Qwiv's Nano 180 2x

[Qwiv]

So, I have not seen anyone try this yet so I figured I would give it a shot. I just ordered (2) new JBJ 8 Gallon Nano 180 Degree Half Moon Biotope Aquariums which can be placed back to back for a 360 degree aquarium.

 

I'm thinking one side with a small modest reef, some LED lighting and the usual reefer upgrades. I'm thinking the second side can be a display type refugium (hopefully not a pile of cheato). Connect them via an overflow and return pump.

 

I would like to place the tank on something like a lazy susan so I can rotate the tank to view the side that is lit. they will be on reverse lighting periods. Sounds like a cool project. Will see what the possibilities are when they arrive. Will have to find a location for them in the crowded house.

JBJ 180

 

Current Photo:

The tank on the right has the stock light turned on.

You can't even tell the LEDs are so much brighter.

[Qwiv]

So, the two tanks came Friday and one was broken. Dr. Foster & Smith have already sent me a new one and a UPS label to send the broken one back. I love dealing with them as they always take care of me.

 

I wanted to take some photos of the tank because not many are available online. Thought others might want to see then to decide if the tank would be of any use to them. These photos are from the tank I mostly stripped and will be the tank on the coral side where I will install some LED lights, and over flow and another power head. The second tank I am going to leave mostly stock.

 

The first picture is the lid removed from the tank.

As you can see, the water filter section blocks quite a bit of light that would be going to the back of the tank. Not a big deal as it comes out. The stock light also lights up the filter which I don't like.

Now that is better. As you can see there is a nice little section for a small LED fixture.

The lens comes off with a few screws. Looks like I could fit a 2 2/3" x 10 1/2" x 3/4" heat sink in there. I could make it 3 1/2" wide if I notch for the screws. Its off to search for heat sinks now!!

[Qwiv]

Here is a picture of the splash guard. It has a o-ring to block moisture.

I don't know why they went through the effort to obscure the lens cover at the end. Maybe I should have turned it on first.

 

Few pix of the filter tray

You could make this a little frag tray for some zoas if you raised the water level just a bit or the tray was deeper. I think i will keep it on the MPT side and turn it on when I need to run carbon or some other media. Guess it could be an algae scrubber too.

 

Lastly

All the other filter parts. The briquet plastic cases can be opened to replace the ceramic rings or the activated carbon, at least until it breaks. The pump is tiny and does about 75 gpm. Don't know if it is salt water safe.

 

If anyone wants to a photo of something, feel free to ask.

[Qwiv]

I got a heat sink for the LEDs. Could not find anything that would fit from the usual cheap sources, so went with something from a custom heat-sink manufacturer. $$$$ If anyone wants to copy my LED setup on one of these tanks, contact me for a heat-sink. This one is perfect and I can sell you the other piece for a reasonable price.

Cost a pretty penny but it fits. I also have enough to do 4 tanks thanks to their minimum order, ugh.

I have (2) of the heat-sinks shown.

Cut to length.

Took my friend the dremel out and cut away some aluminum. This is to fit around the lens mounting points which I will cut shorter to allow room for the heat-sink. Will drill some holes through the heat-sink which will secure one side to the lens cover.

You can see in this photo why I notched the aluminum fins.

Got it to fit. On the next one I am going to center the heat-sink more so i can use the mounting tabs on both sides. Won't have to cut as many fins and will make mounting easier.

 

The sharpie make is where the switch in the lid is located. I am keeping the switch as the tank is going in the TV room. The switch will allow guests to turn off the lights while watching a movie without messing with plugs or the tank's controller.

 

You can also see I cut out slots in the lid. JBJ already had these formed in the lid, they just were solid. Nothing a dremel can't take care of. I'm going to add some ducting to the lid to control air flow through the heat-sink. Basically there will be a fan centered on the heat-sink in the lid blowing air in. I will cut some holes and glue in flat plastic pieces to direct air out these vents. This will prevent recirculating hot air across the heat-sink and also prevent moist air getting inside the light.

[Qwiv]

Cut out for switch

Everything fits so far. Still wish I centered that heat-sink. I wanted to leave room for wires and DC panel mounts on the hinge side. I don't think I need the space and I always could cut aluminum out to run wires etc.

 

Ordered some fans. Lets see if we can make them fit.

 

Got some quite fans. Time to dremel out the plastic in the way and shove there in the hood

 

I put the heat-sink on and it all fits!!!! But I forgot to take a photo, ooops.

[Qwiv]

OK, time to epoxy on some LEDs. i am going to run (4) white CREE Q5 3w LEDs and (6) Royal Blue CREE 3w leds. I will drive them with 1000 ma dimmable buchpucks so I can adjust the color and run them at a seting that doesn't produce to much heat.

