Okay everyone...I thought I'd start this even though I am at work and don't have any pictures to put up. Just wanted to put down my first observations.
I have had the tank set up for about three weeks, but only with saltwater in it. I picked it up at Dr Foster& Smith. It arrived with a shattered bulb. I think they have very good customer service as they were very quick at getting another one out to me. Also, since I have the tank setup in one of my daughter's rooms downstairs, I haven't really gotten much time to listen to or observe it. I realized a few days ago that the fans were not running. The tank got up to 81 degrees. Called Foster & Smith and they are sending out another hood. There are stand offs that are molded into the hood that the screws that hold the splashguard and glass over the electronics and bulbs screw into. Well I noticed that there was a defect and one of those standoffs was shorter than the rest, so the guard did not touch that one like the others and when you tighten the screw it bends down on the splashguard on that tab. So it wasn't getting a good seal on the gasket allowing moisture to get it. There was a small amount of salt inside by the gasket. Thats how I found the bad mold in the hood. I think it fried the circuit board that the LEDs and fans plug into. At least for the part that runs the fans. The moonlights work fine. The circuit board sits right under that part of the guard. Heck it might be the 12 volt transformer.
I have the stock Acella pumps running, with a Koralia in there for more flow. I upgraded the media basket with one that doesn't overflow. It is longer and fits the center chamber more fully than the stock one. I got it at InTank.com. It is very well made. I have a Theo heater in there also. I have the protein skimmer that JBJ makes for it although I am not using it yet.I have a Coralife timer strip that I need to fine tune for day and night viewing. I kind of wish I had gone with the HQI hood or LED instead. With the CF Quad you don't have any way of running dusk/dawn. There is only the power compact bulb for day and the moonlights for night. Maybe I'll mod it with some LED strips later along with some larger fans. I am using the free stand that came with the tank. Not much room inside it. It was a good deal I think for the tank and stand at $299.99. But I still would have liked different lighting.
I have 25 pounds of dry rock and 20 pounds of dry sand from Marco rock with 15 or 20 pounds of liverock and 10 pounds of live sand coming from Premiumaquatics. When the live stuff gets here I will put it all in the tank and declare my nano officially born. I am using the MightyMite RO/DI filter from Air, Water & Ice for my water and it filters after the house softener. I started out with Instant Ocean salt and have a bag of Reef Crystals waiting in the wings.
More to come. Thanks for watching
Gobby
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