Fluval Chi 6.6 Gallon. First SW tank. - Page 2

TurboCamaro · 04/17/2016, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Friend

Wow, good job How on earth did you make the overflow-comb-thingy without breaking off the combs?

If you tape it, then measure and take a drill with the width you want the teeth and drill at the bottom of your teeth. The next part you can use multiple different cutting tools. I used an airsaw with a plastic blade and just went slow. Made two cuts per drilled hole. They certainly arent straight/perfect, but its also not the centerpiece for the tank so im not really worried about it.

Its now fully siliconed in. The tape trick works wonders cause it looks like a factory edge on the glass.

Got my light and light fixture holder ordered, that one ill keep on ice till I get it together as I think itll look pretty sweet.

Still gotta figure out the rock but im set on black sand.

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TurboCamaro · 04/18/2016, 02:04 PM

Found a little spot in the very bottom of the back that wasnt sealed, but I got it sealed with a brush on a long screwdriver.

Waiting until my next paycheck to go get some rock and sand then ill have water in the tank while I await my light and fixture.

Going to do a 3 gallon water change on the other tank and seed this tank with that, a few pieces of rock from the other tank, and the biobag (thats been in tank for 3 years).

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Fish Friend · 04/19/2016, 08:44 AM

Ooohhh, gotta shop for tools!
I'm kinda from the "Woman, do it yourself!" generation, so by now it annoy me that I can't.
But I am waiting for cash as well, I planned to buy the lights nxt month, but they tricked me! Claiming they only had 40 up for sale, I bought it when I noticed they only had one left...and they (ofc!) put up 40 more for sale the nxt day, silly me

Sounds good! I like the lights to look good, the finish of the aquarium is so important in making it either a "room with an aquarium" or "an aquarium-room"... if that makes any sense..

I read somewhere that black sand used to be metal & the other stuff is actually rather new?
I'm looking forward to seeing your plan unfold.
Honestly, reefs can look so conservative, it is so good to get fresh inspiration.
Keep it up!

(omg I'm envious that I don't have an old tank, ehm, I really should have started keeping aquariums earlier)

TurboCamaro · 04/20/2016, 07:22 PM

Man im getting itchy wanting to get this tank going lol. One week left.

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TurboCamaro · 04/30/2016, 10:38 AM

Stopping at the LPS after work today and my LED fixture will also be here.

Maybe ill have some water in the tank today.

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TurboCamaro · 04/30/2016, 08:30 PM

No water in the tank yet, looks like tomorrow night ill be putting water into it. Lighting doesnt look like itll be an issue. If anything I may have to raise it up, but I havent built the fixture yet.

Found a piece of flat cut dry rock and a few other small pieces at the LPS. Got some black sand and Reef Crystals while I was there.

Used the Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method to put the rock together and its superior.

Couple shots without water.

Light with lens

Light without lens

Thoughts on with/without lens?

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TurboCamaro · 05/01/2016, 08:21 AM

To me it looks as if the light without the lens casts a little less of a shadow on the very sides at the top. So ill probably leave the lens off.

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TurboCamaro · 05/01/2016, 04:28 PM

I now officially have 2 Nano Saltwater tanks. The flow seems good and I am very happy with the AIO design. The pump is dead silent.

I used 4 gallons of water from the other tank and the biobag is the only thing in the media basket besides a small piece of filter floss.

Now we wait.

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TurboCamaro · 05/04/2016, 06:31 AM

Nice and clear after shaking up the biobag.

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TurboCamaro · 05/10/2016, 07:59 AM

Im sure ill probably get some nay-sayers. But this tank is ready to go and is already cycled with NO additives.

Just 4 gallons of already cycled water, 2 gallons of fresh RO saltwater, and a 3 year old biobag.

BOOM. Done.

Been testing everyday since the start and no nitrite or ammonia. Already gone through a diatom bloom and have a Cerite and Nerite wreaking havoc on the algae.

Going to put a small livestock order in to BlueZooAquatics. Had good luck so far. Only getting small bioload stuff. Snails, maybe a crab or two and a whisker coral.

I think im going to capitalize on the flow in the tank and get mostly tentacled corals that will display the flow, and a few very brightly colored montiporas.

Stay tuned!

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plecoco · 05/11/2016, 11:55 PM

Very nice. Keep updating.

Fish Friend · 05/13/2016, 11:57 AM

Ohhhh...
Now that was a good use of rock and glue, what did you call it, "Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method", how does that work?

All my rocks are currently stacked together with nothing, but it has been the least of my problems...since I ran out of patience and put in livestock I got busy with problems - but at least I've been caring for the tank for hours each day, exactly as I wanted..

That sounds very nice indeed, I can't wait to see your tank grow

TurboCamaro · 05/13/2016, 01:31 PM

Its more specifically glue/epoxy/glue. The superglue gives you the hold, but the epoxy is better able to "grip" the rock. Same goes for sticking frags to rocks.