 

Here is my layout:

You can see my layout is a little different than most peoples. Was looking for a specific lighting effect. Will see if it all works out. Also notice the wires behind the heat-sink, that is the fan back there. I told everyone it fits, BARELY

 

And with the lens on. WOOT!

 

 

You can see in this photo the cool temp sensor for the fans. The sensitivity range for the temp sensor is about right for keeping the LEDs in the right temperature range. this way the fan only needs to work as hard as it has too. FYI: The fan I am using is a Silenx Intrema 80mm Pro Series. It is only 14 dBA at full speed. Little pricy, but I am hoping it is worth it.

[schgr.cube]

WOW this is going to be badass, tagging along for sure!

[Qwiv]

So, my power supply for the LEDs is a 24v laptop charger like many people use and the fan is 12v. Adding a dedicated power supply to the fans would be a good solution but I am limited on a few things. I want to minimize the cords going into the tank because they are hard to hide. The rotating stand I am planning has limited room so eliminating a 12v wall wart will be great. The final limiting factor is the controls. i am going to use a RK lite to control the tank so I only have 4 controllable outlets. Adding a second breakout box is not an option due to space so I need to keep the controls simple.

 

I am going to use the 4 outlets for:

Heater

Reef LEDs

MPT LEDS/Light

Powerhead.

 

Was going to do Heater, White Reef LED, Blue Reef LED and MPT LED/Light but don't think I have the space for another power supply for the Blue LEDs. I am going to wire everything so I can install a power supply and control the blue LEDs if I have the room and not control the powerhead, but I think I can just dim the white LEDs when I want to view the tank in actinic mode.

 

So, how am I going to power the fans? With

a Voltage Regulator

These get hot, but I have a heat-sink. They can convert 24v into 12v at .5 amps. I only need .16 for the fan. Seams like a nice simple solution and eliminates a lot of wring and power chords. These will come on with the lights so I never have to worry about controls. I won't be able to turn on these fans with the lights off, but the way they are installed they would not cool the tank so there is no point. I can add a clip on fan in the summer if needed.

 

I went to Frys and Radio Shack to buy wire, pots, DC panel mount connectors and capacitors for the power supplies as the chord is over 18" and guess what.... they didn't have one component I needed or a close substitute. Ugh. Not even the wire!!!.

I am wondering about adding the capacitor to the power supply lead. It looks like there is already one installed from the factory. Not sure if it is needed.

 

Will update when I get some more parts.

[Qwiv]

WOW this is going to be badass, tagging along for sure!

 

Thanks. I sure hope so. I still have the fear that I am going to nuke these LEDs. Everyone else has much larger heat-sinks. Where did you get your Pots for your fixture? They look a lot smaller than the ones I ordered and I am always looking for space in this hood. I almost ordered the small ones you need to use a screw driver to adjust but decided against it because I could not locate a linear one and I want guests to be able to mess with it without tools.

 

Oh, rockin tank BTW. Love the MP10 shooting for the sky and your sump is crazy. I don't even know how it works. I also like the look of the rocks going higher that the tank. Planning that on my next big tank. You should put a fiddler crab in there!!!

[schgr.cube]

Thanks. I sure hope so. I still have the fear that I am going to nuke these LEDs. Everyone else has much larger heat-sinks. Where did you get your Pots for your fixture? They look a lot smaller than the ones I ordered and I am always looking for space in this hood. I almost ordered the small ones you need to use a screw driver to adjust but decided against it because I could not locate a linear one and I want guests to be able to mess with it without tools.

 

Oh, rockin tank BTW. Love the MP10 shooting for the sky and your sump is crazy. I don't even know how it works. I also like the look of the rocks going higher that the tank. Planning that on my next big tank. You should put a fiddler crab in there!!!

 

I'm not sure if you're looking at the new pots or the new pots in my picture:

The old pots are the blue tiny ones, which were REALLY easy to break and I feel like they didn't give me as much control (with the new ones I can turn them down REALLY low for my moonlights now). The big guys I got at radio shack, and although I wish they were a bit smaller I'm still pretty happy with them.

 

And thanks, I am having some problems with the MP10 right now but I know how to solve it, just need to get my lazy ass out to Home Depot. And the only invert my wife currently likes is the porcelain crab, so looks like that might be it! lol

[drbdfitch]

What up bro! I am going to follow along with this.... I have been considering setting up a tank again since I hope to not be moving for a while. When I got out LED lighting was just starting to get running, looks like its actually a good option now.... perhaps a replacement for the 250 mH I had on my 20g! You should build another couple setups and send them my way

[Qwiv]

Send $$$ is secure envelope my way.

