Alberych's 34g Sumped Cube

[Alberych]

Gone through a series of moves (college, law school, immigration) since my last reef tank 5 years ago. A few weeks ago my wife pitched the idea of getting our 4 year old a betta in a fish bowl on his dresser. I thought maybe we could do a little more.

My last tank was pretty good--also a 34 gallon cube; a Solana, which was popular in the US at the time. It was an AIO, and I had some success with a DIY cree LED array with meanwell dimmable drivers and an industrial scrap heat sink growing SPS and LPS. But I had habitual problems with nitrate, phosphate, aipstasia, and bubble algae. I'd like to avoid those issues in this build.

My goals for this build are:
1) To fit the tank into my bedroom. This basically necessitates a smallish cube, which is why I went with a tank 20" on each side.
2) To run a sump on the cube.
3) This should help facilitate using adequate skimmage, GFO/Carbon, and if necessary a sulfur denitrator and an algae scrubber to keep my water chemistry in check.
4) To do things right from the get go and avoid false economies. This goes from using RO/DI from the start (which I didn't on my last tank), to taking the time to aquascape properly and securely, to not cheaping out on used liverock with unwanted critters (aiptasia, etc.). Again these are things I experienced in the past and wanted to avoid.
5) To use an arduino for my first time to control a set of flexible strip, addressable LEDs (they use PWM for RGB value and brightness). This is mostly for sunrise/sunset/moonlights. I couldn't resists the Kessil a360 with spectral controller for the tank's main lighting needs, and I have 4 18" t5s on timers to make sure I round out the full spectrum.
6) Raise primarily SPS with a couple of fancy clowns with a nice BTA.

So with that in mind, I've done a couple of things thus far:

1) Installed needle valve under sink line for RO/DI:

2) Built a Stand

3) Gathered supplies

4) Played with some rocks

5) Made a sump

6) Bought a Tank

7) Hmm can't find the pictures but I drilled the tank bottom for herbie drain and return line, then built an overflow box out of glass and a black acrylic skin.

8) Then I uh did the rest.

 

Cycle just finishing up now... went relatively quickly as I imported all the sand from another system and quite a bit of rock from another. Need to add another bubble trap baffle to the return area when I get a chance as the skimmer introduces a few microbubbles to the return area. Also want larger skimmer, but max footprint is 6.5^2; thinking SWC 120 or similar. Also need to make a hood; have 4x18w t5 to add to the kessil 360, as well as a cool moonlight arduino project I've been working on in my spare time. Also need to add an ATO reservoir to the left of the sump.

 

The unused 1/4" line is for a sulfur denitrator.

[TristanC]

Looks like the beginning of a great build, good job! This will be much better than a beta bowl haha.

[Alberych]

 

Tank got its first inhabitants this weekend.