View Full Version : My 5.5g AGA setup (Pics)
sjm1978
03/30/2007, 03:22 PM
ok i was gonna go with a JBJ 3g picotope or a 2.5g aga tank. but if i went with the JBJ 3g picotope i would need to upgrade the light and filter..
so i decided im gonna go with a 5.5g AGA tank instead and all i will need to buy is a aquaclear filter. i have my orignal hood from my 24g aquapod that contains 2 ballasts 2 32w pc bulbs 2 blue moonlights so thats a total of 64w. im thinking of using that for the 5.5g tank. the ballasts support 32w and 40w bulbs so i can either just use the stock 32w bulbs and have a total of 64w or just use one ballast and put a 50/50 32w or 40w bulb. i would like to have both 32w bulbs so i can have a dawn to dusk effect. the lights bulbs and endcaps are 13" long so there a perfect length for the 5.5g tank witch is 16"w. im gonna buy the tank today or sunday
do you guys think that 64w would be to much for a 5.5g tank? i will build a canopy to house the lights and put 2x 80mm fans in the canopy for cooling. i dont think ill build a stand because i allready have something for the tank to sit on but i might endup making a stand also.
heres a pic of the lighting i have from my stock hood i can also cut the reflector to size and use it also.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010141Small.jpg
sjm1978
03/30/2007, 09:04 PM
parts list so far:
5.5g AGA tank
aquaclear 30 fuge mod
visi-therm stealth 25w heater
1x Retro 32w SunPaq Dual Daylight 6700°K/10000°K
1x Retro 32w SunPaq Dual Actinic 420/460nm
2x blue led moon lights
Shade00
03/31/2007, 09:14 AM
Too much? No way. You'll get excellent growth with those lights. Many people use 70w or 150w metal halides on tanks that small.
sjm1978
03/31/2007, 07:55 PM
ok i got my tank today it cost $11.99 tomorrow i am gonna go get the filter and buy wood to build the canopy.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010003Small.jpg
amiricle
03/31/2007, 08:53 PM
nice work! I have a 5.5 also and I love it.
shouldabenacowboy
03/31/2007, 09:10 PM
Nice setup....I used the exact same hood from a broken AP24 to put over my 5.5. I ran it for a year then ended up buying a AP24 to replace it.
With mine, I had the lights mounted about 6 maybe 8 inches above the water and had quite a bit of evaporation. You should consider an auto topoff and plan for a fan in your hood.
I'll follow along on this one :)
GOOD LUCK :) ;)
SBC
sjm1978
04/02/2007, 02:04 AM
ok i bought the the wood to make the canopy. it cost $18.00 for wood and supplys. once i get the canopy built ill go buy sand and live rock. i still need to paint the back glass on the tank but i cant decide to go with black or blue. i was thinking of going with blue since my 24g AP has a black back what do you guys think black or blue?
im gonna try to keep this tank as simple as i can. im not planing on putting fish in this tank ever so i might just use a couple powerheads in the tank. if later on after the tank is cycled and if i fill i need to add a aquaclear filter with the fuge mod done to it i will do it. but for now i want to see if i can just let the LR do the bio filtration and just add flow with 1 or 2 powerheads. one reason i want to keep the 5.5g tank simple is because i found out with my aquapod if it isnt broke dont try and fix it. ive bought different 3 light fixtures 2 different skimmers but now i am sticking to what i have on the tank sunpod 150w hqi and the sapphire skimmer. ive even thought about buying a hydor koralia 1 powerhead but with the 2 maxi-jet 900's my tank has plenty of flow and my corals are happy. so again i thought to myself if it isnt broke dont try and fix it.
my 24g AP is a pretty simple setup just LR for bio filtration 2x mj900s for flow and a sapphire aquatics AP24 skimmer. i have no bad algaes or anything and a very healthy tank i do a 2g water change every saturday using reef crystals salt. the corals i have is lots fl ricordeas/zoos/gsp/psp/frogspawn/purple plume gorgonia/ yellow plume gorgina everything is very healthy and growing like crazy. ill post a pic of my 24g ap tank once i get a good pic of it.
