Carriegiesler
New member
After much debate and thought I have decided that I have met my match in tank size limit. For several months now I have been questioning why I ever thought going bigger was going to be better. At the time I didn't give much thought to all the additional cost, time, and water change quantities.
After the semi crash about a month ago in which I lost many of my SPS's I have decided a down size is in order. Due to my lack of time to dedicate to appropriate water changes in a timely fashion and poor sump design I brought it on myself. And with one full time job and two part time jobs I don't see any of my time being freed up any time soon. During this time I found myself having more frequent conversations with my husband about possibly getting out because I was so bummed about the loss and my lack of time to care for the tank that he reminded me how much I enjoyed the Nano and how it was easier for me to handle the buckets for water changes on my own. So in due time I will be parting ways with the Tech and returning to the Nano.
A few weeks ago Dan brought the Nano out of storage for me and I started doing my homework on RC and other sites on how create a setup that would mimic my tech but with a better sump design. Instead of running it as an AIO, I decided to have it drilled.
From all the feedback on the forum I contacted Tom and discussed my plans with him and her came over and drilled it for a 1" drain and ¾" return and he made me a really awesome overflow box as well. Thanks Tom (runningnreefing)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281514683/" title="DSCN1238 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5281514683_ce385bea6e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN1238" /></a>
Sump: I picked up a 15 gallon 24"x 12"x12" sump from a LFS. The sump will sit perpendicular to the tank in the sump. It will stick out about 6 inched in the back of the stand. I built a little sturdy platform with reinforced metal L brackets on the leg then stained it to match the stand. To test it Dan stood on it and it held so I think it will hold the content of a sump. I can access the front through the glass door this will be the refugium end with the light.
I had found a plan for a sump off of Meleve's page or was it a design someone built using one of his designs. I saved a copy of the photo in my desktop file from last year so I resized it to fit the dimensions of my sump tank. The design made scene in the flow pattern to allow for ample room for a filter sock, skimmer, refugium and return. Lesson learned from old setup is not to put sand in the sump, to include a filter sock mount (I built this one out of plexi).
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281511757/" title="DSCN1245 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5281511757_ccd7d3343a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN1245" /></a>
Aquascaping: Because I will be losing a lot of real estate ground when compared to my Tech I decided to utilized the Foam wall method. I pulled about 15lbs (total) of LR pieces from the sump and a few from the display and dried them for a few day them sprayed them with the power washer. Doing this outside in the snow was not fun. I used about 85-90% dried rock then filled the cracks with Beckett Foam Sealant. After letting that cure for 3 days I then sealed it with Bob Smith Finish Cure sprinkling it with dry sand "¦"¦anyways you get the point the whole process and steps can be found in the DIY forum under Pond Foam wall.
To adhere this to the back of the tank I order 8 epoxy coat earth magnets that each pull 15lbs and embedded them in the foam when I was constructing the piece. I figured this would make it a thousand times easier than the standard epoxy it to the back wall to remove if there be a problem or I later change my mind about the aquascaping.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281512427/" title="DSCN1249 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5281512427_6ab3f3e04c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1249" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282112772/" title="DSCN1251 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5282112772_c60883d20c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1251" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282113310/" title="DSCN1254 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5282113310_fb6e21ee10.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1254" /></a>
The big void is where my Mp 20 will go to provide more water movment in the tank.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281513613/" title="DSCN1256 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5281513613_bb83f7a9da.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1256" /></a>
The blue tape shows the magnet placment
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282113460/" title="DSCN1255 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5282113460_c35236b462.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1255" /></a>
Profile shot
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281513801/" title="DSCN1257 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5281513801_90f6775d89.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1257" /></a>
Adding Bob Smith 20min Finishing Cure the sand.
I plan to add another 20-30 lbs of live rock that I will pull from the Tech to the nano display once the cycle gets started and another 15-20 in the sump.
Lighting: I have on order and Aqua illumination Sol Blue for the lighting as the MH I run on it before I have since sold and always ran the temp up. I've read tons of reviews on their PAR and feedback and they seem very promising. Expecting it to ship from PA after the New Year. But no hurry as I have to let the nano tank cycle and then comes the breakdown and transfer of the Tech
Skimmer: After the initial operator error with my new Precision Marine 100 Redline skimmer I am very happy with it skimming ability. It is currently set up on the Tech and it a skimming beast. I would go as far to say it is doing as good of a job as my Octopus 150 does just with a much smaller footprint.
