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Overflowing Starphire Cube


kinktao

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The tank is a 35 gallon cube. The dimensions are 23x23x15".

All four sides are starphire 1/2" thick glass with diamond cut edges.

The return tray is a custom design tray that is 27x27x3" that lifts up the tank 1.5".

The tank is lit by a 150 watt mh sunpod, which provides decent lighting for a 35 gallon.

 

I personally built this tank in my kitchen... so literally anyone can build a tank. This tank was completely rebuilt due to the problems that I could not solve on the old tank (it was too loud and the return system could not handle enough flow). The original thread can be found here: My original overflowing cube design

 

Enjoy the pictures!

 

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I let my snails climb either side of the walls. On the right of this picture, you can see one of the snails climbing the edge of the tank. On the left side, you can see another on the outside of the tank and a few in the collection tray.

 

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I love to hand feed my fish and shrimps. It's gotten to the point where they totally trust me.

 

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I use a turkey baster to spot feed my corals.

 

The sump is a 20 gallon that has been modified with 4 baffles.

 

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I use an american dj to allow easily on and off function of my pumps and equipment. You can also see my fuge which is populated with pods.

 

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This is a right side shot of my sump and dosing pump. I'm doing 2 part B-ionic. You can also see my 4 way ocean motions squirt which handles 1200 gallons from my iwaki.

 

It's hard to see but I have a phosban reactor and a carbon reactor within the sump. The flow inside these reactor comes from the main pump which is slowly let in with ball valves.

 

The collection tray and draining system

 

The tank is lifted off the tray 1.5" so that the bottom of the tank isn't cut off from the tray.

 

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Here you can see the island that lifts the tank up. Supposedly the island should be flush with the tank so that it doesn't impede the water flowing down, but I couldn't get it perfectly flush. Without having it flush some water can be heard splashing as it hits the tray.

 

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To drain the water that overflows the tank, I built a rectangular hole that would hide a 2" bulkhead.

 

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Once the water enters this rectangular hole, it will enter an external durso return. Note that there is no girgling sound at all (thank god).

 

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Here is a wide shot of the left side of my sump.

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AutoTopOff system

 

My original tank evaporated 2 gallons a day which is a lot for a 30 gallon tank.

 

But I've solved this issue and will never have to top off my water, nor refill a bucket to top off my water. Everything is taken care for me using a timer, an auto top off switch, solenoids, and RODI system. Some people think this is foolish since I could potential flood my house, but everything I'm using has a kill switch incase something goes wrong. Also, my auto top off system is on a timer that only allows it to refill my tank 4 times a day, for 5 minutes at a time to ensure that if something does go wrong, I'm there to notice.

 

Note that I do not use a float valve that opens the tubing for the RODI unit, i feel that's dangerous since a snail could easily flip it up and flood your house. Everything I use has a backup emergency switch to stop any problems.

 

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Here you can see my double float switch. When water levels drop one switch will activate, signaling my solenoids to open to allow RO water to be trickled into the sump. Note that the second float switch is an emergency switch incase the first switch fails to shut off, the second switch will kill the first switch.

 

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This picture contains the two solenoids. The solenoids remain closed when off, but once the float switch activates them they both will open up to allow water to pass through them. Note that two are used to ensure that one will at least be closed when they are not powered on.

 

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I run a line directly from my tank to my kitchen which contains my RODI unit.

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wow! nice you should put your corceas up on the rock that way they are easier to viev, then put some other clams on the sand (derasa, squamosa, MAXIMA)

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wow! nice you should put your corceas up on the rock that way they are easier to viev, then put some other clams on the sand (derasa, squamosa, MAXIMA)

 

I would, but they always seem to find a way to fall. Even after i think they planted their foot completely to the rock, they still fall. Any suggestions?

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wow that is one nice set up

 

what kind of pump do you use? and how is the flow in the tank?

