Lazers Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Hey guys, I am a long time observer of Nano-reef but just created an account yesterday. I have gained a wealth of information by looking at other member's threads and thought I should share my tank here as well. This tank has been setup for 8 months but I have finally gained the time over Christmas break to start this journal; as well as running into a few questions. I'm still in High school and broke as ever lol. Prior planted tank: FTS prior to new rock and skimmer: FTS 27/12/13: What do you think about the new piece of rock? I'm not sure. Does it just look like a random column in the middle of the tank or does it follow well? I was able to split the return pump into some airline tubing, which is keeping the rocks moist and creating a tidal pool like effect. Equipment Tank: 20 long with Badfish 20l aio conversion kit (not sure what happened to him but my kit arrived on time and is built with excellent quality) Lighting: Fishneedit 24in 4 bulb t5 with stock bulbs Return pump: mj 900 Skimmer: aqualife mini 115 with airline mod Powerhead: Hydro korola 240 Heater: idk like 25w set to 78°F Top: diy acrylic box Biological filtration: 17lbs of pukani live rock and some random sand from the lfs Fish (fully stocked-I realize) 2 x true percular clowns 1 x sixline wrasse 1 x black cap jawfish Invertebrates Skunk cleaner shrimp ~7 astrea snails ~ 5 blue legged hermit crabs Corals (I have no idea on the specific name, feel free to tell me if you know) Zoas Frogspawn Acan What do you guys think about fiddler crabs and saltwater? I could not seem to find a general consensus. Also are there any plants that would fair well on the rock out of the water? Thanks for looking every one! Oh almost forgot. Tanks that have inspired me the most: giga's, rehype's, and konolua's. Link to comment
specore Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Interesting build. Check Rehype's thread, he has done something similar and has a fiddler crab. http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/333743-hypes-edgeless-ridge-islet/ Link to comment
Nocturnal Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I'm not sure how it looks with the hood. A pendant setup would be ideal. The structure itself looks cool though. Give it some plant/animal life and see how it goes. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Interesting build. Check Rehype's thread, he has done something similar and has a fiddler crab. http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/333743-hypes-edgeless-ridge-islet/ thanks, I've been checking out his build. I'm not sure how it looks with the hood. A pendant setup would be ideal. The structure itself looks cool though. Give it some plant/animal life and see how it goes. I agree that a pedant would be the best setup. The hood stops the jawfish from carpet surfing and really cuts down on the evaporation though. I will probably reconsider it when i look into getting an ato. I defiantly just need to save up and get some more corals. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 You know you obsessed when the following conversation happens. Friend: "dude what did you get for Xmas? I got a PS4!" Me: "I got a rodi system for my tank" Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Ok so first major update. This morning I was able to hang the light from the ceiling. This makes it look less cluttered and will allow for improvement on the glass hood. Also I got some Reef Crystals and made my first batch of salt water. here are some pics. mixing how the tank looks in my room The back chambers. Note how the return pump is split into airline tubing which is then feed over the rock My shrimp and the massive amounts of micro bubbles produced by my skimmer - hopefully just breaking in This picture probably came out the best. Top down shot of the rock without the acrylic cover. As mention earlier I need to improve the hood. I did some drawings in SketchUp and came up with the following: Overall finished look. The white box is my tank, not a stand just the hood the dimensions I will probably take the dimensions to a glass shop and see what they can do. Please, if anyone has any experience in manufacturing aquariums could you give me a rough estimate. The dimension are included. Finally I’m looking to get some more frags but all of the shops around here charge an arm and a leg. So if any of you are located near Toledo Ohio and are selling some frags let me know! Thanks for looking! Link to comment
JaceR Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Hey man just a suggestion, you look pretty nifty at DIY. So what I would do is I would run that airline tubing parallel to the rim on your tank so you cannot visibly see it, you can do this with some tape or whatever you want to use. Then I would drill a small hole in your rock and insert the airline tubing into it, so it looks like a natural flow of water and not being able to see the airline tubing. Just my 2 cents. P.S- I know the struggle of high school reefing, keep with it. unfortunately now that I'm off at college I have no tank. But I've been saving up, and I plan to attempt a dream set up when I come back for summer.Edit: I don't know if you have a tide pool affect going on with your rock out of the water, but I've seen a build that had some zoas in a tide pool that was out of the water, now that was neat! Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 Hey man just a suggestion, you look pretty nifty at DIY. So what I would do is I would run that airline tubing parallel to the rim on your tank so you cannot visibly see it, you can do this with some tape or whatever you want to use. Then I would drill a small hole in your rock and insert the airline tubing into it, so it looks like a natural flow of water and not being able to see the airline tubing. Just my 2 cents. Thanks a lot. I was planning on doing that I just forgot to mention it lol. I am consider making the rock more of a "basin" with some epoxy - all in good time right. I think the tank you are referring to is konolua's which defiantly has some aspects I am trying to emulate. when my zoas grow a bit more I might place a small frag up there and see what happens. Honestly college is going to be hard without a reef. You should get a pico, thats what ill most likely end up doing, and then transfer the stuff into your dream setup. I also vacuumed the sand bed this afternoon and forgot to post a picture of the now white sand. Link to comment