 

There actually pretty easy to build. This one is a bit challenging due to space constraints. I have built a few regular ones for people and with the parts you can get and all the DIY knowledge out there already, they are pretty simple.

 

Update: Still waiting on parts. Ugh. So I have been tending to my 180 gal instead. Plane crashed in my neighborhood this morning so we don't have power. Thank god for battery back-up.

[DeMartini]

I like your rotating tank idea! I just noticed you're in Palo Alto.... Are you near the plane crash??

[Qwiv]

I like your rotating tank idea! I just noticed you're in Palo Alto.... Are you near the plane crash??

The plane crash was in EPA by the airport. I'm on the otherside of PA near Stanford. I am close enough that we had no power all day. It just came back on an hour ago. Thank goodness for battery back-up. Everyone with anything of value in a tank absolutly needs it.

 

See your in tha bay too. Always nice to meet a local. You in BAR? I'll follow your tank build. It looks sweet. If you need any help I'm local and look forward to trading some corals.

[zjharva]

sweet build! i got plenty of halimeda for the refugium, so if you ever need any just pm me. I might be shipping soon

[Qwiv]

sweet build! i got plenty of halimeda for the refugium, so if you ever need any just pm me. I might be shipping soon

 

Thanks.

 

I got the LEDs fired up tonight. All the blues worked great but one of the whites is dead. I puled it off the heat-sink (who says the acrtic silver epoxy is permanent) and reapplied a spare. No pix as the battery dies in the camera so I am charging it all up again.

 

I walked near my 180 gal lit up with (4) ULV 12k Metal Halides, no actinics on and the (6) blue LEDs light up my corals in the tank. You could see the colors pop even with all the tank lights on. Pretty cool.

[DeMartini]

The plane crash was in EPA by the airport. I'm on the otherside of PA near Stanford. I am close enough that we had no power all day. It just came back on an hour ago. Thank goodness for battery back-up. Everyone with anything of value in a tank absolutly needs it.

 

See your in tha bay too. Always nice to meet a local. You in BAR? I'll follow your tank build. It looks sweet. If you need any help I'm local and look forward to trading some corals.

my dad works at Alta Mesa, which is in Palo Alto and he said they had no power all day too. I think the power outages went as far as Redwood City.

 

I live in San Mateo. I never joined BAR, but I hear about them everywhere and my favorite fish store gives BAR members discounts, so I might join.

[Qwiv]

my dad works at Alta Mesa, which is in Palo Alto and he said they had no power all day too. I think the power outages went as far as Redwood City.

 

I live in San Mateo. I never joined BAR, but I hear about them everywhere and my favorite fish store gives BAR members discounts, so I might join.

 

I think all the local fish stores have a BAR discount. Not a bad deal, but once you join BAR you don't need to buy corals any more because the group does such a great job trading corals. They have frag swaps that could fill your tank in one shot and they manage a pay it forward trading program where you give someone a coral with conditions that is be fragged x amount of times and given away for free to a BAR member that also needs to frag it x amount of times and give it away free and so on.... It's a cool idea and they track it on there website so you can look up the statistics.

 

My 180 gal tank crashed on the last power outage that I had and I have literally 20 people willing to give me corals to get the tank back up and running. People lend each other equipment which can save your bumm.

 

I see you keep sun corals in your tank. Would you want to trade a head for a small orange/pink Yumma Ric sometime after I get this tank set-up? I can't keep a sun coral in the 180 as I would never reach it to feed it, but in the Nano! Looks like you keep Florida Rics in your tank.

--------------

Will get some pix of the light op tonight and hopefully do a burn in test to see how hot everything gets. I need to pick of the voltage regulators to get the fan powered.

[DeMartini]

I think all the local fish stores have a BAR discount. Not a bad deal, but once you join BAR you don't need to buy corals any more because the group does such a great job trading corals. They have frag swaps that could fill your tank in one shot and they manage a pay it forward trading program where you give someone a coral with conditions that is be fragged x amount of times and given away for free to a BAR member that also needs to frag it x amount of times and give it away free and so on.... It's a cool idea and they track it on there website so you can look up the statistics.

 

My 180 gal tank crashed on the last power outage that I had and I have literally 20 people willing to give me corals to get the tank back up and running. People lend each other equipment which can save your bumm.

 

I see you keep sun corals in your tank. Would you want to trade a head for a small orange/pink Yumma Ric sometime after I get this tank set-up? I can't keep a sun coral in the 180 as I would never reach it to feed it, but in the Nano! Looks like you keep Florida Rics in your tank.

