Time for that next build...
- Thread starter RokleM
- Start date
RokleM
Premium Member
Less than 30 minutes after cleaning, PX-100 wide open (hope to test the PX-40 this weekend).
I was traveling most of the week, but did have time to do a few cool things quickly this afternoon. I just brought my test co2 online. This is pretty cool. Part of the biggest issue is that paintball canisters do NOT fit our regulators. I stopped into Paintball Ohio on 71 last week looking for help. In discussion, it actually came out that Aquarium Adventure is in there every few days. Wait... AA is ahead of the curve on stuff I can't find anywhere online? Of all places, yes AA has the adapter for paintball canisters to our regulator (blue part in picture). Paintball Ohio has a pretty cool program too. $26 buys you a tank and a full year of refills. That could be once a day or once a year. The cheapest I could find this canister was $20-22 online, so that's only $4-6 for a year's refills. Pretty good deal I think. It's hooked up to my 618 right now. I think I might get an extension hose so I can mount the canister separate from the regulator under the tank. You can see the drastic difference in size.
They do NOT put oil in (issue #1 for this use) and should be using food grade co2 (they do beer keg co2, pop machines, etc).
I also picked up a little something I've been waiting on from Reef Systems. Here's a hint
I was traveling most of the week, but did have time to do a few cool things quickly this afternoon. I just brought my test co2 online. This is pretty cool. Part of the biggest issue is that paintball canisters do NOT fit our regulators. I stopped into Paintball Ohio on 71 last week looking for help. In discussion, it actually came out that Aquarium Adventure is in there every few days. Wait... AA is ahead of the curve on stuff I can't find anywhere online? Of all places, yes AA has the adapter for paintball canisters to our regulator (blue part in picture). Paintball Ohio has a pretty cool program too. $26 buys you a tank and a full year of refills. That could be once a day or once a year. The cheapest I could find this canister was $20-22 online, so that's only $4-6 for a year's refills. Pretty good deal I think. It's hooked up to my 618 right now. I think I might get an extension hose so I can mount the canister separate from the regulator under the tank. You can see the drastic difference in size.
They do NOT put oil in (issue #1 for this use) and should be using food grade co2 (they do beer keg co2, pop machines, etc).
I also picked up a little something I've been waiting on from Reef Systems. Here's a hint
RokleM
Premium Member
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RokleM
Premium Member
Swapped out the PX-100 for the PX-40. Definitely doesn't have the umph it needs. Only getting 20-25 SCFH. I can't say I'm overly surprised there. It's a pretty small pump and is neither a pressure or flow based, kind of in the middle. Kind of concerned that the PX-50 won't cut it either, but we'll see shortly (phishy has one in stock). I'm actually going to guess about a PX-60/70 is ideal, but no such beast exists.
RokleM
Premium Member
Well, no luck at phishy's... They were busy and whoever I talked to on the phone was in a rush or didn't understand that the PX-50 and PX-X-50 are two different models. None the less, PremiumAquatics will have one here Monday or Tuesday. I'll probably throw the 100 back on temporarily.
Here's the rest of what I posted yesterday, my custom tank arrived! Hearing that ReefSystems was dealing with Marineland, I approached them to build a slightly custom 93 for me (30x30x24). They started the process and I soon heard word that marineland wanted to modify the plans. They didn't want to waste glass, and they wanted to use all four sides starphire instead of three, and 27" tall instead of 24... for free. Umm, ok!
So ended up with about 105g (we all know it's actually about 90-95ish for real with internal measurements). Black silicone all around. Four sides starphire. Custom acrylic overflow in the middle back (instead of their corner overflow I'm not a huge fan of). 1.5 and 3/4" SCH40 bulkhead holes. Etc.
Pretty quick turnaround time (5-6 weeks for delivery), customized exactly how I wanted (and slightly better and bigger), and it came in square and in one piece the first time. Very happy.
Of course the required Henry assisted pictures as with any other build I've ever done :lol:
Here's the rest of what I posted yesterday, my custom tank arrived! Hearing that ReefSystems was dealing with Marineland, I approached them to build a slightly custom 93 for me (30x30x24). They started the process and I soon heard word that marineland wanted to modify the plans. They didn't want to waste glass, and they wanted to use all four sides starphire instead of three, and 27" tall instead of 24... for free. Umm, ok!
So ended up with about 105g (we all know it's actually about 90-95ish for real with internal measurements). Black silicone all around. Four sides starphire. Custom acrylic overflow in the middle back (instead of their corner overflow I'm not a huge fan of). 1.5 and 3/4" SCH40 bulkhead holes. Etc.
Pretty quick turnaround time (5-6 weeks for delivery), customized exactly how I wanted (and slightly better and bigger), and it came in square and in one piece the first time. Very happy.
