Joe Nobody's new tank

[JoeNobody]

Hello everyone.

 

I started a new tank a couple of months ago and was very impressed with the wealth of knowledge and eagerness to help here. I thought it might be time to finally post something.

 

I started my first reef tank somewhere back around 1992. My girl friend was working at a LFS while working on a bio degree. Wet/dry filters and hair bands were on the way out. Julian Sprung was the man and AOL was the only internet connection. I still have a couple of stolen library books from that time.

 

Equipment was crude and mostly DIY. My homemade skimmer looked like a huge bong and routinely flooded the living room carpet. My first halide set up was salvaged from a street light that went down in a storm. When we bought our first house the wife said no more electrocution hazards.

 

I took a break and stashed my equipment for 10 years but couldn't get the monkey off my back. Sent the kid off to college and went back to Belize to dive. I told the wife it wouldn't cost much to set up a tank since we already had most of the stuff. I think I reused one heater and thermometer for salt mixing and my old Hamilton ballast.

 

Affordable RODI, ATOs, and dosing pumps have made this hobby much more enjoyable. The wealth of knowledge available now is invaluable.

 

Whether you know it or not you have helped me get up to speed on modern reef technology and techniques.

 

Thanks to all, Jeff.

 

 

 

 

[natalia_la_loca]

Welcome beautiful tank.

[FlowerMama]

Nice! I can't imagine the beauty you saw diving in Belize. There are good people here.

[JoeNobody]

Thank you.

 

 

This build has been pretty slow going. I kept changing my mind in the beginning with all of the options these days.

 

Ended up doing a 15g sump with a custom acrylic inlet/filter sock/media chamber, and an integrated RO reservoir. An acrylic lid and a couple of 120mm DC fans keep the humidity to a minimum inside of the cabinet. Took some time to convince the wife that the sump was safe and would not flood the living room.

 

I drilled a Mr Aqua 17 for an out the back herbie and built an overflow from 1/4" GrayLite glass (works great, looks black from the front but I can use a flashlight to see through it for adjustments). It's a toothless weir so an insert of egg crate and gutter guard keep everything but the Stomatellas out.

 

Equipment used:

• XM 20000k 175w mag ballast
• Sicce 1.5
• RW4
• RKL basic
• DP4 doser
• Ehiem 50w tru-temp x2
• SC-301 skimmer w/ acrylic stand and silicone pad
• Tunze nano ATO
• 120mm DC cooling fan x3
• Red Sea pro test kits
• BRS 4 stage RO/DI 15g storage w/ float

[FlowerMama]

Organized!