LED Acrylic 10g in my DORM

[mudskipper1]

So, the final product is a ways off, but I felt I should start now to ask questions, get input, and add suspense

As of now, I am acquiring the parts necessary to build the acrylic tank, the stand, DIY Light, etc, but I will give a little history before going into that...

I started in the hobby a few years ago with a 40 Breeder. I had the tank for ~2 years, and it ended up looking like this:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0218-1.jpg


and this:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0232.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0260.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0291.jpg



and if you are interested, Idk if this will work, but a slideshow of the progress of my system:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/th_DSC_0344.jpg (http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/?action=view&current=0626a1fb.pbw)


Anyways, as I am now a freshman in college at the University of Maryland-College Park, I knew I could not keep the system. So, my sister purchased a 46g Bow, and I gave her most of the stuff from my system, except for the high light stuff, because she didn't want to have to pay the electricity of the mh. So anyway, last December I think it was, I moved my stuff to her house. It was all looking good a week after I set it up. That was the last I saw of it until a few weeks ago. When it looked like this:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_0919002041.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_0919002041a.jpg


The clowns are still alive, and so are a few snails, but that is about it. The tank has hundreds, maybe thousands of aptasia, bubble algae that is almost 2" in diameter, hair algae, dirty glass, the water level is ~6 inches too low...you get the picture. Apparently a large part of the problem was when my sister went on her honeymoon, the timer stopped working somehow, so the corals lost light for perhaps 10 days. Anyway, prior to this, I wanted to start a 10 gallon tank in my dorm, for the clowns, and then add corals as I went along. But now, given the state of this tank, I need to get those fish out of there ASAP. So, I setup this in my dorm as a LR curing/cycling/fish holding tank:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_0919002235.jpg

No fish yet, as it is LR that has been in an unheated tank for ~6 months, and I know it will take a while to cycle. I have a 50w heater, a Remora skimmer, a rio PH, and a 24" t8 bulb on the tank. I will monitor the levels for a while, so that I know when it is ready for the clowns.

Anyway, this post is long enough as it is, so I will leave it at that until after physics class.
Any comments, suggestions, questions are welcome throughout the thread.
I apologize in advance for the crappy pics, the only pics I can take at school as of now are on my phone, so they will be pretty low quality.
(hoping the pics show up)

In case this wasn't clear, this is just a temporary tank, and the "LED Acrylic" will likely be setup after winter break.
~Eric

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_0912001901.jpg

This is the overall appearance I am going for, rendered with my lack of artistic ability.

A list of random thoughts about my system, hopefully will help me tay organized and make sure I have everything as thought out as possible:

Will be home to a pair of ocellaris, a CUC, maybe a goby of some kind. Planning a primarily sps build, but possibly some assorted softies and LPS.

Will have an external Overflow, trying to decide whether it is worth doing a herbie style, or just sticking with durso.

Planning on 3/16" acrylic, 2 inch euro-bracing, hopefully a black or blue back panel

Remora skimmer, QO1200 return via a split 1/4" Locline.

Hoping to hang the DIY fixture with bent conduit, the fixture itself will be on a ~7"x7" heatsink, driven by meanwell (see both below). The LED's I am looking at are a 13watt bridgelux and 2 10 watt 445 nm from satistronics. May include a few RB's from satistronics if I need to adjust color, since I only have one driver to dim. Planning to house this with a small cpu fan in sheetmetal, with an acrylic shield and hang an inch or two over the water, since i won't have any optics. Any comments?
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_0920001806.jpg

Stand will be overbuilt with 2x4's and 2x2's with removable skin for access. Unsure whether it will be white or black or combination of the two, or another color. Input appreciated.

Sump will be a 5.5, with skimmer/drain, fuge, return sections. ATO with RO/DI.

Trying to decide whether to use a koralia 2, or a few smaller traditional PHs...any advice?

Here is a CAD drawing of just the tank:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/Reef2.jpg

[mudskipper1]

I have contemplated going with 3/8" acrylic and doing rimless, but cannot decide, anyone have a preference or pros and cons of either?

[stpauli914]

Looking sweet. I have a few ideas for you....

If you want to save yourself a TON of work and have a real nice tank for much cheaper, look into the Oceanic 30 Gallon cubes. They are not rimless, but they look real good and have nice dimensions. The sides/front/back are not tempered so they are easy to drill and add your external overflow to. I know because I did it :) Just noticed that your drawing looked alot like mine. I made the mistake of putting the overflow box IN the tank, I like your external box idea better. I will also say, you should do the herbie if you want it to be silent and can flow more. I have a nice 3 chamber sump that fit under the stock stand for the oceanic and it was custome built. Hit me up if you're interested. Heres a pic before I decided to take it down(one tank was enough) LOL

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_3713.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_3707.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_4077.jpg

Never got around to putting the door back on the stand, yeah I'm lazy....

[mudskipper1]

Looking sweet. I have a few ideas for you....

If you want to save yourself a TON of work and have a real nice tank for much cheaper, look into the Oceanic 30 Gallon cubes. They are not rimless, but they look real good and have nice dimensions. The sides/front/back are not tempered so they are easy to drill and add your external overflow to. I know because I did it :) Just noticed that your drawing looked alot like mine. I made the mistake of putting the overflow box IN the tank, I like your external box idea better. I will also say, you should do the herbie if you want it to be silent and can flow more. I have a nice 3 chamber sump that fit under the stock stand for the oceanic and it was custome built. Hit me up if you're interested. Heres a pic before I decided to take it down(one tank was enough) LOL


Never got around to putting the door back on the stand, yeah I'm lazy....

WhileI like the idea of going bigger, it would be impossible in my situation, as the maximum volume rule for dorms at UMD is 10 gallons, so I am already pushing that...:sad1:

[stpauli914]

Rules?

You should be doing more of this :reading:

Instead of this :beer:

LMAO!!!!

[mudskipper1]

switch the second one to Reefcentral/nanoreefing and it would be more like it... :)

[sam11909]

Looks like a really well thought out plan. I would go rimless, but thats just my opinion.

[mudskipper1]

I know, I like the look too, but id if I can justify the extra cost... :/

[mudskipper1]

No "real" progress, but I have been working on conceptual stuff and design.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/UNFINISHEDSTANDANDTANK.jpg

This is an unfinished version of the tank on the stand. Notice that the stand is longer than the tank. This is to accommodate the standard 5.5g sump. The drains will drop down inside the stand, make a 90 degree turn, come to the front of the stand to the drain/skimmer section and then drop down. I am debating whether or not to use the Herbie overflow system, or just use a durso. I already have one 1" bulkhead, and a 1/2" for the return, but I could get another one easy enough...how big does the emergency drain need to be? The return pump will probably only put like 250gph out, would 1/2" be enough? 3/4"?

Also, I am building a "box" behind the tank that will have the same finish as the stand, and will hide the overflow. The hanger for the light needs to come up through that, but I am not exactly sure how to do that, I have a couple ideas, but I am looking for more. The white 1x2's sticking up are part of the frame of this box. The box should be removable for maintenance. Any thoughts?

I am working on quotes for the piece of both glass and acrylic I would need to do Rimless and eurobraced.

