5.5g nano log

[jmac4978]

Hi guys. Let me start by saying thanks for taking a look at my log here. Please feel free to tell me that I'm being an idiot if you see I am doing something wrong. I have about 4 months experience in the saltwater business and have a 55 FOWLER running now but i wanted a tank that I could dress up to look great while growing corals to frag to my 55. My LFS is http://www.thatpetplace.com/main.aspx (also known as That Fish Place) and my girlfriend has worked there since High School so I get a decent discount and decent freebies. (like an emaciated tomato clown that they had for a year and my girlfriend fell in love with. Of course she gave me the puppy dog eyes and we had to adopt him. I like him now tho, good character.)

Anyway, back to the nano. I did a good bit of research here on RC (thanks guys, you have some great ideas), and I decided to do alot of DIY. I'm not getting too crazy with it yet though, so I wont be making any skimmers out of soda bottles. I did however mod an AC70 into the HOB refugium, building a base/canopy with a retrofit PC which I consider DIY too.

First I bought the standard 5.5g glass aquarium and some paint for the background. I know its Rust-oleum, but its the only one I could find with the color that I really wanted.

So I taped it up and sprayed away. I'm not a professional painter but I think this attached itself to the glass pretty well and as good as could be expected by any paint. I think I did 4 total coats.

Next I modded the AC70 by cutting the tray and attaching it into place.

 

[jmac4978]

Then I cut some plexiglass to create the baffle and included a slot to hold a millenium filter.

I spent the last couple weeks fabricating the stand/canopy. I havent been taking picks of it but I will tomorrow as I really want to at least get the stand done. Its really coming together nicely and am anxious to get pics up here for your viewing pleasure. And by the way, I am in no way handy or skilled in woodcraft or any alterations, so dont flame me too bad. My dad is helping me with the stand/canopy tho and its much better than I could do on my own. Even tho he explains what I need to do and then walks away. :rolleye1:

While I build that, I figured I would set up the tank and get it cycling awhile. I put some Aragonite Reef Sand in the tank and some in the filter/fuge. I think I went a little light on the sand in the tank but I want to wait until its on the stand to see how much I want in there and how it matches up. I grabbed some small LR rubble pieces from my 55 and put it into the fuge area of the AC70. Today I went to my "LFS" and picked up 3 larger LR rubbles for the display tank. I definately like the bottom 2 but I dont think I like the top one I have and may remove it soon.

When I got it into the tank and moved it around a few times, I noticed something attached to the glass on the back.

And upon further inspection....

The first hitchhiker I have ever received!! That I know of. I was very excited. I moved him to my 55 though because the nano doesnt have a heater, salinity is too low and has only cycled for 2 days now. Hopefully he'll hang on. He was out of water for about 20 minutes as well. So far so good tho.

Thats it for now. I'll get pics and updates tomorrow on the stand progress. Again thanks for taking a look and please chime in, I know I'll have lots of dilemmas and will like to pick your brains.

Jim

 

[Billy1234]

Looks like a good start, you seem to know what you're doing. I like the aquascaping in the second pic. You're going to change it 100 times before you like it though Keep us updated!

 

[RocketSeason]

Looking good. the DIY touches are nice.

 

[Jester]

looking good... keep updating...

Jester

 

[jmac4978]

Thanks for the comments! I'm really excited for this tank to get up and running.

This morning I went to That Fish Place and bought a fixture and bulb to light my filter/fuge. The fixture is just one for a reptile cage (about $3) and the lamp is a Coralife mini Compact 50/50, 10 watt. 10,000k daylight/actinic 03 blue.

Here's the contents of the fuge for now, I wont have nearly as much LR in there later, I just wanted to get as much in there as I could as it cycles.

Well, its a beautiful day and I just have to take a ride on my baby. I'm heading over to my dad's to work on the stand. I'll take some pics and update it here later on tonight.

I couldnt resist, here's my baby!

Jim

 

[jmac4978]

Here's some of my progress on the stand.

First, what I have done so far. For the base, I still need to make the molding on the bottom and the door, and then stain it. I have yet to start on the canopy, although the wood for the walls is planed and cut.

Today I started to make the door. I didnt have a piece of wood that was long and wide enough, so I have to make it two pieces. No big deal, but I have to wait for the glue to dry and get back at it tomorrow.

Then I ran each piece through the jointer to make the adjoining side perfectly straight.

Then I glued them, stuck them together and now its the waiting game.

And heres the initial drawing that I sketched to get an idea of what I wanted. Its a bit hard to see but you can get an idea.

Thats all for today, I'll hopefully finish up the door tomorrow and possibly the bottom molding and soon can apply the finish.

Question: is there a certain kind of finish I should use that can stand up to saltwater better? I am really thinking of painting the inside of the canopy (when I get that far) but I dont think much else should really be subjected to the saltwater.

