nosser Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Thank you to everyone that voted I never thought I had a chance... being punctual is key lol Full Tank Shot from Oct 09 Voting pictures FTS: 03/08/10 FTS: 02/22/10 FTS: 02/08/10 FTS: 01/25/10 FTS: 01/11/10 FTS: 12/28/09 FTS: 12/13/09 FTS: 11/30/09 FTS: 11/16/09 FTS: 11/02/09 FTS: 09/10/09 FTS: 09/25/09 FTS: 10/05/09 FTS: 10/19/09 Hello, So this is my first attempt at a contest tank. I am in the process of buying a house and my wife is pregnant with my second child so I am looking to keep cost down... or should i say my wife is looking at keeping cost down. Before I was married I had a 12g reef and two 100gal aggressive FOWLRs. I would like to use stuff that I have sitting around and not purchase too much new equipment. I really just want to have an awesome looking tank and hope this contest will help me accomplish this. The tank will sit on my counter which separates the living room from the family room. Setup: Tank - 12"Lx12"Wx9"H M.A.D. Tanks custom tank by Erickrm ($75.00) Light - Current Satellite 2x18 ($0.00) Fuge Light - DIY or old Picotype light Pump - MJ900 old used ($0.00) Skimmer - AquaticLife Internal Mini Protein Skimmer ($47.97) Heater - Hydor THEO 50 watt ($16.99) Chiller - Coolworks Ice Probe w/ controller ($149.99) ATO - Old JBJ ATO with old MJ900 pump ($0.00) Misc - 1/2 elbow, tubing, bulkhead, thermometer ($35.00) Back tank cover - DIY 3/8 MDF with a few nails and a lots of glue ($9.23) Live Sand - 5lb bag Carribean Live Sand only used about 4lbs ($9.99) Live Rock - 7lbs of Nano Rock from Premium Aquatics($31.43) Hardware cost: $375.60 Live Stock cost: $247.09 Remaining ($2.91) Planned Livestock: I added live rock to my hardware cost since it is not included in my budget. I will stock mostly Rics, Zoas and hopefully some easy SPS. I may have a small fish and I would like some cool inverts too. Livestock: Fish Antenarrius Pictus LiveAquaria.com 2" ($59.99) CUC Dwarf Cerith - 6 ($1.50) Florida Cerith - 2 ($0.50) Nerite Snails - 2 ($1.50) Coral Green Palys -5 poylps $0.30 PP ($1.50) Orange-Yellow Zoas - 25 poylps $0.30 PP ($7.50) Xenia - 2 stalks ($10.00) Red Mushroom - 1 ($5.00) Tyree Sarcophyton Leather Coral - 1 ($5.00) Neon Green Candy Cane - 2 heads ($6.00) Orange and Blue Ricordea Florida - 1 ($10.00) Orange Ricordea - 1 ($10.00) Cloves - under 3" ($5.00) Monti Cap Frag - 1 1/2 ($10.00) Pinkish Red Zoas - 6 poylps $1 ($6.00) Green Pink centers Zoas - 22 poylps $1 ($22.00) Nuclear Greens Palys - 2 poylps $5 ($10.00) Red Skirts Zoas - 11 poylps $1 ($11.00) Watermelon Zoas - 10 poylps $1 ($10.00) Cream center Zoas - 4 poylps $1 ($4.00) Tan Palys - 8 poylps $0.30 ($2.40) Turquoise-Green Zoas - 9 poylps $1 ($9.00) Blueish Zoas - 15 poylps $0.30 ($4.50) Green center Zoas - 29 poylps $0.30 ($8.70) Green Palys - 6 poylps ($6.00) Dull blueish color Zoa - 30 poylps $0.30 ($9.00) Superman Muchroom - 1 ($5.00) Macros Penny Macro Algae from Reefcleaners ($2.00) Fire Fern macro ($2.00) Cheato - small handful ($2.00) Link to comment
JBM Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Nice, But where are the pichers? Link to comment
got2envy Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Sounds great! good luck tagged Link to comment
nosser Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 Nice, But where are the pichers? Haha the pichers will be coming! I have most of the simple stuff like a heater, pumps and I will be making a fuge light tomorrow. I have also been looking at an Aquaticlife skimmer since it's pretty cheap. I don't think it's really needed with consistent water changes but seems like a cool idea. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 thanks for tagging along.. I hope to have updates tomorrow. I have been so busy with work, and the wife that I haven't done much yet. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 I don't have the tank yet but I just picked up my skimmer and a 14k Phoenix mh. I also am looking to make some kind of base stand for the tank and will post pichers when I sketch it up! IDEMANDAPIC!!! ok ask and you shall receive.... Link to comment
JavaJacketOC Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I don't have the tank yet but I just picked up my skimmer and a 14k Phoenix mh. I also am looking to make some kind of base stand for the tank and will post pichers when I sketch it up! ok ask and you shall receive.... !! You're in OC too, where did you find the skimmer? I came across this a cuple days ago but can't find anywhere local that carries them. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 what's up Java, I ordered the skimmer from Marine Depot. You just call in your order and they can see your shopping cart. They are located in Garden Grove. I believe they are still offering a 15% off until the end of the month. The width is 3" and the back of the tank is 3" but I talked to Erick and he is making the tanks 3.25 to accommodate the skimmer. I picked up the bulkhead, elbow and tubing today and I had to return my Phoenix bulb. For some reason i could not get it to fire. The bad part was Marine Depot was out of the Phoenix bulbs so I got AquaMaxxs which was on a buy one, get one promo. They said the guy who started AquaMaxx came from Phoenix so I will see. Link to comment