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E572 · 05/13/2016, 06:48 PM

I'm really starting to come around to the black sand. Nice tank!!!

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Fish Friend · 05/18/2016, 10:30 AM

Ah, thanks Will, I will take a note of that.
And I totally agree the sand looks great.
I notice my clownfishes likes to be against dark background, so I guess they would've appreciated black sand bottom, I'll take a note of that as well

Got any awesome invertebrates or wiskercorals yet?
My phone takes pictures that looks like they are made with a potato, but at least I got the new tank syndrome under control...

TurboCamaro · 05/19/2016, 01:41 PM

Thanks guys. Loving the black sand choice too!

Nothing ordered for the tank yet, but I pulled my Ocellaris Clown and a Cerite snail out of the other tank and put them in this one.

Ill grab a new pic later.

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TurboCamaro · 06/04/2016, 02:12 PM

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TurboCamaro · 06/06/2016, 09:25 AM

Eh, sorry for the crappy pic. Ill grab a better one soon.

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OrQidz · 06/07/2016, 10:31 PM

Love the DIY AIO! Looks very good. I like the vertical rock face as well.

NeilFox · 07/01/2016, 11:08 PM

Very nice work with the plastic compartment! Any updates?

TurboCamaro · 07/02/2016, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilFox

Very nice work with the plastic compartment! Any updates?

Small update. Im finding that this tank will be best suited as a non-fish tank. Inverts and corals only. The clownfish is a messy eater and keeps letting food fall down. I feed him one piece at a time.

So needless to say i wound up with a pretty large hair algae bloom, and pulled all my snails out of the other tank to put in this one. Good call too cause that made mose of the eggs in the other tank hatch.

Bonus there cause I dont have to buy more snails now!

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TurboCamaro · 08/11/2016, 06:11 PM

Monthly-ish update.

Coraline woot woot!

Ive been letting the hair algae grow as its absorbing whats leaching from the rock. Dont have to clean the glass lol.

Ill clean it out in another few weeks and catch it all to get it out of the tank.

Nothing other than that really. Levels stable and tank is performing nicely.

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TurboCamaro · 09/27/2016, 08:48 AM

Having some lighting issues at the moment, need to get that squared away and give the tank a good cleaning.

Updates soon.

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TurboCamaro · 03/16/2017, 09:30 PM

Snails eating the last of the algae, and some Kenya trees for nutrient export. The Ocellaris Clown and Sri Lanka Fire Shrimp get along very well together

The Coraline algae is progressing, and I'm starting to get some on the epoxy as well so that's awesome.

I dialed back the lighting to a 15w ebay Led "par38" bulb. The original 19 was too much and burned out. I got a Wal mart par38, too much wattage so I went back to the ebay bulb for the blue spectrum too. For the price I buy several; cheap enough to just pull the board with the Leds and toss the rest when it burns out.

I also finished modifying the clamp lamp specifically for this tank and I'm pretty happy with it.

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TurboCamaro · 04/08/2017, 07:21 AM

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04/19/2016, 08:44 AM	#28
Fish Friend Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 96	Ooohhh, gotta shop for tools! I'm kinda from the "Woman, do it yourself!" generation, so by now it annoy me that I can't. But I am waiting for cash as well, I planned to buy the lights nxt month, but they tricked me! Claiming they only had 40 up for sale, I bought it when I noticed they only had one left...and they (ofc!) put up 40 more for sale the nxt day, silly me Sounds good! I like the lights to look good, the finish of the aquarium is so important in making it either a "room with an aquarium" or "an aquarium-room"... if that makes any sense.. I read somewhere that black sand used to be metal & the other stuff is actually rather new? I'm looking forward to seeing your plan unfold. Honestly, reefs can look so conservative, it is so good to get fresh inspiration. Keep it up! (omg I'm envious that I don't have an old tank, ehm, I really should have started keeping aquariums earlier) Last edited by Fish Friend; 04/19/2016 at 09:24 AM.

05/11/2016, 11:55 PM	#36
plecoco Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: California Posts: 78	Very nice. Keep updating. __________________ Get deals > cuddledeals.com Skimmer FAQ > skimmergeek.com Current Tank Info: 10g tank looking for stocking ideas

07/01/2016, 11:08 PM	#45
NeilFox Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: DuPont, WA Posts: 947	Very nice work with the plastic compartment! Any updates? __________________ Even a Blind Squirrel finds a Nut now and then. Current Tank Info: 6.25 gal Nano, 40 gal SPS

04/18/2016, 02:04 PM	#27
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Found a little spot in the very bottom of the back that wasnt sealed, but I got it sealed with a brush on a long screwdriver. Waiting until my next paycheck to go get some rock and sand then ill have water in the tank while I await my light and fixture. Going to do a 3 gallon water change on the other tank and seed this tank with that, a few pieces of rock from the other tank, and the biobag (thats been in tank for 3 years). Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

