STLTim's 93 Cube

[STLTim]

Everyone else is doing it, so why not me! It all started when I saw the 93 cube at the lfs and fell in love. Originally i wanted to get a 90 but then I saw this cube and thought it looked so neat!

This first post will be long to catch up to where i'm at today...

After selling half my "toys" I was able to buy the tank. I decided not to get the manufacturer stand and build my own. I suppose I will find out later down the road if I made a mistake with that.

This is the stand I came up with...

I figure i can add the "skin" any time so i'm not stressing on getting that done right away.

The cube with the location picked out!

I had a 46 gal bowfront previously. for now i'm using the T5 fixture from that stand until I can afford LEDs.
On the stand with the light! I'm not sure i can get it to be more level.

Using the 50gpd RO Buddie. Seems to work pretty well. You can't beat the price tag.

Upon the water test i found a huge flaw with my tightening of the bulkhead. I was able to quickly fix that issue but man it was stressful during the leak!

The sump with water flowin'

Mid cycle - as of today.

 

[Pife]

Looking good.

 

[STLTim]

Equipment List

Equipment List

• Marineland 93 Cube DT
• 20g Tall custom sump
• 67lbs "dead" rock
• 72lbs sand
• Coralife Super Skimmer 125
• Jebao DC-3000LV Return Pump
• MarineLand Maxi-Jet 1200 (x2)
• 154w T5 HO 4 bulb fixture.

 

[kegogut]

The T5s look good over it. Did you get any live rock at all? If not I would suggest getting a couple pieces as it will speed up your cycle alot.

 

[STLTim]

The T5s look good over it. Did you get any live rock at all? If not I would suggest getting a couple pieces as it will speed up your cycle alot.

Not yet, I got a 5lb bag of live sand but that didn't of a whole lot. I also added about a 1" piece of shrimp. That got the ammonia up to 1ppm. Now the nitrites are jumping pretty high so looks like it's cycling. I plan on eventually getting all the live rock. It's just so expensive!

Also I'm ok with a slow cycle ... Saves money a bit

 

[kegogut]

Not yet, I got a 5lb bag of live sand but that didn't of a whole lot. I also added about a 1" piece of shrimp. That got the ammonia up to 1ppm. Now the nitrites are jumping pretty high so looks like it's cycling. I plan on eventually getting all the live rock. It's just so expensive!

Also I'm ok with a slow cycle ... Saves money a bit

All your rock will be live eventually anyway so you wont need to buy any unless you want to add more. Then you can either buy live if you see a piece you like or you can add dry with no ill effects .

 

[STLTim]

UPDATE!

• Cycle Complete
• Added CUC
  
  [*]10 Cerith Snails​
  [*]4 Blue Leg Hermits​

I'll be adding more to the CUC later, but they are working hard! Added them yesterday and have already cleared 2 rocks of diatoms.

PICS!

 

[kegogut]

Looking good Tim.

Marine solutions has sales on CuCs, Im waiting myself for that sale. Its like 10 cerith,10 of some other kind of snail and 10 hermits for 13-14 bucks.

I just gotta Harlequin Tusk so I know Im going to have to constantly add more but hes so beautiful I think its worth it.

 

[STLTim]

Thanks! Yeah I saw that they had a deal a couple weeks ago but I wasn't ready for them yet. I also figure I'll be constantly adding more as the hermits get bigger. My son loves watching the crabs move around so it's worth it just for that.

My next purchase will either be a clown or 3 chromis

 

[STLTim]

Looking good Tim.

Marine solutions has sales on CuCs, Im waiting myself for that sale. Its like 10 cerith,10 of some other kind of snail and 10 hermits for 13-14 bucks.

I just gotta Harlequin Tusk so I know Im going to have to constantly add more but hes so beautiful I think its worth it.

FYI Marine Solutions has a sale on CUC until Saturday...

 

[STLTim]

Latest update... New Friends!

- Bicolor Blenny
- Coral Beauty - From JxMetal

Here is a terrible pic with both...

 

[kegogut]

FYI Marine Solutions has a sale on CUC until Saturday...

Is it the one with the emeralds or something else? I dont think emeralds will last in my tank with the HT although Ive had a cleaner shrimp in there with him for almost a week! /em knocks on wood. lolz

 

[Pife]

Good looking fish.

 

[STLTim]

Is it the one with the emeralds or something else? I dont think emeralds will last in my tank with the HT although Ive had a cleaner shrimp in there with him for almost a week! /em knocks on wood. lolz

Yeah, 10 Astrea, 10 Blue Leg, 5 Red Leg, 2 Emerald for 32.95

 

[STLTim]

Good looking fish.

Thanks! I wish i could take better pictures. the Iphone 4 is quite old. I have a DSLR but can't remember how to use it

 

[STLTim]

New Pics!

New Pics!

Tried to get a close up of the Blue Leg Hermit

Looks like early stages of coraline!

 

[smoothdog]

Diggin' the bi-color just chillin' on the rock. Who's watching who?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Looking good! Makes me want to speed up my build!

 

[STLTim]

My First EVER coral!

My First EVER coral!

I picked up some zoas from Freddie today. They acclimated well and opened up pretty quickly. These are my first ever corals! I'm pretty excited about this.

 

[t.priscu]

Looks like they have opened up nicely, grats on your first coral!