topping off

[andycook]

I have a 40 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump. Both are open tops. I have a 175W MH that is 8" off the water and a 55W PC 3" off the top of the sump. I run the tank at 82F. I'm adding about 4 gallons of water every 2-3 days. By the third day I am getting close to the point where the skimmer intake pipe is no longer under water. I'm never ahead long enough to consider a water change.

Is it just me or does everyone else have the water replacement monkey on their back?

Oh yes, if anyone in the Champaign/Urbana area would like to donate some live sand, I could really use it. I just replaced my crushed coral/sand mix with 100 pounds of SD giving me a 5" DSB. Unfortunately, I won't be making the 2/23 meeting but other arrangements can be made (my birthday is 2/22 so I won't be in any shape to travel). Thanks.

[mobert]

I consider some sort of auto top off a must have thing.

[hcs3]

i haven't thought of water replacement for quite some time :D

3 words:

"automated top-off"

buy yourself a dosing pump and you'll never stop being thankful.

HTH

henry

[tcottle]

I am too cheap to buy an automatic top off system (yet :) ) I put a glass cover my sump and reduced evaporation by 50%. I am not running any SPS corals so I not need to promote evaporation for kalkwasser top off. For the moment I have the main tank uncovered for light transfer -- that might change if I get a few more fish

I'll donate some sand towards your tank. Send me your address.

Todd

[hcs3]

todd,

shouldn't you be on your way to cheddar's? ;)

[tcottle]

Ha! I wanted to check out the board before I left just to make sure that there were no last minute changes. Couldn't resist the tempation of leaving a quick post. I trust that you noticed that I arrived at Cheddar's before you :D

Had and great time today and thanks again for starting this club!

Todd

[hcs3]

Ha! I wanted to check out the board before I left just to make sure that there were no last minute changes. Couldn't resist the tempation of leaving a quick post. I trust that you noticed that I arrived at Cheddar's before you

hey todd

right after you exited this thread i posted a notice that instead of an 11am meeting we were going to move it to 11:15am. ;)

andy

i could get you some sand from my refugium. LMK if you want to come over and grab it or if you prefer i drop it off with james at pets ltd.

henry

[andycook]

I don't have room for an automated top of system. I'm not complaining about adding water, I just wondered how much other people had to add.

Henry/Tcottle - thanks for the offers. The easiest would be to leave the sand with James at Pets Ltd. I'm in several times a week. Thanks again.

[hcs3]

andy

perhaps your not aware of how an auto top-off works. as an example, my top-off is capable of pumping water up to 200 feet away. in others words, my doser is stored in a closet in a spare bedroom. the garage would work equally as well. basically, what i'm saying is the arguement "i don't have the room" simply doesn't hold water :o (sorry, i couldn't resist).

HTH

henry

[andycook]

I am aware of how it works though I didn't know the range. But I am still stuck. Even if I located the pump in a room across the house I still have no way getting the water there. The room with my reef tank is bordered by the living room and dining room.

Once I switch from the setup I have no to a larger one, I'll have room.

[hcs3]

andy

i took a hammer and punched a hole in either side of the wall that seperates the bedroom from the living room :) i suppose this could be done with a drill, but i'm not exactly a patient man ;) when we leave i'll need $5 worth of drywall mud and 30 minutes of my tme to patch the holes. after that, it was a simple 100 foot role of airline tubing for $5. the airline tubing runs along the ceiling in my spare bedroom, down the wall to the hieght of the tank, then punches through the wall.

i guess it boils down to how bad you hate toping off manually. with my current system, i don't touch water or kalk for 6 months at a time. i can effectively leave for a 6 month vacation and not worry about water evaporation, nor calcium and alk.

HTH

henry

[andycook]

Think of the rooms surrounding the fish room as "no fly zones".

[hcs3]

LOL. you married andy? ;)

[andycook]

Yup! I just finished renovating the dining room. I'm lucky to be allowed in it let alone to dream about running a hose through it.

next tank/house....