Ludnix's tropical 120!
- Thread starter ludnix
- Start date
ludnix
New member
We wanted a container we could place rock rubble in for the refuge, and we found this all plastic dishwasher container.
The holes were a little bigger than we wanted so I lined it with gutter guard.
Now we can place rocks in it and use it collect pods and transfer them to display tank periodically.
In the refuge with rocks:
I also had time today to make a mount for the skimmate collection cup.
I have to say I think we've made efficient use of the space! Other than the auto top off controller the equipment under the stand should be done unless we decide to add a carbon filter.
The holes were a little bigger than we wanted so I lined it with gutter guard.
Now we can place rocks in it and use it collect pods and transfer them to display tank periodically.
In the refuge with rocks:
I also had time today to make a mount for the skimmate collection cup.
I have to say I think we've made efficient use of the space! Other than the auto top off controller the equipment under the stand should be done unless we decide to add a carbon filter.
socalchris
New member
subscribed...sweet build
ludnix
New member
Happy fourth of July everyone! The canopy isn't done yet but we couldn't wait any longer, we had to try out the metal halides.
That's two 250watt 20k lights running without any T5 supplementation. We love how it looks and it's going to be great once we get the T5's on too!
Tomorrow we are going to get the rock glued and positioned how we want it. It's going to be a big task but hopefully a rewarding one.
That's two 250watt 20k lights running without any T5 supplementation. We love how it looks and it's going to be great once we get the T5's on too!
Tomorrow we are going to get the rock glued and positioned how we want it. It's going to be a big task but hopefully a rewarding one.
ludnix
New member
Aqua Scaping: Phase 1
Aqua Scaping: Phase 1
We finally went and picked up a pump for our auto-top-off float switch.
We got this switch from autotopoff.com, so far it works!
Here is the overall top off container setup:
The tank is the 6 gallon tank form U.S. Plastics, the return line is a recycled eheim U-tube.
You can see a small Rio pump in there for the top off, now we can start dosing kalk!
Aquascaping begins:
We want the overall rock structure to be a series of pillars and arches, to achieve this while maintaining a natural look we want to only join pieces that fit, and we are joining them using aquascape coralline colored epoxy.
Today we were able to make a few towers, as pictured. The arches and bridges between towers will have to wait until this batch drys and hardens. All the smaller rocks around the towers are just there because we had no where to put them, they probably won't look anything like that when we are done, but it's a start!
After a hard day's work we decided to have a nice barbecue outside.
You can see our pet tortoise taking a sun bath and wondering why I'm lighting things on fire.
Thanks for looking!
Aqua Scaping: Phase 1
We finally went and picked up a pump for our auto-top-off float switch.
We got this switch from autotopoff.com, so far it works!
Here is the overall top off container setup:
The tank is the 6 gallon tank form U.S. Plastics, the return line is a recycled eheim U-tube.
You can see a small Rio pump in there for the top off, now we can start dosing kalk!
Aquascaping begins:
We want the overall rock structure to be a series of pillars and arches, to achieve this while maintaining a natural look we want to only join pieces that fit, and we are joining them using aquascape coralline colored epoxy.
Today we were able to make a few towers, as pictured. The arches and bridges between towers will have to wait until this batch drys and hardens. All the smaller rocks around the towers are just there because we had no where to put them, they probably won't look anything like that when we are done, but it's a start!
After a hard day's work we decided to have a nice barbecue outside.
You can see our pet tortoise taking a sun bath and wondering why I'm lighting things on fire.
Thanks for looking!
I love your house and your set-up. I am so jealous. I can't wait until I have my own place to have a huge tank.
I have all of my Koralia pumps near the bottom of the tank so, is this a good thing or should I move them up to the top?
I do have sand but they aren't aimed down. They are aimed horizontally about 8" from the sand bed. I have a 2, a 1, a 4, and another 1 at the other end of the tank. I am thinking about getting another 4 for the side with the 1.
Maybe I should get some pix but I need help figuring out how to take decent pix with my Canon PowerShot A95 digital camera.
Maybe I should get some pix but I need help figuring out how to take decent pix with my Canon PowerShot A95 digital camera.
Cool. I'll move them tomorrow then but should I have them aimed in different directions instead of just straight ahead?
Do you mean Gyroscopic type flow or am I thinking of something else?
otrlynn
Active member
Eric, that is a wonderful tank set up (very creative stand) and you take great photos! Are you personally doing most of the tank work or is it a joint effort with your parents? In any case, you seem like one heck of a competent, self-directed young man. Any shots of you and or/you and your family working on the tank?
ludnix
New member
I do most of the physical labor. The more artistic parts of it are usually directed by my parents. For example the doors were designed by my mom, and the the canopy top will be designed by my dad. Putting everything together though is usually my job since I'm the most oriented with saltwater aquariums and enjoy wood working.
I don't have any photos of us actually working on it together, I guess becuase I'm the only one who knows to how to use the camera and I'm usually the one working on it.
Thanks for the nice replies everyone!
I don't have any photos of us actually working on it together, I guess becuase I'm the only one who knows to how to use the camera and I'm usually the one working on it.
Thanks for the nice replies everyone!
ludnix
New member
Update!
So I've been neglecting this thread and not updating as I've made progress, but at least there's progress being made!
