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  #351  
Old 08/27/2007, 03:43 PM
Bax Bax is offline
Keeper of the Hair Algae
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New Jersey
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Dude

I always leave my skimmer running dry when I am going to be away anyway, so ... you got it broken in, and now you can adjust it.

Hey! I am always happy when I return to a dry floor and do not have to part the hair algae to see the corals

Hope the Zeo thing works out for you soon
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  #352  
Old 08/27/2007, 05:38 PM
robster robster is offline
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Let me know where you end up picking up a reactor from. I have been thinking of playing with Zeo lately but found that reactors are hard to find.
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  #353  
Old 08/27/2007, 08:48 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Bax - Agree on the dry floor! My skimmer is actually located in the sump for that very reason. I'd rather have skimmate overflow back into the system than on our floor, and I know I'm not the only one with that opinion in my house, if you know what I mean .

robster - I'll let you know for sure. I am kicking myself for not getting the I-Aquatic reactor when I had the chance. Now I'm looking to get a Gro-Tech or even a Captive Oceans model.
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  #354  
Old 08/28/2007, 07:28 AM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
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I know.......
  #355  
Old 09/04/2007, 01:18 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Today I should receive my ZEOvit products, minus the reactor which will probably take another week or two to arrive. FedEx has had the stuff locally since 8/28 when they first attempted to deliver it. The shipper arranged for a required signature upon delivery, and we're never home during delivery hours which is why it's not in my posession already. I'm concerned because one of the products (ZEObak) is a live bacterial culture that should be refrigerated. I just hope it hasn't been cooked on the FedEx truck or at the station over the past week. I guess I'll subject it to the "sniff test" once it arrives to see if it has fouled or not.

robster - I ordered the reactor from Aquarium Specialty. They don't yet have it on site, but once they receive it they'll box it up and ship it to me.
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  #356  
Old 09/06/2007, 02:01 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Quick update. All of the ZEOvit products arrived in good shape. The ZEOvit reactor is supposedly "in the mail" and should arrive by late next week. It'll probably be another 2 weeks until I receive my return pump but that's OK, since the chiller pump is circulating water through the sump. Boring update, I know, but I get excited thinking about it. Once the ZEO reactor is plumbed in I'll be able to start using the ZEOvit products, and then I'll start stocking the tank about 1 month after that.
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  #357  
Old 09/06/2007, 02:45 PM
GSMguy GSMguy is offline
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Location: Wooster Ohio /Clayton New York
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cant wait for stocking
  #358  
Old 09/06/2007, 03:15 PM
Bax Bax is offline
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Location: New Jersey
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You just got to love the stocking part ... it's the best

You patient and well planned build will make that even more fun to watch!
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  #359  
Old 09/06/2007, 03:19 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Thanks guys. If stocking the tank is half as fun as setting it up, it's gonna be a real party. With my first tank I found the stocking to be quite stressful, always worrying and wondering if the newly introduced livestock would be all right. This system will be much more hospitable and stable, so I'm sure the stress factor will be less (but not completely eliminated).
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  #360  
Old 09/06/2007, 03:47 PM
melev melev is offline
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The key will be quaranting everything to avoid any pests. Aaron had some tiny flatworms in his tank, which I discovered while testing a frag I got from him.

He called me yesterday to tell me he was up until 4am testing coral after coral to find out how bad it had gotten. His tank is stunning, and the particular flatworm he had isn't one to fear, but it got his skin crawling. He really should have been a doctor, considering how clean he keeps his system.
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  #361  
Old 09/06/2007, 09:49 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by melev
The key will be quaranting everything to avoid any pests.
That's what Kingfish will be for!!
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  #362  
Old 09/08/2007, 05:30 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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The tank is teeming with tiny pods (copepods, I believe). They're all over the glass. At least I know that something can live in there.
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  #363  
Old 09/09/2007, 04:34 PM
GMFett GMFett is offline
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As for the wavebox "eye sore" - once they are coraline crusted and your have beautiful corals in there- hardly anyone will even notice it. I can't wait to see some corals mounted up!!!!
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  #364  
Old 09/09/2007, 11:01 PM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by GMFett
As for the wavebox "eye sore" - once they are coraline crusted and your have beautiful corals in there- hardly anyone will even notice it. I can't wait to see some corals mounted up!!!!
That's what I'm counting on. I actually posted incorrectly a few pages back when discussing this topic. I mentioned that tank in Thailand had 2 waveboxes when, in fact, it has 4 of them, and they're truly hardly noticable except to those who are actually looking for them.

