DIY 20g Long Build Thread
- Thread starter JasonBJones
- Start date
JasonBJones
New member
He is at the moment, although he is coming out soon. I have convinced my wife that we need to set up her tank and she can have the damsel. I think I am going to go back to small gobies and perhaps a blue stripe pipefish--still have lots of research to do on that one though.
As far as dosing chemicals: I dose B-ionic calcium and alkalinity as necessary. I use kalk for my top off. I dose Kent Tech M as necessary to maintain Mg around 1350. Finally, once a week a dose one drop of lugols solution. I am a strong believer in not dosing for things you cant test for, with iodine being the exception because I have observed that it brings the blues out better in SPS. Plus, I generally do 2 or 3 gallon water changes every week, so I think that takes care of most of the other stuff.
As far as dosing chemicals: I dose B-ionic calcium and alkalinity as necessary. I use kalk for my top off. I dose Kent Tech M as necessary to maintain Mg around 1350. Finally, once a week a dose one drop of lugols solution. I am a strong believer in not dosing for things you cant test for, with iodine being the exception because I have observed that it brings the blues out better in SPS. Plus, I generally do 2 or 3 gallon water changes every week, so I think that takes care of most of the other stuff.
JasonBJones
New member
Well here is the start to the small redo:
I lost about half the rics this summer and the rock was just depressing. I decided to remove all the rics from the rock and mount them along the back wall. I have not decided quite how I like the placement of the yet, may have to move some around.
I then spent a couple of hours driving around stores to find the perfect rock to replace it. I finally found a rock that had just gotten shipped in yesterday, so it is uncured. There isn't much stuff on it, so I think it will cure relatively quickly. Until then, it is sitting in a bucket with a power head and a heater. I plan on getting several more SPS to put on the rock.
I had really hoped to purchase a piece or Real Reef rock, but the store that had some in town only had 15+ lb pieces.
I have also decided to rearrange how the rocks on the sand will sit, I think it is going to look a bit better when everything is put back together. I was able to catch the damsel today and find him a new home. Time to start figuring out new fish.
Review of the Reef Angel coming soon.
I lost about half the rics this summer and the rock was just depressing. I decided to remove all the rics from the rock and mount them along the back wall. I have not decided quite how I like the placement of the yet, may have to move some around.
I then spent a couple of hours driving around stores to find the perfect rock to replace it. I finally found a rock that had just gotten shipped in yesterday, so it is uncured. There isn't much stuff on it, so I think it will cure relatively quickly. Until then, it is sitting in a bucket with a power head and a heater. I plan on getting several more SPS to put on the rock.
I had really hoped to purchase a piece or Real Reef rock, but the store that had some in town only had 15+ lb pieces.
I have also decided to rearrange how the rocks on the sand will sit, I think it is going to look a bit better when everything is put back together. I was able to catch the damsel today and find him a new home. Time to start figuring out new fish.
Review of the Reef Angel coming soon.
SaintMark
New member
Well Teddyzapper and I have skunk clowns... Why not join our club? they are very active and are fun to watch.
See they even pose for pics too
thejerzboi
New member
Oh now that is awesome, I cant wait to see what type of fish you decide to restock it with!
Any specific goby you are looking into?
I am looking into some gobies as well for my tank once I get back from Christmas.
I might have to look into some rics, but unsure if they would do well under my CFL that is 2x65w 10k adn actinic
Any specific goby you are looking into?
I am looking into some gobies as well for my tank once I get back from Christmas.
I might have to look into some rics, but unsure if they would do well under my CFL that is 2x65w 10k adn actinic
JasonBJones
New member
I had a couple of green banded gobies before and really enjoyed watching them. I also really enjoyed the two red striped gobies I had, so I may get one of those. Those guys with a blue striped pipefish would be a lot of fun.
I would like something else in there with a good personality. Anyone have any good blenny recommendations? Or anything else?
I would like something else in there with a good personality. Anyone have any good blenny recommendations? Or anything else?
venom550pm
Member
I have a zebra goby they burrow under rocks and in the sand, but they do like to jump.....
SaintMark
New member
Red Spotted Blenny would be awesome :bounce2:
Check out this link it has a video of it too
http://www.vividaquariums.com/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=01-1610&Category=Fish:Blennies&SortBy=Price
JasonBJones
New member
Great suggestions everyone. I really am digging the red/orange spot blenny and the forktail blenny.
