Chris' Reef

chort55 · Mar 20, 2013

I don't think I am going to make it down, haven't been feeling to good lately and made a pretty good tank investment lately with the new mp40, trip to Reef Paradise, and now the hellboy and a larger practically mini-colony of the Solar Flare..... but I haven't entirely ruled it out yet either lol

chort55 · Mar 21, 2013

MP40 I just received from Ecotech before even plugging it in:

Original MP40:

The new one is 3 weeks older then the original, and I kind of think it may be refurbished even. It already has a double grove, I removed the small dust/metal shavings that were on it, and the powder coating has been sanded off around the area where the pin spacer goes......

If I use the new one together how they sent it, it is actually worse then my original and the electric motor whine is slightly worse.

If I swap the wetsides with eachother they are both free of vibrations, however the one they just shipped still has a louder electric motor whine.

chort55 · Mar 22, 2013

Called Ecotech earlier today..... apparently sanding the drycoat off is normal now (althought it wasn't sanded off my original one that is 3 weeks newer then the one they sent to replace it) and I sent the pics over of both dry sides and thats supposedly normal too (although the original CS rep said the grooves shouldn't be there). No explaination for the scratches on the "new" driver tho.

Anyways I've got a couple weeks to run them both to see if either quiet down. He said there is normally a 2 week "break in period". The original still has about the same vibration noise it had, the new one has a slight vibration noise but the electric motor whine is much louder.... and is constanstly louder which is more annoying then the slight occassional rumble.

I've gotta admit, I am kinda letting them play the say what you think will make him happy and get him off the phone game a little more then I normally would because atleast when I call CS I get an american rep, who speaks clear american english LOL

chort55 · Mar 23, 2013

Well both pumps are still irritatingly noisy, but man the flow is nice..... only good thing I can say about them. I am not noticing any better PE like I have seen some say they get, but we will see.

skinz78 · Mar 23, 2013

Great looking tank Chris!

chort55 · Mar 23, 2013

skinz78 said:
Great looking tank Chris!

Thank you. It has been progressing along quite nicely and starting to get some good growth as things are starting to settle in

creefer · Mar 23, 2013

Flow is pretty broad with these pumps. I think in the end, your tank will like them. I hope the noise subsides for you.

gmoney243 · Mar 23, 2013

Send em back and get the new wide flow 6105 youll thank me later

chort55 · Mar 27, 2013

Well I have been messing with settings, trying to align them etc. etc. but the original still has a very slight wobble/vibration noise but it is getting less noticeable (or I am getting more used to it lol), but the replacement's whine is still annoying, and has the same "offness" in its noise with a wobble/vibration. Regardless I decided to move the original around some today to see if I could get it to work alone and provide enough flow for the entire tank. I had it almost centered before thinking that would give it the most room to move the most water but boy was I wrong! I moved it slightly forward and into the top 1/3 of the tank and it now moves plenty of water and all the sps polyps are gently swaying in the flow finally!!!! If nothing else I know 1 will be plenty atleast until things grow out alot more.

Also after talking to a friend about his scape I wanted to point out that on the right side of the tank there is actually a bit of an overhang that I created with a piece of tonga branch. After not being happy with the way it looked with the rest of my rock anywhere else I decided to "hide" it which worked out excellent IMO.....

I found a rock that had an opening in it large enough for one of the 4 branches on the piece I had, and was able to push it in and kind of lock it inplace. I also had a piece of LR that had a bit of an odd shape that fit fairly well around the other branches so after securing the two "locked" rocks into the area I wanted them I placed the "odd" rock on top of the branch and added another piece to secure the overhang onto the main structure for that side.

Alittle easier to see the area I am talking about:

creefer · Mar 27, 2013

Very nice! I'M glad to hear what you have to say about the pump. I have mine about mid way up but my tank is also more shallow than yours.

I like the tonga idea, too.

creefer · Mar 27, 2013

By the way...how do you get good pics?? Mine always seem to come out like crap. I could blame the camera, but I fear that's not the issue.

chort55 · Mar 27, 2013

creefer said:
Very nice! I'M glad to hear what you have to say about the pump. I have mine about mid way up but my tank is also more shallow than yours.

I like the tonga idea, too.

By the way...how do you get good pics?? Mine always seem to come out like crap. I could blame the camera, but I fear that's not the issue.

The pumps are weird LOL.... I had it lower and it would suck air, I raise it and it doesn't. I really don't understand these things, but I don't care its finally working right and moving water like I feel it should.

Going to give them a few more days see if either settle down noise wise if not I will just send the replacement back as the slight vibration is more tolerable then the constant whine.

Yeah I actually did something similar in the final days of the 180 with the branch, which lead to the ease of figuring out what to do with it in this set up when it was quickly realized it just didn't look right anywhere else unfortunately.

Thanks for thinking my pics are good! I really don't know how my pics even turn out somewhat ok. I guess my camera just likes my tank, and I get lucky. I do run a 50/50 mix on the white to blue which helps alot I think tho, especially with my LEDs. I use a Nikon L120, which is a step or two below a DSLR, yet fairly basic like a Point N Shoot, so that probably doesn't hurt either.... but I also use my phone alot, but that is alot harder to get a decent pic.... Other then that I have begun shutting all or atleast most of the flow off in the tank and trying to be as steady as possible.... but its mostly decent camera and alot of luck I think! I still have alot of room for improvement especially on close ups of coral, but that probably won't happen to much unless I actually convince the MRS. we need a DSLR for taking pics of the kid LOL

gmoney243 · Mar 27, 2013

When i had my mp40s i noticed it would draw air if u had the wet side in a certain position and spinning it stoped that.

chort55 · Mar 30, 2013

Alright, done playing with the vortechs, I removed and packaged up the replacement pump today as I couldn't tolerate the electric motor whine anymore it was louder and actually getting worse...... Broke out the camera for a few a little bit ago so here ya go.......

For whatever reason I placed the TBG Solar Flare with most of the branches facing towards the back (which because of its placement on the rock points them more towards the light so I guess it kinda makes sense thinking about it now....), but here is a few pics that does 0 justice and don't capture the orange tips at all:

And a horrible top down next to my Tyree Pink Lemonade that again does neither piece any justice

She might not look like much right now, but this little gem is a piece of ReefRaft Poison Ivy (if you don't know what it is, look it up, you will be glad you did

):

Now for the new Deepwaters, up first is a little blue tipped beauty (well not in my pics, but in person its quite nice

)

And the yellow tip, that is so brightly yellow tipped there is no possibility of capturing it with my skills:

That piece is a no B.S. true yellow tip, not your normal oh yeah its yellow.... nah its really greenish/yellowy. This is the real deal true yellow.... and a deepwater. I REALLY can't wait for it to grow out

I've had this one for a while now, but it is very nice and growing great. I picked it up as a WWC Jaquelineae:

chort55 · Mar 30, 2013

Heres a couple randoms:

chort55 · Apr 10, 2013

Quick phone FTS:

Nothing new added yet since the hellboy and TBG Solar Flare a few weeks ago. I do plan to add the new TBG Euphoria as soon as it is ready to go tho. Andy has definitely been coming out with some great stuff lately!!!

Other then that, not much going on. I am getting pretty decent growth/basing down of my corals but its not really able to be captured much with my camera skills.... Pretty much just wanted to put an updated FTS up.

chort55 · Apr 30, 2013

Added a trio of flame cardinals today, stopped in at the LFS to get salt and wife liked them. Nothing other to report at this time, just letting the tank cruise on auto pilot for a little while lol

Will do a FTS in the upcoming week or so for documentation/ see if there is any photographically noticeable growth.