Pictures of Ninong's tank in progress.

[Joaco]

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?

What I would do:
install a ventilator fan blowing into the cabinet, at about the level of the pumps, to blow the hot air away from them, so that they cool with new colder air from utside the cabinet.
And then I would add a second fan, close to the upper inside of the cabinet, but blowing out of it. Heat goes up, so I think your best bet is to blow it out from there.
WIth 2 fans (one blowing in, one blowing out) you would have much more air exchange inside the cabinet, than you would have with just one blowing air into it.

How does it sound? (no the fan, but the suggestion )

Joaco

[Joaco]

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.

IF you decide to get rid of the SeaSwirl, I will buy it from you, just e-mail me.

Joaco

[Ninong]

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

You are probably right! I traded in the SST1200 when everybody started posting about problems with calcium buildup. Then I sold off the Ampmaster 3000 after everybody started posting about problems with the seals. (I got a free set of new seals first.) Notice that neither of these pumps had actually been used on anything, they just expired while sitting in the closet waiting for the tank to be set up.

I really regret getting rid of the Ampmaster now.

I think I should have kept it and just figured out a way to incorporate it into my system. That is still in the back of my mind. It would mean trying to fit it into the cabinet and having both 1" outlets from the Lifereef sump feed into the 1.5" pump inlet. Right now one of the sump's 1" bulkheads goes to the return pump and the other goes to the skimmer pump, but if the Amp 3000 could run the skimmer and the returns I could get by with just one pump. When I raised this possibility with Jeff at Lifereef, his comment was that the skimmer should be run on a separate pump.

So I guess I'm open to suggestions in that area, too.

That's an area for future tinkering. Right now it works but the noise level is unacceptable to me. Even with the cabinet doors closed (and remember there is no open back), the noise level is too high... for me anyway.

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

I haven't told a soul about your two new 630-gal built-in tanks but now that you mention them, what's up? Enquiring minds want to know. And yes, I think that the top-of-the-line Tunze Stream system with four, or even eight, Streams on their tide simulation controller would be GREAT in both of your new 630-gal built-in tanks that nobody knows anything about... YET.

[Ninong]

What I would do:
install a ventilator fan blowing into the cabinet, at about the level of the pumps, to blow the hot air away from them, so that they cool with new colder air from utside the cabinet.
And then I would add a second fan, close to the upper inside of the cabinet, but blowing out of it. Heat goes up, so I think your best bet is to blow it out from there.
WIth 2 fans (one blowing in, one blowing out) you would have much more air exchange inside the cabinet, than you would have with just one blowing air into it.

How does it sound? (no the fan, but the suggestion )

Joaco

Don't forget that there is really only one side to this stand, the left side. Then there is the front with the two sets of doors. That's it. Both pumps are at the far right side of the cabinet.

So... it's possible to install a fan (or fans) in the left side of the cabinet but the only other possibility -- and one that I would have to consider carefully before accepting -- would be to cut a 3" hole in the top of the cabinet between the right side of the tank and the wall of the room for a 3" exhaust fan blowing up from the cabinet. I really hate to think about that because I am afraid that I am weakening the top of the stand too much already with all these holes.

[Ninong]

IF you decide to get rid of the SeaSwirl, I will buy it from you, just e-mail me.

Joaco

OK, if I decide to get rid of it, I'll shoot you an email.

[Joaco]

Not much. Too many problems. Reminds me of the guy who was selling the Silent Surge surge tanks for a few months before he went belly up. Everybody raved about them at first and then they started having some problems with them and then the guy went out of business.

Ever considered a Borneman surge device? :

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...ge_device.html

of course you would need the space above the tank, but...(not thinking about it for your tank, Ninong)

Joaco

[Joaco]

OK, if I decide to get rid of it, I'll shoot you an email.

Good pun

[Joaco]

You are probably right! I traded in the SST1200 when everybody started posting about problems with calcium buildup.

I open mine every 6 months to check for it, would you believe that I never had a problem with buildup so far?

When I raised this possibility with Jeff at Lifereef, his comment was that the skimmer should be run on a separate pump.

I would do that too, regardless of the skimmer type. The constant water level inside the skimmer is very important for performance, a dedicated pump gives you more control.

Right now it works but the noise level is unacceptable to me. Even with the cabinet doors closed (and remember there is no open back), the noise level is too high... for me anyway. .

You have to change them for an Ampmaster 3000 (and forget about the noise, they are DEAD SILENT) and cut back the 'excess' pressure on the output. But as you said, the problem would be the skimmer feeding, because it would not be a dedicated pump....


Joaco

[Ninong]

Ever considered a Borneman surge device? :

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...ge_device.html

of course you would need the space above the tank, but...(not thinking about it for your tank, Ninong)

Joaco

At one point, a long, long time ago, I considered two of those Silent Surge devices from the guy who went belly up but they would not have fit in the concealed sides of the hutch top and I thought they would look too obvious in any other location.

