Jump to content
inTank Media Baskets

Anna's 20 Long


Anna576

Recommended Posts

FTS

*SOON*

Equipment

  • Aqueon 20L (30 x 12 x 12)
  • Bad Fish Reef Systems 20L Center AIO Kit
  • Maxi-Jet 900
  • VorTech MP10
  • Hydor Slim Skim Nano
  • AI Sol Blue w/ Controller
  • Aqueon Pro 100w Heater

 

 

 

Livestock

  • True Percula Clownfish
  • Black and White Clownfish
  • Zebra Bar Dartfish
Link to comment

I've decided to get rid of my 8 gallon nuvo for something a little larger. My 40 Breeder is actually in my parents basement and I miss having a tank that I don't have to drive 15 minutes to see, so I thought a 20L would be the perfect size for my apartment. So I'm getting rid of my 8 gal and my 28 bowfront (freshwater).

 

Originally I had wanted to light it with some par 30 bulbs, since I already had one from BoostLED but trying to figure out how many I would need got to be a bit tedious as there was no general consensus. So I bit the bullet and bought this:

f2aynDzl.jpg

Today I'm going to start work on the stand. I hope to have this thing wet a.s.a.p because the whole reason I even need a bigger tank than my 8 gallon is a little true perc that I inherited. I was working on my 40 when my brother came home with a friend of his and had a true perc with them. It was from the kid's mom's tank and she no longer wanted it. I couldn't put him in the display because my clowns would eat him up, but he was far too big to even hold up in my 8 gallon, so the poor little guy, whose name is Blue, has been living in my sump with a naughty coral banded shrimp. I'd really like to get the tank cycling so that Blue can have a new home in a few months.

 

As far as additional livestock I plan on using this tank to get more experience with SPS, as they still make me really nervous outside of birdsnest corals. Of course I'll have zoas too. I want to get Blue a black and white buddy, and then maybe a goby of some sort, but that's far in the future. I also have a porcelain crab in my 8 gallon, but the YCG that was in there stopped eating about 3 weeks ago and I haven't seen him since. Bummer.

 

I'll post some pictures of the stand progress later, thanks for looking! :)

Link to comment

Sounds like a plan! Looking forward to the stand pics.

 

Well today was such a nice day that I didn't get too much done because I opted for a hike with my dogs instead, but I did finish the frame.

 

9wj8wi9l.jpg

 

I also got everything I need to finish the stand up while I was at Home Depot and Yankeepete let me know that my AIO kit would ship on Monday! So hopefully this time next weekend I can get this thing wet. I plan to finish the stand by Monday or Tuesday. I actually decided to wrap it in wainscoting, which I know is weird and a personal choice but I think it might look nice.

 

 

Question: I bent some conduit tubing in order to hang the Ai SOL but I'm not sure what to use to hang it with... they have a hanging kit but I'm not sure if it would work the way I want it to. I'm also curious how high I need to hang it. I guess I've got more research to do! :P

Link to comment

Anna,

 

Looks like you are off to a great start. Nice work on the stand too!!! As luck would have it I boxed your AIO unit up only to realize the post office is closed today for the holiday. It will be ready to go tomorrow!!!

 

Tim

Link to comment

Well today was such a nice day that I didn't get too much done because I opted for a hike with my dogs instead, but I did finish the frame.

 

9wj8wi9l.jpg

 

I also got everything I need to finish the stand up while I was at Home Depot and Yankeepete let me know that my AIO kit would ship on Monday! So hopefully this time next weekend I can get this thing wet. I plan to finish the stand by Monday or Tuesday. I actually decided to wrap it in wainscoting, which I know is weird and a personal choice but I think it might look nice.

 

 

Question: I bent some conduit tubing in order to hang the Ai SOL but I'm not sure what to use to hang it with... they have a hanging it but I'm not sure if it would work the way I want it to. I'm also curious how high I need to hang it. I guess I've got more research to do! :P

 

I had my AI SOL Blue over a 20L. If you are using an AIO that is shortening the length of the tank you should be able to go with 6-8 inches above the water line, still get the spread you want and not have to switch out for the wider optics like I did. I was about 6-8 inches above the water line, and even with the wider optics, had a hard time getting light to spread across the entire 30 in. length of the tank - it was good for about 26 inches of useful light spread (without frying stuff directly below the unit).

 

Its a great light but ramp it up slowly. At that 6-8 inch mark I had it only about 40% across the W/B/RB I think... I cranked it up to above 45% of each and fried a birdsnest pretty badly... and my duncans in the sand were barely coming out. It is a very powerful fixture. Even now I only have it up to 50 something and that is 8 in above a tank that is 20 in deep... BTW, caveat emptor, i am still working this out myself, I am by no means an expert with this fixture so don't take this as gospel!

 

Hope that helps!

Link to comment

Anna,

 

Looks like you are off to a great start. Nice work on the stand too!!! As luck would have it I boxed your AIO unit up only to realize the post office is closed today for the holiday. It will be ready to go tomorrow!!!

 

Tim

 

 

I realized that too this morning, no big deal, I still have a ways to go before the stand is completed. I'm super excited to get it though :)

 

I had my AI SOL Blue over a 20L. If you are using an AIO that is shortening the length of the tank you should be able to go with 6-8 inches above the water line, still get the spread you want and not have to switch out for the wider optics like I did. I was about 6-8 inches above the water line, and even with the wider optics, had a hard time getting light to spread across the entire 30 in. length of the tank - it was good for about 26 inches of useful light spread (without frying stuff directly below the unit).

 

Its a great light but ramp it up slowly. At that 6-8 inch mark I had it only about 40% across the W/B/RB I think... I cranked it up to above 45% of each and fried a birdsnest pretty badly... and my duncans in the sand were barely coming out. It is a very powerful fixture. Even now I only have it up to 50 something and that is 8 in above a tank that is 20 in deep... BTW, caveat emptor, i am still working this out myself, I am by no means an expert with this fixture so don't take this as gospel!

 

Hope that helps!

 

 

Yeah I actually found a thread with a 20L and an AI Sol Blue, I copied their programming and it only ever gets up to 36% of B/RB and less of white. Thank you for the input though, I had no idea how high to hang this thing. I got an AIO unit that goes on the back of the tank (I wanted all 30" of viewing space) so I may have to hang it slightly higher than you did. I'll just have to play around with it.

 

Well that stand is made in america.

 

:P

Link to comment

Bad Fish Reef Systems AIO kit came yesterday! I'm so excited I could squeal. It's even better than I could have imagined, awesome build quality, great packaging and the middle compartment is large enough that I have a wide range of protein skimmer options.

 

I'll post a full review soon but I just couldn't wait to share. I love it, thank you SOOO much, Tim!

 

:D

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Okay I know I haven't updated but I swear I will soon! I just need some input on this: http://reefbuilders.com/2013/03/06/ai-upgrade-kit-sol-vega-led-preorder-shipping-month/

 

I like my AI Sol Blue a lot, but the idea of a more full spectrum light seems to make me giddy. Would a VEGA support SPS on a 20 Long? It seems like a good idea but I'm pretty inept when it comes to LED technology so I figured I'd ask here.

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...