After having my first salt tank up and running for a year with no major problems I am ready to start a new project. I picked up a Marineland 60 gallon frameless/rimless (24"x24"x24") tank on their black stand, glass lids, and coralife 24" dual bulb t5ho light. I will be using this thread as a way to show my progress and post any questions that may come up.
60g frameless cube build
- Thread starter Pdandy
- Start date
Equipment I already have:
1) SWC160 skimmer
2) 1350 gph return pump (will be throttled back some with a ball valve to around 8-900gph)
3) ranco temp controller with 500w titanium heater
4) 2x 1400gph koralia powerheads
The tank came pre-drilled with marineland's corner overflow kit. I plan on modifying this slightly. I will use one hole as a full siphon drain controlled by a gate valve and the other will be used as an emergency drain in case the full siphon clogs. The return will be ran up and over the back of the tank through the provided dual out-put loc-line. This is exactly how I ran my previous tank with no problems in over a year and it was completely silent.
1) SWC160 skimmer
2) 1350 gph return pump (will be throttled back some with a ball valve to around 8-900gph)
3) ranco temp controller with 500w titanium heater
4) 2x 1400gph koralia powerheads
The tank came pre-drilled with marineland's corner overflow kit. I plan on modifying this slightly. I will use one hole as a full siphon drain controlled by a gate valve and the other will be used as an emergency drain in case the full siphon clogs. The return will be ran up and over the back of the tank through the provided dual out-put loc-line. This is exactly how I ran my previous tank with no problems in over a year and it was completely silent.
Sump will be a 20high
Obviously this drawing is not to scale, as the skimmer will not be sitting that low in the sump.
The refugium will contain live rock rubble and chaeto.
I plan on running a DIY automatic top off system that I will go into further detail on when the time comes.
Obviously this drawing is not to scale, as the skimmer will not be sitting that low in the sump.
The refugium will contain live rock rubble and chaeto.
I plan on running a DIY automatic top off system that I will go into further detail on when the time comes.
I did save about 60 lbs of caribsea aragonite sand from my previous tank for this build. Planning on about 40-50 lbs of live rock in the display with an additional 10-15lbs in the refugium section of the sump for a total of about 60lbs.
Proposed live-stock (listed in order of introduction to the tank)
1) 5x blue/green reef chromis
2) 4x spotted cardinalfish
3) yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair
4) 3x carpenter's flasher wrasse (1m2f)
5) 2x Ocellaris clownfish
6) 1x red or green mandarin dragonet
Proposed live-stock (listed in order of introduction to the tank)
1) 5x blue/green reef chromis
2) 4x spotted cardinalfish
3) yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair
4) 3x carpenter's flasher wrasse (1m2f)
5) 2x Ocellaris clownfish
6) 1x red or green mandarin dragonet
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All of the pieces are 11 3/4" wide. Heights are from left to right - 10", 10", 5", 6.5" the third baffle is not installed yet in the picture, still waiting for the "under" baffle to cure so I can remove the dvd cases holding it up.
I wasn't going to either but then I re-designed my sump so that the 4th baffle is lower and has egg crate on top. For two reasons 1) the egg crate will keep the chaeto in the refugium and out of my pump 2) this effectively increases the volume of my return chamber. I will of course HAVE to have an ATO, otherwise I'd be adding water a couple times a day.
Here you can see the eggcrate mentioned above.
Lilmatty5dimes
New member
awesome start. cant wait to see this come alive.
IgnatiusRath
New member
Following along. Just got my mom the same tank and stand. Been debating the set up. Thanks for doing the leg work! :dance:
Centralreefs
New member
Nice build so far
The SWC160? If so, it's a great skimmer. I had it on my 90 gallon and it produces some nasty gunk!!
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