Birth of a new 10 gallon nano (pic intense) - Page 4

TheUltimateNoob · 01/17/2006, 02:55 PM

that's a sweet canopy. where did you get it? or did you build it?

mikegronholz · 01/17/2006, 03:42 PM

Built it ... cost was about $40

TheUltimateNoob · 01/17/2006, 04:03 PM

good job. i wish i were that handy.

ben&bobbi · 01/17/2006, 06:21 PM

mikegronholz,
what's in the hood?
Ben

mikegronholz · 01/17/2006, 07:27 PM

currently nothing ... soon to be a 96w pc with a fan

frosstman · 01/18/2006, 06:35 AM

Looking good!

jdeanda69 · 01/19/2006, 10:22 AM

mikegronholz,
a couple of questions

1) How tall is your canopy? and how thick is the would you used?
2)how tall are the acrylic pieces you add? and when you added the mesh screen does it slow the flow down enough?
3)what kind of fan for your hood?

i really like the canopy! i have 96 watt quad bulb retro kit and wasnt sure how to mount it because i thought a nano was small for a canopy but i changed my mine after seeing this.

mikegronholz · 01/19/2006, 11:38 AM

The canopy is 1/2"x6" poplar. So the canopy is 6" tall. As for the acrylic, not sure, I cut them to fit. The grates flow plenty, very little slow down. The fan I am using is actually built for an HVAC system. It is 4" and flows like 185cfm or so. My wife uses one as a fan at her office.

Update ... it got painted black last night ... none of the stain matched my office.

OCDep · 01/21/2006, 07:45 PM

Great job on the canopy....

reef_dude76 · 02/06/2006, 08:21 PM

The tanks and mods are looking pretty sweet. Anyone else out there with a 10 gallon and a moded AC fuge want to show off their little slice of the reef?

ggenz · 02/06/2006, 09:05 PM

nice, can we see a recent pic?

reef_dude76 · 02/06/2006, 09:34 PM

Sorry ggenz. Unfortunately my nano sprung a leak at the end of last November. All the live stock at the moment is in my 58 gallon which tahnkfully I was working on when the leak occurred. I tried to fix it twice, but the tank is just old and will not hold water any longer.

highland135 · 02/06/2006, 10:37 PM

Just a thought about your question for a fish to feed on all the pods running around. A mandagrin might be a good choice.

ReefDreams · 02/06/2006, 11:34 PM

why did you make a separate chamber for the heater ?

ben&bobbi · 02/07/2006, 08:03 AM

i figured it is to allow the water to stay long enough to heat up.

ReefDreams · 02/07/2006, 08:15 AM

I've seen mods that have only 1 plexi/acrylic separator.. Wouldnt the water be ''stagnant'' if the heater is isolated like that ? It would just flow over the box, the water in the box would not be renewed as often no ?

Agu · 02/07/2006, 08:22 AM

Quote:

muzscman: To add a powerhead, or not to add a powerhead that is the question.

I've had a 10 gallon up and running for three years with an unmodified AC 70/300. The AC is filled with rock rubble and kept dark aka a cryptic zone refugium.

Over the three years I've checked the tank and four times I've found that something got sucked into the impeller and jammed it. So far no loss of life. But after the first time I added a small powerhead as a secondary source of water movement. In a nano it wouldn't take long for lack of flow to crash a tank and I feel better having the backup flow in the tank.

jmo,

reef_dude76 · 02/07/2006, 08:31 AM

Quote:

I've seen mods that have only 1 plexi/acrylic separator.. Wouldnt the water be ''stagnant'' if the heater is isolated like that ? It would just flow over the box, the water in the box would not be renewed as often no ?

The only reson I made this mod in the first place was so I could have a place to put my heater so I could:

1. Get it out of the display tank so it looked less cluttered with equipment.
2. Separate it from the rest of the refugium to keep rock from breaking it, macroalgae from growing on it so I couldn't read the settings.
3. Add a second bulkhead to slow water flow down in the fuge since the AC110 doesn't have the ability to change out the impeller motor for a smaller one like some of the other AC models can.

