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Muraki's Mr. Aqua 22 Long


Muraki

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Muraki's 22 Long
(Tank name will probably change, suggestions?)

Original Post:

 

I started with a Spec V, with very little knowledge on saltwater tanks. The Spec V is almost 2 years old now, and the clownfish has grown to the point he deserves a new tank. This time, with more experience, and lots of reading on Nano-Reef, I plan to build a tank more to my liking, rather than tossing something together like I did with the Spec.

Current Issues I wish to avoid:
- The Spec has issues that I want to avoid in the new tank, such as a thick sand bed along with to much Live Rock. I did not scape ahead of time, and regret it. Very limited on space in the tank now.
- I have been fighting Nitrate issues (I refuse to give numbers out of shame) but I am winning the fight with removing the sand bed little by little from the tank. I did not have the live rock in the tank first, it was pace on the sand, so the pistol shrimp has been consistently shifting things. I plan on securing the live rock to the glass on the new tank.

***Nitrate issues turned out to be a bad test kit***

The Plan
I prefer to keep everything as low maintenance as possible. In the future I might consider going towards the triton method after seeing a few other tanks that run with it. But overall the build I am going with is inspired by “Scorched” 12 gallon long office tank. To keep this as low maintenance as I can, I decided to go with a sump that is much larger than the display so I can have a refugium that is the same water volume as the display. Also from my experience, I have been very unhappy with the issues a sand bed causes when it is not maintained properly, so this time through I decided to go with a very thin sand bed, maybe .25-.5" ( Learned this from my inexperience from the Spec V)

Just about everything was purchased from Marine Depot, with a few exceptions.



Tanks/Stand
22 Gallon long. (Mr. Aqua Low Iron glass) (Display Tank)
50 Gallon Deep Blue (36L x 18H x 18W Sump)
Custom built stand

Filtration
Reef Octopus BH-50 (Skimmer)
Deepwater Aquatics BLDC8 DC return pump (Main pump)
Eheim 1262 (Backup pump)
MP10 with battery backup (Only hooked up for when I leave for a few days)

Refugium
Chaeto (Thick and Thin Variants)
Blue ochtodes
Caulerpa Racemosa Went sexual 100% gone
Caulerpa Prolifera
Caulerpa Sertulariodes
Mix of others

Lighting & Heating
36" 6 Array Nanobox
Three 14W Par30 LED Refugium Grow Light (Coral Compulsion)
ViaAqua 200W Titanium Heater (This will get replaced 8F off from actually temp)

Planned equipment:
Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget MiniMax All-In-One Media Reactor (Which size?)
ATO (Suggestions?) Tunez Osmolator Universal 3155

Automatic Doser

(Shutdown)

 

Currently, everything in the Spec V for the past 24 months
- Red/White banded pistol shrimp
- 5 Sexy shrimp
- Porcelain Crab
- Bubble Tip Anemone
- Kenya Tree
- Encrusting Gorgonia
- Blasto
- Few other sofites
- Small list of Macro



Currently in the 22L: Updated 01/16/2017
- Orchid Dottyback (Captive Bred)
- Black clown (Captive Bred)
- Molly Miller Blenny (Captive Bred)
- Blue Neon Goby (Captive Bred)
- Green Mandarin (Unknown)
- Clown fish (Unknown)
- 1 Emerald Crab
- Standard Reef cleaners CUC (Still the original crew)
- x2 Cleaner Shrimp
- 5 Sexy Shrimp
- Porcelain crab
- Yellow sand sifting Cucumber


January 2017
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March 30th 2016

 

(Sorry for the Glare, will get another picture asap)
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Jan 1st 2016

 

 


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Nov/Oct 2015

 

 


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I have a bunch of other silly ideas that I question if I should do or not, but I'll hold off on those.

Any suggestions or concerns?
I am also horrible with typo's when I am typing in the middle of the night, so please correct me via PM so I can correct them. Thanks!