Yes, it would be possible to custom-size surge devices on either side of my tank concealed in the woodwork above the tank but I figured that would be more work and more expense than using Sea-Swirls. If this were a large custom tank with a fully enclosed, sound-proofed, equipment room, then it would be something to think about. But not now... especially with my track record so far. The only thing that's working properly right now is Murphy's Law.

:eek3:

[Ninong]

You have to change them for an Ampmaster 3000 (and forget about the noise, they are DEAD SILENT) and cut back the 'excess' pressure on the output. But as you said, the problem would be the skimmer feeding, because it would not be a dedicated pump....
Joaco

The most obvious problem, and one of the reasons I sold the Amp3K, is that it won't fit in the available space, especially with all that huge 1.5" plumbing. I'll post a picture of the inside of the stand later on today to show you what I mean.

[Joaco]

I haven't told a soul about your two new 630-gal built-in tanks but now that you mention them, what's up? Enquiring minds want to know. And yes, I think that the top-of-the-line Tunze Stream system with four, or even eight, Streams on their tide simulation controller would be GREAT in both of your new 630-gal built-in tanks that nobody knows anything about... YET.

I will soon start a new thread about them

Both are in the blueprints already. One will be built-in-wall in the playroom/entertainment room, very similar looking (in size at least, but with more front, probably 50% more) to Steve Weast's 500 gallon reef:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-03/totm/

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-0...s/Image024.jpg

This one will be SPS dominated.


The other one will be in the living room, with 3 sides exposed, very similar the Sanjay Joshi's in Penn State:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2/aquarium.htm


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/imag...gure1thumb.jpg

but mine will 50% wider than Penn's:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/imag...ure13thumb.jpg

This one will be for the softies.

Besides of those 2 tanks, I got to keep my 90 gallon seahorse tank. I had to beg, yes! I said that those where my daughters seahorses

All the above will go in a new thread, we will have lots to discuss about them

Joaco

[Ninong]

I will soon start a new thread about them

All the above will go in a new thread, we will have lots to discuss about them

Joaco

Good idea!

[scubadude]

WOW you guys out of breath yet? So joaco if I put on a flak jacket and work for the government for a few years does that mean I will be able to afford a multi level 630g system as well? And of course all the free government cheese to boot?

[Ninong]

WOW you guys out of breath yet? So joaco if I put on a flak jacket and work for the government for a few years does that mean I will be able to afford a multi level 630g system as well? And of course all the free government cheese to boot?

He doesn't work for the government. The people who work for the government down there don't get paid very much but they do make up for it in other ways. :eek3:

[Ninong]

Besides, now that Joaco has moved his offices to the suburbs, he doesn't even wear the flak jacket anymore. And he doesn't have a view of the downtown riots through his office window anymore. Bummer! :eek3:

[Joaco]

WOW you guys out of breath yet? So joaco if I put on a flak jacket and work for the government for a few years does that mean I will be able to afford a multi level 630g system as well? And of course all the free government cheese to boot?

Nope, you would have to go back in time, drive my friend's BMW (now in the car cemetery) with him in the passenger's seat and then get hit by a public bus that crosses a red light at 50 mph
That includes a trip to the local hospital of course, nothing is free
Then you would have to have your friend hire the best lawyer money can buy, take the State to court...wait some years...and win ;)

Joaco

[Joaco]

He doesn't work for the government. The people who work for the government down there don't get paid very much but they do make up for it in other ways. :eek3:

You are not trying to say that the Gov over here is cough*corrupted*cough, do you?
Believe it or not, THEY tried to 'give ME gifts in exchange for favors' *many* times.
Wait a second...maybe that is related to the vest thing... :eek3:

Joaco

[Ninong]

Then you would have to have your friend hire the best lawyer money can buy, take the State to court...wait some years...and win ;)

Joaco

It costs more in Louisiana because you have to buy the judge, too.

[Joaco]

Besides, now that Joaco has moved his offices to the suburbs, he doesn't even wear the flak jacket anymore.

Believe it or not, THEY tried to 'give ME gifts in exchange for favors' *many* times.
Wait a second...maybe that is related to the vest thing...

We had presidential elections last May...coincidences in life...at the same time I moved the offices, and now can leave the vest in the closet.
And jail has a few vacancies less.
Joaco is happy

And he doesn't have a view of the downtown riots through his office window anymore. Bummer! :eek3:

Ahhh...the good ol' days... would you believe me if I say I miss the action?
No I don't miss it at all, I even try to avoid the evening news on TV, I want and need my peace.
I finally have it, I would say it looks like all is back to normal now (for me at least!)

Joaco

[Joaco]

You're right, I don't want to deal with plant rock because I'm trying to avoid doing this in the garage.

Plant rock? are we talking about calcareous algae originated LR?
My LR comes from the north of Brazil and it's origin are calcareous algae. ( Lithothamnium spp.)

Joaco