So I have always kept nano tank for reefs, but I have owned larger fish only systems.

Well, I had this fall into my lap for FREE!!!!!!......This tank was on consignment at the LFS I work at. It was priced at $500, but no one had bought it and we needed the room in the shop. I call the customer to tell him to come get the tank. He says to me "Well, I dont live around here anymore, I was hoping you guys were gonna mail me a check......I tell you what, do YOU want it"....I couldn't say yes fast enough!!!!

So, it looks like I will be setting this up really soon! It has a really nice black acrylic stand, a black acrylic hood, although I may replace it with a black wooden hood to accomodate the halide.The only thing I dont like is the background is blue acrylic, not black, but for free I can deal with it!

I am going to make my own custom flow, the tank still needs to be drilled.

For equipment, I am going to light it with a 250w MH with a 14k phoenix. It also came with a hamilton 2x 65 retro kit already in the hood, so I will be using this too. I am going to probably skim the tank with a G3 skimmer if I can get it to fit. I have to fit the skimmer into a 10 or 15 gallon sump.....Any of you big reef people have any recommendations for a skimmer that would fit in that size tank please speak up, I am open to any options. For the return pump, I have a quiet one external pump that I dont know how many GPH it is, but I am sure it will be enough for this tank, and it will be hooked up to a SCWD. I will also be running a closed loop with a rio 2100.





Inside of the stand.


Here is the pump I plan to use as a return. Its on the left.


Any ideas on GPH?


I cant wait for this to be set up! It is going to be a SPS dominant system!!!!

-Christel

500 was way too much for that tank. Looks cool though.

Free was good though! Congrats! I think it may be a TruVue. I have the pico version, a 3.5 gallon and love it! Let me know if you ever want to get rid of it. My hubby has been driving me crazy for a bigger hex.

at 0ft of head, that pump will run close to 16-17 gpm. thats a hydronic pump. i dont kow what kinda flow your lookin for. but i install them at work on boilers, and they are strong pumps. that little guy will prob push close to 900gph once you put through whatever filtration your gonna use.

Free is always good hehe

Yeah, I know, it was on consignment, thats why it didnt sell.

I cant wait to get it going.

What's your budget for a skimmer and what are your plans for stocking?

This ought to turn out really nice That's a perfect light for that tank.

Skimmer budget is $400 tops, preferably lower.

I am going to put the sailfin tang I already have, and probably my pair of black occe's. I might leave those in the 37 gallon and get a pair of pink skunks instead. Im not sure.

I will also have a small group of 3 or so bartletts, I have always wanted anthias!

I have also been thinking about a red coris wrasse, but I have to do more research.

Probably 7-10 fish.

I'll keep a lookout. Going for SPS I assume?

Yeah pretty much, mainly sps, some other miced corals.

Very cool. i would love that for a seahorse tank, take a look at the bermuda aquatics 3c for a skimmer, it should fit in a ten gallon sump.

Thanks, I will check it out.

I have been nanoing so long I am out of the loop on the bigger stuff!

Now that tank is nice and has lots of potential.....Look into the octopus skimmers....they arent very expensive and work really well

I will have to check them out.

I have heard a lot of mixed things about those rainbow pumps, like they shut off randomly. Any opinions on that pump?

Got some new stuff for the 60 gal, a skimmer until I get a better one, and a Mag Drive 1200 for the return, instead of the quiet one.

Skimmer for $7!


Mag Drive for $10!

This as an sps setup is not going to work very well the things are goin.

First of all that skimmer is 7 bones for a reason. Look at the neck diameter. Garbage.
Rio pumps. Trash.
SCWD. Junk. Why restrict flow?

Don't skimp on the good stuff. You need very reliable, quiet pumps, that put out. Rio meets only one of those requirements.

Skimmers are not all created equal. This area more then others I find you get what you pay for. Just pick up a used 9005 or mc500, or an octo, are any number of decent skimmers.

I have plans on getting a g2 or octopus actually, I just wasnt going to pass this skimmer up for $7. Would you?

I have a successful SPS tank now, I know what it takes to keep one, and after second thoughts I did away with most of the cheaper equipment.

The rio and the quiet one are both gone from the plans, replaced by the Mag Drive 12. Im sure it will do just fine for an SPS system as the return pump, especially for a 60 gallon.

I may use the rio to power that skimmer temporarily, until I get the g2 or octo. I wont be adding any corals until the better skimmer is in the tank, but I see no reason not to use the cheapo sea life when the system is cycling and the rock is curing.

Also, I am no longer using a scwd, I changed my mind and will be using two modded maxi jet 900's. Modded MJ's are bad to the bone, we switched all our larger pumps in the shop to modded MJ 1200s, unbelieveable how much flow those things can produce, and it is nice and soft.

I also have a 60 gallon hex at my home. it is empty right now so ill be tagging along for tips

Any updates on this?

Is that astro turf and a pizza oven in the pic?

Hmmmmmm..... Piizzzzaaaaaa


sorry it's lunch time for me.

LOL yeah, it is a built in grill. We dont use it. We have a nice one on the outside porch. This pic was taken after we took the tank out of the truck in our inside porch or "florida room" as they are known around here.

As for the astro turf, we need to rip it up and put down tile. One of many projects to come. owning a house sure is fun!

The tank is inside the house now in our dining room, and is soon to be filled with water. I honestly bit off more than I could chew, and I really could only spend money on the 37 to get it how I wanted. Now that it is basically growing out, I am gonna start concentrating on this tank and the 5.5.

