Considering RD3 50w and Mini 160...few questions

[ReefClownMIA]

LOL. I have not had a tank since 95. My last two tanks had homemade skimmers with stones, MH + VHO, stands/sumps/overflow was all made by me. Ran 2-200 oceanics that way-one reef one with big ole mean trigger and Harq tusk.

Been moving with work/school for 20 years. Settled down and the kids wanted an aquarium. Wife OK'ed it with enthusiasm. Looked and wow...technology has changed. Rock has changed, livestock choices are better as well as the economics.

Start the plumbing tomorrow. Hopefully salt and RO unit will show up this weekend. Still reading on where to get rock/sand from...probably go to Premium Aq...read some decent things about their rock, also considering TBS.

TBS has some very interesting rock packages, and if you're into hitchhikers, TBS probably has some of the best. Always free stuff shipping along.

Past few years I've been using BRS's dry Pukani rock - done well for me, very porous and light - a few pounds go a long way with that stuff.

 

[neiltus]

Marco, are you 'seeding' the BRS rock with anything? Still on the fence about rock. Last time I bought rock it was pretty much 'fiji' or called that in the local market. Also considering Manado from PA. I am still reading up about dry rock...honestly, don't know much about doing it that way.

Skimmer and pump arrived today, first impressions on the skimmer are that it is a simple efficient design...orientation in the reefer sump would be easier if the adjustment was to the left of the pump vs the right...but I realize the reefer sump is the red-headed step child of sumps. Hopefully I can get my RO unit in this weekend to start filling the tank and making the necessary connections.

I appreciate everyones prompt help in this thread.

 

[ReefClownMIA]

I've got to be completely honest, one of these days I'd love to do a Florida reef tank.

Use TBS rock, gorgonians, whips, rics, zoas, grasses and macro algaes, etc ... But very Florida like rock look.

Yes, when I buy BRS, I usually let that cycle, then add in a rock or two from an established tank... Over the years I've learned patience, and these days I take a month to cycle a tank. Add water, salt, substrate and rock... Turn off lights and come back in a month. I don't bother checking nitrate, nitrite, ammonia.

 

[neiltus]

I like themed or geography based tanks...however it can be a stocking headache of sorts.

 

[neiltus]

So, what type of grease do we grease the uptake tube with?

 

[slief]

So, what type of grease do we grease the uptake tube with?

Not sure what you mean by uptake tube but if you are talking about the return line that would slip over the fitting, you could use silicone grease on the inside of the hose but hot water is usually all it takes to soften the hose up enough to slip over the end of a pipe or barbed fitting.

 

[neiltus]

The 50w has about a 3' cord-prob 1 meter.

I have 2 options,

1)put the controller box for the RD3 on the non-sump side of the 350. There is plenty of length to get to the pump from the non-sump side of the 350. However servicing the pump would require removal of all the through glass fittings to thread the power box through.

2) put the controller box for the RD3 on the sump side. The cord barely makes it to the apex strip on the other side. It's tight, but makes pulling the pump MUCH easier.

Hint to RE...longer cord to control box.

 

[vhuang168]

The 50w has about a 3' cord-prob 1 meter.

Hint to RE...longer cord to control box.

I would also like a connector somewhere long the wire. This would allow much easier routing as well as pulling the pump to service without having to remove the control box as well!

 

[ReefClownMIA]

The box is rated for moist environments, and can take the sump side just fine. Obviously don't submerge it ... LOL!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neiltus]

Well, filling the tank with fresh to do a trial run of the pump, check my temp and get the apex connected...if there is an issue, (doubt there will be-already tested pump) I will not be draining 40 bucks of salt. Very curious if my temps stay good with current AC settings, might have to tweak that some as it's 100 during the day and cooling to 80 at night.

 

[neiltus]

Extremely quiet pump...got the tank filled with fresh, dialing in pump and the infamous reefer overflow valve (not that hard).

Brief question-I set the RD3 50w to 32 watts, and the display reads 26-27 and alternates...what is this telling me? (or trying to tell me)

 

[slief]

Extremely quiet pump...got the tank filled with fresh, dialing in pump and the infamous reefer overflow valve (not that hard).

Brief question-I set the RD3 50w to 32 watts, and the display reads 26-27 and alternates...what is this telling me? (or trying to tell me)

You actually have it set to 26-27 watts. The 26-27 is the actual watts it's running at once the pump speed settled in.

