Nanocube 12 DX/TER

[dreboogie]

So back in August I started to take down my NC12DX so that I could make some quick mods to it. Well, not really any mods, I just wanted to seal up the black panel so I could have better control over the water levels in the rear chambers. As I was scraping off the coraline near the silicone seams that hold the back panel to the sides of the cube, I noticed that they were in horrible shape. I was able to pull them off with ease. Then I noticed how the panel was held in place and within 3 min. I had the entire thing torn apart.

 

It started off like this

 

Then to this

 

At first I thought what the hell did I just do, Then I realized that I had a blank slate and could mod the tank however I wanted. So I busted out the Google Sketch and this is the final design that I came up with.

 

I changed it a little bit from this design, but the concept is that there are two separate filtration systems in the back. On the right side is a fuge with cheato with its own intake and outflow (mini-jet 606 w/Hydor). On the left side is the surface skimmer intake, area for a skimmer, then the out flow via a maxi-jet 900 with Y-nozzle.

 

 

 

 

Here is the back of the cube, after I installed the false back and all of the individual chambers.

 

 

I apologize for the glare. I still have time to get more detailed pics before I fill up with water.

[masterbuilder]

I have a similar setup on my 30G AIO tank. The only thing I did different is put the floss/carbon media just below the surface skimmer. Its much easier for me to change the media without the pump plumbing in the way. I also like filtering the big chunks out of the water before it goes to the skimmer and pumps.

 

Looks good though.

[dreboogie]

Here is my DIY fuge Light. It is the exact same thing as these two links.

Uwwmatt's DIY Biocube Fuge Light

DIY refugium light

 

I added some 1/4" thick strips of wood on the front. The velcro went on lengthwise along the sides. Creating some space along the width of the top and the bottom. I didn't want to drill holes in the back for venting and I also didn't want the whole unit almost sealed to the glass (worried about heat build up). Wood is a poor conductor of heat, so the wood won't get hot like the plastic box, and the space should provide enough room for air flow.

 

 

Fuge light mounted - space is visible along the top

 

Taping it off for paint

 

Finished Painting - I didn't paint the entire back black, thought it would be easier to see back there without all the black, the area for the fuge was completely blacked out though. I first painted the glass with that reflective silver paint, to reflect the light inside the fuge, then went over it with flat black.

 

 

Masterbuilder, I am contemplating where to put the carbon/phosphate media, I made slots for 2 shelves that can go just under the surface skimmer. Didn't know if I should put them there, or just after the skimmer before the maxijet-900.

[dreboogie]

So I am finished with this past Semester of Grad school and I now had time to get water. rock and everything else in the tank. Even some disappointment when i found out that the false wall i made is too tall so the hood can't close all the way down. i guess I will have to go open top with a 70W halide instead.

 

Here is a close up of the back of the tank

 

Those pieces of eggcrate are my shelves for filter floss or carbon/chemipure. I have some screen door material super glued on them. I was going to put the stock sponges here, but finally decided to take them out.

 

 

Using small dabs of silicone I stuck some eggcrate on the bottom of the tank. I only wanted it where rock work would sit on top of it. I thought it would add stability to the rock work from shifting in the sand, also by having the surrounding areas with out it, I can have sand sifting CUC actually sift some sand.

 

Pic with the fuge light on, from the front

 

Fuge light on from the top

[ddr_phish]

Wow, I really love what you did with the overflow, nice man.

[dreboogie]

I put some sand in there last week, just enough to be as high as the eggcrate. Put some water in there and the heater. The sand came from my other tank, I sifter out anything that couldn't fit through a screen. And rinsed all the detrius out.

 

Today I finished adding water some sand and a good amount of rock. I tend to put in too much rock, so we will see how much more I decide to add.

 

Here is the Left Side - notice the light coming from the top, that is the gap i was talking about

 

Right Side - gap very obvious in this one

 

Here is the front tank shot

 

Opinions and comments are welcome

[dreboogie]

So even though the new false wall is the exact same height a the original false wall, it was hitting the Original plastic splash shield because i moved the false wall farther away from the back glass. Giving the rear chambers greater depth. Now I have learned to dry fit the entire thing before you start gluing.

 

Here is a pic of the false wall beginning to be cut lower. I measured to take off about 3/8".

 

Here is a picture of the entire thing finished, cut 3/8" lower. I also cut out the old surface skimmer and made a new one. There wasn't enough space for the water to go through, so the water was very close to the top of the false wall. The new one has longer holes and some are a bit wider. I think about .5 cm.

 

 

At least now the cover fits perfectly on the tank, and there is a perfect amount of space between the splash shield and the water level. All I need now is some timers and then I'll add some cheato in the fuge. I also added more live rock and sand. Once I get that settled I will upload some more pics of he new aquascape.

