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Innovative Marine Aquariums

15 gallon aqueon Column noob here


Idontknowz

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I have the 20 long and the column, it can be done right it's just a little tough. I'd mod the ac110 into a fuge and sell it for a 70. Just sayin, they look really nice when you do em.

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I have the 20 long and the column, it can be done right it's just a little tough. I'd mod the ac110 into a fuge and sell it for a 70. Just sayin, they look really nice when you do em.
what do you have for your column for a filter? I think I will buy the 70 and probably star up a 20 long too, what's another tank in the 8 or so I am already running, right :\
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does this seem like adequate lighting? LED stunner strips

 

1ft 10k Reefstrip - 2
1ft 14k Reefstrip - 2
1ft Actinic Blue Reefstrip- 2
1ft UV Purple Reefstrip - 1
1ft Red Reefstrip - 1
Splitters 2
Dimmers
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Are you dead set on keeping the stock hood? I actually don't have the column as a reef but how big is the slot for the filter on top? If I were to do it I would just use the ac110 and axe the stock hood, build a lid out of acrylic or glass and use the 110. For a light I'd just put a par38 over it.

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I would say uncut the filter slot is about 9 inches across (tank) and 8 inches across in the hood part. (hood slot is more narrow). aprox maybe 2 -3 inches wide.. 9" x 3" give or take? The only thing I think could do is cut the AC110, take off an inch or 2 then glue it back together in order for it to fit? I saw another video where the guy siliconed the end to divert the water about an inch of so over. but that doesn't seem safe to me :/
I just like the stock look of the tank, It's in my living room and it would look funny with a bulb hanging over it

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The 70 is 8 inches I think, you can look it up to be sure but I think it would work. Those the ecoxotic strips? If so they should be good, more expensive than the bulb and a diy kit, but for the life of me I could never figure out how to retrofit anything. If you wanna keep the hood the strips are the way to go.

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Yeah, retrofitting this is not something I'm looking forward to! cutting a little off the tank molding and hood will be a lot easier than trying to perfect cut and seal back together the AC110, I know I would mess that up. I'm getting a really good deal on the strips so I figured it's worth a shot and as far as my DIY light skills, well I wont even try!

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You should be good with the 70 and the strips for sure then. Just gotta play around with em to get the right blend of light. I would probably do the red and UV in the middle between the acitnic and 10-14 ks, but mix those up too if you understand what I'm saying. Let me know how it goes for you I'm curious to see how this plays out.

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that was on my list of questions! the light arrangement. Just ordered The AC70 and some purigen for this money pit. On a great note I discovered my blue knuckle hermit wasn't killed my the emerald but only molted lol I'm such a noob

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Hey it happens. Thought my scarlets all molted but they never came out, go figure. After thinking about it I would actually do a 10 k right in the center with the violet and red on either side, then alternate the whites and blues. Should make it mix pretty well.

 

I run an ac70 with purigen, you should throw some floss in there too it works pretty well just make sure you clean the whole thing out like every other week and change the floss every week. Also if you don't like the noise the aquaclear makes take off the lid or leave it on kind of askew and lube the impeller shaft with vasoline. Worried the crap out of me at first but now I don't even hear it.

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I saw a 20ft roll of filter floss on Amazon for 17$ shipped... decided that could wait a week. I gotta eat! got the lights today and hopefully will retrofit them tomorrow if I can find some plexiglass at lowes or depot.. after that my last big purchase of a RO/ DI and I should be done for a bit and ready for corals

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My Girlfriend picked them up online for me.. probably cheap knock offs lol but guaranteed for two years so worth a shot?! I'll ask her where she got them. Looking for acrylic sheets online home depot how about Polycarbonate?

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Yeah man let me check those out, always curious. Don't know about the material itself, but it says uv protected, which you probably don't want cause a little uv light is good for coral coloration.