 

[neiltus]

No-my description is gray...apologies,

I set it to 32w via the buttons, and it never goes over the 26-27w. The pump is on, submerged in sump, but when I dial 32 or 24 via the buttons, it just settles in in the 26-27 range. I can up it to 40w, but it seems the pump always runs about 5-7w under its setting.

I wonder if this is watt loss due to head?

 

[slief]

No-my description is gray...apologies,

I set it to 32w via the buttons, and it never goes over the 26-27w. The pump is on, submerged in sump, but when I dial 32 or 24 via the buttons, it just settles in in the 26-27 range. I can up it to 40w, but it seems the pump always runs about 5-7w under its setting.

I wonder if this is watt loss due to head?

Yes it is due to the head. When you push the buttons up or down, the pump is actually reducing or increasing the pump speed based on percentage. Obvious that translates to watts. When you increase or decrease the speed of the pump, the pump will go to what it thinks the percentage to achieve that wattage at 0 head. Increased head pressure actually reduces the power consumption on the pump which is why you see a lower display wattage than when you first hit the buttons. Also, these pumps are soft start and have a slow ramp up. When you press the buttons to increase or decrease the speed, it takes several seconds or less depending on the speed setting for the pump to get to that speed which is why the first numbers you see aren't the actual wattage. Once the pump speed ramps up to your set point, it will display the actual wattage being consumed and it's remarkably accurate. I compared my RD3 230 wattage on the display to my Kill-A-Watt meter and was surprised to see it be spot on.

 

[neiltus]

Thank you Slief. I appreciate your and Clown's help.

I will say, I am impressed with this pump...it's dead silent. The Tunze 6095 heads have more noise to them.

Plugging in and playing with the skimmer soon.

 

[slief]

Thank you Slief. I appreciate your and Clown's help.

I will say, I am impressed with this pump...it's dead silent. The Tunze 6095 heads have more noise to them.

Plugging in and playing with the skimmer soon.

Very glad to help. They really are silent too. That isn't even an understatement as they are truly dead silent. Like you I run Tunze's in my display. I also have a pair of RD3 230's. One for my return and one for my closed loop. I started with one of the 230's running my closed loop and when I first set it up and plugged it in, I thought it was dead. My closed loop returns under my rocks and the pump made no noise at full power and no vibration. I kind of panicked at first until I looked under my live rock and saw the little bit of sand that was trapped under there being blasted out. I was very pleasantly surprised. Unlike my RD3's, I can hear my 3 Tunze's but after a year and half, these RD3's are still silent.

My bedroom upstairs is directly above my tank which is downstairs. These RD3's replaced a pair of Reeflo Superdart Golds. My pumps are external and located under the tank which is built in to the house as a peninsula and completely drywalled in around all sides. I could hear those Superdarts in my bedroom as there was always a constant hum that resonated through the walls and ceiling. It wasn't bad but you could hear them. When I switched to the RD3's, there was a very noticeable silence in my bedroom. After 17 years (at the time) in this house and having noisier pumps on my system, I was pretty well used to that hum. In fact, I didn't even really notice the hum until I installed the RD3's. The silence upstairs as a result of the pump change was really weird and made me realize just how quiet these are and how noisy the Darts were which were the quietest pumps I have ever run on my system up until the RD3's. With these RD's, I can't even use the term "quiet". They aren't quiet. They are silent.

 

[neiltus]

Put rock in today...waited a few hours, turned on the skimmer.

Feel like I am overlooking the obvious with the water level. Thoughts?

 

[ReefClownMIA]

Water level should be between 7-9" in the sump, I believe you're right around that, no?

You may have to close the wedge pipe a little bit, however I'd do that int he morning to keep an eye on the skimmer, in case it starts to overflow. Your tank is still new, and most likely if you added the rock in today, the surface tension of the water is off... should work itself out within a couple days latest is my guess...

 

[neiltus]

Think it's 9.4" in that skimmer portion of the sump. Riser?

 

[slief]

Water level should be between 7-9" in the sump, I believe you're right around that, no?

You may have to close the wedge pipe a little bit, however I'd do that int he morning to keep an eye on the skimmer, in case it starts to overflow. Your tank is still new, and most likely if you added the rock in today, the surface tension of the water is off... should work itself out within a couple days latest is my guess...

I agree. The live rock changed the surface tension and the skimmer will be fine in a couple days. In fact, I would open the wedge pipe up a bit to be safe as it may want to overflow when it kicks back in if the wedge is too closed. If anything dies off on the rocks, that will exacerbate things once the skimmers settles back in. Either way, I think the skimmer will be fine by this time tomorrow morning if not sooner so keep an eye on it.