The zebra goby is a really neat fish, but I try to avoid jumpers with my open top.
On random other notes, my wife has been bugging me to set her up a tank. I had an old 12g acrylic AIO tank sitting around in the attic, so I decided to pull that out. Its a great little tank with a pretty large filter area for the size tank. The biggest challenge is that the filter area is so large, it makes aquacaping a real challenge.
Here is what I started with:
Because the filter box has multiple areas, I decided to make a cardboard model of the tank to allow me to aquascape outside of the tank, but ensure I matched the dimensions. I wanted to create one of two solid pieces of rockwork. Here is the mold, also gives you a good idea of the challenges of this little tank.
Building the rock was fun. I used super glue, epoxy and zip ties to hold everything together. I had to build it in three phases. After each phase I put the rock back in the tank to let the glue and epoxy cure for a couple of hours. I wanted to make sure it was good and hard before I began working on the next section. The zip ties could be removed after the couple of hours, which was nice. Overall, I am pretty happy with how it came out. But more importantly, the wife is really happy.
Here is a top view, it is not as straight up and down as it looks in the picture.
The zebra goby is a really neat fish, but I try to avoid jumpers with my open top.
On random other notes, my wife has been bugging me to set her up a tank. I had an old 12g acrylic AIO tank sitting around in the attic, so I decided to pull that out. Its a great little tank with a pretty large filter area for the size tank. The biggest challenge is that the filter area is so large, it makes aquacaping a real challenge.
Here is what I started with:
Because the filter box has multiple areas, I decided to make a cardboard model of the tank to allow me to aquascape outside of the tank, but ensure I matched the dimensions. I wanted to create one of two solid pieces of rockwork. Here is the mold, also gives you a good idea of the challenges of this little tank.
Building the rock was fun. I used super glue, epoxy and zip ties to hold everything together. I had to build it in three phases. After each phase I put the rock back in the tank to let the glue and epoxy cure for a couple of hours. I wanted to make sure it was good and hard before I began working on the next section. The zip ties could be removed after the couple of hours, which was nice. Overall, I am pretty happy with how it came out. But more importantly, the wife is really happy.
Here is a top view, it is not as straight up and down as it looks in the picture.
JasonBJones
New member
Played with the LED lights for the wife's tank and got them up and running. I still need to build the actual fixture, but it is nice to see it sitting on the tank. Very happy with the color. Went with 7 RB, 1 CB and 4 NW. They are all powered by one Meanwell ELN-60-48D, so I can only dim the entire unit, not the individual colors. Here is a shot of it with the lights on:
Also picked up a fungia for my tank today. Went to a shop in Houston for the first time, it was really nice. Thanks ange062 for the suggestion. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't capture how bright the green is. This was taken about 10 minutes after putting him in the tank.
Also picked up a fungia for my tank today. Went to a shop in Houston for the first time, it was really nice. Thanks ange062 for the suggestion. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't capture how bright the green is. This was taken about 10 minutes after putting him in the tank.
JasonBJones
New member
Reef Angel Controller Review
Reef Angel Controller Review
I promised to provide a review on the controller. These are my thoughts after running it for several weeks.
Overall Conclusions:
I think the controller should be considered as an option by most reefers. The price is good and the functionality is great, but setup and coding is more complex than other controllers. The open source nature means the controller will not become obsolete because it can be constantly updated and changed. There are constantly new modules being added to the line to increase the power of the controller. The setup can be very challenging because the instructions are horrible, however, the customer service is top notch and they are happy to walk you through everything.
LIKES:
* The performance is excellent. Once setup, I have had no problems with the controller operating as desired.
* You can create complex codes (or download them from the forums where others have created them), such as mimicking moon cycles with your moonlights that include random weather events.
* The customer support is really top notch. I had to ask several questions during the set up process and I always received prompt and adequate responses. Roberto, the company owner, also created all the programming I needed to get started and for the controller to be set up as I desired.
* The price of the controller and the accessories is very good. Basic controller is $219. A 2-head peristaltic pump is $99, and a controllable moonlight is $20.
* The open source nature of the controller means that you will be able to constantly update and upgrade as advances are made for the controller.
* There is a strong community of users on the forum who are always willing to help with any problems you have and to help you figure out any coding you need to.
* They are constantly creating new products for the controller. They now have a wireless module and apps for smart phones so you can monitor and control on the go. They have already created (but aren't selling yet) a module that can control Ecotech Radion LEDs.
