29 gallon diy

[docforestal]

So this build is mostly DIY, I built the tank from ikea shelf glass ( my first glass tank) which just so happens to fit together and makes a nice rimless tank.

On YouTube @serpadesign had a video on this and it worked out
See my video on making it (I suck at recording and I was worried I would jinx the build if I recorded the whole thing)
In the video I link to his stuff to see how to buy and build.

I built the stand, pretty solid, from wood lying around and painted it.

I have 6mm foam padding for under the tank

making an acrylic sump if I can do it successfully with 1/4 acrylic 12x24x12” (14 gallons)

since the display is all tempered I will use a hob overflow (hate them in that will need to have it dialed in volume wise in the sump if the overflow fails- been a while since I needed to do that.

the sump will be for a small skimmer, heater and some rock
Will need to plan a design and find a decent return pump to match overflow size- not my strong suit for sure.

tank will have not as much rock shown as some will be in sump so I have ~ 1/3 sand for gorgonians and softies

flow will be from 1 sicce 925 gpa and might choose something that allows variable flow to lessen the laminar aspevt

lighting : unsure- lots of time ( have 2x noopsyches coming for my 55)

livestock: looking at lagoon like
Would love an upside down jelly (Cassiopeia andromeda)
Pls and softies
?Pair of clowns- would love an anemone but it would likely split and dominate the tank
Unsure which other fish yet, would love to do seahorses again but don’t want the time and concern for them

any livestock advice and sump design is appreciated

 

[blaxsun]

Best of luck!

 

[bradreef]

Really cool build. Ive watched the ikea glass tank builds and wanted to do it as well.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Nice looking new tank!!!

 

[docforestal]

thanks very much @Gumbies R Us and @bradreef and @blaxsun
So today, I tried my hand at making the sump - using 1/4 cast acrylic
very carefully setup , used pins (not on the sides and i should have) - it is setting now but i am thinking due to thickness, and held too snug i may not have adequate joining, but we will see - looks so easy - i reapplied layers of weldon 4 hoping to get into any bubbles that may have existed
if nothing else i made a nice 14 gallon terrarium
made a video but will post later so i don't jinx it (prob. just did saying this)

 

[twentyleagues]

thanks very much @Gumbies R Us and @bradreef and @blaxsun
So today, I tried my hand at making the sump - using 1/4 cast acrylic
very carefully setup , used pins (not on the sides and i should have) - it is setting now but i am thinking due to thickness, and held too snug i may not have adequate joining, but we will see - looks so easy - i reapplied layers of weldon 4 hoping to get into any bubbles that may have existed
if nothing else i made a nice 14 gallon terrarium
made a video but will post later so i don't jinx it (prob. just did saying this)

if you are worried about the welds you can get some weldon 16 and put it at all the welds on the inside. Weldon 16 is really thick (like honey). You'll have to do each one separately. Should help the seals and strengthen the thing as a whole.

 

[docforestal]

if you are worried about the welds you can get some weldon 16 and put it at all the welds on the inside. Weldon 16 is really thick (like honey). You'll have to do each one separately. Should help the seals and strengthen the thing as a whole.

awesome - that is great - i am less worried on it's looks as it's function , will order some now for insurance.

 

[docforestal]

The process - lol

 

[docforestal]

Waiting to make sure it passes the water test, but here is the sump and mock up,water in on left overflows to skimmer/central chamber and bubble trap to return pump

 

[docforestal]

sump sealing missed a spot, but waiting on weldon 16 to fill in the gaps, then will add the baffles.
Main tank is filled and cycling - have a small hygger wave maker - decent flow for such a small guy
plan aquamax small in sump skimmer and chaeto in the sump -
have not decided on a return pump but some of these newer ones that let you dial it in sound ideal.
I think the plan will be for now to use the light (Aquatic Life HM Electronics Edge Marine Coral Reef Wireless LED Aquarium Light Fixture with Full Spectrum Color Lighting Unit 48-Inch Strip Wireless A)
i had over the 55 at first, low par but if just anemone or softies should be ok
No leaks (i have a cheap led panel overhead so i can see/check for leaks unitl the other light is installed -
put a 2 pound rock and a cup of sand from the 55 in there along with dr. tim's to cycle, and will keep dark
much of the rock in the tank will go to the sump too to open it up some

 

[docforestal]

Tank is fully cycled in the dark
Got the Weldon 16, worked like a charm
Got the baffles in
Just waiting on overflow and getting that setup, in near future pair of clowns and slow add CUC and the anemone and some softies
Years ago built my own overflow, pic at bottom, but decided to just buy one to avoid critical leaks
Plan on rock and chaeto in central chamber and aquamax ws-1 for intake chamber and will have filter socks,
Just got a prusa 3d printer yesterday, gonna put together and try to make sock holders
Setup:

