45g DIY Cube Documentation
- Thread starter Milleme
- Start date
Milleme
New member
Tank is going smooth, I put a tunze 7200 (?) oldschool powerhead in for some flow until I get some nano streams.
I'm finally seeing some micro fuana in the display. Its strange though I didn't put any rocks or sand with life on it into the display only livesand is in the refugium but I can't see any life in the fuge.
Right now i don't have the return going through the fuge because I havent figured out a way to reduce the bubbles going from the fuge to the tank. Here is a crude drawing of how its plumbed, I need some kind of stand pipe design to reduce the bubbles in the tank because air is getting in the pipe. Any ideas.
Edit: My flameback angel in the 20 gal came down with a pretty bad case of ick, its fins are pretty shredded from it. I have been feeding with mysis soaked in zoecon. I also tried garlic but didn't get good results, I dont think I prepared the food correctly. I can't decide if I should move him to the display or not. If I do he will be the only fish for a while until he is healed but I feel like he'll have a better chance in that enviornment. What do yall think?
I'm finally seeing some micro fuana in the display. Its strange though I didn't put any rocks or sand with life on it into the display only livesand is in the refugium but I can't see any life in the fuge.
Right now i don't have the return going through the fuge because I havent figured out a way to reduce the bubbles going from the fuge to the tank. Here is a crude drawing of how its plumbed, I need some kind of stand pipe design to reduce the bubbles in the tank because air is getting in the pipe. Any ideas.
Edit: My flameback angel in the 20 gal came down with a pretty bad case of ick, its fins are pretty shredded from it. I have been feeding with mysis soaked in zoecon. I also tried garlic but didn't get good results, I dont think I prepared the food correctly. I can't decide if I should move him to the display or not. If I do he will be the only fish for a while until he is healed but I feel like he'll have a better chance in that enviornment. What do yall think?
Last edited:
Kentanner11
New member
hey I would say NOT to put your fish in the display but I would SURELY get some other opinions!
I think that all you need to do is put in a place for the air to escape, by putting in an elbow (see diagram) but be sure this is at least 3 in higher than ALL water to prevent water coming out through this opening. you can put a cap on this as long as it has a 1/4 in hole in it.
What will happen is that all the water will flow through the pipe and the air will come out of the rushing water out through the cap. HTH!
I think that all you need to do is put in a place for the air to escape, by putting in an elbow (see diagram) but be sure this is at least 3 in higher than ALL water to prevent water coming out through this opening. you can put a cap on this as long as it has a 1/4 in hole in it.
What will happen is that all the water will flow through the pipe and the air will come out of the rushing water out through the cap. HTH!
Kentanner11
New member
yes. melev did it on his 24 that he added to his system. It was pretty much the same concept as above, except his piping from his 24 to sump was flexible and he just put in a T then a pipe with a holed cap.
manderx
New member
that won't work in this case. there has to be some sort of restriction after the vent to slow the water down so that the horizontal pipe fills completely with water. the way it's drawn, it might very well introduce *more* bubbles to the display tank.
to best way i can think to make something like this work, would be to have the drain from the fuge drop down below the water level in the display (which provides the restriction), run horizontal for ~6 inches (depends on flow rate but enough distance for all the air to accumulate along the top of the pipe), then vent (with a tall pipe obviously), then up and over into the display. might be able to do it cleanly if you drain from the far end of the fuge.
to best way i can think to make something like this work, would be to have the drain from the fuge drop down below the water level in the display (which provides the restriction), run horizontal for ~6 inches (depends on flow rate but enough distance for all the air to accumulate along the top of the pipe), then vent (with a tall pipe obviously), then up and over into the display. might be able to do it cleanly if you drain from the far end of the fuge.
Milleme
New member
Like this?
just making sure I understand right.
I decided to go ahead and put the flameback angel in yesterday, when I transfered him he didnt have any cystes so he has either fought it off or was between cycles. I figured this would be a good time to make the transfer, so far he is still clean, eating and looking much healthier. His fins are also starting to grow back.
I also transfered an old browned out frag of A. cerealis from Reefermadness. This frag has been with me for over a year and has stayed about the smae size. It went through a lot of set backs and periods of no growth. When I recieved it it had some nice colors so im hoping to bring it back.
just making sure I understand right.
I decided to go ahead and put the flameback angel in yesterday, when I transfered him he didnt have any cystes so he has either fought it off or was between cycles. I figured this would be a good time to make the transfer, so far he is still clean, eating and looking much healthier. His fins are also starting to grow back.
I also transfered an old browned out frag of A. cerealis from Reefermadness. This frag has been with me for over a year and has stayed about the smae size. It went through a lot of set backs and periods of no growth. When I recieved it it had some nice colors so im hoping to bring it back.