We have long since finished the rock work. About a month ago we added my livestock from my old 33 gallon cube which is now emptied out. At this point the live stock was:
As you will soon find out we've made a lot of progress since these photos, but it will have to wait until it's light out tomorrow before I can take some full pictures of the tank. Expect photos of all the lights being wired, ballasts mounted, corals and fish stocking, all tomorrow!
So I've been neglecting this thread and not updating as I've made progress, but at least there's progress being made!
We have long since finished the rock work. About a month ago we added my livestock from my old 33 gallon cube which is now emptied out. At this point the live stock was:
- 2 paired percula clown fish.
- Flame Hawkfish
- Bengaii Cardinal
- A very hungry mandarin dragonet.
As you will soon find out we've made a lot of progress since these photos, but it will have to wait until it's light out tomorrow before I can take some full pictures of the tank. Expect photos of all the lights being wired, ballasts mounted, corals and fish stocking, all tomorrow!
ludnix
New member
Well I didn't get any photos today but I have a good excuse.
I came home from giving blood and planned to take some tank photos. So I clean off the glass and look at the fish, and my dad and I notice there's no flame hawk visible. That's okay, we've been through this before with my nano: check the overflow boxes. Sure enough he's in the right overflow box looking out at me. I spend about 20 minutes trying to get him out, but between the plumbing and net size it just wasn't going to happen. We turn off the return pump and use a maxi-jet with a vinyl tube on the outlet to pump the water from the right overflow box into the left box so it can drain to the sump.
With about an inch of water left in the box, netting the hawk fish was a 30 second job, back into the main tank he goes, crisis averted.
Not quite. We turn on the return pump and let the right overflow box catch up to the left, everything is looking normal except my dad notices water dripping into the sump. The bulkheads return bulkhead is leaking on the right overflow box, where we had to retrieve the flame hawk.
After shutting off the return pump, pump the water out of the overflow box again, and get ready to fix the bulkhead. Apparently some sand had made it's way into the overflow box and inbetween the o-ring seal of the bulk-head and the glass. As we unscrew the bulkhead the remaining few centimeters of water come out with some of the sand all over the bulkhead thread. Now it's almost impossible to remove the bulkhead with the sand grinding between the thread and nut.
We eventually got the nut off and removed all the plumbing so so we could wash the sand out of the overflow box and reassemble. Unfortunately since the holes for the bulkhead plumbing on the stand were so small we had to cut some of the wood from the inside of the stand to get the tightening wrench around the bulkhead. So far everything is now working correctly with the plumbing reassembled and pumps running, but what an exhausting day.
Lessons learned:
I came home from giving blood and planned to take some tank photos. So I clean off the glass and look at the fish, and my dad and I notice there's no flame hawk visible. That's okay, we've been through this before with my nano: check the overflow boxes. Sure enough he's in the right overflow box looking out at me. I spend about 20 minutes trying to get him out, but between the plumbing and net size it just wasn't going to happen. We turn off the return pump and use a maxi-jet with a vinyl tube on the outlet to pump the water from the right overflow box into the left box so it can drain to the sump.
With about an inch of water left in the box, netting the hawk fish was a 30 second job, back into the main tank he goes, crisis averted.
Not quite. We turn on the return pump and let the right overflow box catch up to the left, everything is looking normal except my dad notices water dripping into the sump. The bulkheads return bulkhead is leaking on the right overflow box, where we had to retrieve the flame hawk.
After shutting off the return pump, pump the water out of the overflow box again, and get ready to fix the bulkhead. Apparently some sand had made it's way into the overflow box and inbetween the o-ring seal of the bulk-head and the glass. As we unscrew the bulkhead the remaining few centimeters of water come out with some of the sand all over the bulkhead thread. Now it's almost impossible to remove the bulkhead with the sand grinding between the thread and nut.
We eventually got the nut off and removed all the plumbing so so we could wash the sand out of the overflow box and reassemble. Unfortunately since the holes for the bulkhead plumbing on the stand were so small we had to cut some of the wood from the inside of the stand to get the tightening wrench around the bulkhead. So far everything is now working correctly with the plumbing reassembled and pumps running, but what an exhausting day.
Lessons learned:
- If using a reef-ready tank, make the bulkheads easily accessible on your stand. Better yet, use a tank with coast-to-coast overflow boxes or any that don't force your plumbing to go through the bottom of the tank.
- Fish in the overflow box, stays in the overflow box.
ludnix
New member
Update!
Here's some new photos of the current live stock tank progress.
Front of the tank:
Back of the tank:
Side of the tank:
Some coral shots:
You can see from some of the photos there's a bit of cyano growing now, but as since the tank isn't mature yet I'm not too worried. We'll have to see how it goes in the next few months and treat the problem if it persists.
I'll try and take a video soon to better illustrate the layout of the tank. It's hard to capture how everything is really put together in a photo.
Here's some new photos of the current live stock tank progress.
Front of the tank:
Back of the tank:
Side of the tank:
Some coral shots:
You can see from some of the photos there's a bit of cyano growing now, but as since the tank isn't mature yet I'm not too worried. We'll have to see how it goes in the next few months and treat the problem if it persists.
I'll try and take a video soon to better illustrate the layout of the tank. It's hard to capture how everything is really put together in a photo.
