SeaFurn's 100 Days of Nanos Contest Tank: 40 Baby RFAs

[SeaFurn]

Ordered some sand last night...figured that was a safe move!  But I gotta plan brewing now - one that maybe even a noob can pull off.  

[Pjanssen]

I think this is a great project for a noob-so many people watching and eager to help on a daily basis. Even those of us competing against you are rooting for you!

[lkoechle]

11 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

Ordered some sand last night...figured that was a safe move!  But I gotta plan brewing now - one that maybe even a noob can pull off.  

Oooh what is it?

1 hour ago, Pjanssen said:

I think this is a great project for a noob-so many people watching and eager to help on a daily basis. Even those of us competing against you are rooting for you!

I just like this community.  I want to win one category but I really like being in the same boat and bouncing ideas off of each other.  There are so many cool things we can do and I have just one tank so I'm really excited to see what other people do and come up with so I can live vicariously through the other ideas I cant do. because I have one tank. lol  I love how friendly this community is.

Edit to add: I also think this is a great contest for newbs.  While I am excited as a more experienced person to have an excuse to experiment, I think this is great for new people to see how to develop a tank and be in the same spot as more experienced reefers.  so if you encountet a problem, its easier to diagnose, you can see what we are doing differently or the same. especially since we have a level playing field with equipment. And while I dont like being so restricted, it is a great "first tank" set up. So i think it creates a really cool learning opportunity for new people both right now and anyone searching these threads in the future.

[SeaFurn]

13 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

I think this is a great project for a noob-so many people watching and eager to help on a daily basis. Even those of us competing against you are rooting for you!

Awww...you guys are great! I'm rooting for y'all too!

 

11 hours ago, lkoechle said:

Oooh what is it?

I just like this community.  I want to win one category but I really like being in the same boat and bouncing ideas off of each other.  There are so many cool things we can do and I have just one tank so I'm really excited to see what other people do and come up with so I can live vicariously through the other ideas I cant do. because I have one tank. lol  I love how friendly this community is.

Edit to add: I also think this is a great contest for newbs.  While I am excited as a more experienced person to have an excuse to experiment, I think this is great for new people to see how to develop a tank and be in the same spot as more experienced reefers.  so if you encountet a problem, its easier to diagnose, you can see what we are doing differently or the same. especially since we have a level playing field with equipment. And while I dont like being so restricted, it is a great "first tank" set up. So i think it creates a really cool learning opportunity for new people both right now and anyone searching these threads in the future.

Sand is Caribsea Arag-Alive Special Grade.  I have original grade in the reef bowl and wanted a more uniform larger grade.  So far so good.  

 

I've really enjoyed being part of this community the whopping 4 months I've been a part of it. I love seeing what others are doing with their tanks and reading all the comments, encouragement and tips people offer...and we got some funny people (as in great sense of humor!) on this site!  

 

I'm sure I'm going to be asking some questions and looking for advice once we really get going.  I've had couple of "helpers" getting me pointed in the right direction already!  

 

Did a "little" rock shopping today!  Got some nice ones on hold in a tank in IN!  I think they will work perfectly for what I've got in mind.   

 

[SeaFurn]

Ordered some goodies today!  Going to try out a Jebao Wavemaker with this tank.  I already have a small preset 50W heater that fits in the 3rd chamber.  Will 50W be strong enough?  Once the tank gets wet I'll monitor the temp and make sure it holds fairly constant but with it being summer in Georgia I'm not sure the heater is going to get much use.  

[Lula_Mae]

33 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

Ordered some goodies today!  Going to try out a Jebao Wavemaker with this tank.  I already have a small preset 50W heater that fits in the 3rd chamber.  Will 50W be strong enough?  Once the tank gets wet I'll monitor the temp and make sure it holds fairly constant but with it being summer in Georgia I'm not sure the heater is going to get much use.  

Not sure, I know recommendation is 5w per gallon but since it's going into summer I'd probably just wait and see and be prepared to replace it or supplement it when it starts cooling off.

[cnseekatz]

On 4/21/2017 at 4:51 PM, SeaFurn said:

 

Cool forced perspective in this shot. At first glance, these look like giant boxes sitting on hardwood floors.

[Gradleg]

Where are you located in georgia? 

[SeaFurn]

21 hours ago, cnseekatz said:

 

Cool forced perspective in this shot. At first glance, these look like giant boxes sitting on hardwood floors.

Should have moved the chair and it would have been so much better - but it was unplanned other than wanting to get the reefbowl in the background. 

 

8 minutes ago, Gradleg said:

Where are you located in georgia? 

Atlanta (northern burbs) 

[Gradleg]

Awesome! I have some family in marrieta and am planning on going to kensaw state university. But right now im in warner robins

[SeaFurn]

Got a new toy today! 

 

And made some sand soup....getting ready for my rocks!

The recipe called for a little sand, a small rock, and some water from today's reefbowl water change.  

Finally getting caught up with some of my fellow contestants! 

[Mariaface]

There's an SW-2?! WHY didn't I get it?!

