--chris-- Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Par 38 bulbs Too much moola for me and this cheapo frag tank. Hows this About 15 gallons of frag tank, 5 for equipment. Equipment list is heater, ato, HOB filter for media. Cheato in the overflow side. Return pump will use 3/8" hose and simply dump back over the wall. I need to build a small rack to place filter floss on for debris removal, but im almost done. Just need to order up an ATO, some GU10 bulbs (yep GU10's...i settled on them unless someone local gives me a wicked deal on T5's) and a smaller heater to fit this. I really wanted to use this: But i know i would set that up and put 10 frags in it lol. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Just ordered a autotopoff.com nano single ATO. 2-7 days for shipping...it will be here before i get this wet. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Progress on my lunch...painted the false wall area and got the glass glued into the overflow section to hold the egg crate (which will hold the filter material). Thats it for today. Test fitting the pump & hose tomorrow. 5 more days until the Ebay GU10 seller is back from Chinese new year. Link to comment
Reeftech Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 What about your surface skimmer area and the return line hole? Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 What about your surface skimmer area and the return line hole? i cant get a good pic of the surface skimmer on the phone, but what i did was cut the false wall 3/16" like a weir for an external overflow. for the return side im going to simply put the hose over the wall Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 14, 2013 Author Share Posted February 14, 2013 So while waiting for my 10 month old to wake up (that almost never happens, he likes to rise and shine around 5:50 almost every morning)...i was thinking about what i will need to make the top/canopy to hold the GU10's. I picked up some grade B 1x2 (all the HD near me had besides furniture grade pine and oak), some 1 5/8" trim screws and started thinking long and hard about where this tank will end up. Im thinking this tank belongs somewhere i am: 1) Too busy to fiddle with it constantly 2) Somewhere the cost of running it isnt really a concern (to me) 3) Somewhere that has automatice power in case of a failure ITS GOING IN MY OFFICE AT WORK! Specifically, here on this messy desk i never use. Ill have to find somewhere else to store my 1993 CCTV, styro bowls, and my old accounting calculator.. Darn. Something i have to think about. This office is heated/cooled except at night and on weekends, where in the summer the AC is turned up too 80 and in the winter the heat is turned down to 64. 64 is no big deal...i will have a heater in the tank. 80 could be a problem. I was originally thinking of making a canopy that encloses the whole thing with a 80mm PC fan pushing air out. But in the summer that may be a big problem if it gets warm here at night which does happen. The other option is to make something that is suspended over the tank 10" or so. I cant suspend it from the ceiling. It would have to have either legs to rest on the tank or a stand (made from conduit or PVC?). Im open to ideas here, if anyone wants to throw something out there... Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 19, 2013 Author Share Posted February 19, 2013 Slooooow progress, but its getting done right and I have to wait for china to get its ass in gear anyways. This is the bottom part of the canopy that will hold the GU10 LED's. Got the notch done today for the power cords. It just occured to me that ill either have to drill a hole for the top off water hose to fit through or enlarge that slot....figure that out later. I also got my ATO.com top off today, mocked it up and its ready. I need to get some 3/8" hose for the ATO and the return pump, the GU10's, the sockets for them, two timers (one for display light, one for fuge light), heater, make or find a top off reservoir, bring into work (where the tank is) some filter material and egg crate so i can finish the overflow...and i think thats its for parts. I may use GFO and carbon, if i do it will go in bags in the overflow section. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Ordered my lights today Should be here around the first week of march. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Progress. Lights will be 9.5" from water surface. Was aiming for 10, but measured wrong and ended up at 9.5". Strip of wood in the middle will hold all the sockets. Wiring will be zip tied to the top the strip. Im having second thoughts about having this tank at work. On one hand, it would cost me almost nothing to keep it (thanks employer). On the other hand, IF the shop lost power i would be pretty upset about losing all my frags. Also, the swaps i do near my home on the weekends...what would i do with the frags from Friday afternoon to Saturday/Sunday? Id have to either float them in my tank, acclimate them, or just hope for the best.... ahh problems. Link to comment
Reeftech Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Keeping it at home will be the better option if you shop doesnt have backup power or if you dont have key access. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have key access, and the shop does have a back up power source...but im not 100% certain it powers non essential things like random outlets/office lights. I know it runs our machines, some shop lights, climate control, etc...but i dont think the office has much support from it. But like i said above, the last time we lost power was July 4th last year for about 2 hours. Before that it was about 3 years. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Thanks man, appreciate it. I got some goodies in the mail... Because of a (positive) unforeseen circumstance popping up, this is as far as ill be going with the hood on this tank. I have also decided to keep it at home, since it will be a bit ugly. Still waiting on the bulbs. I keep forgetting to get the hose for the return pump...once thats in i can set it up and move in the live rock, then the frags. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 Anyone have a suggestion for a heater controller? Im usually a fan of using a RKL base package when someone wants just a heater controller for consistency and no other functions, but id rather not put $110 into just the heater controller. I seen another member on here said he was using the Finnex Max-300 with success for a few months, which is $30. Anyone else have a suggestion? Link to comment