ServantSoldier
In Memoriam
according to manderx's plan, something like this should work..
the horizontal tube must be under the main displays waterline. hard to tell by the pic angle
the horizontal tube must be under the main displays waterline. hard to tell by the pic angle
Milleme
New member
Nothing exciting to update just keeping the thread alive. All the livestock seems to be thriving.
The angel especially is looking very good, I'll try to get a pic. Since there isnt much algae in the tank I have been rotating rocks with algae on them from the 20gal. holding tank for him to graze. He usually cleans off a fist sized rock in about 3 days.
The sand is getting a barley noticable thin layer of algae on it. I can tell were nasarus snails and the cucumber have sifted it. The rocks are also starting to color up with some very pale green and pink coraline.
I still havent set up the fuge although I did get the plumbing worked out, just not attached yet.
I haven't been able to get the skimmer to pull anything substantial out yet either. Im either not being patient enough while tunning it or there is a technical problem. So I started a seperate thread to try and solve the problem. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1211684
The angel especially is looking very good, I'll try to get a pic. Since there isnt much algae in the tank I have been rotating rocks with algae on them from the 20gal. holding tank for him to graze. He usually cleans off a fist sized rock in about 3 days.
The sand is getting a barley noticable thin layer of algae on it. I can tell were nasarus snails and the cucumber have sifted it. The rocks are also starting to color up with some very pale green and pink coraline.
I still havent set up the fuge although I did get the plumbing worked out, just not attached yet.
I haven't been able to get the skimmer to pull anything substantial out yet either. Im either not being patient enough while tunning it or there is a technical problem. So I started a seperate thread to try and solve the problem. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1211684
Milleme
New member
I tackled the first water change yesterday pretty smoothly leaving the tank looking exceptionally good. I wish I could have incorporated a WC system but you can't have everything...
I also shrunk the mesh top so that it would lay inside the eurobrace on the acrylic tabs in each corner that i originally made. It now lays almost flush with the top.
The skimmer is doing better but still not quite optimal. The bubbles in the neck and chamber especially aren't as dense as I thought they would be. Im still not sure why. Anyways here is a pic although it is deciving, the bubbles are not as thick as they appear.
The parameters as of today:
nitrites - 0 (hagen)
nitrates - 0 (hagen)
ammonia - 0 (hagen)
po4 - ? (need to take a sample to lfs)
SG - 1.023 slowly raising this
pH - 8.0
alk - 8.6 (salifert)
calcium - ? I couldn't get a good reading with hagen test kit
I have been planning my fish lineup and wanted some feedback.
Current
-african flameback angel
Additions
-5/7 threadfin cardinals
-mystery wrasse or solar wrasse
Maybe
-Chestnut/Viper moray (pg 30 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species)
Does any one have experience with this moray? I can't seem to find to much info on the net. I would like to have an exotic species to spice things up, if not the moray possibly a dwarf lion.
Other than this im just taking it slow and trying to keep my hands out of the tank.
I also shrunk the mesh top so that it would lay inside the eurobrace on the acrylic tabs in each corner that i originally made. It now lays almost flush with the top.
The skimmer is doing better but still not quite optimal. The bubbles in the neck and chamber especially aren't as dense as I thought they would be. Im still not sure why. Anyways here is a pic although it is deciving, the bubbles are not as thick as they appear.
The parameters as of today:
nitrites - 0 (hagen)
nitrates - 0 (hagen)
ammonia - 0 (hagen)
po4 - ? (need to take a sample to lfs)
SG - 1.023 slowly raising this
pH - 8.0
alk - 8.6 (salifert)
calcium - ? I couldn't get a good reading with hagen test kit
I have been planning my fish lineup and wanted some feedback.
Current
-african flameback angel
Additions
-5/7 threadfin cardinals
-mystery wrasse or solar wrasse
Maybe
-Chestnut/Viper moray (pg 30 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species)
Does any one have experience with this moray? I can't seem to find to much info on the net. I would like to have an exotic species to spice things up, if not the moray possibly a dwarf lion.
Other than this im just taking it slow and trying to keep my hands out of the tank.
JohnstonAtoll
New member
I love these build threads, very inspiring and makes for a good read! Nice job man!
dzeadow
Premium Member
I haven't read the whole thread so I probably missed this, what did you make the mesh screen with? I have a 45 cube that I'm just cycling.. it's glass though, but I'd like to get a screen on it in the future to keep the fish in.. or at least minimize the chances of them making it out
Milleme
New member
I used window screen framing for the frame. I then used some 1/4" mesh material in place of the screening. All the stuff you need to make it can be found at lowes or homedepot, altough you have to look around for the mesh material. I remeber finding it outside in the greenhouse next to the chicken wire and netting material.
There was a thread on it a while back, ill try and dig it up.
There was a thread on it a while back, ill try and dig it up.
Kentanner11
New member
hey most likely the reason for the skimmer foam issues is that it needs some time to "slime up" or break in, pipes will also be coated and will silence some.
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