NanoTopia Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 October 26 2013 Cycle Started The light is just temporary. I am thinking I will add one small live rock to the left side, when I can make it to the ocean. Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Gurl! I'm loving it! Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 Gurl! I'm loving it! Thanks Mike, I wanted to add, for everyone following this thread, that I placed the start-up sea water in the freezer for an hour or so. This brought the water down to a chilling 3 degrees celsius. After adding the water to the tank the water bounced up to 10 degrees C, (expected). An hour later (with the chiller on) the water is at 11 degrees celsius (51.8oF)... COLD! I used my regular salt mix (DD H2Ocean Pro) at SG 1.026. I have added bacteria (1mL), liquid carbon (1mL), and sponge power (1mL), all KZ Zeovit products, to start the cycle off. As I mentioned above I am considering introducing a small (1.5") live rock from the ocean to the display. This would introduce native bacteria and organisms also, add some interest to the display area. Link to comment
tlombardo Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I think the display would look great with a nice little native rock there. It needs something although that rock wall looks better than ever now that it's wet Tony Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 I think the display would look great with a nice little native rock there. It needs something although that rock wall looks better than ever now that it's wet Tony Thanks, I agree it needs something more. I am going on a trip to Vancouver Island in a month to acquire some live stock, but I may hit the coast here for a good rock that is far enough away from the pollution belt Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Thanks Mike, I wanted to add, for everyone following this thread, that I placed the start-up sea water in the freezer for an hour or so. This brought the water down to a chilling 3 degrees celsius. After adding the water to the tank the water bounced up to 10 degrees C, (expected). An hour later (with the chiller on) the water is at 11 degrees celsius (51.8oF)... COLD! I used my regular salt mix (DD H2Ocean Pro) at SG 1.026. I have added bacteria (1mL), liquid carbon (1mL), and sponge power (1mL), all KZ Zeovit products, to start the cycle off. As I mentioned above I am considering introducing a small (1.5") live rock from the ocean to the display. This would introduce native bacteria and organisms also, add some interest to the display area. Excellent results! I knew our system would keep nice temps comfortable to sustain life of temperate waters! I tested the original half a year before I went live! There was a reason I went to Reefapalooza with a Micro-Reefs t-shirt that read 55F degrees of COOLNESS! Link to comment
MarieH Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 October 26 2013 Cycle Started The light is just temporary. I am thinking I will add one small live rock to the left side, when I can make it to the ocean. Yes. Cooolness! Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Hopefully your cycle is going good! I am still working on the acrylic stand for my tank but had to rebuild the 2 gallon to the same dims as what you have. I had changed it up but the majority of reefers purchased yours, so I decided to redo my tank to the original dims I started. Makes sense to offer an aquarium with the same dims as you are promoting... Link to comment
tibbsy07 Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Wow. Just... Wow. Where did you come up with the idea of using cement and the mold? Talk about creative, clever, ingenious and resourceful! This whole thing is amazing. Did you cut the stand with a table saw or what? Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 Yes. Cooolness! 55oF of cooooool Hopefully your cycle is going good! I am still working on the acrylic stand for my tank but had to rebuild the 2 gallon to the same dims as what you have. I had changed it up but the majority of reefers purchased yours, so I decided to redo my tank to the original dims I started. Makes sense to offer an aquarium with the same dims as you are promoting... Looking forward to seeing your stand Mike, I know it will look clean and awesome. The stand is working quite well for me, some friends have commented on how sleek it all looks, along with the tank of course. Wow. Just... Wow. Where did you come up with the idea of using cement and the mold? Talk about creative, clever, ingenious and resourceful! This whole thing is amazing. Did you cut the stand with a table saw or what? I spent some time at the Vancouver Aquarium, doing shows and diving in quite a few displays. I was always amazed at how they could re-create the biotope with faux rock made from various forms of cement. It really looked like you were on the coast of Vancouver island. Now, my attempt at this was challenging being so small but I am pretty happy with it. It serves as a more natural looking surface for life to attach to and as a way to stabilize temperature in the tank. I think it will look different once I get some life on it. I am planning a small trip this weekend to the ocean to look for a small live rock and maybe a crab or two. In a month I will head over to Vancouver Island for some more interesting organisms. The cement was moulded, no cutting required, although I had to take some rough spots off with the Dremel. Look back a page or two and you will see the process I used to make the wall. This could be done on a larger scale but the overall weight of the cement has to be considered, works better in smaller tanks IMO. Link to comment
