yeast Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Hi all, I've been growing coral for some time, but I have moved to a new city, leaving me to start everything anew. Here is the incarnation of my coral nursery in my tiny apartment. You can see my 10 gallon rimless display on my desk at work here: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=271675 Ikea Expedit shelves, Koralia 550 and 750, 2x50W Eheim Jager Heaters. 3 15 gallon 24x12x12 aquariums. One is an extra and won't be set up just yet. 70W metal halide with NAIS ballast, ushio 20k bulb and hellolights reflector. Sunlight supply new wave 4x24W T5HO. Excellent quality for the price. Reflectors of new wave. Another view How many people have been in home depot and when you tell them what you're intending to do for your aquariums, you get "the look"? Aquarium set up on the shelf. I know the Ikea shelf is particle/cardboard honeycomb, but this is far more resilient than many petsmart/petco brand particle stands. I've been using Ikea furniture for years and years to house my aquariums and I've never had an issue. My girlfriend has been suggesting to get a smaller desk so we can put an aquarium here, maybe another one over there...maybe in that little corner... Link to comment
yeast Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 Working on the light hanging posts and putting together the rest of the furniture today. I went and exchanged 2 of the 15 gallons for 20 gallon longs. The stands fit them better and they give me more real estate. I won't upgrade any of the equipment for these aquariums for the extra 5 gallons. Link to comment
yeast Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 I've run into an issue and I hope some of you may have a solution. I am running one of the 20 Longs peninsula style. This is also the one with the T5 light. The hanging rod dips forward about 1" over the length of the 30" span. I've posted a photo. I think my options are to a) Create a support bar at the other end of the hanger to counterbalance the weight. I would have this resting on the rim of the aquarium. Get a larger diameter EMT tubing and redo what I've done with a bigger pipe. I'm not sure what diameter would be sturdy enough to not bend over the 30". I can't drill into the walls (rental) so I'd love any other creative solutions. I would like to keep the floating light look to it, so I don't want to put anything obtrusive. Here are some photos: Dirty new 20 gallon longs. Measure twice, drill 4 times. Front view of the peninsula tank. Side view. Note the tipping forward. Ideas? Other 20 long with the metal halide pendant. Rod attachment method. If I don't receive any replies, I am not going to bother posting any more updates on this board. Enjoy! Link to comment
TheWAND Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The support on the other side would defeat the purpose of the peninsula style you are going for. I would see if you could get some sort of ceiling support just for that end. I recently made a clothes rack in my room for hanging some clothes up and had the same issue. I just put in a drywall screw holder in the ceiling and put in a black screw with wire supporting the end of the pipe up. You could use a ceiling mount kit to get a cleaner look. Link to comment
yeast Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Thanks for the suggestion. I had also thought about the ceiling, but I am in a rental and don't want to drill concrete. Also, the ceiling is about 6 feet up from the top of the light, so it wouldn't really look all that great. Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Did some one go crazy at the petco $1 a gallon sale? Maybe if you some how had a angle bracket it will suport the light more. Or thicker piping Link to comment
phattypeeps Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Looking good. If you want to deal with that lean to your support you could use something beefier than the connection piece you have between the two rods. I would weld them, but I have access to that kind of tools so that might not be practical for everyone. Metal shops are everywhere, I used to live in Van, and know there are some amazing tradespeople and artists there who would love that kind of project. Can't wait to see all those tanks set up, what types of coral will you be breeding? Link to comment
hamiltonra25 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I would have to say just bigger pipes. Also you might want to put some kind of a notch in the end of the pole. That way if for whatever reason the pipe really bent the light wouldnt slide right into the tank. Doesnt have to be a massive notch, just something big enough to catch the light hooks..... just an idea Link to comment
yeast Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Thanks guys. I'm getting 3 Link to comment
yeast Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hmm that didnt work out. I'm getting 3/4" emt and a pipe bender tonight. ill bend it to about 95 degrees. Etching some holders for the fixture is another good idea. also took the tanks out and painted the backs but I will have to redo this later as the paint wasnt correct and there was some residual silicon on the glass. razor blades and acetone should do the trick. Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hope that works. Cant wait to see what the tank looks like painted Link to comment
yeast Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Should be nice. Im taking my time on these guys so it should turn out nicely. Ive always regretted not painting a background on other tanks, so I wasn't going to do so with this one. Im off to buy some T5 bulbs. Im thinking Blue + Kz fiji purple Aquablue special Blue + I have a ushio 20k in the 70 watt halide and my acropora are growing nicely with excellent colour under the same bulb at work. Link to comment
yeast Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Just picked up the T5 bulbs. My LFS carries giessemann and UVL, not ATI. I got Actinic + Aquapink Aquablue + Actinic + The aquapink I was told is the kz fiji purple equivalent. I hope its not the UVL 75 25 equivalent. Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Sounds hott. Im tring to figure out what my lighing set up will be Link to comment
Bill Nye Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Thats gonna be some serious grow out going on in those bad boys You also beat me to the solution to sagging lights which is a pipe bender. Link to comment
yeast Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Small update: Went to home depot and borrowed the pipe bender in the EMT section and bent my pipe in store (asked the orange aproned guy first). I got 3/4" EMT and bent it to about 95 degrees. I can probably hand bend the rest if I need it. Also picked up some razor blades and some other odds and ends for attaching the light rod to the stand/finishing the rod. Tomorrow I will remove the paint and cut the rod to size. I'll probably paint the tanks tomorrow as well. Things are looking good for my scheduled weekend fill-up. Any idea about cycling a tank with no fish load and no live rock? I've had rockless, bare bottom tanks before but I'm just curious. PS: No, unfortunately in Canada we don't have the petco $1/gallon sale. Each of those tanks cost me $2/gallon! That's highway robbery. Link to comment
yeast Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Actinic + Aquapink Aquablue + Actinic + Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Dang thats a dollar more per gallen :-p. The lights look nice Link to comment
yeast Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 I plan on creating an eggcrate shelf in each and putting some cured rubble for frags + live rock to cycle the aquarium. I painted the back of one aquarium and the side of the other in anticipation of running one aquarium as a peninsula and the second standard against the wall. A little furniture rearrangement and we have my own little fish den with more space for the aquariums and to make the rest of our apartment work better. I also got some 3/4" EMT, bent it, cut it and painted it black to create a sturdier rod to hold the T5s. Oh, and they are filled with water now. I'll put salt tomorrow after they have held water overnight (freshwater is marginally better for an aquarium to dump on the floor than saltwater...) No lights, empty. Lights, empty Lights, full. Link to comment
rok3535 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 [is this Vancouver Washington or Canada? If its wa that's cool! Link to comment
yeast Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Canada...but we're neighbours! Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I like the look. Hope ur water test went well Link to comment
yeast Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Water test was successful. The koralias do buzz, so I'm hoping they will pick up a slime coat and quieten down. I almost have more fun setting up the tanks than actually having them... that will change once there is something inside of them. Link to comment
craigofva Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Sweet. Yea once stuff to look at you will have something to look at and relax Link to comment
yeast Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Going today to get the eggcrate shelving and the live rock rubble. I'm always interested in what I can get in terms of hitchhikers from the rubble. Link to comment
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