Finnex 30g owners unite!

[ReefInChicago]

It's my first and old skimmer so far, so I don't know any better.

 

just catching up with this one.

 

i used the stock skimmer until about a month and a half ago. i'd put the remora nano on my cadlights tank and really liked the way it skimmed. finally, i got tired of the overflowed cup on the finnex skimmer or the no-skim problem, so i bought a standard remora for the finnex. works great, nasty stinky skim.

 

i don't know that i'd 'recommend' swapping the skimmer out, but i will say that i'm more satisfied with the remora than i was with the finnex, and as a plus i got a chamber back to put some carbon/purigen in since the remora is an hotb skimmer.

 

matt

[erickrm]

yea def much better to clean the shield than to clean reflectors! lol... i messed up a set of Icecap SLR's trying to clean them with vinegar so yea the shield is def worth it!

[NoValidTitle]

just catching up with this one.

 

i used the stock skimmer until about a month and a half ago. i'd put the remora nano on my cadlights tank and really liked the way it skimmed. finally, i got tired of the overflowed cup on the finnex skimmer or the no-skim problem, so i bought a standard remora for the finnex. works great, nasty stinky skim.

 

i don't know that i'd 'recommend' swapping the skimmer out, but i will say that i'm more satisfied with the remora than i was with the finnex, and as a plus i got a chamber back to put some carbon/purigen in since the remora is an hotb skimmer.

 

matt

 

What are the chances you could snap a picture of the standard skimmer on the back of the tank?

[BigByrd]

theres some pics of mine and phixions skimmer on page 10, not on the tank but just the skimmate from it.

 

ummm im thinkin about upgrading to the 32 gallon acrylic finnex...what do you guys think of it? and most importantly, can i still hang out in the 30 gallon thread? i wont get the tank if i cant...

 

i emailed Ken for the price of the tank alone, since i have the sunpod, skimmer, and all the pumps i would need. im hopin the price is decent...im sure it wont be 80 bucks like this one was...this wont be til after Jamaica though so about a month

[NoValidTitle]

theres some pics of mine and phixions skimmer on page 10, not on the tank but just the skimmate from it.

 

ummm im thinkin about upgrading to the 32 gallon acrylic finnex...what do you guys think of it? and most importantly, can i still hang out in the 30 gallon thread? i wont get the tank if i cant...

 

i emailed Ken for the price of the tank alone, since i have the sunpod, skimmer, and all the pumps i would need. im hopin the price is decent...im sure it wont be 80 bucks like this one was...this wont be til after Jamaica though so about a month

 

 

Woops I meant pictures of the standard remora skimmer ^_^

 

I wouldn't mind if you hung out, what's 2 gallons. If it's what you want go for it. I'm just not a big fan of the ease of scratching an acrylic tank.

[BigByrd]

ahh ok ill get you a pic tomorrow if reefinchicago doesnt have one by then...theres some in my 30g thread but i dont feel like goin through it all...feel free though

[danimal1211]

I'm in the planning stage for a 30g finnex, and I was wondering, since many are complaining about the efficiency of the skimmer, can a needlewheel pump be added to make it more efficient?

[Phixion]

haha, you're still in with us even if you go acrylic BigByrd.

[ReefInChicago]

Woops I meant pictures of the standard remora skimmer ^_^

 

I wouldn't mind if you hung out, what's 2 gallons. If it's what you want go for it. I'm just not a big fan of the ease of scratching an acrylic tank.

 

 

here's the way the remora looks:

 

[NoValidTitle]

here's the way the remora looks:

 

thats gigantic! haha

[NoValidTitle]

My only one complaint is that this pump is noisey!! Maybe it just needs a few days to break in, but it's pretty loud.

Any update on if the pump is still noisy?

here's the way the remora looks:

How is the noise on that sucker? Does it sit higher then that light? I think something that big on the back of my tank would anger me haha.

[erickrm]

then dont get the deltec either its proly just as big maybe a little smaller.... but not much lol.

[Phixion]

Looks good Erick!

 

My RIO 14HF pump has gotten a little quieter, but it's still a noisy sucker. One big thing of note is that it raised my water level a few millimeters, and thus I had to apply silicon aquarium sealant around the entire top frame of the tank to prevent water from leaking out. =/

[NoValidTitle]

So I put a Rio HF12 in my current gen Finnex tank. It was a TIGHT TIGHT fit but overall I think it was worth the aggravation it took to get it in there. If you plan to do this swap you will need someone with long skinny arms and some patience. You have to force the pump down to the bottom, literally. Once it's at the bottom you have to THEN get the suction plate under the pump and on with room for about 2 skinny fingers to do the job. It is a direct fit to the stock plumbing though. Now 2 pictures...

 

 

[Phixion]

Looks good d00d!

 

Not using the base plate, my pump dropped right into the chamber rather well with room to spare. I wish I could have used it though... Hardest part for me I found was getting the T-pipe assembly to fit all back together nicely as with the new pump, it wasn't quite as perfect of a fit anymore, lol! I made it all work though and that's what mattered.

[NC2WA]

Hello Finnex owners !!!

