140g

josie · #1 09-20-2009, 02:49 PM

Thanks for the welcome

New skimmer installed today... not a new technology but we hope it will do the work.
We bought a used Octopus Downdraft... anyone have experience with this one or other downdraft skimmers?

Ken · #2 09-20-2009, 06:27 PM

Hi Josie, I'm a big fan of downdraft skimmers, had them for many years, currently I have a ETSS 1400 dual downdraft skimmer powered by a Iwaki MD70 RLT 1750 gph on my 500 gallon reef since 2000, I have no intentions in upgrading at all despite the newer skimmer that have come on the market. They need a pump to be sized properly in order to run efficiently, a lot of hobbyist donot size the pump correctly to run the skimmer properly, I know a lot of hobbyist back then that was ready to throw out the downdraft because it was not working efficiently, today many of them are still running the downdraft, some switched over to in sump needlewheel due to money burning in their pockets and newer technology. Downdrafts are noisy and they take up a lot of space, mine is hooked up externally to the sump. In my fishroom, noise is not a concern, considering all the other tanks running. I never took my skimmer apart for cleaning or replacing the bioballs, all I did was clean out the collection cup, the adjustment was set 9 years ago and never touched since. I don't know too much about the downdraft you have, but depending on space and where you have the aquarium, a downdraft skimmer may not be for everyone, downdraft are not as popular today as back then because again a lot of exciting good skimmers are coming to the market... hmmmm a vertex alpha cone again love the 140 gal, now happy aquarium and back to mine regards Ken

argan · #3 09-21-2009, 02:38 AM

Your tanks is one of the bext i have seen on here, TOTM material i'd say.
The gowth is beautiful.

josie · #4 09-21-2009, 02:26 PM

Ken: Thanks for you post. The skimmer seems to work well... we put a Mag 9.5 on it...we installed it in-sump... it's 10"x6"x23" We dont have a fish room per say but more a fish-closet...

I'll post pics of the installation soon!

Argan: Thanks. We are doing our best to keep everything in order so the corals are happy and growing... Most of the SPS in the tanks we bought from a friend who closed is tank...

for now everyone is doing ok since the move...

josie · #5 03-23-2010, 03:34 PM

Sorry guys I did not post anything since september!! many things happend...

but this is one of the most stressfull situation I personnally had to date:

let me tell you about our near aquarium catastrophe...

december 23th 2009, 7pm... we are cleaning the house for out xmas eve party with 12 guests... dear husband is cleaning the front pannel of the tank with the magnetic brush... and ears a "crac"... to our horror a 1 inch crac appears in the inside glass, without pearcing trough...
PANIC IN THE HOUSE
we decided to get to our FS and get a new tank before it break...
10pm we arrive with the new tank, a 150g (60x24x27) we had to call the brother in law to get is mini-van to bring the tank back...
we get more then 20 plastic rubermaid containers on the floors and start to transfert water,LR, fish, corals....
midnight we move the old tank, put the new one in place... get started on plumbing (the new tank has overflows)...
2am we start transfering the sand in the the new tank, adding 70g of new watrer
3am start putting water, LR, corals and fish back in the aquarium...
we found our female swallowtail angelfish on the side on the bottom of a container.. not breathing too much... I decided to do like fisherman who release their pray: I move her under water to revive her... and it works!!!
4:30am we finally get to bed.. but I have to say that I did not sleep much

So here's the 150g tank... we replace the corals and sold the huge LTA...
everything is doing good.

christyf5 · #6 03-23-2010, 03:58 PM

oh my goodness, what a nightmare! Glad to hear everything turned out okay and that you were able to transfer everything to a new tank so quickly (impressive actually! that would never work here in my city!).

The new tank is looking quite lovely and I love the threadfin cardinalfish

josie · #7 03-24-2010, 12:37 PM

Here's our "water-room"... not having enought space under the aqua stand we put everything under the staircase...

Delphinus · #8 03-24-2010, 07:08 PM

Oh my goodness! Wow what a stress that would have been!!

At least the tank looks great now though!!

christyf5 · #9 03-24-2010, 07:37 PM

Great use of the space under the stairs, its like a little door to a different world in there

Just wondering about the 2 tailspot blennies, are they a mated pair or did you just put 2 in your tank and hope for the best?