The Evil Nano Cube of Death

[RayWhisperer]

Well, it's finally ready to be unveiled!

 

There are alot of pics, so this is gonna take me several days to do.

It's humble beginnings as a NC 12 OG.

Drilling false wall for a future suprise.

The hole has been drilled. Any ideas yet?

[RayWhisperer]

Sorry about the confusion folks, this is the one!

 

OK, more to come!

Removed false wall for yet another suprise!

Drilling the glass. For what, you may ask... Be patient.

Here is some of the holes. There is actually one more, but I didn't get a pic of it in the process.

[xJoshx]

looks like sumbody got enter button happy lol

[RayWhisperer]

Let's see if I can push my luck. Posting pics has been going well, since I started this version of the thread!

 

Again, sorry about the other threads. I don't understand why this heap of doo-doo does this sometimes.

This is the OG canopy, which didn't work out. I'm just showing how I cut the top of it. I finnished by filing it out to a pretty good rectangle.

Here is the finished product. I ordered an 04 DX canopy from www.nanotuners.com(along with most of the other parts for this project) A special thanks to Chris and Nick! I epoxied in a piece of gutter guard for the vent.

This is the 04 reflector after some drilling and cutting. Note the large spaces where I cut it and bent it back. You'll see why.

[RayWhisperer]

Josh, I tried posting, but the screen goes blank. I then went back, and retried it several more times. I never actually posted it, but everytine I retried, it just did it by itself.

 

This is the heat shield I made. I ended up drilling alot more holes into it later.

I cut some acrylic up. I taped fans to them and drilled piolot holes for screws. I then mounted the fans, traced out the inside of them. Then, I removed the fans, and drilled out the holes for them. I then super glued them into the canopy, and used them as a guide for the holes in the canopy.

This is the finished product. It's the same on the other side of the canopy.

 

Any guesses yet?

[RayWhisperer]

Test mounting the lights!

Here it is in all it's glory! A 15,000k XM 150 watt HQI to be mounted into the canopy. Overkill? Sure it is, but why the heck not?!?!?

OOOPS! Sorry, I forgot a step! This is one of the CPU fans I mounted. It's the same for the other side. This is why I cut and bent the reflector, as I posted before. These fans blow alot of CFM directly at the bulb.

Here is the Cold Cathode Tube. For the dawn dusk effect.

[RayWhisperer]

More pics.

Here are all the components installed.

This is right after I fitted the tempered glass. I left it dirty so it would be visible.

 

There is a long story behind this. I ordered it to fit into the splash guard, heck I even brought it in so they could measure themselves. They called me back, saying to round the corners would be over $100. They said they could just clip the corners at an angle for alot cheaper. The total price was $20 and some change. I had to pre pay.

 

When I got it back, they had just clipped a teeny bit of the corners. I was stuck with it. Since it was tempered, I asked if it was possible to gring the corners down, as it didn't fit. They said it would shatter. I tried it anyway. The moral of the story, I guess there are two.... The expert isn't always right, as you can see, I was successful. And, there is nothing that can't be done with a high speed rotary tool, a diamond tipped grinding bit, and alot of water!

Here it is, silliconed into place, and clean.

 

 

 

That last pic has the stand in it. The top is gone for a reason. You'll see later.

[RayWhisperer]

That last pic has the stand in it. The top is gone for a reason. You'll see later.

This is the dawn dusk light on the tank.

I just got a PM warning me I'm probably going to run out of attachment space soon. I think I can fit it all in, we'll see.

Immediately after striking the halide for the first time!

This is after running on the tank for eight hours straight. The canopy stays cool to the touch. I've done this for eight hours a day for one week straight. The canopy always stays cool.

 

Looks like I may not make it after all. These pics will have to do until I set up a photobucket account, and figure out how to use it. Enjoy whats there for now.

[PieNinja]

Holy mother of Jesus!!! A MH in a nanocube?!?

...

...

...

...

...

I love it already.

What's the rate of water evaporation and how high does the water temp get after a full day of having the MH on?

[RayWhisperer]

I have a JBJ ATO system in the rear chambers, so evap isn't a concern.

 

As for the rest, you'll have to wait and see. I'm not done yet. What you see so far is just the canopy, and a partial buildup of the tank. Trust me though, water temp isn't an issue either.

 

Thanks for the compliment.

[RayWhisperer]

I must be some sort of computer guru! I've only been able to upload one pic on photobucket.

 

A few more pics to keep this rolling along.

This is inside the display after replacing the false wall. Remember the big hole (1 15/16") I drilled in the beginning? That's what it's for, a Maximod.... I used a maxijet 400. I have to thank a buddy for this. Justin made the impeller/propeller assembly for me. He's also the mastermind behind what's behind the tank (You'll see).

