6040 in a 5.5g

[smatter]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 6040 for a 5.5g. The tank has had a Luft pump with a single airstone for circulation. You would be surprised at the Jacuzzi-like flow it creates and has worked well for me for years in small tanks. The problem is that they don't make them like they used to. It seems that the diaphragm starts to go much more quickly now, unlike older models that ran for 20 years. Too bad because I loved my little brown pumps.

The best part about the airstone was the complete mitigation of any surface film. The tank has a glass cover so there's zero salt creep and evaporation.

Will the 6040 prevent surface film accumulation at flows that are appropriate for such a small tank? Is it total overkill?

Thanks.

 

[smatter]

Well I just went ahead and bought it anyway. I hope it works for me.

On a side note Flash Gordon was on TV this weekend. It was on the part where the guy's sticking his arm in the hole and the green scorpion thing stings him LOL. I had forgotten how corny it was but I sure loved that movie.

 

[rvitko]

I have always been a fan of the Luft pump as well, but I believe they are now made in China as the cost of producing them in Germany was just too high to be competitive. I can also strongly recommend Schego for air pumps, they are still made in Germany and repairable and the diaphragms are very long lasting, they have a comparable model the MK3 I believe, except the control is a bleeder valve and not a rheostat.

The 6040 will be a relatively strong pump but turned down to its lowest setting it should work well.

I have not seen Flash Gordon in a few years now but I have the DVD, it will always be one of my favorites. Yes, it was cheesy but the fight scene with the Hawkmen makes the movie and a lot of non cheesy movies these days have nothing going for them but special effects, and maybe better acting, LOL.

 

[smatter]

Schego is currently looking for a US distributor. Hawaiian Marine Imports closed as you know. I have been eyeballing the M2K3 for years. Schego said they'd send me one direct.

Too bad air pumps have fallen out of favor because they are a really elegant and reliable way to move water. Did Tunze ever offer one?

 

[rvitko]

We never have had an air pump. Our first invention was the powerhead in 1959 so we were on the other side. What has killed air pumps is the noise, all the good strong ones make noise, that and the move away from wood airstone skimmers. In the 80's the first Osmolator and the first Calcium Reactors used air lifts though so they needed an air pump. Schego though really dominates the European market, the only better real competitors on that level was the original Luft pump and Wisa, but Wisa left the aquarium market years ago and they were extremely expensive, everything was metal and built for forever.

 

[smatter]

I have been perusing the manual and I don't see anything about switching the voltage. Does the 6040 have the switch on the power supply like my 6055? I ask because from what I can see in the pics 20% is the minimum on the main control knob which would be 238gph.

 

[reefwiser]

Best overview of the 6040
http://youtu.be/NbUYXhSPrlo

 

[rvitko]

The power supply is a constant 12V, the 20% is the speed and the flow rate is not completely linear, when the prop gets to the lowest speeds the flow drops quickly. For example at 100% if it was 3600 rpm, at 20% it is 720 rpm and the low speed results in much less flow, it is fairly linear at the higher speeds but below a certain threshold a lot of the water just slips off the prop blades and has no real force to it.

 

[smatter]

Thanks all. It arrives tomorrow. I'm pretty stoked!

 

[rvitko]

I am eager for your feedback.

 

[smatter]

The pump is in place and my initial impressions are good. It is small and unobtrusive, even in my tiny tank. It is quiet and the controller is easy to use. I'm using it without the flow diverter and can get a good 1" wave. I've been switching back and forth between pulse and wave, but will probably leave it on wave most of the time as it is giving me the most multidirectional flow. The power knob seems to max out at around 12 o'clock. I don't notice any more flow or prop speed past 12. The tank is still in the run in phase so I will update upon stocking.

 

[rvitko]

Thank you for the update, what do you plan to keep in terms of livestock?

 

[smatter]

Now that I have a ton of flow and light probably stuff that can handle it like SPS. I originally was going to do more of a lagoon biotope when I was using the Luft but with this amazing new pump I'm thinking reef crest. The system consists of the 6040, a 10w heater, a BML 20K LED, and about 8 pounds of live rock rubble. I'm hoping to foster a nice cryptic zone withing the rubble pile. Husbandry will consist of a weekly heavy feed followed by a 5g flush. No testing, no dosing, easy peasy.

 

[rvitko]

It sounds like a neat set up, have you found the 10W heater to be stable and reliable?

 

[smatter]

The 10w is an always on type as you noticed. It coupled with the 6040 raise the tank temperature about 6 degrees above room temperature. The temperature in the house only fluctuates a couple of degrees daily so it works well. I have the heater zip tied to the 6040 cord. I like the simplicity of it. My only concern is that the tank is completely covered with a solid piece of glass with an inch cut off of one corner for cords. It wasn't an issue with the Luft blasting 250 liters of air per hour through there. With the surface turbulence in wave mode I can feel air being drawn in and out so I'm hoping it is enough. Nearly zero evaporation is a bonus.

 

[rvitko]

I would just monitor the pH, if it starts to drop, you might need to enlarge the cut out or cut out another corner.

 

[smatter]

It's not an issue anymore as I have just purchased an 8.6g frameless tank that will be open. The stock 5.5g tanks are incredibly cheap in quality. I can see the glass flex when I run the magnet around. I held my breath and the magnet firmly when I affixed the 6040. Now I will have a little more room and and a much more worthy tank. Not really a Tunze question but I respect your advice. Would you paint the back panel? I notice all the Tunze frameless tanks have blue backgrounds. I read somewhere that not painting the back helps with light reflection.

 

[rvitko]

My preference is to use Oceanvisions Background. Buy extra unless you have experience doing window tint as that is pretty much what it is. You will wet the glass well with soapy water and squeegee it on as you work the film off the background. It doesn't wear out and flake off like paint tends to and you avoid the brush marks or thick and thin marks/fisheyes from spraypaint. I like the black myself as with the blue, a blue fish doesn't show off very well. Figure on a learning curve, I would by double what you need. When I had a shop I used to put this on for people and probably burned up half a roll just learning how to do it.

 

[smatter]

Thanks I will check it out.

 

[smatter]

I couldn't find the oceanvisions stuff but it is okay, I'm going to leave the back clear and clean. Here's the new tank. The fine sand has to come out because the flow is so good now it gets into the pump and stops it. I have always been partial to bare bottom anyway.