New 60 Cube
- Thread starter Kens Bees
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Kens Bees
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For a little more background, the RSM was my first salt tank and I learned a lot from it. I wanted a tank with a proper sump. I also wanted a little more "build" experience since the RSM was pretty much plug and play. The 60 with tank, stand, sump and a ton of other stuff was a great chance to do this next to old tank taking my time.
The original build had a glassholes overflow that I changed out to an eshopps eclipse M. The tank has a big bracing rim on the inside and the overflow box just fits underneath it. The old vinyl back is off and has a fresh coat of paint.
The original build had a glassholes overflow that I changed out to an eshopps eclipse M. The tank has a big bracing rim on the inside and the overflow box just fits underneath it. The old vinyl back is off and has a fresh coat of paint.
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Kens Bees
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This is a process! I'm slowly getting the lights in place. I went with an Aquatic Life dimmable T5 fixture with 4 bulbs and a Kessil a360x in the middle of it. The T5 was an open box special from BRS and the Kessil was from @sonreef.
I'm using 25mm profile for the mount and fashioning it like the store bought example where the whole fixture pivots from the back, up and out of the way, for getting in the tank to work. Graingers has all the parts and pieces if you're willing to order ahead and pickup at a store. It's turning out like a plumbing exercise with at least three trips (orders) for every change in plans!
Sump is done. 20g Long with Fiji Cube baffle kit. Cabinet is lit and ready for final plumbing adjustments for drain height and return pump silicone tubing.
I plan to get saltwater into it this weekend and move some live rock in from the existing tank to start scaping it.
I'm using 25mm profile for the mount and fashioning it like the store bought example where the whole fixture pivots from the back, up and out of the way, for getting in the tank to work. Graingers has all the parts and pieces if you're willing to order ahead and pickup at a store. It's turning out like a plumbing exercise with at least three trips (orders) for every change in plans!
Sump is done. 20g Long with Fiji Cube baffle kit. Cabinet is lit and ready for final plumbing adjustments for drain height and return pump silicone tubing.
I plan to get saltwater into it this weekend and move some live rock in from the existing tank to start scaping it.
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Kens Bees
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I finished the light mount tonight, and got the T5 fixture in place and level. The hinge worked out perfectly, I can till the whole thing to 90 degrees to get in the tank. I'm not sure how this will play out in the long run and I may add a support cable from the front of the lights back to upright to take some of the pressure off the hinges. I'll probably lag the mount into the wall under the window for a little rigidness. Still waiting for the mount for the Kessil to go in the middle of it all.
The tank stand is working out way better than I hoped. The six doors on an oversized cabinet leaves tons of room in there. The sump can come out any side with no issues.
I've got 55 gallons of Turkish TM
mixing and warming that will start to go in tomorrow. All the scaping will be with existing live rock.
Baby steps...
The tank stand is working out way better than I hoped. The six doors on an oversized cabinet leaves tons of room in there. The sump can come out any side with no issues.
I've got 55 gallons of Turkish TM
mixing and warming that will start to go in tomorrow. All the scaping will be with existing live rock.Baby steps...
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Kens Bees
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Looking for suggestions on powerheads. I'm planning to run the return at like 300gph or less. The tank is going to be mixed reef leaning to LPS. I want to introduce some SPS in the future but for now I'm just transferring everything from the old tank to this one.
So, I'm thinking somewhere between 30-40X turnover. I'm not sure if that means two pumps at 1000gph each, one at 2400 or some combination of a gyre and a pump. The tank is square so I'm not really positive on what would work best in there. If anyone has any experience with cubes and flow I'd like to get your thoughts.
In any case I want the pumps to be controlled by 0-10v third party. I got a Profilux for myself and want to use the features that brings to the table.
So, I'm thinking somewhere between 30-40X turnover. I'm not sure if that means two pumps at 1000gph each, one at 2400 or some combination of a gyre and a pump. The tank is square so I'm not really positive on what would work best in there. If anyone has any experience with cubes and flow I'd like to get your thoughts.
In any case I want the pumps to be controlled by 0-10v third party. I got a Profilux for myself and want to use the features that brings to the table.
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I'm not sure if there is much of a benefit to controlling them externally (or even if it's possible), but I'm a sucker for vortech power heads. A pair of mp10s would be great on that tank
This was my tank before Ken's. Unfortunately the glass is too thick for MP10s. They will "work" - meaning they will hold, except not enough. They will eventually fall off and keep falling off.
I had MP40s on it and I don't recommend them for this tank. Something where you can angle the flow rather than have it shooting straight would likely work better, ESPECIALLY if you are considering SPS in the future. MP40's are fine for just LPS though. I had tried for years to get SPS to do well in that system. They just would not grow right because the flow could not be optimized with the tank shape and pump set up. LPS did really, really well though.
The mistake most people make with LPS is giving them way too much light. They don't need much at all. I ran an ATI 6 bulb fixture over this with 4 blue plus, a Coral Plus, and a Purple Plus. Using the club meter, I measured PAR of 280 just below the water surface, which dropped to 200 a few inches deeper and 70 on the sand. The light was 15" off the surface as recommended. The light was too much for LPS higher than half way up, unless you are looking at LPS that do well under "medium" light.
