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MJ's 20L Formerly-AIO, now with a sump!


Militant Jurist

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Drill for the overflow through the bottom.

Largest sump you can manage.

Glass baffles.

Build a canopy and make up a retrofit MH. ( a ballast you can get as low as $45 and like $10 for the bracket )

Skimmer buy used.

 

If your not afraid of some DIY the build can be cheap.

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Militant Jurist
Drill for the overflow through the bottom.

Largest sump you can manage.

Glass baffles.

Build a canopy and make up a retrofit MH. ( a ballast you can get as low as $45 and like $10 for the bracket )

Skimmer buy used.

 

If your not afraid of some DIY the build can be cheap.

 

I'm pretty sure that I've got an All Glass Aquarium 29g tank, but isn't there a concern that the bottom might be tempered glass?

 

How good is the retro MH? Wouldn't you still need to get a good quality reflector and a bulb in addition to the ballast and bracket? Plus, I'd have to find someone to cut a piece of glass to cover the bulb. I'm starting to think about buying 2 ballasts for T5HO and do a retro fixture with some good reflectors. That way, I'd have more bulb choices, and based on the number of people switching from MH to T5HO, I just might stick with what I already know works!

 

I'm definitely going to get a used skimmer. I should have plenty of time during the set up and cycle to find one.

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Yes, yet another hole in the house to throw $$$$ into :P

 

But this can also be enjoyable. Hunting down those bargain nuggets in the classifieds, slowly gathering the items needed. I kind of stressed over my first one. Then realized the whole process could be enjoyable if I only let it be :happy:

 

Look how much fun we are having just talking about it for a couple days! :lol:

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Militant Jurist
Yes, yet another hole in the house to throw $$$$ into :P

 

But this can also be enjoyable. Hunting down those bargain nuggets in the classifieds, slowly gathering the items needed. I kind of stressed over my first one. Then realized the whole process could be enjoyable if I only let it be :happy:

 

Look how much fun we are having just talking about it for a couple days! :lol:

 

+ 1x1099999

 

It's all about the deals! After doing some more reading, I've decided to stick with T5HO. Now, I'm either hunting for a decent fixture, or maybe just a good ballast. I'm no electrical wizard, but would I be able to use a 2x54w ballast to power 4x24w bulbs? On one hand, I couldn't run the actinics seperate (unless I wire a separate toggle switch for actinic only photos). On the other hand, I could buy a higher quality ballast for about the same as I'd pay for 2 ballasts for the 2x24w ballast.

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+ 1x1099999

 

It's all about the deals! After doing some more reading, I've decided to stick with T5HO. Now, I'm either hunting for a decent fixture, or maybe just a good ballast. I'm no electrical wizard, but would I be able to use a 2x54w ballast to power 4x24w bulbs? On one hand, I couldn't run the actinics seperate (unless I wire a separate toggle switch for actinic only photos). On the other hand, I could buy a higher quality ballast for about the same as I'd pay for 2 ballasts for the 2x24w ballast.

:blink::unsure::wacko::rolleyes::huh: ....let the games begin!

 

I think my next system will be T5 also. I will miss the shimmer, but all those color options/combos, less heat ...just seems flexible overall.

 

As for how to "split" the actinics and daylights, well, I will be following along to find out the best way myself. :D

 

Perhaps you could run the daylight circuits through a switch ( or timer ) so you could "kill" them and run actinics only for pics or daylight/dusk simulating etc. :huh:

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Militant Jurist
:blink::unsure::wacko::rolleyes::huh: ....let the games begin!

 

And so they shall! B)

 

but all those color options/combos, less heat ...just seems flexible overall.

 

That's what convinced me to stick with T5HO. The heat wouldn't be a big issue in our wonderfully cold winters, but we get some rather hot summers, and I keep my house at 75 to 80F+ in the summer, so it would be bad. The lighting colors and options were the incredible icing on the cake. :wizard:

 

As for how to "split" the actinics and daylights, well, I will be following along to find out the best way myself. :D

 

Perhaps you could run the daylight circuits through a switch ( or timer ) so you could "kill" them and run actinics only for pics or daylight/dusk simulating etc. :huh:

 

I would imagine that it could be done. Using a switch wouldn't be hard to wire, but setting up something to use as a time would be more difficult. It looks like a trip into the Lighting Forum might be in order, to seek advice from the lighting oracles.

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Militant Jurist

I found a package on my door today. Naturally, I opened it.

 

100_0823.jpg

 

Then....

 

 

I discovered....

 

100_0824.jpg

 

I'll have more photos once the lights come up later today!

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Militant Jurist

Oh, and on the 29g front... I've been hunting lighting, and I've come across 3 options I like. Each is good, so I'm open to suggestions.

 

Option #1:

4x24w T5HO Nova Extreme $169 - On the one hand, I've got experience with them, and they do the trick. On the other hand, I'd need to upgrade the bulbs down the road, and there are no "extras."

