Maxima

I've the same experience with DSB as well. I do not want to commend more....as there are die hard fans on DSB- individual preferences. Anyway, there's a trick or two to keep PO4 & NO3 down and there's also a trick or two with T5, not just the height nor depth. someday we can chat over it. Max

You are the man ....RIGHT ON Technology differences....most important no matter what you buy, it must work -> Bottomline. Max

So the theory is this A,, B, C & D each earn $200K a year A drives a Mercedes B drives a Toyota C drives a small motorcycle D does not drive as he finds it too expensive! So........................... ............it it individual preferences. Max

Every method has it's essence that only trying and mastering that method to your specific tank will bring out the best in your tank. Even DSB has it's downfall. I don't use Zeovit cause the $$$$$, else no harm trying. If you got $$ to spare why not. Just remember every method has it's pro & cons + everyone can be master of his method n application with proper knowledge. Anyway I already have very colorful SPS with my own recipe, why change = this apply to you as well => your confidence in your existing method, if existing method doesn't work well to your liking, trying something new doesn't matter even if it doesn;t turn out good.- nothing to loose........ An example is that I don't use DSB, not a single grain of sand, but I feed my corals everyday -(I find feeding corals is worst than fsh, since a lot of food is lost in the system), but my NO3 & PO4 reading is zero. There are people there who swear on DSB and stated that w/o DSB u are gone .....NO3 will kill you......................is it true? APPLICATION & KNOWLEDGE Max

Go look around and u see that needle wheel, down draft or Venturi & Beckett will produce different result base on different design. Look around before you buy anything, second thing to watch out is the design, not just because it's a Venturi or Beckett or needle wheel. Some design just don't work as well + proper tuning. Max

close air value completely and set your water 1cm or 2cm above the black arcylic box & open the air value fully. You should get result very soon. Else your pump have a problem. Never turst a pump rating, especially those not-reputable brands.........U using a German pump???? Max

Miss out the actual Mitsubushi 1/2HP compressor Data as follows, KB134 0.45 1,545/1,855 1,325/1,580 5,270/6,330 V/G/T 9.2 Power for compressor only is 450W Max

Hi Cedric, I just found out the Atman & Arctica compressor model & specification: Atman YB645 0.23 700/835 600/720 2,380/2,860 R/V/G 4.8 The BTU is 2860(max) 1HP = 12,000BTU so the compressor is slightly less than 1/4HP => actual 0.24HP or minimum running rate is at 1/5HP = 0.20HP Compressor Power useage is 230W running at 2380BTU & 300W running at 2860BTU. As for Arctica 1/4 HP chiller => compressor power is 220W @ 3000BTU ouput 1/3 HP chiller => compressor power is 250W @ 4000BTU output. 1/2 HP chiller => compressor power is 400W @ 6800BTU output Infact the Atman is slightly less than 1/4HP (only 1/5HP to .24HP). But plse note the above power is solely compressor only. The overall power rating for the chiller will be different. I must say the Compressor Atman use is a top grade compressor , I think it far exceed a lot of other branded chiller name. Max

Barra, I'm not angry with anyone lah..........I think u check around with reefers who know me in person, my black & white is rather different from my personal thought. Maybe my work related ........................ I was told that connect 2 chillers inline can boost performance by a lot, for example connecting 2 units of 1/2 and it will outperform a 1HP? Just curious, some suggestion from my Aircon man(a non-reefer ), during last year when I was hunting around to DIY a chiller. Max

Once your room temperatire hit 30 degree and above. the chiller efficiency can drop by 70%....as the amp. temperature move up 30, 31, 32,........... Most chiller is measure for efficiency for 25 & 30 degree and you see a big differences in performance curve between 25 vs 30. Max