--------------

Will get some pix of the light op tonight and hopefully do a burn in test to see how hot everything gets. I need to pick of the voltage regulators to get the fan powered.

That's sounds good! i'll join for sure!

 

I had a sun coral a couple years ago, but I think I had trouble feeding it because it wouldn't open. The tanks in my sig are old. Now I really only have SPS, ricordeas, mini carpets and a couple other softies.

 

Can't wait to see your pictures!

[Qwiv]

OK, so I got my light working. I had a little issue with the fan getting power until I figured out the stupid issue. More on that as I get through some pix.

Test mounted the fan and drilled holes in the lid for air to exit the fixture. I will install plastic sheets to force the air out the lids vents later.

Here is a good pic of the holes. I might just cut this out completely after I finish the ducting. Not sure yet.

Also got the main power to the switch half way done.

Mounted the buck pucks and ready to start wiring the fixture up.

 

Fits so far.

[Qwiv]

Opening for the fan:

Been trying to figure out a way to tim it out to look nice and nothing seems to work yet due to the shape of the hood. Looks sweet as is, but it would be nice to protect the fan.

It looks ok. I guess.

 

(Linking to smaller pix to make the page load faster, I have bigger ones if you want to look at anything up close.)

 

Installed the Pots:

with knobs

I would say it looks pretty well finished.

 

 

Time to test the light:

Not bad. The stock light in the tank is on it the tank next to it and it doesn't even register in the photo. You will see it in other photos when I turn the lights down.

Light turned down so I could get a decent pic. You can see the voltage regulator mounted to the heat sink. This converts the 24v to 12v to run the fans. I spent about 2 hour trouble shooting the fans because they just would not work. I had a volt meter on the leads to test that I had 12v and .5 amps, which I did, but the fan would not start. Was swapping in parts to figure out what was dead... nothing.

Finally had everything hooked up and spun the fan with my finger. It stayed running. OK, I was confused. I had more than the spec'd power for the fans and I needed to push start them. I was starting to think that I needed more than .5 amps to start the fans which would have made me do some redesigning.

 

Then, while the fans were running, after a push start, I decided to grab the thermo sensor to test if the fan would spin faster as I applied heat. They did. Sweet. Then I realized the issue. Turned everything off and let it cool/stop. Plugged everything back in and the fan didn't start. Grabbed the thermo sensor in my hand to warm it up... Boom! Fan started. It was just to cold to start the fan without a push. Doh!! Wasted all that time for nothing.

[latteslave]

This is SWEET! quite the DIY skill - looks like it came like that!

[rickjg]

I would like to place the tank on something like a lazy susan so I can rotate the tank

that is a crazy good idea . . as I'm thinking "how can I do that with my new pico?"

 

great DIY on the LED's and the fan looks great - keep your fingers clear though.

[Qwiv]

Few shots to show how the light looks.

This pic is comparing the light to the stock light in the tank. I have a piece of paper over the light as it is so bright without it, you can't even tell a stock light is on.

Another view showing the same thing. Totally washed out the stock bulb which is a 13 watt PC.

Pretty bright and good color temp. Holds its own against the 1000 watts of light coming off the 180 gal tank behind it. Excuse the look of the tank, it is recovering from a power outage that wiped it out.

 

This is just the (4) white leds lighting up the counter next to the other 180 degree tank with the stock light. you can barely see the light from the stock bulb.

 

I need to get the fixture mounted to the tank to take photos of how it looks installed.

Next I need to figure out what pumps I am going to use. I purchase some of the small micro jets made by Maxi-Jet and the chords for them are HUGE. Way thicker that what is on the Mini-jets and the regular maxi-jets. They are (3) with 18ga chords, basically what is on my Dart. Why are they so BIG??!! I don't know if I can use them as I don't want chords to overrun the look of the tank.

 

I can't design my rock wall or overflow until I decide what pumps I am going to use because they are to be hidden behind the rock walls. I have both Mini-jet models (with stupid huge chords), going to use a micro-jet 660 as the return pump, regular maxi-jets are to big, but I have all of them and I have a Hydor Koralia Nano that I might be able to hide in the rock work. We will see. Maybe I'll cut the chords on the mini-jest and epoxy the splice...eeeh!!!

 

Will post a pic of the hood installed soon.

[Qwiv]

Ok, I couldn't go to sleep without finishing the job. Here it is. Photos don't do it justice (like everyone else says), but this is the best I can do.

Both whites and blues

whites only

blues only

 

The tank on the right has the stock light on in all three photos. I think the new one might be brighter. You tell me.