Cirrhi's 5.5g AIO

[Cirrhitichthys]

Hello fellow reefers. I have around ten years of freshwater experience, and just under two with saltwater, in fact, two years ago to this (yester)day, I bought probably one of the coolest fish I've ever owned, a falco hawkfish(Cirrhitichthys falco). Just a few months ago, my very first marine aquarium crashed, due to an unfortunate amount of Caulerpa prolifera sex cells swimming about. Having regrouped my thoughts, and refocused my goals, I have finally gotten back into the hobby, starting out with a 5.5g aquarium, that, once cycled, will be home to a falcatus mantis shrimp(Gonodactylaceus falcatus). At the moment, it has two powerheads, 2" of black sand and I'm guessing around 7-10 pounds of dry rock. Due to my lack of small HOB filters, I don't have any half-decent pics at the moment. But I just ordered some CREE LEDs for the tank(detailed in my next post), and I'm considering my options of whether or not to go AIO, or just use a HOB Aquaclear filter. Either, or, we will know in the future.

Just made an order from Rapid, should be here soon! I'm excited, also, here's my buy list:

1. 1x-$30, 0-10V Dimmable Nano Driver with Potentiometer
2. 4x-$20, CREE XP-G 5W Neutral White LED
3. 2x-$6.50, CREE XT-E Royal Blue LED
4. 1x-$12, Drilled/tapped 1.4" x 12" Aluminum Heatsink
5. 1x-$5.50, Thermal Grease (5g)
6. 1x-$10, Moonlight driver (350mA)
7. 1x-$6, CREE XP-G 5W Warm White LED with 40°, 60°, or 80° degree Lens
Lens ​Color​: Black
Lens ​Width​: 60 De​gree
8. 1x-$3, Single LED Aluminum Heatsink

Sub Total: $93
Shipping: $7
Grand Total: $100


For some reason my OCD set off and I had to spend exact amounts. So I worked it out to where I could light both my display, and have a moonlight driver left over to A. light my refugium, and B. should I want to add other "moonlight" LEDs, I can simply add them onto this driver, and they will be directly connected with the refugium light. Later, when I setup another tank, I plan on getting another driver for separate color control. Obviously the tanks will both have the same color-scheme, but I'd rather have a shared color control over two tanks, than no color control at all. Overall I'm excited to start getting into LEDs. I think tomorrow I'll begin working on a canopy for the tank.


Finally, I Just got back from Lowes with:

1. 1x-$8.98 Optix 18" x 2' Clear Acrylic Sheet
2. 1x-$13.97 23 3/4" x 17 3/4" White Eggcrate
3. 1x-$6.24 Clear W&D Silicone II 9.8 fl.Oz
4. 1x-$4.98 All Purpose Squeegee

Total: $34.17

Not entirely sure about the Silicon, I'll need to double check on the forums. I also got a lawn mower, so I don't have an exact tax addition. The acrylic will be used for my AIO bits, a cover, and anything else I can think of..

My next trip to Lowes/Home Depot should yield a can of Krylon Fusion Spray paint, some pond foam, and zipties.

Next trip to the LFS/Petcosmart will get me an AC30, a return pump of some sort and some white sand for the wall.


bad cell-phone pics. Until I fix my DSLR, this will have to do..

