koden's 4 gallon custom

[kinetic]

Koden's 5.5 Gallon Custom

 

tank life started: jan 30th, 2006

 

Current Pix (3/26/06):

 

Description (update, 3/26/06)

The tank has been running for almost 2 months now. I think I may have started adding too many corals too fast, but hey they're all small zoanthid frags. My neon green cloves don't open every other day, and I'm not sure why. Pods attack it sometimes, but just to clean it off? Otherwise it's open real big. I got about 12 new frags from ultimatefrags.com and put them in the tank. I only have a few zoanthids still closed, but most are opening up. They've lost a little color overnight, most greens / blues dissapeared off the newer frags, but oranges are still bright. I'm hoping the blues etc. will come back soon.

 

Dimensions

Tank Overall: 12" x 12" x 9"

Display: 12" x 9" x 9"

Overflow/sump: 12" x 3" x 9"

 

Display

2 lbs. LR

1/2" Deep Tahitian Moon Sand

 

Sump

(can I call this a sump, it's tiny? lol)

3 chambers: (left to right)

3"x3"x9" Intake Chamber - heater

6"x3"x9" Intake/Fuge Chamber - azoo palm light (reverse photoperiod), chaeto

3"x3"x9" Return Chamber - eggcrate with seagel media, return pump, temp probe

 

Flow

154gph pump

Two outlets using locline.

 

Lighting

Coralife Aqualight 2x18watt 50/50 PC

Coralife Aqualight Adjustable Legs

 

Livestock

1x Cerith Snail

1x Bumble Bee Snail

1x Hitchhiked Pink Stomala Snail

 

Corals

Palythoas

Zoanthids

cloves

Xenia

 

Equipment List

Custom Tank: Overall 12" x 12" x 9", Display 12" x 9" x 9", Sump 12" x 3" x 9"

Live Rock: one large base (1-2lbs) and a little rubble from wesley reef

Live Sand: CaribSea Black Tahitian Moon Sand (1" bed)

Water: Catalina NSW for $0.75/gallon

Lighting: Coralife Aqualight 12" x 7" x 2.5", 36watts (two 50/50 18w bulbs)

Light timer: Ace Hardware TImer

Heater: Hydor THEO 50watt

Thermometer: Coralife Digital Thermometer

Auto Top Off: Reef Fanatic Level Controller w/ TOM Aqualifter. 1 gallon jar of RODI

Cleaner: Kent Pro Scraper

Return Pump: MiniiJet 606 153gph, 2.25" x 1.5" x 3"

[Fishfreak218]

LOLOL.....another one....you ARE addicted...lol....sounds cool...im still waiting for the 82g. to be up...now im going to have to wait for this too....the suspense...lol...cant wait to see it up...screw Finex light...go MH's lol

[Pili]

Man, your just a tank setting up machine!!!

 

I think 300gph might be a little to much for just softies though. Maybe a little less. I dunno, i've never had a tank that small

[kinetic]

I can't stop with the tanks! haha. I almost setup a small pico-c (insane price I know). But this one will probably go through.

 

300gph does sound a bit hefty... Maybe I'll throw on a 70watt HQI and keep SPS? lol. topping off would be insane.

 

I want to move 20 times the water volume

20 x 4gallons = 80 gallons. So I want to move 80 gallons in an hour. I'd only need a 80gph pump?

 

just for reference: my 32 gallon tank now has 37 gallons of total water, with 780gph return, 160gph spray, and 80gph deadspot killer. And it's barely enough.

 

780 + 160 + 80 = 1020gph

1020 / 37 = 27

 

so in my 32 m-tank I'm moving about 27 times the water an hour. That sounds good enough for softies and even sps. So maybe I'll just use a 100gph return and with the T's and elbows it will come out to be just about 80gph.

 

Thanks for the heads up, I might have created a sand storm

 

 

btw: my 82g is almost ready to be setup. I have everything except the tank and plumbing! I have almost all the little nick nacks!!

 

think yasha haze and pistol will like it in the 4 gallon?

[Sebea]

Another one!?

 

You sure that 2" is enough for a pump? You might just want to look into which pump first.

 

I'm sure a small yasha would be fine, but with a pistol, I don't think that you need burried PVC.

