2G Cube [Casa Del Zoa]

[Reefkid88]

So I picked up a 15g breeder today,I love the dims of these tanks. It's been sitting in my bro n laws garage for like 3 years. So it's sitting on the back porch with water to check the seals with a fold of project thingy kids use for school to hide it from the sun.

 

Filtration- I have a few questions,as for filtration I hve 3 choices: 1) Ehiem canister filter or 2) AC50 with carbon 3)Media Reactor that I am currently running now. I really don't want to sump it,even thought I have my 7 gallon I could use and I have a spare 5 gallon. I don't really want to drill,so a over the back drain would have to bee the choice I would go with. I don't want many fish,just a pair of Clown's and maybe a pair of Neon Gobies so I don't have to run a skimmer. I would just pick up a Reef Octopus NS80 (small and cheap) along with 4 gallon water changes on the weekend.

 

Flow- It is going to be 2 RW-4's at 500mA,1 at 1A would work,but eff it. One will be on each side of the tank,to create a random not so turbulent flow compared to both or even 1 at 1A.

 

Lighting- I will either use my light that I have over my tank now (2x 24" T5's and a bunch of leds),or I would use my current leds and add some and go full led. Haven't really thought of it yet,so I'm not 110% on this. I wish the fixture was bigger,because 4 bulbs just can't get an amazing color combo. My current array won't cover the 24" length of the tank fully (maybe Ben can chime in to see if 2 arrays will cover it),so I would have to get a bigger sink and space everything out more for a little more even coverage. If I revamp the array it would probably be 2-3 clusters of Ch1: 1 NW,1 Regular Blue,1 Cyan & 1 Hyper Violet and Ch2: 2 (maybe 4) Ultramarine Blue's,2 (maybe 4) Royal's,1 True Violet and 1 Hyper Violet. So all I would have to order would be the regular blue's and the cyan's and a few more royals. I would probably need a bigger PSU as my CLG-150-36 probably couldn't handle the only 28 leds my Basic 2 Up from Makers can handle,but I could be wrong. Once again,I may have to revamp the array to stay within the limits of what I already have for hardware so I don't have to fork out too much money and just reuse whatever I already have.

 

So please,input people

[teenyreef]

Personally I hate canister filters. I have a big Fluval 406 on my 90g FW tank, and I only clean it once a month because it's such an ordeal to disconnect it, carry it to the sink, take it all apart, clean all the trays and sponges, fill it back up with water, drag it back to the tank, and then hook it back up.

 

I'd do the AC-50 with an InTank media tray. Take off the cover, lift out the tray, replace the media, and maybe clean it off if it needs it.

 

The only downside I see to just using the reactor is you can't run floss if you need to.

[Reefkid88]

Thats my only complain about canisters,they are seriously a pain. I remember helping my bro n law whwn he has his 40g planted tank,and it was frustrating trying to get it open and closed again and priming to for forever.

 

Im thinking a AC50 may be my only useful option,especially for what I want to do. I could use some in the reactor and just get a higher gph pump,and hide it in a overflow box,I really just don't want to kill the clean look. I plan for it to be cleaner than my 7g.

 

I will be building a stand to hide everything in and nothing around the stand like now.

[ImAllBlurry]

What about a filter insert from Oceanbox Designs? You could turn your breeder into an AIO and customize it to your specs.

[Reefkid88]

What about a filter insert from Oceanbox Designs? You could turn your breeder into an AIO and customize it to your specs.

That is always a good option,but for trying to not spend more than is really needed,it's not really a viable option. I could sump my tank and get a skimmer and return pump for the cost (not that his work isn't amazing and the quality to much) but it's not justifiable for me.

[Glweek]

Of the lights you picked id go 26hd or just keep the t5's and ad a prime HD. I went kessil a150: love to AI prime: hate (color) to Prime HD: Much better but still not 100% happy to Kessil: 360we Love and will be keeping for the long haul. (zoa and lps tank 24x24x12 cube light 14" off water surface running at 70%)

 

Nothing I hate more than someone telling me how to do something differently with a dog...and i apologize if you feel the same way. I used to train dogs and can almost guarantee you don't work it out as much as you need to be. Some dogs due it to because of separation anxiety but the vast majority do it because they don't get enough exercise. Some dogs just by nature have a ton of energy and if you don't direct that energy anywhere they will find a way to expel it. Ive worked with dogs where if you don't spend literally an hour or more with them everyday working them till exhaustion...walks do nothing fetch/chase other dogs/ swimming etc, they become very difficult to handle and even missing one days work out is noticeable.

[Reefkid88]

Well we never got out bonus as of yet,so a light of that nature isn't going to happen any time soon. I will be using my light that I have built until I am in the position to fork the big chunk of change out for a bigger and better light.

 

As for the dog,he is a mess. I love him,but whew.

[Reefkid88]

 

 

 

Acan Garden slowly coming together slowly.

[teenyreef]

Aw yeah, I love that second shot

[Reefkid88]

Aw yeah, I love that second shot

It was all orange basically when I got it about a month ago,and last night it looked like that.