[B_Man]

Tagging along on this one

[mudskipper1]

Tagging along on this one

cool, might be the first time I have had anybody say that to a build of mine...:bounce1:

[B_Man]

Lol I as well have never had a "tag along" but I have a standard 10 gallon that was my first and current tank.

cool, might be the first time I have had anybody say that to a build of mine...:bounce1:

[mudskipper1]

Ahh...that's why you're interested... Seems everyone obsessed over the big tanks, including me lol. But I guess we find common interests here in the nano section. :)

[mudskipper1]

Looks like I am going to wait a few more weeks before I order the LED's, so some of the current color discussion/tests going on right now can play out. I will work on completing CAD drawings this weekend, I spoke with Piedmont plastics today, even though they mention aquariums on their site, it is pretty clear that they don't do many. They were very willing to work with me though, and I thought the price was very reasonable. I asked about routing the slot out for the overflow, and he is going to get back to me on Monday with more specifics on cost. He said the min. charge for pieces is $5, and the overflow pieces would be less than hat otherwise, so I may get a larger piece and cut them out myself, not sure. He said he has Black for the back, so that is good. I think I will end up buying through them. It is Plexiglas G, except for the black I think,which is Acrylite I think. Anyway, I'll keep my one follower updated ;)

[mudskipper1]

So I did some more work in the computer lab today, this is the option I think I like best, but it requires the ability to bend metal conduit, and I don't want to by the tool for $40 for one bend. My old high school has a bunch of bending equipment, so maybe I can use that at some point, if not, would it be better to use PVC with an elbow or build a wooden arm?
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/STANDWITHTANK.jpghttp://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/FRAME.jpghttp://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/EXPLODED.jpg
comments, questions appreciated!!
Thanks:spin3:

[cooper13]

I'm tagging along too. Your plans are looking nice. I like hiding the overflow/plumbing as you know. I know you said you wanted the rear box to be removable, but how does the arm for the light play in? You could hang the sides using magnets or something. Alternately I'd you could make the light arm rotate that might be cool.

Good luck, and thanks for the nice comments on my thread!

[mudskipper1]

thanks for the advice! I think subconsciously, your build made me absolutely have to do that. The plan right now is to have the one side be magnet/velcro removable very easily, and then the rest can separate for moving the tank, but not all that often. The arm I think will be able to rotate, as I will be using the two-screw clamps to hold it in place, and then I can just slide it to the side when I need full access to the tank, or if I just need to fry something on the floor next to the tank ;)

[cooper13]

Sounds like a great plan!

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! this reef stuff gives me something to think about...17 credits just isn't enough....:)

[cooper13]

Ah, I remember those days. So you are taking physics. Are you majoring in it? That was my major.

[mudskipper1]

Mechanical Engineering actually, but I will be taking quite a bit of physics while I am here...

[syrss]

just borrow the conduit bending tool inside the store, that's what I did ;)

So I did some more work in the computer lab today, this is the option I think I like best, but it requires the ability to bend metal conduit, and I don't want to by the tool for $40 for one bend. My old high school has a bunch of bending equipment, so maybe I can use that at some point, if not, would it be better to use PVC with an elbow or build a wooden arm?
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/STANDWITHTANK.jpghttp://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/FRAME.jpghttp://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/EXPLODED.jpg
comments, questions appreciated!!
Thanks:spin3:

[mudskipper1]

I may have to take advantage of that option if I can't find another way...My old high school teacher just informed me that he has an acrylic sheet bender, so I will likely use that to make the housing for the light fixture, and I will probably do some tests to see if I am confident enough with it to make three sides of my DT all one piece bent twice...The seamless look could be really cool I think.

[crodger]

The store will bend it for you or as said above ust use the one in the asile at HD

[mudskipper1]

I asked Home Depot and Lowes specifically if they would do it in the store for me and they said no. Has anyone had it done before? Is corporate just not guaranteeing because they don't know if my particular branch will?

[mudskipper1]

Put together a list of my purchases for the system, some I already have made, some are still to come.

Reef Tank Budget

LED Light: ~~~$140-$150
Driver-Meanwell, $30 shipped (ELN-60-48)-used
Heatsink-$27 shipped (7x7”)
Satistronics LEDs- $12
1 445nm 10 watt
Steve’s LEDs-$14
4 Blue LEDs
LEDsupply-$33 ($48)
3 or 5 Neutral white xr-e
1 cool/standard blue rebel
Nanotuners-10$
15 Thermal Pads-$10
Wire-School Hopefully
Hanging system- $10
Conduit-$3
Brackets-$4
Unforeseen-$3
Housing-already have parts I believe, maybe $5 extra
Tank:
¼” Acrylic, rim around top, external overflow, ~$80 (waiting on quote).
Plumbing:
Drains- $30
Unions (3-$12) (BRS)
Gate valve (1-$12) (BRS)
Elbows (4-$3), (BRS)
Few feet of pipe-$3 (HD)
Second 1” bulkhead (BRS)
Return-
Locline and bulkhead-$26 shipped (ebay)-have
Skimmer:
AquaC Remora-used, $60 shipped
Flow:
Return-QO1200, already have.
Circulation- Vortech MP10-$125 shipped, used.
Stand:
2x4 frame-$10
1x2 frame- $5
Panels for sides-$13
Hardware-$10
Paint/primer-$15
2-Part dosing: $10 (BRS)
Test kits: $13(API calcium, Alkalnity) (MD)
Algae magnet: $10(nano-mag) (MD)
Aqua lifter pump for ATO-$13 (MD)
Reefkeeper Lite??-$95 (BRS)

Approximate total: $570-$670 (depending on Reefkeeper, exact shipping costs, group buy prices, my own stupidity)

Stores I need to buy from:

Home Depot
Bulk Reef Supply
Nanotuners
Satistronics
Acrylic/glass company (Piedmont Plastics)
Marine Depot
Stevesleds
LEDsupply

I am planning on purchasing some items with another person to split shipping, so that will help some I hope. I usually hate spending money, so this is hard, but I made a quick decision to buy a used MP10 on here today, so I am hoping that pays off. I am hoping to get most if not all of my livestock through other reefers/ trades, to minimize that cost.

I will post more detailed info about the light, tank, stand when the time comes, but just an idea of what will be involved to keep people interested :)

Questions, comments please!

[mudskipper1]

I just saw this build: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=237451

It made me think about whether I should build my stand, or use this:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20146761

It is white rather than black, but I was debating that anyway. Comparable price, I wouldn't be able to cover the overflow, but I think the clean look might be worth it. The dimensions are ridiculously similar to the stand I was going to build. Sump access would be a major drawback, but what do you think? I would drill through the top for the drains and return, and attach my light hanging system either to the back, or drill another hole.

Opinions?

[cooper13]

Building the stand takes a good amount of time. So unless you think it will be fun in and of itself, I'd buy a stand (building it yourself won't save much if anything).

[mudskipper1]

Yea, I have built quite a few stands, and I enjoy it, but I will only be home for so much time over the holidays, so it might make the most sense to go with this. I'll have to figure out a way to mount my RKL without looking bad.

Now I have to decide what color to make my light fixture....The bare aluminum wouldn't look bad except for the fan and wires all over it, so I am thinking maybe acrylic painted white? make a box with no back out of 1/2" acrylic on 4 sides, 1/4" on the bottom for a splash shield, the back side would be open, so it could slide off for cleaning, and the top would have a hole cut out for the fan. might be kinda heavy, other option is galvanized sheet metal, bent and painted with a 1/4" splash shield.

[mudskipper1]

And also, I just asked for a quote for dimensions that would be a fraction of an inch wider than the ikea stand. I would need to make it a little wider somehow, maybe put a sheet of plywood under the tank that is the same size, and paint it black. I feel like trying to match the white wouldn't work well, but the contrast might look good? I could also add a black trim around the top of the stand, to support the very edges of the tank? something like 1x2's?

[jerseyhokie]

Gonna give you my perspective looking back as an ocean engineer at virginia tech. Im a senior, with a 30 gallon ive been running for about 2 months now in my off campus apartment. Had freshwater throughout my 4 years, with a 55 gallon set up in the dorms illegally at one point. Couple of points:

Why LED? Im guessing its cost of operation. If youre living in dorms and plan to continue that at least next year, search the DC craigslist and find a used metal halide for that price. Since UMD foots the power bill, splurge.

As a matter of fact, search craigslist often. DC is a goldmine. I got a 30 tall, stand, 24" coralife fixture, 12 20" straightpin PC bulbs, a seaclone 100, 4"-6" live sand bed, 30 lbs dry rock, heaters, poerheads and other sump tanks totally free there. Multiple times i had to turn down livestock like clowns or chromis because i didnt have the tank cycled yet.

That 10 gallon max isnt really too hard to avoid. Develop a good relationship with your RA and im sure he'll let it slide or just wont ask any questions. The bigger consideration needs to be ease of moving it as im assuming youll take it home for winter break. From my perspective, 30 gals is the max you can move in a car or truck for any distance over 30 mins. dont know if youre local to college park.

