[Ninong]

OK, I know this is a lousy picture because I have no clue how this Kodak digital camera works. I just aim and click. But this will give you an idea of the problem. As you can see, my desk is right next to the tank. (I took this picture standing up. Seated in my chair it is only the left metal halide that is a problem.) The black acrylic top shield is not tall enough or the lights are not low enough, whichever way you want to look at it.




And here is the temporary solution:



I simply removed the black acrylic piece from the right side of the tank and piggybacked it upside down on the left side to make that shield 2.75" taller.

P.S. -- That upright rod visible in the left side of the tank is part of the live rock support structure and it is about 4" from the tank's side glass, so you can see that the Southdown milkshake is gradually clearing already.

[zhenya]

The first pic looks like a flat screen TV,Ninong,when picture just vanishes j/k

it is clearing up for sure judging by that acrylic rod that is now visible.

You getting there,Ninong BTW, the lights problem-could you make some sort of elongated U out of that black plastic or something and just place it in front of the fixture? You can always slide it out when you need to get inside the tank.
Just rumbling,ignore it if you think it's rediculous

Forgot to add that placing a large plate on top of the sand to difuse falling water helped me avoid sending my sand bed all over the place.

[Ninong]

I picked up some Marine Goop (great name! ) at Lowes to reattach the black acrylic piece inside the overflow compartment. Will wait awhile on that until I'm ready to hook up the Neptune Systems Aquacontroller stuff. I'll probably have the pumps off for most of the day then. I wanted to wait until I got all the cloudy gunk out of the water first. No sense messing up the probes unnecessarily.

Looks like you're supposed to let this Marine Goop stuff cure for 24 hours. So I guess I'll have the pumps off and the water level in the overflow compartment lowered for a full 24 hours. Is that about right, Rocky?

I found an online vendor who had the Tunze Stream 6060 model in stock, so I cancelled the first order with the outfit that was out of stock and had the new guys ship one of those suckers out today. Should be here late Friday.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Ninong

I found an online vendor who had the Tunze Stream 6060 model in stock, so I cancelled the first order with the outfit that was out of stock and had the new guys ship one of those suckers out today. Should be here late Friday.

Would you mind telling where you found it,Ninong?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Forgot to add that placing a large plate on top of the sand to difuse falling water helped me avoid sending my sand bed all over the place.

Yes, that's works pretty good... for the first two or three bucketfuls of water. But the easy-does-it method went out the window sometime around the fourth or fifth trip up the step ladder with 25-lbs of water. By that time I just wanted to get it over with. I'll rearrange it when I put the live rock in.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Would you mind telling where you found it,Ninong?

Marine Depot, where I buy most of my equipment online, was temporarily out of stock. Great folks, I like doing business with them a lot. They sent me an email asking me to let them know what I wanted to do. So I told them to ship the rest of my order and cancel the Tunze Stream because I found it in stock at Premium Aquatics and Jeremy shipped it out today via 2nd day air.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Ninong,

How do you like the seaswirls so far?
The level looks good now for sure Did you try making a bit bigger hole in the cap?

I think I like them so far but who knows. They seem to be quiet but everything seems quiet with the Little Giants running. I think that a really large tank would benefit from four of the strongest flow Tunze Streams on their over-priced controller.

I haven't bothered trying to enlarge the little hole in the top of the standpipe but I'm pretty sure that I will have to do that soon. Already I have had to clean it out with a straightened out paper clip twice. Foamy crud was blocking it.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Ninong

I think I like them so far but who knows. They seem to be quiet but everything seems quiet with the Little Giants running.

You had to bring it up,didn't you? I guess you're pretty mad at this things. From what I understand about the swirls they don't really have anything to make loud noises inside them,do they? Everything is some sort of plastics I imagine.
I would definately try to enlarge the hole in the cap of the standpipe,just to be sure that it does not clogged up when you're away for a few days. For some reason I get some saltcreep in them and have to clean them once a month or so just to be on the safe side.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by zhenya

From what I understand about the swirls they don't really have anything to make loud noises inside them,do they? Everything is some sort of plastics I imagine.

