Lunchbucket
Premium Member
why the deltec as opposed to the ER you had??
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
--75g Barebottom/Starboard Reef Project--
- Thread starter arconom
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arconom
Premium Member
I am also thinking about buying a Tunze Stream. I have alot of dead spots in my tank. The thing is I need powerheads. 1 for the back of the tank shooting across and one in the front shooting across. I don't want to buy 2 Tunzes since there so big. So I might buy 1 Tunze and 1 seio for the back of the tank.
Travis
10 and over club
Sweet, you're getting a Deltec. From what I've read, you will be very impressed with it vs. your ER. Did you get a new one or a used one? I see used ones occasionally popping up in the selling forums.
I understand what you are saying about flow "across" the tank. Hard to get the flow you want with all the outlets on the back. FWIW, the Tunzes are not much bigger than the Seio's. It really depends on what size Seio you go with as their size changes with their GPH rating. I had a 1500 and it was bigger than my 6200. Not sure why, but I also think a Tunze in the tank is more pleasing to the eye than a Seio, just seems to be a little "cleaner". So if $$ isn't an issue, I would do 2 Tunzes. But, of course, the price difference will be considerable.
I understand what you are saying about flow "across" the tank. Hard to get the flow you want with all the outlets on the back. FWIW, the Tunzes are not much bigger than the Seio's. It really depends on what size Seio you go with as their size changes with their GPH rating. I had a 1500 and it was bigger than my 6200. Not sure why, but I also think a Tunze in the tank is more pleasing to the eye than a Seio, just seems to be a little "cleaner". So if $$ isn't an issue, I would do 2 Tunzes. But, of course, the price difference will be considerable.
arconom
Premium Member
I ordered a brand New APF600 from Doug today...I'm very happy. It should be here Tuesday.
Actually there is a used one still for sale for 600.00
I do plan on getting one Tunze for now, but also a seio for the back that will go on the bottom to keep the back wall clean from destritus. I would rather look at a new light system instead of getting 2. So 1 will do.
You can see I have dead spots from all the snail poop in certain areas.
Also I want to buy a nilsen I know you had a Deltec but I wanted something cheaper. I'm not sure what to buy. I'm looking at the GEO's for easy access to fill them with Kalk
Also debating on light upgrade which will be good for both my 75gal and my future 120.
It's between the Luminarc or ROIII. I hate the fact they don't make a complete unit with them and 2 Actinics. I think Maristar makes them with built in R0III's but with T5s, I want VHOs
http://www.reefgeek.com
48" Maristar Kit: 2-250W MH & 2-54W T5 HO - Black
Design features Reef Optix metal halide reflectors and Tek T5 reflectors for maximum output and optimal light balance as well as separate lamp and power cords for independent bulb control. Remote metal halide ballast reduces fixture weight and heat output. Warranty: 2 years on Maristar fixture and 5 years on Blue Wave ballast.
Also take a look at this post I made
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=694179
People are saying there Phoenix 14k look different on the Bluewave and the PFO HQI ballast WHY??
Actually there is a used one still for sale for 600.00
I do plan on getting one Tunze for now, but also a seio for the back that will go on the bottom to keep the back wall clean from destritus. I would rather look at a new light system instead of getting 2. So 1 will do.
You can see I have dead spots from all the snail poop in certain areas.
Also I want to buy a nilsen I know you had a Deltec but I wanted something cheaper. I'm not sure what to buy. I'm looking at the GEO's for easy access to fill them with Kalk
Also debating on light upgrade which will be good for both my 75gal and my future 120.
It's between the Luminarc or ROIII. I hate the fact they don't make a complete unit with them and 2 Actinics. I think Maristar makes them with built in R0III's but with T5s, I want VHOs
http://www.reefgeek.com
48" Maristar Kit: 2-250W MH & 2-54W T5 HO - Black
Design features Reef Optix metal halide reflectors and Tek T5 reflectors for maximum output and optimal light balance as well as separate lamp and power cords for independent bulb control. Remote metal halide ballast reduces fixture weight and heat output. Warranty: 2 years on Maristar fixture and 5 years on Blue Wave ballast.
Also take a look at this post I made
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=694179
People are saying there Phoenix 14k look different on the Bluewave and the PFO HQI ballast WHY??