If you have a roommate, educate him to an extent. Otherwise, if you mention vodka dosing in passing, he'll put 4 shots in a 10 gallon and tell you youre welcome. Helps a ton with maintainence too.

Give me a shout around thanksgiving. Ill be making the trek home to NJ and ill pass right through there. Id be happy to drop off a small chunk of GSP if youd rather not take corals from the infested tank you have at home.

[mudskipper1]

Why LED? well, I enjoy DIY, it uses less energy, so less heat, and I am a very environmentally "active" individual, plus it will be cheaper in the long run.

I want a tank that is exactly what I want, so I am building my own tank for that reason, and I already have most of the general aquarium stuff from previous setups, but I will definitely look on craigslist more. Thanks.

I am already good friends with my RA, so I could do a larger tank, but I think the 10 gallon plus sump/topoff will be the perfect size for my purpose/needs.

I will definitely try to educate the roommate and hallmates to some extent to avoid issues like "what does this button do?" or "nemo looks hungry"...thanks for the tip!

As far as corals, idk whether or not i'll introduce GSP or not, might do an isolated rock somewhere, and try to get it to grow on the back glass, same with xenia probably.

Thanks for the response!

[mudskipper1]

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/54269110

I also found this, so it has an open back, but where I am putting it in my dorm, that isn't a big deal at all, and i can always cut a piece of fabric or something to cover it. The light hanging might need to be two arms, one on either side, again not a huge deal. I would put it on its side from the intended meaning, and that would make the top side on the sides, meaning stronger. I asked ikea if the back of it was painted/finished, I hope it is, because the price is definitely right...it is also a little wider, so that is good too, both for holding the tank, and for access to the sump.

[fstar25]

Subscribed! Looking forward to seeing some tank.

~Frank

[mudskipper1]

Subscribed! Looking forward to seeing some tank.

~Frank

Me too!! I am finalizing a price with piedmont plastics, the current quote looks to be just under $80 for 1/4" acrylic cut to size for the tank itself, black back, and an extra sheet which I will cut the overflow and bracing out of.

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1005001656.jpg

My new Toy!!! :bounce3:
it is currently rockin' and rollin' in my tank with no corals...:rolleyes:

[pndxpress99]

Nice. Do you think the MP-10 is ample/overkill flow for a 10 gallon? I'm looking to add one to my 10gal cube and was curious if it was too obtrusive and or too much flow. What are your thoughts?

[mudskipper1]

Well, I have mine in a std. 10 gallon, and I have only had it running for ~24 hrs, and there are no inhabitants yet, so I can't tell you definitively, but it is amazingly controllable, from what I am sure is PLENTY of flow, down to what would be good for softies...The flow spread is awesome. I think it is the least obtrusive option for a small tank, and it has some awesome mode choices. I am happy I went for it. JME

[cooper13]

I'm envious if the Vortech. They look so nice and I love the idea of the controllable modes.

[a-T-m]

I'm planning on setting up anything from a 1g to a 10g in my dorm next year. I'm not allowed right now to though do to regulations.

Quick question, what's your plan for when you leave for extended periods (i.g., fall break, winter break)

[mudskipper1]

Well we don't get a fall break here at UMD, but for extended breaks like summer, I will obviously bring the tank home. As for winter, I won't have the full system up until after break, but being over a month long, I will have to bring it home (just over an hour drive). during that time if I am in a dorm next year.

[mudskipper1]

and since I will be moving it quite a bit out of necessity, I think I will be going BB, maybe with Starboard, but I'll probably at least start with just Bare, also makes high flow easier.

[a-T-m]

I'm definitely going BB in mine too. That's why I was leaning towards a pico, just ease of setting up and breaking down as opposed to a larger nano. But then again, I really want a 7.5g cube or something unique, like a shallow nano.

[mudskipper1]

I don't know that 7.5 gallons would be hugely different in difficulty as fas as moving it...the tiny size would make keeping temp and such in check exceedingly difficult...plus no fish really in a tiny pico like that... :(

[a-T-m]

You live one hour away, I'm 3 1/2 hours and in the mountains haha.. I'm planning epic things for this tank; trying to make it an amazing build. Which will be difficult to do with a college tank. I'm considering going with a barracuda or orca from "picoaquariums.com", a 7.5g mr aqua, or some interesting nano shallow tank >10g. I know that the picoaquariums.com used to have LED fixtures for their tanks, I'm not sure if they still do. I like LED because it has less evaporation, which means easier ATO issues for me.

[mudskipper1]

I am trying to do mine "right" as well, made difficult by the constraints of dorm life...one of which is that i either carry or peddle my Top off/water change water from the chemistry building, across campus, and this is a big campus...and it is a pretty good hill on the way...two gallons at a shot, in my backpack. Your telling me you want to reduce evaporation...lol! ;)

[cooper13]

I'm considering going with a barracuda or orca from "picoaquariums.com",

For just a split second there I started thinking, "Um, I don't think a barracuda will fit in a pico!". Then I saw "orca", then I woke up the rest of the way and said "ah-ha!". :lol:

[mudskipper1]

Funny, I was reading that and thought he was going with either a reeflo barracuda pump...which would be insane, or a reeflo orca skimmer...which would hold like 5 times the volume of the tank...probably more...we need to wake up...more specifically i do...I have a calc 3 quiz at 8, and a psych exam after that. cheers :)

[a-T-m]

Haha no, I would not keep a barracuda in a pico, but maybe a blue tang.....:jester:

I have really awesome ideas for making the tank "right". So awesome that I'm glad I have to wait a year to put it up, so i can get logistics perfect. But these awesome ideas make me impatient haha


mudskipper: what school do you go to?

[mudskipper1]

University of Maryland-College Park, which is the main campus.

I am glad I am waiting quite a while as well, I have been planning this for about a year already, and a few more months to go before it get implemented...I am planning a reefkeeper lite, but they are out of stock at BRS and MD, so I ordered from BRS during the group buy, and 20% off plumbing sale, and I will get MD to price match the $6 lower price of BRS when they both have them in stock, or at least that is the plan.

[a-T-m]

I've never had an RKL or anything like that before. I want to get one, but for either my 50g or solana back home. I'm going to do my tank manually.

[mudskipper1]

Yah, I just figure that the RKL base package is cheap enough that its ability to control lights, heater, fans, right out of the box is worth it, especially given the horrible experiences I have had with timers over the years... and I can upgrade it in the future.

[mudskipper1]

The cabinet frame from IKEA that I am planning for a stand has an unfinished "back" or what in my case will probably be the front. So, I am thinking that I will paint it, and I am thinking either Black or red. another option would be some other kind of finish like a wall paper, or vinyl. Any suggestions? I don't think going for white would look right...

[Meus]

Black is more sofisticated and brings colors out better.(plus you could add things like flames or fish to the stand:lmao:)

[mudskipper1]

That was my thought as well, plus, the loft for my bed is black, and since the tank will be under that...I guess i should match it, plus black is pretty flexible. I think a white stand with a black front panel will look pretty sweet. And as the back panel and probably the light hanger will be black, I think it should work...I will probably need some primer, and then a few coats of black.

[cooper13]

+1 for black

[mudskipper1]

So I officially ordered the acrylic for the tank today. I pray that I didn't screw any dimensions up, and that they cut it right. Almost exactly $80 for it all, black back, 2" Eurobracing, .236" Plexiglas G. They said they might have it done by tomorrow, but not having a car to go pick it up with, I will kind of be at the mercy of others on that one. No turning back now...not that there was with the vortech, skimmer, etc. ;)

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1009001536.jpg

I got my BRS order, nothing exciting, but some plumbing stuff, scalpel blades, two-part.

And to keep you interested...a cool picture from my tank...or at least i think it is cool.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSCF3242.jpg

Purchased LEDs last night from a fellow reefer, got 5 NW rebels, 4 RB xr-e, 1 cw xp-e. Still need to get a 445nm 10 watt blue from satistronics. And maybe a cool blue to test out in the mix.

