Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 19

melev · #**451** 12/15/2007, 12:52 AM

I doubt they'd close my thread, but your post might vanish.

grego · #**452** 12/15/2007, 01:07 AM

.

melev · #**453** 12/15/2007, 01:14 AM

Check it out. Today at my LFS, look at what I saw!

That's right. Our LFS is on the map, baby!

corals b 4 bills · #**454** 12/15/2007, 01:18 AM

OT- hey marc where do you mix your salt water? I have mine in the garage (about 45 at night) I mixed my salt water for three or four days and my electric bill was 50 to 60 more than last month, I know it was the salt container because of the billing cycle on my new bill coencided with my water change. do you have this problem with heating your change out water?

bleedingthought · #**455** 12/15/2007, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Check it out. Today at my LFS, look at what I saw!

That's right. Our LFS is on the map, baby!

Wait, what?

jnarowe · #**456** 12/15/2007, 01:36 AM

how much were they Marc?

kau_cinta_ku · #**457** 12/15/2007, 01:42 AM

looks like a sweet LFS. to bad we lost one of ours

melev · #**458** 12/15/2007, 01:46 AM

Today while I was at the LFS, I saw this brand new tank that just arrived.

Have you guys seen these new all-in-one Solana nano systems? I ended up helping him assemble this new tank, stand and light. The tank has its own skimmer, a media section, and a return pump compartment. Over the return pump are two small inverted bottles for topping off throughout the day.

The top of the tank has a glass panel, and above that is a 250w DE MH fixture. It was kind of neat to unpack it and set it up while Frank was busy helping customers, and I felt like a kid on Christmas putting together his newest toy - although I didn't get to keep this one.

Anyway, it is new to me, so I took a picture. I think it's pretty modern looking.

I was reading the paperwork, and never found the total gallons. I think Frank told me it was 34g. When I unpacked it, I was very focused on not breaking anything, and he had taken the boxes outside. I'm assuming it (the total gallons) was printed on the box, but never saw it because I was too busy ripping it all open.

Btw, the stand was a pain to assemble, but it has a small drawer, a shelf inside, and the door has a glass panel that you can almost make out in the picture.

The light fixture was pretty neat, but until the store has a couple more circuits added (tomorrow), this tank won't be plugged in.

I'd like to see how that skimmer works, and how many ounces those top off bottles are. The return pump had a name on it like Aequeo or something. I've seen the shape before, but can't remember that particular name. At least in a power outage, the tank can't overflow.

jnarowe · #**459** 12/15/2007, 01:50 AM

like a piece of art. It will be nice if it works well too.

melev · #**460** 12/15/2007, 01:59 AM

Another club member was hanging out after I got it set up, and all he wanted to do was bust open some bags of sand, grab some LR and fire it up.

You asked about the foam pad price for the VorTechs. They were $10.99 for a pack of three.

melev · #**461** 12/15/2007, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by corals b 4 bills
OT- hey marc where do you mix your salt water? I have mine in the garage (about 45 at night) I mixed my salt water for three or four days and my electric bill was 50 to 60 more than last month, I know it was the salt container because of the billing cycle on my new bill coencided with my water change. do you have this problem with heating your change out water?

I mix my saltwater in the kitchen's utility room, and I keep my house around 70F this time of year. I've tried 68F to save a few bucks, but I'm just too cold lately. (I need a hottie reefette, I think)

I can't imagine that you heated the saltwater in your garage and that raised the electricity bill by $50 or more. What size heater? I'm sure you can get a pretty good estimate of what that much wattage running (70%?) of the time x kwh would cost you per day.

Even if you did mix it up with a heater, once it is mixed it could cool off until you needed it. A circulation pump would be keep it from freezing, although your garage isn't cold enough for that anyway. And plug the heater in 12 - 24 hours before you'll use the water.

kau_cinta_ku · #**462** 12/15/2007, 02:24 AM

I thought this was your hottie reffette

melev · #**463** 12/15/2007, 02:29 AM

Unfortunately, she is not. I only got to hear about her.

Hop · #**464** 12/15/2007, 02:43 AM

I do like the idea of that new tank, but something I don't like about it is the shape of the light or the shape of the stand... Or perhaps the 2 together... Oh well neither here nor there

Did it feel like it was put together well?

jnarowe · #**465** 12/15/2007, 03:00 AM

She looks well put together to me, and who cares about the light?

Micki · #**466** 12/15/2007, 05:35 AM

I wonder how that light will be when it's on? I don't like lights that reflect off the glass/shine in your eyes. It should be interesting.

Alaska_Phil · #**467** 12/15/2007, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
You might also need a tiny powerhead in there to keep the water moving around the coils & to make sure the water is heated equally.

I used the suction cups to hold the heaters to the bottom of the cooler. I'm hoping there'll be enough convection current to keep things evenly heated.

Phil

Alaska_Phil · #**468** 12/15/2007, 05:49 AM

There's been a lot of posts in the nano forum about those, but I haven't read them yet. I like to customize and build stuff myself too much to have much interest in an all-in-one like that.

Phil

poppin_fresh · #**469** 12/15/2007, 09:36 AM

The light on that nano is ugly. The lights on the other one...not to shabby.

mbaychuk · #**470** 12/15/2007, 09:41 AM

Hi melev,nice article on water changes. I do mine every 2 to 3 weeks about 40g. I never checked the parameters on new water assuming they would be what the packaging says, but as you expierenced not always true, so I'm going to start testing it before changes now. I also use tropic marin salt any expeirence with that brand? Thanks mbaychuk

melev · #**471** 12/15/2007, 04:04 PM

I'm not aware of any issues with Tropic Marin, ever. It is definitely one of the ones that should be reliable time after time. However, testing your water is wise to make absolutely sure all is as it should be.

gkarshens · #**472** 12/15/2007, 05:39 PM

I recently had a batch of TM that had a Ca level of 250! So definitely test before using.

Marc I saw that same nano at an LFS that was having a big sale today. It is 34 g and the light was a 150w HQI with a 14000k bulb.

melev · #**473** 12/15/2007, 05:41 PM

150w? Really? The bulb appeared to be larger, so I guessed it was a 250w. Maybe I just was dazzled by all the new stuff in the boxes... now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure the ballast was marked 150w.

My mistake, y'all.

NanoGurl · #**474** 12/15/2007, 08:18 PM

That's a kewl nano!

Alaska_Phil · #**475** 12/15/2007, 08:52 PM

Well, the temperature research continues. I did a water change on my 20 long last night, so am filtering another 5 gal today. Using the cooler instead of a bucket for the coil I've raised the water bath temp from 58 to 70 degrees using the same two 150W heaters. Water flow is up a little, but still in the 2 gph range. I'm going to go ahead and pick up a more powerful heater.

BTW NanoGurl, cool Siberian there. I've got Sib/Mal mix. Gotta love those big friendly furballs

Phil