Mateos Mr. Aqua 25 gallon cube

[itsmateo]

We'll the bug bit me again and I decided to jump back in the game. So I picked up a mr. Aqua 18" cube. 25 gallons of fun. I wanted to keep it simple, but wasn't sure what I wanted to do for filtration. So I decided to tear up some glass, drilled it and threw an overflow on it. Here are a few pics to wet your whistle.

Drilled two holes for 3/4" bulkheads I picked up a FB today.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14548259955/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5560/14548259955_384bebd2f3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a>

Decided to foam the back to help blend in the overflow, made a mold out of glass for the overflow. I'll be pulling the glass out later leaving just the foam to be the overflow. Just in case I decide to do and enteral overflow in the future.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14544863271/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5596/14544863271_4128079b33.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14544864291/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3877/14544864291_12f2471916.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a>

And threw some foam on her.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14361608200/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/14361608200_692a0486ed.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a>

 

[danfeig]

Looks great!

 

[evo_2679]

Just do an external bean animal overflow already !!! Looks good Matt and welcome back !!

 

[itsmateo]

Jose I'm sure it says in your build thread, but I don't feel like looking. What kind of skimmer are you using?

 

[evo_2679]

Vertex Omega 130 but before that I was running a sca-302. http://m.ebay.com/itm/380437254920?nav=SEARCH

 

[itsmateo]

Which do you like better?

 

[evo_2679]

Love my Vertex Omega 130!! Its build quality is the best that I have seen so far and skims the hell out of my tank. Plus it has so many options on the skimmer / ozone / adjustable volute and the pump is silent. Vertex modeled this like the bubble king skimmers with the red dragon pumps. By far the best skimmer I have every owned.

 

[evo_2679]

Vertex 130:
http://youtu.be/k1YAKjQM50M

 

[itsmateo]

Got the foaming all done and took the glass sheets I used to mold the overflow out... Gonna water test the overflow tomorrow.

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14561424902/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/14561424902_1324507885.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a>

Cut the foam at the height I want the waterline, may need adjustment later, but I can always cut down more. I added a little foam to the front to make it look a little mor natural than just a straight line.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14375813857/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/14375813857_6b09669aae.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a>

I got a little excited today and picked this up from Fishy Bizness, thanks guys )
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61197309@N02/14558868631/" title="Untitled by itsmateo1, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14558868631_b76e9ab9bd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a>

 

[savageAJC]

Looking good! Any new progress?

 

[MMK1]

Using foam is a very cool idea, thank you