The water is not stagnant. If you need convincing add the cloudy part of a two part supplement and watch it dissipate rapidly.

ben&bobbi · 02/14/2006, 09:42 AM

ok, guess i did something way wrong. i have been cutting and still water too high. Between the 2 baffles, the "rapids" are high enough that they splash out the back of the filter box. i cut out some of the grate going into the tank near the heater. seems the grate is raising the water level in the filter. but, still splash too much. right now i have a filter floating on the top of the water to keep the splashing down. Also if the water level in the tank gets low, man it is noisy and lots of bubbles! any ideas what i did wrong?

also, time for confession. hope i don't get kicked out of the tread yet.

i never checked the size of my aquarium before adding water. i added a 5gal bucket of water and ....... only 1/4 full - what the !! yep, i have been building a 20gal this whole time. but it is up running and cycling now, so it will stay. still based on everything here

reef_dude76 · 02/14/2006, 12:10 PM

ben&bobbi: Well, it might be eaiser to diagnose the problem if you could provide a picture of your setup. It sounds like your "rapids" are a result of cutting your bulkheads to long and thus they are too tall when you installed them in the AC. Having tall bulkheads combined with the amount of flow that the pump of the AC 110 puts out, you can get some splashing that the filter housing won't contain.

I fixed some of this by lowering the height of my bulkheads before I installed them, and also by incorperating the use of the original filter lid into my design. By cutting out the portion of the lid over the refugium chamber, it allows light to get to the algae but minimize the splash from the bulkheads.

ben&bobbi · 02/14/2006, 12:18 PM

i'll try to remember to get a pic tonight. i recut them after installing them with the roto-zip, they are about 1" below the outlet now and still splashing without the filter. I do have the top on also, but there is a gap between the lid and container.

reef_dude76 · 02/14/2006, 07:01 PM

I wanted to take the opportunity to update the thread with pics of my new 10 gallon nano. As I mentioned previously in the thread, my last nano sprung a leak forcing me it tear it down. I have since resealed the entire tank and after two leak tests I can say it is water tight again. Thus, I decided to set it back up in my office over the weekend. Here are some pics of my new beginning. I am still using the moded AC 110 that I built in this thread. Enjoy.

More pics to come as the tank matures.

ben&bobbi · 02/14/2006, 08:10 PM

here's an overall pic of what the tank looks like right now.

these are the rapids. it would be like that all the way across if not for the floating filter. notice how close it come to the top. - WHY???

here is where i cutout some of the grating to lower the water level behind it in the filter.

here is a picture of the baffles after trying to settle the rapids! if you look close, you can see the white lines between the blue foam and flash. they are the tops of the baffles.

also, what are you using to keep the filter level? mine seemed to be missing several pieces, so maybe i am missing something i didn't know about. i had to talk petsmart into replaceing the "u" tube without bringing my modified filter box back in.

reef_dude76 · 02/15/2006, 12:04 PM

After looking at your pics, I'm not really sure what the problem is. When I built my fuge, I glued the grate that separates the fuge chamber from the overflow back to the tank, even with the top of the filter.

When I installed my bulkheads, I set them about 1.5 to 2 inches lower than the top of the filter body.

I have a minor "rapid" effect when the water is flowing over the bulkheads, but not to the extent you have in your pictures. I do have a filter pad, the blue filter cartridge in the abouve photo, which helps to slow some of the flow from the intake pump. That might make a difference. I also have more LR rubble and algae in my fuge than you, this also acts to break up some of the flow. Also the water has to flow past my heater, the top of which and cord break the water surface in my fuge and have a slowing effect on the current.

You also mentioned trouble leveling your fuge? This my cause a problem too, especially if one side of your fuge is deeper than the other. When I bought my AC 110 it came with a plastic piece that fits on the bottom of the filter body and acts to stand the filter away from the back of the tank to level it.

I hope this helps, there really aren't that many parts to this mod so other than a height problem, leveling problem, or needing more stuff in the fuge to break up the water flow, I'm not sure what to tell you to do.

ben&bobbi · 02/15/2006, 12:16 PM

ok, i am going to try something else, but not sure if it will work. i have to confess that the bulkhead before your filter is too close in mine for the filter to fit between it and the output. i am going to take the black piece out about the pump and cut it back a little. maybe since that is the pump output and yours is going straight into the filter , that may be slowing it down . i can't think of anything else. then i will raise that first bulkhead back up to keep the level in the fug up if pump shuts down. second bulkhead really just houses the heater , but it could be shorter.

also, i must be missing that leveling piece. i will cut some styrofoam and make a wedge for mine.

i will try it tonight and repost!

