The End of My Bed Reef Tank

CRJ

New member
Some of you may know i had many plans to build a 30x30x18 rimless reef tank in my basement. well unfortunately this wont be able to happen, so i have revised things and am setting up my bedroom. I currently have a 14Gal biocube, and will be going to a 29G biocube this week. I plan on going with a rimless setup, a 180gph return, a single Votech MP10w paired to a XR30w radion light fixture im supposed to grab on Wednesday. I will have 2 true perc clowns (tank raised), a bassalet, and a spotted mandarin Goby. Along with a peppermint shrimp, a few corals and some fine tuning.

Im still on the fence if i want to make it an all-in-one, or drill the back for a sump to place under the stand. Currently the stand i have wont support a sump as its too low.

Heres what it looks like as of Today.
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Im not on often, but ill try and update when i can!

:wavehand:

NateC
 
I made a stop off at the fish store today to grab the Biocube i had waiting for me. I bought this tank for $40 as it has been well used and came with nothing except the glass body. I will clean it tonight, and try to remove the lip on the top. The rear wall needs a re-seal (why it was cheap) so I'm going to remove the rear system entirely and drill the back glass. (i think)

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Do you have three clownfish?

Yes i have 3 perc's, one of which is headed to the LFS on my next visit to trade for a chromis.

Interesting... good luck with the build.

Thank you!



Last night i tore down the tank. The rim was a royal PITA to get off, as were the sides and rear filtration. Its torn down to just the bottom and front glass right now, and unfortunately I broke the rear glass removing the lip. Im kicking myself for this as it was a rookie mistake, but you live and learn! I have to get a new rear panel made, silicone in place and drilled. I will also add corner braces to keep the rear glass from popping off now that it has no top support. I just have to measure it and then find a place that will make me a panel.

In other news, i decided that ill build a custom stand and only re-use the top off my table im using now. Its a Ikea unit that wont hold the weight without alot of help. Filtration is still undecided.
 
Here is where i left off last night. Tomorrow night after i grab my radion system, i have to get to cleaning the silicone and taking measurements for a new rear panel. Was on the fence about corner supports, but with my limited knowlage of gluing tanks, its a safe idea. Once the new glass is in place ill paint it and get to making my coast to coast overflow.

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Ive found a glass supplier that can provide me the glass ill need to replace the back. $14 for the rear pane is more then reasonable. Ill take my final measurements tonight and order that so i can pick it up Friday. I will probably make my sump out of glass now that im seeing the prices, as acrylic isnt much cheaper!

My stand is going to be roughly 25-30" tall to accommodate a skimmer under neath, and a fuge. Once the tank is ready, ill get started on my stand. I will be using magnets to keep the sides in place, as i want a very clean looking unit. The bottom will have a water trap that will hold roughly 10 gallons if i get a leak. besides that everything for it should be basic and easy to build, gonna have to borrow a saw to make straight cuts.

Cant Wait!
 
Im in love. This light is purely stunning. The color from the coral is 25x what my t5's put out!

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Heres a few more tank shots.

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Ive fitted the Radion to my tank, and am loving the color and output. Not much is new with the tank build right now,
however i did head to Aquariums by Design and check out their location. TONS of selection and the owner was super helpful!
I bought a Radion Hanging kit and a few chemicals, also a cyano rx
as ive had a little cyano growing on my rocks and sand lately.

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That is awesome! Not sure if taking off the back of that biocube was safe or not, resealing it will be hard. That light is killer! How are the corals responding?

-Matt
 
So far the corals are doing great! they seem better them before. Im running it at half power, will bump it up 10% tomorrow.
 
Alright a quick update. I am now on a 3 day lights out to reduce the algae growing in the tank, ive been having a brown algae attack lately and im hoping that this will help! The tank still see's moderate light from the windows, but is for the most part dark.

In other news i have hung my LED system, and it is working wonders!

Over my 29G cube:
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Over the 14.
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Morning of day one lights out:
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Filter floss in overflow
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I am running a very large bag of activated carbon, I have a fizzer in the overflow to aerate the water, and my MP10 is cranked up a bit to help dislodge anything on the sand or rocks. I will perform a waterchange on monday night just before the lights come back on tuesday morning.
 
Day 2 of no lights. all corals are doing fine, fish are OK and the hermits still think its night time and are going nuts with cleaning! WOOT!

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And with the lights on for a few seconds:
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Lights will turn on again as of tuesday at 5pm est time.
 
Thanks! I need to hurry up and get the glass for the 29G so i can switch soon. This little 14G is a great starter tank, but the rimless 29 is going to be stunning when done!

Does anybody know is 6mm float glass will be ok to replace my broker rear glass? It will be about 20"x15"x6mm. Im very against the all in one filter, but im kind of stuck as i don't have the space for a sump right now... Need to look at possibly stand options.
 
Lights came back on this morning. after 2 days i found no trace of algae and felt it was ok to return to normal use.

I am running today with deep blues only to let the coral adjust, but they opened up very wide as soon as the light was back on.

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I am currently looking for a taller stand i can place the tank on to accommodate a Sump. I need to run a phosphate reactor and a skimmer to help keep the tank clean as weekly water changes is still not enough. Im miking a trip to the LFS on friday morning to grab a reactor, and a couple test kits. Right now im blind to calcium and phosphate levels.

on the 30G tank, how many gallons should my sump be?
 
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