Of course the required Henry assisted pictures as with any other build I've ever done :lol:
RokleM
Premium Member
Premium came through and my PX-50 was waiting for me. Looks like my guess was right not having seen the PX-50 before (I have the flow based one).
A few things to note:
Even though the flow and power curves between the PX-40/50/100 are not drastically different, that isn't necessarily the real world application.
The PX-40 is a smaller body with no fan. I was able to get 20-25 SCFH out of it and quite frankly it was struggling. The PX-50 and 100 you couldn't tell the difference from physically if you didn't look at the label. It has a punch that absolutely is not there in the PX-40 model which is near identical according to the graphs. My hunch is it's similar to the Sequence setup where the pumps are near identical in some models with only the impeller that's installed creating the different flow patterns, making the PX-50/100 relatively close. I will likely tear them apart in the near future to test that idea.
So:
PX-40, out of the running. Just doesn't have the umph.
PX-50, brand new and breaking in, but already pulling 40-45 SCFH @ 80w
PX-100, capable of 55-60 SCFH @ 108w. Can be tuned down flow wise maybe 50% water volume, but still to about 40-45 SCFH @ 100w when the air is left wide open. Likely not as efficient as PX-50 if run in that mode.
A few things to note:
Even though the flow and power curves between the PX-40/50/100 are not drastically different, that isn't necessarily the real world application.
The PX-40 is a smaller body with no fan. I was able to get 20-25 SCFH out of it and quite frankly it was struggling. The PX-50 and 100 you couldn't tell the difference from physically if you didn't look at the label. It has a punch that absolutely is not there in the PX-40 model which is near identical according to the graphs. My hunch is it's similar to the Sequence setup where the pumps are near identical in some models with only the impeller that's installed creating the different flow patterns, making the PX-50/100 relatively close. I will likely tear them apart in the near future to test that idea.
So:
PX-40, out of the running. Just doesn't have the umph.
PX-50, brand new and breaking in, but already pulling 40-45 SCFH @ 80w
PX-100, capable of 55-60 SCFH @ 108w. Can be tuned down flow wise maybe 50% water volume, but still to about 40-45 SCFH @ 100w when the air is left wide open. Likely not as efficient as PX-50 if run in that mode.
RokleM
Premium Member
Skimmer's been running hard since I cleaned it out. I can't hardly see through the neck already. Which is better, the PX-50/100? Still kind of hard to tell.
An update on the paintball co2 test also. I've been weighing the canister almost every night with my scale. It does 1/10th an ounce, and I have yet to see any change in weight so far. Seems to be working quite well, and a decent chance it will last a good amount of time for a small/medium usage reef.
An update on the paintball co2 test also. I've been weighing the canister almost every night with my scale. It does 1/10th an ounce, and I have yet to see any change in weight so far. Seems to be working quite well, and a decent chance it will last a good amount of time for a small/medium usage reef.
RokleM
Premium Member
Pump/skimmer testing seems to be going well. I cleaned out the PX-50 and skimmer yesterday as the pump should be broken in by now. We'll see what it can do.
Computer room / working from home office / den / tv watching / hang out area / reef room / mancave is 99% cleaned out. No better time than now to cover up the cheap builder paint with a new coat.
Computer room / working from home office / den / tv watching / hang out area / reef room / mancave is 99% cleaned out. No better time than now to cover up the cheap builder paint with a new coat.
RokleM
Premium Member
I really really realllllly hate painting. I've never made a list of 10 things I hate the most, but it would likely be up there. However, I'm too cheap to waste money having someone else do it for me :lol:
Doesn't look like it, but it's probably 200 ft of painter's tape. Not including hauling everything out, cleaning, and hauling some back in... about 8 hours between taping and two coats.... and a nice headache.
Moved a few things around, so we'll see how this setup works. I wanted a more clear shot of the tank without the chair in front of it blocking viewing. Stand is taped off at 30x36 (3" extra on left/right), holes already drilled from the old 58 that was in that rough area... I'm somewhat torn though. I don't want to waste space, but wonder if I should kind of center the tank on that wall (~6-8" from the desk and left wall) or put it up against the wall. I have a fix for the register if I decide to put it where it's marked now (I'll re-route the register out through the front middle of the stand). What do you guys think? Left in the corner or slightly over to the right kind of centered? I was leaning towards how it's on the floor now, but now the room is cleaned up and rearranged I'm kind of liking the center idea... It has to be roughly 3" off the back wall regardless because of the holes in the floor.
Time to clean out the workshop and work on a stand!
Doesn't look like it, but it's probably 200 ft of painter's tape. Not including hauling everything out, cleaning, and hauling some back in... about 8 hours between taping and two coats.... and a nice headache.
