Comeback Tour - Haggisman14's Eshopps Deskmate Build

[Haggisman14]

So it's been a little over 3 years since I sold off and parted out my 29 Gallon Biocube, and man do I miss the hobby! As much as I want to get a big 50+ gallon tank, that's currently not in the cards. Somehow the little Eshopps Deskmate came into one of my feeds, and it looks like an absolutely amazing little tank!

BRS is sellling one heck of a little package to get started back up. My plan would be to keep the tank at my office (right next to my desk), and keep it automated. I'd get a lid to seal it off, and prevent as much evaporation as possible, and would probably do a little 1 gallon water change weekly to keep replenishing trace elements, etc.

Since i'd be using the original light, I'd probably keep this a softie/lps tank, and maybe over time upgrade the light to a AI Prime, or something like that (wishing I held on to that light that I had!

i'm going to start a Deskmate show off thread too. Would love to see what everyone else is doing.

Any tips/tricks y'all have with the Deskmate. Are y'all using the protein skimmer, or just running it without.

Hopefully I"ll be back in the hobby by the summer time!

Initial Setup: March 6, 2023:

Current Picture: January 16, 2024:

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I don't have experience with deskmates but I can say, I love the way those little tanks look and maybe one day I'll end up getting one of those tanks!!

 

[Haggisman14]

I don't have experience with deskmates but I can say, I love the way those little tanks look and maybe one day I'll end up getting one of those tanks!!

The look of them really hooked me! Fingers crossed I get one sooner rather than later!

 

[Cthulukelele]

The look of them really hooked me! Fingers crossed I get one sooner rather than later!

Selfishly as a fellow NC reefer I hope you get rehooked lol. Following!

 

[Haggisman14]

And just like that I'm back! Last night my in-laws surprised me with the BRS/Eshopps Deskmate bundle!

The office build starts today! I"ve got all the dry goods here, already placed a small BRS order, as well as some other items from Amazon, and will pick up my water this weekend to start my cycle!

I must say @Bulk Reef Supply I'm extremely impressed with this package, and also the customer service that you gave my father-in-law on the phone. You made him ordering this package a breeze!

The Carib-Sea Nano Life Rock that came in the package really is amazing! The 2 arches and 5 other pieces are going to be great for setting up an amazing aquascape. As the BRS video states, there's definitely way more rock than you would ever need, but the great thing is it gives you tons of options!

I'll keep updating this thread with pictures and info as I go along. I'll be getting my water this weekend from my LFS to start up my cycle. They use Red Sea Blue bucket, and since i'm going to be keeping corals, I think that's the better option than the AF "Sea Salt".

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Woohoo! Thanks for the kind words. We love seeing so many of these awesome little tanks being set up! Following along with this build for sure

 

[revhtree]

NICE! Can't wait to see it up and running! We gave one of these away at the Dallas show in RAP and it's a neat little reef tank!

 

[Haggisman14]

NICE! Can't wait to see it up and running! We gave one of these away at the Dallas show in RAP and it's a neat little reef tank!

Always awesome when Rev & BRS comments on your threads!

I just got it unboxxed and placed where it will be going. Went to Lowes and picked up my 3 5-Gallon food grade buckets for water. Just need a timer and surge protector and we're good to go! I might set it up over the weekend, if not first thing Monday morning.

Pumped! to get this going!

 

[marcinpolak]

BN-LINK Smart Power Strip Compatible with Alexa Google Home, Smart Plug WiFi Outlets Surge Protector with 4 USB 6 Charging Port Multi Plug Extender,15A https://a.co/d/9dntunm

Look at this! This is what I have for mine and it helps so much. Turning the return pump off on my phone is so nice for water changes.

 

[Kevin@Nemos]

Looking forward to seeing all the goodies inside the tank!!!!

 

[Haggisman14]

Thanks @Kevin@Nemos ! Swung by your store on Saturday and picked up my water! I forgot how much I missed that place! Last time I was there was when I broke down my old biocube, and I think y'all were only open for a few months at that point.

Store's looking great! Looking forward to many more trips your way!

 

[Haggisman14]

So finished setting up the tank with the sand, rock, water, heater, light and RFG, and I'm a happy man! I also started my routine of dosing Brightwell Aquatics Micro Bacter to get the cycle going (will last for 2 weeks).

For the first month I don't plan on any water changes, just topping off evaporation. Month two, I"m thinking 1 gallon water changes every 2 weeks.

I think I did a halfway decent job on an initial aquascape, but need to wait for everything to clear up and then I might have to revisit it. I used both arches and then one base-rock from the life-rock bundle, and I think I have the one arch too close to the top so I"ll probably have to rearrange once it's time for corals...or even before that, as I want to make sure the corals have plenty of room to grow! Either way I'm really happy!

Lets go!

 

[marcinpolak]

Think about investing into an ATO, makes life easier! Can’t wait for future updates!

 

[Haggisman14]

I'm going to put a cover on it, so evap shouldn't be a huge concern, but definitely something I'm thinking of longterm!

 

[Haggisman14]

Right about now I wish I hadn't sold my AI Prime....would have been PERFECT for this tank! Probably a bit overkill....but as we all know, you could never have too much light! This light actually reminds me of my old 14k halide color from back in 2004-2007!

 

[Haggisman14]

When I got into the office this morning the tank cleared up, and my aquascape was definitely too close to the waterline. I did a little bit of rearranging and have something that I really like. I think the new setup gives me lots of room for corals, gives all the rock a great amount of light, and then a little bit of shadows for somethings that would want "less" light.

I'm now in the... "hurry up and wait" phase. Going to continue to does the bacteria daily for 2 weeks, then work on introducing a small clean up crew, and possibly a few corals at that time too. Fish probably in 4-6 weeks time (I want to get some cool clowns!

Original Aquascape

Reworked "current" Aquascape

 

[Haggisman14]

Current Salinity is 1.025
Temp is 77°

My refractometer reads at 1.015, but I think it might be busted. I got fresh RO and Salt from my LFS, and I spoke with them as well and I know they mix to 1.025. I'm going to bring my refractometer with me next time I go, and also pick up some calibration fluid. Absolute worst case, as long as I know their water is correct, if I can calibrate to their settings, and verify off of another refractometer at their shop, we're good to go!

Here's my bonus entry for the Hannah Marine Monitor

 

[Haggisman14]

Got a piece of glass cut to fit on the tank as lid for time being to try and slow down evaporation as much as possible. As of now the tank is evaporating about 1/2 cup per day. With the lid on the tank now, I"ve put a piece of tape on the back of the tank to monitor if this changes now that I"ve got a glass lid on it.

Picked up this lid for $6 from Lowes, and had them put one cut into it. The lid is now 11" x 12", and the manner in which I have it on top the whole tank is covereed minus about 3/4" in the rear chamber of the tank.

End goal I want one of the @Kraken Reef lids with the netting and custom cutouts, but for now this will work!

The cycle continues!

How the lid sits on the tank:

Piece of tape (rear edge of tank) to monitor water level:

 

[Haggisman14]

So the glass lid was a success! I want to say that in an almost 24 hour window, the water level dropped MAYBE 1/8 of a cup, which is amazing! Not having an ATO set up on this tank, one of my biggest concerns was going home on the weekends and coming back to the pump chamber being empty. With the drop being so low, that honestly eliminates that concern, and it also makes me think that the small Icecap Gravity ATO that holds just over 2 cups over water is something that would work for my tank, and give me over a weeks worth of top off.

Here's the drop I experienced since yesterday at 11:30AM

 

[Haggisman14]

I have problems...my wish list already!