ScubaJ's 25g MrAqua Rimless Cube

[ScubaJ]

This is truly an addiction.

 

Plans so far...will update accordingly.

 

Equipment -

Mr Aqua 25g Rimless Cube, 18x18x18.

GH Super Nano Kit with Teeth, 1/2" return.

10g AGA Sump

DIY LED or FNI 150w MH,

Octopus NW110 Skimmer

Marineland Stealth 200w Heater

Mag5 or Mag2 return pump

(2) Koralia 425's

+ Phosban/GFO Reactor

 

Livestock -

Pair of False Percs

Royal Gramma

+1 Nano Fish

+ RBTA

 

Corals -

Going to try primarily SPS in this one.

 

Orange & Green Birdsnest

Pink Birdsnest

Strawberry Shortcake Mille

Green Slimer

Purple Acro

Joe The Coral

 

Red Mushrooms

Ring of Fire Zoas

PPE Zoas

GSP

 

FTS - 12/9/10

[HiImSean]

looks very nice. i ran into some problems with my 40br setup so im trying to sell it and pick up the same tank since they're having such a nice sale on them. the stand looks great. im hoping to make my stand a bit bigger and throw a 20high under it for a sump

[gulfsurfer101]

Nice craftsmenship on the stand, how are you feeling about the mr aqua tank. I bought the smaller 12"cube and was impressed with how it was put together for the price. Can't wait to see this thing in action.

[ScubaJ]

Thank you both. Tank construction looks good. Very clean edges. I don't have a vast experience with tanks, especially rimless. I am very pleased.

 

Oh I did want to make the stand larger, but I still wanted to maintain the cube design and did not want to make a 24x24 cube. I did make it large enough to go to a 20x20 Solana though. The 10g will be sufficient, gives me another ~7 gallons and will handle the drain off fine. Even then it is going to stick out the back 2", which is a small blessing as I can see the water level much easier by just peaking behind it. This was my first real wood working project to, so I wanted to keep it smaller and easy.

[ScubaJ]

What do you get when you combine a Fishneedit Pendent with DIY LEDs?

 

 

It is a little sloppy. I rushed the second set of LEDs without planning positioning (thats why the wires are crazy on one side.) Cut a piece of 3/32" glass from Home Depot to fit, got it in 1 shot. The FNI pendent was left over from an unused 70w Pendent I really no longer needed.

 

Components -

 

(12) 3w LEDs from Steve's LED. Probably going to add one more blue.

-7W/5B (to be 7W/6B)

Meanwell LPC-35-700

(2) 4x6 Heatsinks

(1) CPU Fan & 12v Powersupply

(1) Fishneedit Housing, had a 70w sitting around...

 

Tested it over my 55 that is currently being broken down. Sorry no PAR.

 

Just the LED.

 

MH vs LED

(Left 150w FNI 20K MH, Right DIY LED)

 

The MH has a much brighter look but I have seen this on a bunch of MH vs LED comparisons. The color even though needs a bit more blue is very nice. Currently under the MH, its very difficult to see the purple coralline spots on the rock, the LED is bringing the other colors out much better.

 

As far as power goes, since I have no optics, I will be mounting closer to the tank but should still have very decent output. I figure I have about the equivalent to two PAR38's in this fixture, again, minus optics. So I imagine I can do SPS at the center top half of the tank without problem. I would guess at least 200 PAR at the top, although not much more, at 8-10" above the surface of the water. If anyone knows any PAR tests done on an optic-less fixture, please link it! I am very curious.

[ScubaJ]

Drilled!

 

Also tweaked the temporary LED fixture. Added another fan and 1 more blue LED.

 

Now off to get raped by TSA!

 

Upon return will finish the stand up by adding the door and painting it. Plumbing and leak test. Will have water and fish transferred before Christmas.

[HiImSean]

lookin good. i ordered mine on sunday and it should be here next week! keep us updated

[ScubaJ]

Awesome. Are you keeping the 40B and having both or is it replacing your 40B?

[HiImSean]

replacing the 40br i just didnt have the room for it

[gulfsurfer101]

Coming a long very nicely.

[krisko]

Looking good! Any updates?

[pweissma]

That is sooooooo nice! Your workmanship is great. Thanks for the heads up on GH. Never heard of them before. You absolutely made the right choice in not getting a Solana. IMHO any kind of modification is suboptimal and you certainly seem the type to tinker.