Moved a few things around, so we'll see how this setup works. I wanted a more clear shot of the tank without the chair in front of it blocking viewing. Stand is taped off at 30x36 (3" extra on left/right), holes already drilled from the old 58 that was in that rough area... I'm somewhat torn though. I don't want to waste space, but wonder if I should kind of center the tank on that wall (~6-8" from the desk and left wall) or put it up against the wall. I have a fix for the register if I decide to put it where it's marked now (I'll re-route the register out through the front middle of the stand). What do you guys think? Left in the corner or slightly over to the right kind of centered? I was leaning towards how it's on the floor now, but now the room is cleaned up and rearranged I'm kind of liking the center idea... It has to be roughly 3" off the back wall regardless because of the holes in the floor.
Time to clean out the workshop and work on a stand!
RokleM
Premium Member
Parents came by, which means I had some free time this weekend 
Besides getting the garden planted, I got a good start on the stand. It's been nearly five years since I've even debated putting hardware into a stand, so I have to figure out how to protect it. I believe there are some paints many recommend, but need to do some research. I have to determine how to skin it as well, along with the bottom support for equipment.
And thanks to okkiedokki for showing up at the perfectly right (wrong for him ha) time. I had just finished up the last screws literally minutes before he showed up to drop off my soldering iron.
Besides getting the garden planted, I got a good start on the stand. It's been nearly five years since I've even debated putting hardware into a stand, so I have to figure out how to protect it. I believe there are some paints many recommend, but need to do some research. I have to determine how to skin it as well, along with the bottom support for equipment.And thanks to okkiedokki for showing up at the perfectly right (wrong for him ha) time. I had just finished up the last screws literally minutes before he showed up to drop off my soldering iron.
RokleM
Premium Member
AWWWW YEAH!
Next GEO prototype piece has arrived... likely to be part of a new "GEO Pico" line of products. The GEO Pico Calcium Reactor!
Leave it to me to come up with somewhat crazy ideas and GEO to somehow actually make them a working reality. After I received his pico media reactor and had great success, I asked him to work on a small footprint calcium reactor, and he came through.
A relatively familiar design to most with a lot of the normal features, and some new. To start with, all the standard nice features like all the correct parts and adapters included in the package, black thumb screws and a locking top, etc. This one however is different from his current models as it's downflow in the reactor. That has a number of benefits in this design, one of which is the fact the maxijet chops up the co2 bubble much like a skimmer with a needlewheel. Since the tube comes back in the side of the reactor, the top comes off easy. It also has a stand alone bubble counter and mounting plate I can put anywhere in my stand. I will likely mount the co2 canister one spot, regulator and bubble in another, and the reactor in sump or next to it.
Quite a bit of size difference in this solution vs the GEO 618 and 10lbs tank. Much less weight, much smaller footprint, ability to hang and move things out of the way in the stand, etc. My 618 holds about 15 lbs of the mix of media I use. The pico slightly over 2.
Operational, and quite well so far actually. Less than an hour running, and effluent dkH is already 18-20. An update as well on the co2 paintball canister. I started out at 4lbs 6.8oz. Three weeks later I'm down to 4lbs 6.0oz, which is a pretty insignificant change so far.
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Next GEO prototype piece has arrived... likely to be part of a new "GEO Pico" line of products. The GEO Pico Calcium Reactor!
Leave it to me to come up with somewhat crazy ideas and GEO to somehow actually make them a working reality. After I received his pico media reactor and had great success, I asked him to work on a small footprint calcium reactor, and he came through.
A relatively familiar design to most with a lot of the normal features, and some new. To start with, all the standard nice features like all the correct parts and adapters included in the package, black thumb screws and a locking top, etc. This one however is different from his current models as it's downflow in the reactor. That has a number of benefits in this design, one of which is the fact the maxijet chops up the co2 bubble much like a skimmer with a needlewheel. Since the tube comes back in the side of the reactor, the top comes off easy. It also has a stand alone bubble counter and mounting plate I can put anywhere in my stand. I will likely mount the co2 canister one spot, regulator and bubble in another, and the reactor in sump or next to it.
Quite a bit of size difference in this solution vs the GEO 618 and 10lbs tank. Much less weight, much smaller footprint, ability to hang and move things out of the way in the stand, etc. My 618 holds about 15 lbs of the mix of media I use. The pico slightly over 2.
Operational, and quite well so far actually. Less than an hour running, and effluent dkH is already 18-20. An update as well on the co2 paintball canister. I started out at 4lbs 6.8oz. Three weeks later I'm down to 4lbs 6.0oz, which is a pretty insignificant change so far.
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RokleM
Premium Member
Anyone have good ideas on wood in columbus? I'm trying to find a spot without paying a fortune I can get a 31x37 or so top. I want it to hang over slightly. I haven't figured exactly how I'm going to skin the stand, but I'm leaning towards oak or using cheap wood and painting. I can always get a couple panels and put them together, but was hoping to get a one piece top. I may just end up with laminate top again (wilsonart, kitchen counter type).
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