Old overflow diy :

 

[docforestal]

The overflow came today - a cheaper one on amazon but is nice quality ( Amazon product)
as usual, as i was hooking things up, realized my supply of the right size fittings /hose was in error - managed to get all hooked up, but used smaller return hose than i assumed -
long story short, i have a hose held over the tank returning water and the the right fitting will arrive later - the single clown baby seemed a bit stressed as now has to find a new spot
I took two big pieces of rock from the tank and put in the sump.
as i filled the sump i realized /learned how to build the next sump properly - making the baffles all the same height kind of just makes a tank with seperators instead of up and down flow - oh well, the central part - will be a fuge and i will be growing chaeto and pods, critters - have some rock and sand there
I have 1 inch flow from overflow and a ball valve to control it's rate, 1/2" return also with a ball valve and have them
dialing in
The lights although not strong give me ~50-60 par (by photon phone app) at bottom, which should be fine as this will be a softie/anemone tank.
Starting to get a little algae on sand /rock - added a bottle of my home grown pods and will continue this (have 2 big jugs still growing although my phyto has crashed after 4 generations.

 

[bradreef]

What phyto were you growing? Any idea why it crashed

 

[twentyleagues]

The overflow came today - a cheaper one on amazon but is nice quality ( Amazon product)
as usual, as i was hooking things up, realized my supply of the right size fittings /hose was in error - managed to get all hooked up, but used smaller return hose than i assumed -
long story short, i have a hose held over the tank returning water and the the right fitting will arrive later - the single clown baby seemed a bit stressed as now has to find a new spot
I took two big pieces of rock from the tank and put in the sump.
as i filled the sump i realized /learned how to build the next sump properly - making the baffles all the same height kind of just makes a tank with seperators instead of up and down flow - oh well, the central part - will be a fuge and i will be growing chaeto and pods, critters - have some rock and sand there
I have 1 inch flow from overflow and a ball valve to control it's rate, 1/2" return also with a ball valve and have them
dialing in
The lights although not strong give me ~50-60 par (by photon phone app) at bottom, which should be fine as this will be a softie/anemone tank.
Starting to get a little algae on sand /rock - added a bottle of my home grown pods and will continue this (have 2 big jugs still growing although my phyto has crashed after 4 generations.

Looks in the pictures of your sump build you have a space under the first baffle. Is there no space under it? I assumed that the rest of it was designed to how you wanted it. All you really could have done differently was to add another baffle after the last baffle lifted like the first to act as a bubble trap. Not entirely necessary.

 

[docforestal]

What phyto were you growing? Any idea why it crashed

Nannochloropsis, guessing on restart last time I did not clean well enough, went from 1 bottle to 2 to 4 then next time around. Only one of the 4 grew
Each time would use half the bottle to store or for pods and the other to grow again

big guys have pods, left one they are eating faster than the right, 1 of 4 empty phyto bottles , just cleaned and ready to restart onceprimer comes get from Amazon

Looks in the pictures of your sump build you have a space under the first baffle. Is there no space under it? I assumed that the rest of it was designed to how you wanted it. All you really could have done differently was to add another baffle after the last baffle lifted like the first to act as a bubble trap. Not entirely necessary.

So water comes from the right and flows left, I think the baffles being the same height keeps water level same across. I thought it was Supposed to flow over then under for bubbles- Just looked up, I see, got them backwards and need a third, will need to do better on next one
Still works well enough I guess
Once it is set and led strips for sump come, and my chaeto on other tank grows some I am going to attempt to have a rotating ball of chaeto, cause it looks neat and makes sense getting light to all

 

[docforestal]

my 3rd banghai cardinal in the 55 was getting picked on by the ?mating couple, she hides up near the feeding cup- i managed to quickly snag her and pop her in the 29 - so hopefully she and the clown become buds , and i would love to have a school of banghai's , i think 5 at least cuts aggression but i dont think the tank is large enough,
thinking a goby, pair of clowns, pair of cardinals and some cuc's along with anemone, will be plenty

 

[docforestal]

added a small Rose BTA from @Coral Euphoria short video of it flipping and finding a spot - phone died unfort. but fun to watch

 

[docforestal]

Got a spinning ball of chaeto going in the fuge and the 1st BTA has settled in but is still small


Today added a 2nd bta and a few more cardinals to complete the tank - the fish in the qt for now hoping the 2 banggai and the 2 pajama will pair up, the BTA's will split and will have all the fish hosting in the anemones and have babies - pipedreams perhaps

 

[docforestal]

2 pairs of cardinal fish - pj and banggai now in along with the 3 clowns and 2 BTA's - one rose and the other green
both bta's are coming out into the light and expandin more and feeding 2-4 x/week - mysis
plans now are just to add a few gorgonians and a leather or two and it is stocked, just the fun of watching it