hypertech
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Posts posted by hypertech
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I put the seascape one on the back of my current tank. I like it. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21123
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No. The DC8 is now 2 generations old. The current power bar is the EB8 (Energy Bar 8). It does run aquabus.
None of the power bars have variable output outlets. The 0-10 V outputs come off the control head (the current model has 4 outputs). There might be some more DC outputs and possible 24V outputs on the brand new one, but that is pretty irrelevant to my setup. Even with Tunze controllable pumps and a dimmable fuge light, I'm only using 3 out of the 4 variable outputs. Most lights use a separate module so variable lights often does not consume one of the 0-10V outputs.
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The power bar looks huge and I don't think it would fit in my setup - particularly since I currently run two of them. The additional benefit of the power bar is supposed to be per outlet energy use statistics where as on the current one you just get the amps the whole bar is drawing. While that would be nice, I think I prefer having the bar be half the size and not look like a kids toy.
The control head apparently has some upgrades so it can run more software on it rather than in the cloud, has built in wireless, and can do updates on the fly. I would appreciate these improvements. They say that eventually you will be able to buy the control head alone and it will be backwards compatible with all the existing stuff (energy bars, modules, etc).
If I were buying today, I'd save my money and get the current controller. Premium Aquatics is even having a sale right now to clear out stock with an old style probe for $450. That's what I would get. If and when this new control head proves itself, I might upgrade to that but keep on using all the old energy bars.
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I'd try to find it so I don't accidentally stab myself with it. The rust is less of an issue. GFO is basically rust pellets and people put that in their tank on purpose.
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I don't have any experience with the compact pump line, but the 1250, 1260 and 1262 run like champs.
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I'd also guess that the return pump is slowing down. Any chance your water levels drop when this happens? IF you don't have a constant water level in the return chamber, the head pressure can vary, which affects the flow the pump can put out, which affects the water level of your overflow.
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Diving gloves won't keep your hands dry. Drysuit gloves would but they seal to a suit. The way you keep your gloves warm and dry suit is what DaveS said above. My suit has rings on it and I literally just pull over a set of chemical gloves. This keeps them dry and a set of knit gloves underneath keep you warm.
If you want dry and warm hands, I'd get some knit liners and a set of yellow kitchen gloves. Put them on and a rubber band (or three) around the wrist.
If you don't mind damp hands, then there are a couple dive shops in Alexandria and I think one in Vienna where you could pickup some wetsuit gloves. The one in Fairfax closed.
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Have you ever done this?
Absolutely - it handles it just fine. And a tiny trickle in the emergency is no big deal. I've had my fair share of floods and this is one area that I've tested and tried and am perfectly happy I've got a sound approach. I test every failure scenario I can think of after plumbing something new.
I've been running a herbie for many many years and it works just fine and is very safe. A bean animal isn't even an option for me since my tank is a factory ready reef. It has two holes in the overflow and that's just not a problem. Even if I were drilling it with a custom overflow, I probably still wouldn't do three holes. More holes is more risk for a crack between the holes. I'd take two holes separated further apart over fitting in three holes just about any day.
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That's not a flaw with a herbie its a flaw in how its setup. Either the drains are too small or the pump is too big.
It really shouldn't cause a flood either. Assume your drains are the same size. Under normal operation, a restricted drain is handling the full return flow. If that drain get plugged, you have an unrestricted drain available. Since all the water could flow down a restricted drain, it should be able to get down the unrestricted drain.
This is easy to test - just put your hand over the drain output on the main drain for a herbie or close the valve all the way. If its setup right, the water will just flow through the other drain and there will be no flood.
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IM (not so) HO, a Herbie works just as well and can be setup much easier and on standard RR tanks.
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If its all down hill and the pipe is large enough for gravity to get the water back, you could try an air break (this seems fraught with danger of water on the floor though). Otherwise I think you are going to need separate returns or check valves.
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That sounds like way overkill for a couple aptasia. You are more apt to trigger a cycle and kill everything. Try treating just the aptasia first and see if you can keep them in check that way before going extreme on it.