* Everything is module"”this applies to most controllers. When you need expanded capabilities, you can purchase just the part you need.
* Comes standard with 2 PWM ports to control dimming on lights or other pieces of hardware. Has an expansion box that provides 8 more PWM ports.
MEDIOCRE:
* The dosing pump has two heads. You need to test the flow rate on both heads, mine are not quite even. One head pumps .58ml/sec and the other pumps .61ml/sec. This is not a big deal, just something you need to be aware of. It would be nice if they matched perfectly.
* Programming. I was nervous whether or not I could figure out the programming for the controller. I took one programming class 13 years ago. If you run the controller with basic options (turn lights on at X and off at X and turn off if temp reaches 83), than it is very simple. If you want to start getting into more complex stuff, it takes a bit to figure it out. I spend two or three hours with the code and was able to figure out how to set up my dosing pump to pump exactly when I wanted throughout the day, and how much to pump each time. Plus, there are a ton of codes already programmed on the forum that you can just copy and modify. I would say do not be too worried about the coding, unless you are not computer savvy at all.
* The site does have tutorials on how to program the controller that will give you some basic knowledge. I think they are inadequate, but they give you a start. If you then spend some time looking through the forums at code, you can figure it out. And as stated previously, if you cannot figure it out, email the owner and he is happy to write it up for you. He even annotates it so you understand what each code does, which helps you learn.
* The auto top off has a built in shut off function after 6 minutes. This is nice to ensure you do not flood your tank if a float switch gets stuck. However, I found this to be too short when using an aqualifter pump and had to change pumps.
DISLIKES:
* The setup. I hear the setup is pretty straight forward for PC users as there is a program that installs everything at once. For Mac users, there is no such program. You have to download three of four things from different websites before you can even begin trying to get the controller working.
* The instructions are outdated and, frankly, horrible. I am not sure the instructions have been updated since the controller was created 2 years ago; much has changed on it since then. You cannot follow the instructions and get the controller working because you will download the wrong versions of software. It also includes a code to teach you how to upload codes to the controller; however, the code no longer works with the software revisions to the controller. Thus, a new owner can get very frustrated with the controller during installation. I began to believe it was too complex and I should return it. This was alleviated after talking with Roberto, he set everything straight and got me up and going. Once again, I think this speaks more to Macs than PCs.
* The look of the controller is not high end. It is functional and does the job well, but is not sexy like an Apex or other high-end controllers. I guess you get what you pay for.
* When you purchase expansion modules, they do not come with any instructions. You have to search the forums to find anything you need.
If you have any questions or comments, I am happy to respond. I wish I would have taken some pictures, but I haven't and I am out of town. Sorry about that.
Reef Angel Controller Review
I promised to provide a review on the controller. These are my thoughts after running it for several weeks.
Overall Conclusions:
I think the controller should be considered as an option by most reefers. The price is good and the functionality is great, but setup and coding is more complex than other controllers. The open source nature means the controller will not become obsolete because it can be constantly updated and changed. There are constantly new modules being added to the line to increase the power of the controller. The setup can be very challenging because the instructions are horrible, however, the customer service is top notch and they are happy to walk you through everything.
LIKES:
* The performance is excellent. Once setup, I have had no problems with the controller operating as desired.
* You can create complex codes (or download them from the forums where others have created them), such as mimicking moon cycles with your moonlights that include random weather events.
* The customer support is really top notch. I had to ask several questions during the set up process and I always received prompt and adequate responses. Roberto, the company owner, also created all the programming I needed to get started and for the controller to be set up as I desired.
* The price of the controller and the accessories is very good. Basic controller is $219. A 2-head peristaltic pump is $99, and a controllable moonlight is $20.
* The open source nature of the controller means that you will be able to constantly update and upgrade as advances are made for the controller.
* There is a strong community of users on the forum who are always willing to help with any problems you have and to help you figure out any coding you need to.
* They are constantly creating new products for the controller. They now have a wireless module and apps for smart phones so you can monitor and control on the go. They have already created (but aren't selling yet) a module that can control Ecotech Radion LEDs.
* Everything is module"”this applies to most controllers. When you need expanded capabilities, you can purchase just the part you need.
* Comes standard with 2 PWM ports to control dimming on lights or other pieces of hardware. Has an expansion box that provides 8 more PWM ports.
