Seano Hermano Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 The tank looks nice...cool DIY. Why not build a stand that is the same footprint as the base..like a pedestal? You could skin it with 1/4" ply so the base of the tank slides within the outside trim. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 The tank looks nice...cool DIY. Why not build a stand that is the same footprint as the base..like a pedestal? You could skin it with 1/4" ply so the base of the tank slides within the outside trim. i really like that idea. However, I just dont have the time to build a stand. The tank would never get started and i really want to get this baby running soon Link to comment
LeslieAnn Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 More light escape than I was hoping but o well. I like it still. Even with the lid direct on the glass you can get stray light. Look at my tank head on and you can see the LED banding on the top edge of the tank. Awesome work! You should send this to Fluval and tell them to produce a bigger edge! nice job! subscribed. There is a 12gal coming, it's due out in Oct. They are converting the current model to LED as well, they are blowing out current models to make way for the new ones. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Stand was delivered yesterday. Just in time for my day off! Stand looks great. Took like 15 min to build. I cut a hole in the top for the plumbing and to my surprise the sawdust was some kind of blue dust. Good thing i was wearing a mask, who knows what that #### was. I decided to put a coating of jb-weld around the hole I cut because I didn't the dust to chip away. Also ran to lowes today and got some 2x4's to add supports to the top. It feels solid. It was made for a 60gal tank, says 700lb max. But, since I cut a hole in it and my tank dimension put all the weight in the middle, I decided better safe than sorry. Plumbed up a straight piece of PVC down to a bucket and have an old AC 70 power head circulating tap water. I plan to let it run for a week to leak test. Then I will add a standpipe to the back and get some loc-line for the return. I am still looking for a final pump. Any suggestions on a specific pump or gph I should aim for? pre JB weld post-jb weld 2 2x4 supports Link to comment
grafxalien Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 Long time no update. The tank is not dead. Went through some BS in life which caused me to loose interest in the tank for a while. The tank has been up and running with 20gal sump. Basically just sitting with liverock and sand the whole time. The lighting looks better in person, need to adjust the blue/white ratio before taking pictures I guess. There is more of spotlight effect in the center being brighter than the edges than I was hoping. However, I think it looks reaaly good in person, so I am not too worried about it. I had 2 peppermint shrimp that cleaned up all my aiptasia, but they have been missing since I got back from vacation last week. No nitrate or ammonia spike though, so I have no idea what happened. Picked up some mushrooms this weekend and a couple zoas tagged along on the rock. Kenya tree? came on my LR when I bought it, it has since exploded in size Strange Algae? Also have some new type of coral growing on a piece of LR, it is very small though so can't get a good pic Link to comment
nickjqz Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Glad to see it is still here! The algae is halimeda. Link to comment
redkneecoral Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 man, you sure have done an outstanding job with this tank. Have gotten far with it since the last time I was on here, and it's been awhile Link to comment
grafxalien Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 Pics with new inhabitants. The tag along zoas that were free with my mushrooms have started to multiply. Both have multiple little polpys opening up! My neon green GSP doesnt seem to be doing so hot. I had it in center of tank, just moved it to sand last week. Link to comment
maja Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Perfect, excellent................ How you regulate cooling? Hood has no an opening or grid as original has. I would like to make the same as your tank, thanks for your help. Please, give me the dimensions of the hood. Link to comment
maja Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I am planning DIY Fluval 60cm long by 35cm wide and 30cm high, these measurements do not include the filter stand or hood for the lights. Approx 60liter or 16US gallon. Making the aquarium glass is 40eur maximum in my country,and lighting, hood,etc will be DIY Link to comment
maja Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Please, give me the dimensions of the hood Link to comment
grafxalien Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Please, give me the dimensions of the hood Sorry for the lack of updates. Work has me busy. Tank is still up and running great. Coral is doing great. added first piece of SPS last week. Also added a carbon reactor to sump. I am currently in the day dreaming phase of adding on to my system. I am thinking of adding either a small vase tank to each side of main tank, or 2 shallow rectangle tanks to each side and plumbing them in to main system. i can send the sketchup files if want. i used the exact dimensions in the file. Original plan was to have oversized heatsink for my LEDs and allow passive cooling. however, the heatsink got too hot for my liking so i wired a fan up to it. The top piece of the hood has a rectangle cut out of the top with black plastic mesh inlayed flush with the top of the wood. That part is not in the sketchup files. I will try to get some new photos up later today and show you what I mean. To anyone attempting similar builds feel free to ask questions. There are a few things I would do different if I re-made the tank. #1. Make the top hole even bigger than I did. It can be a pain in the ass still to reach corners of tank. #2. My lighting is good, but not perfect. Im sure with some more thinking a better spread and color could be obtained. 