As a reference, you can go to the WorldWide Corals website and look at the corals and see what light they recommend. I have no idea why they don't put this information right on the website, but I emailed them and asked them what the PAR ranges are under their categorization of low, medium, and high light. This is what they said:
Low = 70-150
Medium = 150-250
High = >250
They also have good information in their help section on lighting schedules and things like that.
Ken, you may have more success than I did with a mixed reef by getting better flow, but my advice would be to stick to LPS or SPS in this tank. It's much easier to optimize for one or the other, especially in this cube.
return
in my opinion, the 30-40X is way too much for turnover.
maybe 10-15 is ideal.
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Kens Bees
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Andy, any recollection of how thick that glass is? I'm guessing at 1/2 to 5/8. It's a rugged tank. Lighting won't be a problem like you said. I'll have 96w of T5's and then a Kessil 360 at 90w. They'll all be powered way down.
Good advice on the aiming ability. I have a couple Jebao's now that you can get a few degrees out of but that's all.
ifarmer, do you think that's enough? I figured it being a cube, and deep as a result, I'd need a little more. If 10-20x will work I might actually stop hemorrhaging money and save on on less powerful heads! I'm still leaning towards a pair, any thoughts there?
Good advice on the aiming ability. I have a couple Jebao's now that you can get a few degrees out of but that's all.
ifarmer, do you think that's enough? I figured it being a cube, and deep as a result, I'd need a little more. If 10-20x will work I might actually stop hemorrhaging money and save on on less powerful heads! I'm still leaning towards a pair, any thoughts there?
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Kens Bees
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The old Red Sea tank is gone and all the inverts, clowns and damsel are now in the cube. I'm pretty happy with the scaping at this point so not too much hands in the tank anymore.
I ended up using a Jebao Slw-10 at the back of the tank and a Tunze 6040 on each side. The tunze are running a random flow program. With all the flow pumps at 100% it could turn over about 50x but I have everything powered way down. I'm eyeballing flow by the response of two torches in different locations of the tank. I figure if they aren't whipping around wildly I'm doing alright for now. There is one corner that accumulates extra food but the hermits seem to know the spot and keep it cleanish.
I'll measure the par once the meter is available but for the short couple of weeks everything appears happy enough.
I did have one tragedy during this. I picked up a gorgeous pearl jawfish when I had my niece at the LFS with me. We got her home and acclimated and she was eating within a few hours. I didn't read the instruction manual that said they were jumpers and went down that night to find her stuck to the floor. I was crushed but I thought my niece was going to lose it! So, lesson learned and screened top ordered.
I'll get more pics after some more water changes and once the lights are dialed in. Ignore the monti on the bottom, I haven't gotten it figured out yet.
I ended up using a Jebao Slw-10 at the back of the tank and a Tunze 6040 on each side. The tunze are running a random flow program. With all the flow pumps at 100% it could turn over about 50x but I have everything powered way down. I'm eyeballing flow by the response of two torches in different locations of the tank. I figure if they aren't whipping around wildly I'm doing alright for now. There is one corner that accumulates extra food but the hermits seem to know the spot and keep it cleanish.
I'll measure the par once the meter is available but for the short couple of weeks everything appears happy enough.
I did have one tragedy during this. I picked up a gorgeous pearl jawfish when I had my niece at the LFS with me. We got her home and acclimated and she was eating within a few hours. I didn't read the instruction manual that said they were jumpers and went down that night to find her stuck to the floor. I was crushed but I thought my niece was going to lose it! So, lesson learned and screened top ordered.
I'll get more pics after some more water changes and once the lights are dialed in. Ignore the monti on the bottom, I haven't gotten it figured out yet.
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Kens Bees
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A few new pics. Things are settled in pretty well, pH is a little low but all the old corals and new frags are looking and eating well.
I borrowed the club PAR meter to get a better idea of where I was at and it really is amazing how bright low PAR looks. I had spots that were in the 50-60 range on the bottom that I thought were much higher. I turned up the t5's for more even coverage and the Kessil I'm going to adjust the acclimation mode slowly. Dead center on the bottom I'm about 75, at the highest rock it's close to 175. I cranked everything just to see what it looked like and it went over 300 on that same rock. It's hard to read that meter thru a welding helmet!
The front pic is through the orange lens of those funky glasses.
I borrowed the club PAR meter to get a better idea of where I was at and it really is amazing how bright low PAR looks. I had spots that were in the 50-60 range on the bottom that I thought were much higher. I turned up the t5's for more even coverage and the Kessil I'm going to adjust the acclimation mode slowly. Dead center on the bottom I'm about 75, at the highest rock it's close to 175. I cranked everything just to see what it looked like and it went over 300 on that same rock. It's hard to read that meter thru a welding helmet!
The front pic is through the orange lens of those funky glasses.
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SteveDola
Good Tings
Ken I like your light rack you made...do you have the parts list?I finished the light mount tonight, and got the T5 fixture in place and level. The hinge worked out perfectly, I can till the whole thing to 90 degrees to get in the tank. I'm not sure how this will play out in the long run and I may add a support cable from the front of the lights back to upright to take some of the pressure off the hinges. I'll probably lag the mount into the wall under the window for a little rigidness. Still waiting for the mount for the Kessil to go in the middle of it all.
The tank stand is working out way better than I hoped. The six doors on an oversized cabinet leaves tons of room in there. The sump can come out any side with no issues.
I've got 55 gallons of Turkish TM
Baby steps...
