60G Cube Dream Tank!

[xtlosx]

Hey everyone!!

I've been lurking here for a few months, have a Fluval Edge reef tank, and a 36G bow front, that just wasn't cutting it for me... I was using mechanical filtration, etc and eventually knew I wanted to upgrade to a sump\fuge setup for my dream reef. I went out for a couple lbs of live rock today for the 36G tank, and came home with this, MarineLand 60G cube & stand! I picked it up for $399.99 on sale, which for my area is actually pretty reasonable. I made some stupid newbie mistakes, and the more and more hours I spend looking at the forums, I see some amazing looking tanks... This time around, I am going SUPER slow (my wife can't wait to see the patience blossom, and not making ANY needless mistakes).

We positioned the stand, got the tank on it, and started the leak test today.. So far so good... Over the next couple of days I will be asking for some help, and appreciate any feedback, so anything is appreciated.


- Sump \ Fuge.. I'm actually looking to order Eshopps Refugium II - 24 x 12 x 16 tomorrow, but wanted to make sure this will do what I need...

- Rock scape this bad boy. I'm looking for ideas as I browse, and this time will actually buy some dry rock to drill, and make a sweet looking scape. More ideas to come as we brainstorm over here.


Livestock (mainly will be transferred from the 36G when this is completely ready)

- 1x Black & 1x White Perc.
- Lawnmower Blenny
- Red Hermits
- Blue legged hermits
- Pink Pincushion Urchin (If I had my way he'd go back to the LFS because he loves to feast on the coraline, and bulldozes stuff... My wife is in LOVE with him, so he stays.)
- 2x turbo snails
- 2x Peppermint Shrimp
- 2x Emerald Crabs
- RBTA

Corals

- Torch
- Frogspawn
- 3x duncan heads (one of them is now sprouting another 6!!)
- Mushroom ricordea
- Aussie Acans
- Hammer
- Tongue Coral
- multiple galaxea heads
- Yellow\Green Birdsnest
- Toadstool

Some first pictures, will post more once I start getting plumbing parts, get that going, and get the fuge started.... If I can get a good handle on what I need, I will start the fuge tomorrow! I'm excited to get the plumbing part done, but am taking my sweet time to do it right..

Alright everyone, so new updates!! I just got back from picking up my Sump, and Skimmer...

I decided to go with the following Fuge & Skimmer.

I came home, unpacked everything, and got the filter sock in, skimmer fit (tight snug squeeze, but works!) and everything is sitting underneath the stand awaiting plumbing.

Now onto the good stuff, pictures!!

 

[xtlosx]

Alright everyone, so new updates!! I just got back from picking up my Sump, and Skimmer...

I decided to go with the following Fuge & Skimmer.

I came home, unpacked everything, and got the filter sock in, skimmer fit (tight snug squeeze, but works!) and everything is sitting underneath the stand awaiting plumbing.

Now onto the good stuff, pictures!!

 

[xtlosx]

Alright, so just took some pictures, and hoping that they turn out better and start to do my tank justice.

Bam Bam Zoas

Eagle Eye Zoas

Frogspawn

Our Pink Pincusion Urchin, Urlacher

Acan Lord

Candy Cane Coral

RBTA, I'd say he looks pretty healthy, thoughts?

Torch (one of my favorites)

 

[xtlosx]

Alright everyone.... great news.. Plumbing was done yesterday, filled with salt water yesterday afternoon, and run overnight.. no problems to report, all is well!!

Today, I went out and met with a local reefer who has a (Thanks SULLIMAN!!!), reef store in his garage... absolutely badass... I picked up 30lbs of rock that was broken down last night, and the tank was up and running for about 2 years. I also got sand from the same time as well, looking real nice! The rocks are scaped with my base rock and everything is rolling along....

While I was picking up sand and rock from this guy, I also got a Red Sea Wavemaker Pro & 2 power heads to transform my reef... So far so good!! On the rock there were some hitchhikers, some crabs, a little starfish that is in the sump actually, and who knows what else...

I'll post pictures once the water is cleared up a bit, but first test of the water parameters are all looking, well perfect! I'll see how things are looking on Wednesday and if the parameter readings hold steady next weekend I will move my clowns over as my other tank is just slowly degrading into hell, so hoping for a quick, if not no cycle at all because these rocks were taken from the other tank last night, sat in his tanks for a couple of hrs and picked up this morning, submerged the entire trip, same with the sand.

Thanks, and appreciate the comments! I'm pretty excited as this is my first real tank with an overflow and fuge setup.... I'm hooked!

Plumbing done!

Drain chamber, with Protein Skimmer, gettin' wet

Awesome looking rock, 35lbs @ $3\lb... can't beat that!

Not a bad deal for $40! Working great so far.

