fifty50 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 hey all. going to be building a 5.5g aga with false wall for a sump/fuge in the back. basically using the same design idea as i've seen others do on these forums. the tank will be for my gf's apt. i basically get to do what i want with it and she funds it all. a bunch of the hardware will be recycled from my old 5gal tank that i had. list as follows: -5.5g aga -28/32w PC retrofit -50/50 10k/ACT03 bulb -microjet mc450 (117gph) for return -50w heater from petco the microjet will be used as the return pump which will go through the false wall and flow through a 1/2" locline Y fitting. i'll eventually make a base/hood for the tank as well when i have time between my main project (see link in signature), and school work. basic design of the setup using sketchup. Link to comment
kevxross Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Sweeeet. I just came in from putting yet another coat of paint on the hood for mine. Livestock will be introduced very soon. I look forward to seeing what you do with yours/your gfs. What do you plan to put in it? I'm going with a High Fin Red Banded Goby and Pistol Shrimp, along with some LPS and polyps. Link to comment
fifty50 Posted May 29, 2006 Author Share Posted May 29, 2006 tank is on hold until i do the overflow and return hole for the false wall. as for livestock, not sure. i'll probably give her some zoo's and xenia from my tank and such. as for fish, no idea. still have awhile to think of wht to put in tho. Link to comment
fifty50 Posted May 31, 2006 Author Share Posted May 31, 2006 siliconed the false wall and baffles! sorry for the crappy pics w/ glare and such. and for the tank being dirty w/ finger prints, lol. plumbing parts come in next week (tubing, hose barb elbow, bulkhead, locline Y). will be cooking rock in the mean time. hood/base wont be constructed till end of june probably when i'm home and have access to proper tools to construct 'em. Link to comment
fifty50 Posted June 1, 2006 Author Share Posted June 1, 2006 water test went well. tank looks good w/ the light over it too. (that is not the hood that will be used. i just put that hood over the tank b/c the reflector was permanently staying put on that hood, lol). tape was to prevent water from going through. can kinda see water movement from main display, to refugium chamber, to return chamber. comments/questions/etc welcome! thanks for looking! Link to comment
shortstack Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 looks good. I am thinking about doing the same in the near future. By the way did you use sketchup for your diagram? I also noticed you used cad for your custom 10g in your other thread. Was curious because im an architect and use those programs...im a loser Link to comment
irishtexan Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Looks great so far! Has the tank started cycling yet? Link to comment
fifty50 Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 looks good. I am thinking about doing the same in the near future. By the way did you use sketchup for your diagram? I also noticed you used cad for your custom 10g in your other thread. Was curious because im an architect and use those programs...im a loser yea, i used sketchup for the design of this tank and the design of the sump/fuge on my custom 10g. the other cad drawings of the actual tank were done by scott @ aquatic systems design. i'm not sure what program he used for that. Looks great so far! Has the tank started cycling yet? tank will start cycling this weekend. i was waiting on the plumbing parts (bulkhead and locline). the tank is for my gf's apt and right now she lives 400mi away. so i'm heading out that way this weekend and will set things up to be cycled as well. going to get a bag of sand and seed it w/ some of the sand from my current 10g. hopefully that will help some. thanks for the comments! Link to comment
fifty50 Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 got the plumbing. leak test was a success. Link to comment
SnowShiva Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Looks good so far cant wait till you get the LR in there and get your cycle done! Just a question on the flow, I have had many people tell me to get a 60GPH pump for my 3UKGal Pico will your 117GPH be to strong? Or is it all down to the conversion between Blighty and the US? Oh and does your Girl have a knowledge of reef tanks or will you be the one maintaining it? I ask because my tank will occasionaly be left for up to 2 weeks without any attention and I just wondered if anyone else has the same trouble! Link to comment
fifty50 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 Looks good so far cant wait till you get the LR in there and get your cycle done! Just a question on the flow, I have had many people tell me to get a 60GPH pump for my 3UKGal Pico will your 117GPH be to strong? Or is it all down to the conversion between Blighty and the US? Oh and does your Girl have a knowledge of reef tanks or will you be the one maintaining it? I ask because my tank will occasionaly be left for up to 2 weeks without any attention and I just wondered if anyone else has the same trouble! to answer your questions, the 117gph pump i felt was wayy too weak. i barely felt anything coming through the locline Y. with a few modifications to the overflow teeth, i decided to go with the rio i had laying around. i believe it's the 600 or 800, can't remember which. flow is stronger, i just hope it's not too strong where it creates a sand storm, but we'll see. i'll be the one maintaining the tank. easy stuff will be kept in it so i dont think it will be bad for the tank to be left for 2wk's or so at a time. the only thing it will routinely need is top of water which she can handle. i transport the tank tomm night to her location. already have lil water in it from my 10g and some LS (mix from new LS from the store and some from my tank). some LR as well. Link to comment
fifty50 Posted July 15, 2006 Author Share Posted July 15, 2006 tank just been cycling. i was in the area over 4th of july weekend, transfered the tank from my parents to the gf's apt. still waiting on the hood which i should have by the time i'm down that way again (next weekend). will setup the lighting in the hood then. probably let it cycle some more. damn slow patient part of reefing. Link to comment
fifty50 Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 just some progress pics. seems like it's finishing up it's cycle. next time i'm there, i'll bring down some starter zoo's for her tank from mine def not the final rock work: hood needs to be stained differently: tank needs to be cleaned a lil: thanks for looking. Link to comment
SuperPuffer Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 looks awsome... betcha' can't wait to get it stocked Link to comment
fifty50 Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 got some live stock. 2 cerith snails, 2 scarlet hermit crabs to clean up. also got a 3stripe damsel, gf wanted it, lol. few new pics. fts: Link to comment
RP Beesh Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 i think you need to move the rock off the glass so you can clean it easier. but look good Link to comment
aquakevem Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 looks good what type of light are you going to use for the fuge? or are your using the pc bulbs you have on ther now Link to comment
brent-konieczny Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Yup.............your tank looks pretty scary right now.................... Link to comment
fifty50 Posted August 29, 2006 Author Share Posted August 29, 2006 lol yea, i only see it once every two weeks now. def needs to be re-aquascaped. i basically just through everything together to get it setup and cycling. Link to comment
brent-konieczny Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 That is understandable. Keeping a tank is just so time consuming sometimes (don't forget the huge additions of money for corals, equipment, ect.). I can't wait until I see your tank eventually come together. Link to comment
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