--chris-- Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Ill be editing this post as things get built, bought and traded for. Most recent update: Water testing! Stand 90% finished, just needs stain! Baffles installed in sump 3-21-2013 http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/321541-setting-up-a-30x20x20-tank-for-my-dad/?p=4253564 Overflow installed! 3-21-2013 Skimmer is ordered! 3-18-2013 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-direct-sale-65-Gallon-Protein-Skimmer-SCA-301-/190720710934?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c67d71916 Stand is roughed in 3-8-2013 Stand is ready to be built 3-5-2013 Tank is built 2-26-2013 Tank glass is cut (30"x20"x20" ~50 gallons) 2-25-2013 My dad is the reason i got into reefing. When i was a kid he got a 180 gallon setup (400 watt MH, wet dry, 6700K...yep it was the 80s!) and had it for about 10 years. He got busy with his job, took the tank down and my mom had her turn. She setup a 55 gallon FW aggressive tank, which will be 13 years old this summer. Ive been giving my dad copies of CORAL magazine when i get done reading them. My mom has said he's been "oooing & ahhhing" at where the hobby has gone in the past 20 years. He has mentioned a few times when she gets tired of her tank he wants to setup a small (nano) reef tank. Well, she wont ever get tired of her tank.... So today my Ma & I decided we are going to surprise my dad with a nice setup for his birthday in June. I will do the maintenance, she will do the feedings. If we get everything put together before his birthday, thats ok...but we want to have it done and setup by June. The space im working with is a corner of a "sun" porch (think floor to ceiling windows on three sides of a porch facing south, flag stone floor and also the main entrance to the house). We are in mid-Michigan, so im not too concerned with the light that will be coming in through the windows since it will only happen in the middle of winter for an hour or two a day. Back to the space...we measured today, and i looked around online. A 30x18 footprint tank would fit very well. I could go up to 36" but it would overpower the spot. Im thinking 30x18x16 (ala Daves 35 gallon shallow SPS reef on here). I could also do a 30x24 footprint tank and make it AIO like a Biocube, but i dont really have a reason to do it since sumps work well. Ill be building the tank myself.... Id like to do a makers LED heatsink build, but ill see what money i have left after i get the sump, skimmer, ato, pump, powerheads, heaters, etc... Stocking will be softies, leathers, shrooms, rics, etc... id like to keep it with hardy specimens since they wont be able to intervene if something were to happen. Also, lets be honest. Big leathers look better to 90% of non-reef keeping people. Fish, ill leave that up to him. Hes familiar with proper stocking guidelines and understands the idea of a bio-load well...so he can have fun putting fish in. Well thats it. If anyone has any gear that might work for this, PM me...im looking. A grab a pic of the soon to be tank spot. Link to comment
Voodoodol Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I dont have any equipment or anything but just wanted to say that's an awesome gift and good on you for doing that for your dad. Link to comment
Rustycorals Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 better keep us posted with the build Link to comment
ZX6Reefer Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I just finished with some tank maintenence over at my Dad's place. I convinced him to get another tank and it's been great spending time together doing something we both love. He also had a tank in the 80s/90s and is still blown away at the advances in the hobby. Great idea... enjoy your time together! Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 I dont have any equipment or anything but just wanted to say that's an awesome gift and good on you for doing that for your dad. Thanks, im very excited. better keep us posted with the build Will do. Its been a long time since i had a gift that he would actually love. You know dads...they have everything they want, and when they don't they go buy it. I just finished with some tank maintenence over at my Dad's place. I convinced him to get another tank and it's been great spending time together doing something we both love. He also had a tank in the 80s/90s and is still blown away at the advances in the hobby. Great idea... enjoy your time together! Very cool, any links to your dads tanks? My dad talks about how cool he thought it was to have a tank filled with aptasia and mojanos. He has read a few articles now about eradicating them, and he was scratching his head lol. He likes the natural look, natural setups. Ill be shooting for a 10K light color...lots of life on the live rock if i can. That sort of thing. Link to comment
