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Vic's 30 Gallon Shallow Reef


Withers

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So I've been wanting to get back into reefing for a while now but hadn't really had the energy or the funds, but recently we've decided to bite the bullet and get one started.

 

So I've been gathering bits here and there and I'm at the point where I think I can make a thread.

 

The specifics

Tank - 30 gallon rimless - 24x24x12 from Deep Blue Professional

Stand - Series IV Deep Blue Professional - Painted satin white

Light - NanoBoxReef Duo in satin white

Sump 20H

Skimmer - SCA-301

Water movement - Ecotech Mp10

 

Current status:

https://flic.kr/p/o3viye'>14468199193_af3096c19e_z.jpg

 

The start:

13830929684_fe44a432c0_z.jpg

Final by jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

The plan this week is to plumb it. I got an overflow box and return kit from Glass Holes. Let's hope the glass isn't tempered. I've been told it isn't from the company...

 

Closeup of the light. I love this thing to death

 

13114394903_ac84e9d7a9_z.jpg

NanoBoxReef Duo by jasonwithers, on Flickr

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Thanks! Hopefully I can keep this one going long enough to let it mature haha. I seem to lose focus after I get it all set up :(

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Lets see... other pictures.

 

The stand painting process from last weekend

 

Pre-paint

https://flic.kr/p/n1yr7r'>13789820185_4f4f76ef44_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/n1yr7r'>IMG_4684 by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

In the garage

https://flic.kr/p/n5c8Zh'>13830931214_e51420f954_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/n5c8Zh'>Before by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

After the first coat

https://flic.kr/p/n5c8UN'>13830930954_e99b95eb4b_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/n5c8UN'>First Coat by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

The gloss red was pretty cool but I knew I wanted the stand to match the light. I only got the red because it had free shipping through Amazon Prime. Little did I know their "packaging" was literally just saran wrapping it and putting a piece of carboard over the top and calling it a day.

https://flic.kr/p/n1Aai7'>13790157204_2aa8157205_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/n1Aai7'>IMG_4667 by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

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Nice tank though I'd imagine that there wouldn't be enough light coverage in the front portion of the tank despite the light being to small or the gooseneck being too short.

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Nice tank though I'd imagine that there wouldn't be enough light coverage in the front portion of the tank despite the light being to small or the gooseneck being too short.

 

I'm not worried, I don't plan to have any light loving corals near the front anyway. The spread is surprisingly wide front to back.

 

OMG OMG CANT WAIT

 

what is the stand called

 

It's their Series IV stand

http://www.deepblueprofessional.com/series-iv.html

 

I would definitely recommend getting it from an LFS instead of having it shipped straight to you. The corners are destroyed and there are a couple of significant dents from the poor packaging.

 

The stand has a particle board base just like every other stand of this type from a manufacturer, but it has been wrapped in a plastic coating somehow. It looks nice :)

 

Looking good man. I love shallow reef tanks. Can't wait to see how this goes.

 

Thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks!

 

My PC took a dump so I was unable to upload/edit pictures for a while. Sorry for the photo dump

 

Prepping for and installing the overflow and return

https://flic.kr/p/nqgs5s'>14058102434_c206f4d751_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/nqgs5s'>Prepping for Drilling by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

https://flic.kr/p/nqe8xT'>14057649885_96faa9db34_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/nqe8xT'>Prepping for Drilling by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

https://flic.kr/p/nrZNCv'>14077682773_1ee08460f2_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/nrZNCv'>Holes Drilled by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

https://flic.kr/p/nrZNuz'>14077682313_9a3aa51d0c_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/nrZNuz'>Overflow box installed by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

 

 

Here's my other current project that's taking up almost all of my time. I've got over 30 hours sunk into these (wheels for my wife's MINI)

https://flic.kr/p/npWGEz'>14054444381_5602ba5c80_z.jpg

https://flic.kr/p/npWGEz'>Krista's Style 5s by https://www.flickr.com/people/37634535@N06/'>jasonwithers, on Flickr

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I'm water testing this weekend :) I just finished plumbing it last night. If all goes well I'll have live rock in it by the end of the next week. I can't find much time to work on with so much company coming to visit. One of the pitfalls of living at the beach.

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Justind823

Oo great. Definitely following this one. You take some excellent photos so it will be good to come in here for some eye candy. I always remember the photos you took of your dog going wild in the snow.

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BattleAthletics

Do you know what kind of coral you want to put in it yet or just whatever you see is eye candy?

 

SPS, LPS, Softies, etc combo

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Cycling! I need to work on finding a decent spectrum to use for photos but this is the first go at it. Still way way way too blue, even with multiple layers used to correct the white balance.

14154958980_878963f6f8_c.jpg

 

14340783824_a8bdbe585a_c.jpg

 

14155074807_c9bf6faf40_c.jpg

 

This is closer to what it looks like in person

14154908178_8afe1cbe65_c.jpg

 

I ended up using about 25 lbs of live rock and 15 lbs of base rock. I'm really pleased with the dimensions on this tank, it's so easy to aquascape.

 

I have to say, I'm in love with this light. I'm going to write up a review probably tomorrow and I'll paste it here.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I had a diatom bloom within 3 days so I checked the parameters and it was all cycled. I really didn't expect much, that live rock had been curing at my LFS for months. So I got 3 mexican turbo snails and a half dozen astreas to clean it up. The mexican turbos are worth their weight in gold. The astreas haven't done any work at all but those turbos had the tank completely spotless in 2 days.

 

Still trying to find the perfect spectrum for photos but these still started out way too blue. This was taken with the white channel at 100 and the blue channel at 120 (regular is 80/120 for me).

https://flic.kr/p/o3viye'>14468199193_af3096c19e_z.jpg

 

https://flic.kr/p/o1AYc7'>14446671732_0ab4cee12d_z.jpg

 

https://flic.kr/p/nJfnJa'>14261589617_c2f2414755_z.jpg

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