 

Option #2:

Sundial T5HO 4x24w with fans, LEDs and internal timers $199 - On one hand, it's got some cool features. On the other, I've still got to get new bulbs down the road, and I don't know about the quality.

 

Option #3:

A 4x24w TEK T5HO with a custom added fan $285 - On one hand, it's a TEK and it's already got the upgraded bulbs. On the other hand, it's used (so potential issues with warranties) and it's a bigger upfront expense.

 

So, there are the three options. Thoughts?

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Dude, get the TEK.

It's got barely any mileage on it, and the bulbs combo he has with it is PERFECT.

Plus it has a fan.

No brainer, IMO.

 

Yeah can't pass up a bargain.

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Militant Jurist
Dude, get the TEK.

It's got barely any mileage on it, and the bulbs combo he has with it is PERFECT.

Plus it has a fan.

No brainer, IMO.

 

 

Yeah can't pass up a bargain.

 

Well, when you put it that way.... I suppose I'd save on shipping versus buy the bulbs down the road as well. I'll probably save the bulbs he's got, and use my original stock current bulbs at first. I'm going to let this tank run for a few months before adding corals, because I want an SPS and LPS dominated tank.

 

Photos of the 20L with the MP10 should be coming in the next few hours!

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Militant Jurist

After a bit more research and number crunching, I've decided that I couldn't really beat the deal. So, I've purchased the TEK light from junyoungmin. I've also created a new thread for the 29g tank R&D and eventual build and growth, so that I don't have to keep talking about both tanks here! ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...
Militant Jurist

I finally found some interesting information on the coral.

 

The Mediterranean endemic Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) is a colonial scleractinian coral belonging to the family Faviidae and the only zooxanthellate coral from Mediterranean whose colonies may fuse in reef-like structures (hermatypic). Recent surveys are focused on three locations where banks occur in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia): near Prvić Island in the northern Adriatic, near Pag Island in the central Adriatic and in Veliko jezero (Mljet National Park) in the southern Adriatic. The C. caespitosa bank in Veliko jezero covers an area more than 650 m2 and is thus the largest bank of C. caespitosa found to date. The strong sea currents, which occur as a result of tidal exchange in the channel, appear to favour the growth of the bank. The goal of the study was to present the influence of major environmental factors upon the build-up process of the coral bank. Biometrical parameters in the C. caespitosa colonies like diameter of the calyces, polyp ash free dry weight (AFDW), corallite linear growth rate and index of sphericity were investigated and compared from these three locations. The morphology of coral banks from the Adriatic Sea and the disposition of the biometrical values are affected by the sea currents, temperature and sedimentation.

 

Source: Laboratory for Marine Biology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

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Militant Jurist
cool stuff.

B)

 

Thanks!

 

I can't wait to see how it colors up. I'm really glad that there's so much PE already. I'm going to try feeding it tomorrow.

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Thanks!

 

I can't wait to see how it colors up. I'm really glad that there's so much PE already. I'm going to try feeding it tomorrow.

Definitely different looking.

 

Like a cross between trumpets, blasto, acans and strawberry nems. :P

 

Me likey. I hope it does well for you. :)

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Militant Jurist
Definitely different looking.

 

Like a cross between trumpets, blasto, acans and strawberry nems. :P

 

Me likey. I hope it does well for you. :)

 

If it does, it might be that 'one really unique thing' I've been looking to have worth trading! :D

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100_0852.jpg

 

Whatcha think?

 

 

That thing is awesome. It reminds me of this colony of balanophyllia that we had for awhile when I was working at the LFS. They're almost like mini-dendros. Sweet score!

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Militant Jurist
That thing is awesome. It reminds me of this colony of balanophyllia that we had for awhile when I was working at the LFS. They're almost like mini-dendros. Sweet score!

 

Thanks! I had already discovered a bit about the lighting and flow requirements, but now I've read some conflicting stuff about how often to feed. I've seen everywhere from "occasionally" to "not quite as often as dendros." I guess I find out! :P

 

Wow, that's really interesting!

 

Isn't it? I had gone in thinking about getting an acan, but when I saw this thing for half the price, I had a good feeling about it! The LFS said that it's very rare that they get these corals. Apparently, it usually comes in by mistake with other corals. With such a rare opportunity, but still knowing I could care for it, I had to act! :D

 

did you try to feed it a kitten yet?

 

Nope. My cat is pretty spunky and wouldn't allow it. She usually stays away from the SW tanks. She's learned to watch from afar! ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Militant Jurist

New photos!

 

100_0867.jpg

 

New coral! I can't recall the name for some reason, but after looking at the net again, I'm thinking it's an Oulophyllia Coral. I'm going to post in the ID thread to be sure, and if no one here can tell me, I'll go back to the LFS for a reminder. I got to see a large colony of this coral, and while it looks like a plating SPS, it's actually more of an encrusting LPS that grows a fleshy ridge like a chalice.

 

100_0873.jpg

 

100_0874.jpg

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