Help identifying pump uses

[atony4688]

Hello, i am trying to get my tank running and have a few questions about the equipment. below is the sump box. i am not sure which pump attaches to the protein skimmer. i have 2 about the same size.

here are the 2 pumps

this is a RIO 600 i am not sure what the little valve on the hose is for. aren't these for air? why would the pump need air?

this is the RIO 400. why does this one not have little air hoses coming out of the side like the 600?

I am not sure which one goes with the protein skimmer. i believe the other was used for this uv light that i dont think I will even need.

Please let me know if you can help answer any questions or if you guys have any for me. i am trying to set up, but i bout all this used stuff and it came in a box with no explanation.

 

[atony4688]

also, is the rio 600 a pump for air and water? i am thinking this maybe the one for the skimmer. they do not work by the way, i tried plugging them in so i cannot tell how they work by doing that.

 

[salt_for_brains]

The pump with the air line was likely used for the skimmer. The pump sucks in air through the tube to make bubbles in your skimmer which is what traps and carries nasties to the top of the skimmer to overflow into the collection cup. You should have a return pump that will connect to that hose going into the chamber on the far right. I don't know if it is the other Rio or if you have another pump for it?

I would ditch the bioballs for sure as they will cause you more problems than benefits.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

The bottom is a uv light. Please check out flow rate for killing bacteria and flow for parasites. Alot do not run a uv light, but i do perfer one when youre in the process of building your reef and adding fish.

 

[atony4688]

there is another large pump that i knew goes in the sump, i need a new one cause it also does not work. would i have any use for the uv light? for the skimmer pump, i assume that it would be in the sump with a hose going from the pump outlet to the side of the skimmer tube. and the air hose should be just out of the water someplace. the valve must adjust the amount of air for bubbles right? and is that all thats needed for the skimmer i thought the water had to spin or something.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

You, if you want to, install the uv light for return to display tank. They do this so you dont have build up in the uv light chamber. That uv light is not intended to run with a skimmer pump if that is what your asking, it will work with the rio. Some uv lights are called twisters because of their nature of creating a vortex, but that is more of a small scale. If your tank is 75g or larger, you need a minimum of 25w. It will all make sense once you start building.

 

[salt_for_brains]

there is another large pump that i knew goes in the sump, i need a new one cause it also does not work. would i have any use for the uv light? for the skimmer pump, i assume that it would be in the sump with a hose going from the pump outlet to the side of the skimmer tube. and the air hose should be just out of the water someplace. the valve must adjust the amount of air for bubbles right? and is that all thats needed for the skimmer i thought the water had to spin or something.

The UV light is designed to kill free floating bacteria and parasites that pass by the light. Conversely, it is not prejudice so it will also kill your good bacteria as well if it passes by the light. Some people run them and some don't. I do not use one as I just don't see much benefit to them but that is my opinion.

You will get a circular current in your protein skimmer tube as the pump discharges water and air bubbles into the skimmer tube. Yes the air tube just needs to be out of the water. Usually has a little screw so you can pinch off some of the air flow of need be. Yes the protein skimmer pump will be connected to the hose in the skimmer chamber.
That will be all there is to the skimmer.

 

[fastrd400]

This is what I would do.
A) Pull those bio-balls out of the sump and throw them away, you don't want or need them. You can replace them with live rock rubble.

B) Take all your pumps apart, and make sure that they are clean, and not stuck due do not being used in a while. I find it hard to believe that all pumps went bad at the same time. Unless of course, you bought the system used, and the seller threw in bad pumps that he had replaced over time.

C) Don't hook up the UV at this time. Get the rest of the system running properly first. You can add it in later on once you have things going. Also, if it is used, you may want to think about replacing the bulb inside.

 

[2XAl]

I agree with Fast 100%. I bought a brand new return pump when my old little giant died. After everything was up and running I took the little giant apart and found the impeller wrapped itself with chaeto into a solid mass. cleaned the whole thing and it works like a champ.

I also don't run a UV sterilizer. I feel with good tank maintenance the cons outweigh the pros. (And I am also a firm believer in the 'don't fix what's not broken' method)

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Good bacteria is reproduced in abundance anyways. Why would you chance your pocket book to prove you run naturally? Im sure everyone sets up a medic tank too.
Its all decisions one makes, and when building a reef like fstrod said after your first cycle, run the unit you have.
My personal experience, i was not able to get over 3 fish in my tank with my bacteria/parasite problem. I couldnt clear it out because of some of the fish i have in there will not survive a 6 -8 week copper/hypo treatment because of their dependant needs. If you think about tangs, alot run uv lights because they are so prone to ick and fungal infections.
There is alot of bad info out there that says uv lights are bad because they kill good bacteria, and most of these folks never have ran one. I prefer to keep my fish for life and when introducing new fish comes stress.
Its been 2 months and i still have a fat mandarin and more healthy fish. It is not a poor husbandtry issue, not in my house anyways, but more of an umbrella policy to cover my hole system. Alot of folks tend to buy an under rated uv light or dont run proper flows, or replace the bulb, these are the folks that have the issue that do have poor maintenance schudule.

 

[atony4688]

Ok, thank you for all the responses. I only have one question left. I hooked up my co current protein skimmer with the Rio 600 pump. It has an air intake and the pump will mix the air with the water. When I barely open the air valve, it creates a vortex, like a mini tornado of small air bubbles. When I open it more, it fills the tube completly with air bubbles, like the water is so airated it's cloudy. Which way is better or is it supposed to be?