JaceR Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Well, to my demise my tank crashed a month before I left to college. So I took the remaining pieces of coral and gave them to my friend to hold on too for the time being. I'd love to have a pico up in college, however the nearest LFS from my college is 45 minutes away. So I'm going to design a tank that requires minimum maintance, and my mom agreed to look after it while I'm gone. I'm currently already coming home once a month or so, so that'll give me time to do water changes ect she'll just have to feed hopefully.Also in my opinion, the acrylic is sort of an eye sore, but then again I'm a big proponent of thinking that your tank is more than just what is inside of it. P.S the freshly vacuumed sand looks nice! Link to comment
JaceR Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Oh on another note, what is the device you used to split the return to the airline tubing that's a great idea. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 Thanks Jace. For the return I first directed the flow into a 5/8 barbed t valve, one outlet was for the "main return" and the other outlet was for the airline. I then had to connect the 5/8 outlet to airline by using a 90° fitting- it was very tight fitting for the airline. I hope that makes sense. Here are the pieces: T valve Reducer I can get a full picture tomorrow. I also agree about the acrylic top eye sore. I'll just have to keep brainstorming some ideas. Basically it needs to reduce evaporation extensively while also stoping my jawfish from jumping out. It definatly needs to be redone from the state it's in now though. If you or anyone else has any ideas please let me know. Link to comment
Pinner Reef Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Just gonna say I love that rockwork. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 Just gonna say I love that rockwork. Thanks Pinner. Hopefully it will look even better when it's covered with corals! Link to comment
JaceR Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 I'm really interested in your build, it's awesome to have someone my age that is in the hobby. Your build looks promising. I'll be following that's for sure. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'm really interested in your build, it's awesome to have someone my age that is in the hobby. Your build looks promising. I'll be following that's for sure. Yeah its cool, most of my friends just do not understood reefing lol. I hope you get you big tank up soon. Anyways, today I was able to hide the airline tubing in the rocks and and create a more basin shape with epoxy. Unfortunately there are gaps between the rocks and the epoxy so it does not completely fill with water. Here are some pictures: the main basin drying the epoxy where it will go what do you think about this side? for the next few picture i briefly took the top off - it looks way better - does anyone want a jawfish If i was to get some fiddlers do you think the rock is too close to the side? thanks as always. Link to comment
el_ote Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 im really liking where this build is gojng!!! Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 im really liking where this build is gojng!!! Thanks very much, you need to update your thread! Link to comment
JaceR Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Your tank already looked good, but man this is a lot better! You need to start shoveling driveways or cutting lawns asap to get some nice frags in there man! Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Your tank already looked good, but man this is a lot better! You need to start shoveling driveways or cutting lawns asap to get some nice frags in there man! Thanks, I wish it would snow here. I need to get a job. Minor update today, nothing really major. Within the next week i plan to: - better epoxy the top rock to the main structure and make the basin water tight you can see the gap http://s864.photobucket.com/user/lazerybee/media/P1000427_zps7ad3ae7b.jpg.html'> http://s864.photobucket.com/user/lazerybee/media/P1000428_zpsf52f832f.jpg.html'> - add 3-5 new frags within the next month - get some fiddler crabs - sort the hood problem out Link to comment
patrickbruno91 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Pretty cool build going on here. Link to comment
iadubber Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I was apprehensive at first, but man this is turning out really cool! Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Pretty cool build going on here. Thanks man, you need to post a FTS on you thread- I like the coral choices I was apprehensive at first, but man this is turning out really cool! I'm glad you like it, I bet the hood was what made you apprehensive. Your tanks looking great and I like how your upgrading to a 29 haha. Link to comment
Leatherneck3755 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Great lookin tank!!! I wish the internet was around when I was in high school. Hahahhaa. Link to comment
Lazers Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Great lookin tank!!! I wish the internet was around when I was in high school. Hahahhaa. Thanks, I dare say its helped quite a bit! Link to comment
drunkenmonk21 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Looking great, following along Link to comment
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