[samnaz]

How do you like the SW2? Have you used any of the preceding models like RW?

[SeaFurn]

On 4/30/2017 at 2:33 AM, Mariaface said:

There's an SW-2?! WHY didn't I get it?!

Yeah - I only knew that from reading about it here on NR!

Full disclosure - I had been planning another tank (a 12g long) when this contest threw me a curve ball and I was going to use a couple of SW2s or SW4s on that tank. 

 

4 hours ago, samnaz said:

How do you like the SW2? Have you used any of the preceding models like RW?

It's only been running in the bucket but it's dead silent! It's also super small, the controls are easy to use, and the mounting magnet is very strong.  

I haven't used any other similar power head/wave maker/circulation device so don't have anything to compare it to but right now 2 thumbs up! 

 

Maybe I'll do a more in depth review when I get it in the tank with pics etc. 

[SeaFurn]

Rocks ordered.  Will be here on Thursday and into the bucket they will go!   

Leak test in progress!!    

The pump is loud    Listen to this thing -

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Coral_chef]

yeah there's gotta be a way to reduce vibration 

[SeaFurn]

I took out the impeller and reseated it.  I've pressed the pump down hard to make sure the all the suction cups were attached to the bottom, moved it around in the chamber, made sure nothing was touching the sides, put more water in, took out some water.  Not sure what else to do.  Countdown to replacement - 110 days....unless this thing quiets down. 

[lkoechle]

Just now, SeaFurn said:

I took out the impeller and reseated it.  I've pressed the pump down hard to make sure the all the suction cups were attached to the bottom, moved it around in the chamber, made sure nothing was touching the sides, put more water in, took out some water.  Not sure what else to do.  Countdown to replacement - 110 days....unless this thing quiets down. 

 

Sicce's not a good replacemant fyi.  Stinky mentioned a brand I'm not familiar with that may be something.  

[Weetabix7]

8 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

Rocks ordered.  Will be here on Thursday and into the bucket they will go!   

Leak test in progress!!    

The pump is loud    Listen to this thing -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds a lot like the pump I have for the return on my Macro Tank. I feel your pain. 

Just now, lkoechle said:

 

Sicce's not a good replacemant fyi.  Stinky mentioned a brand I'm not familiar with that may be something.  

 

Lifeguard, I think. 

[Lula_Mae]

I saw a post on here where someone had wrapped a noisy pump with airline split in half lol.  Someone else recently did something but I can't remember what--I believe it was oogie--to solve their noisy pump problem.

[coralcousins]

On 5/1/2017 at 5:37 PM, SeaFurn said:

The pump is loud    Listen to this thing -

I'm with you on that one. I was talking on the phone in the next room during my testing and the person I was speaking to could hear it buzzing lol we need to solve this.

[SeaFurn]

6 hours ago, coralcousins said:

I'm with you on that one. I was talking on the phone in the next room during my testing and the person I was speaking to could hear it buzzing lol we need to solve this.

Last night I pulled the pump completely out of the chamber and held it suspended in the tank itself so it wasn't touching anything - still was loud. Reseated the impeller - still was loud. Gripped the pump tightly underwater to minimize the vibration and that didn't help much either. And it's louder when it's in the chamber because the sound echoes more.  I think it's the pump itself and we are just going to have to put up with this for the length of the contest.  

 

[natalia_la_loca]

I would complain to MD about the pump noise if I were you. I thought part of the selling point of this new line of Fusion tanks was that the pumps would be good enough not to need replacing.

[spectra]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:46 PM, lkoechle said:

 

Sicce's not a good replacemant fyi.  Stinky mentioned a brand I'm not familiar with that may be something.  

 

Why?

 

I ran a 1.5 in my 20 and have a 2.0 in my 30L both were dead silent.

 

[lkoechle]

3 minutes ago, spectra said:

 

Why?

 

I ran a 1.5 in my 20 and have a 2.0 in my 30L both were dead silent.

 

I have had two 1.5 plus a replacement impeller and they were louder than the im stock pump.  I think their quality control is just going down hill because everyone else said theirs was quiet.  but I sent a video to MD and they agreed thay noise wasnt normal.   Its been about 2 months since then and its quieted down but its still about the same level as the stock pump.  The flow is good though. I think I am going to try a different pump though for the 14 after the 100 days.  The sicce was too disappointing and frustrating.  MD was great to work with though.  They have a customer for life in me after that.

1 hour ago, SeaFurn said:

Last night I pulled the pump completely out of the chamber and held it suspended in the tank itself so it wasn't touching anything - still was loud. Reseated the impeller - still was loud. Gripped the pump tightly underwater to minimize the vibration and that didn't help much either. And it's louder when it's in the chamber because the sound echoes more.  I think it's the pump itself and we are just going to have to put up with this for the length of the contest.  

 

Go to my lagoon thread and search for the pump posts.  i have both my pumps running buckets so you can hear what they're like.  The 25 pump is the same as the 14.  see if its louder or quieter than yours.  you can also see/hear the sicce pump.