3. Instead of making the top hood hinged, I would put it on rails and make it telescope upward. With the hood hinged the way it is, you have to turn lights off to clean tank. This makes it hard to clean b/c the tank then has no light. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Ok, so here are my ideas for additions. Thoughts? Here is the top view of hood, dont mind the dust: I still cant get good pics. Tried messing with camera white balance and adjust LED brightness... Link to comment
maja Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Can you please provide dimensions of the hood (HxWxL) and hight of the lower stand ? Thank you will post pictures of our setup shortly. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Can you please provide dimensions of the hood (HxWxL) and hight of the lower stand ? Thank you will post pictures of our setup shortly. Bottom stand: 3.5"x16"x10" Hood:6" x10.5"x14" Rear stand: 19"x10"x5.5" Link to comment
grafxalien Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 newest sketchup. Thoughts? I am thinking of lighting each side with 6 cree LEDs in a single line arrangement. I cant think of a good idea right now for the fixture though. I want to minimize blocking the side views from main tank. Any ideas? Link to comment
NanoCuber1 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 newest sketchup. Thoughts? I am thinking of lighting each side with 6 cree LEDs in a single line arrangement. I cant think of a good idea right now for the fixture though. I want to minimize blocking the side views from main tank. Any ideas? you should connect all three to a common sump that would be so cool. As for lighting you should do a clamp that goings onto the back of each of the side tanks filter boxes. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 you should connect all three to a common sump that would be so cool. As for lighting you should do a clamp that goings onto the back of each of the side tanks filter boxes. The two small tanks will absolutely be plumbed in with the main system. Here are two other designs. 7x7" footprint. one 7" high, one 12" high. This design would be easier for lighting and leaving side view of main tank clear. however, i still think i like the look of the long shallow tank better. Link to comment
BlackSumbel Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Taller column tanks look better from a strictly design POV (the "FWIW" advice of a professionally employed artist). Make a column structure in each, house nems-n-shrimp in one, harlequin shrimp and softies in the other. (butthatsjustme) Link to comment
grafxalien Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 well. I have my reef angel controller setup and working great! will get new pics hopefully this weekend. The combo of steve's LEDs + reef angel is great. plug and play. It dims smooth all the way down to 1%. Also has extremely fast response time making the lightning storm effect great. will put a reef angel review here soon too. Link to comment
grafxalien Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 Long time no post. Tank is still up and running. It has had its ups and its downs. Residency hours has definitely taken a toll on it. The past month or so I have really been working to get things back in order. That has meant weekly 2x week water changes. This plan actually backfired on me. As I began using my last bag of reef crystals from a box of 4 my coral took a turn for the worse. I ended up testing a fresh batch of that water too find out the levels were all out. I have been slowly improving params with small water changes with a new bag of crystals and continuum part A/B + Mag. Todays levels: Kh 8.9; Ca 420 Mag 1200. As you can see from below, my SPS took a nasty hit from the swing, but have been improving. Upgrades since last post: Two little fishies reactor with seachem seagel SCA 301 skimmer Finnex 1gallow HOB fuge Maxijet 600 in the overflow box connected to a spinstream Futures plans once coral recover: 1.Upgrade LED lighting to more full spectrum which seems to be the way to go now. -Will likely continue my 7 royal blues; disconnect the cool whites and add 3 NW, 2 Blue, 2 Lime, 2 Violet 2. Upgrade flow. I am looking at the tunze 6040; i think I could mount it upside down on the overflow and it would barely be visible in tank Pics: http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00861.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00862.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00867.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00869.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00870.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00871.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00873.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00874.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00877.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00888.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00893.jpg.html'> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/grafxalien/media/DSC00878.jpg.html'> Link to comment
smh3w Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Very cool, excellent glass cutting skills. Link to comment
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