01/18/2006, 06:35 AM	#81
frosstman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 269	Looking good! __________________ -The Frosstman Current Tank Info: 90g sw, 100+ lbs lr, 1" arag., 2 ocellaris clowns, y-t blue damsel, bangai cardinal, orchid dottyback, starry blenny, orange firefish, yellow clown goby, soft corals, snails, hermits

02/06/2006, 08:21 PM	#85
reef_dude76 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryville, TN Posts: 663	The tanks and mods are looking pretty sweet. Anyone else out there with a 10 gallon and a moded AC fuge want to show off their little slice of the reef? __________________ She canna take the current captn, she's gonna blow!! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon Nano SPS/LPS mixed reef

02/06/2006, 09:34 PM	#87
reef_dude76 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryville, TN Posts: 663	Sorry ggenz. Unfortunately my nano sprung a leak at the end of last November. All the live stock at the moment is in my 58 gallon which tahnkfully I was working on when the leak occurred. I tried to fix it twice, but the tank is just old and will not hold water any longer. __________________ She canna take the current captn, she's gonna blow!! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon Nano SPS/LPS mixed reef

02/14/2006, 12:10 PM	#95
reef_dude76 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryville, TN Posts: 663	ben&bobbi: Well, it might be eaiser to diagnose the problem if you could provide a picture of your setup. It sounds like your "rapids" are a result of cutting your bulkheads to long and thus they are too tall when you installed them in the AC. Having tall bulkheads combined with the amount of flow that the pump of the AC 110 puts out, you can get some splashing that the filter housing won't contain. I fixed some of this by lowering the height of my bulkheads before I installed them, and also by incorperating the use of the original filter lid into my design. By cutting out the portion of the lid over the refugium chamber, it allows light to get to the algae but minimize the splash from the bulkheads. __________________ She canna take the current captn, she's gonna blow!! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon Nano SPS/LPS mixed reef

02/14/2006, 07:01 PM	#97
reef_dude76 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryville, TN Posts: 663	I wanted to take the opportunity to update the thread with pics of my new 10 gallon nano. As I mentioned previously in the thread, my last nano sprung a leak forcing me it tear it down. I have since resealed the entire tank and after two leak tests I can say it is water tight again. Thus, I decided to set it back up in my office over the weekend. Here are some pics of my new beginning. I am still using the moded AC 110 that I built in this thread. Enjoy. More pics to come as the tank matures. __________________ She canna take the current captn, she's gonna blow!! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon Nano SPS/LPS mixed reef

01/17/2006, 02:55 PM	#76
TheUltimateNoob Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vienna, VA Posts: 1,657	that's a sweet canopy. where did you get it? or did you build it?

01/17/2006, 03:42 PM	#77
mikegronholz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dallas Posts: 14	Built it ... cost was about $40

01/17/2006, 04:03 PM	#78
TheUltimateNoob Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vienna, VA Posts: 1,657	good job. i wish i were that handy.

01/17/2006, 06:21 PM	#79
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	mikegronholz, what's in the hood? Ben

01/17/2006, 07:27 PM	#80
mikegronholz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dallas Posts: 14	currently nothing ... soon to be a 96w pc with a fan

01/19/2006, 10:22 AM	#82
jdeanda69 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 357	mikegronholz, a couple of questions 1) How tall is your canopy? and how thick is the would you used? 2)how tall are the acrylic pieces you add? and when you added the mesh screen does it slow the flow down enough? 3)what kind of fan for your hood? i really like the canopy! i have 96 watt quad bulb retro kit and wasnt sure how to mount it because i thought a nano was small for a canopy but i changed my mine after seeing this.

01/19/2006, 11:38 AM	#83
mikegronholz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dallas Posts: 14	The canopy is 1/2"x6" poplar. So the canopy is 6" tall. As for the acrylic, not sure, I cut them to fit. The grates flow plenty, very little slow down. The fan I am using is actually built for an HVAC system. It is 4" and flows like 185cfm or so. My wife uses one as a fan at her office. Update ... it got painted black last night ... none of the stain matched my office.

01/21/2006, 07:45 PM	#84
OCDep Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Corona, Ca. Posts: 51	Great job on the canopy....

