60g cube progress! 1st salty tank build! SO EXCITED

[Reef_Clown]

My 1st salty tank! I'm so excited. It's taken a long time to get to this point.
Starting the work on plumbing it and setting up all of the equipment. Still waiting on a few more things to come in the mail...grrr

Always love feedback! Good bad or otherwise. I'm BRAND new to this hobby, so anything you want to share is more than welcome! Thanks for looking!

Aquascape is a WIP and once that's complete then I hope to mix up some water and get the process started!!!

FISH PLAN (eventually):
2x clowns, 1x flame hawkfish, 1x yellow tang (till it's too big), 1x pink spotted goby, 1x tailspot blenny, 1x two-color blenny, 1x pajama cardinal fish (or wrasse or maybe peppermint hognose if I am really feeling rich!)
+ CUC (conch, skunk shrimp, pistol shrimp, hermit crabs, starfish) (I know the hawkfish may not play nice with some of these...)
and eventually a clam!

Coral Plan:
Pulsing Xenia, Euphyllia, Duncan, Leptosaris, and maybe Zoas


DEETS on the setup and gear!

60g Cube setup with 40g breeder sump.
-Drilled and Painted tank
-Tencore baffles without filter socks

SUMP GEAR:
-Bio Media
-3 baffles + blue and green aquamesh from BRS
-15" refugium with Tunze 8831 light
-ReefOctopus Varios2 return pump
-Reef Octopus 110INT protein skimmer
-Nema small pump for...
-25W Aqua UV classic clarifier; setup for parasites
-Eclipse M overflow box
-dual eheim Jager 125w heaters
-Tunze 3155 ATO
-All sitting in a waterproof tarp

LIGHTING:
-Reefi Uno 2.0 Pro Light
-Custom undercabinet lighting
-Geek lighting for my one, small tank decoration (tiny spotlight embedded in the stand shining up through the floor of the tank. Hollowed out rock where a little ball will sit and be illuminated).

POWERHEADS (gonna run em looooow):
-1 Ecotech mp10
-1 Ecotech mp40

OTHER GEAR:
-Pinpoint pH monitor
-Pinpoint Salinity monitor
-Inkbirds wifi heater monitor
-DIY battery backup with 700w inverter + 120Ah LiFePO4 battery
-RO/DI 5 stage from BRS

SAND:
-Ocean Direct Live Reef Sand - 40lbs

SALT:
-Tropic Marin Bio-Actif Salt

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Reef_Clown]

**UPDATE**

Plumbing is not for the feint of heart!

1st time plumbing pvc and an aquarium. It’s not 100% what I had in my head, but dang I’m happy with how it came out!

 

[Reef_Clown]

Water is in and the cycle has started!

 

[Reef_Clown]

Updated scape

 

[aquatic26]

Up to you of course, but I'd recommend a longnose hawkfish in lieu of the flame for safety of your inverts. If you get full-grown cleaner shrimp (recommend skunk cleaners, they're waaay more active and confident than fire shrimp that tend to hide a lot more) you shouldn't have a problem with either hawk fish, assuming you get them as juveniles. They're more likely to go after the little guys, like harlequin shrimp. I would start with your more shy fish and then add the more aggressive types. I added my clowns first and wish I had added them last. They're surprisingly quite friendly with new fish, but they have become sooo territorial with me, I can't put my hand in the tank without being gloved or I get bitten like crazy.

 

[kevgib67]

Very nice, I will be following this thread.

 

[abrichy]

Awesome! I’m building a similar setup in a 60 cube!
I purchased a similarly rated return pump (SDC 3.0, about 800GPH). Have you had any problem with the flow of your Varios 2 and the head pressure at whatever height your return is at?

 

[Reef_Clown]

Awesome! I’m building a similar setup in a 60 cube!
I purchased a similarly rated return pump (SDC 3.0, about 800GPH). Have you had any problem with the flow of your Varios 2 and the head pressure at whatever height your return is at?

Nope! It's been plenty powerful, almost too much so with the sump being directly under the tank. I am planning on moving it to the basement, but the head lift on the pump should be able to handle the height. I think you'll love the Varios 2 - especially since it's DC. very quiet

 

[shakacuz]

I think you'll love the Varios 2 - especially since it's DC. very quiet

that's good news. i planned on upgrading my sicce syncra 3.0 for a varios 2 since the hum from the sicce is annoying. it's likely because the sump itself lays flat on the floor on top of a yoga mat but i guess the vibrations onto the floor is what causes the hum.

 

[Reef_Clown]

The cube is dead! Long live the cube…
BUT! We’ve moved onto a 72g bow front and relocated the sump to the basement!