beatle

I use BRS ROX 0.8 and change it once a month or so.

You might try F&F. I had to find gate valves @ the local hardware store in Springfield (Fischer's). The local HD and Lowes have lousy selections of PVC fittings here.

I didn't secure my own mesh, but it was done with fishing line.

I have a meshmodded Octopus skimmer. I bought it used and it has run for 9 months since I've had it. They seem to be more sensitive to start/stop issues, so it's a good idea to clean it more often than you would normally clean a pump. 6 months or so does the trick for me.

Sorry, I double checked and it's a ViaAqua, not a Finnex. I've never owned a Finnex. Still, it has its own external controller and probe, but went on its own way eventually.

I've had so many heaters screw up I've lost count. They're always controlled by my AC3. I never realize they're broken until I hook them up by themselves for another purpose and see the temperature continue to rise way over the setting on the heater itself. Brands that have gone haywire on me: All-Glass Hydor Ebo-Jager Finnex titanium w/external probe and controller Visi-Therm Stealth If you've never had a heater failure in 20 years, congrats! I've only been in the hobby for 5 years and I kill them like it's going out of style. I would not be in the hobby if it weren't for the controller saving my bacon.

I mix 45 gallons at a time and keep it in a covered barrel with a powerhead. I usually spread out my water changes to a few weeks using a Litermeter.

Essentially it is, but I think there's a bit more to it. Here is the stock impeller:

I don't totally agree with the Deltec and Eheim pumps. While I love Eheims, getting replacement Eheim impellers for skimmers is outrageously expensive, to the tune of $150-$200. My GSA Standard 6 uses an Eheim impeller, but it looks like this now: My experience may be atypical, but replacement parts for these pumps are over the top. I'll probably retrofit a Sicce pump as used on the CS1 instead.

Shouldn't have a problem with rust if it's properly powder coated. Aluminum might be a "nice to have" but I wouldn't make or break a decision based on the bracket material. $.02.

I was with you all the way until this one. What's wrong with steel?

DOW does actually make a 100gpd membrane, but it only has a 90% rejection rate, so you'll burn through resin pretty quickly, especially if your tap water is less than sparkling clean. I had an AWI setup years ago and loved it. I started with a Typhoon and later upgraded everything to a Typhoon Extreme. It would have been cheaper to start with the Extreme. Both made the same 0 TDS water, but maintenance requires a little more guesswork with the cheaper systems. I now have a pretty beefy unit from the Filter Guys and love it as well, but I preferred the one piece bracket from AWI. Buckeye Field Supply also makes good units as does Spectrapure. Brian already listed off most of the key features you'll want to look for. The remaining things that differentiate the good from the "so-so" units are the use of push-in connectors everywhere, the inclusion of the right hardware to hook it up to your water supply and drain lines, and a vertical DI cartridge (more efficient than horizontal cartridges).

That sucks, Matt. At least you didn't flood your basement with topoff water. I did that in my last place (rental!) 3 or 4 times. Who knew that pure water could create such powerful smelling mildew? It's even better in the winter when you can't open the windows without freezing everything.

That would work. People who use rubbermaid tubs as sumps do similar things since you can't easily silicone partitions into them. Daylight bulbs work well.

Leave the center section for your refugium. This isn't a great pic, but it's how I divided my sump in my old setup into skimmer/fuge/return sections: I would keep your final section for pumps only. You don't want sand or macro in your return section. You can light the fuge section with just a few CFL bulbs.

Is there any consensus on the grain size needed? I'm thinking a DSB of sugar sand would be more effective for anerobic bacteria, but that's just a hunch. I have relatively low flow through my fuge though, so maybe it's not an issue?

My thread on RC hasn't gotten any love. Maybe I'll get some here. What's the consensus on a DSB in a refugium these days? I have buckets of used 1-2mm sand (will wash before using) that I can use for a DSB in my 40g breeder refugium, but I'm not sure if it's necessary or even beneficial. Thoughts?

My entire tank was covered in hair algae before I bought a CUC from Reeftopia. I chose the "Total Reef Care Special #2." Despite its name, it did not arrive in Chinese take out containers. In hindsight, I would skip the addition of emerald crabs. My crabs eat my LPS. Running GFO and a refugium with macroalgae as a nutrient export is a good way to keep algae down.

I disagree that a fuge needs to be 1/4 the size of your system to work properly. I grew copious amounts of chaeto a portion of my 30g sump under my 90 a few years back. I do think that size helps, but it's not a "go big or go home" decision. I was recently fascinated with the idea of an ATS (algae turf scrubber) but didn't want the maintenance. The better ones are relatively easy to maintain, but a fuge requires almost no maintenance.

Any reason for excluding chromis? They're cheap, peaceful, and were always near the top of my tank when I had them years ago. Not the most gorgeous fish, but they looked better than the empty space.

An 80mm fan that pushes 100CFM is pretty stout. The most powerful 80mm fan I have is this one, but it's only 25mm thick: http://www.performan...roducts_id=3141 You probably need the thicker blades to get that kind of CFM and pressure though. Edit: I also have one of these which is just a little higher on the CFM scale, but not by much: http://www.aerocooler.com/shop.cart?action=ITEM&prod_id=FANSO09BX3

Where people choose to shop is based on where they find value in the experience. Selection and price dominate the value of an internet shop. The personal advice, instant gratification, and the ability to see what they are about to purchase are the advantages of buying locally. Prioritize what you find valuable and buy from wherever delivers those things. To think of purchasing from a LFS as charity doesn't seem right to me. Conversely, to expect something for nothing from a business is not right either. Perhaps the market won't bear as many LFS as it has in the past, but I believe the cream will still rise to the top and the best stores will remain open. Where does a person who buys most of their equipment or livestock second hand fall in the spectrum?

$300 is a great price for what seems like a decent generator. I have a 2000w Honda that I love (super quiet, reliable, easy to start, eco-throttle) but it was $900.

If you're talking about Honda generators, I bought an EU2000i for $899 shipped from mayberrys.com. You'll have to call them to order as they don't advertise the price online. The generator is very quiet (you can have a normal conversation right next to it). An AC3 or similar controller has a lot of good nets built in as well.

I've seen people do this for water changes as well. Just "overflow" the sump with new water and the remainder goes out the drain.