Mickle Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Hi fellas, fella'esses My 20 gallon reef tank has been going a while now running fine, its moving into a 55gallon 2 tank n sump system in a couple of months but I love the nanoness Smile I have 2 tanks laying around... OK I have 5 tanks laying around but 2 I want to use lol I am planning on making myself a stand and hood myself, just a few supports and a bit of painted MDF jobbie. The two tanks are as follows: A foot cube for the display with a capacity of about 27 litres, not drilled has a condensation tray, no light or hood of any sort. An ex family gold fish tank, years and years old (goldie the gold fish now rescued, severly stunted Sad), will need re-sealing (no problem) very small, measuring in inches, 12x8x8, holds around 12-13 litres. I will probably get some separators and divide it longways to get more filtration options in. For the pump I am thinking of getting a 750lph one to power a closed loop (found some on the cheap for £15 lol) Any sugestions on how to get an even flow, or the power of the pump, good bad? For the return I was thinking of having an overflow box/ making one myself, I need to read up on these as I havent a clue how these work Any sugestions on this? I also need to have some sugestions on lighting thrown at me as I don't know what I can fit over this tank Any reconmendations on skimmers? On my 20gallon atm there is an 800l rated monster from TMC and I love it, I'm thinking of maybe going for an airstone as opposed to venturi on this one...? Well now my heads a bit clearer anyway lol as mentioned sugestions are more than welcome and thanks for reading though all that drivel Link to comment
Mickle Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 I've started to make some things up, Ive decided to go with Melcolm's Cheap Overflow. I have the containers and have drilled and installed the bulkhead, I still need to fix them on the side of the aquarium and get the hose. I still havent decided wether I'm going to make a skimmer or buy one. Nor have I decided on lighting. I've got all of the materials for the stand and will start to build it next week me thinks I have 2 50watt heaters ready to go into the sump but still need to get some acrilic for the dividers. I'll get my major plumbing stuff at the weekend I'm thinking this might just work as a diary from now on Link to comment
formerly icyuodd/icyoud2 Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 cant wait to see the progress! keep us posted. Link to comment
Mickle Posted March 29, 2006 Author Share Posted March 29, 2006 Bad day in th e 20 gallon My 1 week gone black and white clowns disapeared! completey vanished, checked aroud and even thoroughly in the tank and I see no sign. The other clown and inverts are all fine and the levels check out perfect even the ntrates low! I'm now petrified theres a nasty pred in my tank that got it, though fter nearly 2 months you would expect to see a small hermit go or a snail? No further dev on the tank yet today... Link to comment
Mickle Posted March 29, 2006 Author Share Posted March 29, 2006 re-sealed the sump and cut some supports to size for the stand, I will get some pics at some point Link to comment
Mickle Posted March 30, 2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2006 siliconed the rest of the overflow, hope silicone is enough to hold it Got a piece of hosing, and with some cable ties I've made a u tube. cant wait for it to dry so I can test it In all the total cost of the whole overflow was the price of a 3/4" bulkhead, the rest was made from a couple of old tupperwear things my mum didnt want, lil bit of free hose, lil peice from an old condensation tray, the cable ties and some silicone I had laying around... Great!... if it works I've also thought about the final stocking... 1 citron clown goby 1 cleaner shrimp 2 turbo snails 1 hermit In my 20, the other clowns still happy, really freindly fellow Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 Have the wood cut for the stand now, still not a clue on the lighting, think I'll make a skimmer on this tank. hmm... REally need to post pictures soon, I'll give you pics of my 20g and my other custom tank, my windowsil garden pond Link to comment
formerly icyuodd/icyoud2 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 well quit teasing and show us some pics Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 2, 2006 Author Share Posted April 2, 2006 OK here we are, I have the plumbing all done, forgot to pick up pipe clamp things lol I know the name but my brains dead! After working selling the things all day anywho... I need 2 more sheets of wood for the base and top of the stand which I'll get wednesday, I also need hinges and one of those magnetic door holders. Oh and some more screws and screw hiders lol, best not forget those! I've tested the overflow and it works brilliantly I can't test the return line untill I have the stand, The return splits into 2 both regulatable. I'm also able to direct the water movement with the nozzles The pump I ended up buying is a 700lph blagdon, I figured I'd pay the £5 more for the ceramic impelor shaft The sump still needs its acrillic dividers, I'll need to figure out the layout yet, I would like a prefilter sponge, biobals, a DSB, my heaters and a skimmer... I also need to get some good plans for small skimmer designs So, heres some pics! The front of the tank, all parts will be painted black, I'm also going to paint the back of the tank black too. The side showing how deep the equipment goes, it will be protected by the stand The back showing all my handywork Heres the sump with the 2 heaters and pump, it also shows the layout will be diffucult to say the least Heres my 20g built in to a built in cabinate with the top cuboard open to show some goodies (TMC v2 800 skimmer and the t5 and actinic lighting) And my cold water asian stream/indoor pond, The rock work hides the piping for the waterfall, its all on my 4 foot windowcill theres a nice little garden planter with a bonzai and some other yet to be planted things, I still need to put the bamboo screening all the wayt round to hide all of the supports and things Link to comment
