TJcop- thank you for the kind words.
jnarowe- the psi/$ ratio all depends on what models of pumps are being compared, plus how many pumps have to be bought to run how many skimmers, plus power consumption. I'm getting ahead of my own post, but the Lufts were costing me $34.99 each (my wholesale price), put out 7.1 psi (rated max), also put out 0.14 cfm (rated max). We already know that the volume and pressure are inversely proportional. The Luft will only put out about 0.09 cfm at 1 psi (25" of depth), and only about 0.05 cfm at 3 psi (75" of depth). I would have needed 44 of them (44 GOOD ones that is). They use 5 watts each (220 watts total for 44 of them).
These two linear pumps I bought were $348 each and use 77 - 95 watts each. Saved me about 30 watts of power. They put out a rated max of 5.7 cfm and rated max of 120" of depth. (1 psi is roughly equivalent to 23" - 25" of depth). They are rated for 4.2 cfm AT 50" of depth, plenty to run 22 skimmers each. I saved money all the way around by switching to these pumps. Purchase price was less, they have more volume, more than adequate pressure, and use less power.
The seventh tank has been built, wet tested, and sitting on it's stand for some time. I now have two tanks ready and waiting for air pumps (told you I was getting ahead of my own post). It was leak free and that was two in a row!!! It seems I may have found something. With many of the previous tanks, laying glue down in a thick bead/ fillet allowed gases to come up through the glue. This out-gasing formed air bubbles in the glue. I have a suspicion that is where many of the leaks were coming from. On this tank, I used my finger to spread out the glue bead to a very thin layer, much like one would do with silicone caulking. Pushing my finger along the glue and spreading it out, seems to make a seal without the bubbles. We will see on the next tank if it works the same way.
I did get fed up with waiting for those Luft pumps, and as I said earlier, they have been really inconsistent in quality. I purchased two large air pumps and got two new manifolds plumbed in to supply the skimmers. The manifolds are the two runs of 3/4" pipe below the 2" blower manifold. Bleed valves had to be installed for now because there are only seven skimmers on each run. There is an identical pump on the other side of the greenhouse which supplies the second manifold.
Now for the bad news. It was time to recharge the kati ani deionizer. The kati portion had been recharged and was being flushed when I heard this sound like a burst of air (whoosh/ psh). I was standing right there by the units and it sounded like a hose had blown off from pressure. The kati unit started to lean over... and all of the resin beads started to come gushing out the bottom.
Somehow, the unit burst/ cracked open at the bottom, the worst possible place. If it had been at the top, the unit wouldn't have tipped over and I would have been able to save the resin. I just don't understand how one person could have so much bad luck. I fully realize that some of the issues and problems have been due to my own lack of knowledge, failing to fully research some aspects of the project, and failing to go back and revise plans after something had changed. But that just doesn't account for all (or even most) of the problems I've had.
Now, I bought the deionizer from Dr.'s Foster and Smith. I already know for a fact that they are not selling these units anymore, but I called them any way. They say the best they can do is to give me a contact number for Aquatechnic (gee, thanks). As far as I know, all of the U.S. companies that I found during my research phase (more than three years ago by this time) do not handle the Aquatechnic brand anymore. I have only seen one U.S. source recently and I'm not even sure if the deal has gone through. That was a friend of Steven Pro, maybe I can contact him and see if he can help me. The other option is to go back to Aquatechnic directly...very big hassle first with translating emails, then with import and customs duties. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Or maybe I should try to run water without the kati. The ani would pull out the phosphates, nitrates, silicates, etc., but not having the kati MAYBE would leave in the calcium and magnesium. Heck, who am I kidding, it could never work out that good for me, plus there's probably a ton of other crap in the water that needs to get pulled out by the kati.
So, here we go again, tanks full of stuff and no way to make good water... only this time it's not just live rock, it's corals too. It sure seems to me that working towards a dream shouldn't make a person want to go to the nearest corner and have a god cry.
ressure relief valve or similar).
