duoc9119 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Tank Specs -------------------------------------------------- -Micro Reef's custom 15x15x9 designed myself with guidance from Mike and inspired by Rehype *has a corner overflow with 2- 3/4"drains setup as a herbie style; without the standpipe *has a 3/4" return -Custom sump; ghetto style *made from a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket *hole cut in the lid to hold a 4" micron sock *Rio return pump; not sure what model; has a tee with a ball valve to adjust flow -Boostled Par 30; 60*; 2 royal blue/1 blue/2 warm whites (I don't really remember the combo but it wasn't the 3b/2w) *Boostled gooseneck clamp -Avast ATO unit *mounted using their magnetic mount *Aqualifter as the pump; using a reusable cereal box as the RO container; a little over 1 gallon *also holds the ATO airline tubing and Reefkeeper Lite iTemp -Reefkeeper Lite *only one PC4 *1st outlet is for the Hydor Theo 100w Heater *2nd outlet is for the Boostled Par30 *3rd outlet is for the return pump and refugium light *4th outlet is for the Korilla Nano 240 inside the tank Livestock; Purchased (no need to count the HH) -------------------------------------------------- Fish: *Sixline Wrasse *Male Fuzzy Dwarf Lion Inverts: *2 Margarita Snails *Fighting Conch *Super Tonga Nassarius Rock: *Roughly 1lbs of Fiji liverock *Roughly 13lbs of dry rock; half from Reefcleaners; half from LFS (probably ordered wholesale from Reefcleaners Corals: *Green Slimer x4 Macros: *Dragon's Breathx2 Plans; Current/Future -------------------------------------------------- I have the stand built and sitting at home, not quite 15x15 but pretty close and going to use a towel as a mat. Also need to cut holes for the tubing to run through. I forgot that part before leaving. Go to IKEA and get a pendant fixture. Awaiting an MP10! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks for following! Hopefully I won't disappoint anyone. Lol Well its only been 5 days since I left my 5.5 gallon tank running on campus while I'm home for Spring Break and I'm feeling like something has gone wrong somehow. Lol Not sure if that is a normal feeling or not when leaving your tank for a little while. Lets see.. I stuck eggcrate over the glass top to keep the fish in. Filled the ATO bucket with RO water, I'm using an Avast ATO, so chances of it getting stuck on is minimal, I have a good 1"-1.5" zip tie overflow teeth to keep the two snails out of the overflow. Given that the overflow is a DIY mame with an Aqualifter to restart the siphon which hasn't been a problem restarting since I've made it. Not sure what can possibly go wrong but I'm headed back tomorrow morning to hopefully pick up the new tank, as well as check the current conditions of the already running tank. Link to comment
ccapasso Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Following along. I am very interested to see your filtration and sump setup. Link to comment
nickjqz Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Sounds like you covered everything. I like coming back from break to see a tank with some growth in it. Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Sounds like you covered everything. I like coming back from break to see a tank with some growth in it. Yeah there wasn't anything to worry about when I got to campus. No floods, everything stayed in the tank as it should. Picked up the Micro-Reefs package today also while on campus! It was surprisingly light for a 15x15x9 tank. I thought it was just a box filled with packing nuts and newspaper. Lol It arrived just fine, got it in place before realizing the bulkheads weren't in the box.. But Mike from Micro-Reefs sending those as soon as he can. In the mean time I have to settle with the MPT elbows adapted to slip bulkheads (extends about 4 inches from the back of the tank, looks very ridiculous right now.. Lol) The return also extends 4 inches into the tank as well because of the MPT to slip adapters.. Lol O well going to be fixed later in the week. I was only able to get a cloudy FTS shot before my phone died. Oddly my phone only has enough juice on campus to last a few minutes (probably from constantly searching for signal... Tmobile is awful on campus..) The transfer went almost without a hitch I would think. I got two more dry rock pieces that I thought would fit in the tank, with a total of 8 pieces. Had to throw 3, including one of the new dry rock, into the sump. Lol I went for overhangs and caves along the back and an very open front. New pictures will be posted Sunday night, at the latest. I'm back home now to finish off my Spring Break. I will also be sure to do extra pictures for the filtration since everyone is interested in my bucket sump, still incomplete without the macro algae rack that I will make out of egg crate. Going to add a bit more sand when the return loses 4 inches in length, explains the bald spot right up front. I might want to do a little remodeling with the scape when I get back Sunday also. Couldn't really see what I was doing with the cloudy water. Link to comment
FlCandy Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Can't wait to see it cleared up! Link to comment