ZX6Reefer Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I've got to go over there tomorrow, so I'll try to remember to take a pic while I'm there. It's a 50g breeder with a 20g sump and is now filled nicely with softies and zoas. I remember back in the day he had a tang, a trigger, condy nems and clownfish all packed into a 29. I'm not sure how it worked, but he had it running for a long time. I'm sure if the internet had existed then the tang police would have locked him up forever. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Ive been thinking of several things that i need to do with the tank. Ive settled on the 30x18x16" tank. Most likely 1/4" with euro bracing, but i could make it out of 3/8" to beef it up. Second thing is the type of overflow. I have two requirements, fail safe in case of clogging and near silent operation. IMO i have a few choices, dual durso's (internal or external), bean animal style or a C2C. I have experience with an internal C2C (PVC with a slot) on a 40 breeder, so im probably going to do that. It was very quiet, had the fail safe with two bulk heads, and skimmed surface film like crazy! In doing some research on them i see a fellow NR has done this setup as well, so ill post his pics (MGMIRAGE) to give everyone an idea oh what im thinking. I like them...they work well, and blend in well. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Glass is cut, and the tank is no longer a nano. Its funny how dimensions grow when you get down to it...i ended up with 30x20x20. Using 3/8" glass for the faces and bottom, and 1/2" for the sides (its what i had on hand). I contemplated having the glass beveled, but i dont think my dad will really care so ill just sand them up. Link to comment
PiscesBoy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Someday I hope I have progeny as awesome as your are. I'm thinking about making a glass shallow tank so this will be interesting. I'm assuming you're siliconing the pieces yourself right? Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Someday I hope I have progeny as awesome as your are. I'm thinking about making a glass shallow tank so this will be interesting. I'm assuming you're siliconing the pieces yourself right? Yes. Its not as hard as it sounds if you have the right tools to do it. The make or break tool for me has been the pneumatic gun. Once i started using one of those the quality of my tanks went through the roof, not to mention i cut build time down to 10 minutes for most tanks. Link to comment
MGDMIRAGE Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Ive been thinking of several things that i need to do with the tank. Ive settled on the 30x18x16" tank. Most likely 1/4" with euro bracing, but i could make it out of 3/8" to beef it up. Second thing is the type of overflow. I have two requirements, fail safe in case of clogging and near silent operation. IMO i have a few choices, dual durso's (internal or external), bean animal style or a C2C. I have experience with an internal C2C (PVC with a slot) on a 40 breeder, so im probably going to do that. It was very quiet, had the fail safe with two bulk heads, and skimmed surface film like crazy! In doing some research on them i see a fellow NR has done this setup as well, so ill post his pics (MGMIRAGE) to give everyone an idea oh what im thinking. I like them...they work well, and blend in well. Haha I was scrolling through and was like I know this picture! I miss that tank every day it got a chip in it when we moved so it has been sitting in the garage, i'd like to cut new glass for it some day. My current 40B had the same setup for a long time too: And then eventually I changed it to this: Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Details on the newest setup please. What is that? Link to comment
Spirofucci Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 You are one cool kid! Looking forward to see what ya do for your Pop! Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Im trying to strike a balance between quality and cost. Its not easy! I can skimp on some stuff (koralias instead of MP10) but i know the skimmer and lights need to be quality. Im going to be looking for either a Reef Octopus 110, BM Nac 3.5, or eshopps S-150 cone used for the skimmer. Lights....im not sure. Energy effeciency and output are important, but i cant go nuts with it either. MH is out, they dont use AC. Either T5 or LED, and with used LED being pricier than a used T5 it will probably be T5 i end up with. We can upgrade later and sell the T5's if he wants. Return pump, will probably be the venerable catalina 800. Ive used a few a never been dissapointed. Quiet, cool and move water reliably. Id like to use BRS reef saver rock, that stuff looks awesome and since its "new" rock i wont have to worry about leaching, pests, etc.. I have two rock designs in my head. One is a wall of rock in the corner (where i might put an overflow) or two pillars with a center overflow. Ill do some sketching and upload a pic if i get time. Sand will be Natures Ocean 10641, Aragonite #4. Love that stuff! Im wore out, I built the tank after working today...Ill get pics tomorrow and put them up. Link to comment
