Need some equipment advice please

[lewistommason]

I’m very new to the hobby!
Watched about 73 days worth of YouTube videos, discussions in forums, chats with LFS workers etc..

I started off with a 105 litre basic tank with basic hang on filtration with sponge.

Working out what I really wanted for the future and based off all the equipment I knew I’d need in the long run, I went for the Red Sea reefer G2+ 350 max..
forking out over 4grand was a tear jerker.. but I’m in love with the hobby already and see it worth every penny.

The problem is..
I don’t have much experience setting this all up.
The instructions have been good for getting everything in place and ready to work.. but I’m struggling to work out what settings I should be running things on..

For example..
I have no idea what percentage I should be running my skimmer on..
same with my reef mat..

But the biggest issue is the return pump and water level.
Currently running the return pump on 20% power..
if I increase it, it drains my return pump section so quickly that my RO auto top off kicks in and then dumps a load of ro water in..

I can’t get it right..
I see there’s a diaphragm valve but have no idea where that should be.. where the water level should be in the weir section, the sump section..
None of it.

Can’t find any videos at all that help with these questions..

Don’t get me wrong.. everything is running fine at the moment at low rates.
I just don’t know what next?

Is my return pump supposed to be running higher?
If so how the hell do I do that without draining the sump..

 

[Korrupt]

I’m no expert but I can help point in the right direction and share how I do it.

The rule of thumb is typically you want to run 5-10x your tank volume through your sump. 5x your 72 gallon tank would be 360gph. Your pump is rated up to 1400gph at 100% which is actually probably like 900-1000gph if you are running at 100% once you account for vertical height, 90 degree turns in your plumbing etc. 360gph would then be running the return at 30-35%.

So I fill my display tank up till it’s about to spill into the overflow and fill my sump up to whatever water height the protein skimmer recommends. This way if you lose power you don’t flood the area around your tank when all the water drains into your sump. Open up the gate valve all the way and turn your return pump on at like 35% to get your 360gph moving. Then slowly start tuning it by closing the gate valve until you have first drain full siphoned and quiet and the water level is just under the second/first emergency drain.

 

[lewistommason]

I’m no expert but I can help point in the right direction and share how I do it.

The rule of thumb is typically you want to run 5-10x your tank volume through your sump. 5x your 72 gallon tank would be 360gph. Your pump is rated up to 1400gph at 100% which is actually probably like 900-1000gph if you are running at 100% once you account for vertical height, 90 degree turns in your plumbing etc. 360gph would then be running the return at 30-35%.

So I fill my display tank up till it’s about to spill into the overflow and fill my sump up to whatever water height the protein skimmer recommends. This way if you lose power you don’t flood the area around your tank when all the water drains into your sump. Open up the gate valve all the way and turn your return pump on at like 35% to get your 360gph moving. Then slowly start tuning it by closing the gate valve until you have first drain full siphoned and quiet and the water level is just under the second/first emergency drain.

That's really helpful!! Very much appreciated.. Thanks so much.