Aaron's Elos Mini

[aaron7405]

Hi guys

After over 3 years with out tank in my home, use to have a 55g, I bought a used Elos mini for a good friend of mine here in my town, did not came with skimmer or lighting. But is was great deal so I buy it anyway.

It came with:
-Tank Front veiw Starphire
-Stand
-Sump
-Pump Compact ehiem 1000

and I bought a Nac 3.5 as a skimmer

It was on near perfect conditions. My goal is have zoos and lps only no SPS

I cicled the tank for over 4-5 months and (wait to buy my other stuff as lamp, controller , etc).

In the aqua scape I dont like a buch of rock I am more spacius and the lest touch the sand so the water can flow easily amoun the tank.

Here are some pics of the firts set up, the day I finished doing the lights

Sorry for the durty glass but I was to exited when I turn the lights on!!

 

[aaron7405]

For the light was a bit a devating for months LOL, what to add!!!! LED? PAR38? T5? or 150HQI?

I end up making a LED lamp by my self. It has 6XPE blue leds, 6 Royalblue and 8 XPG cool white run with 2 seperate balast meanwell dimables.

One of the great things about leds it than is not just a light anymore. it can be nearly than the nature gives you: Color from 5000-20000K, adjust time, period and intensity, can make clouds etc.

I pass all the cables inside the hold fame than I atach to the cabinet and with some scres I can lift it or put it closer to the water.

I really want to achive a clean nite look!!

 

[aaron7405]

Time to add some life to the tank!!!

Like I said I ending up cicled like 6 months I think. but it was really worth the wait.

I started with
-2 percs solomon
-1 Swales Swissguard Basslet
-1 tail spot blenny
-1 RBTA
- torch metalic green
- rock with palys (NPG, Purple Death, RPE)
- Torch green purple tips
- 2" ultra maxima clam

 

[akma]

Looks great. Can't wait to see progression shots.
only few more weeks till i get my elos!!!

 

[NemusMaximus]

Beautiful tank !! That is a really clean, polished looking light! Do you have a link to a build on it?

 

[ange062]

Awesome looking tank and the clowns are beautiful! Look forward to progress shots!

 

[rtb7]

Sweet tank. Very close to setting up the very same tank. Looks great.

 

[aaron7405]

Beautiful tank !! That is a really clean, polished looking light! Do you have a link to a build on it?

I did not took pics about rthat but a friend ask me to build another and I will take some pics I promese

 

[aaron7405]

Elos as we all know is a great tank by it self, but after looking more closer I think the sump did not meet my needs with that skimmer.

The Skimmer is bit loud but works like a champ, also what I notice is the skimmer makes a lot of micro bubble and the baffle before the pump has a hole at the bottom and it let pass the micro bubble to the return pump. And if you do not have a water lever or ATO will be a pain to keep the skimmer level in check.

So I put it to work with a bucket for a few days and star to make changes the sump

I took out all the baffles and star to make a new arange on the sump, the main goal is make room for the skimmer and the return pump, I change it for a Tunze controlable, So I can control the speed with the aquacontroler JR as I still have 2 variable control cahnels open. With this feature I will do the wavemaker direct from the return pump. I will not have to buy a Vortech MP10W and stand the noise that it produce.

I will post some pics later on, need go to work!!

 

[aaron7405]

Thank you you all guys for the Ok's

Here are the pics of the sump modification I hope you like it and gime me your feedback

I took out the refill bafle and give more space for the skimmer and water in the return pump

also I want to mention than the skimmer is facing that way so it will take the water direct for the filter chmabers. and the pump is facing back of the bubble traper so it will suction as low as posible the micro bubble.

Mechanical and bilogical filtration

Here you can see the bubble tramp from the skimmer to the return pump.

I add a silencer to the skimmer's air intake

I put silicon tubing on the sidewalls of the pump chamber so secure more the pump and some how absorb vibration

Bubble traps working excellent!!!

Enough water on the pump chamber it holds water up to 3-4 days with out refilling.

Here is the sump mounted.

I relly like how it end, the overflow outlet is exact under the 1fts cahamber so the pipe does not have to cros all the way to the from, same as the bak pump really close to tthe aquarium inlet

 

[aaron7405]

Few days ago I added 2 more small rocks to build a bridge in the front right of the tank. I will tray in the future to cover the botom with chalices or with some rics, the upper will be color zoos.

Here are some pics, of the rocks placement.

Side veiw

Other pic

 

[dynofish]

love you thank really nice

 

[aaron7405]

Her are some pics how the complete set up looks. those were from last week, I will add some more with the new corals later this weekend.

 

[Carrera75]

Great Aquascape! Are the rocks loose or are they attached with epoxy?

 

[aaron7405]

Thank you for he comment.

They are loose, just the big one at the top has DD epoxy under to secure it with the rock than make it as colllum, to make sure does not fall and crack a glass.

 

[ange062]

The skimmer/sump setup looks awesome! It looks like your clown is hosting your frogspawn, keep an eye on this as I nearly lost me clown due to poisoning when it started hosting my frogspawn. I ended up having to take the frogspawn out of the tank. If your clown starts to look lethargic or it's mouth gets stuck open that is a telltale sign.

 

[aaron7405]

WOW I did not knew that, thank's for the info, The small one is on the frowspawn the bigone goes in the 3 (RBTA, Frogspaswn and the torch). I will keep a close look on them.
Thnaks again.

 

[natedogg]

Nice job!

 

[E.intheC]

How is this tank coming along?

 

[6Speed]

can you explain how you built the light stand?