DIY 20g Long Build Thread

[JasonBJones]

The update is a sad one I have been waiting a long time to post.

The tank as it was is no more. My wife and I went on vacation for ten days in May to celebrate graduation. Sometime on the trip my skimmer began overflowing and my ATO pushed 10g of fresh into the tank dropping the salinity to 1.012. Every coral was gone by the time I came home. All the fish survived and were given new homes.

Lesson learned: Use a waste container with an auto shut off for the skimmer. $120 piece of equipment would have saved the tank. The cost of education in this hobby is very high when catastrophic failure results. Learn from my mistakes. There have been a number of them throughout this thread.

I was heart broken taking the tank down and decided I would wait to set up the new 59g once I moved and got established. However I have decided to put that tank on hold and rebuild the 20g with some of the ideas I am planning on incorporating in the bigger tank.

I will post a quick teaser tomorrow on Phase II.

 

[KafudaFish]

Man that really is terrible news and am sorry it happened.

Congrats on graduation and that you were able to celebrate with your wife.

I am sure the return will be better than the original.

Good luck.

 

[Sinclair81]

Sad to hear, look forward to the new build. Make sure you post a link to its build thread here so we can follow!

 

[sparky45]

I seen a picture of you're tank in another thread and I had to see how you built you're wall. I spent the last hour reading your build. Im Sry for you're loss. It was a beautiful tank. I'll be along for your next

 

[JasonBJones]

Thank you all for the kind messages.

I hope phase II will take the tank to another level. I will post a link to the new build thread when I create it.

Some quick basics: No longer running an AIO, instead I will have a 20g tall sump in the stand. MP10 is being replaced by a closed loop. The CL will currently be powered by an Ehiem 1262 as I have it already and will plan on upgrading it to a controllable DC pump in the future. No internal powerheads. I will start with the same skimmer I ran before but may actually buy a production skimmer in the future. Same lights for now but may upgrade to LED at some point or a hybrid LED/T5 combo. I will run a 2" sand bed using Tropic Eden Reef Flakes.

Now for a few teaser pics. I will post a video tomorrow of the rock work because it is really hard to get a perspective of it in these pictures. Plus the stand is finished now.

 

[JasonBJones]

Here is a picture of the tank with everything painted.

Here is a video of the rock. The entire plumbing and rock work are very solid and can be easily lifted in and out of the tank.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DwLisxhQ59U?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Spirofucci]

That is gonna be, I mean is a killer set up!

Bummer on the loss of the last tank. I can't beleive how many times I've read how peolple's tanks take a big dump on vacation, even if it's only for the weekend.

 

[JasonBJones]

Thanks, I hope it will be great. Vacations seem to always take their toll.

 

[JasonBJones]

I have started the build thread for phase II. Please check it out here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20716789#post20716789

 

[ziggy_dappa]

Great looking tank, similar to my 20 gal cube setup.

 

[noobofthereef]

That is an amazing setup!

 

[Blitzburggirl]

I lost the entire contents of my 60 cube while on vacation for Christmas. It sat running with just sand and rock until two weeks ago (over 5 months) while I tried to work up the courage to rebuild. I couldn't. I traded it for another tank, and just read your thread looking for inspiration with this tank. Your Phase II pretty much is a new tank as well for you! I wish you the best with it!

 

[qwuintus]

Updates?

 

[FallenMonkey]

Awesome rock wall...and the colors are amazing. Love all the zoas.