FrozenSurfer's 37G Oceanic Build

[FrozenSurfer]

Greetings from Anchorage AK!

It's that time again.... time to UPGRADE!


As many of you know Oceanic is no longer making the 37g cubes, so this has taken me almost 2 years to track down. Now that I have it, it's time for some modifications.

Basically you get the idea from the photos. Mag 9.5 return, 2- 1" bulkheads and returns, Custom built 250w HQI 2x24w T-5. (I build lights)

Here's the process so far.

The holes after being drilled, and the back getting painted.

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0836.jpg
http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0837.jpg

[FrozenSurfer]

Got the plumbing done in an afternoon. I've got 2 1" returns into a 10g sump. Added some quick baffles, and dropped in the Mag 9.5 plumbed into a SQWD where it is split into CPVC returns in the front of the tank. I've been wanting to do a front return setup for a long, long time... so this is the product of that. Other filtration includes a small CPR aquafuge, and a modded remora. :)

All of this powered by a Reekeeper2

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0840.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0841.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0842.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0843.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0844.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0845.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0847.jpg

[FrozenSurfer]

Yesterday I fired up the acrylic bender and formed the overflow box. I decided against cutting teeth as I honestly have never seen the real benefit, and I hate the look of them. After a good curing on the Silicon, I loaded up the freshwater and ran a few tests.

My camera somehow got left in the other car and it went to work with my significant other. So here's some bad shots with hers... but you get the idea.

Yes, there are microbubbles, but not from the pump... just from the way I added the water (whoops) there is also eggcrate over the top of the overflow to act as a fish suicide prevention device (FSPD)

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2681.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2683.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2684.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2680.jpg

Some new updates will be coming later this week. My shipment of Live Rock leaves Jakarta on the 28th :)

[FrozenSurfer]

Here are some more pictures.... I'm waiting for the RO/DI until to fill this baby up!


Here's a better shot of the overflow.

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0968.JPG

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0982.JPG

The mess I call a sump... Sorry in advance.

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0985.JPG

This is a better shot of the Return Lines going around to the front.

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0990.JPG

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_0992.JPG

More is coming.... I'm just waiting patiently for the RO to catch up.... Unfortunately it's trying to keep top-off water going for the frag tanks... so this is a second priority.

[Jadams]

looks like an awesome start! Cant wait to see it stocked... :D

[FrozenSurfer]

Me either :) I'm working on my DIY Phosban reactor right now. I will post some pictures when I'm done with it

[NemusMaximus]

Wow! Great build. Looks very clean and neat. Nice job. I love the sump area... i wish i had planned mine out like that. :)

[FrozenSurfer]

Thanks Nemus. I've been putting a whole lot of thought into this tank. I didn't do much planning on my 400 cube so this one had to be different.

[FrozenSurfer]

Alrighty, I had the morning off today, so I added some new things to the tank.

For starters I added two DIY Media Reactors.

Here's the first one. Made from a Powerade Bottle.
http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2707.jpg
http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2711.jpg
http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2712.jpg
http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2713.jpg

It's based off an idea from a guy on a different forum. I just modified the exit holes to make it a bit more efficient.

The next one is for much finer media like GFO

Here it is being tested on the sink...

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2705.jpg

A closer view of the inside

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2703.jpg

In the sump...

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2709.jpg

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/DSCN2710.jpg

[FrozenSurfer]

So I ran into a bit of a problem last night....

For those of you unfamiliar with Alaska, we get about 50 earthquakes a day... not kidding
http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Seis/recenteqs/index.html

Currently we have a Volcano out in the Aleutians that is erupting, and has been for about a week or so... we're just waiting for a quake off that one too.

My problem last night was watching my tank in the smaller earthquake, and I realize how top heavy this baby is.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to secure this tank to the wall, the ground, or anywhere in between?

I know the tank is on carpet, so that makes it harder. I've put some plastic down underneath so it doesn't destroy that carpet. On top of that I have shimmed it with pool table shims, but it still rocks.

[Nano Chris]

Thats one bad thing about living around a volcano or earthquake zone, i would try to get something to anchor it to the floor/wall, not sure how you would go about doing that though. Also you have a clean setup there. :D

[unbreakable]

wow i always wondered what this tank would look like drilled with an overflow box like that. ill subscribe do this thread

my lfs has the same tank and stand and its been sitting there for months

[FrozenSurfer]

Hey guys,
Well, the sand arrived today. I added some to the 37, and the rest to the DSB for the frag system.

I will take some pics later

[E30 E T A]

Man,another Oceanic Cube! I need one!
Nice setup!! What's powering your DIY media reactors?
For the quake problems I would get some metal bars and bolt it to the stand to wall and get some thick straps and bolt those to the wall.

[FrozenSurfer]

Hey E30 Thanks for the compliment.
I've got a maxi-jet 400 that's split 2 ways. It feeds both reactors. I've got 2 ball valves on there to be able to control the flow on both reactors.
I think I got the tank secure. I bolted it to the wall.

