updated 10g.. 4 weeks old hi res pictures! 56k warning

[tmfreak]

I think my tank is done cycling since my zoos are doing well 9forgot a picture) alot of algae before i cleaned some up so dont look at the green. made a DIy spraybar, easily done, cost about 4 for the whole water flow system (excluding pump)

specs:
2 blue hermits (need a couple more)
1 yellowtail damsel
1 unknown starfish
5 brown zoa polyps

and a good thread is nothing without pictures! theyre kind of blurry, sorry

 

[tmfreak]

 

[Reef5]

Looks really nice,
what kinda filteration?
what rock?

Sorry bout questions need to learn more. tank looks really good TMFreak.

 

[tmfreak]

its using a simple topfin 20 tetra whisper filter.. bought it off ebay for $12 w/ 2 carbon packs

The white rock is dead rock i've had in my house for a while and the smaller one is a piece i bought from the LFS for 3$

the tank will have alot more LR once I get some more $$ lol

Thanks on the comment

 

[deeplove]

You have a pretty clean setup there. Nice.

My question to you since I'm going to be setting up a couple of 10Gs Tanks.

If I'm correct, are you using a closed loop, if so can you take a pic of it so I can get an idea on how to plumb mine. Oh, what type of pump are you using for the closed loop setup?

I have the same Tetra filters and I wanted to know if you added anything else other than the pouch. Did you just put in the carbon or carbon with something else?

Other than that, nice setup. Anything in particular you'll be adding to your tank? How many watts do you have burning in there?

 

[tmfreak]

The pump im using is a marineland magnum 2 which gives me about 250gph, I just used a couple of pvc connectors and pvc total cost was 4.11$ for 10 feet of pvc and 7 90 degree elbow(2 of which one side is threaded, one of them goes onto the pump and the other for the endcap for the spraybar), 1 45degree elbow, an end cap, an
abs 3inch pvc with outside threads.. Ill take pictures soon since words are alot more confusing , make sure you dont get a pump too powerful, I had mine without the spray bar and just one hose and it ended up blowing all the sand from one side to the other in about an hour... A spraybar will efficiently distribute the flow around the whole tank and make sure you have enough holes and direct it to where itll bounce off the walls (gives me no dead spots)

as for the filter, I just used the pouch, I might turn it into a fuge soon but school has taken a toll on all of my free time..


I only have about 40w of compact flourescent in 6500k, My zoa seems to love it, Im going to probably get another hoob and throw in 2 coralife 50/50's in there which will give me around 80w which is veryvery sufficient( the hood and light setup I have right now cost me no more than $20, im on a very tight budget.. Ive spent probably 40 dollars so far on this whole setup, )

I might add an anemone, im still thinking about it. Alot of zoas, a cleaner shrimp or two, anemonefish and firefish (i think ill give my damsel to a friend, still thinking), alot more live rock, some chaeto and some other things.. Im going to the LFS tommorow or saturday and am going to see what other marine inverts/fish I can adopt

My livestock seems to be very very happy. hermits running around eating algae, damsel swimming everywhere catching pods and my zoos waving in the water flow.. Im pretty happy with my setup

 

[deeplove]

Cool man. I have the exact same equipment as you. I have a couple of Tetra 20's and a Mag2.

Now I see that you have the spray bar and I will take that into consideration. What do you think if I do the closed loop but with 2 outlets? you think that the output of the pump will still be too much?

That box nest to the intake of the filter? Is it like a overflow?

I've been meaning to start my nano off for a couple of weeks now but I always find something new that throws me off track. This thread is what I've been looking for since you have the same equipment. So out of your experience I'll be learning and taking tips for my own.

My goal is to go with a Zoas Only tank and maybe a FireFish.

 

[tmfreak]

Yep, 2 outlets would be a fine choice, youll get a much weaker flow (not taht its bad) but you can use a t elbow and route it to seperate sides of the tank, I am also thinking of doing that.. I might go hoodless since my water temp went up to 97 DEGREES F!!! everything survived though... Im going to try to get the spraybar higher since I dont want alot of equipment in the tank

