Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

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Woohoo

Woohoo am off work in an hour and an half! Am tired cause I didn't sleep yesterday but I. am getting antsy and wanna play with my tank toys! :dance:
 
carey said:
The mag 3 pumpis a good selection as it will be enough to use on your sump when you get it. :)

I love my remora, some people on the forum arent big fans but I never had an issue with it. I also have the skimmer box too, makes it so fishies cant swim into the pump and keeps the back nice and clean looking with the black box, theres no external pump that can be seen when you use it. :)
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That's ok. Not everybody likes the same stuff. I researched the suggested ones plus some that were all price ranges as high as 2000.00. Even a lot of those high priced ones someone didn't like. For my purposes and price range I got what I felt was the best of the group.

But can someone suggest an accurate, inexpensive thermometer THAT I CAN SEE so I can read it please? I read up on some digitals but the don't appear to last and alot have water proof problems. Right now I have a sticky strip which is too broad. I want fine tuned temps. I also have a glass one stuck on glass with suction cup but I struggle trying to see where that teenie weenie itsy bitsey red line is and the number. Yeah I get nauseous trying to read it.

Thanks ya'll.
 
Buffy said:
That's ok. Not everybody likes the same stuff. I researched the suggested ones plus some that were all price ranges as high as 2000.00. Even a lot of those high priced ones someone didn't like. For my purposes and price range I got what I felt was the best of the group.

But can someone suggest an accurate, inexpensive thermometer THAT I CAN SEE so I can read it please? I read up on some digitals but the don't appear to last and alot have water proof problems. Right now I have a sticky strip which is too broad. I want fine tuned temps. I also have a glass one stuck on glass with suction cup but I struggle trying to see where that teenie weenie itsy bitsey red line is and the number. Yeah I get nauseous trying to read it.

Thanks ya'll.
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They have 8 dollar ones at petco with a large front and light I will snap a picture for u when I get home with brand ... I've bought one for every tank we have owned.. they are great down side us they have a switch for air and water and a few times its been moved to air so inadvertently when starting my last build I've turned heater up... lost a fish because of it while doing water change but other then that they are great
 
I too wish I had more selection in the thermometer department. I need bifocals which I havent broken down and gotten yet, LOL, so reading the tiny line is kinda hard. lol

I've heard mixed reviews about about the electronic ones, even my LFS deterred me from getting one at his store. I was looking into the in tank probes but they run like $80. :-( I would think those are accurate and workmanship is good but the price tag is awful high, especially since I don't have a controller yet I don't see me getting one.

Wish I had more sugestions, but I'm gonna do some searches and see what I find.

And buffy I researched for a few hours to find the remora cheaper but with no luck. It's all within a buck or two of each other. Sorry I couldnt find a cheaper one. :)


Heres the only thing I'm coming up with as far as bigger red lines. they are alot bigger than the normal thermometers, I was looking at getting one for my cichlid tank as they are very rough on the little glass ones. Just never actually got it.

http://www.aquacave.com/hanging-stainless-steel-br-thermometer-591.html
 
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Thanks ya'll, I saw that one to Carey but I didn't want to put the metal in the tank, don't want to chance toxins. I've been looking at the tank probes too and keeping in the back of my mind bout it being compatible with controllers.

I would appreciate that JSmith.

Update: No equipment on tank LOL. All old stuff (crap it's only a month or so old lol) is in a bucket. I'm working on the aquascaping.

Question: Do zip ties hold or do they "rot" out? I wanna try something but I don't want to harm anything later on.
 
Are you trying to mount rock together? Theres some great epoxy available for that. :) I just have zip ties at water level in one tank holding a light fixture. lol Not sure about the long term.

As far as the thermometer, why would the metal be bad for the tank? They sell it specifically for fish tanks so I can only assume it's safe. Keep in mind the probes and whatnot are also made of metal and they go into the tank as well. Just a thought :)
 
carey said:
Are you trying to mount rock together? Theres some great epoxy available for that. :) I just have zip ties at water level in one tank holding a light fixture. lol Not sure about the long term.

As far as the thermometer, why would the metal be bad for the tank? They sell it specifically for fish tanks so I can only assume it's safe. Keep in mind the probes and whatnot are also made of metal and they go into the tank as well. Just a thought :)
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I thought the probes were like a hard plastic. I was kinda nervous about the metal because of toxicity. Didn't know if anything would leech.

Yep, I want to put a few pieces of rock together.
 
Am thinking I should set up the fluval first, cause I can't see again, would that help clear the water faster?
 
Yep, I think it will. :) Good to start getting water moving through it too. Are you going to put all biomedia in it or use the included media? I have mostly fluval bio media in mine with one level having filter floss in it.
 
carey said:
Yep, I think it will. :) Good to start getting water moving through it too. Are you going to put all biomedia in it or use the included media? I have mostly fluval bio media in mine with one level having filter floss in it.
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No clue yet, I gotta open the box. I don't know anything about any type of "media's" yet.

Gonna open it now.

You saw the cabinet, whatcha think left side or right? I don't know the maintenance of it yet. Does it require alot, cause if so then I probably should put it on the right, away from the wall, since eventually there will be another tank there, and would be easier to get to.
 
Ok, it's all on the coffee table and it looks SCAREY and very daunting. This is gonna take a bit to figure out and my gosh what a thick users manual. Hopefully it's in 1,000 languages lol, cause I only know one. hehehe


Here I go.................D I V I N G I N !!!
 
The actual unit itself will detach from the hoses so anywhwre is fine as long as you have access to remove the canister. I used to clean mine every 2-3 weeks to keep the nitrates down.

The book has alot of stuff you wont need so dont be scared! LOL The instructions are spot on and very precise. I'm not the most mecahnically savvy person and I got mine right together.

Good luck!! if you need anything just ask!
 
The way the instructions say is to have the hose straight. But if I divide my tank in half then place one in center of each half wouldn't that be better than right next to each other?

Also, the round cylinder things. Those the "bioballs"?
 
Im going to be honest guy or should I say girls.. I wouldn't place any type of plastic other then somthing made from HDPE it LDPE.. Period. Any type of plastic such as RPVC is horrible... the amount of toxins released from the salt water degrading it over time is horrible. I work in the plastics industry and would tell you its not good stuff..
 
jsmith said:
Im going to be honest guy or should I say girls.. I wouldn't place any type of plastic other then somthing made from HDPE it LDPE.. Period. Any type of plastic such as RPVC is horrible... the amount of toxins released from the salt water degrading it over time is horrible. I work in the plastics industry and would tell you its not good stuff..
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Edit: I should mention acrylic and polycarbonate are completly acceptable as well... didn't want someone to flame for those...
 
jsmith said:
Edit: I should mention acrylic and polycarbonate are completly acceptable as well... didn't want someone to flame for those...
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I wasn't sure if they were made with the pvc material, as I see people use that. Thanks for the info.

Filter not done. Had to run to bank. Getting hot out. Gonna get my bike ride in before it gets to hot

Later ya'll
 
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