Comline Right For Me...?

[Todd March]

Hey Roger,

Forgive the length of this post, but I want to get things right before assembling my fuge/sump and buying equipment...

I am starting a new 40g tank that will house many stonies (focus on SPS) and clams. I want to utilize a good size fuge (20g) with Miracle Mud and lots of macros. I want to go with as natural of a system as possible and cultivate and respect zooplankton as much as possible. However, I would still like a decent protein skimmer to help with the organic load.

The overflow plumbing from the tank will also be Y'd, with around 1/4 of the water going directly to the fuge, bypassing the first compartment (with the Tunze skimmer) of the sump/fuge altogether...

My design is to put a 5"X 12" slot into the beginning of my sump/fuge which will be the sumps other primary inlet from the overflow on the tank (water will enter at the bottom, under the proposed Tunze units, and be somewhat stilled by a layer of bioballs as it travels up the compartment to the overflow to the fuge compartment). This compartment will be baffled as the water flows over and out of it and into the fuge: because of this baffle I can maintain a contant water of at least 12" (my sump is 18" tall) in this compartment, happily accomadating the specs on the Comline units.

In this first compartment of the sump/fuge I would like to run both a Tunze Comline skimmer 3115, as well as a Tunze Comline Calcium Dispenser (reactor) on the Tunze pH/CO2 controller set. I like this skimmer for it's creature friendly inlet design, and it's small footprint for my modest sump/fuge.

I was delighted to find the Tunze Comline Calcium Reactor as it shares the small small footprint of the skimmer, and will fit my compartment perfectly, opposite the skimmer. I have always trusted Tunze as one of the finest aquaria equipment inovators in the world ( I loved their heating cables in my planted aquaria tanks).

If you could take the time when you have it, Roger, and tell me your thoughts on my ideas and choices, it would be most appreciatedââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âpaticularily regarding the Comline Calcium Dispenser; I have only found one "review" of this model on the net, and it was rather scathing. The guy dumped it and bought a domestic twin reactor unit and was very disappointed with the Tunze unit, he said it did not effect his calcium level at all...? He did not mention his tank size, but I assume it could have been larger and the smaller Tunze unit was unable to keep up with his high calcium demands...?

This tank I am working on is 35" X 17" square, 40g, and will have many stony corals (focusing on SPS) and clams, and while I realize I will have to refill the small 2.4 kg media compartment of the Tunze unit more frequently, I just want to make sure that this unit is capable of keeping up with the Ca demands of a smaller high stocked SPS/clam/coralline tank...

What I am shopping for is a gentle and effective skimmer and a good Ca reactor for this tank. With the Korallin Ca reactor being only $100 more or so in price (and praised by Reefers) than the Tunz Ca reactor, it is important to me to make the right choice for my tank and I in the beginning...

Thanks for your time and attention,

Best--

Todd

 

[rvitko]

The skimmer would be a good choice. The reactor review you read was likely for the 3174/2 which indeed was a poor performer, it worked on a passive diffusion system and did not perform as it should have. We solved these issues with model 3174/3 which has an active drip type system and works well on every aquarium I have seen it used on and I plan to use one myself on my next set up. I think it would be more than adequate for a 40gallon set up.

 

[Todd March]

Roger,

is there any problem mounting the 3174/3's bubble counter on the outside of my sump? Does it need to be submerged?

Thanks,

Todd

 

[rvitko]

The reactor needs to be submerged but the bubble counter suction cups to the outside of the sump or what I do is drill holes in the stand (not all the way through) to accomodate the suction cup holder bracket which is the same one Ebo Jager heaters come with. We buy the suction holder from Jager and put our cups on it. Basically push the nubs that hold the cups into the holes and put some gorilla glue on them and then you never have to worry about it. I fill the bubble counters I use with 1part glycerin to 2 parts fresh water.

 

[Todd March]

Roger,

How would you compare the Comline 3115 to a small Euroreef (CS6-1) in terms of ease of use as well as the end skimmate produced...? I know that you sell both, so you are the guy to ask...

 

[rvitko]

The Euroreef will definitely remove more. It also uses about 4 times as much electricity and is about twice the size. I find there is nothing easier to clean than the Tunze and if your goal is to be plankton safe it is the only such skimmer available but undoubtedly the 3115/2 would be trounced by the Euroreef. The tank is only 40gals so the 3115/2 is quite sufficient. To be frank I personally haven't used a Euroreef since the originals with the Eheim pump and we do use and sell them in my shop but I maintain the Tunze units and the other guys run the Euroreefs. I can only say from a quantitative analysis that we built to identical 350gal fish holding systems. One is my design with 4 Comline Bioreactors, a 3167 Mechanical Filter and a 3160/2 Skimmer inside a Model # Oceanic sump that was built out to hold comline filter units the return is 2 GRI 518. My employees built there dream system to go up against mine. They used a CS12-1 and the standard Oceanic bio/balls and Model 3 sump configuration with the same returns. The results after 3 months with only 10% bi weekly water changes were quite close- about 25ppm nitrite in each (Tetra test so the result is total dissolved nitrogen and would be far less on a true Nitrate test such as Lamotte or Salifert) and about 2ppm of PO4 in my system vs 1.5 in the euroreef system. These are heavily fed fishholding systems with just a single flourescent tube so that isn't bad water quality considering.