fcmatt's 57g rimless build thread - hoping for the best!

[scuzy]

fcmatt's 57g rimless build thread - hoping for the best!

Well the ones that don't auto start don't work. The one that auto restart do work from power out. I tested both wall and non wall with a gfci tester not bad to have and both trip multiple time when tested. Also tested power out by pulling the plug and the dongle one return poker when plugged back in and no tripped. It's good for those that don't have gfci wall socket.

 

[fcmatt]

More progress.

I brought out my old Tunze 3155 ATO and cleaned it up. Still needs testing.

I also brought up my old ATI 36 inch Sunpower for testing. Once I plugged it in I realized I would never be happy with those old fans. Crusty and dirty they resisted cleaning and seemed louder than I remembered. On the plus side all 6 old bulbs lit up and functioned.

As you can see from the pics the fan are dirty. This led me to start searching for a quieter fan to replace them. Geez.. this is an odd size. 60x60x10mm. Not a PC mod enthusiast size at all. In other words do not waste your time searching for a silent after market fan. They do not exist.

What you can do though is search all the existing brands and find the fan that seems like a good choice based on CFM, dBm, RPM, etc...

Here is a link to the existing fan. I used digikey's website for accurate info, not the best pricing. https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/delta-electronics/EFB0612MA/603-1407-ND/2560531

Here is a link to what I replaced it with: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/mechatronics-fan-group/MB6010M12B-RSR/1570-1116-ND/5209813

While this fan has less CFM and RPM it is significantly quieter dBm wise. Delta is 29 versus 22.5 for the Mechatronics.

This is what I am thinking. No one runs the Delta fans at 12 volts. 4.5, 6, 7.5, and 9 are the most common people mention. I used to run at 6 or 7.5. I have AC in my house which helps with ambient air cooling.

This fan may very well move less air but be quieter at higher voltages. So I could just run it at 7.5, forget about it, and have a quieter setup. Maybe even 9 volts would be less noise than a Delta fan at 4.5 to 6 volts.

Let's give it a try.

For the life of me I could not get the fan apart from the metal ATI cover without cutting the rubber grommets. So I cut two of them careful with a an exacto knife and this is what I am left with.

Now notice I have two grommets left that are in good shape but the bottom is trimmed a bit at the factory. This is a key thing. We can use those to remount it and the leftover pieces can be the vibration bumpers for the other holes. As I was taking it apart and cutting I thought I would have to buy more.

This pic shows how I started the whole process.

Next goes the large washer.

Next goes the fan and the tricky part is squishing it through since the part you normally pull has been clipped. Just pull it out enough for the rubber to catch one edge of the fan and leave the rest inside. It is quite a tight fit and holds it very firmly. No need to use the smaller washers. Save them just in case but a cheapo home depot part if needed due to this idea failing over time.

This pic shows both new fans mounted. A side shot and a bottom shot. I am not joking when I say they are firmly mounted. Not as good as the factory but more than reasonable for this application. No need to buy new rubber grommets.

Now mounted back and running.

Soooo... right away I can tell the fans are quieter than my old dirty ones. Big difference.

At 12 volts they are loud. Not as loud as Delta but loud.
At 9 volts not that bad. I was pleased. They are definitely an upgrade.
At 7.5 volts they became decent. I can live with that.
At 6 volts one could almost say reasonably quiet with normal background noise going on. Let's face it. A fan this small will never be totally silent due to physics. Just not sure at 6 volts they will move enough air.
4.5 volts. Barely hear it. What I consider quiet.

I will update my thoughts on the noise once I leave them running for a few days to a week to break in.

I am at the point I will sacrifice some PAR for a quieter tank and still be able to use T5.

 

[fcmatt]

Progress update.

The tank is in it's final position from the wall with a GFCI outlet right behind it.
I made sure it was level.

The ATI 6 bulb light has been hung. the 36 inch model.

The new fans have quieted down a bit and they do not bother me at 7.5 volts.

 

[fcmatt]

I have ordered Tropic Eden 30 lbs bag Miniflakes (aragonite crumbs, 2mm). Dry, not live sand. I am taking a bit of a risk going with Miniflakes because this will be a high flow tank. Over time I am hoping they will settle down with age. With 3 kids now days I do want sand for the "full" experience. Normally I run bare bottom. I want just enough sand to reach the black frame on the bottom. I also like the idea of the sand reflecting light up into future corals.

I bought 3 - Tunze 6095 pumps with the 7096 controller. All used. Like I said.. high flow. But it will be a long while before I have to go wild with flow. I cannot imagine adding a coral at my pace for months let alone growth requiring all of this pump power. I do not plan to buy a controller until I need it. The 7096 will come in handy for fun in the mean time.

IO Bio-Spira and Dr Tim's Ammonium Chloride are on the way. I am not risking pests on my rock this time around. I want to be more careful.

Started researching tank bred versus wild caught clowns and all the different types available for purchase. I am not into designer clowns. No thank you. I would like a pair. I also like yellow and blue assessors. But eh.. that is a ways away.

The RO/DI is already working in the basement and tested.

Starting to think about cable mgmt and power needs. As in how many outlets and strip plugs.

About it I guess for the update.

 

[fcmatt]

The sand has arrived. The way the forum talks about this I was expecting something magical. Lol. But yes, it is a quality sand.

The bacteria and ammonia showed up. I am new to this part of the hobby of starting a tank with no live sand or rock. Honestly I am not even sure it is needed but I like to learn. Cannot really hurt except my wallet. I need to read up on it more.

Scored a good deal on 3 used Tunze 6095 pumps and controller.

And spent an hour on the weekend washing and drying the sand.

Next step is to finalize my rockwork. Place in tank, add sand, and make a lot of clean water. I have an old bucket of Tropic Marin Bio-Actif salt on hand but I am unsure if that is what I want to go with. Probably 5 years old to boot.