Purchases made from:
- Marine Depot
- NanoBox
- Reef Cleaners
- Home Depot
- The Reef Farm (Raleigh, NC)
- Liveaquaria

  • Like 9
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bdevillier19

looks like you have a good tank in the works. i really like the dimensions of the new 22g. Also, gotta love the fact that the sump is double the size of the display. lol

  • Like 1
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looks like you have a good tank in the works. i really like the dimensions of the new 22g. Also, gotta love the fact that the sump is double the size of the display. lol

 

Was securing the baffles into place today, so far things are looking good, not a perfect glue job, but sufficient. Still have one more to put into place, I had to pull the glass grinder out to make the baffle fit, it is 1/32" or so to long and puts to much pressure onto the 50G sump walls. Should have that in place tomorrow morning. So hopefully by tomorrow I will actually have those pictures. Mad at myself for not getting around to it today.

 

finally a 22 long!!!

 

I have seen lots of 12 gallon longs on Nano-Reef, but when they were sold out everywhere (Being Impatient), I decided to get the 22 Long instead.

  • Like 1
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Marc.The.Shark

Nice, can't wait to see it! I almost bought that tank myself, but having a local shop make one same dimensions, but a little shallower 36"x12"x10". What are you doing for overflow? been kicking around a few ideas, think I'm gonna have it drilled for two 1" bulkheads, dead center in the back as high as I can get him to do it. hopefully I wont need a weir, just the bulkhead screens.

  • Like 2
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Nice, can't wait to see it! I almost bought that tank myself, but having a local shop make one same dimensions, but a little shallower 36"x12"x10". What are you doing for overflow? been kicking around a few ideas, think I'm gonna have it drilled for two 1" bulkheads, dead center in the back as high as I can get him to do it. hopefully I wont need a weir, just the bulkhead screens.

I made an exact copy of "Scorched" tank, Drilled the same way. 2 holes on each end, so a total of 4. I plan on getting more flow through the sump then required and I have 2, 1.5" drains 1/8" from the top of the tank on each end. I will have a ball valve to control one side and reduce it as needed to get the flow out of the tank that I desire. Hoping to push 800-1000gph through the tank, goal is to get those spinners to function properly as well. The inlets are 2, .75" bulkheads drilled to be just below the overflow that way they don't go splashing on the surface to much. The pump I have is a controllable DC pump that is rated at 2100gph at 0ft, but It has 6 adjustments to reduce the flow without using a ball valve. I did not want to put any strain on the return pump. I would think the bulkhead screens should be more then enough. You only have one hole for the overflow? No backup in case of clogging?

  • Like 2
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Marc.The.Shark

Oh ok, I see. Man that's gonna be some flow! Turn it all the way up! Lol. No I'm going to only drill for the overflows, 2 @ 1". I'll use four 1/2" returns over the top, two in the center & two at each back corner. My plan was to plop my existing rockwork tower right in the middle( it'll stick out of the water a couple inches), it'll hide the center overflows & returns, then the other two at the back corners should be the most you'll see. I have a SCWD that I'll use to alternate flow back & forth between two returns at a time. Yeah I might have to add a gate valve to one of the returns to regulate, but I hate to do that unless I gave to. Did you drill the tank yet? I think I'm gonna let the guy building mine do it if I can convince him to go high enuf. He's doing 3/8 starphire glass on the tank for the same price as I would pay for the Mr. Aqua. 3/&, lol, it's going to be a beast! Hahaha

  • Like 1
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Dang, you beat me to it...haha

 

Good to finally see a 22G build (besides yours Marc). Following along.

 

Whos building the tank Marc? I want infos :)

  • Like 2
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Marc.The.Shark

It's a local shop called Aquatic America. Right under my nose this whole time, only about 10 miles from where I work. Problem for you is he won't ship, that was the first question he asked "first, where are you located?" He builds for the local LFS circuit. That was the problem I was having with the quotes I was getting, shipping was as much as the cost of the tank!

  • Like 1
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Oh ok, I see. Man that's gonna be some flow! Turn it all the way up! Lol. No I'm going to only drill for the overflows, 2 @ 1". I'll use four 1/2" returns over the top, two in the center & two at each back corner. My plan was to plop my existing rockwork tower right in the middle( it'll stick out of the water a couple inches), it'll hide the center overflows & returns, then the other two at the back corners should be the most you'll see. I have a SCWD that I'll use to alternate flow back & forth between two returns at a time. Yeah I might have to add a gate valve to one of the returns to regulate, but I hate to do that unless I gave to. Did you drill the tank yet? I think I'm gonna let the guy building mine do it if I can convince him to go high enuf. He's doing 3/8 starphire glass on the tank for the same price as I would pay for the Mr. Aqua. 3/&, lol, it's going to be a beast! Hahaha

3/8" glass, he should be able to drill that without any troubles! The glass on the Mr. Aqua is barely over 1/4". Have him drill it before gluing the tank together! Worst case, you are only out one sheet of glass? =P

 

Also, who is making your tank?! We all must know.

