CL or Tunze Streams?

[Ccondo]

What is everyone's opinion on this matter? I'm in the process of designing a 500-700 gallon tank that will be viewable from both long sides.
Thoughts/Concerns:
1-I want the cheapest in terms of energy costs
2-Prefer no bulkheads to worry about, but not a big deal...
3-Costs of Turbelles with controller is $$$$ (how many would you get?)
Any thoughts?

 

[HotHotHot]

I'd drill the bottom for a CL or 2.

FWIW, I have a dart/OM-4way CL and 2 Tunze 6100's on a 225.

Ed

 

[ruiny]

I would say both.
I find the costs to be quite close.
by the time you buy bulk heads, get glass drilled, pipe, unions, pumps, oceans motions, the cost adds up and u still don't have the versitility of the tunzes. But you also don't have them stuck in your tank.
For my 280 I went with the tunzes 2x6100 + 1 X6000 and no closed loops and am very happy with the decision. No bulk heads to worry about and lots of versitility. Can move and angle as coral grow or needs change. Also nice power savings.
But for 700 gal I say both.
And cost prob should not be much of a factor for this project.

 

[KEEPERZ]

On my 700 I decided to go two dart
CL's , two Waveboxes, two 6200's and
maybe a couple 6100's if needed-

 

[Red Sea Purple Tang]

Big Tank = Big Flow = Big $$$
I have 4-6100's (7095) and a T4 Return on my 240g.
The nice thing about the streams is they're low voltage. On the other have, they are $$. So maybe a long term energy/cost savings.

 

[prugs]

Re: CL or Tunze Streams?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8334385#post8334385 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ccondo
What is everyone's opinion on this matter? I'm in the process of designing a 500-700 gallon tank that will be viewable from both long sides.
Thoughts/Concerns:
1-I want the cheapest in terms of energy costs
2-Prefer no bulkheads to worry about, but not a big deal...
3-Costs of Turbelles with controller is $$$$ (how many would you get?)
Any thoughts?

Tunzes are high maintenance. A freind in the reef club just dumped his tunzes for a closed loop & oceansmotions.
Closed loop pumps will cost more in electricity.
You don't have to drill your tank for closed loop system, just go over the top.
I really like the oceanmotions 4-way & there revolutions.
There is no perfect answer, just what you like best.
Like Anthony said: Big Tank = Big Flow = Big $$$
Wait till all your windows are sweating this winter

 

[pwhitby]

Personally............i would do both. They both have inherent advantages over the other.

Paul.

 

[pwhitby]

At a local club meet we made MJ mods, they pump 2000g/hr for approx $50 on an MJ 1200 body. We ran them alongside a tunze that pumped 2250gph. It was pretty comparable. Of course the wattage was higher, but cost savings over several years did not make a tunze cheaper. That was hard to take since i have 4 tunzes and a bunch of seios.

Paul.

 

[etech]

Tunzes are high maintenance

how are tunze high maintenance? i'e had mine for 2 years and never had a problem with them

 

[prugs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8348889#post8348889 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by etech
how are tunze high maintenance? i'e had mine for 2 years and never had a problem with them

He had to take them apart & clean them every 1-2 months. Said he couldn't trust them anymore. I belive they were a couple years old.

 

[pwhitby]

i clean mine every few Mo. Takes 5 mins max.

 

[jacob30]

Look into penductors also. I have a couple in my tank and I am very impressed with the results. Here is a poor video of the flow: (tank has two Darts for CL w no penductors and a Gen-x 70HP w/two penductors on the return. I had a Tunze on my last tank and sold it (not bad flow but just too big).

Just click on the picture and video will start.

 

[ruiny]

Yeah the tunzes are big and can be trickey to hide well.
But on a big tank like you are talking I would think you would be able to find a way to hide them.

 

[ruiny]

Oh and I have had no problems with mine. remove and clean covers and impelers every couple of months. and so far so good. about 6 mths old.

 

[Ccondo]

So do the MJ mods really work that well?

 

[Ccondo]

Could you put a penductor directly on a powerhead?

 

[jacob30]

The penductors need to be run on a pressure rated pump. I do not believe any powerhead would have enough pressure to run one optimally.

Jacob

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8349688#post8349688 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ccondo
Could you put a penductor directly on a powerhead?

 

[Tigger240]

ok to end the electric debate:

2 Darts for a cl providing 7200 gph approx
165 watts x 2 = 330 watts
purchase price of 220 x 2 = 440
monthly 24 / 7 operating cost @ .12 kilowatt = 28.5
total cost + 1 month = 468.5

4 6000 series w/o controller
15w x 4 = 60 watts
1850 gph x 4 = 7400 gph
purchase price of 260 x 4 = 1040
monthly 24/7 operating cost @ .12 = 5.18
total cost + 1 month = 1045.18

2 6100 combo w/ controller
45w x 2 = 90 watts
3175 gph x 2 = 6350 gph
purchase price 884 = 884
monthly op cost @ .12 = 7.76
total cost + 1 month = 891.76

10 month operating cost
dart: 725
6000: 1096
6100: 961

15 month
dart: 867
6000: 1117
6100: 961.6

24 month
dart: 1124
6000:1164
6100: 1070

28 month
dart 1238
6000 1185
6100 1101

 

[Tigger240]

48 month update:
dart: 1808
6000: 1288
6100: 1256

net difference (dart - 6100) = $552 over 4 years

 

[Red Sea Purple Tang]

Tigger....nice info. Don't suppose you want to keep the books on my system? I'm being overrun by Post-It notes!