New Custom 40g cube is here!

[CamBarr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7221069#post7221069 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctsieber
thats really no different then just using kalk in your top off water, other then the added cost of the nilsen reactor.

Actually they are quite a bit different Nilsen Reactors use a tall chamber and magnetic stirrer to mix powdered calcium into a highly saturated calcium hydroxide solution. Water from a fresh water source is drawn through the calcium enriched solution and then pulled back into your sump. Also when air comes in contact with calcium hydroxide solutions it causes the calcium to precipitate into an unusable solution. When using a Nilsen reactor it keeps the calcium in a useable form. It is also it s lot easer to use and dose. Look at Calcium Hydroxide and water like salad dressing they donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t like to stay mixed. Same thing with calcium hydroxide and water you need to keep them mixed to ensure proper delevery

My 2 Cents

 

[aural]

okay so what do you do... you hook up the reactor to your top off reservoir - a pump from the reservoir into the reactor and then an outlet tube going back into the reservoir - then a pump that is connected to your auto top-off sustem that feeds water from the reservoir into the tank.... or can the outlet from the reactor go directly into your tank adding the top off water?

how do you ensure that you arent putting too much CA enriched water back into your system? I looked online and it seems like these reactors are about $250 - where do you get media for them and how much does that run?

 

[CamBarr]

Here is how it works You have the reactor in-between your tank and the Reservoir that holds youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re top off water. So you top off water reservoir feeds the reactor and your reactor feeds the tank with Calcium hydroxide saturated water

 

[aural]

okay that makes sense... but does it matter that ALL the topoff water going into the tank is enriched with calcium? will the levels get out of control?

 

[ctsieber]

you dont want it to have calcium, you want it to have kalk. I have used top off water with kalk in my 120g tank for along time, and it works great. With this I know only have to dose calcium 3 times a week. I used to have to dose every day.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7227542#post7227542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aural
okay that makes sense... but does it matter that ALL the topoff water going into the tank is enriched with calcium? will the levels get out of control?

 

[skabimini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7167488#post7167488 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jman77
nice tank...but am i the only one that think that glass looks a bit on the thin side?

+1

 

[aural]

1/4" starphire with metal bracing is perfectly adequate for a tank that is only 20x25x19

my 75 gal's glass is only 1/8" thicker and its 4 feet long.

 

[spsdude]

What an awesome looking system!

 

[CamBarr]

with the metal bracing the 1/4" is fine if you went trim less it would be 3/8"

cb

 

[aural]

agreed and that was a concideration. One of the main joys i get out of my fish tanks is photographing them. My logic #1 was to use starphire glass and #2 use as little glass as possible. As little optical disturbance between the water and my camera lens was what i was shooting for.

that said, with the tank completely braced and the overflow wall acting as a crossbrace of sorts, i have seen no negative indicators pretaining to the thickness of the glass on the aquarium, and i do not think that Ocean Image would have allowed me to purchase an unsafe tank.

 

[CamBarr]

any updated pics???

 

[aural]

I'll take some when i get home, but not much has changed... still cycling!

 

[aural]

update 2006.04.26

update 2006.04.26

installed my auto top-off today... few updated pictures:

Business end. from left to right:
Remora Skimmer - fill tube from reservoir - float switch - ZEOvit reactor in/out

Updated FTS - still no aquascaping done

I cant wait to get this puppy full of coral. I hate waiting!

 

[CamBarr]

sweet coming along niceley

 

[aural]

well as much as the locline return looked great on paper - in practice it wasnt nearly as good.

The locline tends to vibrate a bit and when it hits the side of the aquarium just right, it can be NOISY. (and as i said earlier on in this thread - Noise and I dont get along)

Also with all the different junctions and bends and outlets - the actual water movment coming out wasn't adequate in my opinion.

So i ordered myself a Wavysea PLUS+ model. Apparently it can handle up to 3600GPH so it will allow me to grow if/when i decide to change return pumps. here is what it looks like:

so hopefully between this and my tunze stream 6000 i'll get some great water movement.

 

[CamBarr]

sweet where did you get it from, The wavysea will work great i love my sea swirl

cb

 

[aural]

i got it from www.aquariumspecialty.com - it was $250 so i really hope it works well. from what i can tell it looks well designed and of good quality. I'm very interested in seeing the difference in output once my pump is going directly to this unit.

 

[CamBarr]

check this out for some reason it reminded me of this tank? I guess the no sump all in one look
pretty cool

CB

 

[CamBarr]

any updated shots???

 

[AngeloM3]

whats the styrafoam with sand glued to it, used for????

and where did you order this from? and how much?