[Zack_Man777]

Looking sweet. I have a few ideas for you....

If you want to save yourself a TON of work and have a real nice tank for much cheaper, look into the Oceanic 30 Gallon cubes. They are not rimless, but they look real good and have nice dimensions. The sides/front/back are not tempered so they are easy to drill and add your external overflow to. I know because I did it :) Just noticed that your drawing looked alot like mine. I made the mistake of putting the overflow box IN the tank, I like your external box idea better. I will also say, you should do the herbie if you want it to be silent and can flow more. I have a nice 3 chamber sump that fit under the stock stand for the oceanic and it was custome built. Hit me up if you're interested. Heres a pic before I decided to take it down(one tank was enough) LOL

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_3713.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_3707.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/stpauli914/IMG_4077.jpg

Never got around to putting the door back on the stand, yeah I'm lazy....

I have a 30g oceanic cube aswell and im very happy with the look if it.:dance:

[UnknwnSuspct]

How much did you end up spending on the acrylic? I purchases a couple small sheets from a glass place around here and they charged me an arm and a leg. Did you buy online or locally?

[mudskipper1]

I bought from a local place...piedmont plastics, $79.45 for the following:

Clear:

(1)- 15" x 15"
(1)- 15" x 13.5"
(1)- 16" x 18"
(2)- 14.764 x 13.5"

Black:
(1)- 14.528" x 13.5"

Plexiglas G cell cast material.

The 16"x18" is what I will cut the pieces for the overflow and bracing out of.

[mudskipper1]

I picked up the pieces of acrylic and the cabinet frame I will be using as a stand the other day, the "stand's" back piece is just a thin piece of compressed material, so I think I will just reinforce the frame using a few cross braces, and figure out some way to cover the ends with something removable, either a fabric curtain-like cover like i had on my 40B, or a hinged door. anyway, having both ends open will allow for better access to the sump. I have to decide whether I want the tank to sit on one end, and run drain/return up through the top of the frame, or turn the stand, and run the drain/return down the back and in through one of the sides of the frame, which in this orientation would be the back. That was probably very confusing...anyway, progress is being made. Slowly.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1016001627.jpg

[Meus]

Updates?

[mudskipper1]

Nothing too exciting just yet. I am almost ready to build my light fixture, plan on using the housing to refresh my acrylic working skills since it doesn't need to hold water, and it will be painted, so hiding mistakes will be easier. I have all but one of my emitters, the wire, sink, driver, etc. Have to pick up the thermal pads and a CB LED still, think I am meeting the guy over thanksgiving.

I will probably try to reinforce and seal the stand and build the Light by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend.

Got my RKL, and a few other odds and ends from Marine Depot, so I am just about ready to go, just need to be home to do it. I will try to take lots of pics, and keep everyone updated on my progress as best I can.

[mudskipper1]

got a little work done on the housing for the light fixture, my brother screwed up the dimensions a little, so I had to improvise with a different thickness of acrylic, but it is done. Also got the particleboard back on the stand to prevent racking, seems like it will do wonders for the stability of the stand. Planning on sealing everything up as well as I possibly can to prevent moisture in the particle board using silicone, and polyurethane.

Pics:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1120001434a.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1120001500.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1120001655a.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1120001655.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1121001201a.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1121001201.jpg

I think i will be attempting to put together at least the main tank this coming weekend. I need to figure out what I'll be doing to cut the slot(s) out for the overflow, and I will need to drill some holes for the drain/return. I will work much harder on preparing the edges this time, as this actually needs to hold water, unlike the housing. plus you'll be able to see it. I only had ~10 minutes to put together the 4 pieces for the housing, but I think it came out well. I combined a small amount of Methylene chloride with a mL or so of acetic acid, and it worked well. I may practice some on some scraps to get the best joints possible, but I think I can do a decent job on the tank. Almost ready to put the guts of the light together as well, really excited for that. Moving the 10 gallon out of my dorm on wednesday for the holiday break, my mom agreed to care for it for the 3 weeks in between, and the clowns should finally be going in sometime after that.

Anybody have suggestions of what I can do to rid the rock of the crazy aptasia without destroying all other life in the process? it is really nice LR.

[mudskipper1]

Progress!!!:dance:

temporary tank has been moved from the dorm to my house for winter break, the clowns are in and doing well!
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1126001406a.jpg

I also took all of the nice purple LR with aptasia and Bubble algae on it from my sisters tank, and I have it in a 37 gallon tank with just heater/circulation for the time being with quite a bit of baserock to seed that too. I put a couple pieces in the 10 to seed better as well. I picked up a peppermint shrimp and a couple astraea snails, the pep will hopefully develop a taste for aptasia so he can keep them in check in my tank. If not, I will go to more elaborate measures:lol2:

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1126001418.jpg

I picked up the final pieces for my light today, a cool-blue LED, and the thermal pads. I polished the heatsink a little bit, cleaned it, attached the diodes, soldered, and then tested. These things are bright!!! but upon inspection with sunglasses, I could see that one of the NW diodes wasn't putting out any light. This was kinda odd to me since they are all in series, and the rest were working, but it must have failed closed. I did some preliminary PAR readings, and they should be sufficient run at just under 900ma, since that is the max rating for the satistronics diode. I will do more quantitative PAr measurements once I complete the housing and hanger, so I can include water depth and such. The color appears good, but won't know for sure until I get the chance to see it over a tank, which might be later tonight. I will be trying to see if I can either get that disfunctional diode to work, or just switch it out, since I have an extra.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1127001652-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1127001747.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1127001748.jpg
I picked up the conduit for the hanger today as well as some silicone to seal the stand/put in the baffles of the sump and some black krylon to paint the acrylic housing for the light, and probably the conduit. I just used the conduit bender in the store, no problem.

Finally progress!! unfortunately, there will be a 3 week lapse after this weekend, since I will be preparing for/taking finals, and probably won't be home at all. My tank is home as I said, and my mom has agreed to take care of it for that period. I set up the RKL to control the heater and photoperiod. She will just have to top off and maybe empty the skimmer once or twice.
When I get back home, I will be trying to get the actual tank built as soon as I can so it can have as long as possible to cure before I put water in it.

Cheers:beer:

[mudskipper1]

I got the NW that wasn't working to work, just an incidental solder bridge from the positive terminal to a negative. Easy fix. PAR levels went up slightly, and color appears to be about right, I have some worries about a disco effect with ripples on the surface, we shall see. When I put it over a tank with LR in it, it appeared to look similar to the way that the sun looks, with lighter lines moving around, with a nice overall ice-blue look, not "windex" like.

[cherubfish pair]

mudskipper1,

Hey, I've got two of the same pendant you have from the top of the first page. I love the adjustable cable on it, but it's just not what I need.

P.S. They're are both for sale. Anybody pm me.

[brshriver]

Looks good Eric! You can have a peiece of any SPS I have big enough to frag when you are ready.

And take a few inches of my leather too please :)

[mudskipper1]

Thanks Brett, I'll let you know. It shouldn't be too long after winter break, just have to let the tank settle in from when I move it back to the dorm, and then it should be ready since it will have been up for several months already, with established Liverock.

[cherubfish pair]

Can't wait to see it setup in your dorm.

[mudskipper1]

thanks! me either. I finished the housing for the light yesterday, and put the first coat of paint on it. looks pretty good i think.

I was mistaken when i said I wouldn't be home obviously, there was a wedding yesterday that i forgot about.

[mudskipper1]

I spent the evening putting together a little bit of data on the light as far as PAR. I set up a two-inch grid on a piece of poster paper, and set up the light over it. I then measured the PAR at a set of points in one quadrant of the grid. Obviously not perfect, but I think the light is perfect for what I want, both in terms of power and color. It will be a little while before I can document the color with any accuracy to speak of. Any closer than 6 inches to the LEDs and the PAR went off the charts, so I only measured at 9.5” and 16.5” just to give an idea.

