Old Tunze pumps?

MuralReef

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#1
So I have a couple of old Tunze pumps and the outer covering of the wires was cracked leading into the pumps. I covered it with silicone and allowed it to cure for over a week. Note: I did not have any stray voltage when using them before I knew that part of the wiring was exposed. I have run them in water and done the touch test and lived and also tested with a multimeter and no stray voltage. I double checked a D-cell and that had measurable voltage so I know the multimeter was working. Would you guys use these or not?
 

jda123

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#2
I would.

They are DC (well, very low voltage AC like all "DC" pumps are) and the wires go all the way into the epoxy - the outer wire covering is of no consequence. If no stray current, then you are good to go.
 

MuralReef

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#4
Thanks guys! I’ll drop them in tomorrow.


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jda123

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#5
Which ones do you have? I still have 6100s running. ...been over a decade now. The only time that I clean them is when the coralline gets so thick that it shuts down the flow.

This is before a Muratic Acid bath:
 

MuralReef

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#6
Same ones. Just hoping to add some flow without buying anything.


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jda123

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#7
I have a bunch of controllers and spare parts if you ever need any. They don't really break, so you probably never will. :)
 

MuralReef

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#8
I have a bunch of controllers and spare parts if you ever need any. They don't really break, so you probably never will. :)
I’ve got the controller too but I’ll probably just run them off of the apex since I have the connections. Thanks for the feedback and the offer! Pretty sure I’m good on parts too. I’ll definitely hit you up if I need something.


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MuralReef

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#9
Got them up and running this morning, but they definitely are not as powerful as I remember them. But they work and nobody is getting shocked to death and it will give me more flow which I think I desperately need.
 

jda123

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#12
Vinegar would not even made a dent in that pump. Muratic Acid is like driving a freight train through a brick wall whereas vinegar is a sledge hammer. Muratic needs to be handled carefully, but if you can do this, then it works a lot better, is cheaper and does not have any risk of leaving any organic carbon behind to fuel a bacterial bloom.

You can usually get a pair of 1 gallon containers at the hardware store for between 7 and 10 dollars.
 

SkyShark

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#13
Vinegar would not even made a dent in that pump. Muratic Acid is like driving a freight train through a brick wall whereas vinegar is a sledge hammer. Muratic needs to be handled carefully, but if you can do this, then it works a lot better, is cheaper and does not have any risk of leaving any organic carbon behind to fuel a bacterial bloom.

You can usually get a pair of 1 gallon containers at the hardware store for between 7 and 10 dollars.
Good to know. I’ve always been a bit apprehensive about using it. Hadn’t considered the possibility of leftover organic carbon from vinegar. I typically leave the pump in vinegar overnight for tough coralline. How long do you recommend soaking in the acid?
 

jda123

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#14
Most of the coralline that I have would like be trying to dissolve a piece of coral... it is thick and in plates. Usually an hour works, but sometimes overnight... it depends on how much you use. For a pump with just some surface coralline, then a few minutes and a scrub with a toothbrush will work. That coralline on that pump was probably a year of buildup, or so. From what I have found, Tunze pumps don't get bothered by much, but this one was almost completely encased in the coralline and flow was significantly reduced - cannot blame German engineering for that.

You can also use Muratic Acid to lower the dKh in your freshly mixed salt. Gallons * desired dKh drop * .123 is the amount of MLs of Muratic Acid to use. I use this to lower the alk in my IO. It will drop the pH, so you have to aerate for a day to drive off the co2. There is no need to buy an expensive salt just because the alk is where you want it.

I have never had the acid harm anything, but I also do not use any cheap equipment.

Handle muratic acid like Kalkwasser... don't breathe the fumes, use in a well ventilated area, pour in the water (not water into the acid), eye protection and keep it off of your skin. It is not death in a bottle - you can get it at Home Depot and there are far worst substances there - but you cannot be an idiot either.
 
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