Ryan

I started noticing them about 6 months ago...The reviews I have read on them are great. They are also built very well, with 1/4" thick cell cast acrylic which is normally only found on much more expensive skimmers. here is the Vertex Skimmer Club thread on RC: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1588962

The 1/8" extrude would be just fine, and very inexpensive! The flanges will be a piece of cake, and all of the acrylic for them can be found in the scrap bin for almost nothing! I think your 21 tank system sounds awesome! I would do it with 18 20h tanks for the added width and length. 3 rows with 6 tanks. each row would be just over 6' wide. What is your plan for flow on these tanks? With all of the plumbing required, I don't think the Snapper will be able to handle it all... How are you going to set the overflow and returns up? Im excited to see this!!!

I think 3 would be a great plan! Do you want cell cast (expensive) or Extrude Hone (cheap) acrylic tube? Do you want 1/4" or 1/8" thick wall? If you were going to go all out, 1/4" thick cast would be very nice, but extrude 1/8" will do the same thing. For the larger size, I would also use 1/2" speed fittings instead of 3/8". Where are you going to place the reactors? External, internal, hung from the side of a sump? I'll be going over to Julias dads in the next few days to re-cut the top lid of my reactor. I am going to make the lid twist off (similar to how the GEO reactors are). I'll just have to loosen the nylon screws, twist the lid, and pull it off. Once I get mine up and running, we'll finalize your design and build them! What type of tanks are you going with?

If you can afford $50 more, the Vertex IN-100 would be a GREAT choice. If I wasn't planing on building my own skimmer, I would probably buy one. http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VX-IN100&Category_Code=Vertex

Finally, some pics! I love the snapper pump! I'll either have the snapper or dart on my next tank!!! If you need a hole saw for 3/4" bulk heads, I have one you can use.... What size media reactors are you thinking about? I would love to be some sort of help in your build/project!

SWC= Salt Water Connection.

He is an architect....He also has a side business of designing very detailed paper & balsa models of landmarks & selling them as kits that people put together. He uses the laser cutter to cut the pieces for the kits.

You have some very nice looking corals! A nice variety as well!!! How about about full tank shot?

I didn't ask...but I assume more then most cars. I did a google search for the epilog 35w laser. I wasn't able to find the price for the 35w laser, but someone is selling a 25w for $8,000. Im pretty sure this is the one my GFs dad has: http://www.epiloglaser.com/legend_mini18.htm

For sure Garrett! I will be making ALL of the equipment for my next tank! Cone Skimmer, 2 4x12 media reactors, 6x18 calcium reactor w/ 4x18 effluent chamber, & 6x18 kalk reactor. I couldn't resist last night, so I put it all together last night and water tested it this morning. I am very pleased with the results! This is the first acrylic project where I really paid special attention to having very clean cement seams! Not bad for $9 worth of materials! There will be a 1/2" ID acrylic tube going from the top center hole in the lid all the way to the bottom through the hole in the "bubble plate". I accidentally used the hole diameter for the 1/4" NPT tap instead of the 3/8" NPT tap on my sketchup design, so we cut the wrong diameter holes in the lid. We'll have to re-cut the lid before I finish up. I'll be using 2 3/8" JG 90 degree fittings in the top lid. The center fitting will be the supply and the fitting that is off center will be the return.

Good choice, Jake! If I was ready for another one, I would get in on it with you!

My girlfriends dad has a 35 watt computer controlled laser cutter. I recently found out it can cut up to 1/2" acrylic! I decided to give it a try with a simple media reactor. I designed all of the parts in SketchUp, then my girlfriends dad re-drew them in AutoCad. We cut all of the parts tonight! I was very impressed with how clean the edges came out. All edges look as if they were flame polished! Laser Cutter: Here's some pics of the various parts we cut: Heres a video of part of the above piece being cut, I didn't have enough memory on my camera left, so I only videoed the end of the cut... <----youtube video Here are all of the acrylic parts I will be using for the reactor: I'll be tapping all of the holes and assembling it tomorrow...I'll post pics along the way.

I have the AC3. As far as I know, the iphone app will only work with the AC3 or Pro. I am not sure if there is anything similar for the blackberry... I'll post some screen shots of the graphs later today... Albertareef: a lot of people, even other reefers think it's kind of silly to be spend this kind of money and be this connected to a silly fish tank....they think the money could be spent else were (such as really nice corals/fish/livestock). I admit, it is a bit "geeky" but the technical/equipment side of the hobby draws me to this hobby just as much as the livestock does!

Once you use one, and see the movement it creates in your tank you will realize there is no need to direct flow with the vortech. The vortech in short pulse moves the whole body of water in your tank! It is very impressive!

All I have is the Vortech and my return. It replaced 2 modded MJ600's on a wave timer. Its a night and day difference from the MJ's.

It makes an actual wave...it creates the coolest motion with my millis, LPS, and GSP. I would leave it on all the time if my overflow didn't make a gurgle sound everytime the wave went back and forth....

I have the MP20 on my 36g. I like it a lot...I use it on 100% power in reef crest mode, and it creates water movement in all parts of my tank. Its kind of fun to play with the other modes too...I can create a 1/2" wave in short pulse mode.... On my next tank, I will be upgrading my MP20 to a MP40 and adding a 2nd MP40 (one on each side of the tank). I do not think any of the local LFS sell or promote Vortech. Issac has a MP40 on his personal tank at the Seahorse...Im not sure if he cares much for it though.

No, the AC3 with the dc8 & 2 ph probes. I might order the HDD4 for my ballasts and chiller. I'm getting a little worried about overloading my DC8. So far, I got all of the sensors running, and the AC3 setup on my wireless network. It's freaking AWESOME. I've got a lot of rolled eyes from my GF tonight though...LOL

Chiewie, your going to love your AquaController! I just got mine! Took about 15 minutes to get it up and running with the temp probe & both PH probes! Seems very user friendly so far! Now its time to figure out how get it to communicate with my home network so I can wirelessly program it from my desktop in the next room over! You'll be very happy when you get yours!

Concentrate on being consistent with the test kit, that might be where some of your fluctuation are coming from.... Are you using the test tube line, or syringe to measure 5ml? I recommend using the syringe. With the Elos kit, 1 drop=1 dkh with 2.5ml in the test tube (low resolution), and 1 drop=0.5 dkh with 5ml in the test tube (high resolution). Now that I have my calcium reactor dialed in, I just use the low resolution to save test solution...If it turns yellow on the 10th drop, I know I am good to go!

Issac wasn't there that day, I didn't even ask...it just looked promising with the purple tips so I bought it. I am very happy with the transformation it has had in the last 2 months.

I bought this frag from the Seahorse a couple months ago. When I got it, it was mostly white with purple tips and almost no polyps to be seen. When it did extend its polyps, they were VERY small and white. Now, it has turned almost fully purple (has a VERY dark green body under just actinics), and has pretty good polyp extension. Most of the polyps are dark green, some are white, and some are dark green and white. Here are the best pics I could get. Its in kind of as shaded spot, pretty far back in my tank so I had a hard time getting good pics. Just Actinic: With MH & Actinic:

No problem! Keep us posted! Have fun waiting for your delivery! Mine gets here tomorrow!!!

Dont forget to get extra calibration fluid for the PH probe! I hate buying the little 20ml sachets of it...I bought a 250ml bottle of each 7.0 & 10.0. You might also need the special serial cable needed since the ACjr doesn't have a ethernet port (that I know of).