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

All the Acrylic pieces are cut, once I silicone them into place I'll get pics(though build meager, and resultful) posted up. Just got some pond foam for my rockwall. I need to go get zipties and then some sand and crushed coral for it before I can get started. My return area may end up being a bit smaller than I'd like it to be, but I think I can hide a pump under the rockwall to make a psuedoclosed-loop. I also need to track down an AC20, the AC30 is going to be too large, though, I'm considering just making a HOB skilterfuge(That word is just awesome). I've put together a small coral list:
-Stylophora pistillata, one of my favorite sps corals. Will be kept away from other corals, to prevent it from eating itself, lol. If I go with a damsel as my cheap-o fish, I'll be sure to get a species which is known to have a symbiotic relationship with stylophora. Heck, if I can get a decent Stylo, the tank may just end up being dedicated to it coral wise(In a tank so small, the corals will be well trimmed, and I'm hoping to get a large colony feel from all of them.):
-Montipora nodosa, Encrusting species, I'm specifically interested in a "Sunset" Montipora, which falls under this species.
-Montipora tuberculosa, another encrusting species, again, I'm interested in a specific kind (Superman/reverse Superman), which tend to fall under this species.
-Montipora capricornis, plating montipora. I'd like to get a green one and a purple one to grow together, not sure if that will happen though.
-Seriatopora hystrix, Anything but a pink one would fit in wonderfully..
-Heliopora coerulea, if I can find one..
-Pocillopora damicornis, fast growing, and should make a healthy centerpiece.
-Euphyllia ancora, I can get a small blue one, and it should make for a great sandbed piece
-Euphyllia cristata or Euphyllia baliensis, the baliensis is unlikely, being a new species. So I will settle for a cristata or maybe even a parancora/paradivisa

Probably not all of these for such a small tank, but it would be nice to one day have a huge collection of them all.

 

[codyreef29]

I would keep it coral only. But that's just what I would do. I see you went with 4 nw and 1 warm white. I have 2x blue 4x cw 1x nw over my 2.5.

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

I would keep it coral only. But that's just what I would do. I see you went with 4 nw and 1 warm white. I have 2x blue 4x cw 1x nw over my 2.5.

Mantis will stay small, plus, I'm building the rock structure with a mantis in mind, so he will have plenty of places to play. I also have plenty of tanks sitting around which I can upgrade to. And the fish is still a maybe, but if he doesn't become food, then he'll probably end up in my 10g when its completed.

I went with 4xNW and 2xRB for my display tank. I plan on upgrading later when I get another desk tank, so I can put the colors on separate drivers and run color control over two tanks at once. The Warm White LED is for my fuge.

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

Well, unfortunately there was a transaction issue regarding the LEDs. So the plan is now just to save up so I can go full color control, custom heatsink, ect..

In the meantime, I'm planning on ordering a 3g JBJ Picotope. Once I get this, then I can just set it up and let it cycle, providing the mantis with a home while I work on making the 5.5g tank up to standards. It will also give me something to enjoy while I wait on the little bits and pieces for my 5.5g.

The plan is to eventually have 4RB and 4CW LEDs over the Picotope, and 6CW and 6RBs over the 5.5g AIO. The RBs will all be on the same driver, and the CWs will be on another. This will give me color control, and, should either fixture be unbalanced(one is too powerful, the other too weak for either tank), then the fixtures can be lowered or raised depending on the situation. It may end up being 3/3 over the 3g and 7/7 over the 5.5g. Either way, I'll figure it out.

That's all I have for now. I'll make a new thread for my Picotope when I receive it.

~Cirrhi

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

My Future Mantis:

 

[Ambition]

That is the tiniest mantis I have ever seen!

Can't wait to see your build to come together, will be following along.

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

That is the tiniest mantis I have ever seen!

Can't wait to see your build to come together, will be following along.

Thanks Kyle, aboot time :hammer:

I think its a N.wennerae. So that would make it a teeny weenie.

 

[StephLionfish]

Adorable mantis :inlove:

I'll be following the build, as well :thumbsup:

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

Adorable mantis :inlove:

I'll be following the build, as well :thumbsup:

:lmao: Thanks Steph

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

Teeny Weenie(Wennerae)? :lmao:

 

[dublo8]

Cool mantis build. Take that silicon back and get GE I. Not II. II has mold inhibitors that you don't want near your tank. Just saying. Keep on building though. Looks to be a fun little project.

 

[Cirrhitichthys]

Cool mantis build. Take that silicon back and get GE I. Not II. II has mold inhibitors that you don't want near your tank. Just saying. Keep on building though. Looks to be a fun little project.

Thanks, I just ordered some Marineland silicone the other day. The GE stuff looked a little sketchy, so I didn't use it. The building should continue once I decide on a pump, and once the silicone gets here. Until then, I'll have a 3g picotope which I can start messing with :bounce3: