Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Katrina71]

I guess this is our 2nd phase of Reefing. Not beginner exactly, but...clueless.

 

[Fin]

We were strongly cautioned against Finnex.

The Finnex titaniums are rated 4 out of 5 on BRS. A few negative reviews, but most are positive. I hadn't used them before.

Any tips or tricks to cutting a branching frogspawn?

Bone cutters are what I use, or some clean side cutters. I use the bone cutters often (when I have actual coral on hand), so that might be something to add to your toolbox in the future.

Bone Cutters

 

[Katrina71]

The Finnex titaniums are rated 4 out of 5 on BRS. A few negative reviews, but most are positive. I hadn't used them before.


Bone cutters are what I use, or some clean side cutters. I use the bone cutters often (when I have actual coral on hand), so that might be something to add to your toolbox in the future.

Bone Cutters

Andrew has bone cutters, just not big enough for this guy.

 

[Fin]

Just remembered, my old heater on my 140 was a ViaAqua titanium with its own controller.

Andrew has bone cutters, just not big enough for this guy.

I never had anything big enough that bone cutters wouldn't cut through. I might try my Dremel with a diamond cutoff wheel - assuming I could get it out of the tank. :)

 

[dantimdad]

So the demo shirts from queensboro were promised by Friday. They shipped yesterday and were tracking on time. This morning, they are return to sender for incorrect address information!

UGH!

 

[Katrina71]

@dantimdad did you order irregular? I think all reefers are a bit irregular.

 

[sfin52]

I have been around. I was posting here earlier tonight. Posted about my daughter yesterday on my thread, who is doing awesome. Where have you been :p

Sorry, The last two days worked 30 hrs. The escapes exhaust system rusted through. It's been a crazy couple of days
Very nice pic of your daughter.

 

[Katrina71]

How can we love a hobby that absolutely stresses us out, and makes us broke? Ok, more broke.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Gary, I use Cobalt heaters and an Ink Bird Controller with no issues.

 

[dantimdad]

@dantimdad did you order irregular? I think all reefers are a bit irregular.

Well, mine is medium tent sized. The rest are slightly skewed. So I think we are good.

 

[Fin]

How can we love a hobby that absolutely stresses us out, and makes us broke? Ok, more broke.

I understand, believe me. I am especially disappointed in the price of corals nowadays and what you get for your money. :(

Gary, I use Cobalt heaters and an Ink Bird Controller with no issues.

I have read bad things about the Cobalts. I guess no matter what you use, some of them will fail. I have a Cobalt that I use sometimes when I make small batches of saltwater and I have not had any trouble with it.

 

[fabutahoun]

How can we love a hobby that absolutely stresses us out, and makes us broke? Ok, more broke.

Its always the same with any kind of addiction

 

[NY_Caveman]

No heater is perfect unfortunately. They can all fail. The Cobalts had problems in the past. The company changed the design and made them guaranteed for life, but they still can fail. If they fry your tank, a free heater is probably little compensation.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

Good Morning everybody !!!

That is some gorgeous spam!

 

[12gallonsofhex]

I had a Finnex titanium heater burn up yesterday inside of my 50-gallon barrel of saltwater. Lots of smoke. My Inkbird temp controller's audio alarm went off and alerted me to it. Glad I was home. I didn't have a GFCI on that outlet. So, I lost 50 gallons of reserve saltwater and a heater. Never had one do that before. I had another Finnex go out, but less dramatically than the one yesterday. Guess I will move on from those heaters, since that is two now that went bad and I don't think either was two years old.

What brand are you guys using? I had a titanium heater in my 140 for 12 years and it was still working when I tore the tank down. I threw it out when I broke the tank down and now I don't remember what brand it was. It wasn't Finnex though.

I am using thia off brand. Its Hygger Titanium heater. Works well so far, alway within 0.2 degrees of my other 2 thermometers.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

This conversation also reminds me that I never installed the GFI plug I purchased. I really need to move my tank out and get that done. Salt creep has already taken out a section of my 'fuge light panels that are installed on the sides of the sump.

 

[Fin]

No heater is perfect unfortunately. They can all fail. The Cobalts had problems in the past. The company changed the design and made them guaranteed for life, but they still can fail. If they fry your tank, a free heater is probably little compensation.

I am just glad that happened in a holding tank with no livestock in it. Pretty sure that would have nuked the tank, even if the heater was in the sump. The water has a nasty film on top of it this morning. I hope the plastic barrel is not tainted now. I will have to throw all the water out and clean the barrel insides out the best that I can. Hopefully it will be ok.

 

[dantimdad]

ALL equipment can and will fail. Regardless of pedigree or price.

I buy what I can afford and do proper maintenance on it. This doesn't guarantee protection, but, it does make me very familiar with my equipment and I can head off most issues before they become a problem.

 

[Fin]

ALL equipment can and will fail. Regardless of pedigree or price.

I buy what I can afford and do proper maintenance on it. This doesn't guarantee protection, but, it does make me very familiar with my equipment and I can head off most issues before they become a problem.

I have read that some people replace heaters annually. Funny that I had one last 12 years, so I really wasn’t looking to do that. Now after two failures I may reconsider doing that in the future.

 

[JoshH]

I understand, believe me. I am especially disappointed in the price of corals nowadays and what you get for your money. :(

I have read bad things about the Cobalts. I guess no matter what you use, some of them will fail. I have a Cobalt that I use sometimes when I make small batches of saltwater and I have not had any trouble with it.

I have 4 Cobalts and have had them for 3+ years now with no issues, I'll be using them on my new build as well. They did at one point have an issue with one specific size but they rectified that.