fishresponse
New member
Freakin awesome tank man!!!!
450 Cube tank build thread. Here I go!
- Thread starter stlouisguy
- Start date
stlouisguy
Registered Member
Thanks for all the nice comments. I will post a few pics of equipment and the next build (remote sand bed and frag tank) back in equipment room
NewSchool04
New member
I love how you had the cabinet built around and the wood looks unbelievable. Great job.
How do you like the acrylic? I'm debating now between glass or acrylic for a larger tank and was wondering after 6 months what you think.
How do you like the acrylic? I'm debating now between glass or acrylic for a larger tank and was wondering after 6 months what you think.
stlouisguy
Registered Member
I guess nothing is perfect. I LOVE the look, so clear especialy coming from glass. But it does scratch a bit and I must be SO careful.
We just spoke to the guy who build the cabinet and we are going to extend it all around the room with shelves, lights, etc which will really tie the tank into the room.
We just spoke to the guy who build the cabinet and we are going to extend it all around the room with shelves, lights, etc which will really tie the tank into the room.
NewSchool04
New member
Ha! I'm wondering if there is any way not to scatch it! Are the scratches noticible or just noticible to you!
The room is going to look great, I can really picture it with the wood, tank, plasma. . . I don't think I'd ever leave.
The room is going to look great, I can really picture it with the wood, tank, plasma. . . I don't think I'd ever leave.
stlouisguy
Registered Member
Long time since update. I will get more pics up in a day or so. Am just in the process of adding a frag tank to the system (3 ft x 3 ft x 18 inches). Will update it.
Growth has been great but the system has been challenging for a bit. I will go into that in the days to come but as this is the anniversary of when I started this project (started thread 2 days later) I thought I would update.
Here are a few pics of the tank. More to come
Thanks for reading!!
Growth has been great but the system has been challenging for a bit. I will go into that in the days to come but as this is the anniversary of when I started this project (started thread 2 days later) I thought I would update.
Here are a few pics of the tank. More to come
Thanks for reading!!
juststartingout
New member
looks great, looking forward to the scripted version of the update....
workn4frags
In Memoriam
Beautiful tank, I am just now setting up my 4x4 cube as well. Finishing the plumbing today and adding the rock next week. I can't wait for it to look like yours.:bounce1: Very nicely done...
stlouisguy
Registered Member
working on some camera shots
Camera was only $179 (wife got it for travel and on the boat) but it has a good white balance so trying it out Camera is a Nikon coolpix p4
Camera was only $179 (wife got it for travel and on the boat) but it has a good white balance so trying it out Camera is a Nikon coolpix p4
ReefingBuddha
New member
wow... the tank is looking great. An inspiration for my build. Those corals seem to be growing in very nicely, Congrats!
Let me know if you have any advice on cube tanks for me.
Let me know if you have any advice on cube tanks for me.
stlouisguy
Registered Member
Great tank!!!!
I have a question for you. I love the air conditioner you used, but I have a question about the exhaust pipe. I need to run the pipe about 15-20 feet. What did you use to extend your pipe and did you have to use a fan to help the exhaust?
Also could you please tell me where you bought the pipe extension and the fan.
Thanks for you help,
LEP
I have a question for you. I love the air conditioner you used, but I have a question about the exhaust pipe. I need to run the pipe about 15-20 feet. What did you use to extend your pipe and did you have to use a fan to help the exhaust?
Also could you please tell me where you bought the pipe extension and the fan.
Thanks for you help,
LEP
stlouisguy
Registered Member
Thanks for the question, I am surprised not more people use these units. I run my exhaust up about 5 ft through the wall into my garage, then about 15 feet to an exhaust out the wall. In the winter I let it exhaust into my garage which keeps it heated and nice to get into the cars. I just used large diameter PVC piping and attached that to the hose that came with the unit. Been going for about 10 months now and the air temp coming out of it is constant at 53 degrees but a more inportant aspect is I have absolutely NO rust on any metal in the fish room. I dont know how much moisture it sends into the garage pipe, but it fills a 55 gallon trash can about every 10 days from the units drain pipe!!! I cant imagine what it would be like if that moisture was allowed to build up in the house. I do plan in the next week or so to run the hose directly into the shower on the opposite side of the wall just havent got around to it yet.
stlouisguy
Registered Member
As I continue to bring the thread up to date, I thought I would post a bit about Bubble Algae. It is, umm, how to put this without being banned.
The spawn of satan. :mad2:
When I got the rock from the last owner it was infested with bubble algae. We took off enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket. I then powerwashed the rock and cooked it for 3 months.
3 months.
3 freaking months.
Changed the water every few weeks. Powerwashed it twice more. Didnt heat the water so it stayed in the 60's.
For the first 4 months not a sign of it. Then it started showing up, and the bad part was it wasnt growing on the surface of the rocks, but in the cracks and crevices of the rocks. I couldnt pick it off, couldnt even get at it. I got some emeralds, home made syphons, anything I could use to get the bubbles out. Some were over 2" across.
Here is a pic I just took. I have it kinda under control now with mainly old ones stuck in the rock, but I havent seen any new growth lately say in the last month or so.
I plan to keep just attacking it. I feel if I can just stay ahead of it, I will eventually get the best of it. Overall it doesnt make a negative look in the tank, its just a source of irritaion for me.
The spawn of satan. :mad2:
When I got the rock from the last owner it was infested with bubble algae. We took off enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket. I then powerwashed the rock and cooked it for 3 months.
3 months.
3 freaking months.
Changed the water every few weeks. Powerwashed it twice more. Didnt heat the water so it stayed in the 60's.
For the first 4 months not a sign of it. Then it started showing up, and the bad part was it wasnt growing on the surface of the rocks, but in the cracks and crevices of the rocks. I couldnt pick it off, couldnt even get at it. I got some emeralds, home made syphons, anything I could use to get the bubbles out. Some were over 2" across.
Here is a pic I just took. I have it kinda under control now with mainly old ones stuck in the rock, but I havent seen any new growth lately say in the last month or so.
I plan to keep just attacking it. I feel if I can just stay ahead of it, I will eventually get the best of it. Overall it doesnt make a negative look in the tank, its just a source of irritaion for me.
stlouisguy
Registered Member
Since I cant get the globes out of the rock and its stuck in the holes, I came up a contraption where I put a pump in a bucket and have a hose hooked up to the water inlet. I then put a smaller tube on the end of that with a syringe that I push into the bubble, sucking all the spores and water out.
Best thing I could come up with *shrug*
chetm2
Premium Member
I also had some issues with it. I used all Reef Ceramics except for 2 pieces of live rock that had no signs of it, but some of the frags I got had little ones on the bottom. I cleaned them off and even broke some of the frags from the bases just to make sure they were gone... well after a few months it showed up only on the live rock. I added a few emeralds and luckily I have seen none for the last 3 months. I guess I got lucky, at least it's better than byropis (sp). Your tank looks great regardless, we need more pictures 
