Foam Rockwall w/ built in refuge for a 26 gal bowfront

Woohoo! new light!! :bounce1:

It came yesterday afternoon and I already finished the aluminum hanger last night!
Worked all afternoon on it and all that is left is to spray it black.

I came to realize that it would be bigger than I thought, and was I right. The fans are super quiet and is Very bright at 100%. Currently, 50% is plenty.

I was having doubts that the plans for the hanger would support a 10lb light, but it is so far and is relatively sturdy. May make an addition brace at some point.

I removed the hob filter, skimmer, and mangrove light and readjusted the thermometer that was too much of a pita to get to before. Increased the flow of the mp10 and everything seems happy.

I have taken pics of each coral to document any increase in growth.

All work was done by either measuring or eyeballin' it using a dremel to make each cut.

Here are some pics!












screwed into wooden brace


clamps for support leg (used jb weld)




scratches are on the plastic film before tearing off

...
 











cut the hanging wires that it came with and used the nuts the secure brackets


Almost finished!

Comments, questions, and concerns welcome.
 
Pretty sweet! Looking at the last photo, maybe run the light cord along the backside (or inside?) of your aluminum bracket to hide it and add to your super clean look.

Jealous!
 
Thanks! I actually already routed the power cord where you suggested last night. (in the tubing) I'll have to post new pics once I paint it all and put it back up!
 
Well, I was hoping to have it painted by now, but I don't think spray paint likes snow or 10 degrees and really don't think doing it in the house would be a good idea..

I just now got around to customizing the light schedule. Been too lazy to set the night mode on the mp10 also. haha

Scrubbed all the algae with the toothbrush today. We'll see how much algae likes the new light. So far, no green hair algae, just a short brown filamentous algae, so I see improvement.

After removing all the unnecessary equipment, I was able to adjust the heater down from 83ish to 78ish and the starfish have started being way more active (the bigger one has traveled all over and back since the cooling), hermits as well.

I got the skimmer in the mail the other day (sea clone 100), but had to order the j-tube in order to use it. It's sitting on the floor as of now. Will post pics when it's installed.

The glass lid came the other day as well and is installed without the plastic back strip until the skimmer and everything else is in place so I don't screw it up.

Took the canister filter apart to clean since its been forever bc I'm lazy.
Its been shooting microbubbles everywhere and getting on my nerves..
 
Finally got everything straightened out and got everything how I want it, minus the plastic strip for the back and paint.

The skimmer is tuned and starting to work. I originally had it in the 'fuge', so the water circulated in the fuge, but it was blocking almost all light because of the pump/foam cover. I moved it further to the right so that it sucks water into the fuge and flows out into the display above the tube coral. This now gives me the surface agitation and fuge circulation I had with the big hob filter.

Still don't know where the mangrove will go as of now..








If anyone wants specific pictures or info - feel free to ask! :)
Here are some current pics:


The canister filter is in the same location and the heater is now slanted in the back to create more room in the fuge - which still doesn't have anything in it (other than my mithrax crab - because he felt like it).

I think I'm seeing some growth in the green digitata and purple stylo, will have to look back at the pics.
Hopefully the micro bubbles will subside here in the next week or so.
 
Thanks!
I really like a clean look and having it all so tight looks good, but its a real pita. Lol
Trying to work on stuff in the 4" gap is a challenge. Whether it's organizing wires or moving stuff around.
The fit of the new skimmer was pure luck! It just barely fits.
I'm hesitant to cut into the back plastic strip because I don't want to shaft myself if I move things later. Lol

As for plans, go big or go home! That's generally my motto. ;) even though it's under 30gal. Lol
I want a clown pair, an orange and a black occe. possibly. Not to sure on colors yet. Want too eventually try to breed them..
A tailspot blenny
Maybe a 3 stripe damsel or another chromis,
I want that melon sized frogspawn in the back corner.
Another torch or two to put with the current torch.
A bta for the bottom left corner where the rock ledge is.

Chaeto in the fuge.

This is all I have planned for now.

In tentatively going to s. Florida for spring break and plan to do some (legal) collecting for the tank, so we'll see if I can catch anything good, or anything at all.. Lol
 
Sounds like a plan. The clownfish/BTA combo is always nice. Isn't awesome when your skimmer fits?! I hear pipefish are pretty easy to come by in S FL.
 
That would be pretty cool to find a small species of pipefish since some only get 3". Hard to feed from what I've read though, very picky.
 
Awesome thread! Started mine today ImageUploadedByTapatalk1425011400.217374.jpg
 
Thanks! Looks like a nice rimless cube. 17.4gal?

Looks good! Foaming directly to the glass from the looks of it - won't have to worry about anything floating which is a plus.
Be really careful, if you have any foaming left, not to get it on the glass (where you don't want it..) as if will be extremely difficult to get off.

I would assume that the loctite epoxy would be safe to use. Many people have used different forms of resins and epoxys to adhere a substrate to the foam without any ill effects. I personally use Loctite gel superglue for all fragging and coral adhesion - needs to dry out of the water though or it will not bond and come apart.
The Loctite website says that it is good for full immersion so I would think your are good to go. Use it sparingly so you don't run out and do it a small section at a time so it doesn't dry before you can throw sand on it.

Keep us posted with progress and what are your aspirations are for the tank? Reef?
 
Thx Sam !it's actually a 45g rimless cube I plan on doing a reef just got to figure out if I am going to drill it or go your route and do the all in one so did u just use the egg crate *** the divider?
 
Maybe it's just the small picture.. I was way off. lol
Yep, the egg crate wall is the divider. It was wedged in pretty tight and I siliconed the edges in the display. It's not watertight though. - There are some small gaps in the wall here and there. It was difficult keeping it straight with all the shapes I incorporated as well. You will lose a bit of swimming room if you do the all in one. I think I lost about 4 to 5 gal of display with the fuge and rock wall. -Well worth it though for the variations and contours in the wall as a result.
 
Ya it's worth it I may just go ahead drill it then. Btw anyone have a source for affordable coral rubble i see u put the barnacle in ur tank I would like to get random pieces like that
 
I used coral rubble in the fuge that I found on the beach in Florida. The pink barnacles came from the bathroom sink cabinet. Lol
Might want to check eBay or local craigslist. Sometimes people will have the pink barnacles on there.
 
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