These diodes have no optics on them, are mounted about ¾” apart. There are 4 Royal Blue xr-e’s and 4 NW rebels along with a 10 watt 445 nm satistronics and a cool blue xr-e. The color is a pretty crisp white, other than that I really have no idea how it will “pop” colors, as I currently have no coral to put it over.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSCF4802.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSCF4796.jpg

This is at 9.5”
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSCF4804-1.png

And this is at 16.5”
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/copy2.jpg

This is obviously without any water depth, so keep that in mind.

Comments?

[mudskipper1]

I guess i should say that the center of the light spread is in the bottom right of the pics at the point labeled A, where the largest number is.

[mudskipper1]

I milled out the slots for the overflow today, hope to have the tank itself built in the next few days. Hardest part will be figuring out how to do it in a warm enough place, since there is snow on the ground.

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1217001208.jpg

[mudskipper1]

The tank is built! I spent 12 hours yesterday working on it after heating the garage as much as possible (~50 degrees). Used methylene chloride solvent mixed with a small amount of acetic acid for the welding. Had to get creative with the hole saws since we apparently lost all of the bits I needed to actually use the collection of hole saws we have:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1221002128.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1221002149.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/downsized_1221001600.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1221001959.jpg

And the finished product:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/th_DSCF4812.jpg (http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/?action=view&current=DSCF4812.mp4)

First seam I did wasn't great, has quite a few bubbles, but all the others are pretty much clear.

Really starting to get excited for this thing now.

Comments?

[organism]

Looking great! I couldn't put one of those together in a million years...

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! Patience and planning go a really long way, it really wasn't all that bad.

[mudskipper1]

Received a Nikon D3000 DSLR for christmas, so pics in this thread should be of better quality now, or at least in theory :)

[mudskipper1]

Well it was a little warmer outside yesterday, so I got the chance to water-test the tank, and there were no signs of leaks what-so-ever after a few hours, so I took it down before it got down below freezing again. The overflow seems to skim the surface REALLY well compared to one with teeth that I am used to, so hopefully that will be a nice improvement.
Pics:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0051.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0052.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0047.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0044.jpg

and this is the tank a few days ago with the LEDs over it:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/1222002028.jpg

Happy holidays!

[mudskipper1]

I am working on the Hanger for the light and the plumbing currently. Tried to put a second coat of krylon fusion black on the light housing and then regretted it, apparently this is what happens when you spray paint in cold weather...
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0057.jpg

Also have been playing around with the new camera:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0051-2.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0083.jpg
The second one was using an old mirage filter that can give some crazy effects.

[marius880]

the project looks good. talk about beeing handy, you build the whole thing yourself. :) good work on the tank.

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! It has been a lot of fun throughout, and I hope I will appreciate it even more having put the whole thing together from scratch. I am almost done with everything, and I will be setting it all up for the first time on the 24th. I can't wait!!!

[fstar25]

Man, first time I've checked in for a while and I like what I see. keep up the good work!

[mudskipper1]

thanks! i'll try!

[mudskipper1]

System is up and running in my dorm now, so I will have pics and info in a few hours, but now I have to get the rest of my stuff settled into my room, and then watch the steelers game! and then after that I should be able to find a little time.

[brshriver]

Cool. Glad to hear it is running! Looks like the new camera works well too!

[mudskipper1]

As promised:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0021-1.jpg
Left side:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0059-1.jpg
Front:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0060.jpg
Random:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0052-2.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0061.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0024-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0080.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0081.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0087.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0089.jpg

So excited the wait is finally over, now the new wait is here, corals!!!

Enjoy!

[Korrine]

looks fabulous! You did a great job!

Has your sister done anything with that tank yet?

[mudskipper1]

i took all of the liverock from it, along with the fish and water. The tank and equipment is just sitting outside empty right now I believe, i think she plans on setting up a freshwater planted tank, maybe in the bow, or maybe in something easier to reach into.

[brshriver]

Looking good! What is the flow strategy? Blast the back of the rock structure and get good trubulence everywhere in the tank that way? Does it work pretty well?

The royal farms cup is:
a) Remnants from your roommate's back to school celebration that found its way into your sump?
b) There becasue your sump needed some color?
c) There for convenience when taking water samples?
d) A noise baffle?
:)

[mudskipper1]

the vortech is mostly missing the rock, but yea, it seems to be working well for now, may have to be adjusted when i add corals.

As for the cup. You nailed it with d. the skimmer output is just high enough that a little air is introduced, so it is a tad bit noisy. The cup isn't quite tall enough, so I am still searching for an alternative solution at this point, but for now, the cup was just easy. I put it in rotated 90 degrees from what it is in the picture, and it is more effective that way, but won't stay in place.

Thanks for the "compliments" :p

[mudskipper1]

Did some tests last night, Salinity-1.026; temperature-78.0; Calcium~390; alkalinity 10 dkh, Magnesium-test said like 1400, not sure if I believe it...ph was 7.8

Need to add a little 2-part, but things seem ok, so i should be adding the first new corals before long.

Took a few clown pics tonight:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0138.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0136.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0199.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0087-1.jpg

[Lt.Shineysides]

wow that looks really nice. good work man. thats some awesome diy work

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! I really enjoyed it.

[brshriver]

Any power issues yesterday? We were out for 8 hours, but no losses any all fish looked no worse for wear this morning.

Most Mag kits that I have used read high except for SeaChem. We can measure with it when you come by if you want.

[mudskipper1]

We had one flash for just a second, I think it was when the transformer blew up on the other side of campus, there is a video of it on youtube if you haven't seen it, pretty crazy. Glad to hear your tank survived. I might bring a sample by to test, how much does it need, like 5 mL?

[mudskipper1]

More clown pics...hopefully I am improving, and it won't be too long before there are more things to photograph, but for now, the clowns are pretty much it. http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0341.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0337.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0330.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0221.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0203.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0339-1.jpg

Suggestions, comments?

[mudskipper1]

A few things that I am frustrated about:

1.) My Nano Mag is scratching my viewing panels after I was told that it wouldn't, so i have to just clean by sticking my arm in the tank with a plastic scraper, even so, there are barely noticeable scratches pretty much looks like I took 220 grit sandpaper to the inside of the tank for a few strokes all over the place, which is really disappointing, You cannot tell at all from more than a foot away, but when the light catches it right, it is very frustrating. I will probably try a polishing product at some point when I am moving the tank anyway.

2.) Aptasia are coming back in mass, and my clowns kill shrimp, so peps are not an option, so i will have to try other, less desirable means.

3.) The water I have been carrying up the hill from the chemistry building on campus for my top-off/water change water has 40 ppb of copper in it. While this is pretty insignificant on its own, it will concentrate in my tank, so I need to find an alternative source. My mom runs an ICP-MS and ICP for a living, so the tests are free, so I can make sure the level isn't too high in my tank before I start adding lots of corals, but it is a PITA. Hopefully the large bag of Carbon i run 24/7 will have kept the levels minimal. I will first try just letting the spigot of DI water run for a minute or two before taking water so that I don't get the stuff that has been sitting in the (metal) plumbing for an extended period of time. Seems like a stupid move to put your pure, corrosive water through metallic fixtures, but that' just me.

[CrazyPuy]

Wow nice build! I think the best thing about the hobby is the DIY spirit and fun of everything. Good luck with the aptasia!

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! I have always had them in my tanks, so I hope I can just keep them in check, and just make sure they don't cause problems for my corals.

[koralkrab125]

that is one heck of a tank for a dorm room, as well as one heck of a work shop to build it in and fit in a dorm room. the paint wrinkle problem is due to wax or oils on the surface being painted, it usually doesn't show up until the paint gets a thicker build up on the surface. its always a good practice to wipe down anything being painted with a tack rag and then a wax and grease remover, i generally use rubbing alcohol

[mudskipper1]

Thanks! I planned this thing out for a long time to make sure I could make it work. Good to know about the paint, although I had cleaned it to bond the acrylic not too long before i painted it, so that's why I thought it should be okay, but I guess maybe the cold temps made it more prone to that happening?

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/pic.png

[mudskipper1]

First corals in the tank!!!