Travis
10 and over club
I think the Maristar would be fine for both tanks. The ROIII reflectors should give you decent coverage. You will have a heck of a time trying to get actinic light with LA's. LA minis would also be an option. Also with the standard LA's on your 75 you will be wasting a lot of light as it will be getting reflected right outside the tank.
arconom
Premium Member
Also I will be buying a Kalk reactor I currently am using just a float switch connected to a aqualifter pump. I see that most people use a litermeter? Why? What safety does it offer? What else is a litermeter good for? Water changes? what else? I don't want to have a Kalk overdow like your tank Travis.
Also I'm thinking of going a little automated where are some good reads on what units are good? There are so many controllers like the Aquadyne,aquacontroller and a million other types now this IKS from Deltec?
What is possible with the new computer systems? I want to monitor Temp,PH what else? I don't dose Ozone so no Orp is needed. People say they can automate things with the units but what are some examples that can justify the costs of the units?
I have to learn about more hardware
Also I'm thinking of going a little automated where are some good reads on what units are good? There are so many controllers like the Aquadyne,aquacontroller and a million other types now this IKS from Deltec?
What is possible with the new computer systems? I want to monitor Temp,PH what else? I don't dose Ozone so no Orp is needed. People say they can automate things with the units but what are some examples that can justify the costs of the units?
I have to learn about more hardware
Travis
10 and over club
Sorry, I keep forgetting your kalk reactor question.:lol: Sometimes you have to remind me a few times.
As you already know, Deltec has the best reactors, but dang are they expensive. I have heard nothing but good things about the GEO reactors, and the twist off cap for refilling sounds really nice. However, with a pump driven reactor you are going to need to clean it at approximately the same time as your refills anyways.
Dosing pumps like the Litermeter are by far the best way to administer kalkwasser. I'm not sure how all of the other ones work but with my LMIII, you just set how many liters per day you want to add and it doses 1/150th of that amount 150 times throughout the day. This keeps the doses nice and small and spreads them out throughout the whole day.
You can also do automatic water changes but you need to purchase a couple external modules. You can also use the external modules for other things. I stopped doing automatic water changes after a while and used on module to add fresh saltwater to make up for what the skimmer was taking out. I used the other module to add top-off RO/DI water. This allowed me to precisely set how much kalk to add to keep the levels stable and then use the other module to dose the remainder of daily evaporation with RO/DI.
If you want my personal opinion on automation, I say stay away from it. The more gadgets you have on your system, the more likely one of them is to fail. The aquacontroller is nice but I highly discourage anyone from using the X-10's as they are very unreliable, trust me, I know. The direct connects are the way to go. I haven't heard too much good about the Aquadyne, it just seems the Aquacontroller is a lot more popular for some reason. I don't know squat about the IKS and Aquatronica but have heard they are nice.
So what else can you do... hmmm.... pretty much anything. I have only used an Aquacontroller Pro so I'm not sure what the other units are capable of. With the AC pro you can control ph, orp, salinity, do, and temp. You can have it email your cell if one of those parameters goes out of a user determined setpoint. You can access it from across the world via internet and have complete remote control over the equipment connected to it. You can have it start turning equipment and lights off if there is a chiller failure and the temp starts to rise. And there is a lot more it can do but that should give you an idea to get started.
As you already know, Deltec has the best reactors, but dang are they expensive. I have heard nothing but good things about the GEO reactors, and the twist off cap for refilling sounds really nice. However, with a pump driven reactor you are going to need to clean it at approximately the same time as your refills anyways. Dosing pumps like the Litermeter are by far the best way to administer kalkwasser. I'm not sure how all of the other ones work but with my LMIII, you just set how many liters per day you want to add and it doses 1/150th of that amount 150 times throughout the day. This keeps the doses nice and small and spreads them out throughout the whole day.
You can also do automatic water changes but you need to purchase a couple external modules. You can also use the external modules for other things. I stopped doing automatic water changes after a while and used on module to add fresh saltwater to make up for what the skimmer was taking out. I used the other module to add top-off RO/DI water. This allowed me to precisely set how much kalk to add to keep the levels stable and then use the other module to dose the remainder of daily evaporation with RO/DI.