[E30 E T A]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13056883#post13056883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FrozenSurfer
Hey E30 Thanks for the compliment.
I've got a maxi-jet 400 that's split 2 ways. It feeds both reactors. I've got 2 ball valves on there to be able to control the flow on both reactors.
I think I got the tank secure. I bolted it to the wall.

Awsome. I guess the water flows into the reactor than back out? I may do this since I have like 5 PHs laying around

[FrozenSurfer]

Sorry, yes it does. Water enters a tube that runs all the way to the bottom of the container and then works it's way back through the media

[E30 E T A]

Good stuff! Thanks! Looking forward to another update

[Jay-sun]

Pretty nice looking set up. Some creative diy stuff going on here. Good job.
I like it.


Jason

[FrozenSurfer]

I got bored the other night and aquascaped for a bit. I still don't really like it, but it's getting there.

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/Untitled-2.jpg


http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_1138.jpg


More to come. Not bad for a few hours off...

[Felix1021]

Nice set up...what light fixture is that?

Thanks,

Felix-

[E30 E T A]

Looks nice! I think the aquascaping looks good!

[Jay-sun]

Scape looks pretty good. Alot of room in the sand for brain corals, favia's etc.

Jason

[FrozenSurfer]

Felix, the light shell is actually a Geismen that I picked up when I was in Germany. There was this old shop that was shutting it's doors and was trying to get rid of all the stock. He had about 30 of these shells that nobody wanted to buy so he gave them to me.
All I had to do was find some t5's and a halide and put them in (and find a way to ship them home.) I found the legs on ebay from some guy that sells those Odsessya lights, and they turned out to be a pretty good match.

Thanks for the compliments, I was really trying to go for more of an open feel. The pictures don't do the aquascaping justice. There is a ton of room on the sand bed and I will be taking full advantage of that.

[JimKelly12203]

That looks really nice man! Very good start though i don't know what the heck i'd do about the earthquake problems.

Embarassingly noobish question here... But what is the purpose of a media reactor? By media, i take it you mean any number of different things. Is it just for dosing various additives etc? Or is it another term for a calcium reactor? Or neither?

[FrozenSurfer]

Hey Jim,
Thanks for the compliment. Yeah the earthquake proofing is complete. I actually majored in aerospace engineering... so I finally used that degree to engineer a bracket to hold everything in place. It *should* withstand a 8.0.... there will just be no water left in the tank....

The media reactor is alot like a phosban reactor... just cheaper. It is designed to fluidize the media that I put in it (ie. Carbon, granular Ferric Oxide.. etc.) The idea is sorta the same as a calcium reactor. Water enters the bottom of the chamber and flows up through the media causing it to "roll" in the current. This allows more effective distribution of water throughout the media.

[unbreakable]

any updates??!?! this thread died out

[FrozenSurfer]

Died? I don't even think it was ever alive. I've got some updates, I just haven't had a chance to get the pictures edited. Give me a bit :)

[unbreakable]

lfs has one and was going to get it but he says hes holding it for a lady thats wants to make it into a sea horse tank.

he said he could get me one, do you happen to know how much it would cost?

[JLAURIA751]

very nice iv been following your build and im impressed.

[FrozenSurfer]

Last time I checked with Oceanic, they no longer make this tank.

Thanks for the compliments :)

[Kentanner11]

I like it! Subscribing...

[FrozenSurfer]

So I've been doing some heavy thinking here over the past few weeks. What do you guys think.... All SPS or mix things up a bit? For a few days I wanted all SPS and some clams... then other days I wanted to mix it up a bit.

Anyone have any good ideas for a DIY calcium reactor....

[secrest]

coming along nicely, definitely subscribing

[FrozenSurfer]

So... I kinda made a little mistake....

Petco was having their annual $1 per gallon sale.... and I couldn't pass up the savings.... and I have really wanted a new frag system....

So I bought a couple tanks...

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/Frag/DSCN2715.JPG

Whoops.....

At least the girlie is ok with it..... I bought her a tank for work too :)

So now we will be having a double tank build :)

[FrozenSurfer]

New problem..... Sand issues....

I've started to realize that I've got a LOT of flow. Everyday my sand bed changes.... which is both good and bad. My clean up crew LOVES it, but aesthetically it's ugly as sin.

I'm just debating whether to live with it or run a bare bottom tank.... Any suggestions?

[unbreakable]

i think either SPS dominant tank or mixed reef like LPS and zoanthids with some shrooms would be great. if you go with sps dominant tank you might have to think about doing a BB tank to add more flow for them

did petco's sale already end? wish i knew about it, i would have bought a 40 breeder or 20 long :\

[Kentanner11]

No it is still going on till Sunday I think.. but it only applies to 20 & 29g regulars- (ie not long.. or tall)

I am sooo blowing some cash there this weekend!

