5.5g AGA Nano-Reef In tank ( Sump / Fuge ) + ( Hood / Light ) Upgrade Journal

[NYproDJ]

Got tired of seeing my huge PH, ugly AC300 intake, and wack heater in my display... solution: build an intank sump/fuge. I've already ordered a minijet 606 and some plumbing supplies... I've yet to order the acrylic I will use as dividers. I have chosen to go with black acrylic (hopefully) for the dividers. Here are some pictures of what I have and what I'm planning to do.

I would like to upgrade to:
<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/deltec.jpg">

Or
<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/nicetank.jpg">

But i'll settle for doing something similar to this:

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/tankplan.jpg">

Somewhat detailed plan:

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/flow.bmp">

Any coments or professional opinions? I am trying to either learn autocad quickly and come up with a scale drawing w/ measurements... or do it in paint/photoshop ... any input would be great though because 2+ minds are better than 1 =) thankx!

 

[stewie24]

That first tank is killer!
Your plan looks good, but be expecting to change those ac sponges out about once a week or else it will be a nitrate trap!
Keep us updated.
Stewie

 

[stewie24]

Btw,
Welcome to Reef Central!

 

[NYproDJ]

Filter Medium

Filter Medium

Maybe I should use something else as a mechanical filter medium?

Right now i've been running an ac300 with carbon and sponge (which i dont change more than every month but wash out in sick and dry thoroughly 1 time a week) and everything has been fine... here is my list of creatures:

1 Domino Damselfish (Zippy - very cool active fish)
1 Coral-Banded shrimp (friendly doesn't attack any of the tank mates)
3 Red Legged Hermits
1 Mini Blue Legged Hermit
1 Giant Turbo Snail w/a nice looking shell
3 Nassarius Snails
2 Astrea Snails
A hugeeee bristleworm
A hugeeee featherduster (very happy)

I always see all these guys hitchhiking on eachother's backs which is always fun to watch, I may add another tiny blue hermit but thats it.

My live rock seems to be top notch and the live sand was seeded from many tropical sources which explains the huge amount of hitchhiking creatures... a bunch of tiny brittle stars hundreds of spaghetti worms a few copepods tons of tiny dusters and other good stuff.

 

[Mikeeal]

That's a nice looking hermit.

Your plan will work just fine, but like stewie said, clean that sponge weekly.

 

[louist]

Exchange the sponge and carbon's spot, use the sponge as a "pre-filter" before the carbon, this should help proplong the life of the carbon a little.

 

[NYproDJ]

Thanx

Thanx

I will try to work up plans w/ dimensions tommorow... I have to measure the sponge and whatnot... hopefully I can find black 1/4'' acrylic locally. Thanks for your input! :rollface:

 

[Agu]

Instead of taking up the whole back and replacing the AC 300 you could just make a partial overflow like this,

You could have the intake of the AC, heater, and an additional powerhead hidden in there .


[welcome]

 

[NYproDJ]

Ahh yess...

Ahh yess...

Ahh yes, I've seen that... but I like the idea of an all in one compact system... easy to move and aesthetically pleasing. If I go home for a school break (UAlbany wooootttt) or for the summer I can just seal up the top and drive the whole damn thing 2.5 hours home. Plus I hate my fxcking ac300... its a p.o.s. ... and if I did a design like that I wouldn't be able to have a fuge, which I really thing is important on such a small system with no protein skimming and obsessive compulsive water changes (no way I'm modding my ac300 in to a fuge). Thanks for the input though!

 

[alien9168]

Nice plumbing, it loojks like it will be really neat!
GOing to follow this nano, it looks like you have a good sesne of homor- as seen in the intro to this thread


-alien

 

[NYproDJ]

Haha thanx alien... anyways good news! UPS confirmed the delivery date for Tuesday next week... which really means anytime between monday and friday next week... this weekend will be unbearable! Today I got lucky and scored a piece of 1/8'' black acrylic which is extremely rare, they event cut it to size for me for only 9.50$ . I will have to find a tool to create the notches for the overflow as well as the hole for the return... and some silicone to attach the acrylic to the aquarium. Next step from here is to finalize the plans for the fuge/sump/filter insert area and get some class baffles cut (same place i got my acrylic will do it for me stupiddddd cheap). Note to all readers: DO NOT GO INTO HOME DEPOT THEY WILL WASTE MINIMUM 30 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME UPON ENTRANCE TO THEIR VENUE. Basically with the baffle system I have drawn in paint there are some points that concern me; mainly - will the pump suck too much water from its own chamber leaving the pump high and dry? Going to have to work up some measurements now... fun!

 

[NYproDJ]

Final Measurments

Final Measurments

Here are the final measurements for the sump:

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/measurments.jpg"

 

[alien9168]

looks cool. Question, why are your overflow teeth diff. sizes ?

-alien

 

[NYproDJ]

Dunno

Dunno

Not sure why, I have seen others do it that way... may-b because its more effective with varying water levels perhaps? What does everyone think... same sized overflow teeth or multiple sizes?

 

[Agu]

As the design is drawn the evap will be reflected in the two last chambers. Just for discussion let's figure that section is 10" long X 2.5" deep X 8" high.

10 X 2.5 X 8 = 200

200 / 231 (cubic inches/gallon ) = .865 gallons

That should be plenty of capacity to keep your pump submerged. However, the top part of the sponge could effectively become a wet/dry filter if you don't keep the tank topped up.

 

[alien9168]

Quite tru agu!

RYME lol
-alien

 

[NYproDJ]

Wet Dry

Wet Dry

So since wet dry is good may-b I should redesign it so the sponge becomes a wet dry on purpose... I have an auto topoff on the list of thing to do, don't know if im going to go for the airpressure style or float swtich method yet... my coral banded shrimp shed its skin today! and one of my corals is eating it! craziest shyt i've ever seen happen in my tank EVER

 

[delta410]

nice start you got there.

 

[NYproDJ]

Goin Away

Goin Away

Goin' 2.75 hours home for the weekend, gotta work.... but its okay cuz i need the money for the "project" .. anyway I have a great LFS 90 seconds from my house at home so I will probably pick up some more corals and transport them back to my apartment @ school... i didn't think the ones i bought last time would make the trip, including my coral banded ... it was extremely cold out that day but they all made it and are thriving! I think it is a common misconception that corals and marine inverts aren't nearly as hardy as they really are... until laterrrrr PEACE

 

[NYproDJ]

Silicone Stinks

Silicone Stinks

GE Silicone II STINKS... anywho I finally got my glass cut... siliconed the 2 baffles in place... going to silicone the acrylic wall in place after i get out of work at like 10:30 tonight... silicone needs 24 hours to cure so 11pm tommorow night water test! I would silicone the acrylic in place now butttttttttttttt I'm still waiting on my package from marine depot w/ all the plumbing in it.... more updates and pictures later but here's a teaser

Coral Banded Planing with the Coralife Thermometor

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/bandreach.jpg">

Construction Materials

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/con1.jpg">

Silicone - Not just for tits anymore

<img src="http://www.171northallen.com/images/reef/con2.jpg">