So that all for now folks.....have a Merry Christmahanaquanzika and New Year!
After the semi crash about a month ago in which I lost many of my SPS's I have decided a down size is in order. Due to my lack of time to dedicate to appropriate water changes in a timely fashion and poor sump design I brought it on myself. And with one full time job and two part time jobs I don't see any of my time being freed up any time soon. During this time I found myself having more frequent conversations with my husband about possibly getting out because I was so bummed about the loss and my lack of time to care for the tank that he reminded me how much I enjoyed the Nano and how it was easier for me to handle the buckets for water changes on my own. So in due time I will be parting ways with the Tech and returning to the Nano.
A few weeks ago Dan brought the Nano out of storage for me and I started doing my homework on RC and other sites on how create a setup that would mimic my tech but with a better sump design. Instead of running it as an AIO, I decided to have it drilled.
From all the feedback on the forum I contacted Tom and discussed my plans with him and her came over and drilled it for a 1" drain and ¾" return and he made me a really awesome overflow box as well. Thanks Tom (runningnreefing)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281514683/" title="DSCN1238 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5281514683_ce385bea6e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN1238" /></a>
Sump: I picked up a 15 gallon 24"x 12"x12" sump from a LFS. The sump will sit perpendicular to the tank in the sump. It will stick out about 6 inched in the back of the stand. I built a little sturdy platform with reinforced metal L brackets on the leg then stained it to match the stand. To test it Dan stood on it and it held so I think it will hold the content of a sump. I can access the front through the glass door this will be the refugium end with the light.
I had found a plan for a sump off of Meleve's page or was it a design someone built using one of his designs. I saved a copy of the photo in my desktop file from last year so I resized it to fit the dimensions of my sump tank. The design made scene in the flow pattern to allow for ample room for a filter sock, skimmer, refugium and return. Lesson learned from old setup is not to put sand in the sump, to include a filter sock mount (I built this one out of plexi).
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281511757/" title="DSCN1245 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5281511757_ccd7d3343a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN1245" /></a>
Aquascaping: Because I will be losing a lot of real estate ground when compared to my Tech I decided to utilized the Foam wall method. I pulled about 15lbs (total) of LR pieces from the sump and a few from the display and dried them for a few day them sprayed them with the power washer. Doing this outside in the snow was not fun. I used about 85-90% dried rock then filled the cracks with Beckett Foam Sealant. After letting that cure for 3 days I then sealed it with Bob Smith Finish Cure sprinkling it with dry sand "¦"¦anyways you get the point the whole process and steps can be found in the DIY forum under Pond Foam wall.
To adhere this to the back of the tank I order 8 epoxy coat earth magnets that each pull 15lbs and embedded them in the foam when I was constructing the piece. I figured this would make it a thousand times easier than the standard epoxy it to the back wall to remove if there be a problem or I later change my mind about the aquascaping.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281512427/" title="DSCN1249 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5281512427_6ab3f3e04c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1249" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282112772/" title="DSCN1251 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5282112772_c60883d20c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1251" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282113310/" title="DSCN1254 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5282113310_fb6e21ee10.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1254" /></a>
The big void is where my Mp 20 will go to provide more water movment in the tank.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281513613/" title="DSCN1256 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5281513613_bb83f7a9da.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1256" /></a>
The blue tape shows the magnet placment
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5282113460/" title="DSCN1255 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5282113460_c35236b462.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1255" /></a>
Profile shot
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42991117@N08/5281513801/" title="DSCN1257 by saltwater pics, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5281513801_90f6775d89.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1257" /></a>
Adding Bob Smith 20min Finishing Cure the sand.
I plan to add another 20-30 lbs of live rock that I will pull from the Tech to the nano display once the cycle gets started and another 15-20 in the sump.
Lighting: I have on order and Aqua illumination Sol Blue for the lighting as the MH I run on it before I have since sold and always ran the temp up. I've read tons of reviews on their PAR and feedback and they seem very promising. Expecting it to ship from PA after the New Year. But no hurry as I have to let the nano tank cycle and then comes the breakdown and transfer of the Tech
Skimmer: After the initial operator error with my new Precision Marine 100 Redline skimmer I am very happy with it skimming ability. It is currently set up on the Tech and it a skimming beast. I would go as far to say it is doing as good of a job as my Octopus 150 does just with a much smaller footprint.
So that all for now folks.....have a Merry Christmahanaquanzika and New Year!
