Hey, exploring options right now for a better fit for my sps tank. I swapped out my skimmer for one of the surf2's since I liked the simplicity of the UAS models but the air pump required to drive it sunk my ph to 7.7 during the day due to excessive co2. I've slowly got it fixed with one of the brs co2 scrubbers but that media burns out fast and isn't a cheap add on to maintain so looking into the waterfall models to hopefully reduce how much co2 is injected into the system. Currently I have a 100g sps display with a 40b sump (may actually be moving to DSM for a new job and using that as motivation to sell and move up to a 300dd but that's neither here nor there yet) so I'm thinking an L4 since it should be able to easily handle the current system and should be a decent workhorse if I get the opportunity to upgrade in the near future. I saw some posts from about a month ago about a new version that was getting ready to be out. Are those available? Also trying to figure out what the best option would be to mount it over the 40b sump in my stand.
Welcome. The build up of Co2 is probably due to the removal of the skimmer, rather than anything to do with the SURF2. I think we soon realised that the circulation in them things is terrible, and this provides a bit of extra evidence for that theory. Picture of tank would be nice I'm sure Floyd will be along shortly to advise you on his scrubbers. L4 sounds good to me though, given that your feeding anywhere near 4 cubes a day.
I actually had both running for a while but had to pick one since I only had one co2 scrubber. With both running the ph hit 7.5-7.6. With the co2 scrubber setup and growth starting to happen finally it's slowly going up and ph is around 7.9 now during the day. I think with the co2 scrubber it will balance out whenever it matures just hoping to find a solution that doesnt need the co2 scrubber since the media is pretty expensive over time.
Hmmm, it sounds like you must have high CO2 in your house maybe? If anything, I would think that adding an air bubble to the system (SURF, skimmer, airstone, anything) would drive the pH up, not down. Maybe it's tie to shut the AC off and open a window LOL. Not now though, I'm in Des Moines and it's too hot for acrylic bonding lately, 95 F and 95% makes it miserable. But yes the L4 would be what I would recommend if you are going to be running it stand-alone, or as an overwhelmingly primary filtration on an SPS tank of that size. And I would still run carbon if possible, or even a skimmer (maybe a smaller one though)
Yeah my loft has a lot of built up co2 in the ambient air and kinda stuck since I only have one super huge window 10'x10' with no screen or anything since it wasn't really designed to be open (old warehouse conversion) so opening a window opens the possibility of bugs/birds/bats/ect to fly in and external walls are all brick so not a good way to short term drill and patch something to run a line outside. I ran the co2 scrubber from brs to the air intake on my skimmer while I've been in this loft and it worked really well but seems to have issues running it through the feed line for the surf2, not sure if there is too much flow through it or what. If the L4 would handle the nutrient export what would be the point of keeping a skimmer running? Seems like it would just continue dumping the co2 rich ambient air into the system without really having much meaningful filtration benefit. Seems like a non air driven waterfall scrubber would reduce how much co2 is being injected and the algae growth would absorb co2 that does get into the system to help mitigate the problem. Waiting to hear back on this interview before I figure out which option to go with since I might just sell my sps setup and move to a 300dd if I take this job and have to move to dsm. Going to be a big enough pain moving all my stomapods anyways and those are harder to replace lately it seems and even harder to find someone to babysit while I move and get setup again