They have a motor inside them, does that count? http://pages.infinit.net/lambertv/pa...rn_R_and_O.htm

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Ninong

They have a motor inside them, does that count? http://pages.infinit.net/lambertv/pa...rn_R_and_O.htm

Jeees,Ninong,

You had to burst my buble Yea, I guess that counts as a noise maker. I better save money for the Tunze and their overpriced controller FWIW, the reason I asked about the swirls is that I tried one and it burned out in three weeks
and is now in the draw of my useless stuff that I keep to remind me not to buy them again I hope you have better luck,other people seems to be happy with them exept me

PS. Thanks for the link,Ninong! Maybe one of this days I'll bring myself up to fix this darn thing

[Joaco]

Ninong, great to know you are finally there already!!!

Did you already open the wine bottle I sent you to celebrate it?

I will read the whole post in detail later today, by now I feel I'm part of that tank already!
Remember when we started to shop for the pumps and skimmer together?
You even have the same Sea-swirls I have! (can't call you copycat though )

Later,

Joaco

[scubadude]

yeah you should be ok with 24hr cure on the marine goop ninong as long as you didnt put it on too thick. That crap is messy isnt it Hey lemme play the devils advocate here for a second....lets talk about your seaswirl since Joaco mentioned it....I dont understand why you have it so close to the overflow? It seems to me that its defeating flow purposes. It would seem more logical to slide it closer to the front panel of glass (but still leave it on the same panel of glass) Do you understand what Im getting at? My thoughts are the overflowing water is working against the outflowing water of the seaswirl....Just a thought

Im envious of anyone who has tunzes, I just wish they werent so bulky....I dont care about the price so much (well yeah I do)

Rocky

[Joaco]

Originally Posted by Ninong

I think I like them so far but who knows. They seem to be quiet but everything seems quiet with the Little Giants running.

You should have kept the Dolphin... my SST1200 and the Ampmaster 3000 are silent as a tomb. I would hear the fish swimming before I could notice the Dolphin pumps running

Originally Posted by Ninong

I think that a really large tank would benefit from four of the strongest flow Tunze Streams on their over-priced controller.

Guess what is on my shopping list for both new 600+ gallon tanks

I will be in Germany end August, will check them out in action over there.

Joaco

[scubadude]

Originally Posted by Joaco

... my SST1200 and the Ampmaster 3000 are silent as a tomb. I would hear the fish swimming before I could notice the Dolphin pumps running

Joaco

Showoff! Joaco whats a SST1200? I agree w/ you that the dolphin AM3K is quiet

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Joaco

Ninong, great to know you are finally there already!!!

Did you already open the wine bottle I sent you to celebrate it?

Later,

Joaco

THANKS!

I'm looking at the bottle right now: Luigi Bosca Merlot, Carrodilla, Lujan de Cuyo. I thought I was supposed to wait until I had something live in the tank, like live rock or something?

[Joaco]

Originally Posted by scubadude

Showoff! Joaco whats a SST1200?

Actually it's kinda an oldie now, Dolphin is no longer making them (discontinued, but I still love the thing!) :

http://www.dolphinpumps.com/highhead2.htm

SST1200 = Silentsea Series Titanium 1200





1,080 GPH at zero head, now I use it for circulation, connected to 2 x 3/4" Sea-Swirls.

Joaco

[Joaco]

Originally Posted by Ninong

THANKS!

I'm looking at the bottle right now: Luigi Bosca Merlot, Carrodilla, Lujan de Cuyo. I thought I was supposed to wait until I had something live in the tank, like live rock or something?

Oops, you are right! so get ready when the LR comes in!

[Joaco]

Originally Posted by scubadude

Hey lemme play the devils advocate here for a second....lets talk about your seaswirl since Joaco mentioned it....I dont understand why you have it so close to the overflow? It seems to me that its defeating flow purposes. It would seem more logical to slide it closer to the front panel of glass (but still leave it on the same panel of glass) Do you understand what Im getting at? My thoughts are the overflowing water is working against the outflowing water of the seaswirl....Just a thought

Good point, but you can avoid it if you point the Sea-Swirls with the noozle in a downward angle into the tank .
But I DO have them positioned as you describe, to maximize the flow into the tank. Otherwise, part of the flow goes against the front glass, and I feel the flow is needed more to the center of te tank. And that way I also have the SeaSwirls facing each other, the tank is a bit over 6 feet and I want the msot turbulent area in the center of the tank.

Originally Posted by scubadude

Im envious of anyone who has tunzes, I just wish they werent so bulky....

Are we talking about the Turbelle or the new Streams? the Streams don't seem bulky to me and you can hide them among the aquascaping...

