Rebuilding the sump Room!

So bummer - due to the swing in salinity when my skimmer flooded out, I have lost a bunch of SPS, my other parameters seem okay but I had a big Salinity swing - 1.025 to 1.021 to 1.23 with in a few hours - then a few days to get it back to 1.025. I am not sure if I had a ALK swing as well but I lost 4 of some of my nicest ones. UGH.

 

Ouch man, that sucks to hear!

I had this happen once, then I removed the hose from my skimmer cup. I decided I'd rather have dirty water get back in my sump rather than lose the volume. But, that's just me...

 

yeah - I agree somewhat with that. It seems it always will happen when you are not there to catch it. I am hoping the fixes I put above will alleviate it from happening again as well.

 

I agree, mine overflowed when I wasn't there either... aaarrrrggg!

 

Unless you have systems that keep the salinity from dropping in cases like this-
I agree Matt that having a drain that can drain gallons off your system in a short time is asking for it.
I have seen a manual valve on such a line however, that stays off until they want to manually drain the cup.
This is an acceptable way, however it would require Apex users to actually turn a valve- oh no.
IMHO- often time too much automation is counterproductive, counterintuative, and harmful to livestock.
Flame suit engaged.

 

I decided the other day that I was glad my skimmer cup doesn't have a drain in it. I feel I would be too lazy to clean the cup and it would stop working properly.

 

Okay well I have not posted up in a while - been busy with work and life but I did make a few modifications to my system. Due to my travel and being away from the tank more than I like I am a true believer in a controller for stability and warnings.

After having my skimmer overflow spill out 2 times now - once so bad lost some nice SPS due to the swings, here are the changes I have made.

I added a break out box to my Apex, I added a float switch to my skimate container - this way if it runs wet when i am not home - or even home i will be notified to my cell of the issue and it will shut off the skimmer.

I also put that 5 gallon bucket in a 20 gallon brute with a leak detector inside the brute, that if activated will shut off the skimmer. This is in case the float switch sticks or fails.

I added 2 leak detectors one by the sump, one upstairs under the DT.

I added 2 additional float switches, one upstairs in the DT overflow and one in the frag tank overflow - both will kill the pumps that run them if the overflow clogs or backs up preventing a larger disaster.

to wrap it all up nice in a bow, I got a new MP40 for the DT, and hooked my 95 wave FW cichlid tank to the apex system with a Eb8, PM1 and temp controller

 

Oh yeah on my water change system, I got that hooked into my apex as well - it will mix the salt water 5 minutes every hour, and got an additional heater in the tank that I control and can turn on the day before my water change. I LOVE the water change system - clean set up and works great. I ran a top off line up to my FW tank as well, do more lugging a bucket upstairs to top off that tank.

 

So it has been a while - everything is doing very well. I did a little more tweaking though as a result of some earlier comments. I got a single head dosing pump for my Kalk. I removed it from my auto top off and have it programmed to drip a little bit through out the day, I have it programmed so if my PH rises to much or fast it shuts off and if my PH runs low it will dose more.

I think it was Matt with that suggestion and thank you. definitely a much safer way.

 

Just finished the thread. you are the Apex king! Great looking setup and you've inspired me to redo my setup. I think I'm going to only do a 10g RO/DI and then a 50g saltwater mixing station. Do you have any reason why I should go with a larger RO/DI tank? I will keep my ATO to the sump from my 4 stage.