d2mini's 130g Rimless Cube

[Jukas]

Now that you've had over a year with the tank, are you still happy with the dimensions?

I'm just starting the planning stages of a new build to a rimless tank and really don't think I want a 24" high tank, but was hoping to get my water volume to 120-130 gallons.

A 48l x 36w x 18h with a 16" high waterline would give 120g
A 48l x 48w x 18h with a 16" high waterline would give 152g

I'm just not sure how I feel about giving up that much floorspace. Your tank is one of the nicest rimless I've seen posted here in a long time so I figured I'd get your input. Do you wish you had gone bigger?

[Myst666]

Question about your second shipment of "The Package" from TBS.
Did you squirt scolding hot water in the holes to get the BAD Crabs out?
What effect does this have on the living stuff on the rock?

I recently ordered "The Package" from TBS, I had a bunch of the BAD Crabs, there
are still a few in there that we are trying to trap. I only have the first shipment, but it
does have a lot of life on them. I think we will try the hot water trick before we get remaining package.
The bags that the rock was shipped in broke and we had a few casualties, Porcelain Crab, Pistol Shrimp and some sponge. The rock still looks beautiful.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by yoccm

Just read through the thread - wow! Most impressive. I actually stumbled onto it while searching for info on the aqua photon fixtures. I am very interested in them and you are one of the few build threads I have found using them. Love to hear your opinion on their performance.

Thanks, Chris

Thanks, Chris! The lights have performed very well for me so far. It's the 250w MH version. I was running an XM 10k and now I run the Geissmann Coral which i think is rated at 14k but is closer to the 10k xm in color, very white. The bulbs are all ATI blue plus but now i run one ATI purple plus in the mix. With either setup i've noticed that i have a $***TON of light! My tank is 24" deep and I've had trouble getting sps to survive in the center of the tank. My fixture was 6" off the water but I've had to raise it up to at least 9". So i guess the single 250w and 4 t5 is plenty of light!

Originally Posted by Jukas

Now that you've had over a year with the tank, are you still happy with the dimensions?

I'm just starting the planning stages of a new build to a rimless tank and really don't think I want a 24" high tank, but was hoping to get my water volume to 120-130 gallons.

A 48l x 36w x 18h with a 16" high waterline would give 120g
A 48l x 48w x 18h with a 16" high waterline would give 152g

I'm just not sure how I feel about giving up that much floorspace. Your tank is one of the nicest rimless I've seen posted here in a long time so I figured I'd get your input. Do you wish you had gone bigger?

Thanks! I've been very happy with the dimensions because it's perfect for the space I have. And I love the fact that it's a walk around cube. If I had more space I'm sure I'd want a bigger tank, but it's been a good size both spatially and financially.

Originally Posted by Myst666

Question about your second shipment of "The Package" from TBS.
Did you squirt scolding hot water in the holes to get the BAD Crabs out?
What effect does this have on the living stuff on the rock?

I recently ordered "The Package" from TBS, I had a bunch of the BAD Crabs, there
are still a few in there that we are trying to trap. I only have the first shipment, but it
does have a lot of life on them. I think we will try the hot water trick before we get remaining package.
The bags that the rock was shipped in broke and we had a few casualties, Porcelain Crab, Pistol Shrimp and some sponge. The rock still looks beautiful.

Ya, that's one of those things that I don't know if I'd want to condone but it is an option. I only did it with the first batch. The second batch I left alone because I knew it was even more full of life than the first batch and I didn't want to lose any of it. Not sure if I posted this pic but I found this guy recently. I think he took off with my new baby clam! I never even found the shell. He was cool looking though, eh?

[Myst666]

You take such great pictures! My tank still needs to finish the cycle but I think I am going to yank the rocks and try the hot water. I also read that club soda will get them to come out too. I will try both to see which one works the best.
Thanks for the reply.

M

[yoccm]

Dennis - thanks for the info on the lights. Aquarium specialty is running a deal on the 3 x 250W 6 foot unit - marked down from $3200 to $2100. I am seriously considering going for it. I was really leaning toward the ATI PM because of all the color choices in bulbs. This fixture uses 12 36" T5s as supplement to the 3 MH bulbs. Using 14k on the MH and mixing Blue and Purple on the T5s should give me great color like the ATI but also give me the shimmer and PAR of MH.

[yoccm]

Scott at Aquarium Specialty is holding the 3 bulb 72" unit for me. Seems like a great price! He is also willing to throw in 3 SE 250w 14 K Aquaconnect mogul bulbs at half off and give me a break on the T5 bulbs as well. My tank is going to be 26" deep and I have plenty of room to raise the fixture so s/b ok. How do the reflectors on the MH and t5s seem? Good quality? Also, was planning on timing lights using Apex - do you know if they are controllable?

Sorry for all the ?s but you are the only guy I've found running this fixture.

[d2mini]

Sounds like a great deal!

My lights are running off my Reefkeeper Lite. There is one plug for the MH and two for the T5's. So first one set of T5's come on, then the other set, then finally the MH. Reverse at night.

Just curious... had you weighed any of the LED systems against this unit, like the Aqua Illumination ones? I was thinking of eventually picking up two of those which should be perfect over my tank. But not for a while. A little pricier up front but bulbs costs add up quick. 2 of those with controller are around $1200. Almost what i paid for this light. I might need a third though depending on the light spread.

