30g cube NANO LED BUILD !!!

pnavarro170

pnavarro170

S.T.A.R.S PRESIDENT
Tank: 27g marineland (measures 20"x18"20") but we will just call it 30g
Stand: marineland black, real wood
Sump: custom apx 19"x16"x15"
Light: will be going with AI NANO LED
Skimmer: SC150 (ebay clone of the bubble magus nac7)
Extras: Apex Jr, probably a heater and most likely a return pump
Water Movement: TBD

I will be doing some youtube videos on this build as we go and documenting every penny spent. My goal is to have a great nano done under a grand $$ but still not compromising the way it should be built. (not including livestock) In other words Done right

Again always open to ideas and thoughts
 
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As far as the final look of it im still debating a couple options. Rock will be dry this time and im gonna find some starboard to go with no sand in the display. the sump will most likely have some live sand and live rock to start.

the scape is still up in the air. im wanting it to be something different. so my version of some sort of bonsai inspired mess. or a simple reef bommie look with just a couple pieces of rounder shaped rock. Or how about getting crazy with some magnet added pieces on the glass sides and connecting them somehow to each other. then nothing or just one piece of rock touching the bottom.

for livestock the starboard bottom would eventually be filled with nothing but ricordea's. and corals would only include some zoas and a handfull of sps pieces.

fish im probably going with a bunch of damsels. maybe just 2 or 3 types with a pair of clownfish added later.

this is what i have come up with so far. but may change obviously. What yall think of my crazy thoughts ??
 
Cant wait to see some pictures.
Hell it took me MONTHS to finally post pics of mine.
I never liked the setup of my rocks...either I had way to much or too little.
I finally got the balance and idea when I saw another members this past weekend...pulling out of rocks and bam you have my posting.

Dont want to jack your thread here...again cant wait to see the pictures.
 
The skimmer is here, arrived in 2 days !! and in good shape. Its the sc150 with the pump underneath the skimmer not inside the body. pretty big too 7.25"x9.25"x23" with ph2500 pump that is kinda an upgrade from the 2000 model. Did alot of research on these and they are pretty much the clone of a bubble magus nac7 just smaller collection cup and the body a bit wider with pump inside. here is the first pick, only fitting. this was only $120 shipped and suppose to blow away alot of skimmers for the price.
sc150proteinskimmer.jpg
 
The skimmer is here, arrived in 2 days !! and in good shape. Its the sc150 with the pump underneath the skimmer not inside the body. pretty big too 7.25"x9.25"x23" with ph2500 pump that is kinda an upgrade from the 2000 model. Did alot of research on these and they are pretty much the clone of a bubble magus nac7 just smaller collection cup and the body not as wide, with pump inside. here is the first pic, only fitting. this was only $120 shipped and suppose to blow away alot of skimmers in its group, especially for the price.
sc150proteinskimmer.jpg
 
why are posts showing up twice or is it just me ? anyways rock has been ordered from brs, went with 20lbs of pukani rock which is more than i will use since this rock is about twice the size of normal stuff due to its light weight. hopefully they read my comment box to get me something closer to what i want but they cant promise that obviously. Also ordered a second heater like the one i have, since i had to pay the shipping on the rock i figured i could use my old one as a backup. Went with the finnex 150 digital with seperate probe. i really like that heater.

also ordered a meshwheel impeller for my skimmer pump. mine came with a pinwheel one and just wanted to see the difference first hand. plus having a backup makes me feel better. pretty much im learning from past experiences. lol
 
Gonna order starboard for the bottom, found some on ebay just waiting to hear back on the cut and cost. Going with 1/2 inch since i dont want the sides of it to be visible through the glass. Which gives me an idea of cutting a hole in the middle of it to place a vortech mp10 on the bottom of the glass. Just depends on how the rock looks when it gets here late next week. And the mp10 im trying to figure out how to make it part of a bithday gift cuz i was just gonna go with 2 cheap powerheads.

i was hoping to have it up and running by next weekend, but i forgot about getting some of the phosphates out of the rock beforehand. i could do it in the tank but i would need to run carbon for a while at least. Any suggestions ? im still researching the different methods.
 
Well carbon doesn't remove phosphates. As a matter fact depending on how it's activated (physically or chemically) it may release phosphates into the tank. Chemically activated carbon will release the phosphates.

So running carbon if you have rock with phosphate won't make a difference.

Vodka should help in consuming the phosphate or just keep some chaeto in there to consume the phosphates.
 
Okay well for the rocks im thinking of dipping them in vinegar, using cheato and then using some aqua vision phosphate remover. this will hopefully cut everything down to a week. i will test to see how it goes, i just dont want to have rocks in a bucket for weeks.

Starboard has been ordered its not that cheap at $12.30 a sq/ft but for the look and the help it will provide for what im trying to do its not bad.

for return pump im leaning towards an eheim 1250, ive had rios and mags in the past both worked well just remember the mag was pretty damn noisy so i would like to see the difference with this one.

I am thinking of asking the club members if i can get a quarter to half of cup of sand from their tanks. i will be placing in the refuge only. I just want the life in it really and in return i can take a nice photo of your tank with my DSLR camera to post on here or what not.
 
Steffen of course. and i knew what i wanted for this build so no worries. ill have to check back once its running and ready to go.
 
That's a nice tank and sump! Can't wait to see it up and running.

You got harrassed for pics of the tank; now we'll harrassed you into getting running and posting pics of that. :D
 
Yeah that other one looks too much like freshwater. Not my taste personally. The one in the vid is packed!! Looks like they're using those fake reef decorations.

Based on on Pedro's previous tanks (90 and 120). This nano should be awesome.
 
yeah no plants and big chunks of whatever on the bottom does follow freshwater on that pic. but no think bigger guys !!
 
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