My JBJ 28gal Nano Build Thread

I've never needed mine propped open any further anyhow. I had to trim the back lip on that Eshopps to be able to prop it open.
 
I snagged this pic less then 48-hrs after installing the HOB-1. It's already pulling out some nice dark skimmate. It's still just a bit wet, but I'll work to adjust that over the coming days.

IMAG0257.jpg


I think I have my final fish selection down to 3 candidates:
  1. Gold Assessor Basslet
  2. Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse
  3. Mandarin Dragonette

I'm not in any particular rush for another addition, so I will probably just continue to ponder over it for a while. Would also like to add some easier SPS, like an ORA birdsnest and a red plating monti.
 
So as I mentioned before when swapping between alternating stock pumps on wavemaker and running both continuously, it looks like an additional pump running adds ~2.5deg to the water temperature. This time, it's the skimmer. My temps have been hovering over 81, but seem to top out before hitting 82.

In light of this, with summer on the verge, I have been considering a chiller. I also consider it added insurance in case the AC goes out in my house one morning, I would hate to come home to a 95deg tank full of cooked livestock.

I was considering the AquaEuroUSA 1/13hp chiller at MarineDepot and planning out possible plumbing solutions. Decided it would be best to use stock pump in back right heater side chamber. The pump outlet would run down to chiller, and the return directly back into the display through the stock outlet. Clean and simple.

I stopped by the LFS on the way home, and wouldn't you know that he has one of the older JBJ Arctica Mini 1/15hp in stock BRAND NEW. Been sitting on the shelf, and he said I could have it for $250!! What a smoking deal!!

I decided to take some measurements and do more planning on the plumbing, but what you yall think??
 
Do a quick search before you buy. I remember reading something recently on here about some issues with JBJ chillers. I can't remember what it was but there was a bunch of pi**ed off people.
 
Really John? My searching seems to have yielded very good reviews and a lot of happy people. Apparently the JBJ's are some of the quietest and most reliable.

And for $250 new for the digital 1/15hp, that seems like a good price for piece of mind! :)
 
Well it's the digital version from my LFS, if I have any problems I will just bring it back to the shop or fix it myself, I am an electrical engineer afterall :)
 
I went ahead and bought the chiller after seeing my tank hit over 83 a couple of times, it's only going to get worse in the hot Texas summer.

It was $250 out the door for a brand new in box JBJ Arctica Mini 1/15hp digital chiller. He threw in 12ft of 1/2" hose and refilled my aquatainer for free also.

Installation was super easy, just emptied my bottom cabinet in the stand, routed the hoses, cut to length, and hooked it up. I'm using stock pump outlet to inlet of chiller, and the outlet feeds back into the display through the stock return.

The Pros:
  • Works very effectively, pulled temps down by 4deg in about 30min
  • It's just about silent
  • Insurance plan against cooked livestock in the event of a house AC failure

The Cons:
  • Bit of a micro bubble problem to work out, hoping this will subside when the lines fully purge
  • The stand gets very hot, dont think it's feasible to leave in there despite JBJ's claims

The extra tubing length looks like it knocked about 40% of the flow off the stock Accela pump, but it's doing a great job of chilling so far so don't plan to upgrade the pump as of right now.

DSC_0187.jpg

DSC_0190.jpg

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Video of the flow loss:
 
AHA!!! I figured out the chiller cooling issue. I looked through the stand manual to see if there was mention of using an internal fan when using a chiller, and noticed that my LFS assembled the back of the stand upside down. It's got the triangle on the bottom and big square cutout (chiller exhaust hole) on the top. I guess nobody is perfect :)

Oh well, too late to do anything about it now, I am just going to mount up a 120x38mm AC exhaust fan that pushes about 70cfm and that should be more then adequate to keep the cabinet cool and the chiller running efficiently.

Oh, and the micro bubbles are gone, must have been an air bubble in the heat exchanger or something.
 
So my trusty LFS ordered a McCoskers Flasher Wrasse for me last week, well actually 4 of them. I let them settle over the weekend on his suggestion, and today went and picked my favorite of the 4. It's a beautiful fish, and not shy at all. It's already bringing life to the aquarium.

It's my final addition unless I bring livestock back to the LFS for exchange, but they are pets and I feel a little bad doing that. I wouldn't mind swapping the Firefish and Damsel for something more exotic, but I am a bit partial to them as well...

Here is a pic from the cell, will grab some DSLR pics later:
IMAG0271.jpg


I also found a dead emerald crab in my tank this evening and disposed of it then did a water change. I thought this was my main emerald that I had purchased, and was wondering what happened, when I found another one crawling in the rockwork. Apparently I had a hitchhiker emerald that I never even knew about, weird...
IMAG0264.jpg
 
Any thoughts on maxima clam placement in a NC28 PC? I've seen them in the wild on the sand bed, but afraid the PAR/intensity there won't be right so planning on placing high in the tank. Have a large ultra blue maxima waiting for pickup at the LFS.

Also, for those of you not running a GFCI on your tank, I highly recommend that you install one! It costs $13 at Lowes and takes ~10min to install. I was messing with tank last night and somehow dripped water on an outlet, started to get shocked, and the GFCI tripped. Possible disaster avoided, phew!! :eek1:
 
wmo168 said:
How often does your chiller run? I had 3 of those unit replace and all of them die...
Click to expand...

Honestly I haven't really been paying attention, and I can't hear when it's running so unless I leave the cabinet open and look for the ON indicator light I don't know it's on.

I'd say it runs around 15min per hour to keep the tank between 76-78 when my AC is set to 74. It obviously runs more during the daytime when I am out of the house and the AC is at 80.
 
I asked my LFS to order me a sweet maxima earlier this week. Apparently there were none available, so he got me a large (~4.5") electric blue crocea instead. The mantel looks awesome! He hooked me up on it for $75, I haven't seen them online for less than $140 for that size. But even at hookup prices, it's still the most expensive single piece in my aquarium.

It's definitely a cool addition! Brings a lot of color and unique patterns, and even moves quite a bit. I may actually end up ordering an ultra green maxima also.

IMAG0280.jpg


IMAG0279.jpg


Also did my water tests and updated my logbook:
logbook.jpg
 
Nice electric blue crocea. You will be our test subject on how it does with the quad lights.
Hope it does well. If so i might have to look into getting one.

Garetjax
 
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