 

I am interested in buying a Finnex 30g (4x24W T5 lighting) from Premium Aquatics. Seems like they still have some available even though the tank is supposed to be discontinued. What really is selling me is the fact that this nice size tank includes a skimmer, fuge, and lights for under $400.

 

I have a couple of questions:

 

1. I noticed earlier in the thread a skimmer replacement kit was mentioned. Does this kit already come if I am buying directly from PA?? I would think by October 2007 they should have this issue fixed and be included. Right???

 

2. Are you please with the quality and craftmanship of this tank?

 

3. Is 96w enough light to keep LPS, anenomes or a crocea clam?? T5 lights are intense but it is enough to keep any of the above mentioned corals?

 

4. Besides the bubbles in the tank, water flow, light and skimmer replacement, is there anything else I should be aware of??

 

Thanks,

Kirk

[BigByrd]

had a drunken idea and theres a break between football so i did a mod that i saw someone do on a 20 gallon tank...my water level was always about 3/4 of an inch under the black trimming and it bothered me so i took a cassette tape and made a little overflow thingy...works great

 

 

this was it before...not exactly 3/4 f an inch but i had the pump chamber filled all the way to raise the water level for photo reasons...normally its about 3/4

 

the overflow

 

and no more water line below the trim

[NoValidTitle]

I know Big and Phix have the first gen with the center return so I'm not sure if you have this problem but does anyone have the problem of the return chamber getting low? It's not really a huge problem but it happened before my pump upgrade so I know it's not that. It only really presents an issue because I have my temp probe in the skimmer section and the heaters in the return section so if heat kicks on it has to go through the whole tank. The water level varies and sometimes goes below the "minimum" water level for the heaters and they are touching the bottom of the tank. It has to be a flow issue because if I remove the sponge in the baffle it levels out a bit. Any solutions?

[BigByrd]

the return chamber is gonna be the first to get low cuz of evaporation and thats the one that gets rid of water the quickest....i have my water level always right below the little tray that hangs off...so its pretty high up...mostly cuz i dont like noise of water dripping...but a solution would be to put the heater in the fuge section...or try to fit it in the skimmer section...if thats what ur asking....so keep the temp probe in the skimmer chamber, and put the heater in the fuge, or opposite, and it should be all good, no?

[Phixion]

Agreed, my pump (center) chamber is always the first to go low. It's good in a way because it reminds you when to top off once you hear the "waterfall" from off the drip tray.

 

Kirk, the 1st gen model was discontinued back in January. Then they came out with the 2nd generation 30g model which to my knowledge is not slatted to be axed any time soon. The skimmer fix kit was issued to people that bought the 1st gen tank (unless you bought it the last month it was made, then it came included) but the current 2nd gen tank already comes with the fix components.

 

The T5's are completely enough to keep clams, SPS and anemones. I have 2 clams and some SPS in my tank as we speak and all is doing superbly!

 

Nothing to complain about with the tank in quality or anything like that. I wish the top frame was sealed on the inside, but I think I'm the only owner to date experiencing a leak issue from that due to a particular situation I have with my tank currently. I sealed it myself and no more leaks.

 

BigByrd, I was cheap a while back and just bought a NanoCube modular skimmer for that same task, lol! Works well, but I don't use it as it raises my display water level almost to the top of the frame, and drains out the pump chamber about half way. Especially now with my pump upgrade mod, my tank would surely overflow with the modular skimmer on... =/

[gioNVA]

What stand are you using for the 30g tanks? I'm not too sure on the Finnex stand and was wondering if a Biocube 29 stand (need to add a 24x18 board on top) or a RSM stand would work for this tank?

[Phixion]

What stand are you using for the 30g tanks? I'm not too sure on the Finnex stand and was wondering if a Biocube 29 stand (need to add a 24x18 board on top) or a RSM stand would work for this tank?

 

They would I'm sure, but the Finnex stand is actually not too bad of quality. I have it with my tank at least...

[NoValidTitle]

What stand are you using for the 30g tanks? I'm not too sure on the Finnex stand and was wondering if a Biocube 29 stand (need to add a 24x18 board on top) or a RSM stand would work for this tank?

 

I like it visually but IMO it's a little shaky. It shifts when I used my magfloat from side to side, and I'm not all aggressive about it.

[Phixion]

I like it visually but IMO it's a little shaky. It shifts when I used my magfloat from side to side, and I'm not all aggressive about it.

 

Mine does kind of too. Which reminds me that I really need to anchor my stand to the wall (a wall stud actually) at least for some quake protection...

[Dirt4dinner]

There was no way I could read through all these pages, but I did get a lot of info. I am in the process of breaking down my 80 gallon tank to go with the 30 Finnex w/ MH. I am super excited about the new tank, I like starting new tanks more than maintaining them. My biggest question is, is there any way to have an auto top off system on one of these tanks? My current tank has a huge sump, and a float valve. Obviously there isn't room for that, but what else have you guys done to auto top off? I live in Phoenix, AZ...and in the summer evaporate almost 5 gallons a day in my current tank. Let me know. Thanks!