Setting up my 50 Gallon...

[ChrisRD]

Is this the pump your LFS is talking about?
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant ... y_Code=MAG

Mags are a mediocre pump IMO. If you're looking for a quality submersible pump consider an Ocean Runner or Eheim. IME they're more energy efficient, quieter and will heat the water less than Mags.

 

[mr_X]

if you are referring to a mag drive 7, yes, i believe that is a high price.
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/pu ... anner2.htm
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem. ... uct=DN1125
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=4590

sorry about your mother. i hope she recovers well.

 

[Arie]

This is the box of what I was looking at, though it was for 700 GPH. I'm not sure if this helps at all, or even if this is a good brand, but it's what the LFS suggested. Their pricetag gave me a little heart murmur though.

 

[ChrisRD]

Well, that explains the price...

...that's a Mag 12 - way overkill for a return pump on a 50 gallon tank. The drain/overflow in the main tank might not even be able to handle a pump that large depending on what you have planned. Speaking of which - what do you plan to do for the drain/overflow in the display tank (ie. is it reef-ready, hang-on overflow, having it drilled, etc.)?

Either way, I recommend going with something smaller for the return pump to save on heat/energy costs and rely more on in-tank circulation. Two possibilities that are much quieter, more energy efficient and will not heat the water nearly as much:
Ocean Runner 2500
Eheim 1260

 

[shavo]

Hey Arie, yeah these guys are right that is a high price for a mag 7. curious to see some pics of what you came up with so far ar at least once "el fugo" is completed. Cutting boards silicon and all looking forward to seeing it. This is the fun part of starting a tank, doing and learning how it all goes, enjoy this time.

Tell ma we all wish her the best and for a full recovery.


hey X, ready for some hard core rock drilling??? weez gonna have some fun tonight!!!

Shavo out!

 

[ChrisRD]

Tell ma we all wish her the best and for a full recovery.

+1

 

[shavo]

I respond and before I do there are already 2 posts, yeah a mag 12 on a 50 gallon tank is a bit much. That kind of stuff makes me hate the LFS and the advice they give. Glad you didn't purchase right then and there. I have a mag 9 on my 125 gallon. so a mag 12 on your 50 would be like a tsunami.



sorry i just went back and read it was a mag 7 , Chris they were going to charge her $129 for a mag 7

they were ripping you off!!!!

 

[ChrisRD]

Oh sorry - just skimming the post quickly and missed that... ...I agree - that's a crazy price for a Mag 7.

I'm not a huge fan of Mag pumps. They get the job done, but IMO the build quality is unimpressive and there are better pumps for comparable prices. I use a Mag 7 to mix-up water changes and it heats the water so much I don't usually have to add a heater!

Personally I prefer better quality pumps like the ORs or the Eheims (pricey but worth it).

 

[Arie]

Update..

Ma must be doing alright, she's driving me absolutely insane. Her surgery consult is monday.

The tank, I've become chicken sh*t with, and I'm scared to try and use a drill press to cut the holes in the back. Everyone I've asked to help has said no, that the best bet is to bring it to a glazier. I called a few shops and they all said that I'm insane and that they wouldn't do it. Soooo, I dunno what I'm gonna do. I'll have to set it up some other way I suppose.

I was using that pic as an example of the brand that the LFS is suggesting... the same brand, but different GPH. I still haven't settled on one, I think I'm just going to put my feelers out and see what's the most suggested and why (and maybe in the meantime someone will sell me their used one... hint hint)

Shavo and X - Drilling rock! I'm insanely jealous. I hope you guys have fun, I definantly want to see pictures.

 

[mr_X]

i'll probably have a mag7 for sale shortly. that should be a decent pump for your size tank.

 

[Arie]

Awesome! I'm not even to the point of being able to set up my tank yet, so it's no big rush. I'd rather do things the right way and do them once instead of doing it quick and having to do it again.

Keep me posted, and thanks again!

 

[shavo]

X put some pics on my thread! too funny!!!

 

[cindre2000]

I have found that glass people can be hit or miss. Sometimes they are nice and help you a lot, other times they are stuck up and don't give a ****. Especially if they get most of their business in one area (such as auto glass).

Don't be afraid to drill the tank! The biggest hurtle is getting over your own fear. The best way to do that is to drill a 'spare' slab of glass to get the hang of it. You just have to make sure the glass is not tempered, you have the right bit, and you don't drill wrong (slow and steady with lots of water).

 

[Arie]

So I finally got around to building my refugium today (less a pump and skimmer... basically just sectioned it off and cleaned it up) but managed to take pictures along the way. Now I'll subject you all to the equivilant of a family's vacation slide show.

I decided that I was going to make this a DIY project instead of buying a preset tank or a kit. I also decided that I'd try to make this a money wise project, so my first stop was the local dollarstore.

 

[Arie]

But since I wasn't building a farm, I decided that I would get the painted cows off of the boards. At first, I tried gently scrubbing with a coarse soap and sponge. That didn't work so....

 

[Arie]

Then, for the first time ever I used a circular saw. I managed to cut a relatively straight line on both edges of the board to make it fit tight in the tank. It was still not a nice and even fit so I sanded it down some but that only seemed to make the situation worse

 

[Arie]

Then I remembered that I was supposed to make one of the boards shorter than the other to allow a variation in flow. The person I borrowed the saw from left (with their saw) and the only thing I could think of was to make one more hole filled than the other. I marked off even sections using masking tape and drilled in the -almost- center of each marked off section. I only got the drillbit stuck in the wood under my cuttingboards 12 of the 15 times. yay for me. (One has 9 holes, the other has six.)

(if this isn't going to work, lemme know please)

 

[Arie]

In my head, this made sense...

 

[Arie]

The tank had 2 stickon temp readers on each side of the tank. I'm not sure why there was such excess, or why you wouldn't invest in a dip thermometer, but whatever... I had to scrap them off with a razorblade which was easy and they cleaned off nicely.

 

[Arie]

(heres the other one since I was on a roll taking pictures with my crappy cellphone...)