 

Who you having it built by?

[kinetic]

haha yes another one! (I may be breaking down my 32 gallon after the 82 is done)

 

2" might not be enough for the sump... I might go 2.5"

 

I have a via aqua 80gph pump that might just fit a 2.5". You're right, I"ll have to measure it when I get home and pick out a pump I want first.

 

the buried PVC might not be needed, though it would be cool to control where the pistol and goby decide to make their home.

 

I'm probably going to ask socalcreations though they're not too keen on making small systems. Maybe aquatic system design.

 

Still deciding at the moment =)

 

as for lighting, I found a 12" aqualight:

http://www.hellolights.com/12aq2.html

 

what do you think?

[Carinya]

I had a nano a work when I was spending crazy hours there too. You won't regret it. Be sure to keep track of your expenses. I was able to deduct them from taxes, which makes a difference. Talk to your accountant first...I'm no CPA!

 

Can't wait to see this one. I like the dimensions. I have a 14" long x 10" wide x 9" deep DIY mantis tank. I have a 2" back sump portion for a pump & heater. I forget what kind of pump it is but it fits...I don't need a lot of flow though.

[kinetic]

I had a nano a work when I was spending crazy hours there too. You won't regret it. Be sure to keep track of your expenses. I was able to deduct them from taxes, which makes a difference. Talk to your accountant first...I'm no CPA!

 

Can't wait to see this one. I like the dimensions. I have a 14" long x 10" wide x 9" deep DIY mantis tank. I have a 2" back sump portion for a pump & heater. I forget what kind of pump it is but it fits...I don't need a lot of flow though.

 

that's awesome!

 

I don't think I'll be able to take any taxes off etc =P but i'll ask

 

What kind of heater and pump do you have? What else in your sump?

 

Any pix?

 

thanks!!!

 

should I go with a purple firefish instead of a yasha goby?

[Carinya]

There are some pics while it was in progress here:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...ndpost&p=556399

 

I don't have any of it finished (or more finished than those pics) because I never did up the LEDs and hood. The mantis doesn't mind but my sig is a bit of a lie because I don't have any zoos in there as of yet.

 

i just have a little 50 watt submersible heater. titanium i think. I had originally planned for chaeto in the fuge (hence the baffles in the pics) but I have inapporpriate lighting for it, plus the heater was bigger than I had originally thought it would be.

 

I'm not a real expert on fish so maybe someone else can give you an opinion about the goby vs firefish.

[Sea_Of_Treachery]

dude u have a ton of tanks lol yea that naso tang would be a perfect fit. these purple firefish are interesting and colorful, i may get one.

[kinetic]

firefish would fair well in a 4 gallon?

[calvin415]

I think it would be a jumper! If you're going with just 1 fish, get something exquisit like the Yasha.

[kinetic]

Yasha it is then! I'll get one with a randalli pistol, those are awesome. it'd be great hearing snapping sounds

 

Here's my equipment list:

Custom Tank: Overall 12" x 12" x 9", Display 12" x 9" x 9", Sump 12" x 3" x 9"

Live Rock: one large base (1-2lbs) and a little rubble

Live Sand: live arag carib sea or tahitian moon in display and live arag in sump

Water: Catalina NSW for $0.75/gallon

Lighting: Coralife Aqualight 12" x 7" x 2.5", 36watts (1 10000K PC, 1 Actinic)

Light timer: Marineland Light Timer

Heater: Hydor THEO 50watt or 25watt (7")

Thermometer: Coralife Digital Thermometer

Auto Top Off: Ultralife FloatSwitch w/ TOM Aqualifter. 5 gallon jug of RODI

Cleaner: Small Acrylic MagFloat and Kent Algae Plastic Blade

Return Pump: MaxiJet 404 108gph, 2.25" x 1.5" x 3"

Feeder: Hydor EKOMIXO Battery Operated Automatic Feeder

 

Assuming the tank is about $60, the entire setup will be $288 + shipping, so I'd say about $320.

 

The most expensive things being the lighting ($68 with legs) and the ATO ($60 for ultralife float switch and $10 for aqualifter).

[Carinya]

puts my little system to shame. sounds quite nice. pls update & post pics.

