Kevan's Reef Adventures Cubed
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OP
OP
Here she is. Very impressed with the build quality of this beast. First skimmer I've owned that I feel like could survive a drop lol. Have an extra collection cup as well incase clean outs get real intense.
OP
OP
Thanks wish I was moving a little faster with this build but definitely enjoying taking my time!
OP
OP
Stand build has begun!
Started my stand yesterday. This is what has been holding back my build for months now! Full speed ahead now. I oversized the stand for extra equipment room(30x30x35) would have gone larger but doorway restrictions wouldn't let that happen as I wanted to keep the cube shape. This is where I am at currently.
Cut my 2x4's to length, then ripped them all to 3 inches.
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/flipflipgameover/library/60g cube build
Made two 30"x30" frames for the top and bottom of the stand. Always a real pain in the butt to get these perfectly square.
Made the legs by ripping a 2x4 down to an inch and a half, then attaching it to one of my 2x3's giving me 3 inches in each direction. (2x4's are actually 1 1/2" thick)
Legs attached. 60 degrees in november. Got to work with the doors open for one day before 20 degrees hit again.
Top frame attached
Primed the frame. I used zinzer 1,2,3 water based sealer and primer. Honestly just used this because I had it already, would rather of used kilz probably. I did two coats, this photo is after the first. You can see here my helper isn't much help
The inside of the stand will be painted with white high gloss appliance epoxy. Going to finish the outside with 1x poplar and crown molding probably, then paint semigloss white. My other option is to go with mahogany and poly. I don't really want to play the game of trying to find mahogany molding special order somewhere though, and I'm sick and tired of building everything in oak. Also thinking of frosted acrylic for the door panels if I can find a decent deal. Any input on anything would be great
Started my stand yesterday. This is what has been holding back my build for months now! Full speed ahead now. I oversized the stand for extra equipment room(30x30x35) would have gone larger but doorway restrictions wouldn't let that happen as I wanted to keep the cube shape. This is where I am at currently.
Cut my 2x4's to length, then ripped them all to 3 inches.
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/flipflipgameover/library/60g cube build
Made two 30"x30" frames for the top and bottom of the stand. Always a real pain in the butt to get these perfectly square.
Made the legs by ripping a 2x4 down to an inch and a half, then attaching it to one of my 2x3's giving me 3 inches in each direction. (2x4's are actually 1 1/2" thick)
Legs attached. 60 degrees in november. Got to work with the doors open for one day before 20 degrees hit again.
Top frame attached
Primed the frame. I used zinzer 1,2,3 water based sealer and primer. Honestly just used this because I had it already, would rather of used kilz probably. I did two coats, this photo is after the first. You can see here my helper isn't much help
The inside of the stand will be painted with white high gloss appliance epoxy. Going to finish the outside with 1x poplar and crown molding probably, then paint semigloss white. My other option is to go with mahogany and poly. I don't really want to play the game of trying to find mahogany molding special order somewhere though, and I'm sick and tired of building everything in oak. Also thinking of frosted acrylic for the door panels if I can find a decent deal. Any input on anything would be great
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OP
OP
progress
Here's my crazy black Friday plywood story. So me and my girlfriend headed out friday night to get some plywood for the top and bottom of my stand. I wanted standard marine grade but couldn't believe they want $70 a sheet! Anyways I found a sheet of real nice heavy 3/4 oak ply on black friday sale for $38 a sheet so i figured why not? Here's where things got bad. While getting the sheet of oak off the shelf it falls on my girlfriends toe crushing it, I go off to find her a band-aid and come back to find her laid out in the aisle in a puddle of blood and tears. After getting her patched up we decide to get her home. Well I wasn't gonna just let that deal go so I ran back across town with 15 minutes till closing time to grab my plywood, only to get it outside and realize its just a little too wide and long to fit in my jeep. I ran back inside bought some rope and bungees and ghetto rigged this thing in my jeep with the tailgate wide open and drove my butt back across town going about 15mph to finally get my precious wood which I hate so badly now safely home. I told my girlfriend she hasn't put any sweat into this build but shes but her blood and tears into it and that counts. Wags Tell your girlfriend to use this as an excuse if you ask her to help out with the tank lol
Top cut
Cut the legs out using an oscillating saw, a little looser fit than I was hoping around the legs but nothing a little caulk won't fix.
Had to see how it looked
Some other black friday stuff came in from brs today. Got a 3rd dosing pump as well as some hw-marine mix salt to give it a try. My girlfriend got my the Osmolator even after crushing her foot, gotta love her.