 

 

 

 

 

So,I ended up getting my Christmas bonus today,finally. I wasn't even expecting it at this point and time.. But that being said does anyone think a 12" sink would be able to provide adequate coverage for a 24" long tank ?

[Reefkid88]

Looks like I'm going to grab a ocean revive light and not even worry about building a new light.

[Reefkid88]

Light is paid for,and possibly might pick up a Tunze DOC-9002 if the deal goes thru,chexked the tank and seals are good hasn't leaked a drop. Maybe this weekend I will venture out and try and find some rocks for a scape. Saturday Im going to take some 2x4's from work and try and set a stand built within the next week or so.

[Reefkid88]

Also got a NS-80 skimmer for the build which should work out perfect. And then I need to order some 1/4" acrylic to make another aio area.

[Reefkid88]

I got the skimmer in the mail last night,got it running and even after a few hours,the skim is basically water,but its a green tea color and this morning the skim is a little more dry and actual foam is collecting in the cup. So I am assuming my tank was dirty as hell lol.

 

My light got sent out a little later than I was hoping,but it will be here Saturday. I found a 12"x10" sheet of 1/4" black acrylic laying around and it will be enough for me to make a false wall area to hide the skimmer,return pump and pump for the media reactor. Now I just need to get a 1 1/8th hole saw to drill the holes for the LifeGard Aquatics strainer over flow and the return.

 

[Reefkid88]

Got the light last night,and eh I'm not happy woth how over powering the white channel is. Even at 1% it over powers the blue channel which was at 40%. What to do,what to do..

 

This was whites on 1% and blues at 75%

[lilmatty5dimes]

Got the light last night,and eh I'm not happy woth how over powering the white channel is. Even at 1% it over powers the blue channel which was at 40%. What to do,what to do..

 

This was whites on 1% and blues at 75%

Dang that sucks. That's how mine reef radiance nano was. I had to have the white at 5 and blues 100 just to get a 14k look. It sucked.

[Reefkid88]

If i can't figure something out back to the chopping black and I will sell or trade the light for something else. I didn't really have time to mess with it last night before I had a family dinner to go to.

[Sea_Of_Treachery]

Well,we didn't get out bonuses yet. So I did a little Black Friday shopping today and scored these 4 pieces for under $20 !!!

 

This about 90% true to color:

 

Never had a Favia before:

 

This Acan reminds me of my Micro colony:

 

My last Twizzlers melted,so I got another frag:

 

Also,for all you dog lovers,my dog is making it hard for me to love him loo this is the 2nd time he has broke out of his cage and done this to my apartment:

 

Man, i cannot tell you how many times my new dog has done this as well. Hes destroyed a bunch of aquarium equipment i had laying around. My fault though but i love that dude to death. I always fear I'm going to come come with a tank on the ground.

[Reefkid88]

 

Man, i cannot tell you how many times my new dog has done this as well. Hes destroyed a bunch of aquarium equipment i had laying around. My fault though but i love that dude to death. I always fear I'm going to come come with a tank on the ground.

Ive had countless dogs growing up,and he by far is the worst. Sad thing is,he is smart as hell but just bad. So we got him a training collar and I've working with him every night for a hour to try and get things instilled in his mind.

 

On another note,I'm going to place a order tonight for some t5 bulbs to replace the 2 B+ in my fixture. After last night,I'm going to keep my retro around until I figure out what Im going to do with the Ocean Revive fixture.

[Reefkid88]

Just placed a order for 2 Giesemann Actinic+,2 Red Sea Actinics and 1 Red Sea 15k,all were on sale at Salty Supply,so I figured why not. My B+ need replacing here soon anyways.

[Reefkid88]

Pulled the T247 off the tabk,I'm just not happy with the color,so I put the hybrid back over the tank for the meantime... I swear..

[lilmatty5dimes]

Hey you interested in 2 24" reef brite? Buddy has them for $200

[Reefkid88]

Hey you interested in 2 24" reef brite? Buddy has them for $200

 

Oh wow,sorry I'm just now seeing this. Eh,I don't know... I'm still debating on what I'm going to do with the tank.. It's in horrible condition,I'm just not even digging messing with it anymore. I'm still debating on what tank I want to restart with or if I just want to shut the tank down as a whole and take a break... I found a 12" cube at work with a black back that I may just switch over to and just run a super simple set up.

[lilmatty5dimes]

 

Oh wow,sorry I'm just now seeing this. Eh,I don't know... I'm still debating on what I'm going to do with the tank.. It's in horrible condition,I'm just not even digging messing with it anymore. I'm still debating on what tank I want to restart with or if I just want to shut the tank down as a whole and take a break... I found a 12" cube at work with a black back that I may just switch over to and just run a super simple set up.

Oh man that sucks. A had a 12" cube with an aquaclear filter and a cheap reef reeder value led on top and it was probably my best looking tank.

[Reefkid88]

Oh man that sucks. A had a 12" cube with an aquaclear filter and a cheap reef reeder value led on top and it was probably my best looking tank.

 

It's just becoming more of a pain to keep everything clean than I'm even spending enjoying the tank. I still have a bunch of led's I can re-vamp my led light and just go full led with a AC50 and a RW4. Just Acan's and some Zoa's.