Comeback Tour - Haggisman14's Eshopps Deskmate Build

Haggisman14 · Oct 13, 2023

New 1/4" orange acrylic sheet came in yesterday. Going to map out the new one today and cut it out over the weekend. Looking forward to hopefully having one that won't warp under the radion, and also one that isn't broken and is more stable when I pick it up.

I'm also going to take my time when cutting this one so I don't mess it up again!

Haggisman14 · Oct 16, 2023

Cut the new lid over the weekend. I'm convinced that my lids on this deskmate will ALWAYS have some sort of an imperfection...seems to be the ongoing trend. Overall everything went well with my dimensions, however when I was making the first cut into the acrylic (I was using a blade that had 20 TPI, and wouldn't you know it ended up cracking the acrylic...and not in a place where I needed it to crack! Other than that first crack everything went smoothly.

I also have a backup piece, so as long as this piece doesn't warp, maybe after Christmas i'll cut the other piece, and maybe get a "perfect" cut.

This is another UV reactive piece, and this one is even brighter than the other one. I'll let y'all know how it stands up over time! Fingers crossed no warping!

Original "broken" lid
(1/8" thick)

New & IMPROVED LID!
(1/4" thick)

Haggisman14 · Oct 19, 2023

Battlecorals Poison Envy doing it's thing! Encrusting the base, and growing up top and thickening up! It's cool seeing the blue growth tips!

Fox Flame is continuing to grow a BIG base, and sending out bright yellow polyps all over the place. Will try and get a daylight show tomorrow!

Thanks for looking!

Haggisman14 · Oct 20, 2023

Here's a nice shot of the Fox Flame (1 month of the frag being in the tank)....really kicking butt in the tank!

And who doesn't like a FTS

Haggisman14 · Oct 23, 2023

Friday night I got a small emerald crab to help with my bubble algae problem. I wasn't able to get back to the office until Friday night after lights were out, but that's always a treat for me b/c I never get to see the tank in "night" mode. It's the only time my candy cane coral is extended, and there's WILD extensions on my favia corals.

I didn't get any pictures of the emerald crab (he's about the size of a quarter, but here are the night time shots.

Thanks for looking!

Haggisman14 · Oct 24, 2023

A little picture update. Everything is growing well. Some slower than others, and some really fast. Fastest growers in my tank seem to be both cyphastrea's, my blue tort, fox flame and green acan, has grown 2 new heads that have gotten pretty big.

Left Side:

Front:

Right Side:

Haggisman14 · Oct 30, 2023

Little weekly update. Did my 1 gallon weekly water change today. Found the body of my "new" emerald crab that I put into the tank back on the 20th. I think it might just be a molt though, which I can can sometimes happen shortly after a crab/shrimp is placed into a new tank. I can't get to it b/c it's buried by the rock work....but i think it's just a shell and not the actual crab itself.

Aside from that, corals are all doing great. PC rainbow is fully healed, and starting to encrust on the base. The Fox Flame is encrusting like crazy and sending out bright yellow polyps all over the new base.

Everything else is happy, growing and seemingly thriving!

Until next week!

Haggisman14 · Nov 2, 2023

Decided to move the PC Rainbow a little bit. Now that it's fully healed, I realized it was a little too close to the Rainbow Pocillopora, and figured as they both keep growing the might grow into each other faster than i'd like. I kept it in the same place, but just moved it over about 2" so they both have some more breathing room, and give me a little more time before I have to frag them as they get bigger.

The other thing I did was fixed the "shade" on the Radion. This time I also put a shade on the sides as well, so no matter when i'm sitting on my desk, the lights don't bleed out and blind me!

Other than that it's business as usual. I'm keeping up the weekly 1 gallon water changes on Mondays, a reef roids or reef chili feeding on Tuesdays, and then just enjoying the tank after that.

Onto some pictures!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276138164347?hash=item404b1e007b:g:-NoAAOSwOi9lQt8h

ReefRacer · Nov 2, 2023

Love the tank. I have one myself and thinking about starting another. What settings did you settle on for your XR15?

Also have a laser that can cut 1/4" acrylic with no problem. Shoot me a message if you want to experiment.

Haggisman14 · Nov 2, 2023

ReefRacer said:
Love the tank. I have one myself and thinking about starting another. What settings did you settle on for your XR15?

Also have a laser that can cut 1/4" acrylic with no problem. Shoot me a message if you want to experiment.

Thanks! I appreciate the offer! This 1/4 acrylic is still warping on me, so I'm probably just going to stick with it for now, but thanks!

