My 5.5g AGA setup (Pics)

[sjm1978]

ok i was gonna go with a JBJ 3g picotope or a 2.5g aga tank. but if i went with the JBJ 3g picotope i would need to upgrade the light and filter..

so i decided im gonna go with a 5.5g AGA tank instead and all i will need to buy is a aquaclear filter. i have my orignal hood from my 24g aquapod that contains 2 ballasts 2 32w pc bulbs 2 blue moonlights so thats a total of 64w. im thinking of using that for the 5.5g tank. the ballasts support 32w and 40w bulbs so i can either just use the stock 32w bulbs and have a total of 64w or just use one ballast and put a 50/50 32w or 40w bulb. i would like to have both 32w bulbs so i can have a dawn to dusk effect. the lights bulbs and endcaps are 13" long so there a perfect length for the 5.5g tank witch is 16"w. im gonna buy the tank today or sunday

do you guys think that 64w would be to much for a 5.5g tank? i will build a canopy to house the lights and put 2x 80mm fans in the canopy for cooling. i dont think ill build a stand because i allready have something for the tank to sit on but i might endup making a stand also.

heres a pic of the lighting i have from my stock hood i can also cut the reflector to size and use it also.

 

[sjm1978]

parts list so far:

5.5g AGA tank
aquaclear 30 fuge mod
visi-therm stealth 25w heater
1x Retro 32w SunPaq Dual Daylight 6700°K/10000°K
1x Retro 32w SunPaq Dual Actinic 420/460nm
2x blue led moon lights

 

[Shade00]

Too much? No way. You'll get excellent growth with those lights. Many people use 70w or 150w metal halides on tanks that small.

 

[sjm1978]

ok i got my tank today it cost $11.99 tomorrow i am gonna go get the filter and buy wood to build the canopy.

 

[amiricle]

nice work! I have a 5.5 also and I love it.

 

[shouldabenacowboy]

Nice setup....I used the exact same hood from a broken AP24 to put over my 5.5. I ran it for a year then ended up buying a AP24 to replace it.

With mine, I had the lights mounted about 6 maybe 8 inches above the water and had quite a bit of evaporation. You should consider an auto topoff and plan for a fan in your hood.

I'll follow along on this one

GOOD LUCK

SBC

 

[sjm1978]

ok i bought the the wood to make the canopy. it cost $18.00 for wood and supplys. once i get the canopy built ill go buy sand and live rock. i still need to paint the back glass on the tank but i cant decide to go with black or blue. i was thinking of going with blue since my 24g AP has a black back what do you guys think black or blue?

im gonna try to keep this tank as simple as i can. im not planing on putting fish in this tank ever so i might just use a couple powerheads in the tank. if later on after the tank is cycled and if i fill i need to add a aquaclear filter with the fuge mod done to it i will do it. but for now i want to see if i can just let the LR do the bio filtration and just add flow with 1 or 2 powerheads. one reason i want to keep the 5.5g tank simple is because i found out with my aquapod if it isnt broke dont try and fix it. ive bought different 3 light fixtures 2 different skimmers but now i am sticking to what i have on the tank sunpod 150w hqi and the sapphire skimmer. ive even thought about buying a hydor koralia 1 powerhead but with the 2 maxi-jet 900's my tank has plenty of flow and my corals are happy. so again i thought to myself if it isnt broke dont try and fix it.

my 24g AP is a pretty simple setup just LR for bio filtration 2x mj900s for flow and a sapphire aquatics AP24 skimmer. i have no bad algaes or anything and a very healthy tank i do a 2g water change every saturday using reef crystals salt. the corals i have is lots fl ricordeas/zoos/gsp/psp/frogspawn/purple plume gorgonia/ yellow plume gorgina everything is very healthy and growing like crazy. ill post a pic of my 24g ap tank once i get a good pic of it.

