Chris' Reef

Chris,

Beautiful Tank!

If you're thinking Vortechs,
go with the newer wp40'-check out the threads on them, biggest one I hear is on RC

And Chris, you have roughly 50g, right. You already have 9 fish.
IMEO- you already have too many fish for a reef tank! I wouldn't recommend MORE fish, unless of course you go bigger on the Tank.

Tank looks great!

 

That's too bad that the vortec isn't impressing you. I was hoping that it would do great. Maybe someone will chime in with plenty experience with it and give you a couple pointers. I have heard great review on it so I hope it will work out for you. Can't wait to see some updated pics.

 

Thank you!

I ordered and received my mp40wES, manufacture date of Feb.11th, 2013, can't get much newer then that. I went with that model because I also have a gen1 radion I have been thinking about throwing over this tank along with the current leds to get the reds,greens and a little more light in the middle section of the tank as well. I love the light, but not overly impressed with the pump at this point.

While yes, for the newb reefer, and really most in general I would agree 10 fish in a system my size could be a bit iffy.... but I run an efficent skimmer for 3-5times my size, vodka and vinegar dose (considering switching to ecobak tho), and everyone gets along. Also now with the flow ranging from 2400 to over 8000 gph it is a pretty wild environment and the open scape allows ample swimming room IMO, even my tang does not just pace back and forth all day

It does seem to be doing slightly better today, I can see a little polyp movement on the far end of the tank with the other pumps off that I could not see yesterday, maybe there is a break in period or something. I assumed being that it is just a pump that relies on the magnets rotation to function there shouldn't be much of a difference it should function the same everytime it is turned on (provided the magnet and bearings are all functioning properly and in good care anyway)..... guess not. LOL

 

I don't know much about vodka dosing or vinegar but I run TLF NPX Biopellets in a DIY reactor and every since I started running them I have noticed a huge difference in my algae accumulation and everything just looks cleaner. I also run the discharge directly to the skimmer and, WOW, the junk that it pulls out is amazing. So my experience with Biopellets is a good one. You can see my reactor in my build thread. I'll try to search for the link.

I'm glad the vortec is working out. I've really heard a good hype on those so I'm glad it's doing its job.

Congrats in whole on everything.

 

Vodka, vinegar.... dosing are all forms of carbon dosing, and biopellets are essentially a solid form of carbon dosing from my understanding. I haven't done a TON of research on it yet but thats the way it seems... it should replace my need to dose the other two daily which will be nice. MY skimmer already pulls 1/2-1" of thick gunk daily as, but I expect it to increase as it will be also skimming off the surface of the biopellets as they break down and release what they pull out of the water as well.

As far as the vortech, I still am not buying all the hype of these things. To get the flow that I want in my system I honestly think I would need 2x mp40s and 2xmp10....LMAO!!!! I have gone through all the modes, shut off all the other pumps and just don't see what all the hype has been on these. The only + over my koralia or MJ is that I don't have to cut a slit in my screen top to run a cord into the tank. It isn't any less noticable then my other pumps, the flow isn't impressing me (better then initially, but still not great), and the dryside is noticable and not really any more attractive then having a little extra inside the tank.

 

I did take some pics today, but after 3 hrs of messing with the vortech trying to get it quieter and reduce the vibration that has appeared (only at certain %ages????... like 50 and 80%, if I take it away from one it shows up at the other no matter what I do seems like one of them has a slight vibration)

Anyways I haven't even taken the pics off the camera yet, but they are snapped atleast so tomorrow there will be some pics.... nothing special just some before afters, not sure I even snapped a FTS, if not a phone FTS tomorrow will have to do for now.... and the fish were asleep as I "stopped time" on the reef for a while, but the fish didn't buy it lol.

 

Ok, pics are pretty crappy. I ran the vortech in nutrient export mode, wiped the glass, fed and then pulled out the camera LOL

FTS:


Random Coral shots:





















I really wish I could get the pink in this thing to show!:

 

Stopped into my LFS again today, racks are jammin pretty good, amazing selection of acros! So I snagged 5 gems for sure! SunnyX mille, a sweet pink mille, 2 BAAAAD deepwaters that finally made if from the display to the sale racks, and a piece of ReefRaft Poison Ivy..... Can't beat the selection thats for sure! A couple need to color up a little still but to me thats part of the fun.

I also started running carbon in a DIY reactor to try to clear up the water clarity a little more.

 

A little bit better FTS phone shot:

 

That's a great FTS Chris. Looks real clean. Looks like your getting the vortec dialed in. All the corals look good. Glad your lfs put out some good frags. Can't wait to see the growth. Keep us posted.