As for the XR15, here is my program and settings. Point intensity is 100% across the board, and overall schedule at its peak is 90%. SPS are growing great, however I have noticed one of my favias, and my 2 cyphastreas are a little bleached in terms of color...but since everything else is doing well I"m going to let it ride and see if they fully recover/adapt to the light over time.

Here's the overall schedule and then what the light does at different times. Lights start ramping up at 7:00AM, and shut off at 6:30PM

ReefRacer · Nov 2, 2023

Haggisman14 said:
Thanks! I appreciate the offer! This 1/4 acrylic is still warping on me, so I'm probably just going to stick with it for now, but thanks!

As for the XR15, here is my program and settings. Point intensity is 100% across the board, and overall schedule at its peak is 90%. SPS are growing great, however I have noticed one of my favias, and my 2 cyphastreas are a little bleached in terms of color...but since everything else is doing well I"m going to let it ride and see if they fully recover/adapt to the light over time.

Here's the overall schedule and then what the light does at different times. Lights start ramping up at 7:00AM, and shut off at 6:30PM

Yeah the warm saltwater seems to eventually warp just about any size. I typically have to add perpendicular supports over long runs to slow the warping, but admittedly haven't tried to make a lid for my Deskmate. I have made a few other things, but since I have no fish, the lid wasn't a thought. Maybe I will try a few tests this weekend.

AWESOME!!! Thanks for the light schedule.

Haggisman14 · Nov 2, 2023

ReefRacer said:
Yeah the warm saltwater seems to eventually warp just about any size. I typically have to add perpendicular supports over long runs to slow the warping, but admittedly haven't tried to make a lid for my Deskmate. I have made a few other things, but since I have no fish, the lid wasn't a thought. Maybe I will try a few tests this weekend.

AWESOME!!! Thanks for the light schedule.

My pleasure with the light schedule and definitely let me know if you do any type of lid. I'd recommend trying to do a FULL LID that covers the entire top, or possibly two sections one for the front and one for the back. I like the fact that the rear is covered, but wish I didn't have to take off the entire lid when changing out filter floss, etc.

Feel free to post any pictures of what you make here.

And I would definitely love to get one of the deskmate peninsula tanks!

ReefRacer · Nov 2, 2023

Haggisman14 said:
My pleasure with the light schedule and definitely let me know if you do any type of lid. I'd recommend trying to do a FULL LID that covers the entire top, or possibly two sections one for the front and one for the back. I like the fact that the rear is covered, but wish I didn't have to take off the entire lid when changing out filter floss, etc.

Feel free to post any pictures of what you make here.

And I would definitely love to get one of the deskmate peninsula tanks!

Two-piece...got it. That should make it easier to add the supports round the front piece as well.

I actually bought two 'classic' deskmates during a really good BRS sale and one has been sitting in the closet. I would happily trade it for the peninsula!!

Haggisman14 · Nov 2, 2023

ReefRacer said:
Two-piece...got it. That should make it easier to add the supports round the front piece as well.

I actually bought two 'classic' deskmates during a really good BRS sale and one has been sitting in the closet. I would happily trade it for the peninsula!!

I had been out of the hobby for about 3 years, and my in-laws surprised me with the BRS Bundle that they had earlier this year. Then the rest is history!

Great tank, and it can be super simple if you let it! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

ReefRacer · Nov 3, 2023

Haggisman14 you think we need some vent holes cut in the back lid to prevent condensation? Not a tremendous amount...just a few? And I am adding a couple of cut-outs for pump and thermometer cords.

Haggisman14 · Nov 3, 2023

ReefRacer said:
Haggisman14 you think we need some vent holes cut in the back lid to prevent condensation? Not a tremendous amount...just a few? And I am adding a couple of cut-outs for pump and thermometer cords.

Might not be a bad idea. Here's how mine looks right now (can clearly see some condensation the lid), Perfect world I would have given a little more breathing room around the RMS mount.

Excited to see what you come up with!

Haggisman14 · Nov 3, 2023

Quick update, I dropped the intensity of my light schedule from 90% down to 75%.

My SPS has been growing really really well, however I've been noticing that my zoas, and some LPS are having some issues. Some zoas have shrunken in polyp size, and some LPS (1 favia and to cyphastreas have bleeched out in color a bit.

I think with this tank since it's so short, the LEDS are only 9.5" from hitting the first SPS corals, and 12-13" from the zoa's and lps that are bleeching a bit.

I'm thinking I can drop the intensity a bit b/c these same lights are used on much bigger tanks that are waaaaaay deeper than this little deskmate.

Thanks for looking!