BTW, my commends bashing on T5 start in SRC 1 right. That's 2 years back? There is not ATI available in S'pore yet. I order direct from Europe Deltec T5 + my DIY. The performance of my DIY was not as good as the current ATI reflectors - I must say that for T5 reflectors is the key. I think if you want to cut some $$ in electricity, try to design a tank that is less than 2ft depth and 2.5 to 3ft width for T5. BTW, even most RC reefers using 400W for their SPS tanks has tank no more than 2ft depth...........so what you think about T5 consideration in Tank Design? I'm more talking about extreme of requirements...........just my style - never enough If u ask me to design tank that meet a SPS coloration of another tank running series of 400W. I will have a depth of no more than 1.5ft. This tank is going to look weird..............I'm talking extreme............BTW beside light nearly all/most reefers have problems with parameters, so corals does not color up nicely......so don;t blame on the light. In a lot of cases, the test kit we use already not accurate, so think that you got good parameters, but SPS not color up nicely.... ...this and that......... Max

The intensity of MH vs T5 I'm assuming NOT DIY, but the best reflectors out there for MH & T5(ATI) Assume MH at 8 inch from water and T5 3inch from water Effective Area within extremely high intensity 250W DE 1.5x1.5 ~~~~ 1x1 400W SE 2x2 ~~~~ 1.3x1.3 T5x9 tubes subjective to length No such thing at a focus point Beside even with the best ATI reflectors T5 will cannot penetrate more than 2ft for medium light corals. A 400W or 250W DE can easily penetrate 2.5ft at the most intense foucs area. I hope it's petty simple to understand what I meant? Max

I did like to see 3x Atman against 1xArctica 1/2HP or against Aqulogic or against Aqu-Medic Titan(I refer to the real Aqua-medic, not Hailea). This is going to be interesting. But first get PSB to test the 300W rating. A 1.3A running a 1/2HP compressor, this must be invention of the century As for Price ($500)..........Nobody can complete with this price........of China made products Atman win hands down with price. I guess if price is the consideration, there's no competition Max

Atman 1/2HP Chiller running at 300W?? I did like to see it being tested at PSB Some facts 1/2 Horsepower Cyclone Water Chiller - 230v x4.8A = 1104W 6000BTU 1/2 Horsepower Delta Star In-Line Water Chiller - 230v x4.8A = 1104W 6000BTU 3/4 Horsepower Delta Star In-Line Water Chiller - 230vx7A = 1610W 9500BTU 1 Horsepower Delta Star In-Line Water Chiller - 230vx10.5A = 2415W 12000BTU West Coast Aquatic 1/2 HP Chiller Standard 230v x4.7A = 1081W - 6000BTU 3/4HP Teco - Teclima Chiller RA2000The TECLIMA - 860W 1/3HP Teci - Teclima Chiller RA680 - 420W Resun CL-650 1/4HP - 650W Titan 1500 Chiller 1/2HP - 375W - variable speed compressor -runs at lower RPM Titan 2500 Chiller 1/2HP - 750W - variable speed compressor -runs at higher RPM Hailea HL-1200CB 1.25HP - 1080W - Hon's previous Chiller JBJ Arctica 1/3HP - 565W JBJ Arctica 1/2HP - 605W Commercial Mitsubishi series 1/3 horsepower model CR036P 5340BTU/hr = 805W Wispercool 1/4 horsepower - 700W 1/2 HP Titaniummodel CR056P 1200W The way things goes, it seems like Atman Chillers is a decade ahead in Technology Do you believe the rating of 300W I think the price is ready good, but I do not believe it's rating of 300W. I was told it uses a Mitsubushi compressor and so far the Mitsubishi website do not show any 1/2HP Compressor model that runs at 300W. The nearest model run 2x of the so call 300W. I guess there's a number reefers getting a new house, try asking your Air-con man for a 1/2HP 300W Air-Con? Maybe Atman is the the market leader against Toshiba, Daikin, York, Carrier, Mitsubisho, Sanyo, Sharp & etc that produce MillionsX more chiller units/yr Tell me I'm stupid enough to believe Max

T5 Rocking even before Danano ....... Take a look at the my old tank using T5 only Maxima's T5 Reef Tanks ia 3.5x2x2 ft Running on 9 units of T5. I see that T5 produce different sort of SPS coloration compare to 400W SE or 250W DE. SPS colors from T5 is of lighter pastel look. Max

Hi Blenny, I would like to know how much it cost you to DIY + the compressor BTU (I believe u get those in at least 1HP?) I'm sure if you using the typical split Aircon type DIY setup, you can get very good efficiency, beside the huge form factor? Thanks for sharing Max

