Webbed Feet

My wife and I attended today and greatly appreciate all the hard work and expense that went into the setup, food, donations for the raffles, low priced frags, mystery boxes, cleanup, etc.   Great job to all of you!  Really wonderful event.  

I'd also enjoy a smaller weekend "brunch" type of get together with a focus of chatting about equipment, the trials and tribulations of setting up new tanks, etc.  

Thank you again,

Webbed

Hi !!

Hope this is a good choice for area to post this question.  I know the club loans out such things a par meters.  I don't suppose there are sets of vacuum cups for lifting 70 to 100 gallon aquariums available?  Thank you in advance for your time.

Hi everyone.  I very much wanted to attend the 2022 holiday party, was planning on it and afterwards going to a relative's 90th birthday party.  Instead, I got one of the lovely viruses going around and ended up staying home while sick all weekend.  Hey, maybe next year?   

Hello Layton,

I know it has been a bit since you posted your question.  However, if you've not made a choice already this may help, or others might find this worthy.   I did extensive research into battery backups for your same reason.   I was asking what is something less than an entire house automatically kicked in generator system?  I found a backup by APC.

Pro 1500 with Accessory Battery Pack

The reason I feel anyone interested in going the UPS route for hobby power confidence / security reasons is this model is capable of having pretty much an unlimited number of accessory battery packs cabled into it.  The accessory pack is model BR24BPG from APC., is hard to find so I ordered one directly from APC themselves. 

• With a single Pro 1500 and only one additional battery pack, I have kept a 70 gallon tank (circulating pumps and heaters) going for a solid five hours minimum.   
• The Pro 1500 will predict run time end of life based upon power draw taking place.  I have found it to be very accurate.  This allows you to simply setup the desired equipment on it, unplug the Pro 1500 from the house outlet and just look at the control panel report of how long it will run.  Very helpful when deciding what pumps to use for emergency circulation during a power outage.
• My home location has a history of all power outages being resolved within three hours so far.  So this has been a solution I have had confidence in. 
• During one power outage I connected an additional 30 gallon tank into the backup with an extension cord, it kept the 70 and 30 pumps and heaters going over three hours.
• The quality of APC has been very good for me. 
  • I got around four and a half years out of the first set of batteries (such batteries expected life normally is around three years) and my Pro 1500 with accessory pack is now on a second set of batteries that I was able to easily find at very competitive pricing.   
• And, it also acts to protect all hobby electronics connected to it from poor incoming power fluctuations as well.   
• I located it a couple of feet from the tank elevated on a small stand to create a drip loop.  I have had no problems with salt creep entering the unit so far and it has been five years at least.   
• APC is still making these and have done so for many years, for me that says something.  

With shopping around, I was able to put the 1500 with one additional battery pack together for about $330 (at that time).    Versus a generator that provides dirty power (not an inverter) and cannot come on automatically upon power outage, I found the price point to be acceptable for the purpose.

Webbed.

On 3/13/2022 at 4:58 PM, pdxmonkeyboy said:

Honestly, pick any led grow light on amazon and your good to go. 

Turn it up till the chaeto starts getting white patches, then turn it down several notches. 

They are like $40.

 

 

One might want to avoid the ones with reviews on Amazon saying they are catching on fire.  Just saying...

Has anyone tried this system out?

I am interested in the Kessil's H80's .. sent you a pm

Perhaps this Hanna device is too new?  Didn't see any chatter about it, unless I missed it.  Anyone with experience with one yet and have feedback?

Happy Holidays!   (I was a bit late for Thanksgiving)   🙂

I notice nobody mentions the Neptune Systems COR-20 Intelligent Return Pump that is part of the Apex accessories.  Something I don't know, other than the price is steep?   A bit of a surprise given Apex is pretty popular overall on the forum. 