JR! Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 really wanna see how this goes. Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Lol me too.. Next time I will see the tank is Sunday unfortunately. The Boostled Par 30 does indeed cover the tank pretty well, can I grow anything with the spread? That is question. But as for now, until I move off campus to an apartment, coral is not a priority since I can't hang lights off the ceiling, or drill into the stand it is on. So I'm going to be looking for a Goby/Blenny, a Clownfish, and a Blood Fire Shrimp in the mean time! Plus some more snails with the added rocks. Also in the market for a MP10.. Wire wrapping around the rim from the Korilla Nano is quite distracting. Lol Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Awesome! First Reef Ready tank in action is being shown! I will have your bulkheads sent out tomorrow morning, I was so excited packaging your beauty, I left them here in the warehouse! I will be showing the acrylic matching stand and canopy if you don't mind on your thread! Want to show them what else you can add to this beauty! MG Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Haha not at all! Looking forward to the stand and canopy. I might have to get those to complete the set. Awesome! First Reef Ready tank in action is being shown! I will have your bulkheads sent out tomorrow morning, I was so excited packaging your beauty, I left them here in the warehouse! I will be showing the acrylic matching stand and canopy if you don't mind on your thread! Want to show them what else you can add to this beauty! MG Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Just a quick reminder/update: I probably won't be able to post anything until Saturday, since I am road tripping it down to Austin tomorrow, and will be back Saturday. There won't be any significant updates on the tank progress until Sunday, when I get back on campus. Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I wanted to give you guys a small glimpse of the 30' inch stand and 4 inch canopy looks like, it is made of a beautiful black acrylic and it just shines! It hides all wires and cords and allows you to run your sump hidden inside the stand! At 15 x 15 foot print, it matches our 8.3 Reef Ready display tank with black back overflow! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 I am back from Austin! Didn't do much, just went down to hang out with some old friends. Going to be back on campus tomorrow around 3ish, so I should have some updates and such then! The picture link is either broken or deleted. I'd like to see what the stand looks like! Haven't seen an all acrylic stand built before so it should be interesting Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 I am back from Austin! Didn't do much, just went down to hang out with some old friends. Going to be back on campus tomorrow around 3ish, so I should have some updates and such then! The picture link is either broken or deleted. I'd like to see what the stand looks like! Haven't seen an all acrylic stand built before so it should be interesting I am eager to see any new advances on your build! I did fix the picture for the acrylic stand it should be working now. I will post a pic of our 25 gallon acrylic stand using the 8 inch canopy for you to see as well! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 Thats a sleek looking stand! Will there be a shelf inside? What's the price tag on the stand? Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Thats a sleek looking stand! Will there be a shelf inside? What's the price tag on the stand? Here are two pics of how it looks with out 25 gallon, I have everything hidden inside the cabinet, it has a secret door to enter the cabinet making it seem as it's on a trophy display! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 That looks really nice! Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Yeah, they really stand out nicely in your home or office, makes for a very modern look! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Pictures! Lets start with the filtration since everyone is interested in my bucket! It is made from a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket: What it looks like outside What it looks like from the top; both drains go into the Micron sock; theres another hole that is blocked where the return goes through Return pump; extra rock; going to have a rack for macros built later What the Avast ATO looks like; sensor partially blocked by return pump Feel free to ask questions! More tank pictures! Top view from the right side View from the right side Front view After I install the new bulkheads, the sand in the front should cover the bald spot again. Pebble is what my girlfriend brought back from Florida Keys when she went for a family vacation. It is one of the several she brought back found washed up on the beach. Also called me to ask how to properly clean the rock so I can put them in my tank (so I told her to just rinse it with the ocean water, then with warm tap water and leave it out in the sun, no soap) Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Bump for the night! Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Got the bulkheads from Mike today! Only got to install one though. Looks like the manufacturer of the bulkhead can't read and put FPT/Slip bulkheads in FPT/FPT packaging. Not a big deal though. Just needed at least one to shorten the return output by several inches, which is what is accomplished! Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Got the bulkheads from Mike today! Only got to install one though. Looks like the manufacturer of the bulkhead can't read and put FPT/Slip bulkheads in FPT/FPT packaging. Not a big deal though. Just needed at least one to shorten the return output by several inches, which is what is accomplished! Wow, Your tank looks so clean, I love the overflow box! Everything looks so crisp! I am contacting my supplier about the mistake, those came from my online vendor, thanks for the heads up! I have access to my walk in warehouse and they have the 3/4 bulk heads there. I can physically check them before I purchase! Run me the specs exactly on what you need, I will be going there today and will pick them up and send you priority mail so you can have backup! Thanks, MG Link to comment
duoc9119 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Thanks! I replied to the PM! Just two 3/4" threaded on both ends! Wow, Your tank looks so clean, I love the overflow box! Everything looks so crisp! I am contacting my supplier about the mistake, those came from my online vendor, thanks for the heads up! I have access to my walk in warehouse and they have the 3/4 bulk heads there. I can physically check them before I purchase! Run me the specs exactly on what you need, I will be going there today and will pick them up and send you priority mail so you can have backup! Thanks, MG Link to comment
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