Deano's 20L tank

[Deano]

Updated 12/09/2011

 

 

I have had this AGA 20 L sitting in the corner for about 10 years. I used it as a sump for an old 45 gal tall I had. I decided I want to get rid of my 5.5 gal tank at work and put this 20 gal in my office. I will use the 5.5 as a refugium for this 20L and 10 gal AGA I have for the sump..

 

I have drilled the tank for a overflow and sump. Part of the reason the tank set so long is the tank has a crack in one end of the long glass. It was sealed and used for 3 or 4 years this way while it was a sump. So I am not TOO concerned about the tanks integrity. Making the overflow to cover and hide the crack has made this tank useful. Plus the overflow, I hope, will help to stabilize the crack.

 

I am using a Mag 7 for the main pump. I put a tee into the return and added a Hydro Flo to add flow to the front corner and placed the main flow to spray across the length of the tank. Right now I have a Seio 325 pump on the opposite end.

 

I am not a big fan of the Hydro Flo since they have a major design flaw, which causes them to stop working most the time. If this company would fix the gearing on these things by increasing the teeth length or tighten up the tolerances between the driven and drive gear they would have a great product. But since the flow going through the driven gear housing pushes it away from the drive gear this thing slips gears constantly.

 

I am considering drilling the tank for a closed loop system but I don't have much desire for a load of SPS's in this tank so I don't know if it is worth it.

 

Right now lighting is going to be a Odyssea 24" T5 4 bulb. The model that has the legs that will extend to 30". Will order some UVL bulbs soon. I am partial to the 454 and Indigo Sun combo.

 

Fish wise my main desire right now are about 3 Barnacle Blennies hosted by a large dead barnacle colony I have and a couple other small fish. Most likely a Goby and shrimp paired and some kind of dwarf angel. Of course I have to have a conch most likely not a 3 eyed one since the one I have will stay where it's at..

 

Here are some pictures of the progress up to this point. the tank has tap water in it right now just to make sure I don"t have any leaks. Be running 24 hrs so far with no problems. Tonights test will be a run down test to se how much water flows back into the sump if the tank shuts down. This is a big concern due to the location of the Hydro flow, which will result in a syphon of about 4" of the main tank. Obviously I will have to make the sump able to hold this or put a check valve in the return line.

 

OH! by the way the tank in the back ground is the back of my 135 gallon tank built into the wall. I plan on plumbing this tank into it while I build the stand, sump and refugium. That way I don't have to worry about cycling issues. This thing will be ready to run as soon as I drop the Mag 7 into my 135 sump.

 

 

 

[Deano]

Problem Solved, New Tank!

 

Well I have a problem that I had hoped would go away once I added water but I really didn't expect it to. The end of the tank that had a partition wall for the over flow when it was a sump has some bad calcium or hard water stains. Also where I silicone the wall divider you can see staining really bad.

 

I have tried everything I can think of to remove this. Even down to my last resort using Muriatic Acid. Even that will not remove the staining. Problem Solved! with the help of 600 grit wet and dry sand paper.

 

If i can't get rid of this I will have no choice but to purchase a new 20 L tank.

 

 

Picture with the New Odyssea 24 " T5 X 4 bulb.

 

[nanoreef11]

Hey I don't have an ideas on removing the stain from the glass. That's a bummer that you just put all of that work in to set it up and build the overflow just to realize you're probably going to have to rebuild it all with a new tank. Good luck on the stain and hopefully you find something to remove it.

 

Jon

[glennr1978]

did you take a razor blade to it?

[Deano]

Hey I don't have an ideas on removing the stain from the glass. That's a bummer that you just put all of that work in to set it up and build the overflow just to realize you're probably going to have to rebuild it all with a new tank. Good luck on the stain and hopefully you find something to remove it.

 

Jon

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I no it stinks, but I can easily remove the over flow and put it into a new 20l. The good news, see below.

 

 

 

did you take a razor blade to it?

 

Unfortunately a razor blade just didn't get it. So I resorted to 600 grit wet and dry sand paper. I put the sand paper between my algae scrape after 2 hours of this I have reduced the issue about 80%. At least I can live with it.

 

Attached are some resent photos. NOTE: The tank is plumbed to my 135 gal, no cycleing needed.

 

Built a wall with a built in frag rack to cover the over flow. This wall is free standing so I can easily remove it from the tank.

 

I added some corals from my 135 to the tank and they are doing great. Still need to get some Barnacle Bennie's, but will most likely have to order them on-line.

 

 

 

 

 

The Main Tank, my 135 gal running since 2001.

 

[Deano]

Well! I guess my dramatic efforts to get rid of the stain has resulted in a new problem. I think the heavy acid bath has damaged the silicone and now the tank has developed a very slow leak. I think it is around the crack in the back so I give up and I am off to Petco for a new tank.

[Deano]

Got my new 20L from Petco. Had a $5.00 off coupon. $35.00 bucks. Sure wish I had done this when they had there $1 per gallon sale. I think when I get the old 20 l off line I will pull the trim off it find the leak fix it right and make it my sump instead of the 10 gal.

 

I check out some Goby and shrimp pairs online. Since this place has the Barnacle Blennies I want I am thinking of getting this pair Shrimp and Goby from them. What do you think?