Stopped by and picked up a few pieces from Brett (Brshriver), thanks again!

I got a Green Hydnophora, an orange cap, a blue chalice, and two leather frags off his beast.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0136-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0128.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0127-1.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0130.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0122.jpg

They are getting used to the water, but they look good under my lights, which makes me really happy, knowing that my efforts didn't go towards building a light that makes things look like crap...

[brshriver]

Looks great Mudskipper! I love the color of the cap under the lights.

Your coraline growth looks out of this world for the age of the tank!

[brshriver]

I will make you a meteor shower cyphastrea frag for the next round.

[kaserpick]

Great job on the build! Keep up the awesome work! :thumbsup:

[KafudaFish]

You should be able to deal with the aptasia pretty easily especially the ones on the top rock.

Some kalk paste and a bamboo skewer and you should be good to go.

Kill one maybe two a day.

Or superglue.

[mudskipper1]

Thanks guys!

Brshriver- The coralline managed to hang on for the several months it was without light, and now is really coloring up again. I think the cyphastrea would look great under the lights.

Kaserpick- thanks, I will certainly try! ;)

Kafudafish-I have never tried the kalk paste, and I don't have any currently, but it might be worth a try. Definitely cheaper/easier than trying to get Berghia nudibranchs.Any way to make a similar paste from two part(BRS)?

[KafudaFish]

Sure anything that is pure calcium hydroxide would work.

I think you were getting your water from a chem. lab so you could see if someone would loan you 10 grams of it.

Mrs. Wages pickling lime does the same thing but that is a hit or miss thing.

It is pretty easy to use. Put a tic tac amount in the palm of your hand. Wet a skewer in your tank ($1 for a bunch at Walmart and you could find the lime there too in the canning section), then roll it on the lime until it looks like tooth paste. If you are really on a budget some tooth picks would work too. Total amount spent would be $5 max and you now can use that for alk too.

You can turn your flow off in your tank so it does not leave your spear. Figure out where the mouth is and insert and twist back and forth a few time then pull out. The entire animal should pull out with it and the good thing is the slime holds it all together for the next one.

Do a few a day since we are talking high pH and small tank volume.

If any of the paste falls onto a coral simply sweep it of with your hand or a PH if running.

I bet within a week you would be finished and if one ever pops up just repeat.

Good luck.

[mudskipper1]

Thanks for the advice!

[brshriver]

Mudskipper

I have a 5 gallon bucket of Kalk. Bring a container and grab what you want next time you come by.

I used to boil Kalk paste before I used it. Not sure if it helped but Garf said to. A peppermint shrimp will usually control small ones. Since I got copperbands, they disappeared in my system.

I used to have one or two aiptasia in my frag tank with no predators but they disappeared on their own. Maybe they lost a war with the nuisance pallys that I have :) They also need food to thrive and reproduce.

[mudskipper1]

I have tried more peppermints than I would care to say, but my clowns kill them, or at least that is my only explanation. I used to blame it on the dottyback I had, but I tried one a few weeks ago, and it was gone within 2 days, only other things in the tank were the clowns...

I will definitely take you up on the offer of kalk, and do you mean boil immediately prior to use, or just at some point before you use it?

Thanks again.

[brshriver]

I think you said you had copper in your water. That may be killing the shrimp. That seems more likely than the clowns.

They also need iodine for propped molting. I can't keep cleaner shrimp in my 110. I always blamed it on the copperband, but maybe I lack iodine in that tank.

You boil the paste right before use and inject it into the aiptaisia with a syringe. Some people even claim just boiling water works.

The skewer method above seems easier though.

[zach jay]

what settings are you shooting those macro shots of the clownfish on? I have the same camera, but haven't starting really shooting my tank. thanks!

[mudskipper1]

The copper is much newer than the dying shrimp problem and I used to dose lugols, so I don't think it was iodine either, it is just strange.

I tried boiling water in my old tank, but it never lasted, I will try the hot paste and see what happens.

The shots of the clowns that are the most "crisp" were mostly taken with an external flash, a magnifying +4 filter on a variety of non-macro lenses. large aperature (f5.6), iso200 mostly, sometimes i went iso800 and had a smaller aperature (f11), shutter was mostly around 1/200 or 1/250. I am no photographer though, so you shouldn't really want my advice...:rolleye1:

[asacopoo]

:rolleyes:gotta say mudskpper i think i prefer the old aquascapehttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[mudskipper1]

I gotta say I prefer the new one :p but it is far from final, it has changed slightly since the last pics on here, nothing major, just to allow light to reach corals better, I am contemplating removing the top rock altogether, but I haven't decided.

[mudskipper1]

Alright, so I got some of the results of the tests of my water for Cu, Ni, and Zn. I am still waiting on what the copper value in the DI water once I flush the system for about a minute, but I got results for my tank water and for NSW mixed up using the Flushed DI.

Tank:
Cu-5.7ppb
Ni-5.0ppb
Zn-30.8ppb

NSW:
Cu-7.1ppb
Ni-2.3ppb
Zn-26.2ppb

I think this is good news, because i think it likely means that the carbon is effectively removing copper from the water in the tank.

[mudskipper1]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0144.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0113.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0129.jpg

already noticeable growth on the Hydnophora, the larger of the 2 pieces of leather is refusing to pick a spot in the tank. Switched the Vortech to short pulse mode, and things seem to be happy.

[mudskipper1]

I got a tripod, so hopefully that will improve pics somewhat, and I have plans to split a 1:1 Macro Lens with my brother, so there is still hope for a decent pic!:artist:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0235.jpg

My aptasia garden is thriving! Can you count them all?

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0083-2.jpg

and that isn't even the most concentrated spot! :hmm4:

[thewire]

Hi Eric

Nice work on the tank. I like the light housing, like floating fixture. Hows the pipe attached to the housing?

I just finally have a chance to soldered all the leds, adjusted the driver to 700mA and tested it. Still need to build a housing for it lol

[mudskipper1]

The pipe is attached using 4 nuts/bolts through the bottom of the heatsink that go through a flat plate which are then tightened to pin the pipe to the heatsink. This provides a strong enough link that it will not shift on its own, but I can move it pretty easily when the need arises.

Unfortunately, the cap is pretty much completely gone, and the hydnophora is certainly on its way out. I am not sure what the issue is, but I have concluded that due to lack of time to care for the tank, I should probably stay away from sps, at least for the time being. My best guesses are phosphates and metals, but I have no way to tell really, but due to the amount of cyano in the system, I might lean towards phosphates.

[mudskipper1]

Sorry for the long delay between posts, been a crazy semester, anyways, the system is settling in now, no more nuisance algae, and there are a ton of pods all over the place now:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0690.jpg
partying along the back wall...some of them are getting up towards 3/4 of an inch long. Natural food and good cleaners, so no complaints here!
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0694.jpg

I will be moving the tank back home one week from today, where it will stay until the end of august.

Also, if you are interested, some of my recent photographs are here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18750761#post18750761

[mudskipper1]

So, the tank has been moved back home, and all was well. So I decided to try a couple new fish. I have been looking at firefish for a while now, and since they are known to jump a lot, I made a screen cover:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0986.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0989.jpg

I went to the LFS, and they had two pairs there. They both looked healthy, and the two I got were eating very well, so I went for it.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd278/1kazyak/DSC_0982.jpg
I acclimated them and then put them into the tank, and within 5 seconds, the female clownfish had taken a bite out of each of the firefish's caudal fin. I distracted the clowns by feeding them and the firefish successfully hid under a rock. So, after about an hour with repeated aggression by the clowns, I decided to separate the fish. I put my clowns, since they seem to be able to live through just about anything, down in the sump, and left the firefish in the display. Is it worth trying to reintroduce the clowns with hopes of peace???

I really just want to keep everybody alive, although with significant pieces of fin missing and the associated stress, i'd be surprised if the firefish made it at this point, even having been separated.

Suggestions??

[nate82]

You definitely shouldn't have added the firefish man.. the clowns need a tank that size to themselves. I'd see if you can take them back.