04/20/2016, 07:22 PM	#29
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Man im getting itchy wanting to get this tank going lol. One week left. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

04/30/2016, 10:38 AM	#30
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Stopping at the LPS after work today and my LED fixture will also be here. Maybe ill have some water in the tank today. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

04/30/2016, 08:30 PM	#31
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	No water in the tank yet, looks like tomorrow night ill be putting water into it. Lighting doesnt look like itll be an issue. If anything I may have to raise it up, but I havent built the fixture yet. Found a piece of flat cut dry rock and a few other small pieces at the LPS. Got some black sand and Reef Crystals while I was there. Used the Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method to put the rock together and its superior. Couple shots without water. Light with lens Light without lens Thoughts on with/without lens? Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/01/2016, 08:21 AM	#32
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	To me it looks as if the light without the lens casts a little less of a shadow on the very sides at the top. So ill probably leave the lens off. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/01/2016, 04:28 PM	#33
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	I now officially have 2 Nano Saltwater tanks. The flow seems good and I am very happy with the AIO design. The pump is dead silent. I used 4 gallons of water from the other tank and the biobag is the only thing in the media basket besides a small piece of filter floss. Now we wait. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/04/2016, 06:31 AM	#34
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Nice and clear after shaking up the biobag. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/10/2016, 07:59 AM	#35
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Im sure ill probably get some nay-sayers. But this tank is ready to go and is already cycled with NO additives. Just 4 gallons of already cycled water, 2 gallons of fresh RO saltwater, and a 3 year old biobag. BOOM. Done. Been testing everyday since the start and no nitrite or ammonia. Already gone through a diatom bloom and have a Cerite and Nerite wreaking havoc on the algae. Going to put a small livestock order in to BlueZooAquatics. Had good luck so far. Only getting small bioload stuff. Snails, maybe a crab or two and a whisker coral. I think im going to capitalize on the flow in the tank and get mostly tentacled corals that will display the flow, and a few very brightly colored montiporas. Stay tuned! Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/13/2016, 11:57 AM	#37
Fish Friend Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 96	Ohhhh... Now that was a good use of rock and glue, what did you call it, "Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method", how does that work? All my rocks are currently stacked together with nothing, but it has been the least of my problems...since I ran out of patience and put in livestock I got busy with problems - but at least I've been caring for the tank for hours each day, exactly as I wanted.. That sounds very nice indeed, I can't wait to see your tank grow

05/13/2016, 01:31 PM	#38
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Its more specifically glue/epoxy/glue. The superglue gives you the hold, but the epoxy is better able to "grip" the rock. Same goes for sticking frags to rocks. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

05/13/2016, 06:48 PM	#39
E572 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 58	I'm really starting to come around to the black sand. Nice tank!!! Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

05/18/2016, 10:30 AM	#40
Fish Friend Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 96	Ah, thanks Will, I will take a note of that. And I totally agree the sand looks great. I notice my clownfishes likes to be against dark background, so I guess they would've appreciated black sand bottom, I'll take a note of that as well Got any awesome invertebrates or wiskercorals yet? My phone takes pictures that looks like they are made with a potato, but at least I got the new tank syndrome under control...

05/19/2016, 01:41 PM	#41
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Thanks guys. Loving the black sand choice too! Nothing ordered for the tank yet, but I pulled my Ocellaris Clown and a Cerite snail out of the other tank and put them in this one. Ill grab a new pic later. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

06/04/2016, 02:12 PM	#42
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

06/06/2016, 09:25 AM	#43
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Eh, sorry for the crappy pic. Ill grab a better one soon. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

06/07/2016, 10:31 PM	#44
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	Love the DIY AIO! Looks very good. I like the vertical rock face as well.

08/11/2016, 06:11 PM	#47
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Monthly-ish update. Coraline woot woot! Ive been letting the hair algae grow as its absorbing whats leaching from the rock. Dont have to clean the glass lol. Ill clean it out in another few weeks and catch it all to get it out of the tank. Nothing other than that really. Levels stable and tank is performing nicely. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

09/27/2016, 08:48 AM	#48
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Having some lighting issues at the moment, need to get that squared away and give the tank a good cleaning. Updates soon. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

03/16/2017, 09:30 PM	#49
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Snails eating the last of the algae, and some Kenya trees for nutrient export. The Ocellaris Clown and Sri Lanka Fire Shrimp get along very well together The Coraline algae is progressing, and I'm starting to get some on the epoxy as well so that's awesome. I dialed back the lighting to a 15w ebay Led "par38" bulb. The original 19 was too much and burned out. I got a Wal mart par38, too much wattage so I went back to the ebay bulb for the blue spectrum too. For the price I buy several; cheap enough to just pull the board with the Leds and toss the rest when it burns out. I also finished modifying the clamp lamp specifically for this tank and I'm pretty happy with it. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

04/08/2017, 07:21 AM	#50
TurboCamaro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 112	Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk