kngfisher

well have been reading all about modding the octpus skimmers on reefcental and have been using the info there to mod my DNW-150 (Octopus Recirc Needlewheel 150) . So far I have ported the 90 degree elbow (both sides), and ported the ventri to use 3/8" OD 5/16" ID tubing instead of the stock restrictive 1/8" ID airline. I also added the gate-valve mod to make adjustments much simplier. Skimmer works well however, I can not seem to feed it enough air. Does anyone have a Dwyer flowmeter that I can barrow to measure how much air the pump is attempting to pull? I am feeding the skimmer 120g/h tapped off from return pump (eheim 1262) feeding a 90gal display. The skimmer in in my sump (29 gal umbaffled glass tank). for modding the 90...I started with the 1/4" ID but now am using 5/16"ID (pics taken from reefcentral thread)

I went to a restaunt supply store in PA and bought two food-grade 20gal trash cans....white made by continental HUSKEY w/ lids Certified to NSF International Std. #2 for food refuse

why would you not want to get ride of some of the excess co2 before it enters the tank? I use the cup method...well its really a cut off soda bottle the effluent drips into suspended above the waterline of the sump with one of my ph probes stuck in it. simple and effective.

wow, nice

only problem is that the brute cans are tapered slightly

wonder what the diff is with my unit and the GSA unit....if I were to add the 1.68 cups of kalk bi-weekly as a starting point according to the chart, that would cause my pH to spike way too high. with my unit, I get a pH of 8.14 after a new fill w/ 1 cup kalk for an average of 5 days.....does the design of the kalk unit make the diff?

best kalk I have used has been Seachem Reef Kalkwasser. Most stable alk and ph numbers(used 1/2 cup every 7 days in PRECISION MARINE Kalk Reactor). I have used two-fishes kalk, not impressed....had to use more (3/4 cup every 4 days) and the ph of the tank did not seem as stable but tow-fishes was cheeper....just not in the end based on usage. I currenlty use mississippi lime from last group buy....(1 cup /per 6 days). I used ph (high and low) to determine when to change my kalk....with the AC3 it is very easy. All my top-off goes threw my kalk reactor...~2-3 gal a day on my 90

will try to convince flowerseller to host one once he is finished with his renovation project :-)

Ok, here is just one example of how tunze customer support really stands out I own four tunze nano streams (2x 6025, 1x 6045, and 1x 6055) all bought at different times. All were running great until one of the brackets snapped and then a second one. I checked with my LFS and was told that they were all out of tunze parts and that they did not know when there next shipment would arrive. After reading several reports on reef-central and talking with other owners of tunze nano pumps concerning snapped brackets, I sent a PM to the tunze rep rvitko with a request for two replacement brackets. Not only did he have two replacements sent but when I told him that I owned a total of four units, he replaced ALL brackets for my four units not just the two that has snapped free of charge. I just wanted to take time and say thank you to rvitko and to tell others how tunze stands behind their products. Will continue buying tunze products in the future as well as continue to recommend them to others because of this experience.

I do the following 1)clean collection cup one a week minimum 2)clean air inlet buy having it suck water a few times one a week (does not clog nearly as often since increased ID 3)clean impeller of recirc pump one a month 4)clean feed pump one a month

mine stops every few months due to calcium buildup on the impeller shaft. I have to take the impeller off the shaft and sand down the calcium. Sometimes it takes pliers to remove the impeller.

Have used SeaChem reef salt and switched due to low alk and calcium......strange because those elements are supposed to be higher them most other salts.....not worth it......just go with IO......

finally.....someone figured it out....was using ReefCrystals but switched recently because Mag was low....1050ppm and forced me to have to supplement. switched from SeaChem Reef to Reef Crystals due to low calcium levels and now switched to plain IO due to low mag. Switching salt takes time, please take things very slowly if you are thinking about switching. I have had no ill effects going from reef crystals to IO but the risk is up to the individual.

here is my ac3 program...very simple and works for me :-) key MH1=Metal Halides (2x250watt 14k hamilton) T51=T5 bulbs - Display Tank (2x truAtinic 48") CO2=co2 solonoid (5lb co2 tank for running calcium reactor) FUG=T5 bulbs - refugium HET=heater KAL=kalk reactor (mj600 for stirring kalk) FN1=Fan (4" iceCap fan in light hood) FN2=Fan (4" icaCap fan over sump to cool things off) ALM=used to send email alerts/status messages If Time > 14:00 Then MH1 ON If Time > 20:00 Then MH1 OFF If Temp > 83.0 Then MH1 OFF Max Change 015 M Then MH1 OFF If Time > 13:30 Then T51 ON If Time > 20:30 Then T51 OFF If Temp > 83.0 Then T51 OFF Max Change 015 M Then T51 OFF If Time > 21:00 Then FUG ON If Time > 23:59 Then FUG OFF If Time > 00:00 Then FUG ON If Time > 13:00 Then FUG OFF If Temp > 82.0 Then FUG OFF Max Change 015 M Then FUG OFF If Time > 13:30 Then CO2 ON If Time > 20:30 Then CO2 OFF If pH > 06.50 Then CO2 ON If pH < 06.50 Then CO2 OFF Max Change 010 M Then CO2 OFF If Temp < 77.5 Then HET ON If Temp > 78.0 Then HET OFF OSC 010/240 ON/OFF Then KAL ON If Time > 13:30 Then FN1 ON If Time > 20:30 Then FN1 OFF If Time > 13:30 Then FN2 ON If Time > 20:30 Then FN2 OFF If Temp > 79.6 Then FN1 ON If Temp < 79.5 Then FN1 OFF If Temp > 79.6 Then FN2 ON If Temp < 79.5 Then FN2 OFF Max Change 010 M Then FN1 OFF Max Change 010 M Then FN2 OFF If pH > 08.50 Then ALM ON If pH < 07.70 Then ALM ON If pH2 > 06.99 Then ALM ON If pH2 < 06.50 Then ALM ON If Temp > 84.0 Then ALM ON If Temp < 76.0 Then ALM ON If Time > 00:00 Then ALM OFF

I have a DIY HOB fuge based on the CPR design (just larger :-) ) 36"x18" 5" and yes, the cyno is because of a slow flow within the fuge. I solved mine by the flowwing; 1)remembering the thin the cheto more often 2) I added a powerhead inside the large compartment of the fuge to increase flow. Too much water into the fuge from the return pump/display tank tends to raise the waterline too much but adding flow, by using a powerhead increases water circulation without causing water to spill over the side.

don't be too sure on that one, I have a few small birds nest frags that have encrusted at the base....cut the frags myself from a known bigger birds nest. may not encrust the entire plug but base of frags are encrusted.....will take pic if I can....

according to the manual, the upper oring will allow you to use an american 1" slip PVC fitting instead of the euro 90 you have pictured. just build what you need and change the o-ring :-) simple mod.....I use a 45 instead of the standard 90

thanks for the link to the article. great info.

Ball Joint Mounting Bracket with Suction Cups?!! and how long to you think they will hold before you have to brake out the glue/alternative mounting bracket on my 90 I have the following 2x 6025 w/ full flow mod (thanks to reef central) 1x 6045 w/ full flow mod (thanks to reef central) 1x 6055 (one day will get another and a aquasurf for my ac3) great flow all the nano-streams are at different levels in the tank and pushing water at different angles.... I had a mj1220 mod (thanks to mjmods.com) what worked great but heated up the water (just like all maxi-jet 1200s) but the tunze pumps to not seem to have as much heat radiating from them. wish pockets were deeper :-)

this is what I use but not for handling delicate frags...can not feel how much pressure I am putting on a colony.....too easy break bottlebrush for instance....

Have had the same issues with a few of mine.....on one or two, issue was too much direct light. Once moved frag to other location in tank color slowly returned.....I am sure other causes of browning exist but this was what the issue was with a few of mine.

xenia o xenia, I can give you some xenia, xenia can grow like a weed. From a small frag, to mass that can make any coral gag, for would you like some xenia. To the tune of lydia the tatooed lady Oooooooh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia, Lydia, the Tattooed Lady. She has eyes that folks adore so, And a torso even more so. Lydia oh Lydia, that encyclopidia, Oh Lydia the Queen of Tattoo. On her back is the Battle of Waterloo. Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too. And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue, You can learn a lot from Lydia.

speaking of which, when is the next chip pizza oven tank tour? :-)

if you do not think it will be a strong enought siphon, you could always buy a battery powered gravel vac.....

I run icecap fans but sometimes when both are running at full speed, is can be loud.....I have one in my hood sucking outside are (room air) into the hood to cool off two 250w MH bulbs and dual 48" t5s. The other in blowing air across the sump to disapate heat and the noise has always been distracting.....was thinking of trying the following 4" fan SilenX iXtrema Pro 120mm Ultra Quiet Case Fan, 14dBA, 1400rpm, 72CFM http://www.microbarn.com/details.aspx?rid=101547 Icecap 120mm Maximum decibels: 48 dBA, 50