[ScubaJ]

I will have an update by Monday of next week. Been out of state for Thanksgiving and couldn't work on it till tonight. I hope to have the stand finished, with conduit light hanger. Tank painted, plumbed, and water tested. By the following weekend, it will have water.

 

Thanks to BigAls awesome sale I got my 2 Koralia 425's for $15.30 each/shipped. My closest LFS wants $46 for 1... highway robbery? Cheapest for me within 45 minutes is still $30 each.

[ScubaJ]

Small pre-weekend update.

 

Stand primed. Door being finished hopefully tonight and going to mount. Wife wants the stand to be white.... so this is pretty close to the finish product in terms of look.

 

 

Tank painted. Krylon Fusion rocks.

 

Overflow box and return installed. Koralia 425's shown.

[ScubaJ]

OK. Monday Update, got very close to my goal but not quite there. I wanted to get water in it but I was unable to finish the light hanger and installing that would be impossible without pulling the whole thing out.

 

Stand Completed with door, painted, and moved to condo.

 

Plumbing about 90% complete. Need to add some support to the last length draining to sump.

 

Test shot with my light mounted with some spare wood.

 

I actually hope to finish the light bar and install it today. If not, for sure this week.

 

[Edit] Wow, I didn't notice how awful those pictures are. I might have to retake those...

[d9hp]

Clean build! Looks great.

 

Love how the stand has a lip around the base of the tank. That will look great.

[ScubaJ]

Thank you!

 

I also built the lip so I could upgrade to a 20x20x20 tank and still have room to spare. As my first attempt at making a piece of furniture, or much of anything with wood, I am very pleased with the final product.

[gutterguy]

Stand is awesome scuba, cant wait to see water in the tank.

 

Good luck

gg

[HiImSean]

lookin good

[ScubaJ]

Got a decent amount done that last couple days.

 

Leak tested, which finally these bastard GH bulkheads had NO leaks. Just tripled the amount of teflon tape. Zero leaks.

Filled with 70% new salt / rodi water, 30% from old system. Let sit and churn for 2 days and currently at 1.0245.

Added new sand, let settle for 2 days. ~20-25lbs.

Transferred rock, fish, and corals. Probably only about 15-20lbs of rock tops. Going for the less is more look for now.

 

 

I figure just like my 40B, I will go through the whole new sand syndrome and get the diatom and GHA blooms for about a month or two. Ill watch the tank for a week and add my corals that are in my being held in my 40B just before Christmas.

[gulfsurfer101]

Damn, thats looking good. I like the way you set up that rock work as well, everything looks very clean and nice.

[ScubaJ]

Thanks gulf. A couple zip ties, some reef glue and putty. Like the minimal rocks much better than how I had my 55.

 

Clowns are out and happy, was worried for a bit since they were pretty stressed from the transfer. The zoas and GSP are also opened up already so that's a pretty good sign for me.

[OneTrickPony]

Great Progress

would you Buy the same LEDs

Do you thick you have enough for the corals you want to keep

[ScubaJ]

I am using the current fixture kind of temporary till I can make a bigger fixture with dimming capabilities. Steve's LEDs are great so far. I have no comparison to show growth yet. I have no complaints with them either. He claims they have the exact specifications and PAR readings of Luxeon Rebels.

 

For the next fixture I will probably use CREE or other proven Cool Whites and his blues to save a couple bucks.

 

As for the amount, I am sure 13 is not enough for SPS except maybe the very top since I have the current fixture so close to the water. LED power is still confusing to me, everyone gets so many LEDs and runs them at ~30% or else they start bleaching. I know there are many variables, LEDs, optics, distance, spread, etc... but 13 LEDs at 700ma should give decent power even without optics. I've been browsing BC29s which usually use 24 LEDs and I don't think I have seen ANY of them running past 50% without damaging coral...

 

I will keep these LEDs for at least the next 6-9 months to test their abilities for some of the "easier" SPS. I am going to make a much nicer looking light fixture during the holidays, currently its just scrap wood. >.>

[gabe3eb]

ScubaJ, very nice man. I'm a fan of the rimless cubes, when done right. This build has a ton of potential, its extremely clean and I love the rockwork. Definitely tuning in for more updates.