Dan's 90 Bowfront

[saltwaterwannabe]

I picked up a nice trigger emerald 5 gallon ATO to go with my emerald sump then the boss (the wife for those that do not admit it said I can setup a remote sump. With the remote sump I no longer have a concern about the ATO size since I can run it directly from my mixing station or any other size tank a few feet away in my new sump room (future frag station in mind?) It is good to know about the size though, experience in this hobby seems to be everything and there seems to always be more to learn from many different views and techniques. I will keep the ATO tank for a while to make sure I do not end up going back to the standard sump in the stand.

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

SaltWaterWannabe;1101273 wrote: I will have a rather lengthy distance (85 feet) between my DT and my sump location. I have an Apex Gold and am now wondering how my Apex will work in this scenario. I had planned to run the circulation pumps, heater, probes, DOS, UV, Skimmer, lights, 2 reactors, etc... using the Apex. Part of the benefit of having the remote sump is access, so I am planning to put the Apex at the sump end of the system. This means there I need 85 foot cables for the circulation pumps, lights, and possibly even a heater given the distance the water is travelling. Is there a separate remote unit for an Apex or do I need an 85 foot non-powered USB that is non-powered?

I have been told that a non-powered USB cable will work in liue of the Apex Aquabus cable. Since there is no Aquabus cable 85 foot long, I am looking at an 85 foot USB instead. There seems to be a mix of statements that a USB will destroy my Apex, while others state the USB is fine as long as it does not support power like a charging cable. Does anyone here use a USB for their APEX, and if so, what is the longest you can run a USB between EB units?

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

SaltWaterWannabe;1101305 wrote: I have been told that a non-powered USB cable will work in liue of the Apex Aquabus cable. Since there is no Aquabus cable 85 foot long, I am looking at an 85 foot USB instead. There seems to be a mix of statements that a USB will destroy my Apex, while others state the USB is fine as long as it does not support power like a charging cable. Does anyone here use a USB for their APEX, and if so, what is the longest you can run a USB between EB units?

Neptune says you can have up to 200 feet of linked aquabus cables together with one powered Neptune device every 75 feet. I may be able to shave the distance down to 75 feet, but the EB units will not be in the best locations. I suppose I could go with 3 x 30 foot aquabus cables and put an EB4 at my cichlid tank that is along the route to my saltwater tank, but it seems like a waste to me with an 85 foot run and no real need for monitoring my cichlid tank other than it being neat to see on the screen.

A link on ReefCentral indicated that there is a custom cable maker that will make a USB cable at any length that is compatible with Apex, which sounds reasonable but the post is a little aged from 2009. It would be great to hear if anyone has an 85 foot or longer run of regular or special ordered USB connecting Apex devices and where they got it from.

I may be in the market for an EB4 and some long aquabus cabling, but I am not quite sure this is the right way to go yet. If anyone has advice, I am all ears.

Hopefully this and the long plumbing connection are the last two delays in setting my tank up. I wish there was an inexpensive way to run one controller over a network to two locations.

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

SaltWaterWannabe;1101390 wrote: Neptune says you can have up to 200 feet of linked aquabus cables together with one powered Neptune device every 75 feet. I may be able to shave the distance down to 75 feet, but the EB units will not be in the best locations. I suppose I could go with 3 x 30 foot aquabus cables and put an EB4 at my cichlid tank that is along the route to my saltwater tank, but it seems like a waste to me with an 85 foot run and no real need for monitoring my cichlid tank other than it being neat to see on the screen.

A link on ReefCentral indicated that there is a custom cable maker that will make a USB cable at any length that is compatible with Apex, which sounds reasonable but the post is a little aged from 2009. It would be great to hear if anyone has an 85 foot or longer run of regular or special ordered USB connecting Apex devices and where they got it from.

I may be in the market for an EB4 and some long aquabus cabling, but I am not quite sure this is the right way to go yet. If anyone has advice, I am all ears.

Hopefully this and the long plumbing connection are the last two delays in setting my tank up. I wish there was an inexpensive way to run one controller over a network to two locations.

I was working up a design and submitted it for pricing and shipping info. Their customer service responded to my order already - looks like some good service. As it turns out, this company makes long Apex cables and has some premade for order. Here is a link if anyone else needs it:

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

I am about to start building work tables, shelves, etc... I have new floor and have moved most everything out. The room is roughly 8.5 foot square with one corner unavailable for a door to the garage and hall to kitchen. There is a sink and an old washer connection. I have plenty of water and power to the room and no worries about structure below.

Does anyone have a nice sump room layout they would like to share, some pointers, or even some pics, to help give me some inspiration?

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

I guess I need to retitle the thread now to Dan's 100 gallon

Picked up Ralph's old wrasse tank and a reefbreeder.

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[saltwaterwannabe]

I found a quarter sized chip out of the bottom glass along the back wall of the tank. The bottom of the glass is supported everywhere, but I am concerned that the chip could be a weak point that will later crack. I did water test it for a few days prior to finding the chip and it did not leak. I am pretty sure a cracked bottom glass in my tank within a few months of setup that soaks our hardwoods and recently finished basement would be my wife's last straw and death nail for me to ever have a large tank... discarding or rebuilding this tank could be the same result. (I am gathering it is common for a spouse to not support this hobby a lot and to just put up with it

Should I be worried about the chipped glass?

 

[saltwaterwannabe]

SaltWaterWannabe;1103261 wrote: I found a quarter sized chip out of the bottom glass along the back wall of the tank. The bottom of the glass is supported everywhere, but I am concerned that the chip could be a weak point that will later crack. I did water test it for a few days prior to finding the chip and it did not leak. I am pretty sure a cracked bottom glass in my tank within a few months of setup that soaks our hardwoods and recently finished basement would be my wife's last straw and death nail for me to ever have a large tank... discarding or rebuilding this tank could be the same result. (I am gathering it is common for a spouse to not support this hobby a lot and to just put up with it

Should I be worried about the chipped glass?

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