15g cube from the start , pictures all the way

[tonym10]

I now have almost all the items I need to start my 15g cube . It is 15"x15"x15" with canopy and stand. I just have a couple fittings on order , should be here next week. Then I will rough plumb, to be sure I like flow, then I will glue things in place in the sump. Once thats done I will get the LR and LS. Then cycle for short time. Water will come from my 75g to start, and LR and LS will come from local reef store where it is fully cycled.
Here are the first pics. Sorry the lighting and setting of pics is bad, I was in a rush.
I love this tank and stand and canopy , it all goes so nice together. The pics do it no justice. This is fresh from unpacking , so you see dust and dirt on the pieces.
Stand and tank and canopy

Stand

Canopy (inside)

 

[tonym10]

Here is a pic of the back of the tank, showing the sump. I plan to glue 2 baffles back there to make it three compartments. I will Drill two bulkheads on the overflow side for a pump in the first chamber, it will pull water from the one bulkhead then out the other bulkhead, like a closed loop. The third chamber will have the return pump. The middle will have rubble rock. The heater will be in chamber 3. I will also dril a bulkhead in one of the chambers for and ice probe chiller.

Here is a closer up of the front top of tank

 

[Champloo]

NICE! looks like that one's going to be fun to set up

 

[tonym10]

Here is a pic of most of the equipment that will run the tank.
The light in the front is a 13" Helio T5 super actnic , it will go between the two 24watt PC lights in the canopy.
I will only be keeping some LPS and zoos , mushrooms, Acons in this nano.

 

[Champloo]

with soo many choices in the "lps, zoos, mushrooms, and acons" category, why bother with anything else?

 

[coker98]

looks like it will get interesting

 

[tonym10]

T5 is now installed in canopy.

 

[coker98]

great keep us updated

 

[spoon671]

That's a nice looking tank. Very clean looking. Keep us updated.

 

[tonym10]

I will keep posted, I cannot say enough how much nicer it looks in person, those were bad pics , I will get better pics when I take pics of the new bulkheads I do. That wont be till next week end. I think I will also ask Acrylicman to make me a black molding 1.5" high to wrap around the bottom front and two sides of the tank to hide the sand line.
I am so excited to get working on this but the parts I need yet wont be here till mid next week.

 

[tonym10]

I have the two baffles cut for the back sump area. Have the plumbing figured out for the two maxi 900's. Still waiting for some plumbing parts.

 

[tonym10]

All plumbing parts are here. Now I just need time to drill some bulkheads for the closed loop and the chiller. I also asked acrylicman to make me a black acrylic 2" molding to wrap around the bottom of the cube to hide the sand line, and so I do not need to clean all the way to sand to prevent scratching of the acrylic. the molding should be here in a week.

 

[tonym10]

Today i water tested the tank. All is good, I checked flow with my 2 maxi 900s . I will use one maxi 1200 and one 900 instead of two 900s, they are just not strong enough when pushing threw a few inches of 1/2" line. The maxi 1200 will be a closed loop.
I will drill the bulkheads in on the weekend and glue the baffles in place.

 

[nike6]

Tony,
How much did acrylicman charge you for the trim for the bottom? Please post pictures of the lights, I am interested in thoes t5 lights. Are you happy with them. I can't order them, I keep getting error messages from the web site.
Shawn

 

[tonym10]

The lights are real simple. SO yea I like them. I have one mounted in the canopy between the two PC. It is super acntic so I will have it on one hour before and after the other lights come on and go out. I havent looked at the lights on the tank with water in the tank yet, just dry, it adds nice blue when on alone and adds just a little extra blue to the white of the PC. I will post a pic. I bought 4 by mistake. Maybe I could send you one.
acrylic man charged $25 plus $10 for shipping.

 

[tonym10]

Bulkheads are cut in., and interior plumbing is done. Chiller also installed. I have my salt water change water made for my 75g. I will use 15g of the 75g water for the new nano. I plan to get the rock and sand this weekend. Then a short cycle, the rock and sand are at local reef store and fully cured.
Here are pics so far.
Back of 15g cube showing pumps and plumbing and chiller.

 

[tonym10]

Pic of the front of the back wall.

And a pic from the top down

and one of the canopy showing the T5 added in the middle

 

[tonym10]

Going Tomorow for the sand and rock, can't wait.

 

[rjwilson37]

Looks like it will be very cool indeed.

 

[Breaker4show]

WOW this setup is going to be nice! Can i ask where did you get those T-5 ( 13" ) and how much were they? I am looking for 2 for my 20 gallon!

THanks,
Nick