31x31x20 cube build thread

[flying_dutchman]

I never really like my current 30g, Bought it of craigslist, came with some liverock, one hermit, and a serpent star. Wasn't drilled so I don't have a sump, was always fighting against aptaisia, flatworms, bubble algae, and cyano. But SPS are doing great.
The new tank is going to be 31x31x20.
With A lot of small fish. And some small inverts.
2'' sandbed, SPS dominated, maybe some LPS
Light setup is going to be 2x 250W MH and 2x super actinics.
I'm building the tank and stand myself, cuz I'm 15 and on a budget of one :rollface:.

Fish I plan to keep:
- Tank bred clownfish pair
- Purple firefish
- Centropyge argi, Really hope that I can find one that doesn't become to nippy
- Blue flasher wrasse
- Tailspot blenny
- Orange lined cardinal school 5-12
- Pair of sand shifting gobies, not sure which one yet, any input would be great.

Inverts I plan to keep:
- Sexy shrimp group
- Some bumble bee shrimp
- Blood red fire shrimp
- Pom pom crab
- Porcelain crab
- Some yellow tip and zebra hermits.

[flying_dutchman]

I started building the stand last week. Planned to start building tank this week, but it it delayed to next week, trying to convince my mom that the tank won't fall trough the floor :rolleyes:.
Frame:
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/a23d42fe.jpg
State of the art sump :lol::
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/82374b6b.jpg
Will finish the stand this week, and start building tank Friday.

[InsaneClownFish]

Good start so far. Do you have any other options than the Sterilite Tub? You won't be able to fill it all the way up, and if you do you're risking water on your Mom's floor. ;)

That being said, yes it won't likely be run more than halfway full, and yes people out there have "gotten away" with them. There are just far better options out there. Keep in mind that you'll have to deal with microbubbles if you don't use baffles.

My other concern is that if I remember right, the blue ones are not food safe and have the potential to leech chemicals into the water.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Is that stand built from Rocketengineers thread? If so, well done :)

Do you have any MS paint jobs of your planned rock scape?

[flying_dutchman]

Good start so far. Do you have any other options than the Sterilite Tub? You won't be able to fill it all the way up, and if you do you're risking water on your Mom's floor. ;)

That being said, yes it won't likely be run more than halfway full, and yes people out there have "gotten away" with them. There are just far better options out there. Keep in mind that you'll have to deal with microbubbles if you don't use baffles.

My other concern is that if I remember right, the blue ones are not food safe and have the potential to leech chemicals into the water.
I will replace it with a costumized 20 gallon aquarium sump. But for now I just want to get the tank cycling ASAP, during that period I've time to buy a tank of craigslist and convert it to a sump. I've used it as a autotop off reservoir during long vacations, and I've haven't seen any ill effects.

[flying_dutchman]

Is that stand built from Rocketengineers thread? If so, well done :)

Do you have any MS paint jobs of your planned rock scape?
Yeah I used Rocketengineers thread, used almost one pound of screws :lol:
I've a mac so no MS paint, The rock scape is going to be inspired on Leonardo's Formosa forest. I will look if I can find the link.

[InsaneClownFish]

I will replace it with a costumized 20 gallon aquarium sump. But for now I just want to get the tank cycling ASAP, during that period I've time to buy a tank of craigslist and convert it to a sump. I've used it as a autotop off reservoir during long vacations, and I've haven't seen any ill effects.

Good to see you have something in place. Nice start- that stand looks great.

[flying_dutchman]

Had some fun with SketchUp, this are the results:
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/6425e679.jpg
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/053c449e.jpg

[flying_dutchman]

http://www.there eftank.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=42247&d=1155405855
Just delete the space, and copy paste.

[MADtanks]

great job man, tank looks great!!

[Goodwin9]

How are things going with your build?

[flying_dutchman]

Not to good, all glass shops I called, gave me qoutes in the $400 range. For that price I would rather get the tank custom build. In a glass shop in Seattle I can get the glass for $130±. I'm properly going to Seattle in December but that's not sure yet.
I guess the tank costum build is going to be 300-400 dollar range. So that would mean that I won't have the money until December.

So in short I can't start until December :(
But I converted my 30 into a frag tank so I can start collecting some corals. My LFS is a really nice store $10 for a 5'' staghorn "frag", if the wife of the store owner is not around :lol:
Will properbly pick up a 20g for the sump, skimmer, and power heads for Xmass. Will convert my 30g to a QT, have a light laying around anyway. Will buy a 250MH for $100 of ebay, I have one already on my 30g.