[Meus]

Get rid of the clowns, and go with your firefishes... IMO, firefish are much, umm.., better, than clowns.

[mudskipper1]

Everybody is eating right now, so a good sign, firefish are very timid, of course I would be too if I got put in a new place and immediately got attacked.

I am gonna try waiting a week and then reintroducing the fish, possibly with a temporary barrier to start with...hmm, may have to break out the acrylic solvent...

[nate82]

Your clownfish pair, once sexually mature, will want to control about 25-30 gallons of space. As such adding a firefish will not work as the clowns will be aggressive and the firefish will be intimidated and hide and stop eating.


There's no room in ten gallons of water for the clowns, let alone a pair of clowns AND a pair of firefish. A week won't change anything, and making the tank smaller is even worse.

[mudskipper1]

they seem to be doing okay together in this tank:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18813064#post18813064

so maybe there is slight hope.

and I found somebody willing to take either the clowns or the firefish if necessary.

[mudskipper1]

I reintroduced the clowns into the tank and they have shown no aggression in the 48 hours they have been in there. Best I can tell the clowns have allowed the firefish to claim one side of the tank. The firefish are still pretty leery of the clowns, understandably so, but they are out more and more, getting more bold by the minute. I will continue to observe them closely and keep my options open for removal. All fish are eating well.

[Ansphire]

Nice tank man!.. I agree with the others though.. Once the clowns pair up and become sexually mature they will become more aggressive.. I would keep the firefish and give the clowns a better suited home now and avoid the heartacke later..

Wish u the best.

[Enyo]

I have a pair of clowns in a 17g and i'm afraid to add more fish...

[mudskipper1]

The clowns have been together for 4 years at this point, so unless I am missing something, they won't be "maturing" anymore. I am trying to decide whether to give them away or not, but at least for a while, until my neighbor's new tank is mature, they will be staying. Still no evident aggression, although the firefish are still probably more stressed than I would like to see, but still eating fine.

Enyo-what kind of clowns? it makes a big difference.

[brshriver]

Did you solve your water supply problems. If not you can grab 5 gallon jugs of RO DI from me when you are home.

[mudskipper1]

I have a unit at the house, I just don't have a way to take it to the dorm and hook it up there. For now, it is good, but I will be back in the same boat again come September. Thanks for the offer.

[brshriver]

Cool. I was on your thread yesterday to see what you did for LEDs. I ordered parts for a 10x52 inch led build yesterday. It will go on the 110 in the basement.

The clowns from WHS live in the 110 now. They were on their verge of starvation when they got brought home. They are doing well now.

[mudskipper1]

I guess it has been a little while since an update. The firefish and Clownfish became progressively more oblivious of one another as the summer went on, and by the end the firefish were out in "their area" of the tank almost all of the time. I just moved the tank back into my dorm room, and everything survived just fine. The firefish went back into hiding, I am assuming due to the stres of the move, but the clowns haven't shown any interest in them at all, and they are starting to venture out sometimes in addition to coming out to eat. I am guessing they will take a few days to be out and about more of the day, unlike the clowns, which seem totally unphased by the whole moving process every time I have to do it.

The only problem during the move was that the meanwell driver for the LEDs fell into the top-off reservoir inadvertently. The enclosure is supposed to be sealed, and it mostly worked, but when I opened it up, there was a small amount of DI water inside. Luckily, it was unplugged at the time, and it wasn't saltwater. I dried it out best I could with a blow-drier on cool, and proceeded with the move. When I set it up again, it worked fine. The next day, however, the light didn't come on at all. Today, I came back from classes to find the light on, but the color way "bluer" than it normally is, which is odd, because all of my diodes are in the same series, so color-adjustment isn't typically doable. I opened up the driver, and all appeared okay. I noticed that the heat-sink was warmer than usual (still cool enough to touch, but warmer than i'd like). So, I thought that maybe the current had gotten bumped up somehow. This seems to have been the problem, as when I turned down the manual adjustment knob, though very finicky and sensitive, I was able to correct the color for the most part, and the sink has cooled back down. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

Another note- I had a caluerpa clump (large relative to the size of the tank) go sexual on me, and awoke to find my tank a milky-white. I prepared enough water to perform a 100% water change if need be. After mixing and letting the water come up to temp and stabilize, I went ahead and changed about 50%. After this, I just watched for signs of stress, but didn't see any. The tank cleared up well in a few hours after this, and no negative impacts have become apparent. I did my best to get rid of all of it, but I am sure it will be back before too long, as it is well-established in the rock.

I have quite a few yellow sponges growing in the system, both in the refugium, and in the display, Aptasia are still around, and I have a large amount of an unknown red macro-algae growing, The mini-brittle stars seem to be thriving, as do the various pods.

I am sticking with just the leather coral for now, since I will continue having to move the tank frequently, and I think it is just easier this way.

Sorry for the long boring post.

[Curtis72]

I have a 33 gallon system now and will probably have a 10-12 gallon system when I move into a dorm soon. Any suggestions or tips you can give me? how do you get rodi water? Do you use a chiller? Prob gets hot in the dorms during summer.

[Fretfreak13]

+1 on Curtis. Leaving for college in August, but am no where as handy as you. Just going to take a little ten gallon with a bucket for a sump. lol Any suggestions for other students trying to repeat what you've done? Water change schedule, etc? And do you ever have any worry about anyone messing with it? I was planning on definitely making a locking lid..

[mudskipper1]

I built the system with coral in mind, but having to move it so often, I decided to hold off for the most part until I can ensure as stable a system as possible. so that makes things a lot easier.

To answer some of your questions:

I carry my DI water from the chemistry building on campus, I am sure your school has a source somewhere, you just need to locate it. I found out from an RA in my dorm that works in a lab. I did find however that there were elevated levels of copper in that water, so I make sure to run a lot of carbon in my system to keep the actual in-tank levels under control, and I try to bring water from home as often as possible for water changes.

I do not use a chiller. My system has LEDs so that really helps keep the temperature at an acceptable level. It still got up to 83 degrees briefly the other day when it was really humid, but I use a fan to cool my Light, I just have a pendant (no hood), and I have an additional cooling fan on my sump. All of these things help to keep it cool enough, but in some areas/situations, a small chiller might be necessary.

Water Changes- I have never been as good as I should be with water changes, and that is probably why I have only had moderate success with sps in my tanks, but I mostly watch the tank and if I start seeing algae growing faster than normal, or any corals are unhappy, etc. I try to do a water change. With just the fish and the leather, I have been able to get away with only about monthly water changes of about 20% in addition to the ~30-40% water changes that take place when I move the tank. I run a skimmer, which also helps reduce the need for frequent changes in a nano tank.

I had the same concern about some drunk guy coming by and pouring alcohol in or something, but I haven't had any issues so far. One important thing as far as that goes is your roommate. They will often be the only person in the room with your tank, so you need to make sure that they understand from the beginning that the tank is OFF LIMITS to him and anyone else in the room, except when I ask mine to feed them when I go home for the weekend or something. In my case, neither I or my roommate party much, so there is less risk right from the start. It is also good if you get the rest of your floor interested and slightly educated about the sensitivity of the tank. Overall though, people recognize that it is special, and typically don't try anything.

Other advice- try to make the system as self-sustaining as possible. There will be times when you will not have time to be topping off and dosing, etc. Whether it be due to exams, papers, clubs, sports, whatever. IMO an ATO is a must, I have a Reefkeeper lite to control my lights and heaters. I really need to buy a vacation feeder for Thanksgiving and spring break, because not feeding for a few days the fish are fine, but 9 days (spring break) is a long time for that.

Let me know if you have other questions!

[Curtis72]

Awesome thank you so much for all the advice. Yeah when I move I only will have 2 clowns and I will just take some zoas and mushrooms with me because they are hardy and give the rest away or sell them. I always run leds so thats cool that will help with my temp. How do you initially transfer your stuff? I will hopefully go to san diego for college which will be an 8-9 hour drive from where I live. So any advice on moving my stuff down there?
Also do you think it will be alright to move from 2 clowns from a 33 gallon system to a 10?

