Jacks 25g cube

[jackd625]

Due to my NC leaking I had to get another tank. I didn't want to get another all in one and didnt really want to go much larger since I'm on a third floor apartment and also after my 40breeder incident I don't want a lot of water haha.

I picked up a marineland 25g RR cube with a 10g sump from another member on here last Sunday.

On Sunday I got it in and got all the plumbing set up and fixed a small leak in a pvc union. Also cleaned it all out.



Monday after work I filled it with water to let it run for a night and test all the plumbing over a longer period of time. I also put a reverse durso on the bottom of the drain and insulated the pipes since I hate the noise coming from them.





Tuesday I made the swap. It took me a long time and I ended up staying up much later than I wanted to, but it needed to be done.


Right now I just have the nanocube hood sitting on the tank until I get a new light. I'm thinking I'm going to give LED a shot.

Ill get some more pictures up later

 

[frank180reef]

cool thanks for the update

 

[jayinh]

keep the pics coming, I too will seting up a cube and need ides. what size sump did you end up with? reverse durso... what is this? does it silence the drain?

 

[THE WOOKIE]

looks neat. setting up a 45g cube in the next week or so

 

[jackd625]

keep the pics coming, I too will seting up a cube and need ides. what size sump did you end up with? reverse durso... what is this? does it silence the drain?

It's supposed to quiet the drain down and it also reduces the micro bubbles coming into the sump.

Not sure how much it actually helped with quieting the drain but it defiantly greatly reduced micro bubbles which is nice....

Looks like I lost a coral or two from the switch, not sure why. I'm not as bummed about that as I would be if it was for no reason, but a coral or two vs losing all the water onto the floor isn't a huge loss.

 

[jackd625]

Figured I'd get a little update going on here.

I still haven't gotten a light for this tank. My MH hood from the NC28 HQI is just resting on top of it.

I was back and forth from wanting LEDs or MH and I'm finally decided and going to go with a 250 mh.


Here's inside of the stand:

I haven't been running the skimmer again yet and don't have the ATO in there. Both part of my plans for tomorrow.


Lastly here's how the tank has been since the switch over:

The BTA was right in the middle of the rock work until 20 minutes before I took this picture yesterday. Frags weren't on rocks yet because I wanted to keep them away from the BTA. I got them all glues tonight but lights were out before I could take a picture.

Will get some more pictures up with the real camera at some point soon!!

 

[jackd625]

So decided to give led a shot. Got the reefbreeders value fixture in the mail today. It's the chinese evergrow d120 just sold by a USA company.



Off to Home Depot soon to try to figure out a way to hang it!!

 

[jackd625]

Home Depot wouldn't bend conduit for me last night and I was interested in buying a pipe bender for $50 that'd I'd never touch again so I was forced to improvise. I decided to make the light holder out of PVC. I'm not a huge fun but it'll work for now.

This was the start of it.

The pipe painted and attached to the stand.

How the tank looks now

Not quite sure how I like it. I turned down the blues a little which seemed to help. Ill see how it affects my sps which is what I like the most in the tank.

Should have the par meter soon for some readings. And I'll eventually get out the good camera for some pictures...

 

[Pat02026]

is that the color model or the blue/white?

 

[RFroc]

Looks very, very good. Great job.

 

[planereefer]

Nice man, off to a good start

 

[jackd625]

Nice man, off to a good start

Looks very, very good. Great job.

Thanks!

is that the color model or the blue/white?

It's the color model

 

[jackd625]

Here are some PAR measures with the new light. Clearly there is a little operator error when you look at the numbers. I didn't always have the meter in the same exact spot and the number bounces around so I tried to take a middle point.

I'll try to get some more numbers up with different intensity combinations.


100% both lights


75% Both Lights


50% both lights


40% both lights. This is what I have it sitting as for now. I kind of like this look.



I used the same picture for every one just to make it a little easier on me. Just showing the spots I took the readings, not using the pictures as actual visual representation of the light. I believe I had it turned pretty low for this picture....

 

[jackd625]

So it's been a while here for me. I started a new job back in March with some training that basically consumed my life up until about 2 weeks ago. I've basically let my tank go down the toilet in that time.

I've barely done any any tank maintenance. I started getting some serious GHA which I kind of picked out when I had time, but basically just let it run it's course. All fish and corals seem to be good. There's still a little algae here and there, but I'm hoping to get everything back on track in the next few weeks.

I'll bust out the camera once I feel like the tank is decent enough to have pictures taken of it again haha...

 

[jackd625]

Finally bit the bullet. Only took a few years. I went with this one because I can just put it away when I'm not using it...

 

[Matt W]

Sorry for being out of the loop but what is a mighty mite, google tells me this is parts for a guitar??

 

[Ffej]

I too had a job that took way more time that I wanted. Add two little kidlins on the weekends, and my tank maintenance went to Hades in a handbasket and GHA took over everything. I dipped my rocks in a 50/50 mix of old tank water and H202 and the dip pretty much destroyed whatever GHA was hanging around. I haven't looked back since.

 

[jackd625]

Sorry for being out of the loop but what is a mighty mite, google tells me this is parts for a guitar??

It's a RODI system made by air water ice... I should have specified before

I too had a job that took way more time that I wanted. Add two little kidlins on the weekends, and my tank maintenance went to Hades in a handbasket and GHA took over everything. I dipped my rocks in a 50/50 mix of old tank water and H202 and the dip pretty much destroyed whatever GHA was hanging around. I haven't looked back since.

Haha I'm hoping I don't have to go that route. I kind of like how I have my aquascape now and I know I won't be able to get it back like it is...

 

[jackd625]

Here's it set up and running...