Alright so after getting a bit frustrated trying to figure out how everything went together, and working off of an idea inspired by "Mike in CA," i decided that i'd make setting up your 30G finnex cubes easy. I took everything apart tonight and took pictures as i put it back together. If you notice anything that i may have missed, please let me know and i'll add it in. so here we go.
1. Unpack the box and check for everything being in good condition. the shipping companies dont always handle glass the way it should be handled but Finnex packaged the aquarium box inside of another box with styrofoam padding in between the boxes. All of the components that go along with the tank will be located inside of the tank.
2. Ok, lets start putting everything together. we'll start with the skimmer. In the pictures you see below, the first shows everything apart, and the second shows it put together. The powerhead slides over the lower tube on the skimmer as shown.
And this is it all put together:
3. Next, lets install the skimmer and the heater into the tank. Looking at the tank from the top, I placed my heater in the lower right corner of the skimmer chamber so that the pump had just enough room to sit behind it. after you have the heater suctioned to the acrylic, you may need to lick the suction cups to get them to stay, then gently lower the skimmer and pump into the skimmer chamber on the left side of the back area. You want the clamps for the skimmer to be on the left side of the tank, not the back. after you get the skimmer and pump all the way into the chamber, push the suction cups for the pump against the acrylic side wall (right side). next gently tighten the clamps for the skimmer being careful not to overtighten. you do not want to break the black rim of the tank. Here are pictures of this step:
4. Now that the skimmer is in place, lets finish our work in the back chamber. when my tank arrived, the pump for the sump was in the correct area, but it was not suctioned in place. make sure that the vertical water tube is directly in line with the elbow above. once you have it aligned correctly, push it down so it is suctioned.
5. On to the lights now. lets start with the refugium light. when you get it unwrapped and looked at it upside down, you'll notice that there is a piece of cardboard over the light. this actually in fact is not cardboard, but rather it is just a brown film over the acrylic light guard. gently lift the flap that is pointed out in the picture and slowly slide out the piece of acrylic. once out, peel away the brown film from each side and then replace it in the light. be extra careful when putting it back in not to scratch it now that there is nothing protecting it.
6. Next lets put the stands together for the main lights. this was one of the more confusing parts for me since there was nothing about it in the manual. as you'll see in the picture, simply slide the smaller flat piece into the large stand. if you look, on the wide piece, there is a little thing that slides into a hole on the main stand part. then after you have these together, slide them into the lights with the tabs going in between the metal frame of the lights and the glass cover over the lights.
7. finally, install the glass covers onto the top of the tank with the wide one in the back and the narrow piece in the front. the refugium light sits on top of the back glass cover and the main light fits in the gap between the two panes of glass.
if there is anything missing here or if you need more pictures, i'd be happy to do my best to help. dont forget to test your tank for leaks before adding sand, live rock, and saltwater. i also tested my pumps and skimmer at that time to be sure that they worked. Thanks to "Mike in CA" for the idea for this thread to help all of you!
Thanks
Colin
1. Unpack the box and check for everything being in good condition. the shipping companies dont always handle glass the way it should be handled but Finnex packaged the aquarium box inside of another box with styrofoam padding in between the boxes. All of the components that go along with the tank will be located inside of the tank.
2. Ok, lets start putting everything together. we'll start with the skimmer. In the pictures you see below, the first shows everything apart, and the second shows it put together. The powerhead slides over the lower tube on the skimmer as shown.
And this is it all put together:
3. Next, lets install the skimmer and the heater into the tank. Looking at the tank from the top, I placed my heater in the lower right corner of the skimmer chamber so that the pump had just enough room to sit behind it. after you have the heater suctioned to the acrylic, you may need to lick the suction cups to get them to stay, then gently lower the skimmer and pump into the skimmer chamber on the left side of the back area. You want the clamps for the skimmer to be on the left side of the tank, not the back. after you get the skimmer and pump all the way into the chamber, push the suction cups for the pump against the acrylic side wall (right side). next gently tighten the clamps for the skimmer being careful not to overtighten. you do not want to break the black rim of the tank. Here are pictures of this step:
4. Now that the skimmer is in place, lets finish our work in the back chamber. when my tank arrived, the pump for the sump was in the correct area, but it was not suctioned in place. make sure that the vertical water tube is directly in line with the elbow above. once you have it aligned correctly, push it down so it is suctioned.
5. On to the lights now. lets start with the refugium light. when you get it unwrapped and looked at it upside down, you'll notice that there is a piece of cardboard over the light. this actually in fact is not cardboard, but rather it is just a brown film over the acrylic light guard. gently lift the flap that is pointed out in the picture and slowly slide out the piece of acrylic. once out, peel away the brown film from each side and then replace it in the light. be extra careful when putting it back in not to scratch it now that there is nothing protecting it.
6. Next lets put the stands together for the main lights. this was one of the more confusing parts for me since there was nothing about it in the manual. as you'll see in the picture, simply slide the smaller flat piece into the large stand. if you look, on the wide piece, there is a little thing that slides into a hole on the main stand part. then after you have these together, slide them into the lights with the tabs going in between the metal frame of the lights and the glass cover over the lights.
7. finally, install the glass covers onto the top of the tank with the wide one in the back and the narrow piece in the front. the refugium light sits on top of the back glass cover and the main light fits in the gap between the two panes of glass.
if there is anything missing here or if you need more pictures, i'd be happy to do my best to help. dont forget to test your tank for leaks before adding sand, live rock, and saltwater. i also tested my pumps and skimmer at that time to be sure that they worked. Thanks to "Mike in CA" for the idea for this thread to help all of you!
Thanks
Colin