sjm1978
04/02/2007, 06:17 PM
ok i got most of the canopy made today. all i need to do is get some corner molding from my friend to put on it and then ill primer it and paint it black and install the hinges for the lid. then i need to cut the reflector to size and install the lights and 2 fans into the canopy. then ill get my sand and lr and start the cycle. i was gonna build a small 3" base for the bottom of the tank so it would match the canopy but ill do it some other time. the canopy sits a total of 6" from the tank but the whole canopy is 7" tall. i also still need to paint the back glass on the tank. blue or black what you guys think?
heres some pics
front
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010004Small.jpg
sides
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010005Small.jpg
on the tank front
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010007Small.jpg
side
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010009Small.jpg
back
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010011Small.jpg
MrMexReefer
04/02/2007, 06:58 PM
subscribing! I plan on doing this myself REAL soon :D
sjm1978
04/03/2007, 05:56 PM
ok today i cut the reflector and found a spot on the back of the canopy to mount the 3 light switches that will control daylight/actinc/moonlights. i test fitted the lights in the canopy and then i primmered the canopy. i will give it a lite sanding tomorrow and paint it tomorrow. i should have the tank up and cycling on saturday.
injuries that happened to me from this DIY canopy sofar are:
1.yestuday i was carring my compound mitter saw to a spot so i can use it to cut the wood for the canopy and i slipped on a piece of wood flooring that was on the garage floor. i didnt fall but i didnt want to drop the saw and saved it from falling to the floor and it twisted my right arm. so now my arm is sore.
2. today i was cutting the reflector and i cut the top of my thumb on the new edge of the reflector.
you guys can laugh if you like :)
well heres some pics
spot for the 3 switches
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010015Small.jpg
test fitting the lights
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010016Small.jpg
primmered
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010017Small.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010018Small-1.jpg
sjm1978
04/04/2007, 02:40 PM
ok i got the canopy painted today. i started out using roll on grate black paint and it looked purplish. so i let that dry then i put a few coats of gloss black spray paint it looks good now. im letting the paint bake in the hot arizona sun rightnow then ill bring the canopy in later tonight it should be nice and dry.
heres some pics
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010020Small.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010021Small.jpg
Rich_1833
04/04/2007, 02:52 PM
If you painted the inside a gloss white it might shine better.
sjm1978
04/04/2007, 03:14 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9646965#post9646965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rich_1833
If you painted the inside a gloss white it might shine better.
i thought about doing that but i think it will be fine with the reflector. i am gonna have 64w of pc lighting on this tank. im using a german parabolic reflector.
MrMexReefer
04/04/2007, 03:32 PM
Thinking about sealing the inside? Wont the humidity in the hood have the potential to warp the wood?
-looking good so far tho man. I have never tried my wood working skills, and want to do this very same tank! :D
sjm1978
04/04/2007, 03:58 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9647312#post9647312 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrMexReefer
Thinking about sealing the inside? Wont the humidity in the hood have the potential to warp the wood?
-looking good so far tho man. I have never tried my wood working skills, and want to do this very same tank! :D
the enitre canopy inside and out has 4 coats of primmer and has about 6 coats of black gloss paint.
Rosseau
04/04/2007, 08:40 PM
looking good - did you happen to order your PC lighting kit online?
sjm1978
04/04/2007, 08:49 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9649528#post9649528 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rosseau
looking good - did you happen to order your PC lighting kit online?
nope i got the lighting from the stock hood from my 24g aquapod.
