Oceanic Tech Tank Owners Thread

[sditch]

Larry,

If you are going with that much flow you may want to consider not having any substrate or sand. Below is some of my diggies with the vortech.

1.) It placed to high you will get air from the surface and get bubbles in your tank.

2.) There are only a couple of corals i have that can stand being directly inline with the vortech inside of 10".

3.) You can get a 12VDC adaptor and plug it in the backup of the Vortech. You can then plug this adaptor into a standard UPS and get more run time

4.) Some fish may become victam of the mighty vortech

I think with two you will not need anything eles with that size tank..........

[LarryW]

well honestly I will start with the 2 vortech's, and 2 nano streams. plus the mj1200's to move the detris. the additional ones would be overkill, but would look sweet.

[J3REEF]

Larry,

Too funny...

Small fish in that tank will become wallpaper with that amount of flow ;-)

The two HK 4's & two HK3's keep everything suspended.
Sand as well if my pistol "pete" shrimp is digging a new cave

Here is a new friend I just added.

I dont think I have anything to worry about in regards to his eating habbits since he will have a really tough time keeping up with the growth I've noted so far on all the goodies I've added to the tank - Thank you Solaris..

[MarineGirl411]

Hey Sditch, I asked before if the only thing you had in your tank was the 1 vortech and the return lines? I noticed only 1 vortech in your tank. What kinds of smaller fish could become victim to this? I have Anthias, Hi finned banded goby (he stays on the other side of the tank) and my clownfish. I'd die if any of them got sucked into the Vortech. I love my babies. Let me know. TY

[LarryW]

I don't plan on any small fish. the saddleback clowns that are going in there are pretty good size.

[reef / aholic]

I have had my 120 Tech for about 6 months. Very nice tank but most of that time it has been sitting in the garge covered up. This is because my CFO has giving me the green light to get a custom built A.E. tank, sump/ref and prop tank built.

[nattydread]

I know Larry loves his Solaris, but I cannot raid my kids college fund just yet.

Im thinking Aquatinics, solar flare for a t5 set up, or a Giesman Infinity pendant w/ 2x250 mh and four t 5's.

It seems a light with legs works well for this tank, anyone know anything about the Giesman mounting legs?

I could just hang it. But I dont like the idea of cables.

[MarineGirl411]

Hey Guys/Gals,
I wrote the company and asked if all 3 sides are Starphire. This is what they wrote me back. I guess maybe we'll never know! =(

All three sides are starphire.



Thank You,



Daniel O'Brien

Technical Support Associate/Custom Tank Specialist

Central Aquatics

Phone 1-800-255-4527 x1220 or 1-414-423-8544 x1220

Fax 1-800-398-0396 or 1-414-421-4195

E-Mail dobrien@central.com

[Joe]

Now they've responded all three sides are starphire!!! Well, I hope they are all starphire, for my own sake!! I've looked very closely at my 120, and the sides don't look any different than the front. So, heck yea, I'm going with all three are starphire!!

Joe

I fired off my own e-mail to Rob Moneyhan at Central Aquatics and put the question to him. I'll let everyone know of any response.

[MarineGirl411]

LOL these people are confusing. I hope we get a straight answer!

[LarryW]

trust me, it's 3 sides of starphire.....

[Joe]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like we may have the "ultra clear" glass instead of the "starphire!!!
Here is an exact quote from my contact at Central Aquatics;

"I checked the “Bill Of Materials” in the computer system and the only pane of glass listed as starfire is the front panel. I know that when the tanks were being made in Texas they were using “ultra clear” glass which is cheaper than star fire. When the production was moved up to Franklin Wisconsin they started using starfire glass.
I just talked to one of the engineers and he said that they were going back and forth on whether they should do the sides and front in starfire, or just the front. They chose just the front due to cost of the finish tank to the distributor. The tanks started being built here in October of 2006."