02/06/2006, 09:05 PM	#86
ggenz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 201	nice, can we see a recent pic?

02/06/2006, 10:37 PM	#88
highland135 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 57	Just a thought about your question for a fish to feed on all the pods running around. A mandagrin might be a good choice.

02/06/2006, 11:34 PM	#89
ReefDreams Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 74	why did you make a separate chamber for the heater ?

02/07/2006, 08:03 AM	#90
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	i figured it is to allow the water to stay long enough to heat up.

02/07/2006, 08:15 AM	#91
ReefDreams Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: montreal Posts: 74	I've seen mods that have only 1 plexi/acrylic separator.. Wouldnt the water be ''stagnant'' if the heater is isolated like that ? It would just flow over the box, the water in the box would not be renewed as often no ?

02/14/2006, 09:42 AM	#94
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	ok, guess i did something way wrong. i have been cutting and still water too high. Between the 2 baffles, the "rapids" are high enough that they splash out the back of the filter box. i cut out some of the grate going into the tank near the heater. seems the grate is raising the water level in the filter. but, still splash too much. right now i have a filter floating on the top of the water to keep the splashing down. Also if the water level in the tank gets low, man it is noisy and lots of bubbles! any ideas what i did wrong? also, time for confession. hope i don't get kicked out of the tread yet. i never checked the size of my aquarium before adding water. i added a 5gal bucket of water and ....... only 1/4 full - what the !! yep, i have been building a 20gal this whole time. but it is up running and cycling now, so it will stay. still based on everything here

02/14/2006, 12:18 PM	#96
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	i'll try to remember to get a pic tonight. i recut them after installing them with the roto-zip, they are about 1" below the outlet now and still splashing without the filter. I do have the top on also, but there is a gap between the lid and container.

02/14/2006, 08:10 PM	#98
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	here's an overall pic of what the tank looks like right now. these are the rapids. it would be like that all the way across if not for the floating filter. notice how close it come to the top. - WHY??? here is where i cutout some of the grating to lower the water level behind it in the filter. here is a picture of the baffles after trying to settle the rapids! if you look close, you can see the white lines between the blue foam and flash. they are the tops of the baffles. also, what are you using to keep the filter level? mine seemed to be missing several pieces, so maybe i am missing something i didn't know about. i had to talk petsmart into replaceing the "u" tube without bringing my modified filter box back in.

02/15/2006, 12:04 PM	#99
reef_dude76 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryville, TN Posts: 663	After looking at your pics, I'm not really sure what the problem is. When I built my fuge, I glued the grate that separates the fuge chamber from the overflow back to the tank, even with the top of the filter. When I installed my bulkheads, I set them about 1.5 to 2 inches lower than the top of the filter body. I have a minor "rapid" effect when the water is flowing over the bulkheads, but not to the extent you have in your pictures. I do have a filter pad, the blue filter cartridge in the abouve photo, which helps to slow some of the flow from the intake pump. That might make a difference. I also have more LR rubble and algae in my fuge than you, this also acts to break up some of the flow. Also the water has to flow past my heater, the top of which and cord break the water surface in my fuge and have a slowing effect on the current. You also mentioned trouble leveling your fuge? This my cause a problem too, especially if one side of your fuge is deeper than the other. When I bought my AC 110 it came with a plastic piece that fits on the bottom of the filter body and acts to stand the filter away from the back of the tank to level it. I hope this helps, there really aren't that many parts to this mod so other than a height problem, leveling problem, or needing more stuff in the fuge to break up the water flow, I'm not sure what to tell you to do. __________________ She canna take the current captn, she's gonna blow!! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon Nano SPS/LPS mixed reef

02/15/2006, 12:16 PM	#100
ben&bobbi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: mims, fl Posts: 1,063	ok, i am going to try something else, but not sure if it will work. i have to confess that the bulkhead before your filter is too close in mine for the filter to fit between it and the output. i am going to take the black piece out about the pump and cut it back a little. maybe since that is the pump output and yours is going straight into the filter , that may be slowing it down . i can't think of anything else. then i will raise that first bulkhead back up to keep the level in the fug up if pump shuts down. second bulkhead really just houses the heater , but it could be shorter. also, i must be missing that leveling piece. i will cut some styrofoam and make a wedge for mine. i will try it tonight and repost!