Regarding the Jebao..... Do you guys mean these?  Would sure agree, the price is right.  If plumbed in pairs for redundant backup, pretty hard to beat the value.

https://www.amazon.com/Jebao-DCP-8000-Sine-Water-Return/dp/B07F1LWN39/ref=psdc_2975475011_t3_B07H1S5FRT?th=1

Everyone might tell I'm doing some shopping!  🙂   In the near future I'll be moving a Red Sea 70 gallon E260 all in one to a different room in my home and adding a sump upon setting it back up again.   Many of you have been just fantastic with some quick opinions for me, it is very appreciated with all the sales on right now.  I'm thinking the two current main tank pumps in the built in rear sump are not going to work (or be the best) for the sump as I'm pretty sure I'll be needing to use very different piping size (and I think I leave those in place anyway).   What are your opinions of good solid, bang for the buck, dependable, quiet, pumps?   Would most of you use DC variable speed models?    

Thanks again, this club's participation is just great!

22 hours ago, SuncrestReef said:

I've been an Apex user since early 2018, and a Trident owner since the initial launch day.  I've had great success with my entire Apex setup, including the Trident.

If you're not aware, I'm the resident Apex guru............... (post shortened)

Would you consider giving up, or not starting with, salinity monitoring, ORP monitoring, and variable speed ports?   These would be the things not included with ApexEL.    I'd appreciate hearing from everyone if these things are easily lived without, or if it is shortsighted to forego them with a high likelihood of later paying more buying modules to get these features? 

 

 

This has all been very helpful information.   Would any of you view the Kamoer F4 PRO Wifi 4 Channel doser as an acceptable alternative to the Neptune DOS dosers given the noise they make?   

Well, obviously, nobody knows!     But I thought it would be nice if somebody said something.  

Hi,

I am hoping to hear from some long time Apex/Trident users.   How has your Trident performed for you and how has the longevity of the unit worked out for you?

Also, I have read some pretty darn harsh reviews from a number of unhappy Apex doser pump users.  How has your experience been, how long have you been using them, would you purchase them again?

13 hours ago, Bicyclebill said:

Hah, I'm finding myself entrenched in Black Friday pricing for an algae reactor. Could just be the covid stress, but I'm thinking I might want to try one of these.

I cannot say it is from experience as I have never had a filter sock setup, I have just used filter pads.  However, I have played with putting socks into and out of a sump and so far I am not impressed.   

I am interested, but I need a bit more info.

• I would need accurate measurements vs "rough"
• a photo of the entire sump so I can orient myself as to what is where a bit better
• generally where you are located?
• cracks or chips?

I am in Tualatin on city water.  Sounds like adding a meter prior to all filters and one in-between the membrane and DI (already have one after DI) might be a good idea.    

Thank you for the input gents!   Seems a refugium is preferred.   I am trying to learn in between failing all the time. 

In your journeys through different equipment setups, what do you think the value of algae scubbers are to own?   Love em?  Hate em?  Meh?  Must have?  Don't waste your money? 

Hi,

In your RO/DI unit do you typically replace all three canister DI/Carbon/Prefilter when ever the DI gets tired or do you do something different such as replace the Carbon/Prefilter every other change of DI?

Before you consider Red Sea AIO .....  I own one and posted this... you might want to consider only the Red Sea not AIO tanks.

On 3/10/2019 at 9:33 PM, SuncrestReef said:

I'm seriously considering re-doing my whole sump and plumbing to make this fit my Reefer XL 425.  I've tried mesh socks, felt socks, and now filter cups with fiber.  I don't like any of them.  But the way my sump is currently set up there's no way to make a roller fit, so I'm going to need to spend some time at the drawing board.  In particular, my refugium sits above the sock chamber, and then my UV sterilizer is directly above that.  I'll need to relocate both.

Thank you for the very good photo of the Red Sea sump.  I have a E260 with integrated rear sump and due to an upcoming tank move have been considering adding a in-stand sump.  The more I look at the Red Sea sump.. the less I want one of those.   The placement of the ATO tank over the filter socks, with socks sliding into the skimmer area for maintenance, is looking more and more like a poor setup.   However, the setup in your photo is very impressive and perhaps you have used the filter sock area for rubble?  Sure have squeezed a tremendous amount of very well laid out equipment in there!   

What is the significance of white versus blue PVC?