[yoccm]

Trust me I have been all over the map on trying to pick lighting for my tank! I did look at the AI LEDs. For my 72 l x 30w x 26 h tank I would need the 6 unit fixture which would run upward of $3,300 and I was a little worried that would cover the 30" width of my tank. The cost could quickly be recouped in reduced electric bills and no bulb changes but from all the reading I've done it still seems like an emerging technology. Not sure I am ready to pour that kinda $$$ into LEDs until they perfect them a bit more.

I have also really wrestled with the all T5 vs MH/T5 combo thing.

I think I am ready to bite the bullet and go with the Aqua Photon fixture.

Looking at your pix & vids you have such a natural look to your tank which I am sure has something to do with the lighting you are using.

Thanks for the advice on the lights, I will let you know if I get the Aqua Photons.

[d2mini]

Cool, i was just curious. You'll love the fixture.

Oh, and i forgot to mention... the only thing I think can be improved is access to the bulbs. You have to remove 4 screws to remove the side panel. So you have to be careful when doing this right over your tank... dont want to lose the screws in the water!

Also, I have the 24" fixture over 36" cube and it's plenty of light. I like how i have lower light areas around the outside and high light in the center. And I don't get the light spill on the floor.

[yoccm]

O.K. Dennis you got me thinking. I've spent the last 2 hours going back thru various posts on the AI LED fixtures. Actually would not cost any more than the discounted Aqua Photon once I purchase all the bulbs. Not to mention the added electricity and bulb replacement costs going forward.

Couple things that have caught my attention:
1) a number of tanks showing great coloration and growth under the AI units
2) great controlability with the supplied controller
3) got REALLY excited when I saw that apex is coming out with a module that will be specifically geared to control the untis
4) the ability to change/upgrade going forward and to swap out optics so easily
5) ability to add additional units if necessary to the rail system

Maybe rethinking the whole thing!!!!

[Brwestern]

Those AIs are supposed to be great. I just bought the pacific sun metis led...not modular, but similar. Id bet on LEDs. Everywhere in every industry is moving that direction.

[yoccm]

Yeah - seems like it is definitely the future. Also, just found the VDM module on the Neptune website that will control the AI units - cost is $99.

[ReeVo]

Gorgeous looking tank man.
That is a piece of art.


What Kelvin is your megachrome bulb?

[Charley Diesing]

very nice.

[InvaderJim]

Love it. Really like the naturally look you've got going on.

[tonyespinoza]

Just read the entire thread -- beautiful work! Congrats.

[Jaxom]

D2, I've enjoyed your thread since you first started it. I've learned quite a bit that I'm trying to incorporate into my setup. Thanks for sharing.

Jeff

[duncantse]

Amazing tank you got there! What's your current livestock?

[d2mini]

Looks like i missed a few replies. Sorry about that.

Originally Posted by ReeVo

Gorgeous looking tank man.
That is a piece of art.
What Kelvin is your megachrome bulb?

Thanks! The megachrome is rated as a 14k but it looks a lot whiter than that. Right now i've got the one megachrome and then three 24" ATI Blue Plus and one of the new ATI Purple Plus.

Originally Posted by Charley Diesing

very nice.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by InvaderJim

Love it. Really like the naturally look you've got going on.

Thank you! I want to add some macro algae to the tank to add to the natural look.

Originally Posted by tonyespinoza

Just read the entire thread -- beautiful work! Congrats.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Jaxom

D2, I've enjoyed your thread since you first started it. I've learned quite a bit that I'm trying to incorporate into my setup. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, glad to help.

Originally Posted by duncantse

Amazing tank you got there! What's your current livestock?

Thank you. For the past few months i've had the same live stock.
1 mated pair of Australian black clowns.
1 scopas tang
1 kole tang
1 blue chromis
1 ora blue mandarin (which seems to just eat pods)


My inverts i've had for quite a while now.
1 cleaner shrimp
2 fire shrimp
1 purple serpent star
1 brown brittle star
1 big orange star
3 cucumbers
1 flame scallop
1 giant ritteri anemone
1 mini maxi anemone
A bunch of snails and blue leg hermits.
Everything except the 3 shrimp and two nems i've had since the tank was set up over a year ago.

[Brwestern]

Let's see some more video and full tank shots....

And is your sump still clean? :-)

[Myst666]

Dennis, I have part 2 of "The Package". This is so cool, I love it. Anyway I have a serpent star now, my question is what do you feed yours and how often?
Thanks

[Korrine]

One awesome tank! Love your rock placement too! Well done

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by Myst666

Dennis, I have part 2 of "The Package". This is so cool, I love it. Anyway I have a serpent star now, my question is what do you feed yours and how often?
Thanks

Hi, sorry I'm late to respond.
Don't know if I mentioned it yet or not but we have our first kiddo on the way, due at the end of May, and people have been throwing us baby showers, we've been trying to get the nursery ready, etc. She's not even here yet and she's sucking up all my time!

Anyway, i have a serpent, a brown brittle, and a giant orange star. The first two eat detritus. They stay in the rockwork until i feed the tank. The serpent comes way out into the open and goes nuts trying to get food. The brittle stays mostly hidden but he does come out a little. The big orange guy spends his time on the glass and rocks, eating film algae I guess. I'm not really sure. Sometimes he even climbs to the very top of the glass and then bends over backwards skimming the surface of the water. I don't target feed any of them. It's been over a year now and all three are still going strong.

[Brwestern]

Congrats on the baby. Your first? Hope you can keep tank up to par... I'm sure you'll be swamped soon.

[mnml]

Congrats on the the baby news. Cherish the sleep you get now while you can