Veng Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Used RKLs are generally 80$ or less. I have to imagine you'd be able to find a use for the other outlets, like feeding mode if nothing else. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 Used RKLs are generally 80$ or less. I have to imagine you'd be able to find a use for the other outlets, like feeding mode if nothing else. It is tempting, but ive been looking for a used RKL...they go quick! Ive been trying to get one used for my main tank for the same reason (temp & light control as well as doser control). I am probably jumping the gun though. Ill see how this via aqua ti heater does with its control. The one in my main tank has a 3 degree variation in 24 hours. Id like to keep it closer to 1.5 max. Ive got a toms min/max digital thermometer ill stick in the tank and see how it does for a few days taking the min max twice a day. If its closer to 2 degrees i can live with that. If its not, ill be looking for a controller. I got the "canopy" frame killz'd primered today. I have the 20 gallon all packed up and ready to go home as well. Ill be setting it up this week/end with the live rock from a friends tank. Then when they lights come in, ill wire that up and ill be in business. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Sockets came in, so of course i threw them on. Yes thats upside down, for viewing purposes. I have three bulbs on hand so i test fitted them, and everthing fits well. I have about 1/8"-1/4" spacing between bulbs. Ill work on the wiring part later today so when the bulbs come in i can just pop them in and get goin. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 I got busy after work. Please dont judge me by my basement, its a 500 sq ft storage locker for the rest of the house Ive got almost everything how i want it. I just need some live rock and the bulbs. Im short on time, so ill just post pics and fill in the blanks later... edit: Got time, ill add descriptions now.. Back of the tank, i used some wood screws to hang the top off pump and the heater controller. This is the finished wiring for the sockets, i need to get some zip ties to fasten them down. They are indeed soldered under the electrical tape. The overflow works great. Its handling about 450 GPH quietly and it skims like crazy. I had some cloudiness last night because of the sand. That little filter pad cleared it right up by the morning. You can see some debris it caught in the 5 minutes it was running when this pic was taken. This is the return for the pump. Its 3/8" run to that egg crate thats glued to the magnet cleaner. This will work for now, i want to clean this up when i figure out how to do it cleanly. This is the other end where the hose dumps, next to the koralia 750. FTS in my messy basement. That one light is the fuge light, just 3x3 watt LEDS warm white from ebay (6 watts actual as some people have found by testing). Link to comment
--chris-- Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Update on the overflow...its working very good. I checked it this morning to make sure the tank wasn't overflowing since the return pump is larger than i imagined. The filter pad is loaded with the sand dust and misc debris i missed when i vacuumed the tank out. I think if i replace the pad when i do the weekly WC i should be good. Link to comment
Reefmaster1996 Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 I have a 20 gallon long that runs at 81-82 degrees, and this past week I installed to 80mm 32cfm computer fans and it cooled the tank down to 76, but with my heater I like to keep the tank at 78. This works perfect for me. I got 2 silenx 80mm computer fans. Hey are super quiet only produce less than 30db which is a very light hum, barely noticeable, and effective. Link to comment
--chris-- Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 I have a 20 gallon long that runs at 81-82 degrees, and this past week I installed to 80mm 32cfm computer fans and it cooled the tank down to 76, but with my heater I like to keep the tank at 78. This works perfect for me. I got 2 silenx 80mm computer fans. Hey are super quiet only produce less than 30db which is a very light hum, barely noticeable, and effective. Great ideas for you warmer folks. Evaporotive cooling with LED's should almost eliminate a chiller it seems... I got my rock Nothing pretty, but it is a frag tank. Link to comment
Hexadron Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 This actually looks a lot better than some full fledged reefs Link to comment
xxbrianxx Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Dang I was going to suggest making a raceway to use flow more efficiently, but I guess it's a little late for that. Either way, lookin good! Link to comment
--chris-- Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 This actually looks a lot better than some full fledged reefs lol, well thanks Dang I was going to suggest making a raceway to use flow more efficiently, but I guess it's a little late for that. Either way, lookin good! That is a good idea....if i ever outgrow this i will look into that. Right now just about all the flow from the return pump is being "absorbed" by the rock on the right to keep the sand from blowing around. Link to comment
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