[ddr_phish]

Wow looks really nice. What are your goals as far as livestock?

[dreboogie]

That is a good question. I had a false percula for a little over 4 years, that is my longest living fish since I started, he was one of the originals. I would like to get another one, although I do like the B/W ones. So one of those, a royal gramma and possibly a third, a sixline would be cool. I know some people have them in a 12 gal. but I think it might be too small.

 

I think I am going to load up on corals first before I start adding fish, I have a prop tank, so at least that may help pay for the fish.

[ddr_phish]

That is a good question. I had a false percula for a little over 4 years, that is my longest living fish since I started, he was one of the originals. I would like to get another one, although I do like the B/W ones. So one of those, a royal gramma and possibly a third, a sixline would be cool. I know some people have them in a 12 gal. but I think it might be too small.

 

I think I am going to load up on corals first before I start adding fish, I have a prop tank, so at least that may help pay for the fish.

 

I think that a Six-Line Wrasse would be out of the question. Possibly the Royal Gramma too. You might wanna go for a smaller type of fish, like a goby (maybe even a goby and pistol shrimp pair).

[dreboogie]

I think the only smaller fish that i have seen and liked is a tailspot blenny. I'm not a big fan of the gobies. I definitely don't want to keep something that my tank is too small for. Whch is why I am going to focus on corals first, then fish.

[dreboogie]

So I redid the rockscape between christmas and new year's, got some more rock in there, and I also added more sand. I haven't tested the water parameters yet, but I have noticed algae growing on the glass. I have seen a few pods in the morning, and the mushrooms that were on the rocks seem to be looking really well. I need to go buy some timers for the fuge light, so I can add some cheato. Haven't had any cyano bloom yet. Guess I'll wait to see what the water test says.

 

[dreboogie]

So I still haven't done a water test, just been that lazy, I'll get to it tomorrow. Looking around the tank the other day I noticed 2 things and I have no idea what they are.

 

This thing looks anenome-like.

 

 

There is also this Pineapple looking thing.

 

 

My sister took this last picture which looks pretty cool.

[dreboogie]

So I started a thread in the Identification forum to see if anyone knew what those things were. It turns out that the reddish anenome looking thing is nemostoma, and the pineapple looking thing is some sort of sponge. I will definitely keep track of the nemostoma as it gets bigger. I think I have another one on a separate piece of rock.

[dreboogie]

So I did some water tests. I need to get a more accurate test kit, especially for measuring alkalinity, I bought a Red Sea test kit when I first got into SW, and it only tells me Low/Med/High for Alkalinity, no numbers.

 

Alkalinity is low

PH 7.8

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 0

Ammonia 0

Calcium 480

Magnesium - Another test kit I need to buy

 

I have Seachem Reef Buffer, and Seachem Reef Builder, both in dry form. The Seachem dosing calculater told me to add .5 tspn of either one. I'm going to add .5 tspn of reef buffer since it is meant to raise ph to 8.3. This should raise both. I'll test PH and Alk again tomorrow to see where I am at.

[dreboogie]

I finally found a Magnesium test kit, well a reasonably priced one. I took a trip down to Vivid Aquariums today and have to that the place is awesome. Got a Salifert Magnesium test kit and what should be the majority of my CUC, 2 Nassarius and 2 small Asterina snails. I also got a salifert Alkalinity test a few days ago. I feel like I now have all my basis covered and time to start looking for coral frags.

[dreboogie]

So I did a KH and an MG test.

 

dKH = 8.8

ALkalinity meq/L = 3.15

MG = 1125 ppm

[dreboogie]

So I haven't posted in a while, simply because I haven't done anything new to the tank. While I would like to spend money on corals, I want to spend that money on my motorcycle.

 

I did purchase a new timer so I have the fuge up and running. However, because I have the fuge intake holes on the bottom, light shines through and generates algea growth in this little patch. I don't know if it is purely from the light or because one of the nass snails stays there during the day?

 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on some algea eating snails that also stir up the sand? The 2 astrea only go on the rock or on the glass.

 

I pulled my red legged hermit from my other tank and put him in here to tackle the algea problem on the sand. This morning I found him pulling the carcass of one of my 2 nass snails out of its shell.

 

 

I guess i was right in the tank being named DEXTER, the tank is a killer.

[pismo_reefer]

nice tank mod....

[dreboogie]

I haven't really done anything to the tank except for putting in some replacement bulbs since the other ones burned out. I have mainly been focusing on my prop tank and taking care of the corals in there that I have chopped up.

 

However I did find this little starfish hitchhiker that must of came on one of the corals.

 

 

[nano-mex]

Any update on this??