Englishrebel's 260 Gallon System Build

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14069543#post14069543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plyr58
. I am just collecting equipment for my 210 one piece at a time so that I don't finally get ready to set it up and then the wife sees a 5 grand dip in the checking account balance on one day.

I just got my Visa statement. :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

I saw those in Lowes. They're just too large. I'm going to Google it.

I was looking through some stuff in the bathroom and came across a foreign power travel kit. It had a small two flat blade to two flat blade converter plug that worked just fine. I think you can buy them individually so you don't have to buy a kit. Not sure why they would put on in the kit because you could just plug your regular two blade plug into an outlet. Maybe it's for use with a regular US grounded three pronged plug to go into a two blade outlet.

Here's on -- it's the GS-101. Converter plug
 
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Whoa! Alan, your getting way out ahead of me, on your build! :D Lookin' good, too! Any particular reason you used the AquaLogic temp controller instead of your RKE? The sump/Fuge combo is classy! Just a little twinge of jealousy bubblin' up here. :p
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14069845#post14069845 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GlassReef
Whoa! Alan, your getting way out ahead of me, on your build! :D Lookin' good, too! Any particular reason you used the AquaLogic temp controller instead of your RKE? The sump/Fuge combo is classy! Just a little twinge of jealousy bubblin' up here. :p

Tom
Thanks but you see I am retired so don't have anything else to do (other than make daily trips to Lowes). :lol: I will use the RKE as a back up in case the Aqualogic fails (it's my anal retentive quality :D). I don't know about getting ahead of you, yours is looking good. You have far more tanks than I do (so far anyway). :lol:

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14069863#post14069863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spsfreak
Looks good, Alan. Can't wait to see it finished.

Matt
Thanks a lot. It'll be a while as the tank will take close to two months and then it's more plumbing :p and aquascaping. Gives me lots of time to plan (and spend money). AAMOI where are you located in NC?

What would you guys recommend for in-tank circulation. I really like the Ecotech What do you think?
 
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Re: the VorTech - smallest in-tank footprint around, but I found them a little loud. Could have just been the one I was looking at.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14070254#post14070254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GlassReef
Re: the VorTech - smallest in-tank footprint around, but I found them a little loud. Could have just been the one I was looking at.

I hadn't heard that. Have you actually run them? I like the fact that the motor is outside of the tank. I believe that you can get a controller and battery backup as well.
 
I went to a club meeting. The host had one running in his tank. Could very well have been a bad example. Don't remember hearing hearing too much about noise problem, either.

Think there's a wireless controller available, isn't there.
 
I have heard many things/issues with Vor-techs from their owners, but in their defense I have only personally seen 2 running.. one was running pretty silently and without issues, but the other was pretty loud. It may have been user error ;)

Love this build great job Alan.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14070516#post14070516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GlassReef
I went to a club meeting. The host had one running in his tank. Could very well have been a bad example. Don't remember hearing hearing too much about noise problem, either.

Think there's a wireless controller available, isn't there.
Tom
I'm not sure if it's wireless. The picture on their web site is not too clear. However, having said that, you can run multiple units to get wave action so maybe they are. You got Tunzes didn't you. They don't have the external magnet drive do they?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14070588#post14070588 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Electrobes
I have heard many things/issues with Vor-techs from their owners, but in their defense I have only personally seen 2 running.. one was running pretty silently and without issues, but the other was pretty loud. It may have been user error ;)

Love this build great job Alan.
Electrobes
Thanks a lot, it's coming along nicely. The only problem is that I'm running out of things to do. When the skimmer comes next week that's all the plumbing for a while which is why I'm thinking of putting some life rock in my QT tank. I have to start on the display tank stand, but that won't take me long.

Oh the decisions. LED/T5 and now Vortechs/Tunzes. When does this end? :rollface:
 
Vortech has 3 models to chose from, the MP-20, MP-40, and MP40W. For your size tanks, you will be looking at the MP-40 and the MP-40W (the "W" means wireless). Essentially with the wireless units and the controller, you have one unit that is the master and the rest of the units become "slaves" that follow the directions of the master. You can create all sorts of flow patterns from totally random current to a standing wave. Vortech also has a battery backup (like a computer UPC) manufactured by Icecap that will drive one unit for I believe 16 hous and 2 units for approximately 8 hours (don't hold me to those times, they are off the top of my head). I know Marine Depot sells a kit for right at a thousand dollars with 2 MP-40Ws, the wireless wave driver, and the UPC.

This seems like a lot of money, but as I have priced the various options for flow (Tunzes, Vortech, etc.) they all seem to come out at about a thousand dollars. For your tank, 2 Vortechs should be enough to provide most, if not all, the flow that you need (with the exception of maybe a small power head or two moving water in any dead spots behind LR, etc.).

I have read some reports of the units being noisy etc, and they had some QC problems in the first manufacturing run. As far as I know 99.9% of the manufacturing issues have been resolved. Most owners seem to say that the pumps are noisy if you improperly align the pins/magnets that run the units and that if you set it up properly the power heads are fairly quiet. One user the other day reported that his Vortech was quieter than his Dart, and they are pretty silent.
 
I will be putting some cured live rock in the QT tank to see what hitchhikers I get. Do you think it’s too early to be doing this as my DT will not be here for another couple of months?

