Solana Aquarium (1 Viewer)

[Carlos]

Anyone have a Solana? I need some info on the filtration.
It has the skimmer, then the water goes through the rock part, under the rock it has a filter pad, should this be replaced or just cleaned? any more info and tips is appreciated.

 

[xmjxflipx]

i think TnT has a solana.......

 

[jdeveaux]

Filter pads should be rinsed in tank water of solid waste then put back in to maintain the bacteria culture. I don't have a Solano but that is the general answer on filter pads.

 

[Carlos]

what do you mean rinsed in tank water? Not in hot running water?

 

[jdeveaux]

If you rinse in hot running water you'll kill the beneficial bacteria. When I used sponges way back I would clean the sponges each week when I did my water change. I would siphon out water and use that to rinse the sponge then top the tank back off with fresh saltwater.

You can use hot water if your not worried about keeping the bacteria culture alive.

 

[Carlos]

thanks John, but I'm new at this, so do I want to keep the bacteria alive or not? also, you said when you used a sponge, what other alts do I have? I don't know if you know my system or not, so it goes through the skimmer, then through the rock, I only have one rock, should I have more? Then through the filter under the rock, and I'm guessing that's where the pump is... and back to the tank.

 

[jdeveaux]

thanks John, but I'm new at this, so do I want to keep the bacteria alive or not? also, you said when you used a sponge, what other alts do I have? I don't know if you know my system or not, so it goes through the skimmer, then through the rock, I only have one rock, should I have more? Then through the filter under the rock, and I'm guessing that's where the pump is... and back to the tank.

I personally stopped using filter media other than carbon and phosban a long time ago. They are great for polishing out floating debris from the water column but my theory on that is that in a reef you want the floating material as it help produce that natural reef balance.

You also have rocks in the display which are part of the filtration system. Bacteria colonizes the rock as part of your natural filtration. I'm not 100% familiar with the Solana but I pulled it up so I could see the layout.

If it were my setup I would pull out 3, 4, and 5. Fill that rear middle chamber about half way with Live Rock and then just keep a bag of carbon sitting on top of that for the water to flow through.

 

[Carlos]

Thanks so much. I also just bought a chiller, some people say to connect it inline to the existing pump, others to put it on a separate pump.. what should I do?

 

[jdeveaux]

I personally would use a separate pump. That is a personal preference since there good and bad arguments for either configuration. I would have to wonder if the pump in that tank has enough power to push the water up and out to the chiller then all the way backup to the tank... You'd probably be cutting your tank flow by at least a third.

 

[Carlos]

Sounds like a good opinion to me, I think when they say to use one pump, it means a stronger, and not the originals. Thanks John.. Any recomendations on hair algae? I have reduced my lighting time to 5 hrs from 8, I use API test kit to teste Po4, and some people say it is not accurate enough to use another kit.

 

[Carlos]

I was just reading on clams... it seems they help clean the water and maintain correct levels of balance... is a clam one of those must haves, I was planning on getting one anyway.

 

[jdeveaux]

Definitely not a must have and unless you have a mature tank I do not recommend a clam. Have you tested your Nitrate's? Where are you getting your tank water from? Lots of things can cause hair algae, even old lights.

 

[Carlos]

I bought it used, not sure if I had told you, it also came with the hair algae... nitrates are good...

 

[Carlos]

what I mean by a must, is something very good to have..??..??

 

[majikmike9999]

My neighbor has one of these tanks, next time i see him i will ask how he has his set up