Regards,

Rob Moneyhan
Central Aquatics
Product Lines Tech Support
Phone# 1-800-255-4527 or 1-414-423-8544 ext. 1215
Fax# 1-800-398-0396 or 1-414-421-4195
rmoneyhan@central.com


Do we even have "starphire" glass on the front of out tanks?????
I'm going to have Rob "run" my serial number, to check the date of manufacture.

Joe

[MarineGirl411]

that sucks. I don't understand why these people would tell us all three sides are starphire then have it turn out none are starphire. I would get really mad. =(

[Joe]

Hey MarineGirl411,

I guess it all comes down to the date our tanks were manufactured. LarryW and I could have three sides of "Ultra Clear " glass on our Techs!!!

Joe

[MarineGirl411]

What is the ultra clear glass made of? It is just low iron glass and instead of using the fancy name Starphire? I've heard that the true Starphire is really expensive. So people use the low iron glass instead. I know it's virtually the same thing, but without the name. Let us know what you find out about your fish tank. I was a little more pleased when I got the letter back and they told me all 3 sides were starphire. I can see why they cost so much. If the front panel is only Starphire though, that would be a little disappointing. Esp for 850.00 =(

[LarryW]

ok, so any tank built after oct 06 has starphire..... The panels are identical when I look at them. either inside out or outside in.... Who knows, they can't even keep it straight.

[sjediets]

Just picked up my 45 tech today...and it is obvious that the starphire is only on the front.

[LarryW]

hmm, can you post pics? I am curious to see a newer tank. Mine was built in Dec 06, and if you look at the pics I posted a few pages back, you can't tell the difference between the front and the sides. now the front/sides and the bottom, well yeah you can see how green the bottom of my tank is. I don't really know what to tell you. The front is fine for me since my tank is only really viewable from the front.

[sjediets]

I saw that pic and would agree yours all appear to be the same. My sides have a bit of that greenish tint. Here's one of mine from the inside out...looking into the corner with a white piece of paper outside the tank, using a flash.

[Joe]

Larry,

How can you tell your tank was built in Dec. '06? I can't find a serial number on mine.

Thanks,

Joe

[purebullet417]

i got nov 06 on my 45 and all sides are starphire

[J3REEF]

WOW

I can say that the my 120 did/does not have the green tint on the sides, but i guess the question is - did we get starphire on three sides or ultra clear on three sides or starphire on the front and ultra clear on the sides and we cant tell the difference between the sides and front???

One thing I did notice is looking at a sample piece of starphire glass at my LFS when I bought the tank, you did not see any green tint when looking through the edge of the sample.

When I look at the front pane at the edge it does have a somewhat green tint, but nothing like I've seen of other tanks at the LFS that were not starphire.

Frustrating to say the least.
The $$$s delta between a regular tank vs. a starphire tank is several $$$s...

I just don't like not knowing and thinking they pulled one on several people.

But, I still REALLLLLY like the tank and the clarity even if its not what they represented when I purchased the tank

[MarineGirl411]

For that price all three sides should be starphire. For all starfire sides, drilling for a closed loop etc, you can get the same tank at Obsessed Aquariums for just a little more money. I think I'd wait to get all 3 sides. I think it's a bummer for the people that order the tank and expect to get all starphire. I'd be a little ticked. You guys are lucky you got all starphire sides. Wish they would give a straight answer. SJ you can tell on yours. I'm sure it will look beautiful none the less.

[sjediets]

Have some plumbing questions:

I got the overflow kit with the new 45 Tech and the bulkheads that came with are barb fittings. I plan on splitting the single drain into the skimmer and fuge sections of my sump...both sides with valves. Wouldn't it be better to have a threaded fitting on the bulkhead so I could go straight to pvc, and not have to clamp on a piece of flex tubing first?

Also, for the return, I'm thinking I can eliminate the hose clamps by using flex pvc from the check valve right into a threaded bulkhead.

Any negatives to my design thoughts? I'm new at this sump plumbing...would appreciate any advice.

[sditch]

I believe mine has the Starfire front (I campard it to a custom starfire tank) and maybe something eles on the sides.