MEDIOCRE:
* The dosing pump has two heads. You need to test the flow rate on both heads, mine are not quite even. One head pumps .58ml/sec and the other pumps .61ml/sec. This is not a big deal, just something you need to be aware of. It would be nice if they matched perfectly.
* Programming. I was nervous whether or not I could figure out the programming for the controller. I took one programming class 13 years ago. If you run the controller with basic options (turn lights on at X and off at X and turn off if temp reaches 83), than it is very simple. If you want to start getting into more complex stuff, it takes a bit to figure it out. I spend two or three hours with the code and was able to figure out how to set up my dosing pump to pump exactly when I wanted throughout the day, and how much to pump each time. Plus, there are a ton of codes already programmed on the forum that you can just copy and modify. I would say do not be too worried about the coding, unless you are not computer savvy at all.
* The site does have tutorials on how to program the controller that will give you some basic knowledge. I think they are inadequate, but they give you a start. If you then spend some time looking through the forums at code, you can figure it out. And as stated previously, if you cannot figure it out, email the owner and he is happy to write it up for you. He even annotates it so you understand what each code does, which helps you learn.
* The auto top off has a built in shut off function after 6 minutes. This is nice to ensure you do not flood your tank if a float switch gets stuck. However, I found this to be too short when using an aqualifter pump and had to change pumps.
DISLIKES:
* The setup. I hear the setup is pretty straight forward for PC users as there is a program that installs everything at once. For Mac users, there is no such program. You have to download three of four things from different websites before you can even begin trying to get the controller working.
* The instructions are outdated and, frankly, horrible. I am not sure the instructions have been updated since the controller was created 2 years ago; much has changed on it since then. You cannot follow the instructions and get the controller working because you will download the wrong versions of software. It also includes a code to teach you how to upload codes to the controller; however, the code no longer works with the software revisions to the controller. Thus, a new owner can get very frustrated with the controller during installation. I began to believe it was too complex and I should return it. This was alleviated after talking with Roberto, he set everything straight and got me up and going. Once again, I think this speaks more to Macs than PCs.
* The look of the controller is not high end. It is functional and does the job well, but is not sexy like an Apex or other high-end controllers. I guess you get what you pay for.
* When you purchase expansion modules, they do not come with any instructions. You have to search the forums to find anything you need.
If you have any questions or comments, I am happy to respond. I wish I would have taken some pictures, but I haven't and I am out of town. Sorry about that.
ange062
New member
Dood, if you haven't before you leave go check out Dennis' shop at FJW. I am not a big fungia guy, but one of the ones he has in there may change my mind so I am hoping you buy it before I do! 
Lights on the wifes nano look great! Perfect spectrum!
Let me just add that I have bought tons from him, from clams, SPS, softies, stars, fish, snails, crabs, you name it. Never had a single thing die yet *knocks on wood*. And I have been going there for months, that's why I keep returning!
Lights on the wifes nano look great! Perfect spectrum!
Let me just add that I have bought tons from him, from clams, SPS, softies, stars, fish, snails, crabs, you name it. Never had a single thing die yet *knocks on wood*. And I have been going there for months, that's why I keep returning!
JasonBJones
New member
That is where the fungia came from, he has some amazing pieces in there. Plus, he is a really nice guy. That will be my go to shop in Houston.
Still think you need to check out All About Fish. Their SPS selection is pretty good.
Still think you need to check out All About Fish. Their SPS selection is pretty good.
ange062
New member
Oh cool! I may make the trek out to All About Fish this weekend to check it out.
JasonBJones
New member
So after a lot of thought, here is the fish list I am considering. Any one have any thoughts?
Pair of ORA Greenbanded Gobies
One Blue Striped Pipefish (I know the challenges there)
One Blenny- still struggling between a Red/Orange Spotted Blenny or a Starry Blenny
Pair of ORA Greenbanded Gobies
One Blue Striped Pipefish (I know the challenges there)
One Blenny- still struggling between a Red/Orange Spotted Blenny or a Starry Blenny
tail spot?
JasonBJones
New member
Kufuda- not sure what you are asking.
Ange- I am just not a huge fan of their bennies. I am pretty set on one of those two unless someone can convince me they are a really bad idea.
Ange- I am just not a huge fan of their bennies. I am pretty set on one of those two unless someone can convince me they are a really bad idea.
Similar threads