[FrozenSurfer]

Hehe, yeah it's only for the 29, 20L and 20H

This is why there is only a clean up crew in the tank right now... this and the Cessna out back....

[E30 E T A]

Love the color of the LR! Found the same tank locally on CL. Hope it's still there in 2 weeks. Or the lobster tank... Get updates!

[FrozenSurfer]

Wow, you found the tank on CL? GREAT find! It really works very nicely for the aquascaping you're going to be very happy with it.
My updates will be coming soon. Right now is one of those times during the year that everything is due... The plane gets it's annual, the cars get their final tune ups for winter, the studded tires need to be replaced, etc. So once I take care of those, and the girlie gets off my back about them, I will start the ordering process.

Unbreakable, I have thought about the issues with the sand if I want an all SPS setup, I do think I'm going to go with more of a mixed reef, but I'm still up in the air about it. I had an old nano that was all SPS and it looked amazing, but it was a pita to keep up.
And, Petco didn't have the 40 breeder on sale. They did have the 55L for $60ish..... but then again, that's the 55 :(

[unbreakable]

it shouldnt be too much of a pain if youre using something like kalkwasser to maintain your levels. what i had done was add kalkwasser to my ATO resevoir and it did a great job, at the time it was on a 28g tank.

the only thing that bugged me about SPS is how it was so sensitive to anything, flow, lighting, parameters. sand was always in dunes

what you could do is keep the sand, add LPS, zoas and some softies and add some Orange montipora caps or some green or purple ones. i have a friend who keeps SPS with LPS and he doesnt have much flow but his SPS is thriving and has those rich colors we all look for

[skimmerman100]

i did the same thing. i bought a 20l with a 29 gal for the sump

[skimmerman100]

thats crazy that petco didnt have the 40 breeder on sale they wat like 99.99 for it.

[FrozenSurfer]

OK, I need some suggestions. I'm starting to plan out the fish selection so I can start tracking them down with the wholesalers. I'm thinking rare, or extremely cool. I was wanting some form of schooling fish like the Bartlett Anthias, but we'll see.

Any suggestions? What's your favorite fish, post some pictures :)

[HomeSlizzice]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13275427#post13275427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FrozenSurfer
OK, I need some suggestions. I'm starting to plan out the fish selection so I can start tracking them down with the wholesalers. I'm thinking rare, or extremely cool. I was wanting some form of schooling fish like the Bartlett Anthias, but we'll see.

Any suggestions? What's your favorite fish, post some pictures :)

My favorite fish is the McCoskers Wrasse heres a pic
http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh35/ST1_Kahuna/MaleMcCoskersFlasherWrasse.jpg

They are rare and hard to find, and cost about 70 bucks depending on where you go. :D

[nate82]

how about cool ora clowns? the onyx clowns are wild

[FrozenSurfer]

No clowns... sorry :) I have a good source for the McCoskers Wrasse.

[unbreakable]

mccosker's is on my list. the cherub angel is on my list too but it probably wont do well with corals. lubbock's wrasse is oneid like to get as well

[FrozenSurfer]

Ok, so I have pulled some strings and found a MATED pair of Flaming Prawn Gobies... Now, I'm not sure if they are going in this tank, or the new 5.5 nano.... but either way... :) :) :) :) :P

[FrozenSurfer]

So bad news on the flaming prawns. I learned a valuable lesson about ordering from a company that has limited experience shipping to cooler climates... 2 prawns arrived... both DOA.

#*(#)*$*(#(*#**@&@&$*!!!!


In other news. All the updates to the vehicles are done, and I have FINALLY been given approval to go ahead and take care of "the tank situation" as she calls it.

New updates will be following shortly.

[E30 E T A]

sorry to hear that! They're a great fish and i could imagine a pair would be so sweet! Are they re-emburssing you?

[FrozenSurfer]

Yeah they were really really good about it. Since they're not a sponsor on here I should probably keep their name out of it, but I am more than impressed with how they handled this.

[bnmir]

Hey, just picked up the same tank (used) for my reef build.
Questions:
What pump are you using for your return and your closed loop?
You mentioned flow problems, how much is too much in that tank?
What are you doing for a sump (no much space). 10g?

[pheromo]

still watching!! anything new .... ?

[FrozenSurfer]

Alrighty, man it's been a while since I've posted. I FINALLY got some livestock added!

I've got a ton more on the way, but these were added in the last week.

I also have a nano in the process...

Here is a current photo. Sorry for the quality. It's late, I'm exhausted, and I'm not real happy with my camera right now (Must be the time spent in the -20 temps...)

http://alaskanreef.com/tank/IMG_3725.jpg

[HookedonReef17]

Awesome looking tank. i'm going nano nuts lately... i bought a cadlights and finnex.. now i just bought a 37 gallon cube and am thinking about stealing a lot your ideas...If thats ok with you? very jealous!!

[FrozenSurfer]

Imitation is the best form of flattery

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you'd like. The 37 cubes are awesome tanks!

Thanks for the compliments!