Jadams
04/04/2007, 09:29 PM
i love the canopy with the slot for the three switches! Great idea!
sjm1978
04/04/2007, 09:47 PM
i mounted the lights and ballasts into the canopy and put the hindges on the lid. i then temp wired the lights to test them. i will wire everything nice tomorrow or the next day.
daylight and actinc
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010025Small.jpg
daylight only
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010029Small.jpg
actinic only
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010027Small.jpg
the ballasts
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010032Small.jpg
sjm1978
04/08/2007, 05:04 PM
ok today i went and bought 5 pounds of Tonga Fusion live rock from one of our arizona group members that has a online store. he also gave me a half of a 30 pound bag of aragamax sand (sugar sized) for free. then i went to the LFS and bought a visi-therm 50w stealth heater. i got eveything in the tank but its its cloudy from the sand and i didnt aquascape yet because i cant see. i have a mj900 circulating the water for now. i think im gonna go buy a aquaclear 50 or 70 and mod it as a fuge. i still need to buy a couple 80mm fans also.
heres a cloudy pic.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010041Small.jpg
list/prices:
5.5g AGA tank $11.99
64w of PC lighting from my 24g aquapods stock hood
50w visi-threm stealth heater $29.99
10-15 pounds of Aragamax sand (sugar sized) Free
5 pounds of Tonga Fusion live rock $4.50 a pound total $22.50
mj900 had it allready
coralife digital thermometer had it allready
reef crystals salt had it allready
Total Price without tax sofar = $64.48
cmb88
04/08/2007, 06:34 PM
cool cant wait to see it!!
shinosuke
04/09/2007, 12:27 PM
I like the idea! I have a 5.5 AGA tank that I was going to do something similair with, but I didn't have the lights sitting around for it, and it would cost me over $100 to get the kind of lights that I want to use, sooo.. I think I'll just watch your thread and see how yours turns out!
I wanted to get 2x 32w PC bulbs, as well, one actinic and one 50/50 or 10,000k, so I could do the dawn / dusk lighting effect.
Looks like you're off to a good start.
~Adam D.
sjm1978
04/09/2007, 03:44 PM
ok i went and bought a aquaclear 30 today and then modded it into a fuge. im gonna put it on the tank tomorrow after the silicone is cured and run floss in it until the tank is cycled also i want to run floss in it to get the water cleared up from the sand. the tank was clear enough this morning so i could see to aquascape so i did but now its cloudy again :) i also found the 2 brandnew 80mm fans i had. i need to drill the side of the canopy and install them. im thinking of putting only 1 fan at first and see how it does and if i needs 2 ill add the second one.
list/prices:
5.5g AGA tank $11.99
64w of PC lighting from my 24g aquapods stock hood
50w visi-threm stealth heater $29.99
10-15 pounds of Aragamax sand (sugar sized) Free
5 pounds of Tonga Fusion live rock $4.50 a pound total $22.50
mj900 had it allready
coralife digital thermometer had it allready
reef crystals salt had it allready
aquaclear 30 $40.00
2x 80mm fans had them allready
Total Price without tax sofar = $104.48
sjm1978
04/09/2007, 04:30 PM
ok the cycle has started :)
test results today are:
date: 4/09/07
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25
nitrate 0
calcium 430
sjm1978
04/10/2007, 09:05 PM
ok i ran the lights on the tank today for a bit the tank didnt heatup at all stayed a constant 80 but the canopy's lid got really hot. i have decided im gonna go ahead and buy the 2x18 Watt Current USA PowerCompact Dual Satellite Fixture and use it instead. http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CU01011 im not sure if im gonna mount the new light fixture into the canopy or just take the canopy off. i also got the aquaclear 30 onto the tank and filled it with floss for now. the water is very clear now. i also removed the mj900 that thing blows the sand around so much. im gonna get a smaller powerhead maybe one of the mini-jets or a mj400 something not to powerful that blows the sand around.
heres my test results sofar
date: 4/09/07
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25
nitrate 0
calcium 430
date: 4/10/07
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.50
nitrate <5
calcium 430
heres a pic from today the glass still has some sand stuff on it.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010044Small.jpg
Grunt
04/10/2007, 10:23 PM
Looks good so far.