By the way, I don't know if your roomie told you, but I was at your house a couple weekends ago and saw your tank again. It just keeps getting better and better. Awesome job, Marcus!
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  #365  
Old 09/19/2007, 10:19 AM
Dudester Dudester is offline
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Quick tank update:
Brown diatoms are developing in the sand. I'd really like to have pristine sand - should I siphon this out or leave it and allow nature to take its course? Ultimately I plan on having an aggressive sand-stirring crew along with regular siphoning to keep it clean.

My GroTech ZEOvit reactor has arrived!! I haven't had a chance to plumb it in just yet, but I should get to it in the next day or so. The quicker I get started, the quicker I'll be able to begin stocking the tank.

I saw a video of the Vortec pumps functioning as a wavemaker, and this really interested me. It would be great to replace the Tunze Wavebox for 2 Vortecs, but the price difference would be substantial. The Wavebox is around $500, and 2 Vortecs alone cost around $700, and that doesn't even include the cost of the wireless wave controller. I spoke with one of the guys at Ecotech Marine and he felt that 2 Vortecs would be able to create a nice wave in a tank of my size. Hmmm, decisions decisions.
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  #366  
Old 09/19/2007, 10:37 AM
GSMguy GSMguy is offline
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i played with the ecotech controller and it they really worked great, i think that 2 of them would be more effective in suspending detritus than a WB and in the end a smaller footprint.

either way you go it will be awsome.

did you ever get the skimmer working better?
  #367  
Old 09/19/2007, 01:04 PM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
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Mike,

I had one of the first Vortec pumps and it SUCKED! I ended up trading it for a Tunze 6100. Not sure if they worked out the bugs or not but it was very noisy and was a bit of an eye sore hanging off the side of the tank.
  #368  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:01 PM
melev melev is offline
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They don't suck at all. I love mine, and that is why I keep buying more of them and sold off all my Tunze gear. Now that the new controller is almost out, I think more and more people are going to buy them and find out for themselves if it is a good product or not.
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  #369  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:04 PM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
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Quote:
Originally posted by melev
They don't suck at all. I love mine, and that is why I keep buying more of them and sold off all my Tunze gear. Now that the new controller is almost out, I think more and more people are going to buy them and find out for themselves if it is a good product or not.
I was one of the first peeps to get one. Guess they've improved since then. I do remember they cranked out a ton of flow.
  #370  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:16 PM
jnarowe jnarowe is offline
2011.5
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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they certainly don't look worse than a Tunze. I had a lot of problems with mine as well, but Eco-Tech's service has made a huge difference. IMO, there really is no valid comparisson between the two systems.
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  #371  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:18 PM
melev melev is offline
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We have a thread about them on DFWMAS right now, and the bottom line is they are both quality products with strengths and weaknesses.

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=36712
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  #372  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:27 PM
new_world_disor new_world_disor is offline
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love the tank so far mate. gd work. really like the aquascaping !
thumbs up

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  #373  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:28 PM
jnarowe jnarowe is offline
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I disagree regarding quality. I think in regards to Tunze, that is essentially the result of excellent customer service here in the US, but around the World their reputation is not as good. I have taken a couple apart and they look like they are built with Radio Shack parts, especially that 6025.

Vortech will take a huge bite out of their market, at least until a knockoff gets built in China. I am guessing that is part of Eco-Tech's long term strategy regarding using the wireless driver. I would bet that could insulate them from competitors because of the whole wireless approval process.

Even with all the issues I have had to deal with, I just don't think that Tunze is on the same level when it comes to pump construction.
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  #374  
Old 09/19/2007, 02:34 PM
melev melev is offline
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Jonathan, I've not heard from German reefkeepers complaining about quality, and would really like to see some kind of proof that "around the world their reputation is not as good."

If you had a 6100 Stream or the Tunze Turbelle, you'd have had a better case study. The Nano Streams are cheaply made to reach that market that would never pay for the more expensive version. When I bought my first Tunze Turbelle, I couldn't believe I just plunked down $225 for a powerhead.

That pump served me well in my 55g for two years, using less than 40w of power for 800gph. And that was older technology. Later I took that same pump, contacted Roger and converted it into a Stream 6100 with some different parts, and used it for another 3 years. That's 5 years with that original pump.

While most people know I love my VorTechs and chose to switch to them, I refuse to spread negative thoughts that Tunze isn't any good. Now if you want to talk about Rio pumps, I'll be happy to delve into it.
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  #375  
Old 09/19/2007, 03:17 PM
fishypets fishypets is offline
I brake for sps
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Austin Texas
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Quote:
Originally posted by jnarowe
they certainly don't look worse than a Tunze. I had a lot of problems with mine as well, but Eco-Tech's service has made a huge difference. IMO, there really is no valid comparisson between the two systems.

I'd rather look at a tunze on the inside of the tank rather than a vortec on the inside and the outside. I guess if you have a in-wall tank it wouldn't matter, but in my case the vortec and it's cord sticking off the side of my tank was an eye sore.
 

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