Build of my 60g nem cube
- Thread starter kalgra
- Start date
kalgra
New member
It's only been a few weeks using this ato so only time will tell but So far IMO it's best I have used. My other tanks used a nano tunze osmolator and an Elos osmolator. The tunze failed after about 15 months. The Elos failed after about 30-32 months. Both had the same issue the pump malfunctioned and would just turn on and off repeatedly and not pump any water. (Best way to fail IMO) not sure if this was a result of the pump failing or a component of the controller.
I like the spectrapure unit because you can darn near have your ato resivour anywhere you want and just have to run a 1/4" line. The other units were very limited in that respect. Also sinse it's peristaltic there is no back siphon. I had huge problems with back siphoning on the Elos. I imagine the Tunze would have the same issue but I didn't have it set up in a way that would be a problem so don't know for sure.
The other thing is if your dosing Kalk in your ato. I did this for 18 months with the Elos and while I never had a failure I did have to clean the pump about every 3 months or so as it would get pretty caked. Zero maintenance with the spectrapure except for replacing the roller tube every couple years.
Also with the Elos every time I would power it off it would reset the sensor water lever. This didn't seem to cause me any problem but there were a couple times when I had to turn it off or unplug it while the water was below the sensor and when it came back on it would show an error condition because it was trying to recalibrate without any water touching the sensor. This made me reluctant to limiting the on off time with my controller.
The spectrapure maintains it's settings after power failure and does not need to recalibrate so it's not an issue. I could go on and on about the UPLC II. In my opinion it has so many advantages and still costs the same price plus is made y spectrapure so you know its quality.
I like the spectrapure unit because you can darn near have your ato resivour anywhere you want and just have to run a 1/4" line. The other units were very limited in that respect. Also sinse it's peristaltic there is no back siphon. I had huge problems with back siphoning on the Elos. I imagine the Tunze would have the same issue but I didn't have it set up in a way that would be a problem so don't know for sure.
The other thing is if your dosing Kalk in your ato. I did this for 18 months with the Elos and while I never had a failure I did have to clean the pump about every 3 months or so as it would get pretty caked. Zero maintenance with the spectrapure except for replacing the roller tube every couple years.
Also with the Elos every time I would power it off it would reset the sensor water lever. This didn't seem to cause me any problem but there were a couple times when I had to turn it off or unplug it while the water was below the sensor and when it came back on it would show an error condition because it was trying to recalibrate without any water touching the sensor. This made me reluctant to limiting the on off time with my controller.
The spectrapure maintains it's settings after power failure and does not need to recalibrate so it's not an issue. I could go on and on about the UPLC II. In my opinion it has so many advantages and still costs the same price plus is made y spectrapure so you know its quality.
kalgra
New member
Correct the pumps on the tunze and Elos systems were not peristaltic. I am not sure what failed on those units. Basically if the pump was out of the water I could get it to run. As soon as it went back in the water the pump would just king of convulse with short pulses not enough to actually move any water. So it may have been a short somewhere in the wiring on the pump (doubtful) or something that malfunctioned in the pump driver. For the Elos Im guessing it was in the controller/driver because it also stopped being able to sense the water lever or calibrate.
This is what the pump on the Elos unit looks like.
The pump on the Tunze unit is very similar. They are basically the same thing in my oppinion.
kalgra
New member
Thanks! Wow i have really been slacking in the update department. I really wanted the Deep Blue 60 but I was having trouble finding them and a friend of mine already had the Marine Land so I just went with. Where did you find yours?
Here are some updates.
Shortly after the last update I got what I'm going to call a lemon drop BTA but really I'm not sure what it is.
This was day one bringing it home. Over course I sat it where I wanted it but had little hope it would stay there. It was quickly on the move.
Day two after bringing it home. Wife took some cell phone pics while I was at work so color is off. Much bigger than I really thought it was going to be.
Some better colored pics
kalgra
New member
Shortly After I added another Sunburst and a rainbow pictured right in the front side by side in this pic.
The rainbow so far is the only nem that has stayed where I put it.
Lemon Drop Started getting big. Really big on some days I estimate about 16-18" across.
Shortly after I got my first split.
