norcal's custom 20H with pics

[norcal99]

Well finally thought it would be time to start a thread after admiring all the other tanks in the nano forum. Finally upgraded from my little 10G to a 20H with a custom external overflow box and 10G sump. This project began about 1 month ago and all the contents were transferred from my 10. I modeled the overflow after Dsparks' 20G thread which inspired me to drill my tank and give it a shot!

Here's my equipment list:
- 20H Glass Cube Master's Tank
- 1.5 Gallon Glass external overflow box
- Dual 1" drains
- 2 Maxijet 600's
- 4x24W T5 HO's w/ icecap reflectors (2x ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI aquablue, 1 UVL Super Actinic)
- 10AGA sump w/ acrylic bubble box and 3 bulkheads
- 20W Halogen fuge light from Lowe's
- Jager 80W heater
- AquaC Nano Remora Skimmer w/ MJ900
- MAG 7 Return pump w/ ball valve
- Locline nozzles

Inhabitants:
- 2 Percula Clowns (1 is cruising the sump unti I figure out what to do with it)
- 1 Percula onyx morph
- 1 twinspot hogfish
- 10 Nassarius Snails
- 15 Blue Legged Hermits
- 10 Cerith Snails
- 1 Skunk Cleaner

- 25-30lbs LR
- 20 lbs LS
- Frogspawn
- Neon green candy canes
- GSP
- Random Acropora
- Another unknown Acro
- Green Slimer
- California Tort
- Tons of zoos and palys

Water parameters are as follows:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ca: 400
Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 80-82F

Enough with the talk, here's the pictures:

Comments, questions, suggestions, whatever, post away!
Mike

 

[GSMguy]

sweet tank got a pic of that onyx?

 

[GSMguy]

enter this tank in nano tank of the month you would have the nicest tank so far this month

 

[Gundo5000]

Very nice!

 

[Grey Reefer]

Nice setup! How does the Hogfish behave?

 

[oddiseus]

Nice setup!! Let see some more close ups. I want your orange zoos!!

 

[norcal99]

Couple more pictures for the peanut gallery

GSMguy - my perc is just a true percula that just has the black coloration between the 2nd and 3rd stripes. Far from a Rodonyx perc, but I hope to purchase a pair of rod's famous onyx clowns soon.

Grey Reefer - The hogfish is pretty active and is always darting around the tank. Took care of my nudibranch problem!

Oddiseus - Seems like those are pretty popular zoos. Lots of people have been asking me for frags. I may try and frag off a couple soon.

Thanks for all the comments!

 

[oddiseus]

well let me know if you do. Ill take some for sure, I can get a few goods myself, like Armor of God, Purple people eaters. etcc...

 

[psidriven]

Looks really good and you take very clear pictures. Have any recommendations for improving my photo skills?

 

[norcal99]

Thanks for the compliment!

Few tricks that I do for pictures are to turn off all the pumps and powerheads. Not absolutely necessary, but can help because a lot of times your camera's shutter speed will slow down; this helps keep everything focused.

Other than that, run a higher ISO, use a tripod, and practice. One of the key elements is to have a fast shutter speed, especially for shooting fish. Otherwise, everything turns out blurred. I use an SLR, but I like to shoot in RAW format as I am able to capture more accurate colors and can usually manipulate the photos to look like they do in reality.

 

[J-Bass]

Nice setup.

 

[CamBarr]

great looking tank

 

[jpeggerling]

Beautiful Tank. Im just wondering how you did the overflow?Looks like you have just the outer box of a HOB overflow. How did you do the internal box?

 

[norcal99]

I actually cut out a groove on the rear of the tank using a rotozip tile cutting bit and my dremel tool. That left me with a groove looking like the below example.

---- ----
\____________/

The overflow was made out of 1/4" glass cut to my specific sizes. Just a standard rectangular shape that is siliconed onto the back wall of the tank that catches the water from cut out section. I have no internal box so to speak, just a piece of acrylic that covers the cut out section. I used a router to make the teeth in the acrylic to keep unwanted stuff from being flushed into the sump. Pretty simple idea!

Thanks for all the compliments folks!

 

[edwing206]

WOW. Very nice tank. Makes me jelous haha. The lighting combo is perfect. What bulbs do you use? thanks

 

[edwing206]

Neer mind on the lighting. Saw it at the top.

 

[Chaloupa]

Very nice tank...you have some really nice zoos!

 

[1pix4c]

thats a sweet tank