Just ordered my kit from Premium Aquatics...

[Anonymous]

And the weak pound is killing me. From $2 a pound two years ago to $1.45 today.

Still cheaper to buy it in the US though (even with shipping) and Premium Aquatics have been super helpful so far.

Lighting: Giesemann Infiniti 1 x 150w HQI, 4 x 24w T5 fixture

Skimmer: Super Reef Octopus 1000 Internal Protein Skimmer

Circulation: 2 x Tunze 6055 plus multicontroller 7095

Return: Tunze Recirculation pump silence - 634gph

Top-off: Tunze Universal Osmolator

Kalk: Tunze Calcium Dispenser

Heaters: 2 Eheim-Jager 100w heaters

RO/DI: Premium Reef Supply 50gpd 4 stage

TDS: Inline TDS meter

1 x JBJ DIGITAL TEMPERATURE 2 THERMOMETER

2 x Maxijet 600 Powerhead (1 for salt circulation/1 for refugium)

1 x Seachem Marine BASIC Test Kit

If there's anything I've forgotten, I might have to wait another month before buying it....

 

[Anonymous]

Congrats Tom. Got the tank itself already?

 

[Ben1]

Wow nice order, should make for a nice display. You think your going to need a chiller?

 

[Anonymous]

Congrats Tom. Got the tank itself already?

It's on order. I was told 3-4 weeks about 2 weeks ago, so I hope it won't be too much longer now...

Wow nice order, should make for a nice display. You think your going to need a chiller?

Too much expense for me at this stage. The plan is to use the apartment's air con to keep the temperature under control when it gets hot (my utility bills are paid for by my employer while I'm in Japan). Ideally I'd like to get a chiller, but it might have to wait a year or so. My wife's easy-going patience at me spending so much went out of the window for a short period last night when she heard what the exchange rate had done to my original projected budget. Luckily our savings are healthy enough, and she's generous/nice enough, that she didn't stop me anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

8) can't wait...

 

[Anonymous]

Me neither. Though I'm having a last minute panic about the T5 bulbs on the Giesemann fixture working on 50hz current. I'd read that most things work fine on 50hz, even if made for 60hz, so went ahead and ordered, only to read later that fluorescent lighting sometimes can't cope. I'm going to ring Premium Aquatics once they open and hope they haven't already got the order dispatched (it's being drop-shipped direct). :x

I'd thought carefully about the voltage difference (I'll just buy a small, relatively inexpensive transformer), but hadn't focused too much on the 60hz/50hz issue. :x

 

[Anonymous]

I've asked them to see if Giesemann can send a unit made for the Japanese market, given it's being shipped from Germany anyway. Fingers crossed.

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like they can get one for me. Very happy. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Cool. I just got shipment notification on my Elos from premium aquatics last night, myself. Good news all around

 

[Anonymous]

8)

 

[Anonymous]

I can see we're having some fun with build threads this summer. I warn you though, mine is likely to be slow, as I've promised my wife I'll try and hold off on buying much in the way of stock immediately, given how much more this has cost me than originally budgeted. I'll just have to entertain myself by seeing what emerges from the live rock. :lol:

 

[Ben1]

Cool, can't wait to see the thread pop up. Not sure what the regulations are like there but is it possible for you to dive/snorkel and collect some of your own livestock?

 

[Anonymous]

I think you can collect grazers, live rock and fish, but I'm not sure what the regulations are for coral. Certainly no SPS, but possibly soft coral? Anyway, unfortunately I'm too far north to do that. The best I'd be able to get out of Tokyo Bay is some industrial pollution I think. :wink:

But it does mean I can get some pretty nice Okinawan fish in local LFS and that the live rock I'll buy should be fresh as a daisy and teeming with life when it gets delivered, having just been fished out of the ocean about 24 hours before. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Good to see Tom! Waiting impatiently for the tank build and the pics- its my turn to nag this time around! 8)

Just a word of caution about the reef octopus skimmer- I changed from Deltec to RO on both my tanks (The Deltec distributor has gone outta business) and I really like the RO skimmers' performance relative to the DTs- but, they are a nightmare to adjust. Also, if my power goes off on the main tank, and comes back on, the skimmer overflows violently. Just check yours by switching the tank off and on again and see that this doesnt affect you too. Mine overflows outside, I'd hate to see what it would do to a carpet or wood floor.

 

[Anonymous]

Arrgh. Choosing a skimmer was one of the more difficult decisions I had to make. I can't pay any more than that, given how far I'm already over budget and I can't face trawling through countless internet threads trying to sort out which is best for me again (I was tempted by the Bubble King Mini, but far too much moolah).

Still, thanks for the heads up. I'm just going to hope the problems are only for skimmers for monster sized tanks..

 

[Anonymous]

Dont despair! They are really good skimmers Tom. As I said, I have 2 and only one of them gives me problems- but the problems are manageable. Just warning you about the possibility of skimmer overflow, and potential damage to flooring. The adjustment issue is one I am going to self- mod, when I get some time.Thats just a case of replacing their funny cut pipe with a ball valve.

Now hurry up and post some pics! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, you are going to love the Tunzes! I have 2 circulating in my 4500l tank (I forget which model, but they are very strong) and a 7096 controller. I dont know how it prices, but the 7096 is a slick unit, without the buttons etc- it downloads settings from your laptop. Ot also accomodates 4 pumps if necessary.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andy. I'll keep a careful eye on it and hope that it doesn't do anything too crazy when I turn it off for cleaning (we don't get powercuts, so I don't really have to worry about that). It'll be in-sump rather than external, which might protect the carpet a bit, but I've also agreed with my wife that I'll buy some cheap flooring/carpet to put under the cabinet just in case there are spillages...

As for the Tunze, yes I'm looking forward to having a couple again. I had a couple of the first generation Streams on the first tank I had and loved them. Very reliable, quiet and powerful. I played with the idea of the Ecotech Marine pumps this time, but have heard too many people have had problems with them and they're sometimes a bit loud, so went for the Nano Streams, which still put out a lot of flow and are much smaller than the original Streams I had. The 7095 is enough of an upgrade for me on the controller I had before and I don't want to start faffing around with computers, but the 7096 does look really smart. 8)

 

[Ben1]

I think you can collect grazers, live rock and fish, but I'm not sure what the regulations are for coral. Certainly no SPS, but possibly soft coral? Anyway, unfortunately I'm too far north to do that. The best I'd be able to get out of Tokyo Bay is some industrial pollution I think.

LOL ok well atleast the LR will be fresh, and you'll have access to some cool fish.

I put a HOT Octopus Cone skimmer on my little 25 lol and so far so good. Its pump is not as quiet as my Bubble King but its not as loud as say a sedra running a euroreef either. Its external though so maybe submerged in a stand it would be almost un-noticable. I am sure you will like it, the bubble blaster pump produces a very nice cloud of bubbles.

 

[Anonymous]

Exchange rate went to $2/£ when I went to Cambridge in 2004. Had to cut my sabbatical short.