an issue. grrrr.

I'm probably being overly analytical though, since they are all thats in the tank. I probably wouldn't even notice them if i hadn't painted the tank back. it really reveals anything in the water for better or worse.

I'm going to try and chill out until i get something else in there.

The plug (when removed) is supposed to act kind of like a recirc. I have found that pulling out the little rubber plug on the air down tube doen not make any difference in performance.

With regards to the bubbles, give the skimmer a few days to break in. Once some bacteria grows on the cotton side of the carbon insert, it will remover the bubbles almost entierly.

[TheBeak]

Originally Posted by DaveTheReefGeek

The plug (when removed) is supposed to act kind of like a recirc. I have found that pulling out the little rubber plug on the air down tube doen not make any difference in performance.

With regards to the bubbles, give the skimmer a few days to break in. Once some bacteria grows on the cotton side of the carbon insert, it will remover the bubbles almost entierly.

Ya, I'm happy enough with it now to move on with the project.

I'll fiddle with it later if i need too.

[TheBeak]

OK, need a small power head to help swish things around.

I read that powersweeps are maintenance headaches.

how about a Hydor Koralia Nano? way more rated flow than needed i think, but supposedly these prop pumps are less turbulent...

suggestions?

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by TheBeak

OK, need a small power head to help swish things around.

I read that powersweeps are maintenance headaches.

how about a Hydor Koralia Nano? way more rated flow than needed i think, but supposedly these prop pumps are less turbulent...

suggestions?

Ya,.. My sweep was a peice of junk. I really like the idea of using the Koralia Nano, there a great choice becaus they don't pump out a blasting stream of water that has to be broken up before it's usefull,.. very good for a small tank IMHO.

Whiskey