If you want my personal opinion on automation, I say stay away from it. The more gadgets you have on your system, the more likely one of them is to fail. The aquacontroller is nice but I highly discourage anyone from using the X-10's as they are very unreliable, trust me, I know. The direct connects are the way to go. I haven't heard too much good about the Aquadyne, it just seems the Aquacontroller is a lot more popular for some reason. I don't know squat about the IKS and Aquatronica but have heard they are nice.
So what else can you do... hmmm.... pretty much anything. I have only used an Aquacontroller Pro so I'm not sure what the other units are capable of. With the AC pro you can control ph, orp, salinity, do, and temp. You can have it email your cell if one of those parameters goes out of a user determined setpoint. You can access it from across the world via internet and have complete remote control over the equipment connected to it. You can have it start turning equipment and lights off if there is a chiller failure and the temp starts to rise. And there is a lot more it can do but that should give you an idea to get started.
Rather than dish out on an expensive Kalreactor I'm thinking of using this add-on to the Tunze Osmolator:
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=TZ4113
Then it does your auto-topoff and Kalk dosing. Any thoughts?
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=TZ4113
Then it does your auto-topoff and Kalk dosing. Any thoughts?
Travis
10 and over club
NexDog, I have never used that unit and don't know of anyone else that has so can't give any input on it. It does look decent and cost-effective. And Tunze stuff is usually pretty high quality. What I don't understand about the calcium dispenser is how is the water "mixed" with the kalk? I'm assuming the metering pump adds water to the bottom of the dispenser so it has to flow through the kalk to get to the top. But the kalk still needs to be agitated or it will form channels and not be efficient.
I bought a Seio1500. 
arconom
Premium Member
Ok now I really don't want to keep switching Filter Socks to get rid of my Microbubbles. I plan on buying a new Sump. I would like to have it custom made. I will use it for my 75gal and furture 120gal. So it has to be sized accordingly.
What companys make custom sumps? MRC??I know Melev makes nice sumps. Who else?
What companys make custom sumps? MRC??I know Melev makes nice sumps. Who else?
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
NICE SKIMMER!!! i love tunzes...you soon will too
contact Bob at www.reefmania.net. Travis just got a sump from him and i a Ca Rx. he does great work.
Lunchbucket
contact Bob at www.reefmania.net. Travis just got a sump from him and i a Ca Rx. he does great work.
Lunchbucket
Travis
10 and over club
I just got a big sump from Bob and it is "decent". He had a deadline of just over a week to work with so a person can't be too picky. He is also somewhat local (4 hours away) so I was able to drive and pick it up rather than spend a couple hundred on shipping. If he had more time to work on my sump I think he would have done a nicer job. I would certainly order a sump from him again, especially if I need it in a hurry. I am not complaining about my sump by any means. After all, it is a sump, not a tank. It is more important for it to be functional than look pretty.
I also have a MRC sump, a custom sump built by Envision Acrylics, and a wet/dry on my FOWLR built by someone that contracts out for a LFS in Minneapolis. By far, the best quality sump of them all is the Envision Acrylics sump. James from Envision also built my tank. If you are looking for the absolute highest quality then James is the man. Strangely enough, he also has probably the cheapest price. But he is very busy and you are looking at about a 3 month wait until he can start on your project. I would also like to see one of melev's sumps in person some day. From the pics of his sumps, it looks like he does a darn nice job.
I also have a MRC sump, a custom sump built by Envision Acrylics, and a wet/dry on my FOWLR built by someone that contracts out for a LFS in Minneapolis. By far, the best quality sump of them all is the Envision Acrylics sump. James from Envision also built my tank. If you are looking for the absolute highest quality then James is the man. Strangely enough, he also has probably the cheapest price. But he is very busy and you are looking at about a 3 month wait until he can start on your project. I would also like to see one of melev's sumps in person some day. From the pics of his sumps, it looks like he does a darn nice job.
masterswimmer
New member
I got my skimmer & sump from Lifereef. He makes stock sumps and custom sumps. Foxstop in HVRK got his from him too. Very nice quality, nice guy and easy to work with. Worth checking him out.
Russ
Russ
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
fire that skimmer up...i want to see it!!
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
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