 

I'm getting about 700-800 gallons circulating through the tank. The random circulation is caused by the OM squirt that I'm using.

Pump: Iwaki WMD30RLXT

Water Circulating system: OM Squirt

Skimmer: Euro-Reef RS-100 Protein Skimmer

Lighting system: 150 watt Sunpod

Autotop off system: Double float switch and two Solenoid in series

Dosing pump: Dual Channel Dosing Pump

Chiller: 1/3 Chiller

 

The chiller is total overkill for my tank considering it's only a 35 gallon and also the evaporation on my tank keeps it at a constant 79 degrees without a chiller.

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chaostactics

Even in the photos this seems to hold true. It seems that the ouver the outside flow distorts viewing of the tank though the sides. Also what do you do about cleaning the inside and out side of the panes of glass?

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Even in the photos this seems to hold true. It seems that the ouver the outside flow distorts viewing of the tank though the sides. Also what do you do about cleaning the inside and out side of the panes of glass?

 

It's true that there is distortion viewing through sides, no doubt about that. But the tank was a concept tank, which was built to look down the tank and not through the sides of the glass. Anyway, I can turn off the pump with a flip of a switch and i get a perfect view everytime. Most people have heard of an overflowing tank but have never seen one in person. I have never had anyone say anything about the distortion in person because quite frankly everyone's looking down the tank and not through the sides.

 

Also, the distortion is dependent on which side you view and on where the flow is coming from at the moment as dictated from the oceans motions. Normally, 2 sides of the tank are clear.

 

Cleaning the tank is actually probably easier to clean than your tank. This is my third tank and without any doubt this has been the easiest to clean. Without having a top to lift or remove I can clean my tank with a algea scrapper anytime I want. Also, I specifically put the rock work away from the glass so i wasn't hindered.

 

If you think cleaning the outside is hard it takes about 10 seconds per side to clean, barely anything builds on the outside and a quick wipe takes care of it. I get this question all the time when people comeover to look at my tank.

 

Oh yea, the pictures on nano-reef never turn out well because of this boarder that is fixed. The pictures I posted are actually larger but get compressed so they look all grainy.

 

I normally post this stuff on sdreefs before i post it on nano-reef and the pictures don't get compressed. Anyone know how i can get passed this fix boarder thing on this website?

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this is by far amazing, I've seen these tanks in person, u know the zero edge but I like this better! congrats!!! and yah who looks through the glass on these tanks? nobody

 

also: I love the thought that went into the top of etc, that is incredible and I wish I had done that with my systems. seems liek a lot of money but in the end worth it.

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WOW!! I haven't seen a tank like that before! I like it! But doesn't it get a little noisey?

 

Clint

 

 

It's actually very quiet. The only thing you can barely hear is the protein skimmer below. My first design had the noise problem of water splashing but this version I took care of that.

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I may have to try something like this someday!

Clint

 

It's very fun to build. It was one of the most rewarding things i've done.

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FLcracker94

OMG!!!!!! omgomgomg that is a beautiful clownfish!!! What kind is it!? I want one so bad!

 

I cant get over that clown, its s cool (black and gold...) anyway, what do you hand feed them, I'd like to do that sometime.

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OMG!!!!!! omgomgomg that is a beautiful clownfish!!! What kind is it!? I want one so bad!

 

I cant get over that clown, its s cool (black and gold...) anyway, what do you hand feed them, I'd like to do that sometime.

 

I think it's a regular maroon clown, that got a sun tan and is now dark brown/black. I feed him frozen brine shrimp.

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FLcracker94

Thats so cool...I figured it was a maroon, but I was like "the only black fish I know of is false percs..." lol VERY nice tank though. Sortof looks like the clam tank at my LFS (from the top veiw)

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It's very fun to build. It was one of the most rewarding things i've done.

 

 

I should certainly think so! Uber congrats--it's totally awesome. I'm sure I could stare at your tank for hours every day. Thanks for posting!

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