"Stale" water in nano sump area.

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K

khmerspec

WanaBAhReefer
May 17, 2008
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Sacramento, Ca
www.5linx.net
Real Name
Van
I've had the setup running for a few months now. If you look at the picture, the sump area is divided down the middle, there is a slot cutout in the center and a hole at the bottom. Water flows over from the right side, and the return pump is on the left side.

I noticed this morning, that the top of the water on the left side seems stale. There's like a film on top of the water, and it's obvious that there is no circulation through it.
Any ideas on how to fix this?
I was hoping to do an ATS somehow also.

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greech

greech

AC Moderators
May 13, 2009
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Tallahassee, FL
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Graham
A good protein skimmer would probably solve most of what you are seeing.

My sump (under tank sump, not an AIO tank) sometimes has a film on it and that is my cue to either do a water change from the sump and remove detritus collecting on the bottom or change out my mechanical and chemical media (or a combination of the two).

If you want a true ATS, you'll need a sump below/next to/behind the tank. You could potentially make one of those rear compartments into a refugium (maybe that's what you meant by ATS?) but due to the size limits, you may not see much of a benefit. A decent sized HOB refugium might be an option.

Edit: I see your intake section is screened all the way down to the bottom? Is there anyway to close off the lower portions so that water only comes in the rear chamber from the top (surface skimmed)?
 
K

khmerspec

WanaBAhReefer
May 17, 2008
193
0
0
36
Sacramento, Ca
www.5linx.net
Real Name
Van
I was thinking it through, and planned out how to solve the my first problem. Since I wanted to do an ATS, I was going to place a seperate pump on the right chamber, flow through the ATS box that I will install at the top then into the left chamber.

Recomendation on pumps? I was thinking a maxi jet 900/1200


Yes, I have these little plastic things that I can close off the intake section.
 
greech

greech

AC Moderators
May 13, 2009
4,193
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52
Tallahassee, FL
Real Name
Graham
Sounds like the ATS will be above the nano and graity drain back down? If so a 1200 should do fine. Always better to go bigger with return pumps as you can put a small ball or gate valve after the pump's output to dial it back if needed. If go too small your only option is to buy another pump.
 
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