[kinetic]

puts my little system to shame. sounds quite nice. pls update & post pics.

 

yours looks good too! you just need new pictures

 

I will update you guys as soon as I have a builder. Socalcreations said they might be able to squeeze in the tank creation next week.

[kinetic]

cad design of the back of the tank (without the back wall):

 

 

if someone could crop it for me, that'd be great, I dont have photoshop at work.

[bubba]

Here ya go

[kinetic]

Here ya go

 

awesome! thanks.

 

btw do you have a dracula goby in your sig?

[kinetic]

I can get a custom made 12" x 12" x 9" for $100 including shipping etc. with rounded front corners. Doesn't include anything but the tank. The back compartments are also built in. I need to add lighting, plumbing, pump, heater, etc.

 

Or I can get this:

http://www.innovativelights.com/tru-nano.html

 

It's a truvu nano aquarium. I've heard great stuff about truvu. This also gives you options to add things into the tank. It also comes with 200gph pump! It's a RIO though =P I don't think those are that great?

[kinetic]

custom it is! now being built.

 

the tank will be $100 shipped

[kinetic]

My total shopping list looks to be about $350 total.

 

I will be setting this up for my office, so I will have to take some new issues into consideration.

 

1. Feeding / Maint. during vacation

2. Setting up at work

3. Water changes

4. Weekends

 

1. I will have a EKONOMIX which will last even on my LONGEST of vacations. I could always be a donkey and ask someone to feed it for me. OR I was thinking I could simply not have a fish.

2. I will setup plumbing etc at home, put sand in, sort of throw the LR around inside to see if it'll all fit, have everything ready, then drain the water, take out the rocks. I'll basically have everything setup with the water, LR, and lighting removed. At work I'll put in the rocks, fill it up with new NSW (It will have a little at the bottom covering the sand), throw the lighting on, and let it cycle.

3. I guess I'll have two buckets at my work, one 5 gallon NSW and one 5 gallon RO/DI. The RO/DI will be connected to a float sensor / ato. I'll swap out half a gallon of water on mondays, and then on fridays. vacations it'll just have to deal. I can't take more than 2 weeks off at a time anyway.

4. I know corals can last without feeding for a weekend, but what about fish? Can a yasha haze go without food for 3 days a week, but get 4 days of food otherwise and be healthy?

[Tony]

I have my contest pico at work and it does fine over the weekend. I keep it covered to limit evap and my baby Randal goby is doing great without food for a couple of days.

 

I have been known to make the 45 min. drive to work just to check on things over the weekend, my girlfriend thinks I'm crazy.

[Carinya]

I can get a custom made 12" x 12" x 9" for $100 including shipping etc. with rounded front corners.

 

That's acrylic, right? mind if I ask from where?

 

Wonder if anyone makes those glass tanks with rounded corners (love my aqua via) but in custom sizes...

[kinetic]

I have my contest pico at work and it does fine over the weekend. I keep it covered to limit evap and my baby Randal goby is doing great without food for a couple of days.

 

I have been known to make the 45 min. drive to work just to check on things over the weekend, my girlfriend thinks I'm crazy.

 

wow you have a randalli goby in the tank? I have one in my main tank... maybe I should transfer it over, or maybe transfer my blackray... though they seem happy in there.

 

well I'll have an ATO for the system... hopefully the yasha haze can go without food for 3 days at a time.

 

That's acrylic, right? mind if I ask from where?

 

Wonder if anyone makes those glass tanks with rounded corners (love my aqua via) but in custom sizes...

 

it's acrylic with rounded front corners, black painted false wall, overflow, sump compartments, three holes drilled for sump return, two through back, one through baffle, eurobraced =) 1/4" acrylic.

 

a friend of mine is making it for me! =)

[kinetic]

Increasing the holes to 7/8" to fit O.D. of the PVC that has 1/2" I.D.

 

Also I'm getting a MiniJet 606 that's 153gph, 6W instead of the 404.

 

The tank is almost done minus the baffles! Now I will start buying all the equipment. Can you guys take a quick look at my equipment list on the first post and give me any suggestions?

 

The bulk of it all will be bought from marinedepot

 

Thanks!