Static's TL550 Reef Dream

[Static]

Hi Guys

So my TL550 has been running for around 6 months now and it doing quite good I have had a few problems, but most of it has been sorted out.

So my Live Stock are as follow

2 x Clown Fish
1 x Fire Fish
1 x Blue Spotted Goby
2 x Scarlet Leg Hermits
2 x Black Hermits
2 x Camel Shrimp
1 x African Flameback Angel (Jumping Bean)
1 x Spotted Cardinalfish
3 x Turbo Snails
1 x Red Spotted Sea Star
2 x Elegance Corals
1 x LR with some Green Star Polyps on that I did not even see when I bought the LR

+- 7kg LR (5kg DT and 2kg Sump) - All of the LR is Heliopora LR

Other Items
Sunsun wavemaker (not in tank at the moment)
Chiller (not running at the moment)

Sump layout :
Chamber 1 (Stating at overflow on left) - Standard Sponge and one bag
Chemi-Pure Elite

Chamber 2 - Standard Boyu Protein Skimmer

Chamber 3 - Bio Balls and the white rings (will still remove just looking for some more LR) and 2kgs of LR + one bag of Seachem Purigen

Chamber 4 - Standard Boyu Return Pump and Heater

Ill upload some photos today and then I would like to ask some questions on what I can change seeing as I want to get some SPS coral and my one Elegance has had some trouble the past week or so. I know most people say Elegance Corals must be on the substrate but mine is doing great on the LR, its the Elegance that's on the substrate that's not doing so well.

Here is a photo of how the tank looks at the moment. Sorry for the quality

 

[RiaanP]

Nice
Just move that temp probe to the back, inside the filter compartments.

 

[Static]

Hi Riaan

Thanks for the comment, Ill place the probe in the back. I feel having the heater in the last chamber does not really work that well. The return pump is all the way at the bottom and the heater at the top of the chamber, so when water cycles through the sump it comes through the bottom to enter the last chamber and so the pump will just return most of the cold water back onto to DT is this not correct? If I test the water you can feel the water in the last chamber is much warmer than the rest and the water coming from the pray bar is not that warm.


I would also like some help regarding my sunsun Wavemaker. I want to place the wavemaker back into the tank seeing as I want to keep some more lps or sps corals and I know the sps need more flow, but wont the flow be too much for my elegance corals? and where would be a good idea to place the wavemaker? I had it in the top right corner before I bought the Elegance corals.

Thanks

 

[RiaanP]

heater should NEVER be in the last chamber. As water level varies due to evaporation, you can end up with thermostat part exposed.

 

[hansiemyburgh]

Watch out for the heater in the last chamber because of the water level drop.

I have two wave makers in my tank. left back bottom cnr. pointing to the right front top cnr. this is a 2000l/ph. The second wave maker is left back top cnr. pointing to the center front of the tank this is also a 2000l/ph. Also have the spray bar pointing to the surface of the water like in your photo. I will be adding maybe another wave maker like a 1000l/ph in the right back bottom cnr. this one will point towards the left of the tank just to get to some dead spots in the rear of my tank.

On the probe, I think one should place the probe in the main DT at the front this will indicate to you what the water temp is in the main DT. But one can always test it and see what the water temp is in the main DT and then in one of the chambers in the back.

I also have a TL-550 LED

 

[Static]

Strange that I have never had a water drop in my chambers :dft005: I wanted to place the heater in a other chamber but they are all full.

Thinking of place my wavemaker in the bottom right corner facing the middle/ top front left corner and see what it does, I'm just worried about the elegance corals.

I wanted to get the LED Hood for my TL550, but the LFS wants R3450 for one and I'm just not willing to pay that much. The standard lights will just have to do.

 

[hansiemyburgh]

That is a lot for the hood only, I paid R6000 for a brand new complete TL-550 LED tank. What temp is your tank running? Mine is running 27/28's. Stick the heater in the 1st Chamber just push it next to the media in that chamber.

 

[Static]

Mine normally sits around 25/26 that's if my probe is working correct, they sell the TL550 new for R5300 with the LED by the same LFS.

I wanted to place the heater next to the filter media but I was worried it would case a problem when it touches.

 

[KyleJ]

I currently have my heater in the third chamber next to the filter media. also thought there might be a problem due to the heat but since its in the water there's not much problem. And i've even noticed in that chamber the water level does drop, but ive worked out in the space of a week (since i do my water changes once a week) It manageable and the heater doesn't get exposed much

 

[Static]

I do my water change every week +- 20L, but for the last week I have some problems with my nitrates that's why I got the Chemi-Pure Elite in the sump, I tested the water tonight again but still the nitrates are high.