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| setup - page 2 |
| Once the plumbing had been tested for leaks and the tank was filled with saltwater it was time for live sand and live rock. 75 lbs of Fiji live sand from Marine Center (picture is only 1 of 2 bags) was added first. |
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| Then 90 lbs of Fiji live rock also from Marine Center (picture is of one 45 lb box). They have great shipping rates in Southern California and Texas. |
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| Once the rock was in the skimmer started skimming almost immediately. |
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| I was looking for a good solution for light timers. I have used mechanical ones but they are bulky and I wanted to have the three lighting channels come on and off in sequence. I would never be able to get them that accurate. Typical plug in digital timers solve that problem but are also bulky and would have taken up 1-2 power strips all by themselves. I was stuck on this issue for a while and then I found a new lighting controller from DigitalAquatics. |
| It has 8 channels so I could connect all my lights and fans to it. It also has temperature control for a heater or chiller so I have an extra margin of safety. I had a heater malfunction once and get stuck on. It wasn't a pretty sight when I came home from work to a 95 degree tank. It is made up of two pieces. The power strip part is the black box in the back. Then there is an interface module that attaches with about 6 feet of cord. The interface module is nice and small and has a nice backlit display. It is very convenient to be able to hold the interface module outside the stand while programming it. I may mount it to one of the doors on the stand eventually. Price wise it was pretty good too. Three prong digital timers are about $20 each and a heater controller is at least $100. For the minimum features I wanted in separate units it would have cost me at least $160 and I would have had major space problems. This solves all my space issues and gives me the added benefits of some extra channels to control my fans. The only thing I wish it could do that it can't is use two inputs on one channel so I can have the lighting controlled by time and temperature in case things get too hot. |
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| Here is a final shot of everything setup and running in the stand. The pumps were too noisy so I put pipe insulation on all the PVC return and drain pipes. That cut it back about 20%. Then I put some acoustic foam behind the stand, on the sides, and some scraps on top and next to the pumps. That made a big difference. The loudest part of the tank before was the hum from the pumps. Now it is the water noise in the overflow. Quieting that will be the next project. |