YWG and Shrimp paired

[Deano]

I picked up a Nice Cherub Angel today locally. I ordered from Bluezooaquatics 2 Barnacle Blennies and a High Fin Goby and a Candy Strip Shrimp, hopefully they will pair up. I also ordered a Fighting Conch, Snails and a Porcelain Crab. They and Liveaquaria were the only ones with Barnacle Blennies, since Bluezoo offered a better free shipping offer I went with them. This weekend I will switch out the tanks. Should have the fish tuesday.

[Deano]

Tanks are switched out. I went ahead and painted he back of the new tank black. Right now I have a bad case of micro bubbles. Which I am thinking is coming from the over flow because they are making there way to my main display as well.

 

On the right side of the tank tank I built kind of a wall. This allowed me to have about 2" of sand in that walled area. The rest of the tank is about 1". Hopefuly this is where my Goby and Shrimp make there home. The rock with the Mushroom on it is raised on piers. This will allow the shrimp to burrow under it with no fears of it collapsing.

 

Anyway here are some updated photos.

 

My new Cherub Angel, bit shy right now. Hopefull it behaves itself and leaves the corals alone.

 

 

 

Full tank shot.

 

 

Rock wall.

 

[BytheSea]

Love what you have done with this tank!

[mx5apex]

Lookin' pretty cool!

[Deano]

Love what you have done with this tank!

 

Thanks

 

Lookin' pretty cool!

 

Thanks , appreciate you checking it out.

[Deano]

Hope you don't mind I put in some pictures of my Dolphin tank. That's right I have 11 dolphin's in this tank, you think it's over stocked?

 

 

 

 

Really this is some cool wall paper my kids got me several years ago. They call this the fish room.

[Deano]

I received my Livestock order this morning from Bluezooaquatics. I am very pleased with this company. They were very helpful when I realized I forgot to include some plumbing parts in my order. They had to hold my order a day but were happy to add the parts to it and best of all if they have the parts available (not drop shipped) they will even ship them with your livestock order. This was good because I made a special effort to order enough livestock to get free shipping.

 

I spent lunch acclimating the new arrivals and everything was healthy. The Goby and shrimp cooperated with me and went to the home I had built for them but the Barnacle Blennies just scattered, hopefully they will find there Barnacle homes.Everything else was snails, but I did get a couple scarlet reef crabs and a porcelain crab. No other crabs for this tank I have a bunch of red legs in my 135 but since they prefer Cerith snail shells I will not put them in this tank.

 

I will try and get some pictures as soon as everyone settles in and will pose for me.

 

Micro Bubble issue resolved, it was my skimmer that was dumping them off.

[animalmaster6]

I love the rock layout and everything else you've done with the tank Deano!

 

Pics of the Barnacle Blennies!

[Deano]

I love the rock layout and everything else you've done with the tank Deano!

 

Pics of the Barnacle Blennies!

 

animalmaster, thanks for looking. Your Goby and shrimp pair was what persuaded my decision on the same pair you have. I was going to get a paired YWG and yellow colored pistol but I really liked the candy stripe. As soon as the shrimp was added to the tank he took to the home I had intended for him and started right into making it his home. Sand was flying!!! It was Cool. Then I had to go back to work.

 

This tank was built around the intended livestock and there habitational needs.

 

I will try to get some Barnacle Blennies photos hopefully once they come out of hiding or better yet they make there home in the Barnacles built just for them..

[animalmaster6]

I am sure you will enjoy them. They are awesome

[BigRok]

I love your wall paper!

 

The tank is pretty awesome, I like how you did the overflow and all, but still... that wallpaper!

Are those little fishes hanging from the roof in front of the wall? That's actually really neat.

[Deano]

I love your wall paper!

 

The tank is pretty awesome, I like how you did the overflow and all, but still... that wallpaper!

Are those little fishes hanging from the roof in front of the wall? That's actually really neat.

 

No everything is in the wall paper on the ends where we trimmed off the paper to fit the wall we had some fish and the turtles on the BC29 that we cut out. So the kids trimmed them and added them to the adjoining walls to give it all a 3D effect.

 

Edit: You might be talking about the pull chain ends for the light and ceiling fan top center.

[Deano]

Photos as promised! As you can see everyone has cooperated and moved into there homes as planned. with the exception of one of the Blennies. I expect it to move in soon though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a bunch more, but didn't want to over do it.

[animalmaster6]

Nice! They look very happy.

 

Did you know if you put an empty shell in the sandbed they will live in there sometimes?

[Deano]

Nice! They look very happy.

 

Did you know if you put an empty shell in the sandbed they will live in there sometimes?

 

That would be kind of cool, but I think I like where I have them living right now. If I get bored I have some large shells I can throw in the tank just to see what they would do.

 

Oh! I forgot they all are we happy to eat some Mysis shrimp this morning so no worries about them eating.

[Deano]

I was able to make some headway with my sump/refugium this weekend.

 

The old leaking 20l I had "fixed".The right side is a 3 gal refugium, center self explanatory with a old timer Red Sea Berlin Classic skimmer and on the left side the white box is my low tech 2 gal ATO with a Kent mechanical float valve. I have used this type of ATO on my 135 gal tank for over a decade and it is much more reliable then any electronic system.

 

 

 

I added a Red Goby Firefish this weekend as well.

 

Diatoms are all but gone and the tank is doing great. Once I get a few plumbing parts to hook up the pump to my skimmer I will put the tank on the new sump.

[Deano]

More pictures.

 

My new Red Goby Firefish with his new buddies.

 

 

[animalmaster6]

Nice Firefish

 

That rock that the Hi Fin and pistol are under is pretty awesome. What coral is on it? I can't really tell.