Thinning an area in my 1" thick acrylic to install Vortecs? - Page 2

Acrylics · 11/07/2009, 09:12 AM

I don't think one should make their tank according a potential future owner's wants but worst case scenario as I see it, is you place a closed loop hole there. New owner would never know what it was and it wouldn't matter.
To me, the most critical thing is make damned sure where you place it, but you know that Amanda

James

theJiggyfly · 11/07/2009, 09:48 AM

I would do a couple of things first. first I would experement with Koralias and find best flow places and realize there are no directional adjustments on the vortechs. second get to know vortechs up close and personal before buying and most importantly milling your tank. I had 2 vortech mp40's and loved them at first. after the newness wore off i really had a bad tasted for them. they are really noisy (my tank was down stairs and bedroom up stairs and you could hear them cycling all night long, even in PM mode) and the do make some heat. I had mine perfectly aligned so that wasn't a factor. a few times they got so hot they would shut down and have to be restarted and once fell off the plex. BTW my tank is 3/4" I would use the new koralia wave maker before I would buy vortechs again. I almost forgot to mention: I run a full size Tunze wavebox now and absolutely love it. my tank has never been healthier. within a week of install all my hard to get places lost their cyano and algaes.

Chihuahua6 · 11/07/2009, 11:27 AM

I agree James. This is my tank and will be for many years. I was going to have one built and then found this deal. This tank is built so well and bigger than I ever need so I will not be uprading. This is it. Well I plan on having a smaller cube built but that would be a second tank ; )
Anyway I'm not worried about turning off future buyers.

JiggyFly does make some good points. I never considerd the noise factor. That's something I'll have to look into.

skunkmere · 11/08/2009, 03:38 AM

i think routing out a 1/4" is a horrible idea. why destroy that area of the tank for a pump. vortec pumps are really really nice but in the future there will be better pumps. why trash your tank for a pump that will be replaced in the future. you tank can last for decades, will that pump?

Chihuahua6 · 11/08/2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkmere

i think routing out a 1/4" is a horrible idea. why destroy that area of the tank for a pump. vortec pumps are really really nice but in the future there will be better pumps. why trash your tank for a pump that will be replaced in the future. you tank can last for decades, will that pump?

Because 'that area' of the tank is the back which will never be seen.

tkeracer619 · 11/08/2009, 12:59 PM

a LOT of misinformation in this thread.

140 is thermal shut down in case something goes wrong so you DON'T mess anything up.

Plain and simple the guy had a 1000g tank made from 3/4 inch acrylic.... his tank was cheap and old. Vortech still helped the guy out and tried to make it right so instead of bashing a good product lets get back to the OPs question.

The answer is much simpler than previously posted. If you support the dry side and use no pin spacer, the vortech will transfer power to the wet side through 1" acrylic. You do not need to machine your tank out to use the vortechs and you will not need to worry about temp of the pump.

I took the standard support brackets they supplied. Pulled off the stock cheap 3m tape and block sanded the brackets flat. I then cleaned the tank and brackets with alcohol and applied the good 3m tape. If this is in an area behind the tank then use 4 of the brackets. use zip ties to go from bracket to bracket making an x over the dry side. Loop the cord over something above the dry side that is solid in case the tape fails.

If your tank makes any sort of overflow/skimmer/fan noise I do not think sound will be an issue.

11/07/2009, 09:48 AM	#27
theJiggyfly Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 107	I would do a couple of things first. first I would experement with Koralias and find best flow places and realize there are no directional adjustments on the vortechs. second get to know vortechs up close and personal before buying and most importantly milling your tank. I had 2 vortech mp40's and loved them at first. after the newness wore off i really had a bad tasted for them. they are really noisy (my tank was down stairs and bedroom up stairs and you could hear them cycling all night long, even in PM mode) and the do make some heat. I had mine perfectly aligned so that wasn't a factor. a few times they got so hot they would shut down and have to be restarted and once fell off the plex. BTW my tank is 3/4" I would use the new koralia wave maker before I would buy vortechs again. I almost forgot to mention: I run a full size Tunze wavebox now and absolutely love it. my tank has never been healthier. within a week of install all my hard to get places lost their cyano and algaes. __________________ theJiggyFly Keeper of the Zoa Current Tank Info: 230 gallon Mix Reef

11/07/2009, 11:27 AM	#28
Chihuahua6 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 1,675	I agree James. This is my tank and will be for many years. I was going to have one built and then found this deal. This tank is built so well and bigger than I ever need so I will not be uprading. This is it. Well I plan on having a smaller cube built but that would be a second tank ; ) Anyway I'm not worried about turning off future buyers. JiggyFly does make some good points. I never considerd the noise factor. That's something I'll have to look into. __________________ Amanda Current Tank Info: 375 acrylic in planning, fish and coral are temporarily housed in a 75 and 55 gal

11/08/2009, 12:59 PM	#31
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Golden, CO Posts: 5,021	a LOT of misinformation in this thread. 140 is thermal shut down in case something goes wrong so you DON'T mess anything up. Plain and simple the guy had a 1000g tank made from 3/4 inch acrylic.... his tank was cheap and old. Vortech still helped the guy out and tried to make it right so instead of bashing a good product lets get back to the OPs question. The answer is much simpler than previously posted. If you support the dry side and use no pin spacer, the vortech will transfer power to the wet side through 1" acrylic. You do not need to machine your tank out to use the vortechs and you will not need to worry about temp of the pump. I took the standard support brackets they supplied. Pulled off the stock cheap 3m tape and block sanded the brackets flat. I then cleaned the tank and brackets with alcohol and applied the good 3m tape. If this is in an area behind the tank then use 4 of the brackets. use zip ties to go from bracket to bracket making an x over the dry side. Loop the cord over something above the dry side that is solid in case the tape fails. If your tank makes any sort of overflow/skimmer/fan noise I do not think sound will be an issue. __________________ Hobby Experience: 6000ish gallons, 19 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tanks: Vortech Powered 360G Mixed reef w/120g Sump. Radium 20k MH, Blue+ T5, Super Actinic VHO ______________________________ Colorado is sweet. I'm always down to go to the MJ My Turbo Honda -> Click little red house. Last edited by tkeracer619; 11/08/2009 at 01:18 PM.

11/07/2009, 09:12 AM	#26
Acrylics Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 3,081	I don't think one should make their tank according a potential future owner's wants but worst case scenario as I see it, is you place a closed loop hole there. New owner would never know what it was and it wouldn't matter. To me, the most critical thing is make damned sure where you place it, but you know that Amanda James

11/08/2009, 03:38 AM	#29
skunkmere Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: chicago Posts: 2,851	i think routing out a 1/4" is a horrible idea. why destroy that area of the tank for a pump. vortec pumps are really really nice but in the future there will be better pumps. why trash your tank for a pump that will be replaced in the future. you tank can last for decades, will that pump?