6 gallon Marineland Cylinder Saltwater Build

[wlyon]

Since my Fluval Edge had a leak I decided to get a new tank to replace it using the same sump and stand I already had. Once I broke down the edge I found out that the "leak" was actually just a spot in the overflow box that was splashing... But I like the new tank much better to be honest.

For plumbing I decided to drill the back of the tank for the return and build an external overflow for the drain. Mainly because the tank is so small I didn't want to lose any space with a standard in tank overflow box.

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In the tank I have roughly 8-10 lbs of sand and about 8 lbs of live rock. The live rock all came out of either my edge when I broke it down or from the sump of my big tank. While the sand I've had in a bucket ever since I bought to much for my big tank about 8 months ago. I tacked the rocks together with super glue so they wouldn't shift and I could remove them if need be.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1118/img2382b.jpg

Now just to add water and let the cycle begin!

View from front
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/9647/img2385jj.jpg

View from my desk
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Tank is run with a Maxi-Jet 600 and an Aquatic Life Nano skimmer rated for 30 gallons in a 5 gallon sump with two sections.

[Nivek0bright]

Cool setup

[NanoReefWanabe]

very cool, i have seen something very similar to that somewhere...good job...what are you using for lights...it is nice to see a manufacturer building tanks like this now...it is acrylic?

[tommer725]

Very nice so far. Can we see the sump?

[wlyon]

very cool, i have seen something very similar to that somewhere...good job...what are you using for lights...it is nice to see a manufacturer building tanks like this now...it is acrylic?

The tank comes with the HOB filter and the lights wired to one plug. With the lights built into the black rim of the tank. So I had to re-wire it so I could have just the lights. I'll get a picture of them next time I'm at my house. I plan on switching them out for all actinic and use either a aquaillumination nano, or a kessil A150. Since the LED's are the marineland freshwater lights I'm pretty sure.

The tank is a pretty flimsy acrylic which would explain the price of the tank haha.

Very nice so far. Can we see the sump?

I'll get a picture of the sump set up when I get a pic of the lights. It's about as basic as it comes.

[squishifishi]

what do you plan to stock this with?

[wlyon]

what do you plan to stock this with?


I haven't quite decided yet. I've been thinking about a coral croucher or a small goby. As for coral I'm thinking just a mixed reef for gorgonians and lps. However I normally build a tank for one thing and by the time it's said and done the tank decides what goes in there not me. Sort of like how my 250 predator tank was designed for sponges and now is packed with gorgonians and has a few sponges and nps.

[wlyon]

So far no issues! Tank has been up and running for 4 days with no leaks, pretty quiet, and very little evaporation so I'm thinking I will be ok with no ATO.

Over all Look of the system
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3633/img2388s.jpg
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This is the lighting that is built into the hood. I would love to find a way simply swap out these LED's for some reef capable ones but so far I haven't found out a way without either burning the plastic canopy from a heat sync or having them splashed since they hover about an inch over the water level.
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2885/img2399lz.jpg
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Filtration is pretty basic, a 3/4" drain into a filter sock (just for the cycle), aquatic life nano skimmer rated for 30 gallons, baffles in the middle for bubble trap, nano heater with a maxi jet 600 return pump in the second section. The only thing fancy about the sump is the last baffles has holes drilled in it so that if the sump starts getting low I wouldn't have a 8" water fall causing noise. I accidentally did this in my large tank when the glass baffle cracked allowing water to spill through the crack instead of falling over the top of the baffle. Which keeps the first section full, the water level between the baffles about half way, and the second section low. Causes a lot less noise and less bubbles from the "waterfall" when the sump is lower.
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Started researching Coral Crouchers a bit and found that they get 3 inches which was way bigger than I thought. So I think that is no longer on the option list. I would like one swimming fish at least in the tank even if it's a neon goby that just hops around from time to time. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestions.

[cherubfish pair]

wlyon,

Is that a dwarf lionfish in your avatar? Do they eat normal aquarium fare?

