moondoggy4
Team RC
You can find a Iwaki 30 for a song once in a while, should work great. I saw a Eheim 1260/1262 for 120.
TOTM quality 6' SPS tank for under $1k? The 5.56 build thread; AKA a really bad idea
- Thread starter five.five-six
- Start date
moondoggy4
Team RC
FS: 2 Tunze 6100 PowerHeads
Sorry link does not work on RC there are these two pumps for 125.
Sorry link does not work on RC there are these two pumps for 125.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Those are some great deals!
From what I'm reading, Gyre is the ticket. I need to keep my eye out for one of those.
I don't know if you remember my foye, but what do you think of this peninsula there?
dodgerblew
Team RC
Mark, don't buy the xf-1 series (xf-130, xf-150, no offense Mike) unless they've already been converted to the newer paddles. Coralvue is ripping us, the customer, off. The biggest issue with the original gyre are the paddle bushings. They tear about every 3-5/6 months depending on how lucky you are. When they rip the gyre gets very loud and the paddle is unable to move water from that side. What sucks is the bushings go out at their pace so you're constantly having to remove pump and do the 5 minute repair. The bushings which are worthless were $3 a pair and then they charge you $6-$9 to put in a padded envelope and mail it. Ridiculous! So what was Coralvue's solution? Well, Maxspect redesigned the paddles with a new bushing as well as a new controller and they introduced the xf-2 series. However and a huge however, the newer bushings don't fit on the old paddles studs so completely incompatible. So Coralvue or Maxspect or both then discontinue the older bushings which forces you to buy the new paddles, at $50! so, unless prior owner has eaten the money and replaced paddles your gyre will become useless once the old bushings tear.
russ49merc
New member
I'm following this for sure
bobafet1
Active member
Ain't nothing wrong with my bushings. I just decided to go with WAV pumps instead. I will say that having to clean the Gyre is a pain in the butt. I'm not one to clean PH's anyways.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Greybeard
New member
Don't know about 'better'... but my 60x30 peninsula ended up with one 3k powerhead on left/front, and another right/rear, both connected to a controller so that they alternate every 2 minutes. Creates a very nice circular flow pattern with some variation and eddies.
I hated putting the 2nd powerhead on the outside end of the peninsula, but without it, I just couldn't find a way to get the flow I wanted.
Had a Gyre XF130, original, from my old tank. Worked great, had it running for well over a year. The only problem I had with it was that it was a pain to clean. Aside from that, worked great, no problems. Unfortunately, it did not generate the flow I needed in the larger peninsula system I have now.
I hated putting the 2nd powerhead on the outside end of the peninsula, but without it, I just couldn't find a way to get the flow I wanted.
Had a Gyre XF130, original, from my old tank. Worked great, had it running for well over a year. The only problem I had with it was that it was a pain to clean. Aside from that, worked great, no problems. Unfortunately, it did not generate the flow I needed in the larger peninsula system I have now.
five.five-six
Well-known member
After watching the BRS gyre video, I am thinking really hard about the tunze 6100's moondogy4 posted. With shipping they would be $165. The problem is that I can see spending $50 or more replacing worn parts and even though tunze stocks most of the spare parts, the power supply is no longer avalable. I did have 2 of thes on my old 180 SPS so I am fairly familiar with these pumps.
moondoggy4
Team RC
I have the brown 6000 with the smaller puck and larger (correct) puck making it a 6100 and controllable I can cause a wave and splash water out of my 120 if I wanted to. Problem they are ugly and big. So keeping them on drain side will probably work. The price I linked is pretty good and I have seen better and worse. The parts do come up for sale there is another guy just selling bits of old tunze pumps and if I see them again I will link them.
I saw your new tank in your foyer the tank looks great. Congrats on a great buy. I am still looking for a 180 +.
PS if you want to try out a Iwaki 30 Japanese pump on your new tank Let me know. I do not need it until the winter.
I saw your new tank in your foyer the tank looks great. Congrats on a great buy. I am still looking for a 180 +.
PS if you want to try out a Iwaki 30 Japanese pump on your new tank Let me know. I do not need it until the winter.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Moondoggy4
Tunze still sells most the spare parts for the 6100's reasonably priced except the motor block is $253 and the power supplies are no more. I saw someone here had 2 iwaki jap 30s $50 each.
I did get an external pump in that lot of stuff, I'll have to look see if it works and what it is. It was a little rusty
Tunze still sells most the spare parts for the 6100's reasonably priced except the motor block is $253 and the power supplies are no more. I saw someone here had 2 iwaki jap 30s $50 each.
I did get an external pump in that lot of stuff, I'll have to look see if it works and what it is. It was a little rusty
welsher7
Member
The old school Tunze 6100s are the way to to go. They can reach the whole length of 72" tank no problem. I just setup a 125g with a bunch of old equipment including two 6100s. One blowing across the tank was able to push the sand about 6-8" off the opposite panel and I don't think it was at full strength either.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Thanks for the thumbs up Welsher7 
. I have a 6' tank but only about 5' of light, I was thinking I would leave the return side of the tank less developed anyway.
. I have a 6' tank but only about 5' of light, I was thinking I would leave the return side of the tank less developed anyway.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Good news, I found a working Little Giant 3-MDQ-SC in the $100 truckload of stuff. 100 watts is more than I want to spend on return but I think it's a solid pump. Opinions?
SchnitzelReef
Active member
Keep an eye out for a used Fluval SP4, would be perfect for your size tank. I know you have a strict budget, but a return pump is where you don't want to skimp on. Especially if you plan is to have a successful SPS tank.
Sometimes having a strict budget, and a successful sps tank don't work out. SPS are finicky, and losing a return pump while on vacation would be catastrophic to all sps. Don't skimp on heaters, return pump, and auto dosing...Whether it be through a calcium reactor or a doser.
If you do go with a calcium reactor, make sure you buy a new PH probe and that you have a quality Ph controller. Same with lights. I've seen people smoke their tank because they were on vacation, and the cheap $5 HD timer on their lights quit working. Having MHs on 24 hours a day for 3+ days would be no bueno. I would keep an eye out for a used Apex Jr, so you could use that to control your lights and heater/fan. If you can't acquire these ^ items in your budget, don't even bother wasting your money on corals. I see people spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on sps, meanwhile they are using an old cheap return pump and are dosing alk and Ca by hand. Save your money and do it right the first time. [emoji1303]. Good luck
dodgerblew
Team RC
Gotta start somewhere so why not. Do your homework on the pump, clean it up and if not meeting your needs then go from there.
five.five-six
Well-known member
Great advice!!! Keep it coming
I actually already have a black label Apex classic with new pinpoint pH probe for my 29BC.. I have (2) ACJr's with DC8's and a ACIII pro from the truckload that I'm selling or trading for this tank.
five.five-six
Well-known member
The one thing I don't like about it is that it's not self priming. The instructions show drilling the sump and using a bulkhead to feed it. Easy to prime after WC with a small power head, problem is after power outages it won't auto prime.
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