[mudskipper1]

What kind of clowns are they? Ocellaris should be ok, anything else I don't really know.

My drive is only a little over an hour, so your trip will be a lot more complex than mine, but I always moved the tank on a separate day from the rest of my stuff so that I could focus on the tank. That said, my system is a lot more cumbersome than yours is likely to be, so you might be able to work it all in one trip, since you will probably need to got to extra lengths to ensure the wellbeing of the fish anyway, a little extra time should be okay.

I just transfer them in a small rubbermaid tub, like 3 or 4 gallon size, about half full of water, and keep the container close to me the whole trip so I can keep an eye on them, check temp, etc.

I move the rock and water in coolers, since they obviously help keep the water at the right temp, and they are easier to carry, and hold more (given that you have a helper). Try and have as much extra water as you can, because usually water you have in with rock/coral ends up pretty fouled, so I like to change some of it out, and it is always good to be prepared.

Biggest piece of advice is just plan ahead, so you don't waste valuable time that your fish are out of a tank figuring out what to do next.

[Curtis72]

Thank you so much. Yeah it will be a big thing when I move. I will have to make two trips set up the room and everything place the new tank. Then make second trip to move all the inverts. They are false perculas. Yeah I will hopefully have my ro/di unit and just use that.

[mudskipper1]

Depending on your dorm setup, it may not be easy to find a place to setup the RO/DI unit. Just something to keep in mind.

[Curtis72]

I know. I will have to just leave it in my dorm and hook it up to the sink when I need water then put it back in my dorm when done.

[brshriver]

Glad to see the tank made it to season two! Leathers and clowns are a good way to go. Both are hardy movers.

I almost finished my 5 ft LED light. New crees and optics. It is blinding.

[mudskipper1]

Glad to hear that your new light is coming along. What are you using as a housing/splash shield? I will have to come see it once it is ready.

[brshriver]

I am using a thin sheet of acrylic mounted on 6 standoffs for a splash shield. I think the whole fixture is 60x14. 6 strands of 13 LEDs. Two power supplys. 67 % royal blue the rest cool white I think.

[mudskipper1]

Ok, so you went with the old standard, I am very curious how that looks compared to mine. Although one of my diodes quit working early on, so the color scheme is a little off from what it would otherwise be, but I have an extra Neutral White that I might try out to see what it looks like if I get a chance.

[brshriver]

Yep. I read a bunch of threads and went with what seemed to be the best combination to date. The whites are on a different power supply than the blues so I can tweak them individually. With the optics, I should have a lot more light than I need - so I will tweak it with the par meter once I get it all running.

Resistors are in series with each thread (.1ohm) for easy current measuring as well as fuses for LED protection. And one big ole heat sink. I assume i will not need any fans, but we will see.

[mudskipper1]

A few photos to keep it interesting...The aptasia seem to be disappearing on their own for some reason...no idea why, they are just slowly melting away. There is either a lack or presence of something they need/can't tolerate. The fish get along mostly with only an occasional half-hearted chase by the male clown fish, but the firefish mostly stand their ground now. Yellow sponges are growing well in the tank as is some kind of red macro algae. I am liking the bare-bottom with the MP-10 in a small tank, because all I need to do to get all of the detritus in the main tank into the water column to be taken out by a filter sock is crank up the vortech for a minute or two. The fish are a little overwhelmed for a bit, but they deal with worse during storms on a reef I am sure.

Enjoy:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62737938@N03/6336073502/" title="20111110-DSC_0918 by ekazyak2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6231/6336073502_d7bc16da90_z.jpg" width="521" height="640" alt="20111110-DSC_0918"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62737938@N03/6335314965/" title="20111028-DSC_0122-2 by ekazyak2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6335314965_b1c7850932_z.jpg" width="640" height="548" alt="20111028-DSC_0122-2"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62737938@N03/6335314793/" title="20111028-DSC_0112 by ekazyak2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6035/6335314793_2487f8a393_z.jpg" width="640" height="373" alt="20111028-DSC_0112"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62737938@N03/6336072788/" title="20110628-DSC_4296 by ekazyak2, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6059/6336072788_7e501fc624_z.jpg" width="640" height="634" alt="20110628-DSC_4296"></a>

[ange062]

Macros look fantastic, great photog!! How about an FTS?

[mudskipper1]

I wish there was more to show. The FTS is pretty lame without any corals other than the one leather. I will try to get the best one I can, and I will put together a video when I get a chance since my new D7000 does a pretty good job, but don't expect anything spectacular as far as content, I just don't have the time, particularly this semester, to pay enough attention to the tank. The algae pretty well covers the glass in between cleanings. Carrying top-off water is about all I can afford time-wise. Fortunately, the fish don't care too much as long as they are fed and the protein skimmer gets emptied every couple weeks.

Thanks for the compliments! :)

[mudskipper1]

I wish there was more to show. The FTS is pretty lame without any corals other than the one leather. I will try to get the best one I can, and I will put together a video when I get a chance since my new D7000 does a pretty good job, but don't expect anything spectacular as far as content, I just don't have the time, particularly this semester, to pay enough attention to the tank. The algae pretty well covers the glass in between cleanings. Carrying top-off water is about all I can afford time-wise. Fortunately, the fish don't care too much as long as they are fed and the protein skimmer gets emptied every couple weeks.

Thanks for the compliments! :)

[StephLionfish]

Neat build. I love the scape. I wish I was artsy enough to come up with something like that... I realized not too long ago that all my tanks have the same exact scape-- A rock wall. :lol:
I'm having a real algae problem in my 20g reef...I have a HOB filter, and am thinking about going with a 10g sump instead. Luckily all of my corals are around the $10 range, cause I'm so cheap...but, surprisingly they are all doing very well...
I think that Asterina picture is my favorite of them all, lol.

[mudskipper1]

Thanks, for me, the scape in this tank was easier than in my 40 breeder, because I limited myself to 3 pieces of rock that are pretty good-looking. That limited the possibilities enough that I could envision a look much better than when I had 10 or more in the 40B.

A sump definitely makes things easier, at least for me it does. Top off is made easier, the filtration is easier to access, you can have a bigger refugium, etc.

The asterina is pretty neat looking, it took a while to get it even that well in focus, since the depth of field with a macro as close as it can get is almost non-existent.

Glad you like it.

[brshriver]

Those are great shots. Especially the asterina. What lens?

I just got a 100MM Canon Macro lens ( non IS) and that is a hard shot to get. I tried :)

Was that with a tripod?

[mudskipper1]

Tamron 90mm Macro on the D3000 a while ago. Definitely needed the tripod, and it took quite a while to dial the focus in (auto-focus wasn't near good enough).

[brshriver]

Well your patienec sure paid off! I just recently got the macro lens and only tried it out for 15 min or so - no tri-pod. I took some asterina shots - manual and auto focus, but none of them came out quite that well. The depth of focus on the macro is definitely a challenge.

[mudskipper1]

I'm sure you will be able to get some great shots with a little more time.

[mudskipper1]

Ok, so it is not a FTS, but here is a video I threw together. Don't mind the ugly tank behind the inhabitants...nothing to see there.

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/32390074?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

[mudskipper1]

I moved the aquarium home from school, unfortunately, the firefish didn't make it. They made the journey ok, but then died a few hours after being put back in the tank in the new location. The water temp never dropped below 70 degrees (which I know is colder than ideal, but I doubt that could be the sole cause of death?). The clownfish are fine. I am guessing it was either just stress from the move, or a combination of that and something getting in the water from the transfer containers not being cleaned well enough or something. The other possibility is that enough detritus got stirred up (despite being bare bottom) that the ammonia level spiked briefly. Anyway, a sad start to my winter break.

My nephew brightened it back up though when he was fascinated by the tank and woud just stare at and follow the fish with his eyes for long periods of time (almost like I do). <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69591498@N08/6554592979/" title="20111221-DSC_2465 by kazyakphoto, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6554592979_7ddbded102.jpg" width="500" height="331" alt="20111221-DSC_2465"></a>