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Aiptasia can be a fact of life with a reef tank. My luck with peppermint shrimp has been mixed. They tend to go after them when you first get them till they get fat and lazy on fish food and then they quit doing their job.
For the big ones in the back, I'd hit them with some aiptasia-x. It does a pretty good job of killing them. But, they will probably come back at some point at which time you treat them again and just keep them in check.
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pH probes are basically consumables. Plan on replacing those. The temp probes last a long time. The rest will probably depend on where it was mounted. If its not been used much or it was far from the tank, it'll probably last a long long time. If its been real close to the saltwater, dripped on, splashed and so forth, it may be corroded and not last as long. There's no moving parts though so absent corrosion or damage, they should last a good long while.
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If you do the sock holder, make sure the top of the holder is below the top of the tank. If the sock gets plugged up you want it to overflow into the tank.
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You are probably fine, but there is also little harm in throwing an air stone in the sump.
I like to aerate water change water so I have one on hand. I'm not sure if I'd bother going to the store for one, but if you have one, why not just run it to be on the safe side..
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It makes sense that it won't go to zero because there is no DI cartridge on that one. The 4th stage is probably a taste and odor filter for drinking water, which you don't need for tank water. So, that is really a three stage.
Take a look at these. If you can swing it, the first one is much more upgradable. The second one wil do the job but is basically throw away if you ever need more.
http://theh2oguru.com/reefkeepers-rodi/compact-75-gpd-reefkeeper-rodi.html
http://theh2oguru.com/reefkeepers-rodi/mighty-mite-50gpd-with-di-added.html
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The foam I have is an insulation foam from home depot about a half inch thick. I forget if it is blue or pink or whether that even tells you anything about the density of the foam. On my 75, it can't have depressed more than a mm or two. If you take the tank off, there is a slight impression so its doing something but not much.
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I've got a dense foam under mine and it has a frame. I've read all the posts about it and don't really see the issue. For it to stress the bottom, it would have to depress the foam far enough that the foam hits the bottom of the tank. Its not even close. I think the foam helps with my DIY stands that aren't perfectly even to support he frame a little better.
So, I tend to use a little foam regardless..
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What are the systems you are comparing? The most common is actually 5 stage. 4 is likely short a prefilter. 6 probably has a second DI cartridge. This lets you completely exhaust the first canister while still producing 0 TDS water. In the long run it can save a little money on resin.
There are lots of different configurations though so you'd have to link which systems you are comparing to really be able to tell.
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I've got my skimmer hooked up to mine with an overflow shut off. Its saved me from a volcano more than once.
To do that you need a breakout box. I don't recall if the "gold" comes with one or not. I use an Avast top off sensor that I've installed in the skimmer cup. That is connected to the breakout box.
Then, setup a virtual outlet that turns on and off with the switch. Use the virtual outlet to control your skimmer. You can use the switch input without the virtual outlet, but I get confused as to which switch input number is what, so the virtual outlets let you name them.
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Mine broke and I just quit using it. You don't really need it for anything other than possibly the first time you setup the network.
Is everyone sure its a two wire interface? Mine seemed like it had a fine wire between the two larger conductors. That frayed and it quit working. I know that was the cause because it looked like an insulator or something and I snipped it to stop it from fraying more. It quit working that instant. What looked like the main two wires were never broken.
So, if you are going to solder it, might need to look carefully at the wire for all the conductors.
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You can dye it too. Though I'm not sure how well red works. You may end up with pink.
http://makezine.com/projects/make-30/stain-pvc-any-color-you-like/
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I found myself with an extra 1260 and have it listed for sale.
I had trouble with the sand bed blowing around from a 1262 and went with the 1260. The thing you have to look when comparing the eheim to others is the flow at head pressure. All the eheims seem to do better with a typical head pressure than the competition with the same zero head rating. I've run them against pumps rated for higher flow and found that the eheim out performed.
Drilling Tank Ideas
in General Discussion
Use a ring of plumbers putty to make a little pool of water around the spot you are drilling. It will keep the br submersed and cool until you start breaking through the other side at which point you are pretty much done and don't need to worry that much anymore.