Jim

 

[Billy1234]

Why do you want to paint the indside of the canopy? I would just leave it unfinished. I like your sketch too, that's a good aquascape. You took the picture upside down though :lol:

 

[jmac4978]

I was thinking of painting the inside of the canopy because I am concerned that the evaporation may rot the wood eventually. Maybe it wont, I dont really know though. I'm glad I did that sketch too, it really helped to get off to a good start in what I wanted done. One problem with it though, I dont think I will have a fish in it, just corals, clean up crew, and some nice inverts.

Dam date code gave me away, I'm not a real photographer.

 

[Steven0000]

haha
thats
great

good start!

 

[Daemonfly]

Yes, you should coat the inside with at least a little poly or something, especially if that wood glue isn't a high-quality water-resistant type.


I generally stain or at least poly, then paint the inside white. I use Rustoleum "appliance epoxy" spraypaint. It's a glossy, thick, hard paint that works better than regular spray paint.

 

[Billy1234]

I'm not a real photographer either so don't feel bad :lol: And since nobody has said it,

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central, Jmac</b></i></big></big>

 

[jmac4978]

I'll check into epoxy and paint for the inside of the canopy. Thanks for the suggestion, Daemonfly. Thanks for the big welcome! Very nice.

I'm still learning how to use my camera and I'm sure this thread will help me do that. Its not the best camera in the world, but its not the worst either. I just hope I can figure out how to take decent macro shots. Every time I try, the auto-focus goes right on and the fuzzes out. PITA! Maybe I should read the manual. :eek1:

Did some work on the stand tonight, will update as soon as I upload the pics.

 

[jmac4978]

Ok, it doesnt look like I did too much, but really I guess I did.

The two pieces of wood I glued together for the door was dry so I planed it down to get it skinnier than the wall of the cabinet.

Then I cut it to size, routed the sides, and sanded 'er down. Its hard to see the rout around the edge in this pic, but its there and subtle. The grain on the two pieces went together nicely! Can barely tell is not one piece.

I went to the hardware store and bought some things I'll need in the coming days:
- Minwax Red Mahogany stain
- Clear coat
- Pewter handle for the cabinet door
- Magnet to hold the door closed
- and a battery powered light to put inside the cabinet.

Hopefully I can attach the door tomorrow and get at least 1 coat of stain on it. Then, I think, it will really start to look like somthing.

While the tank is cycling, does it make a difference to have lights on it? I put some live rock from my 55 into the fuge and am affraid to not have a light on them, but I'm not sure if they need it.

Thanks again for glancing at my project!

 

[Daemonfly]

Btw, your wood working tool selection makes me jealous

All I have is a 10" miter saw & a cheap $40 HD router table


As for the rock, if there's nothing growing on the rock, then you could get by without light. This would also help reduce the common new-tank algae blooms.

 

[jmac4978]

Ok, cool. The rock in the filter/fuge has some algae growing on them but the rock in the display is straight from the LFS. So I guess I'll keep the display lamp off and the fuge light on a regular cycle. Thanks again.

 

[jmac4978]

Went to the LFS today and picked up 2 more pieces of LR. Got another hitchhiker too! I kind of like him, but my girlfriend says that he'll eat acropora. I dont know if i'll have acropora in my tank right now, so I kept him in there. I also put 2 "bug" hitchhikers in my FOWLR, tomato clown loved them. Can anyone ID the crab for me? We dont know for sure.

And finally a full tank shot with the new rock. I'm trying to make as many ledges as I can for the corals, and I made a tunnel because, as I dont really want fish in here, I secretely want a watchman goby.

 

[Billy1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7854622#post7854622 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Daemonfly
Btw, your wood working tool selection makes me jealous

Me too! I would do a lot of DIY projects if I had the tools and everything.



I'm not really sure about your hitchhiker but I'm sure someone will chime in. I really like your aquascape too.

 

[amazonlover]

man your lucky all those hitchhikers~!!! and nice tank BTW unfortuantly my dream of having a 5.5 has been stalled because my perants bought me a new 72 gallon tank for my cichlids..... im very happy about it because there getting it all for me(its part of my new room) but my birthday is in 2 mounths soo il ask for a 12 deluxe jbj nano cube or enough money to set a 5.5 up

 

[jmac4978]

Did I mention that I hate working with wood? Well, I do! I'm just lucky that my dad doesnt feel the same way, at least he didnt 5 years ago when he bought all the saws and fancy tools.

Today...I stained it. Finally!! Now I have to walk around looking like I dont shower since the stain is all in the corners of my finger nails and I cant get it out. Anyway, its well worth it.

Here it is after one coat...

And after the second coat...

On that last pic, that unsightly mark going up the right side is a mess up I had. I decided to keep the piece of wood since I'm lazy and I could put it in the inside of the cabinet. Wow, it really looks bad in the picture, not quite that bad in person. I convice myself it gives it...character. Yep, its character! :bounce3:

Tomorrow I'll put on one more coat and then I can bring it home and set it up! I cant wait, but the work is only half done, still have the canopy to build. UGH!!!!