Sand galore (Fiji Pink)!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_0L-6ldtSfZ0/TY5HDP6vdbI/AAAAAAAABaI/L0iYIlVUVXY/s800/DSCN5440.JPG[img]

Rock scape complete! Love the little coves we have on the base, and the tunnels and hiding spots for fish to swim through.
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_0L-6ldtSfZ0/TY5HEMLUdRI/AAAAAAAABaM/ETAbZu6Zr94/s800/DSCN5441.JPG

Looking good so far!

Now the waiting game begins... Tomorrow should be much better, already looking better since I took these pictures!

 

[xtlosx]

Sorry guys, posts are out of order... Trying to copy from another site, and well too many beers Hope you can make sense of it.

 

[SkullV]

What happened to the other nem? Also your microbubble issue is likely because of a tiny air leak in your return plumbing if it started after everything had been running ok for a while.

 

[xtlosx]

It is alive and well, just hiding on the back of my rock work. Realized I haven't posted a picture here yet...

Alright... So Saturday, and a credit card at MCF and I come home with this!

Blue Maxima Clam (2.5")

Japanese Green Bubble Tipped Anemone

As far as the microbubble question, think it is a water clarity problem, will post back with my results, it is getting better... I have used a bunch of epoxy recently, and that might be a LOT of my problems...

Anyways, all is healthy!

 

[SkullV]

As far as the microbubble question, think it is a water clarity problem, will post back with my results, it is getting better... I have used a bunch of epoxy recently, and that might be a LOT of my problems...

Anyways, all is healthy!

I don't know I have used the same epoxy you used and never had issues like that, but hopefully the clean out you did will help!

 

[xtlosx]

What happened to the other nem? Also your microbubble issue is likely because of a tiny air leak in your return plumbing if it started after everything had been running ok for a while.

So what is the best path to resolution here to get that solved? Stop the entire system, re-tighten all of the fittings, take them off, tighten again?

It was perfect for a week then started happening. I need to get this solved ASAP or I'm going to lose my mind.

 

[SkullV]

So what is the best path to resolution here to get that solved? Stop the entire system, re-tighten all of the fittings, take them off, tighten again?

It was perfect for a week then started happening. I need to get this solved ASAP or I'm going to lose my mind.

I would pull all the connections apart. Lubricate all your barbs with 100% silicone lubricant (helps to create a seal) and reassemble.

 

[xtlosx]

I would pull all the connections apart. Lubricate all your barbs with 100% silicone lubricant (helps to create a seal) and reassemble.

Well some more observations today.. sorry for all of the moving parts but I'm stumped and frustrated all at the same time...

So I can see in the return chamber, my Rio3100 is a good 3" underwater, completely submerged. I can see tiny tiny tiny, and I mean tiny microbubbles crossing my fuge, a bunch getting caught at the bubble trap, but when I stare at the return area from the side, with a flashlight, i can see the little bastards floating around, then getting sucked back into the display tank.

I'm wondering if there is some cavitation going on here somehow??

 

[SkullV]

It's possible. Try stuffing some filter floss between the walls of the bubble trap or a foam block under the last wall (common with sumps) and see what happens. This way you will know if the plumbing or the sump is the issue. You can always add another acrylic wall (all the way to the bottom) after the last baffle to make a more effective bubble trap.

 

[SkullV]

It's possible. Try stuffing some filter floss between the walls of the bubble trap or a foam block under the last wall (common with sumps) and see what happens. This way you will know if the plumbing or the sump is the issue. You can always add another acrylic wall (all the way to the bottom) after the last baffle to make a more effective bubble trap.

 

[xtlosx]

OK, I will jump out tomorrow and get a foam block and try that out... Any sort of block in particular, and is this something I should be able to pick up at locally at petsmart or something

 

[Dre59]

I was going to say something about your tank and forgot once I saw your Japanese Green Bubble Tipped Anemone :inlove::inlove:

 

[xtlosx]

I was going to say something about your tank and forgot once I saw your Japanese Green Bubble Tipped Anemone :inlove::inlove:

Thanks..... it is one gorgeous invert... We went to MCF and didn't expect to come back with it, but upon seeing it, my wife had to have it..

He has parked himself on the back of our live rock structure and isn't really visible, but it's a beautiful 'nem!

When he splits, I'll let you local guys know!

 

[Dre59]

Thanks..... it is one gorgeous invert... We went to MCF and didn't expect to come back with it, but upon seeing it, my wife had to have it..

He has parked himself on the back of our live rock structure and isn't really visible, but it's a beautiful 'nem!

When he splits, I'll let you local guys know!

Keep me in mind :wave:

 

[xtlosx]

Keep me in mind :wave:

You & Tom both!

 

[TheReefNinja]

Ah yes Dre I saw that thing in his tank yesterday and it looks 10x better in person its colors are amazing. And Tom tank looks awesome once the water clears that tank will be tits.

 

[xtlosx]

Ah yes Dre I saw that thing in his tank yesterday and it looks 10x better in person its colors are amazing. And Tom tank looks awesome once the water clears that tank will be tits.

Thanks, until then, I'm angry it's not as clear as it was... f'ing skimmer and epoxy.... my fault