Joaco

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by scubadude

yeah you should be ok with 24hr cure on the marine goop ninong as long as you didnt put it on too thick. That crap is messy isnt it

I haven't put it on yet. I just bought the stuff yesterday. I can't put it on until I turn my pumps off and lower the water level in the overflow compartment. I'm thinking that I will wait until the water has cleared up a bit more before turning the pumps off for several hours and then lower the water level in the overflow compartment about 10" or so. I was hoping that I could just use some of the Marine Goop stuff on the upper third of the black acrylic shield thingy? Do you think that 24 hrs is really necessary for the curing time or can I get by with 12 hrs???

Originally Posted by scubadude

Hey lemme play the devils advocate here for a second....lets talk about your seaswirl since Joaco mentioned it....I dont understand why you have it so close to the overflow?

The Sea-Swirl in the right rear corner is in the ideal position for that side of the tank. On the left side of the tank there is a corner overflow compartment that measures 6.5" x 10.5" (exterior). The way my tank fits on the stand, the back 12" on the sides is concealed by the upper woodwork and only the front 11" on the sides is viewable. Positioning the left side Sea-Swirl directly in front of the corner overflow compartment means that it is completely hidden from view by the woodwork when looking from the left side of the tank. The Sea-Swirl fits between the corner overflow compartment and the front of the woodwork with about 1/8" to spare. It just barely fits. Also, there is absolutely no other place to put it because the rear half of the Sea-Swirl has to extend back over the frame of the tank and the only two places that I have in my setup for that are on either side of the tank inside the concealed woodwork part of the "hutch."

Yes, every time the Sea-Swirl gets close to the overflow grate it is pushing the water away from the overflow but I have it angled down from the surface to minimize this effect but now that you mention this, I think I will remove the nozzle and put it back in a position that keeps it as far away from the overflow grate as possible. Presently it is set so that it aligns itself exactly with the overflow wall when it gets to that part of the cycle. I think I'll readjust it as much as possible. Conversely, every time the Sea-Swirl on the right side of the tank aims at the corner overflow on the opposite side it is pushing water into the overflow. The tank is a relatively small tank and there are no easy answers to these situations. I have a Tunze Stream 6060 due to arrive tomorrow afternoon and it will be interesting to see if I can fit that into the tank without creating too much havoc. Right now I am thinking of putting it in the corner formed by the side wall of the overflow compartment and the tank's back glass and aiming it at an angle towards the tank's front glass, which is why I bought the smallest model -- 1600 gph -- but even that may be a bit much for the size of my tank.

It's possible that I may have to eliminate the left side Sea-Swirl and position the Tunze Stream in the position presently occupied by that Sea-Swirl.

Originally Posted by scubadude

It seems to me that its defeating flow purposes. It would seem more logical to slide it closer to the front panel of glass (but still leave it on the same panel of glass) Do you understand what Im getting at? My thoughts are the overflowing water is working against the outflowing water of the seaswirl....Just a thought

Yes, it is working against the overflow. Fortunately for me, my LG 4MDQX-SC is not overworking the overflow's capacity or the capacity of the 1.5" drain pipe which I now have half closed with a ball valve. I am probably running no more than 950 gph through the drain at the present time.

And the reason I cannot slide the Sea-Swirl closer to the front panel of glass is because it would have to be mounted on the exposed half of the left side of the tank and I can't do that because it would look terrible sticking out in the air like that and because there is a black acrylic light shield in place.

Originally Posted by scubadude

Im envious of anyone who has tunzes, I just wish they werent so bulky....Rocky

Now I know why everybody is always planning their next tank, the big, no compromises tank.

While I have your attention, what do you think I should do about the heat generated inside the cabinet by the two LG pumps? Remember that there is no open back or anything like that to dissipate heat. There are three holes drilled on either side concealed by the upper woodwork that are used for the 3/4" flex PVC connected to the two Sea-Swirls and for the electrical cords to come down from the light fixtures and the Sea-Swirls. But those holes are pretty much filled up by the electrical cords and piping. I may need to drill an additional 2" hole on the right side behind the woodwork or even in front of it? The reason I say in front of it is because you really can't see the right side of the tank because it's only about 4.5" from the wall of the room.

Then I was thinking that I would install a small ventilation fan (3" or 4") in the left side of the cabinet blowing air into the cabinet???

What do you suggest?

Thanks,

[Joaco]

Originally Posted by Ninong

They have a motor inside them, does that count? http://pages.infinit.net/lambertv/pa...rn_R_and_O.htm

Thanks for the link, Merry Xmas Joaco!!!