Not too soon at all Alan. It will give that QT tank a head start before you need it. If you get uncured rock now is also a good time to cure it. The longer it cures the less trouble it is when added to the display.
 
Drew
Thanks for that, I think I have a few weeks to zero in on the in-tank flow.
Tom
I was thinking that it was too early but thanks for the correction. Keeping LR healthy should be a breeze and let me hone my skills at maintaing water quality (and looking at the life in those rocks in a controlled environment). Should I run my canister with carbon, bio "rocks" and foam or some combination of the three?
Thanks guys.
 
Drew
Thanks for that, I think I have a few weeks to zero in on the in-tank flow.
Tom
I was thinking that it was too early but thanks for the correction. Keeping LR healthy should be a breeze and let me hone my skills at maintaing water quality (and looking at the life in those rocks in a controlled environment). Should I run my canister with carbon, bio "rocks" and foam or some combination of the three? Does the LR require lights?
Thanks guys.
 

What would you guys recommend for in-tank circulation. I really like the Ecotech What do you think?

My current round of research. You have 3 real options:

1) Tunzie 6105/6205 (6305 might be too big for you)
2) Vortechs
3) Koralia Magnums (don't laugh I'll get there in a second).

Tunzies are the king, and the best (imho).
Pros: They flow the most, they are controllable by ac3 pro (and probably RKE?) directly. With a good controller the sky is the limit on what you can get them to do. They are magnet mounted. They swivel.

Cons: The 6205's are damn near $600 a piece and you have to kill someone to actually be blessed enough to get someone tto sell them to you.

Vortechs:
Pros: Wireless, smallest footprint, good flow, wirelessly talk to each other and can communicate for wave maker stuff, ect

Cons: No big boy controller can talk to them directly. You are limited to there controller they come with. This is a problem for automatic feeding cycles, ect where you want to co-ordinate powerhead shutdown with return and skimmer shutdowns ect. They are NOT swivel-able. Wherever you mount it it flows straight ahead from that point. They are loud, and there can be issues getting the drive unit aligned properly with the prop unit. There were also issues with early units heating up so much they burned acrylic tanks. This has been fixed as far as i can tell. Biggest issue (for me) is they don't work on anything thicker that .75". at 1.25" I'm hosed :)

Koralia Magnums (5-8):
Pros: CHEAP! GPH flow is directly comparable to tunzies. Same volume as a tunzie.. slightly shorter, but slightly bigger around. Much better built than I expected, quality construction. Swivel-able, comes in different ratings to match flow.

Cons: Not controllable. Its either on or off. The 1-4 models are controllable and supposedly they will release 5-8's that are, but I wouldn't hold my breath because no big boy controller supports the 1-4's anyways. They are only rated to a thickness of 13/16". That said mine have been stuck on my 1.25" for 3 weeks now. I'll throw on a Neo magnet on the back if it becomes an issue. Since you can't throttle them down you have to pick your models wisely. I bought 2 8's to test them and I have a mini sandstorm in one area because the flow is too high.


I bought the Magnum 8's to hold me over till the Tunzies were available. I liked the 4's i bought for the fuge and frag tanks so I figured why not. As I posted in my thread I'm not sure I'm going to buy the tunzies now. I need like $2500-$3k in tunzies which is pretty hard to swallow. The Magnums flow so much and are so cheap I can have extras just sitting on the shelf for a fraction of the 3k. On top of that the way my tank is designed I don't want wave action. I'm pretty full and close to the braces and wave action is just going to make a mess. I want strong flow. I'm thinking if I do get the tunzies they are just going to be stuck on all the time. I can simulate tidal flow and ebs by turning the Magnums on and off via the ac3 pro socket control just like I would the tunzies directly.

I'll let you know how it goes. Kinda sounds like I just talked myself out of the Tunzies :P
 
Wow, you really did your research -- I should have expected that having read your thread. :) I agree that spending $3k on powerheads is a little overboard. With the RKE switched power strip it shouldn't be a problem turning them on and off for feeding or to simulate wave action. As I'm probably going with a 1" SCWD on the return which will give me wave action, I only need the powerheads to provide the 10-15 times volume in total flow. I can also direct them to low flow areas. The only issue is all those cords hanging in the tank. :(
Let us know what you finally decide upon.
Thanks
 
I don't know so much about the Tunze gear being the best ... I have a TS48 kit and a Wavebox, all less than 3 years old. They are big, they are ugly, and they are unreliable. The magnet mounts break off at the mounting fins, 4 so far. The 7095 controller is slowly shutting down functions, I have had 2 new transformers and 3 new drivers in the past year ... yeah, just out of warranty! The only warranty replacement was the wavebox impeller which sheared the prop off for no apparent reason. All of the submerged plastic parts of the Tunze gear has become severely pitted ... my water parameters are same as any other competent reefer. Oh, did I mention that it is hideously expensive?

My Vortech gear on the other hand isn't cheap either. It has run flawlessly, it is every bit as quiet as the Tunze without distracting the from view of the display. They also put minimal heat back into the tank. They don't swivel but on a large display, so what! Flow is what counts and they are superior to Tunze in that department and have more useful choices of flow characteristics.

My research is hands on for a long time.

IMO, Vortech any day of the year until Tunze quality can match its hype.

Tone :)
 
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