The down side to the split was that the upper one decided to sit it fat butt right on top of my most prized Sunburst and smothered it for about two weeks before it was healed up enough to move it. The sunburst is unharmed but has not been very happy since and has stayed relatively deflated. Slowly its starting to perk up a bit but has not fully inflated for close to a week now. Otherwise it looks healthy.
Kind of funny the tank looks so bare to me now lol. On another front I have stopped adding any more zoas at this point and have been working on my ric garden. In retrospect I really should have just done all rock nems along the bottom I'm sure some day these nems will take over the hole tank and I'm not sure how well some of these other corals are going to fair. I suppose I will deal with that when the time comes for now Ill just enjoy the diversity.
I picked up a pretty sweet ultra red an orange shroom rock and a single green rhodactis with orange skirt yesterday. So maybe ill take some updated pics tonight.
The rainbow so far is the only nem that has stayed where I put it.
Lemon Drop Started getting big. Really big on some days I estimate about 16-18" across.
Shortly after I got my first split.
The down side to the split was that the upper one decided to sit it fat butt right on top of my most prized Sunburst and smothered it for about two weeks before it was healed up enough to move it. The sunburst is unharmed but has not been very happy since and has stayed relatively deflated. Slowly its starting to perk up a bit but has not fully inflated for close to a week now. Otherwise it looks healthy.
Kind of funny the tank looks so bare to me now lol. On another front I have stopped adding any more zoas at this point and have been working on my ric garden. In retrospect I really should have just done all rock nems along the bottom I'm sure some day these nems will take over the hole tank and I'm not sure how well some of these other corals are going to fair. I suppose I will deal with that when the time comes for now Ill just enjoy the diversity.
I picked up a pretty sweet ultra red an orange shroom rock and a single green rhodactis with orange skirt yesterday. So maybe ill take some updated pics tonight.
kalgra
New member
Yeah for sure. All but two for the most part have started on one side of the tank and ended up on the other side. Once they settle they don't seem to move too much some none at all and if they do its within the same general area.
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Sciencing Daily
For some reason I can't see any of your pics.
kalgra
New member
Sorry about that. PhotoBucket was not my friend yesterday.
Skrimpwhisperer
New member
Dude, that looks awesome. Great job.
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Sciencing Daily
See them now. Looks great.
kalgra
New member
So I think another update is in order. I have had some good luck and some bad. For the most part the tank is thriving and really no issues except I did end up losing both my sunbursts. I have no idea what happen to them they just kind of started to melt for lack of a better description the tentacles disappeared and I just could not save them. Oddly the other bubble tips were/are just fine. So go figure. I may try again with another sunburst after some time has passed.
With the loss of the nems I have decided to take the tank in a couple new directions. First and foremost I have opted to swap my G2 Radion pro for a DE 250 14k phoenix and some reefbrite strips for supplement. Secondly I am taking the tank to more of a mixed reef at this point but will still keep my large RBTA as its doing really well and my clowns have already hosted it.
I want to say its been about 5 weeks since going to MH. This is my first time with MH and I am quite pleased with the results so far. Growth on just about everything has really accelerated, but I will be honest I miss the features of my Radion and I do like viewing the corals under LED better than MH overall.
I did have to battle some heat issues at first and have been slowly acclimating everything to the new light but have everything pretty well worked out at this point.
Here are some pics of the LED/MH swap and the tank as of a week or so ago.
redid the mounting rails for the new reflector and made custom brackets for the led strips as well as a cooling fan which runs when the MH is on.
With the loss of the nems I have decided to take the tank in a couple new directions. First and foremost I have opted to swap my G2 Radion pro for a DE 250 14k phoenix and some reefbrite strips for supplement. Secondly I am taking the tank to more of a mixed reef at this point but will still keep my large RBTA as its doing really well and my clowns have already hosted it.
I want to say its been about 5 weeks since going to MH. This is my first time with MH and I am quite pleased with the results so far. Growth on just about everything has really accelerated, but I will be honest I miss the features of my Radion and I do like viewing the corals under LED better than MH overall.
I did have to battle some heat issues at first and have been slowly acclimating everything to the new light but have everything pretty well worked out at this point.
Here are some pics of the LED/MH swap and the tank as of a week or so ago.
redid the mounting rails for the new reflector and made custom brackets for the led strips as well as a cooling fan which runs when the MH is on.