 

[sjm1978]

ok i got most of the canopy made today. all i need to do is get some corner molding from my friend to put on it and then ill primer it and paint it black and install the hinges for the lid. then i need to cut the reflector to size and install the lights and 2 fans into the canopy. then ill get my sand and lr and start the cycle. i was gonna build a small 3" base for the bottom of the tank so it would match the canopy but ill do it some other time. the canopy sits a total of 6" from the tank but the whole canopy is 7" tall. i also still need to paint the back glass on the tank. blue or black what you guys think?

heres some pics

front

sides

on the tank front

side

back

 

[MrMexReefer]

subscribing! I plan on doing this myself REAL soon

 

[sjm1978]

ok today i cut the reflector and found a spot on the back of the canopy to mount the 3 light switches that will control daylight/actinc/moonlights. i test fitted the lights in the canopy and then i primmered the canopy. i will give it a lite sanding tomorrow and paint it tomorrow. i should have the tank up and cycling on saturday.

injuries that happened to me from this DIY canopy sofar are:

1.yestuday i was carring my compound mitter saw to a spot so i can use it to cut the wood for the canopy and i slipped on a piece of wood flooring that was on the garage floor. i didnt fall but i didnt want to drop the saw and saved it from falling to the floor and it twisted my right arm. so now my arm is sore.

2. today i was cutting the reflector and i cut the top of my thumb on the new edge of the reflector.

you guys can laugh if you like

well heres some pics

spot for the 3 switches

test fitting the lights

primmered

 

[sjm1978]

ok i got the canopy painted today. i started out using roll on grate black paint and it looked purplish. so i let that dry then i put a few coats of gloss black spray paint it looks good now. im letting the paint bake in the hot arizona sun rightnow then ill bring the canopy in later tonight it should be nice and dry.

heres some pics

 

[Rich_1833]

If you painted the inside a gloss white it might shine better.

 

[sjm1978]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9646965#post9646965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rich_1833
If you painted the inside a gloss white it might shine better.

i thought about doing that but i think it will be fine with the reflector. i am gonna have 64w of pc lighting on this tank. im using a german parabolic reflector.

 

[MrMexReefer]

Thinking about sealing the inside? Wont the humidity in the hood have the potential to warp the wood?
-looking good so far tho man. I have never tried my wood working skills, and want to do this very same tank!

 

[sjm1978]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9647312#post9647312 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrMexReefer
Thinking about sealing the inside? Wont the humidity in the hood have the potential to warp the wood?
-looking good so far tho man. I have never tried my wood working skills, and want to do this very same tank!

the enitre canopy inside and out has 4 coats of primmer and has about 6 coats of black gloss paint.

 

[Rosseau]

looking good - did you happen to order your PC lighting kit online?

 

[sjm1978]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9649528#post9649528 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rosseau
looking good - did you happen to order your PC lighting kit online?

nope i got the lighting from the stock hood from my 24g aquapod.

 

[Jadams]

i love the canopy with the slot for the three switches! Great idea!

 

[sjm1978]

i mounted the lights and ballasts into the canopy and put the hindges on the lid. i then temp wired the lights to test them. i will wire everything nice tomorrow or the next day.

daylight and actinc

daylight only

actinic only

the ballasts

 

[sjm1978]

ok today i went and bought 5 pounds of Tonga Fusion live rock from one of our arizona group members that has a online store. he also gave me a half of a 30 pound bag of aragamax sand (sugar sized) for free. then i went to the LFS and bought a visi-therm 50w stealth heater. i got eveything in the tank but its its cloudy from the sand and i didnt aquascape yet because i cant see. i have a mj900 circulating the water for now. i think im gonna go buy a aquaclear 50 or 70 and mod it as a fuge. i still need to buy a couple 80mm fans also.

heres a cloudy pic.

list/prices:

5.5g AGA tank $11.99
64w of PC lighting from my 24g aquapods stock hood
50w visi-threm stealth heater $29.99
10-15 pounds of Aragamax sand (sugar sized) Free
5 pounds of Tonga Fusion live rock $4.50 a pound total $22.50
mj900 had it allready
coralife digital thermometer had it allready
reef crystals salt had it allready

Total Price without tax sofar = $64.48