Here's my crazy black Friday plywood story. So me and my girlfriend headed out friday night to get some plywood for the top and bottom of my stand. I wanted standard marine grade but couldn't believe they want $70 a sheet! Anyways I found a sheet of real nice heavy 3/4 oak ply on black friday sale for $38 a sheet so i figured why not? Here's where things got bad. While getting the sheet of oak off the shelf it falls on my girlfriends toe crushing it, I go off to find her a band-aid and come back to find her laid out in the aisle in a puddle of blood and tears. After getting her patched up we decide to get her home. Well I wasn't gonna just let that deal go so I ran back across town with 15 minutes till closing time to grab my plywood, only to get it outside and realize its just a little too wide and long to fit in my jeep. I ran back inside bought some rope and bungees and ghetto rigged this thing in my jeep with the tailgate wide open and drove my butt back across town going about 15mph to finally get my precious wood which I hate so badly now safely home. I told my girlfriend she hasn't put any sweat into this build but shes but her blood and tears into it and that counts. Wags Tell your girlfriend to use this as an excuse if you ask her to help out with the tank lol
Top cut
Cut the legs out using an oscillating saw, a little looser fit than I was hoping around the legs but nothing a little caulk won't fix.
Had to see how it looked
Some other black friday stuff came in from brs today. Got a 3rd dosing pump as well as some hw-marine mix salt to give it a try. My girlfriend got my the Osmolator even after crushing her foot, gotta love her.
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Wags
Active Member
Haha, the thing we do (and our significant others sacrifice for our hobby) that one had My girlfriend laughing and she hopes yours is okay! In good news the stand looks great and now you have a great story to go with it lol.
We had an eventful night tonight as we bought a school of 4 small chromis. After acclimating we go to add them in and one makes a B-line directly for our MP10 power head. It was on the lowest setting but it whacked him pretty good and were not sure if hes going to make it :/ seriously think that guy had a death wish!
That stand makes me want to build one of my own! Probably not going to get them help from Maddie after she read this haha.
Hope the toe gets better!
-Chad and Maddie
We had an eventful night tonight as we bought a school of 4 small chromis. After acclimating we go to add them in and one makes a B-line directly for our MP10 power head. It was on the lowest setting but it whacked him pretty good and were not sure if hes going to make it :/ seriously think that guy had a death wish!
That stand makes me want to build one of my own! Probably not going to get them help from Maddie after she read this haha.
Hope the toe gets better!
-Chad and Maddie
OP
OP
Wags Man that sucks about the chromis. I try to keep these foam covers on my mp10s mostly incase an amemone gets close. Kind of a pain in the butt to clean th9ugh. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vortech-mp10-foam-guards-3-pack.html
I actually spent 2 hours trying to catch a bunch of fish including a school of chromis in a 20000 tank today at the zoo where I work. We caught 2 fish in all that time lol. I'll post a pic in a sec
I actually spent 2 hours trying to catch a bunch of fish including a school of chromis in a 20000 tank today at the zoo where I work. We caught 2 fish in all that time lol. I'll post a pic in a sec
OP
OP
You think it's hard catching a fish in your aquariums? Today me and the rest of the dive team at the zoo where I work spent a few hours trying to catch up some of the 75 various fish in our 20,000 reef display. In that time we managed to net 1 big tomato clown and 1 butterfly. They all need to be caught so we can drain the tank to get the acrylic buffed and rockwork redone.
Justin1997
Active Member
Just need a return pump! Added some red vinyl to match my skimmer and plumbing. Maybe im getting too detailed idk lol
Great build any updates? Also what kind of reactor is that I see in the sump, and what media do you use?
OP
OP
I updated an hour ago and 3 times today what more do you want!? lol. The reactor sitting in there is just a two little fishies 150 reactor. I have 2 of them that will probably run carbon and G.F.O. I was going to run biopellets but I am looking into carbon dosing of some sort with my dosing pumps instead.
OP
OP
I know I know your really convincing me with your build. Do you know how many gal per hour that overflow you have runs?
Justin1997
Active Member
Oh my bad didn't even realize the times last posted lol, can't wait to see it up and running, what's you plans for it?
bshowe
Community Member
The box says the max flow is 2500 liters per hr. When you do the math it comes out to around 600-650 gph I think. I don't know what kind of flow you are looking for? I have read online that they recommend the Eheim universal 1200 pump with it. I didn't have that space or kind of money and I have been happy with Rio, so I am using the Rio+ 2100 which maxes out at 600-650 gph range. I think the cool benefit is you get a wave maker with it with no moving parts that create heat!
OP
OP
Just wanted to make sure it could handle at least what the stock overflow could which is 600gph. Watched the youtube vids on it im suprised how much flow you can run through that little thing. very nice
rockskimmerflow
Well-Known Member
Don't know if I missed it earlier on but have you decided between the metal halide or led yet? If not you have my vote for the halide. Was going to use the 2x250w halides I have leftover for my 60 cube build but decided on an 8x24w T5 for efficiency purposes.
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