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Hey all, hope it's okay to piggyback my questions onto this thread. I just bought the same tank as the OP and I'm trying to decide whether to attempt a reef tank with it, or to go planted freshwater. It's situated in my cubicle.

 

12260_10200887495498453_1160486795_n.jpg

 

Obviously, the stock light strongly suggests the 'freshwater", especially as I am not a big DIYer. However, I've seen a couple of posts to suggest that there are semi-"plug n' play" options to modify the existing hood? I checked out the RapidLED site....looks like I'd need to be pretty handy to use those.

 

Also, the filter was going to get replaced regardless. I wanted overkill regardless of what direction I chose. I understand that powerfilters will create "current", which is important to the corals. I wasn't going to go too nuts with the corals, prefering to keep it simple (though the thought of an anenome has crossed my mind) with button polyps, and other "easy" corals. Would upping to a filter such as the Quietflow 50 still necessitate a power head? I'm trying to minimize the number of cables I have to run down to the powerstrip under my desk.

 

Finally, the dreaded question....what about fish? I have read up and understand cycling, water quality, etc. I know I've got about a month of letting the live rock/sand get the water ready before adding anything and I'm sticking the clean-up guys in there first. I've chosen fish exclusively from the IGreen's "Ultimate Guide to Nano Fish" stickied here. I'm HOPING I can manage 4-5 fish in there, though I'm kinda confused by contradicting info from the LFS and here. One LFS said I could only manage 2, suggesting damselfish, which I've read require at least a 30g tank as they can be territorial! The list here says otherwise.

 

For the record, the fish I'm contemplating are the Ocellaris clown, yellow-tail blue damsel, and/or the green chromis, then once the tank 'matures' add some gobies (regular/purple firefish, green clown goby, orange...something prawn goby (the list is at work, sorry!)).

 

Thanks so much, and I hope this isn't a breach of nano-reef.com etiquette!

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Lol, you should post a thread in the beginners section and do a little research before contemplating a reef. Is this in like a cubicle in an office building?

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I'm trying to decide whether to attempt a reef tank with it, or to go planted freshwater.

With the stock light, I would just do fish (freshwater or saltwater).

 

Obviously, the stock light strongly suggests the 'freshwater", especially as I am not a big DIYer.

To me, the stock light suggest upgrade or fish only (or FOWLR).

 

I understand that powerfilters will create "current", which is important to the corals. I wasn't going to go too nuts with the corals, prefering to keep it simple (though the thought of an anenome has crossed my mind) with button polyps, and other "easy" corals.

An anemone isn't typically easy. A Rock Flower Anemone is very hardy and will basically stay put; however, it isn't a clownfish host. A BTA will host a clownfish but I think it would get too for a tank with that footprint (plus they aren't as hardy, and requires decent lighting).

 

Would upping to a filter such as the Quietflow 50 still necessitate a power head? I'm trying to minimize the number of cables I have to run down to the powerstrip under my desk.

The QuietFlow 50 will produce 250gph (or just about 17 times turnover). While that might work as a minimum, more flow would be beneficial. Not only would a powerhead provide more/beneficial flow, but it adds redundancy.

 

I'm HOPING I can manage 4-5 fish in there, though I'm kinda confused by contradicting info from the LFS and here. One LFS said I could only manage 2, suggesting damselfish, which I've read require at least a 30g tank as they can be territorial!

4 to 5 fish sounds like a lot, but it depends on the fish. Three (maybe four depending) sounds better to me. Do not get a Damsel period.

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a70 should fit nicely into the slot if you wanna keep the hood. Aquaclears are the only filters most people recommend for saltwater and I use them with good results.

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An AquaClear 70 puts out 300gph (or 20 times turnover, which is a little better if you're just using a filter for flow).

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I would do that and the smallest hydor koralia nano. As well, three small fish is max for this tank and only compatible species that occupy different zones in the tank. A yellow watchman, clown, and a small blenny or perching goby would work nicely if you add them all slow.

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