In the upper right corner you'll see a Locline return flare. I used a 1/2" double(male) threaded PVC, I think the length was 2 1/2". I cut the original return from the false wall. Then I used a double(female) threaded union. I had to bore out the false wall a bit more, then used a threaded(male) Locline. I only used the first link, then attached the flare nozzle.

Here's a closer pic of the stream shroud. Unfortunately I don't have any pics of the construction of it.

[Argent]

Wooo Woooo!

 

This is gonna be great! can't wait to see the rest of Tankenstein!

[RayWhisperer]

As soon as I figure out photobucket you can!

 

Thanks for the compliment.

[travisurfer]

wow, awesome tank ray. nantuners came out with a 2 x 70w halide setup too but this is so much cooler. here are some directions for photobucket :

1) sign up for an account

2) in the choose an image box, click choose file and select the file on your computer. make sure the pic is no bigger than 550pixels wide and has been shrunken down proportionally. it also helps if the image has been condensed a bit.

3) click upload photos

4) copy the image text labeled IMG below the desired photo

5) paste the above text into your post and voila, you have successfully linked a photo to nanoreef after uploading it from photobucket

 

as you get more comfortable with it you can upload more pics at a time. one thing that is very important ime is to leave the photobucket window open while uploading. when you click the upload button, leave the photobucket page as the top page(dont minimize or open any other pages afterwards that would require more loading, its okay to have a window open and the the photobucket window as long as you dont mess with that other open window while photobucket is open). basically, just click upload and dont touch anything until the upload has been completed. hth.

[Fishfreak218]

hmmmmm

so you upgraded lighting, flow, and added a sump?? Why did u even bother getting a NC instead of a cheap AGA?

[RayWhisperer]

Thanks for the compliment, and the tip Travis! I have my account set up, but condensing/resizing pics is probably why I couldn't upload any pics besides the first.

 

I haven't looked on nanocustoms in a while. Is the dual halide in a 12 or 24? Nevermind, I can just see for myself. Thanks for the heads up, I gotta stay ahead of them!LOL!J/K.

 

FF, who said anything about a sump? We haven't gotten that far yet, but trust me, there is no sump. Two reasons to set up the cube this way.... The challenge, and I had it laying around. So, the tank was basically free. Besides, I like the clean looks of the NC's.

[RayWhisperer]

Still can't figure out Photobucket.... I got one more pic to upload, but they are both pics I have already posted.

[adinsxq]

wo.

[RayWhisperer]

wo.

Adin, your always so long winded!

[stoney waters]

Those maxi stream mods are great. Cant wait to see it in action in a NC.

 

Looking good Ray.

[RayWhisperer]

Thanks Stoney, that means alot coming from a bonafied nano pimp like yourself.

 

I'm actually glad your interested in this thread.... Do you think it's possible to put that stream on a wavemaker of sorts? In case you weren't aware, they have a tendancy to turn any way they want every time they are started. Also, if you have any experience with these, would you have a guess as to the GPH of a 400 modded? Thanks.

[Argent]

Interested in how you modified the MJ400 since I was thinking of 'borrowing' that idea from you for my 10G cube (if you don't mind)

 

More for the uniqueness than anything else -- although I will be running a sandbed so I don't know if that will cause a sandstorm or not.

[Reefer Al]

That sorta looks like it has the potential to chop/mince/pure' anything that comes into its mighty path! Will this turn your inhabitants into soup?

[RayWhisperer]

Argent, unfortunately I don't have pics, as all I made was the shroud itself. A friend of mine made the propeller assembly. I'd be happy to pull it apart and try some detailed pics for you though. PM me your email addy, as I still can't get the photobucket thing working for me.

 

Al, the only inhabitants, other than coral, will be 2 barnacle blennies. I chose these since blennies are fairly strong swimmers, and barnacle blennies tend to stay in the rockwork. All in all, I'm hoping it doesn't pure'e anything!

[stoney waters]

Do you think it's possible to put that stream on a wavemaker of sorts? In case you weren't aware, they have a tendancy to turn any way they want every time they are started. Also, if you have any experience with these, would you have a guess as to the GPH of a 400 modded? Thanks.

 

I only time I have seen these mods first hand was in a club members 90 gal. He had two 1200s. They really move a lot of water in a more dispersed pattern than the pumps stock output. Its hard to say what the output is, but my guess would be at least twice the normal output. Definitely enough to push substrate around.

 

I do think you could put it on a wave maker timer. It would give a good pulsating current. I can't remember if these stream mods still pull water through the input, so I don't know if you would want to run your main pump on the same timer. If the stream does not pull water from the rear chamber the water level will fluctuate when the main pump switches off unless you put a check valve on the output.

 

Tell us what the hole in the glass is for.