My 115 Gal Cube build
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I really love these style of tanksSo a friend of mine gave me a screaming deal on this 30" cube build by Glasscages some years ago that was just sitting. It has never seen water and originally purchased to be a planted tank.
We arent doing that
So some of the challenges of this tank were :
Deep tank will have to evaluate this
limitations on sump (came with sump but about 15x15x15 and I wanted a large sump) as internal space measures like 29"
Stand is nice plywood but only has one cutout thus limiting access to sump area for service maintenance.
After pondering all this I finally decided to make a 2x4 rocketengineer style stand and will sacrifice plywood stand and use this as skin and to reinforce the frame. This will allow a 30" sump.
I have the following equipment going on tank
Lighting :
Orphek Atlantik Icon ( I will likely add a couple OR bars or blades)
Flow :
2 Ecotech MP40's
Return from sump RO Varios 4
return from UV RD X turned way down
25 watt Aqua UV unit
30" Ice Cap sump
Skimmer RO Elite 150
NiceSo a friend of mine gave me a screaming deal on this 30" cube build by Glasscages some years ago that was just sitting. It has never seen water and originally purchased to be a planted tank.
We arent doing that
So some of the challenges of this tank were :
Deep tank will have to evaluate this
limitations on sump (came with sump but about 15x15x15 and I wanted a large sump) as internal space measures like 29"
Stand is nice plywood but only has one cutout thus limiting access to sump area for service maintenance.
After pondering all this I finally decided to make a 2x4 rocketengineer style stand and will sacrifice plywood stand and use this as skin and to reinforce the frame. This will allow a 30" sump.
I have the following equipment going on tank
Lighting :
Orphek Atlantik Icon ( I will likely add a couple OR bars or blades)
Flow :
2 Ecotech MP40's
Return from sump RO Varios 4
return from UV RD X turned way down
25 watt Aqua UV unit
30" Ice Cap sump
Skimmer RO Elite 150
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
Well I would say the mount is not great but so far am pretty impressed w/ the light . The app so far a little clunky but I purchased this to get the blanket of light and deep blue I am getting that and happy w/ it ..
CBonito
Valuable Member
"It's alright I guess...it's only one of the best lights, but meh..."
Same assessment I've made. Great light, and very well-made, but they need to make it a complete product.
At least they tried!
Tomorrow I get to complain about the ATI Straton Pro.
I'm sure I'll find something to complain about...like the crappy cable hanging kit which is the only thing available to hang my light...because we live in Germany or something.
I'm actrually pretty excited about it though. Apparently contrary to some initial misinfo, they will do the blue thing pretty great too.
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
snow storm rolled through so I spend most of the last two days getting my Apex going ..
only thing I am having trouble is it not recognizing my MXM
Cut an acrylic lid for my sump came out ok (flush trim router to trace original), cut a an overflow box lid and used acrylic to make a frame for aquarium top . Waiting for glue to cure ..
only thing I am having trouble is it not recognizing my MXM
Cut an acrylic lid for my sump came out ok (flush trim router to trace original), cut a an overflow box lid and used acrylic to make a frame for aquarium top . Waiting for glue to cure ..
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Nice build so far! 30" cube must be sweet, I would love those extra 6" haha..
Question tho, with your minimal scape are you loading your sump with extra LR?
Question tho, with your minimal scape are you loading your sump with extra LR?
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
Thanks !! I have some pieces in there but would like to have more rubble for extra surface area for bacteria to grow .. .
I was going to add a small school of chromis .. will do so this week
I was going to add a small school of chromis .. will do so this week
CBonito
Valuable Member
So far so good! I have a nice little lighting scheme built, and everything working right.
Just ramping up the light level a little every week.
My biggest complaint was figuring out how to hang it, but I worry too much since it was like a breeze.
I didn't even need anything. I was able to use a couple odds and ends for other purposes and BAM.
ATI Straton Pro on Kessil Arms. lol
At least they're both German...I think.
CBonito
Valuable Member
Chromis would be good. Just know going in that however many you buy, you will lose half of them. I did this time and every other time I've bought them. I have three now. Anthias would be great in there. I've been thinking about them too.Thanks !! I have some pieces in there but would like to have more rubble for extra surface area for bacteria to grow .. .
I was going to add a small school of chromis .. will do so this week
Ooo nice yeah that pic looks like more rock in the display than I thoughtThanks !! I have some pieces in there but would like to have more rubble for extra surface area for bacteria to grow .. .
I was going to add a small school of chromis .. will do so this week
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
Not much updates besides threw these little buggers in there ..
Against all logic and common sense tossed a seasons greetings Monti frag in there .. Now I just need to NOT go to LFS where they have really nice coral so I can let this thing cycle ..
Against all logic and common sense tossed a seasons greetings Monti frag in there .. Now I just need to NOT go to LFS where they have really nice coral so I can let this thing cycle ..
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
LOL try like all of them> I was impatient and should have known better as LFS told me to "not buy any from this tank" but I asked about the other good looking Chromis from other tank. They said "yeah those ones are fine"
Within like a day all had what looked like uronema .. Doing tanks this long I should have known better than to trust the LFS guy...
I turned the UV on and left empty for a bit. I need to slow down and chill.
This week cautiously added a couple damesels.. Coral in there look good though.
Have some frags of: Space invader Chalice, Chili pepper monti. Cap, and encrusting Monti. look fine so I added a frag of Pavona cactus.
Now to wait. lol
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
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Reign1
Well-Known Member
Not much to see here , no news is good news in a maturing reef . The last few months have been :
Undectable nitrate and low phosphate . After a bit of this I started to get what I thought was Dino’s or brown hair algae over rocks.
I picked up an urchin and added my more snails to my cleanup crew. I increased the flow through my Uv and dosed microbacter 7. Then dosing Nitrate until it arrived @ 1.6-1.8 .
Phosphate bottomed out and a dosed it several times .
Algae is now gone coral has colored up . Starting to get coralline growth . A sigh of relief for now !!
I am going out of the country next week kinda nervous but if everything is in one piece when I get back I will start heavily stocking the sticks I have been wanting ..
battle box on the horizon ?
Hope so
Undectable nitrate and low phosphate . After a bit of this I started to get what I thought was Dino’s or brown hair algae over rocks.
I picked up an urchin and added my more snails to my cleanup crew. I increased the flow through my Uv and dosed microbacter 7. Then dosing Nitrate until it arrived @ 1.6-1.8 .
Phosphate bottomed out and a dosed it several times .
Algae is now gone coral has colored up . Starting to get coralline growth . A sigh of relief for now !!
I am going out of the country next week kinda nervous but if everything is in one piece when I get back I will start heavily stocking the sticks I have been wanting ..
battle box on the horizon ?
Hope so
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