MGDMIRAGE Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I eventually ditched the bar on the 40 and put large couplers or whatever they are called and made teeth with a drill and dremel. I prefer this method as it takes VERY little room in the tank however the teeth get clogged up somewhat easy since they don't have a huge surface area like a long straight overflow would. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 I eventually ditched the bar on the 40 and put large couplers or whatever they are called and made teeth with a drill and dremel. I prefer this method as it takes VERY little room in the tank however the teeth get clogged up somewhat easy since they don't have a huge surface area like a long straight overflow would. Hmmm i like that idea for myself, but ill probably stick with the bar overflow for this tank since low maintenance is key. My phone died, so its charging. When i get a chance ill put up the first pic of the tank. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Setting up to build it... All done.... And how the corners look...eat your heart out Lee Mar. The glass is a little dirty here from smudges, but that will clean up. The key is how square it is. Link to comment
ZX6Reefer Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I finally remembered to take a pic of my dads tank. Low and behold a cyano outbreak! Ugh. First one in over a year. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 I finally remembered to take a pic of my dads tank. Low and behold a cyano outbreak! Ugh. First one in over a year. Looks good regardless, like its grown in well. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Anyone have a skimmer suggestion for this size tank? Total volume will be about 70 gallons, i expect to add 6-10 fish, and a slew of inverts as well as softies but i dont want to limit him to softies. Any affordable ideas? The sump will most likely be a 29 gallon i have laying around here. Link to comment
MGDMIRAGE Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Bubble Magus is affordable and save quite a bit of space, and they seem to be quite popular. Link to comment
ZX6Reefer Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 We got the sc-65 off ebay for around 80 bucks if I remember correctly. His total water volume is probably ~60 gallons and it works great. I think it's a bubble magnus clone of some type. Either way, it's been 8-10 months and the thing is still pulling out the nasties. Some may say it's under sized, but it seems to be doing fine for him. There is a 150 model as well that's bigger... Link to comment
AMAYEU Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 And how the corners look...eat your heart out Lee Mar. ... Awesome work! And for an unselfish purpose Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Bubble Magus is affordable and save quite a bit of space, and they seem to be quite popular. Ive been looking, i seen a used NAC6 on RC for 140 shipped...im tempted, but its a bit more than i want to put into the skimmer. A local had a 5 year old octo DN110 WITH aptasia shocker for $100, i texted and he said im next in line if the first guy backs out We got the sc-65 off ebay for around 80 bucks if I remember correctly. His total water volume is probably ~60 gallons and it works great. I think it's a bubble magnus clone of some type. Either way, it's been 8-10 months and the thing is still pulling out the nasties. Some may say it's under sized, but it seems to be doing fine for him. There is a 150 model as well that's bigger... Looks promising, and i too will have around 70 gallons...thanks! edit: I spent 10 minutes googling, they appear to be loved by everyone...even MOJO the skimmer nut. Just to be sure, this one right? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-direct-sale-65-Gallon-Protein-Skimmer-SCA-301-/190720710934?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c67d71916 Awesome work! And for an unselfish purpose Thanks man! Link to comment
kriskristofferzen Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 We got the sc-65 off ebay for around 80 bucks if I remember correctly. His total water volume is probably ~60 gallons and it works great. I think it's a bubble magnus clone of some type. Either way, it's been 8-10 months and the thing is still pulling out the nasties. Some may say it's under sized, but it seems to be doing fine for him. There is a 150 model as well that's bigger... I just ordered the SC-65, 85 shipped. It has favorable reviews on many forums including this one. I was looking at the bubble magus and then found it doing some "research" by accident. Shipped same day I paid, worth looking into. I hope my daughter one day does something for me like this! I like the overflow idea. Keep up the good work and build info coming! Link to comment
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