Cheers
sjm1978
04/11/2007, 02:45 PM
ok i decided im gonna keep the canopy and just buy a 32w sunpaq 50/50 10,000k/460nm bulb and run only 32w. i am still gonna keep the other 32w sunpaq dual actinic bulb and have it only turn on 1 hour before the 50/50 bulb and then off after the 50/50 comes on and then on again when the 50/50 is about to shut off. that way i will still get the dawn to dusk effect but ill only have one 32w bulb running at a time. im also gonna either vent one side of the canopy and put a fan pulling air out on the otherside or im gonna use 2 fans one on eachside one blowing air in the other pulling air out so it will keep the bulbs cool so they cant heat up the canopy's lid.
sjm1978
04/14/2007, 07:43 PM
ok the tank is now cycled took 6 days. i also ordered smartpaq 32w 10,000k/460nm bulb should be here in a few days then i need to install the fans in the canopy. then ill start running the lights and once brown diatom cycle hits ill add a cleanup crew to keep it in check. once the diatom cycles is over ill start adding corals.
heres my test results
date: 4/09/07 cycle started
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25
nitrate 0
calcium 430
date: 4/10/07
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.50
nitrate <5
calcium 430
date: 4/14/07 cycle finshed
salinity 1.025
ph 8.2
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
calcium 430
sjm1978
04/17/2007, 03:20 PM
ok i recived my smartpak 32w 10,000k/460nm bulb yesturday the tank looks really nice with it. today i drilled a hole in the canopy to install one 80mm fan i have two but im testing it with one fan and its doing really good. i have it pulling air out and the bulb are not even getting hot now. if i endup needing the second fan ill drill a hole in the otherside of the canopy and install it but sofar one seems to be good enough. im now running the lights and as soon as the brown diatoms come im gonna add a clenup crew.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010051Small.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010052Small.jpg
the fan is on in the pic
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010055Small.jpg
both of my tanks i might buy another stand like my aquapods stand its a lee-mar stand ill buy the lee-mar aquapod 12g stand for the 5.5g tank. the 5.5g had actinic on only in the pic thats why it looks so blue.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/sjm1978/S4010058Small.jpg
Jadams
04/17/2007, 03:38 PM
moving along, its looking great!
sjm1978
04/17/2007, 03:48 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9750663#post9750663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jadams
moving along, its looking great!
thanks i cant wait to start adding corals to it. i allready fragged some zoos and others from my 24g tank to move to it. i still need to get a light for my fuge then im gonna buy some cheato or get it for free from one of our club members.
SugarFox03
04/30/2007, 06:51 PM
Any updates? I'm debating on starting a 5.5g tank. I love the idea of using the lights from the AquaPod...I have the same lights sitting around not doing anything! I also have the tank and some rock that I'm not using. I also have an old canopy for the tank, but I don't like it much...so I'm not sure I'd use that.
Anyway, thanks for the ideas. I'd love to see an update if you have one!
MADtanks
04/30/2007, 07:06 PM
very nice setup bro.... i am in the diatom stage right now myself... its been a couple of weeks so hopefully it will gone soon, good luck man.
GHawsJR
04/30/2007, 08:17 PM
What are you using to test your salinity, calcium, pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate? As in are you using a master test kit? Im trying to find one that has exactly those 5. Just curious what others got and are the best. Also what do you use for salinity?
nynex
04/30/2007, 10:49 PM
Looks Awesome!
sjm1978
05/02/2007, 02:42 PM
just a quick update its starting to get diatoms i put a cleanup crew in.
i also drilled the otherside of the canopy and installed a second fan to keep the lights even cooler i have both fans pulling air out of the canopy. i topoff once a day with 2cups of ro/di so evap isnt bad at all. the temp stays between 79.5 to 80.1
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9849083#post9849083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GHawsJR
What are you using to test your salinity, calcium, pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate? As in are you using a master test kit? Im trying to find one that has exactly those 5. Just curious what others got and are the best. Also what do you use for salinity?
yea i use a the master test kit. for salinity i use a refractometer.
StunnaShadez
05/02/2007, 07:41 PM
nice
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