formerly icyuodd/icyoud2 Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 very nice! i have a few bonsia in the apartment (indoor tropicals-due to the climite/fact i live in a second floor apartment) some i've had for almost 10 years. so believe you me, when i say i'd love to see more pic's of the river window set up. stumbled across this on the weekend. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/...ature/index.php a marine river set up in the window, would be fabulous! Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 2, 2006 Author Share Posted April 2, 2006 Won't be changing the tank for a while, even with all these temptations The bonsais doing ok, I think it needs watering a bit more often, I give the leaves a spray twice a day but its not thriving as I would like I'll get some more pics soon, its a bit late right now Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 Broke the overflow lol Think I might use some acrilic this time instead of really trying to be cheap Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 3, 2006 Author Share Posted April 3, 2006 I have almost finished making the stand, still needs painting and a few other bits, hinges etc... just thought I'd let you know oh and I named my clown Larry, as in on his I thought he might host on a big green furry mushroom... he seems to like both a power head and the bubble stop on my skimmer more though lol fish! Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 4, 2006 Author Share Posted April 4, 2006 Heres how the stands looking, needs painting, and I think I'll put in a shelve. Aslo the Asian tank a bit more and larry being his nice self Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 5, 2006 Author Share Posted April 5, 2006 Its painted! The return line was tested... oh dear, pump wasent strong enough atall, I took it back and part exchanged it for a 2000lph model... perfect! The sump I'm thinking of just having lr and a fuge maybe construct a small filter medium container and some sort of skimmer... yet to decide on that. But it looks... ok, the door warped abit as i painted it really quite stupid of me lol pics soon Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 5, 2006 Author Share Posted April 5, 2006 Ok pictures, and take a look at the sump, not alot of room! I also found out acrylic is hard to work with lol hmm... Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 6, 2006 Author Share Posted April 6, 2006 wet tested, was a bit loud, put a bit of foam over the intake on the overflow box and its pretty quiet still need to cut and layout the acrylic for the sump dividers, choose a light and skimmer for the sump. Think I'll go for 3 25w t5s over the main tank... sound good? Link to comment
Izzue Posted April 6, 2006 Share Posted April 6, 2006 Did you ever find your clown??? Just skimmed through thread... if i missed it sorry... Looks very nice Izzue Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 No Spoke to my manager (LFS employee) and he confirmed my suspisions, that the clown would have been eaten by the cleanup crew... theres a new post about it somwhere by somone else... Though with my manager, he bought a £95 flame angel, had it for a couple of months and the smae thing happend, just gone without a trace Link to comment
formerly icyuodd/icyoud2 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 looking good! nice set up. do you have a durso/ standpipe in your overflow? best way to quiet a noisy overflow Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 No although I'm thinking about it , so far just a sponge has worked great Need to empty it again and sort out something else I got today... another 12x8x8 sump, to be mounted above the bottom one, I'm going to have another overflow from that to the bottom sump, with the tanks overflow going to that one, which will be arefugium, leaving the bottom sump free for the equipment and crused live rock I also bought a toadstool for my 20g... couldent resist, it looks quite good, I have a move about too... the mushroom hadent fully extended again yet and Larrys such an attention seeker! Pics of 20G: Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 9, 2006 Author Share Posted April 9, 2006 Built the shelf for the refugium and bought all the rest of the components for the plumbing... no money for a while now lol question... can I cycle the tank with no lighting? I could put a 36w PC over it hmm oh yeah lol my minds about shot right now -yawn- i built a new overflow for the fuge Just got to wait for the silicone to dry then I can wet test it ......wo! Link to comment
Mickle Posted April 11, 2006 Author Share Posted April 11, 2006 Wet tested, my floor is just about dry now and tinkering is pretty much done... the pegs are tempory lol still need a skimmer and lighting for all tanks lol but here are the pics, anyone trying to do this a little tip... do it out side oh a quick q... What paints are aquarium safe? Thanks Link to comment
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