slidinstar Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 55oF of cooooool Looking forward to seeing your stand Mike, I know it will look clean and awesome. The stand is working quite well for me, some friends have commented on how sleek it all looks, along with the tank of course. I spent some time at the Vancouver Aquarium, doing shows and diving in quite a few displays. I was always amazed at how they could re-create the biotope with faux rock made from various forms of cement. It really looked like you were on the coast of Vancouver island. Now, my attempt at this was challenging being so small but I am pretty happy with it. It serves as a more natural looking surface for life to attach to and as a way to stabilize temperature in the tank. I think it will look different once I get some life on it. I am planning a small trip this weekend to the ocean to look for a small live rock and maybe a crab or two. In a month I will head over to Vancouver Island for some more interesting organisms. The cement was moulded, no cutting required, although I had to take some rough spots off with the Dremel. Look back a page or two and you will see the process I used to make the wall. This could be done on a larger scale but the overall weight of the cement has to be considered, works better in smaller tanks IMO. Can't wait to see it all in full swing. Needless to say, you're way ahead of my progress. Just finished the stand...pre-stain. I'm using a similar approach as you have with the rock on the back wall. I'll be using a magnet from one of my aqua mags to secure a cut piece of LR from Marco Rocks. Still building the light......soon, very soon! Link to comment
tennis20 Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Stunning!! Amazingly well done! I think you should just start a thread with your diving pictures. THat would be so cool. Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 8, 2013 Author Share Posted November 8, 2013 LED Build Part 1 Started the LED build for the tank. Spectrum isn't that important for temperate marine life but I still wanted to provide something better than a GU10 bulb off the shelf. So, being me, I went for OVERKILL, LOL. As you may remember, I F'd up the first heat sink so I had to wait for some new ones to arrive. I ordered 2, (extra one just in case), 40x100x20mm 100% Chinese aluminum, LOL. They were cheap and came remarkably fast, that's two pluses I needed to drill out the holes (to be tapped) for the two 40x6mm 12v Fans. Took some careful measuring and plotting, not a lot of room for error, thus my second attempt. Then I tapped all 8 holes after they were drilled right through. Nice fit. Painted the fan covers with black Plastidip so they would look cool, and so they wouldn't rust. Added the 40x6mm Fans and fan covers to the heat sink. Looking at the bottom of the heat sink where the LED's will be attached. This is the right stuff, do it right or not at all, LOL. Had these LED boards from another build, recycle people! VINTAGE BIN... 2 x Cree 3w Cool white, and 2x Cree 3w Blue. Does the job. (Just for you Ben ) Part 2 coming soooooooon! Link to comment
Gramophone Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 You make me feel lazy with all of this DIY stuff, NanoTopia Fantastic work! Link to comment
Arkayology Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Your DIY skills never cease to amaze me Christine Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share Posted November 9, 2013 You make me feel lazy with all of this DIY stuff, NanoTopia Fantastic work! Your DIY skills never cease to amaze me Christine Thanks guys, I am exhausted, when this tank is done I am taking a long break from building anything, just going to sit back and enjoy my reefs for the next few months. Link to comment
Reef_Suds Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Thanks guys, I am exhausted, when this tank is done I am taking a long break from building anything, just going to sit back and enjoy my reefs for the next few months. Yea right! Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 LED Build Part 2 Built the acrylic box that the heat sink assembly will sit in. The box is cemented to the ½" acrylic lid but the heat sink assembly can be removed easily for cleaning and maintenance. Link to comment
Giga Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 LED Build Part 2 Built the acrylic box that the heat sink assembly will sit in. The box is cemented to the ½" acrylic lid but the heat sink assembly can be removed easily for cleaning and maintenance. I think your went overkill on the cooling-I love it! Have you seen my thread, I have no room to talk about overkill! Link to comment
waldoz Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 You have got some mad fab skills! Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 I think your went overkill on the cooling-I love it! Have you seen my thread, I have no room to talk about overkill! wow u be my heroine. You have got some mad fab skills! Thank you all, I am planning to add dimmers on both channels of the fixture at some point, the dimmers I bought will not work on 350mA driver so I am consulting my LED expert (Dave@NanoBoxLed) for advice. 4x 3w led is just a bit bright ATM. Sure I will get it all worked out Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Life! Doesn't look like I will make it over to Vancouver Island until January. The lower tides do not work in my favour for the next few weeks, difficult to collect in the dark. So I went locally in Vancouver and picked up a small barnacle rock, 2 muscles, seaweed, and some shore crabs so I would have something to look at for a while, better than nothing. Feeding phytoplankton and clam meat at the moment, day two and everything looks okay. Here is the largest one out and feeding... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEq5TcS0flo Link to comment
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