Table of Contents::
#33 Drilling tank
#51 Overflow placement
# 76 Flextube attempt/draft
# 81 Drilling return
# 94 Inside view of MDF stand
# 104 Plumbing attempt #276 with rigid PVC and 45's
# 114 Plans to modify mdf stand
# 118 Ply top - Stand modification part 1 for support DONE.
# 125 Plumb attempt before glue/paint
# 143-48 Plumbing fails
# 162 Plumbing DONE (overflow lines)
# 169 LED tape lights and shelving installed, inside stand.
# 173 Plumbing Done (return line)
# 213 Nanobox Quad on, RFG Nozzle modifications, overflow box plumbing,
# 213 Controller / equipment cabinet started.
# 235 City Water Quality Reports
# 241 Reason #436 I regret this MDF stand - ATO container doesn't fit.
# 248 New ATO container
# 263 Vinnie
# 305
Original/Ancient first post:
Hello fellow aquarists. Welcome to my first build thread for my second reef tank. After spending 10 months reading, planning, being indecisive, and overthinking everything, I’m ready to bring my vision and plans to life.
I want to do everything right this time around. No cutting corners, no taking the easiest cheapest route, as I did with my first tank (20L with HOB filter/skimmer). Everyone always says to the newb “Research and go slow, then research more and go slower.” and I maybe took that advice too seriously.
Background / Planning Stage:
I purchased the Innovative Marine Nuvo Black 30L way back in 2017. My original plan was to simply transfer everything from the current setup and call it a day… But since the new tank/new stand will go in the same exact spot as the old one, that certainly complicated things and made transferring a huge daunting task. I put it off for weeks.
Then I splurged on a NanoBox Quad (happy birthday to me!) and it was all downhill from there...
Here it is empty and waiting in the living room.
(Aquatic Fundamentals stand from Petcosmart. Which I deeply regret doing, for many reasons… But more on that later).
At that point I thought, I’ve got a perfectly beautiful tank and a seriously awesome light fixture… everything else must be equally as nice. A bunch of HOB equipment won’t cut it. Back to the drawing board I went. After dragging my feet for weeks and letting my indecisiveness get the best of me, I decided to go for it:
Drill, plumb, and sump it.
Up until a few months ago I knew nothing about sumps, plumbing or drilling, or any sort of handy man type work. I’m just here for the corals and invertebrates. Geez, what have I gotten myself into? I certainly can’t document the previous 10 months of progress in this one post. But I’ve got photos to show, and tons of questions to ask. So follow along on this thread as I document the transfer and build the new tank!
The Equipments:
Display: Nuvo Black 30L - (36” x 15” x 12”)
Lighting: NanoBox Quad
Sump: Trigger Systems Ruby Sump 30 (25 gallons)
Overflow: Modular Marine Low Profile 1,200GPH
(with removable weir, custom 1" bulkheads, Bean Animal plumbing).
Return: Reef Octo Varios2 DC pump,
1" return line to 3/4” RFG nozzle in display
Biological Filtration: Established Live Rock (from my current 20L), and reefcleaners/marco dry rocks.
Substrate:___? Undecided. Tropic Eden Reef Flakes.... or Natures Ocean Black Sand.
Skimmer: Bubble Magnus Curve 5
Flows: MP-10 (x2). Jebao SW2.
Heaters: Cobalt Neo-Therm 100watt. Eheim Jager 125watt.
Heat Controller: InkBird
ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155, ATO Reservoir Trigger Systems Crystal (5 gallon)
RO/DI: Spectrapure MaxCap 90gph 2:1 Manual Flush
A few key points / goals I hope to accomplish:
Inspiration / Biotope Theme Ideas:
- Lembeh Strait, Sulewsi, and Raja Ampat - two of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems in the world. Equally fascinating and jaw-dropping beautiful.
- The Coral Triangle - the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity.
- Indo-Pacific / general Indonesian theme, so as not to limit livestock choices too much.
General Livestocking Plans:
Coral - Mostly LPS and SPS. Lots of Euphyllia. (Strictly aquacultured corals only).
Invertebrates - Lots of em.
Fish - Wartskin or Painted Angler / Frogfish, a Lionfish, a Mandarin (Biota/ORA)or a Starry Blenny.
(Original post edited to add progress photos and updates below)
PHOTOS
February
March
April...
(Stand modification part one for support, a ply top.)
Plumbing and more
Let there be light...
TO BE CONTINUED .....
........
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