Decided on no sand bed, just starboard with sand glued on it:
http://www.coszam.net/starboard.htm
Looks pretty slick.
Plan to dose Vodka, and MB7, overskim, and frequent small feedings.
Have a autofeeder, so dry food like pellets over the day, enriched with fish oil and frozenfood in the evening also soaked in fish oil.

Sorry for the long post :lolspin:

[H.Veras]

hey flying what brand is that mh fixture that you bought or will buy from ebay?

[flying_dutchman]

A nameless from ebay 250W. $120 shipping included, it's a reflector, ballast, and bulb all prewired. I have one currently on my 30 and I'm very pleased with it especially for the price.

[kalosbios]

Hello,

Sounds like a very cool project!

Couple of questions: is the glass quote for starphire? what thickness?--seems like a pretty high quote. . . consider going with regular glass and check here with some experienced builders for the necessary thickness.

Also, 2-250 watt metal halides seem a bit much (from my perspective) for a cube that could easily be covered by a single. . . just a thought.

There are some amazing SPS and mixed reefs that do very well on even 150 watt halides with T5 supplements--less heat generated and more money for something else! (check out username "Reefrf" here, and on SDReefs.com, to see what I mean. . .)

Enjoy your build,

Gordon

[flying_dutchman]

Thnc, the quotes where very high indeed. 3/8'' thick. Standard glass.

-Update:
New dimensions will be 31x31x14 rimless. Stand will be fineshed elos style. Gloss white with Ferrari orange doors.
I will be making my own rocks, following reef-eden.net's recipe. But, here's the fun part...
I will be covering the whole bottom panel, making a mall of chicken wire and plastic sheets, creating caves etc. Reef-eden is down at the moment but will post some pics tomorrow.
Plan for sump:
Two standard 10 gallons, one with skimmer and filtersock, heater etc. Connected to 2nd 10g with bulkheads (this way I can practise drilling tanks for DT) The 2nd tank will contain a cryptic fuge, since a recent study by Dr. Jasper de Goeij proved sponges use DOS as food, and since they shed their cells continuously it provides food.
Good article:
http://glassbox-design.com/2009/sponges-recycle-carbon-on-the-reef/

New fish list:
- 7-15 chromis vanderbilti (small fish get about 2'')
- 1 Flame angel
- Black Back Butterflyfish (Chaetodon melannotus) not sure about this one yet, looking at the in the wild they are very active swimmers, so I'm not sure if my tank would be right. I'm aware of the fact that they are nippers. But like glassbox stated it's only natural, SPS will extend polyps at night.

Pics of some corals that will be in the future tank:
Not sure what this is properbly a acan, but could also be a favia, picked it up for $10 at my LFS :D
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/IMG_3684.jpg
Not sure about this one either, montipora for sure but not sure what kind: Also got it for $10 a while back
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/IMG_3676.jpg
Cool pic of my cloves spawning: (these will NOT be in my tank)
http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss248/jooost/IMG_3614.jpg

[FranktheTankTx]

I love the stand build! I'd be very interested in learning how to build my own stand. I need to become more handy.

P.S. I noticed your sand glued to starboard idea. You know that if the sand is glued it will become covered with coraline because it can't be stirred or sifted. I would advise against it.

[Bonta]

Love that first coral pic ! Good luck with the build , sounds like a interesting one :)

[jeff1225]

Looks like a cool project, will be tagging along. +1 on 2 halides being too much for a 31" cube.

[flying_dutchman]

here are the pics from reef-eden:
http://www.reef-eden.net/LR%20mould.JPG
http://www.reef-eden.net/LR%20Mould%20RHS2.JPG
http://www.reef-eden.net/Building%20LR.JPG
Recipe:
1pt Portland Cement - to - 2 pts Aragamax (aragonite sand) - to - 3 pts salt crystals. i.e. 1-2-3
http://www.reef-eden.net/diy_9.htm


Frank,
I'm not doing the starboard any more, I'm covering the bottom with rocks instead. In the same way as above, only covering the whole bottom.

[driftin]

I have a similar-sized tank - 31x27. I have two 175W halides over it with actinic supplementation, very much like your diagram above. I stagger the lighting so metal halides are on for 10 hours, but both lamps are only lit simultaneously for ~2 hours. [Even that may be more than I need?] Might be something to consider. If you go Iwasaki 175W, you can save yourself some wattage and still have excellent par.

How are you doing your overflow and in-tank flow?

Are you sure you can drill 10-gallon tanks? I thought they were too thin and crack easily. Maybe I'm wrong :)