JavaJacketOC Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Doesn't look like it's on sale anymore. It says it only needs a 3x3 foot print. I talked to eric a few days about about this exact skimmer, he didn't think there would be an problem with it fitting in the original tank design. Are you going to add something to the skimmer? Edit: Missed the 20% off coupon Link to comment
nosser Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Java, This is from Marine Depot... Add the code, it's good for the entire month... For This Month Only! Get 20% off the AquaticLife Internal Mini Protein Skimmer Use Coupon Code: AKS98424 at checkout (Promo Valid From 08/01/09 - 08/31/09) I don't plan on adding anything to the skimmer but when I read the dimensions it said it was 10.5x3x3 and I asked Erick if it would fit and He said he would make it 3.25 just in case. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 now my lighting is still in the air... I was planning to use my 150w Viper but it seems my ballast is bad. I'm not sure if i can just find another cheap ballast or buy a new 70w instead. Does anyone know a decent ballast for not too much? Link to comment
OkcKoolaid Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 seems like plenty of people are selling used ones... if you look in the forsale thread on nanoreef i saw someone posted a good link.... Link to comment
nosser Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 thanks OkcKoolaid, I'll check it out. I'm still not sure it I want to buy a ballast or just buy a new fixture and fix my 150w when I plan to use it. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 I just picked up a Coolworks Ice probe with a temp controller! I was able to fix the my ballast. It seems one of the connectors was burnt out and the wires did not make contact anymore. Here's a pic... I will be running fans on the ballast from now on... Link to comment
pismo_reefer Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 NICE DUDE! narrowly avoided house fire right there. Link to comment
nosser Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 NICE DUDE! narrowly avoided house fire right there. tell me about it!! the wife would have killed me!!! Link to comment
Ryan_H Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 now my lighting is still in the air... I was planning to use my 150w Viper but it seems my ballast is bad. I'm not sure if i can just find another cheap ballast or buy a new 70w instead. Does anyone know a decent ballast for not too much? check the bus fuse that screws into the ballast right near the switch. replacing that $3 fuse will usually do the job. Link to comment
nosser Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 check the bus fuse that screws into the ballast right near the switch. replacing that $3 fuse will usually do the job. thanks man, yeah I checked the fuse first but the issue was a connection with the wires I included a picture a few posts up. Link to comment
pismo_reefer Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 hmm....yup. still here. *thread.census.is.now.complete, Link to comment
nosser Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 Alright, well I got my tank now and can finally post something worthy. I did notice some glue residue on the front of the tank by the left corner and I'm wondering what I could do to fix it. I'm doing a water test right now but I plan to drill a hole for my iceprobe this weekend. I have to figure out where to drill for it. Do I put the iceprobe on the pump side or the intake side? I also need to try to fit my skimmer in there too. With my wife pregnant having all these doctor visits, 4D ultrasounds, planning a baby shower I haven't had time to purchased live rock or make a fuge light. Hopefully I can get all the little things done soon before we start this thing! Link to comment
jaygalindo Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 hey nosser, hows the flow with the MJ900? I remember reading that Erick said it wasn't strong enough? Also i love the custom glass stand. JK Link to comment
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