 

Dang, you beat me to it...haha

 

Good to finally see a 22G build (besides yours Marc). Following along.

 

Whos building the tank Marc? I want infos :)

 

I love the acrylic work you do! I always check for updates on what you have built.

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Get those pics up, the suspense is killing me!!! Lol

I promise it will be tonight! I wanted to get it in a less messy area, but oh well.

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This is the progress that I have so far. Going to blast this post with pictures!

 

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really clean looking so far!!! those twin tides looks badass :)

  • Like 1
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Marc.The.Shark

Yeah, NICE! Thanks for the pics. Can't wait to get my tank now! lol. Talked to the guy today about drilling the bulkheads, he said no problem getting them as close to the top as possible. I just have to take a couple more measurements & gonna order it prob tomorrow, then about 2 weeks he said. might go an inch wider & half inch taller cause of the 3/8 inch glass.

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Steensj2004

Worst part about this thread......I made it to the end and there is no moar picture....sad now.

 

Great start! Love the sump, nice silicone job!

  • Like 2
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Worst part about this thread......I made it to the end and there is no moar picture....sad now.

 

Great start! Love the sump, nice silicone job!

I wish I took pictures while acquiring the glass for the baffles....... I purchased a 40B from Petco's $1 gallon sale..... The mess I made pulling that tank apart was incredible. I never broke any glass! It cut to size like a charm too. I can personally vouch they are not tempered. (Aqueon tank)

 

 

 

Marc.The.Shark

Yeah, NICE! Thanks for the pics. Can't wait to get my tank now! lol. Talked to the guy today about drilling the bulkheads, he said no problem getting them as close to the top as possible. I just have to take a couple more measurements & gonna order it prob tomorrow, then about 2 weeks he said. might go an inch wider & half inch taller cause of the 3/8 inch glass.

 

Well, I jacked the multi quote up, Oh well. And I would certainly increase the size a bit so the internal dimensions are what you desire. It is custom, might as well do it!

 

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About to go grind some glass down so that last baffle will fall into place. Then it is time to attempt a aqua scape with the dry rock that I received from Reef cleaners 2 weeks ago. I'll get some pictures of the scaping ideas tonight.

  • Like 2
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I made an exact copy of "Scorched" tank, Drilled the same way. 2 holes on each end, so a total of 4. I plan on getting more flow through the sump then required and I have 2, 1.5" drains 1/8" from the top of the tank on each end. I will have a ball valve to control one side and reduce it as needed to get the flow out of the tank that I desire. Hoping to push 800-1000gph through the tank, goal is to get those spinners to function properly as well. The inlets are 2, .75" bulkheads drilled to be just below the overflow that way they don't go splashing on the surface to much. The pump I have is a controllable DC pump that is rated at 2100gph at 0ft, but It has 6 adjustments to reduce the flow without using a ball valve. I did not want to put any strain on the return pump. I would think the bulkhead screens should be more then enough. You only have one hole for the overflow? No backup in case of clogging?

 

Hope the increased bulkhead size, pump, and spinners all work out for you.

 

Even though the tank is 3 feet long it looks small on that stand. That thing is a beast.

 

Following along.

  • Like 1
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Hope the increased bulkhead size, pump, and spinners all work out for you.

 

Even though the tank is 3 feet long it looks small on that stand. That thing is a beast.

 

Following along.

 

The stand is 64" long...... It can hold a standard 75 gallon tank underneath. I have more plans/ideas to add to this setup in the future. So the space will most likely get used. I'll have to draw up some of those oddball plans.

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Please vote in the poll.

 

 

Option 1

 

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Option 2 (Will allow me to add rock from my Spec V)

 

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Option 3 I find dumb.

 

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