[wlyon]

wlyon,

Is that a dwarf lionfish in your avatar? Do they eat normal aquarium fare?

That one is my dwarf zebra lion, I also have a dwarf fuzzy. They will eat anything meaty. I tend to go with squid I get from the Japanese fish market and cut it up small for them. Using an acrylic feeding stick so ican control how much each one gets. One of my volitans will eat regular fish food from flakes to pellets but that is not his main diet and I'm not sure why he does it.

[NanoReefWanabe]

i just have a yellow tail damsel in my tank, very bright blue and yellow, contrasts with the corals nicely, always swimming too, and readily eats anything...bought mine a little over a 1/2" long...he is about 1.25" now 3 months later.

if you havent already, i found the TLF pico mag to be pretty good at keeping the algae off the glass...i modified a kent marine glass scraper to scrape the glass easily, the concave shape in the tank makes it a real PITA to scrape the glass...not to mention once corals start to grow in it is hard not to break them when cleaning because of the goofy angle you have to hold the tool at...mine i can hold vertically with the glass and get a good scraping and i only stick into the tank by about 1/2"..

as for ATO...i do mine manually, and it is bout 4-500 ml a day...ATO is a good idea...if the top of the tank is covered i would ind a way to remove the cover, as the shape and size of the tank doesnt promote good gas exchange to begin with, covering the tank makes it exponentially worse...

[wlyon]

I have two small damsels in there now about the size of my finger nail to help with the cycle but they won't live their for long since I don't know of a damsel that doesn't get at least 4-6 inches full grown.

I have the mag cleaner from TLF on my half gallon tank and love it but this tank is acrylic so I'll be cleaning it by hand which is pretty easy the way the lid is designed.

As for gas exchange I did an experiment a few years ago borrowing a gas probe from the biology department and found that there is just about the same amount of exchange from the sump than the top of the tank. So since my sump isn't inside a cabinet I'm not worried about that. I ran a biocube for two years and probably topped it off maybe 6 times in the two years since it's a completely closed lid. Never had a single problem with it at all. As long as you keep up with water changes. If it becomes a problem I can remove the middle part of the lid but I don't see it being an issue.

It took my sump 5 days to burn off half of the water in the last section so I'm guessing I'll have around 8 to 9 days before it runs dry. Just have to figure out what my salinity will do when that happens. The only long vacation I have planned is MACNA this summer which I'll be gone for 7 days I think.

[wlyon]

The tank currently has a Maxi-Jet 600 for a return and a nano koralia 425 for flow. My other tanks house things like sponges, gorgonians, and NPS which require massive amounts of flow. So for a standard mixed reef will those two be enough flow for a 6 gallon tank or would another Koralia 425 help. (I have one laying around already)

Also, What is the best thing to use to clean an acrylic tank?

[wlyon]

So I have decided to go with the Kessil A150 that I have over my frag tank currently since I am wanting to go with a strip light on that tank. I hate being able to see lights over a tank and like to hide everything and make it look more aesthetically pleasing. So since a canopy isn't an option I'm thinking gut something like this to fit the kessil where the light bulb would go, and flip it upside down of course.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/088675/088675446125lg.jpg

Has anyone ever done something like this before?

[wlyon]

I finally got the light fixture finished, and I'm very happy with it. I took a outside wall light, and was able to modify it using a 12" extension from a ceiling fan that I cut down to 9 1/2" I also drilled a hole on the top of the fixture to ensure adequate air flow to keep the Kessil cooled.

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With just the kessil the light is pretty blue, so I am also using the LED's that come built into the tank to tone it down a bit.

[tntdsol]

Which kessil are you using? The sky blue or the ocean blue?

[wlyon]

It's the ocean blue. I don't remember it being that blue when it was over my 20 gallon frag tank but I'll have to check pictures to be sure. I'll take a picture with just the kessil on to show you how blue it really is.

[premilove]

This is awesome you did an excellent job!