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- Sep 15, 2010
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Hi guys,
Well, it's been a while! 41/2 years, to be exact.
After a much-needed break from the hobby, I've started a new tank.
This time around, I'm focusing more on artistry within the tank than anything else.
I decided from the get go that the theme would be " acros floating in space", so, for that reason, the aquascape is rather spartan.
Equipment consists mostly of....what I had laying around ^_^ with a few other things given to me by long-time friends.
Tank - 34g Deep Blue 20in cube - modified for external overflow
Sump - 10g, partitioned in raceway style
Rock - 10lbs rubble rock in sump, 12 lbs Fiji Branch in display
Skimmer - Old Deltec Ap 600 external
UV - Aquanetics 25w
Return - Blueline HD 40
Flow - Vortech MP 10 x 4 ( Only two are running/needed right now)
Light - Ecotech Radion Gen2 Pro x 2
- jbj auto topoff, 2-part dosing, blah-dee-blah
In such a small tank, I wanted maximum coral space, so only a custom overflow would do:
I built this slimline coast-to-coast overflow from some black acrylic I had laying around & cut the slots on the crosscut sled of my table saw. Turned out pretty nice, I think.
The overflow projects a mere 15/16in into the tank, and has a total height of 1.5 in. Obviously, no bulkhead will fit in such a small box, so, out came the diamond bits.
It's hard to see in the pic, but I cut a 1/2in wide, 10in long slot in the back glass of the tank, water flows over it and rides down the back glass into the external overflow, making it quite quiet, at least at the flowthrough speeds needed for a 35 gal tank...
Since I wanted a rock structure that would disappear over time, there was really no choice other than branch. I didn't, however, want a pile of twigs, so I did a little masonry work.
The orchids graciously gave up their pots for me to use as temporary rock supports ;-).
Everything was done with the Marco Rock cement ( Sanjay gave me about 5 lbs of it that he had leftover from when we did the rockwork in the PSU HUB tank. )
stage 2:
I want some barnacle blennies eventually, so I incorporated barnacles into the structure.
Stage 3:
It took about 5 hours ( with mishaps) for it to harden enough to be handled.
So, here we are now, about 3 weeks into the cycle. I let the sump run for months with cured rubble rock in it, so the algae, while present, is not out of control.
There will be a black background in the future; I'm waiting for the components to arrive.
Currently, the tank is home to a myriad of snails and a single Biota tank-raised Meiacanthus atrodorsalis, who just thinks he is all that.
He is determined to fit his rear end into that crack, despite the fact that it's 3 sizes too small for him.
Well, it's been a while! 41/2 years, to be exact.
After a much-needed break from the hobby, I've started a new tank.
This time around, I'm focusing more on artistry within the tank than anything else.
I decided from the get go that the theme would be " acros floating in space", so, for that reason, the aquascape is rather spartan.
Equipment consists mostly of....what I had laying around ^_^ with a few other things given to me by long-time friends.
Tank - 34g Deep Blue 20in cube - modified for external overflow
Sump - 10g, partitioned in raceway style
Rock - 10lbs rubble rock in sump, 12 lbs Fiji Branch in display
Skimmer - Old Deltec Ap 600 external
UV - Aquanetics 25w
Return - Blueline HD 40
Flow - Vortech MP 10 x 4 ( Only two are running/needed right now)
Light - Ecotech Radion Gen2 Pro x 2
- jbj auto topoff, 2-part dosing, blah-dee-blah
In such a small tank, I wanted maximum coral space, so only a custom overflow would do:
I built this slimline coast-to-coast overflow from some black acrylic I had laying around & cut the slots on the crosscut sled of my table saw. Turned out pretty nice, I think.
The overflow projects a mere 15/16in into the tank, and has a total height of 1.5 in. Obviously, no bulkhead will fit in such a small box, so, out came the diamond bits.
It's hard to see in the pic, but I cut a 1/2in wide, 10in long slot in the back glass of the tank, water flows over it and rides down the back glass into the external overflow, making it quite quiet, at least at the flowthrough speeds needed for a 35 gal tank...
Since I wanted a rock structure that would disappear over time, there was really no choice other than branch. I didn't, however, want a pile of twigs, so I did a little masonry work.
Everything was done with the Marco Rock cement ( Sanjay gave me about 5 lbs of it that he had leftover from when we did the rockwork in the PSU HUB tank. )
stage 2:
I want some barnacle blennies eventually, so I incorporated barnacles into the structure.
Stage 3:
It took about 5 hours ( with mishaps) for it to harden enough to be handled.
So, here we are now, about 3 weeks into the cycle. I let the sump run for months with cured rubble rock in it, so the algae, while present, is not out of control.
There will be a black background in the future; I'm waiting for the components to arrive.
Currently, the tank is home to a myriad of snails and a single Biota tank-raised Meiacanthus atrodorsalis, who just thinks he is all that.
He is determined to fit his rear end into that crack, despite the fact that it's 3 sizes too small for him.
. & Thank you. 
