-AnThOnY-
New Member
I've had a 12 gallon long (~8x8x36") at my office for a while and have been waiting for the right time/opportunity to jump up to the 22 gallon version (12x12x36"). That chance came and I got the tank, drilled with a X-aqua overflow and a return pump, for $140. I have been wanting to get back into mangroves after having some a decade or so ago, but the wife doesn't like the look of greenery coming out of the reef which meant work tank was my only option.
The stand was a fun proof of concept type project that I made on my CNC, its not perfect but it think its pretty neat and served its purpose as an idea I plan to use more. I initially made it for the small tank due to the office replacing all of the flooring. I needed to be able to relocate the tank easily, so I built the stand with some heavy duty casters and rolled it into an office while that work was being completed.
I've nicknamed it the "Atoll" due to the island on the left where the mangroves are. I have some more rock from the smaller tank but I plan to try and make the big island as much of the focal point as possible. For the island I placed the bigger rocks and then backfilled the void with some large "rubble" (fossil spoil material made of shells, oysters, corals, and probably a few shark teeth from the phosphate mines in north carolina), capped with 5 lbs of miracle mud and then capped with sand. I have a bag of sand coming for the right side of the tank tomorrow. I have no idea how long the "island" will hold up before settling but we shall see, hoping the mangrove roots will help the erosion.
Stocking will start with the existing tank critters: 1 sexy shrimp, 1 pistol shrimp, pair of clowns and a royal gramma. Thinking about making the mangrove area a spot for the sexy shrimp to mingle (need to buy more...maybe some RFA's?)
Anyway, here are some pictures to start, hopefully it doesn't suck
OH! and I made cubicle cranes to hold up my lights, just....because. Why not, right?
The stand was a fun proof of concept type project that I made on my CNC, its not perfect but it think its pretty neat and served its purpose as an idea I plan to use more. I initially made it for the small tank due to the office replacing all of the flooring. I needed to be able to relocate the tank easily, so I built the stand with some heavy duty casters and rolled it into an office while that work was being completed.
I've nicknamed it the "Atoll" due to the island on the left where the mangroves are. I have some more rock from the smaller tank but I plan to try and make the big island as much of the focal point as possible. For the island I placed the bigger rocks and then backfilled the void with some large "rubble" (fossil spoil material made of shells, oysters, corals, and probably a few shark teeth from the phosphate mines in north carolina), capped with 5 lbs of miracle mud and then capped with sand. I have a bag of sand coming for the right side of the tank tomorrow. I have no idea how long the "island" will hold up before settling but we shall see, hoping the mangrove roots will help the erosion.
Stocking will start with the existing tank critters: 1 sexy shrimp, 1 pistol shrimp, pair of clowns and a royal gramma. Thinking about making the mangrove area a spot for the sexy shrimp to mingle (need to buy more...maybe some RFA's?)
Anyway, here are some pictures to start, hopefully it doesn't suck
OH! and I made cubicle cranes to hold up my lights, just....because. Why not, right?
