Jacob's 360 Gallon Build
- Thread starter Jacob D
- Start date
Bamm Bamm
Saltwater Guru
Well I've been going to school at wyotech for the last year I got out of Banking I hated it.....I want to be a mechanic now.. I live up in Sacramento now and I'm looking for work.. I'm actually hoping to be moving down to monterey or Santa Cruz sometime in the next 3-6months here=)I'm in the process right now of setting up one of my 20g tank I have the bug really bad again but dont want to set up a huge tank and move it till I get a house again..
Jacob D
New member
So I just sent my skimmer pump back to Tunze who graciously offered to upgrade it to their new skimmer pump. The new pumps are actually designed and manufactured by Tunze rather than Sicce which is the popular choice for skimmer manufacturers right now (and previous pump that Tunze was using). The new pump is said to be more efficient: 850 lph @ 16w.... ~ 53lph / watt. I have been anxiously awaiting this pump since the Euro's seem to like them a lot. They have finally made it to the US, here is what one reefer had to say.
I was one of the lucky guys that got some of the first 20 pumps and I have been running them over the last week. They are THE BOMB! Quiet is exactly what they are and I actually think they pack a little more punch than the first gen pumps. My skimmate is just a touch more moist which is a good thing in my opinion as I am not having as much crud accumulate in the neck of the collection cup.
Instead, I am having better accumulation in the collection cup. Overall, I believe this to be an excellent retrofit/upgrade.
Bottom line is hang in there. Roger and the boys in Austin are working to get the new product out just as fast as it comes in from the production facitlity. The new pumps make the Master DOC skimmer a truly excellent product-Quiet, plug and play setup, and high efficiency. I can't say enough good things about them. The old pumps were annoying. Not so with the SILENCE pumps.
Waiting for the new pump to show up is going to be like waiting for Christmas to arrive... I really want to get that skimmer running! Right now I have my poor little Urchin hanging off the sump just going nuts
I was one of the lucky guys that got some of the first 20 pumps and I have been running them over the last week. They are THE BOMB! Quiet is exactly what they are and I actually think they pack a little more punch than the first gen pumps. My skimmate is just a touch more moist which is a good thing in my opinion as I am not having as much crud accumulate in the neck of the collection cup.
Instead, I am having better accumulation in the collection cup. Overall, I believe this to be an excellent retrofit/upgrade.
Bottom line is hang in there. Roger and the boys in Austin are working to get the new product out just as fast as it comes in from the production facitlity. The new pumps make the Master DOC skimmer a truly excellent product-Quiet, plug and play setup, and high efficiency. I can't say enough good things about them. The old pumps were annoying. Not so with the SILENCE pumps.
Waiting for the new pump to show up is going to be like waiting for Christmas to arrive... I really want to get that skimmer running! Right now I have my poor little Urchin hanging off the sump just going nuts
Jacob D
New member
:beer:
Thanks, gotta keep it all documented and such. I really, really need that pump. I think that the rocks are just releasing a lot of organic dead stuff into the water. It looks ok from the front, but from the side looks like green tea still!
I won't test anything for a while but I have no doubt this should start the cycle (the tank has live sand in it).
p.s. My site is down right now, for some reason the domain did not auto-renew. Working on getting it back up, so no blog for the time being
Thanks, gotta keep it all documented and such. I really, really need that pump. I think that the rocks are just releasing a lot of organic dead stuff into the water. It looks ok from the front, but from the side looks like green tea still!
I won't test anything for a while but I have no doubt this should start the cycle (the tank has live sand in it).
p.s. My site is down right now, for some reason the domain did not auto-renew. Working on getting it back up, so no blog for the time being
Last edited:
Jacob D
New member
When we got home from backpacking (beautiful weather by the way!) the water had cleared a little more, still greenish though. I think the main culprit of the green water was some rock I got from one of my sources. It was semi-live and had a green appearance, today it's looking more white like the rest of the rock. I'm sure boiling it killed off whatever was on/in it and now it is making tea in my tank 
Well anyway, it's looking more clear day by day. I figured this was as good a time as any to snap a couple of pics.
Front View
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3214737058/" title="Aquascape (Front) by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3214737058_1c702d9d65_o.jpg" width="800" height="249" alt="Aquascape (Front)" style="border:0px"/></a>
End View
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3213889257/" title="Aquascape (End) by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3213889257_1aef315517_o.jpg" width="800" height="517" alt="Aquascape (End)" style="border:0px"/></a>
There are 3 islands. The one on the left is more like a volcano I suppose. Multiple caves in each for the fishes. I started with ~ 300 lbs of rock and ended up with 65 lbs left over, so roughly 235 lbs in the tank. I also have 120 lbs of sand in there. All of it is Caribsea; mostly Bermuda Pink (very coarse) and a couple bags of their Fiji Pink (fine) which is live. The sandbed is about an inch deep and only for aesthetics.
Well anyway, it's looking more clear day by day. I figured this was as good a time as any to snap a couple of pics.
Front View
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3214737058/" title="Aquascape (Front) by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3214737058_1c702d9d65_o.jpg" width="800" height="249" alt="Aquascape (Front)" style="border:0px"/></a>
End View
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3213889257/" title="Aquascape (End) by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3213889257_1aef315517_o.jpg" width="800" height="517" alt="Aquascape (End)" style="border:0px"/></a>
There are 3 islands. The one on the left is more like a volcano I suppose. Multiple caves in each for the fishes. I started with ~ 300 lbs of rock and ended up with 65 lbs left over, so roughly 235 lbs in the tank. I also have 120 lbs of sand in there. All of it is Caribsea; mostly Bermuda Pink (very coarse) and a couple bags of their Fiji Pink (fine) which is live. The sandbed is about an inch deep and only for aesthetics.
Jacob D
New member
Thanks Dan. I should have taken a top-down, that would have been more clear... maybe tomorrow
By the way, when not torturing myself with aquarium-related projects I find other ways. I must be a glutton for punishment
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3214773256/" title="2009-01_1638 800x533 by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3214773256_f1328d2ccb_o.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="2009-01_1638 800x533" style="border:0px;" /></a>
This one wasn't that bad actually, but I'm a little out of shape since I'm not boarding right now. Notice the footnote under "Strenuous Hike"... that's def. not me right now! LOL
By the way, when not torturing myself with aquarium-related projects I find other ways. I must be a glutton for punishment
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740619@N08/3214773256/" title="2009-01_1638 800x533 by Dinardi Family, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3214773256_f1328d2ccb_o.jpg" width="800" height="533" alt="2009-01_1638 800x533" style="border:0px;" /></a>
This one wasn't that bad actually, but I'm a little out of shape since I'm not boarding right now. Notice the footnote under "Strenuous Hike"... that's def. not me right now! LOL
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