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Super Ghetto Frag System


yardboy

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I'm drawing up plans now for making a greenhouse out of a shipping container, though I'd truthfully probably like to have a self-contained reef lab out of one instead and let her have the sun room!

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Very cool set up! I love all the wonderful ghettoness! As a wood worker, I have to admit the stand did make me cringe a little but then I laughed cuz it was all free!

I can just see all the wood stuff painted the same color for $5 a gallon!! Kind of makes me think of Willy Wonka and the TV scene! Great!

 

Chris

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looks great.

 

i love seeing reefers recycling whatever they can in order to not only save money but also the environment. thanks for the inspiration

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Speaking of both Skimmers AND ghetto, have you considered a DIY 2 Liter Bottle recirculating skimmer? I was going to build one out of two bottles cut and put together to give like a 24 inch tall, 6 inch wide skimmer with a decent recirc pump. I kinda figured the curved top would make for a natural neck shape....just a thought...I first thought of it in response to people bashing ghetto DIY efforts....

 

poormansskimmer.jpg

 

Not exactly what you are talking about but....... It worked great, but was a major biatch to clean. I'm working on a PVC larger version

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So I took down a 70 gallon, sold the rock and most of the corals, but kept some for fragging.

There is a refugee tomato clown and a blue tang (can you spot him) that are going in my 150, which is undergoing a reaquascape right now, so they will have to wait it out. I'm amazed that the blue can find a place to hide in a frag tank.

fragsfromthe70.jpg

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I'm amazed there's no bowing in that drum!

 

There's actually a slight bowing inward. The drum must have been "prestressed" to resist the outward bow from 55 gallons of liquid.

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Thanks Guys. It might be about time to bust my bubble. I'd previously buily a skimmer that I can use on the prop system, and the design process was "glue as you go". A dear friend of mine from long ago, a master craftsman woodworker who made all his own tools once told me, "Son, it ain't what you do, it's what you do about it." so I kept adding to this skimmer, "doing something about it" when I should have started all over, and ended up with a Frankenstein that skims well, but is a bit "unwieldy".

Brace yourself, I present the, well, uhh, what would you call it?

 

Frankensteinskimmer.jpg

 

Maybe I can distract you with a coral. Does this palyhave a name, anyone? How about "Starry Night in Beijing, Hack....Cough"

StarrynightinBeijingpalythoa.jpg

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Thanks for the positive comments Guys! It's working quite well. I wimped out on the Frankenskimmer, not enough room where the system is sitting, so I went with an Urchin I'd had for some years (my very first skimmer!) thats been modded for draining the cup into a larger container. I've got it skimming wet now so I can keep any cyano attacks down.

skimmerinGhettofragger.jpg

The water for the tub came from the 70 which was pretty dirty. I've done several 10% water changes but have seen some cyano in the sand. I also have gone a bit high tech :D with a powerhead set up in the corner. Getting some great surface agitation and the softies are moving around. With the curves in the sides of the tub, the powerhead seems more effective than in a rectangular tank. Maybe.

surfaceagitationwithpowerhead101308.jpg

 

I had some frags of a Green slimer that I had in the 70. If they could survive in it, they ought to be able to handle this system. The mother of my green eyed Favia colonies in Ghetto Beauty is also in here, waiting for the reaquascape of my 150 to be complete so she can go back there. I noticed a bulge on her side, about to start dropping more babies it looks like.

sps101308.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

A friend called me about a deal on Craigs list. We went to a chick's house who is into Cichlids, had tried her hand at saltwater and didn't like it as much. We got all her livestock. Among other things, I got this big piece of liverock with a rose BTA and Ocellaris hosting for .....$20.00 Acclimating in the Ghetto frag tank now, will put in my 150 after quarantine. :D

It's dark in color mostly Ithink because it's been living for over a year under PC's in a 29, fed shrimp weekly.

 

RoseBubbletipanemone102708.jpg

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Thanks Guys. It's still doing well today. I have it under 250W 20,000K for two hours at first, to gradually extend until I get it in the big tank. I need to snap another shot, the Ocellaris is really cool, wallowing all in it.

I was surprised that he took to the BTA though. Don't they usually hang out in carpets and such? In the wild I've only seen Tomato's in BTA's.

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Organic. Yeah, I like the sound of that. I'll have to pull out my old Ty-Dye T's to work on it in! Now all I need to do is figure out how to scavenge some T5's from a defunct Victoria's Secret or someplace and I'd even have the electric company beat!

I've put the return pump and powerhead on a switch together so I can stop the water movement and look at it from above. Maybe not as convenient as a glass tank but it's sure cheap.

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