Great point....I think since sunlight move across and during the earth's movement around the sun. Movement assuming from left to right or front to back, the coral are getting different intensity of "burns".-> not too sure that contribute to lighter fluoscent coloring of the tips-most exposed area to the light source. It will be different compare to our fix position MH....... Max

True......very well said. The depth and different locations within a area, which can be subject to more warm or cold currents. If you look at the min to max. It ranges from 24 degree to 31 degree. So far I'm keeping by with less than 29 degree to 28degree. In the past, I set it to 26.5 to 27.5 degree. So far so good....of course it depends on how mature yr reef are. I do find FIJI SPS need lower temperature, unless the corals are "break_in"....the first few months is the trying period. U see better polyps expansion at 25 degree as well. So far all my Fiji is coping well. Of course, I'm not adding new corals as new less healthly coral prone to bacteria infactions will be done in hrs at higher temp. Max

I believe with enough water flow(Tunze or Close loop circulation pumps + water return from sump). A 29 degree is the max. Some corals will not survive beyond 29 longterm. I think anything 29 degree below is safe. you judge yr water turn-over. I think your tank is medium turn over. I think 27.5 to 28.5 still ok if u want to save some $$$$. Yr current 27 to 28 is way safe, especially yr tank is not packed to the rim and most of yr corals are expose to good flow due to the large amound of free space for curents to bounce around and back-forth pass the corals. BTW, I just switch to 28~29 degree setting, so far so good. My super high turn over is as follows tunze 12000L x2 tunze 7000L x2 MD40 x 1 MD55 Close loop - decommissioned due to friend's emergency case -T-Loan to him - Thinking of Aquaconnect or Deltec 9000L/hr Close Loop Max

So what's the real factor beside the bullsihit the LFS told you ? Infact if you have sufficient flow in a close system reef system, keeping temp. around 27 degree to 29 degree is fine. The problem is that most of our system do not have sufficient water flow, so a lower temp. will be safer. A thumb of rule: Hot windless(wind=water)flow days are bad, hot but windy days are not bad. So if you have lots of flow, especially with more reefers using 3+/4+ Tunze in a 4ft to 5+ tunze in a 6ft. So keeping yr reef at 28 degree to 29 degree should be fine -base on Chiller 1 degree delta setting. U can saving some $$$$$$$ at the coming "HOT SPELL" _____________________________________ Average Water Temps for Key West, US Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec º F 69 70 75 79 83 86 87 87 86 82 76 72 º C 21 21 24 26 28 30 31 31 30 28 24 22 ____________________________________ WEATHER & SEASONS @ FIJI Winter: June - October. Trade winds constant and ocean visibility best. Water temperatures 25 - 27C (77-80F). Average air temps 20-26C (68-79F) Summer: November - May. Hotter and more Humid. Water temperature 27 - 29C (80-84F). Average air temps 23 - 30C (73-86F) ____________________________________ Southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia Range of Conditions: Topside Temperature......26-30 centigrade average 28.....(76-86 Fahrenheit) Water Temperature.........24-29 centigrade average 27....(78-82 Fahrenheit) Visibility Range...............20-50 meters............................(60-150 feet) Max

The following info will be helpful. All tested: 1/4HP is 430W R134a 1/3HP is 565W 1/2HP is 605W R22a 1HP is 1340W 1.5HP is 1870W 2HP is 2520W - great choice for Morgan's outdoor tank if he want to see polar bear mating 3HP is 3095W

A REAL 1.5HP that has 20,000BTU or so running frequently (frequently is NOT NON-STOP) will amount up to $70~$90 a month. That's a very brief estimate base on a 8ft tank set at 27 degree, delta of 1 degree. Max

The pricing in Germany is good. If you goto InterZoo this May...GRAB 100Kg back! The price I quote is 1kg package! If you can buy the 100kg package.................it is 1/2 price! Max

I get my Rowaphos direct from Europe @ $95 w/ freight. Just imagine u can carry back, probably cost only $70!!!! Max

Yes, as stated in manual................. Max