Yes, The box was basically a pot that my mom bought (it was from some plants or something) I just cut it up a little .. if you look at my older thread, took about 10 minutes and I sprya painted ithttp://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=942177
you can see how I did it and also the pump connections (the configuration is different in that thread, I went with 1 hose outlet and it was wayyyy too strong

on teh overflow: you might have to cut the teeth a little bit wider since i had to cut most of mine off (flow was too strong) and make sure it is depper and the teeth go down lower (i have had problems with low water, it makes the pump all weird, you're going to have to mess with it) You can take a 4 inch diameter pvc pipe, cut that in half and silicone it to the glass, it will be a better overflow. Im kind of dissapointed I didnt do that first.. There should be a thread but I dont know the exact one. Also, To help with surface skimming, You can put some filter floss behind the teeth of the overflow

haha, Thanks alot, im flattered.. I barely have any experience (i just read book and all)

but anyways, Yeah, I wanted to make my tank a little different from everyones and I wanted my design to be almost all DIY and original... Ill draw some diagrams for you tommorow since im on my laptop and its sloooowww

I love zoas, theyre hardy and brilliantly colored..

 

[tmfreak]

also, I think im going to do an auto top off, I already have al the equipment and it wouldnt be very hard to setup, all I need is a float switch (you can find the article in the nano DIY thread in the sticky section of this forum)

 

[Skateboarder]

nice start

 

[tmfreak]

thanks alot for the positive comments

 

[deeplove]

I would love to see the diagram when you do get a chance to make it.

Do you ever plan to use a sump or a refuge?

I'm thinking about adding a 10G sump to mine since I have a spare 10G and a couple of 2.5G tanks.

As for the closed loop, I'm using your design as a reference. I might tweak it here and there. But Most likely I'll split it into 2 outputs.

As for the sump, I'm doing it to add more water volume and hopefully keep it more stable. And of course, to hide the rest of the equipment.

But I might do a sump/refuge or just a sump then mod a AC HOB to a refuge.

I hope to start this week or next. So I'll probably start planning my own plumbing this week. Hopefully you'll have your diagram by then so I can check it out.

 

[tmfreak]

Alright, no problemo, I have a 2.5 .. Im planning to do a fuge.. 2 outlets from the pump, one to the tank and the other to the fuge, the fuge will kind of be like a hang on, Ill have like a 2" elbow outtake for it (maybe 2) and use 90 degree elbows (then ill hang it on) I also need to buy acrylic for the baffles and all of that.. Im still putting alot of thought into it..

Its going to cost like, 5 bucks max

i still need to determine the intake of the pump. hmm, I dont want to depend too much on pump either so im going to have those 2 outtake to stick it on the back.. ill take some pictures and diagrams for ya, ill get them up tommorow

 

[tmfreak]

ok, this might be a little confusing.. i did a whole other concept for your fuge setup..

 

[tmfreak]

some of the pvc fittings are threaded in the inside.. i think its a 3/4" threading, you might want to take your pump with you to home depot. Thats what I did and the guy helped me out a little.

i thinking of raising the spray bar higher since it looks really weird with all the equipment in the tank

outtake pipe from mag

intake connector

top view of overflow and spray bar

i hid the hydrometer in the filter (for the thermometer, i need to get a sepearte one.. i take it out when I measure salinity)

 

[tmfreak]

oops forgot to resize haha

 

[tmfreak]

picture of hydrometer in filter

tank picture once again

i slid a piece of glass under the light and removed the hood

my soon to be fuge

spraybar close up, notice all the holes i drilled in it with different angles

and the current produced by the spraybar, thats only about 6 holes doing that ripple, the rest are pointed somewhat downward. make sure not to give anything direct flow, itll be too strong, use the sides of the tank to bounce it around

 

[deeplove]

Thanks for the pics and the diagrams. I will be using this as a guide to what I want to do. Especially the internal overflow and the sump/fuge.

I think that I will be making the double outlet for the closed loop seeing how much movement you have just off that spray bar.

Either way, if I do get a reduction of flow from the closed loop, I still have those Tetra 20s hanging around for extra movement.

I will be heading out to Home Depot to get the plumbing this weekend and start setting up the whole thing. I want to test it and continue testing it till I get it right.

Oh, I have a question... Have you ever had any problems with the Mag2 as far as it leaking? I've read about Mag pumps leaking and stuff.

So what are you going to start off with as far as livestock goes?

 

[tmfreak]

ahh, alrighttt

I have not experienced anything bad with the mag so far, Its a little bit louder than the 20 but it works fine

hmm, im probably going to get some inverts, shrimps and more zoos

 

[tmfreak]

i just got zome gold centered zoas and another anemone looking frag, i dont know what exactly it was but i liked it alot.. added 2 more hermits.. going to buy shrimp soon