I am going to go light on the rock, but make a big stack of LR in the middle supported by pvc pipe.

I got the idea from the "piles" that Pieter van Suijlekom has in his 1500g February 2006 RC TOTM....like this one in the pic:

Piles

A few big branch sps on top like a. mille's or a. stags and the bottom, I dunno zoas or maybe a RBTA.

Here is a pic of the tank in its final home, the corner in our dining room:



I am gonna fill it up and start it cycling in the next couple weeks hopefully.

Sweet Tank Nice score! Do you think you will need a chiller with a 250 MH in that hood?

Nice to see this project still moving forward.

Looks nice.

Update:

I will be starting this tank within the next few weeks.

I decided to go with a floating hood, so I can still use the black hood, but avoid heat issues. The tank is nice looking so it will look nice open top.

I am going to do a pile type aquascape.

For fish I am thinking a red coris wrasse, a pair of some type of clowns in a RBTA, a bund of nice lps on the sand and some clams, and the sailfin tang and probably some anthias.

Sounds good! Cant wait till you start stocking!

Always glad to see a convert!

I'll play the "yours is bigger than mine" card. I've got a 42 gallon hex. Been running for about 4 months now. Everything custom made except for the light and skimmer.

I'm curious on what light choice you are making as hex's are deeper than normal tanks. MH penetrates nicely.

I'll be tagging along,

Cheers,

I am gonna light this tank with two 65w actinics and a 250w MH with a 14k phoenix bulb.

I am still torn between drillng the tank or just using an overflow box. That is the only think thats keeping the tank from starting.

We're all looking forward to seeing it after you make a decision.

Congrats on TOTM, by the way.

the tank is acrylic right? either way i would drill the tank. it just seems like it would make everything easier and and you don't need to worry about the HOB

i also say congrats on totm you deserve it

Overflow boxes are prone to flooding when the siphon breaks - although I know people that do it successfully.

I have kept tanks with boxes before, I am just worried about aethetics. I have decided I am going to drill it.

What does anyone here know about polishing acrylic? I have a buffer, do I need anything else?

just noticed your thinking of a red coris wrasse, i had one years and years ago and they are awesome fish, brilliant colorations. just dont put any hermits, shrimps, or crabs in. i had a hitchhiker emerald crab in the same tank and it went NOM NOM NOM on it. it also got into one of my turbos and ate it. at night they do the most awesome thing, but i dont want to spoil it for you, just watch it after you turn the lights right after you turn the lights offf or the night

About your Acrylic polishing question. Ask a N-R.com member by the name of Calvin415. He had something like 10 different grit sand papers to do the job right.

Thank you, I will ask him.

Very happy that you linked this. Besides the tank being beautiful, I love the concept. It should look great in your hex!

Ok I have decided I am doing two one inch over flows.

I am getting a 250w mh and about 30lbs of lr and sand from a friend, as well as a red coris wasse and a nice plate coral for this tank.

I expect to have it wet in the next week or two! Finallyl YAY!!!!

GET IT WET ALREADY...
That didn't come out right, did it???



Can't wait to watch this tank progress!!!

Yeah me TOO!!!

The only other hex tank I think that is on these boards.

Just a heads up, Rockwork is a PITA as the tank is much more vertical than others. I'll be adding rock soon as I tweak this PVC pipe cement thing. Trying to hold the rock up and stable is hard.

red coris= pretty
red coris= no inverts
using the transitive property, pretty= no inverts?
finally! bet this one will be as beautiful as your 37!
cant wait!

Trust me a 37 gallon tank is quite difficult to aquascape, it is more of a verticle scape as well.

I am going to use acrylic rods to support and connect the rocks.

Yeah, im not much on inverts.....I will take the coris wrasse.

haha! Almost impulse bought a baby red coris for a tank- I shall not name it's gallonage. Ah, nOOb days...

Well, the tank is a week away or less from filling! I have to drill and cut it in the next couple days, but the good news is that I got my light, a 250w MH, and I got my rock, about 60lbs. I am going lite on the rock to give the fish more swimming space and the SPS more room to grow out. I also want a big sand bed in this tank for LPS.

Ooh, I don't know how this thread escaped me.

That tank has great potential, what are your specific plans for the overflows and returns?

New stuff! 250 w MH fixture for the 60 hex and the LR for it. Should be running next week!!!!!

Hurry up already! Kinda ironic that I got my new light today also, as soon as i get some more cash I'm ready for a cap frag, lilredneckman wants to get some more stuff when i buy also.

Haha I might be able to get you a little more than previously stated, my 37 is blowing up with growth right now!

Thats an Odessey fixture with a phoenix 250 BTW. I am about to show every one what you can do with these "cheap" fixtures. I have torn it apart and it looks good to me. Better than any of my retros. Maybe not as good as Stoneys retros lol!

Stoney, I am doing to 1" over flows to accomodate the Mag 12 I am using to run this thing.

Is that an Aqualight Pro knock off? It looks like one. If so, hey may be better than the real thing. I have an Aqualight pro on my 46. It just burned through its second PC ballast on Sunday in < 3 years. Perhaps it stays too hot inside the fixture.

How deep is that tank? I bet a Lumen Bright mini would work great over that thing with a 250W. You'd get better spread and better penetration I bet. The downside is you would give up supplemental lighting w/o making it look bad.