cmanning

Me too......Love seeing equipment in action. Yeah......we were expecting it ( just as I was about to take a nap......darn ). It helps if you wash some of the oily residue...or else it just keeps beading off until it breaks in. I've heard sometimes it takes a week. Read somewhere on the web it helps to wash w/soapy water. Now you can see thru sump and any maintenance can be done without cursing your *** out!......ready to add more lighting to the sump for macro to flourish. Drilled forward......got some shavings in sump but wife scooped them out w/fine mesh net. Thanks James .....it works better that way .....we appreciated it, -Robert and Cindy-

1.) Open box. 2.) Assemble (without glue first).. 3.) Test - fit location to get water return hole alignment for drilling sump. (Above water level - puleez). 4.) Pray like hell... and Drill. (holesaw - Rigid 2-1/2" (Home Depot)) 5.) Get floating shavings out of sump later. 6.) Install 2" bulkhead fitting and tighten. (River City - see Carlos) 7.) Install (with LOTS of teflon tape) threaded 2" valve (purchased separately) onto bulkhead fitting. 8.) Add one length of 2" PVC pipe (custom length cut with your hacksaw). 9.) Add one PRO-FLEX 2" to 1-1/2" rubber transition coupling (part no 3000-215) (Home Depot) 10.) Build 2"x4" base stand and add plywood and foam insul board (going to be heavy - 44 lbs dry plus 11 gal = ~ 130 lbs) 11.) final positioning. 12.) Connect 10 foot 1" ID input hose to new feed pump (Mag 5 for 1.5 times 300 gallon cap system). - Add 1 90 fitting to Mag 5 to reduce output by 1 ft head to around 450 gal/hr. 13.) plumb intake of Mag 5 to sump drain buckets (we didn't tap into the actual drains, we just ran 1/2" PVC into each "bucket" where the overflows land so we get 100% raw water from each end. <-- no glue since this is all under water WITH the pump and inside the sump. and not under pressure since it's on the suction side of the pump. 14.) Wash skimmer body inside/out with Dawn soap to remove all manufacturing oils (and any other crappo from other peeps hands) rinse, rinse, rinse till it all squeeks when you rub your finger across it. -Reinstall it and ...Fire it up. 15.) Take some pics. (while checking for leaks). 16.) Adjust "big red valve" on output side till dead head (top of bubbles) is at bottom of cup (bout 1/2 way up the neck). 17.) Set water alarm and wait...(U DO have one of these RIGHT?). --> Home Depot 9 bucks, next to the water heaters. (every aquarium deserves one of these). --Cheaper than flood insurance rates. 18.) alarm goes off --> wake the hell up, and adjust downward again..(empty overflow cup). 19.) After 24 hrs = there be scum. Bloody pics: (as promised) --> See our Gallery Album titled: "Octopus TDNW 300"

Instructions? - wee dowwww neeed no ceee-ceee instructions. This is like an old 44 cal. point , shoot, and watch the blood spatter - with a hell of a kick. Blood pics to follow <grin>

When we first started our 215g reef w/125g acrylic sump/refugium we've decided to add two CoraLife skimmer for up to 220g ea. in sump. That left us very little for lighting and macro wasn't growing as it should. By the middle of 2007 our livestock increased and coral growth. At the time we had LPS, zoas and variety of softies. By the end of August we switched 90% of our corals and we began w/SPS. We've continued to have growth w/SPS and fish as well. Skimmers were not keep up w/the load ( I guess we were asking too much out of those 2). During this whole time we knew upgrading was inevitable. We've decided on the OCTOPUS TDNW-300 skimmer. Been waiting 6wks. for the skimmer to arrive...... things started ok until there was a delay in custom, by then our patience was running thin. Thankfully we found another online vendor who had it in stock, customer service was superb and prompt. Within 48 hrs. it arrived to our doorsteps. Let the unpackaging begin.....for now. Will be posting later on about the plumbing and adding to the cabinetry since this big boy is going external. I will post on its performance as well.

Congrats!! Amazing tank and great article.

Nice!!! I love to see people come up w/new ways in adding a tank without disrupting the livingroom area. Just love the bombay mahogany trim, it gives contrast against the wall and reef tank. -Cindy-

Don't mean to jump off track but, Gabe I know you have sps in your tank, when you decrease lighting.....by how much do you decrease. I have a slight problem w/it too but, I'm waiting for a bigger skimmer to arrive and for now I would like to keep it under control before it goes out of whack! -Cindy-

Sure, it's yours........... I live in Leander. I'll PM you w/ address and phone #'s. SOLD!!