My 54G Mixed Reef (pic intense)

Thanks guys I like this a lot. Drouner: The glass was cut with a dremel tool and a tile bit. It took about 10 minutes to do it, I got the 1/4 glass for the overflow from a glass shop and they cut it to size and ground the edges smooth. I siliconed it all together and then siliconed it to the tank. Other than that it is just a external version of the coast to coast style weir overflow, I like this better as it doesn't eat up to much tank space and I have plenty room in the back of the tank. I chose not to cut the slot the entire length of the glass because I felt it may weaken the tank a little to much, and really I didn't need 28" to handle the water volume I wanted this to overflow. HTH.
 
In the last picture you can see the glow on the wall of the actinics. A spill over from using a rectangular fixture over a triangular tank. One thing I am considering, is using mirrors at these corners to direct that light up and on to the walls even more. It really is a cool effect having a blue backlit wall. I may use some blue ropelights in the built ins over the tank to bring it out even more.
 
While I am waiting for pics to upload here is the boring stuff:

Temp: 78.6 -
Ph: 8.29 +
SG: 1.024 =
NO2: 3.5ppm +++
No3: 50ppm +
NH3: .75ppm ---
CA: 380ppm - (?)
DKH:15 -
PO4: 0.5ppm +
Mg: 1350ppm +

I am shocked the tank is using this much Ca, the coraline must really be thriving under all those diatoms :). Nothing else in those numbers is really shocking to me, tank cycling at higher levels than normal, but at the same ratio. Still doubt the Mg numbers are acurate and probably wont test that again until dkh is around 8.

What I am observing is some white spotting (bare) in certain places of the rocks, my guess is that is where some food settled before disolving and caused necrosis. Not significant, and probably just gave the tank a little more natural ammonia spike.

I got my cleaning crew today, and they are happily munching away on some 2 month old base rock that I had added to my other tank.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624117/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/72/183624117_cac76683db_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="snails" /></a>
They will remain here until Nh3=0. I presume by Sunday at the current rate.

For the CSS lovers here is a stanky pic after 2 hours of operation (I had already broke it in on the live rock).
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624112/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/74/183624112_5a90e14837_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="2hrs" /></a>
and hour 12.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624113/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/183624113_79ed57379f_o.jpg" width="600" height="802" alt="12hrs" /></a>
I forsee no problems with this skimmer handling the bioload of the tank.

Me and the wife went to the furniture store to pick up the most comfortable couch we could find.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624114/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/24/183624114_630178779c_o.jpg" width="600" height="802" alt="couch" /></a>
It now sits opposite the tank
:p .
 
In the above pics the equipment sump is now fully operational. 2 Kent reactors, the first one has 3 cups of carbon, and the second has 100ml Rowa fed inline by a maxi 400 that will probably get bumped up to a 900 when I am done using it for the snail motel.
I also finished up the auto waterchange system and will be doing a 5 galon change on Sunday. I will take pics and give a full explaination of how it works at that time.

Anyone want to take a guess..........................................

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624115/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/67/183624115_1cdf0408ea_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="skim1" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/183624116/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/67/183624116_d69854357b_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="skim2" /></a>
 
Not a clue...

but this is great! I'm having my 5 marine bio classes do cycling of tanks about 6 different ways and comparing results. I think I might have to add yours into our little test.

Very nice work!!
 
I've been watching your thread and love what you are doing with your tank! My husband brought home a 54G just like your for my home office and I've been debating on what I'd like to put in it. You've given me some great ideas on the equipment so far.


I'll take a stab on what the bubbles are in the pic. Are you doing an air bubble filtration system to assist in cleaning the sand and the rocks??
 
Thanks for the compliments.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7695833#post7695833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MelNGuy



I'll take a stab on what the bubbles are in the pic. Are you doing an air bubble filtration system to assist in cleaning the sand and the rocks??
Click to expand...

WOW! I sure didn't expect someone to guess it correct that quick.

Yes, Air bubble filtration. This is how I operate it.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/153712179/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/59/153712179_c9ce4f8bbf_o.jpg" width="600" height="449" alt="venturi" /></a>

Basically the grey plug on the tee is loosened. This is the intake to my CL pump on the OM squirt. I can manually open and close it as I see the need to blast the detritus off the rock, and assist in the slime removal from the corals. After I did this the other day, it pulled an amazing amount of algae and some of the undisolved food off of the rocks and sand and it all ended up in the filter sock. I really am happy with it's trial run. This is something in the future that I may automate as well: replace the plug with a cap fitted with rigid airline connected to a small air pump that is turned on at scheduled intervals.
 
You used a dremel and a tile bit to cut your holes? How thick is the glass on your tank? Did you get some chiping?

Around Atlanta they are asking for $30 a hole.

I have dremel and tile bit. My glass is 3/8" thick.
 
Mine is 3/8" too. No chipping. It's pretty easy. Look in the DIY forum for tips. There are plenty good threads on how to do it. I was nervous doing the first one, but after that its super easy.
 
That is my problem, just nerves.


Did you use the router attachement? How long did it take for each hole?

Just to confirm did you use the diamond points or the tile cutting bit?
 
No, don't use the router attachment, you don't want the tool to be perfectly perpindicular, you want it to be angled slightly. Use the tile cutting bits that are sold for the rotozip tool not the dremel. You could call a local glass shop and see if they have some small cut offs of 1/4" non tempered glass so you could practice.
Let me find a good thread for you....
 
I thought about using some of the old aquarium tops I have sitting in the corner for practice. But then they maybe tempered.
 
Nh3: 0.00
No2: .25ppm
No3: 10ppm

Water is crystal clear, rocks have diatoms, green hair, no cyno, no dino no bubble.

Bloop, bloop, bloop.....


Just dropped 30 snails in the tank. 160 more where that came from :).
 
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