My .9 Gallon Project

[bobbyblank]

Well since i was layed off, i have had some time on my hands and instead of scratching my butt all day, i got constructive. I have been following some threads on them and picked a lot of ideas off unfinished ideas on the threads. I have alwase wanted a pico tank, and so i got some beer, acrylic, pvc, and got started.

The tank is a 5x5x5 1/8" acrylic cube. Overflow is a 2.5x2.75 cali style with custom bulkhead and "durso standpipe" lol. There is also going to be a 4x4x4 sump/fuge. Return is a Rio90 with dual 3/8" returns. I am thinking about a closed loop useing an aqualifter but i think it might be a little overboard . I cheated with the overflow, it was a premade box i found at TAP which i modified. Havent finished my stand yet, im going to need to barrow a table saw as mine is old and no longer cuts square.

For lighting im going to try an LED array. I have seen some arrays promote very good cheato growth and other maco algea, but i cant find any documented coral growth so i will be charting what ever growth i see very carefully. Its an array of 50 white 10,000mcd and 15-20 10,000mcd blues. This will give me the color mix of a 14k MH. Im looking into luxeon K2 LED (the same LEDs they use in the new Solaris hoods) aswell. Im still tossing the idea around since they are only $8 a piece.

Well here is todays progress.

I wanted to do it glass and this is why, It came like this from TAP :mad2:. I wish i would have noticed sooner.

 

[bobbyblank]

Custom bulkhead

 

[bobbyblank]

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A few hours and a bunch of beer, you have a 5x5x5 pico and a drunk man in a garage :hmm4: haha. Im very happy with the results, way better than i imagined. Well, there is todays progress, i will keep everyone poseted. Constructive critisism is alwase welcome.

 

[buttons buster]

What kind of stuff do you plan on keeping?

 

[bobbyblank]

Kenya tree, zoas, bottle nosed dolphin, hot mermaid, and some rum . Im not to sure yet. LED lighting is still in the discovery process. This is just my experiment with it. LEDs can punch out some great lux and lumen numbers. Hopefully someone in mars has a lux meter so they can test my array for me. This is just a project to keep me busy .

 

[buttons buster]

When you get a hot mermaid in there take some pics.

i think that if the color spectrum is good enough, you should get a couple of rare zoas.

That way it will look really cool/beautiful, and you would easily be able to monitor growth.

As soon as you saw a new polyp, it would up-lift your day.



Mabey I just want you to keep some zoas, so we could trade later, but hey nothings stopping you from going a different direction.

But obviously there are both pros and cons to my idea, and you will have to balance them out,and see if it is truly worth it to you

Good Luck

 

[jtarmitage]

Bobby that is hilarious!!! Just what I needed after a frustrating evening with the kids. Heck, you should get laid off more often as it adds a very creative dimension for the rest of us 'reef geeks' (as my wife puts it) to aspire to. Nice work.

 

[D&KSac]

Nice i agree this thread is just what the Dr ordered after a lousy day keep us posted on your project.

 

[casalt]

LOL can you use a beer bottle for the sump ? Bobby I jsut picked up some LED lights at sams club , their outdoor lights also. 60 bulbs per string with 3 stings per box = 180 cool LED's for 12.00. Your hittin the beer and I'm drinking coffee all day, I need a job.

 

[Unarce]

Very nice! It's been awhile since I've done a pico, but here's the last one I did:

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=57458&highlight=pico

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=58640&highlight=pico

Good luck!

 

[Reef n' Madness]

:lmao: that is so cute! sorry to hear about the job but at least you weren't just sitting on your ___ drinking beer!

 

[bobbyblank]

Thanks for all the responces!

Hopefully i will have the plumbing finished tomarrow. I need to find plastic 1/2 to 3/8 reducers with barbed ends for my duel returns. Cant find at warehouse stores, only brass ones. I have to admit, i think this little project will be fun. So far im only in it for $9 if you dont count the booze .

 

[matttaylor]

Hey, whats wrong with being unemployed and just sitting around on my ___ drinking beer at 3pm?! I'm beginning to think this way of life should be a paying job!

 

[Reef n' Madness]

It should be a paying job, especially when you are building stuff like this in your spare time!

 

[bayareaquarist]

YO BOBBBBBEY~! Thats sweet~! You should try Lowes for reducers and barbs...Me and Pete went there and I have never seen a bigger selection of hose barbs EVER~!

 

[Wee-Reef Master]

Very cool! I just love custom nanos!

 

[buttons buster]

How are your Picos doing?
ANy pics?

 

[bobbyblank]

Well i havent had time to work on the custom pico because of the meet and such, hopefully monday. The 2g i got from the meet is AWSOME. My girlfriend HATES fishtanks and fish but when she woke up and saw my new tank, she loved it!! So i gave it to her and now she is interested in learning more about SW tanks. She gets the joy of putting frags in and aquascapeing it, but for some reason, i have to do the water changes and cleaning it.....hmm....hows that work :lol:. Oh well, at least she no longer hates my tanks . Ill post pics as soon as i can.

 

[P.Kelly]

Glad to hear you have a convert... Did you call me last night?

 

[bobbyblank]

Im so happy she likes it, i thought i was gonna be in deep poopoo when i took it home. She loves it. I did call you, but i cant remember what i wanted to ask, im sure it will come to me .