NWA's Icecube85

[coralreefnc]

Okay let's not get on the wrong foot with the title .
It's New Water Acro's and it's a 85 Cube .
My name is Walter and I figured I start my new build here .
I am retired USN .
My thoughts were load my 220 up with acros and if that didn't work out then LPS it will be .
Unfortunately this did not work out. I just love SPS . I purchased a 60 cube and put it in my man cave upstairs .
It has been running for almost a year and I have again run out of room . Houston we have a problem .
This is me (the tall brother) talking about my 220 with a reef buddy and my son in the foreground .

Enough of the intro's so here we go .
The Tank
I ordered a 85 cube 34 x 35 x 17 non drilled tank from glass cages .
The tank came in rather quicky and was immaculate . I know they have a spotty reputation but honestly the seams matched and had clean edges .
No bubbles were in the silicone, nothing sloppy to trim . My tank from GC is simply marvelous . I give them 2 thumbs up .


The tank I am trying flickr not sure how this will work .

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85cube/8534537073/" title="85 cube build by coralreefnc, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8534537073_9becef854e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="85 cube build"></a>

 

[coralreefnc]

Seems I still do not have enough posts to edit this thread ..OOPS ..

 

[coralreefnc]

Okay,I just have to be really careful . I am using photo bucket .

Here is the tank .

 

[coralreefnc]

I have a few project going on at the same time . I have enlisted the help of a few reefers and getting help with the stand , sump and wire routing and other items .

I know the importance of Qt'ing corals so I picked this up used . It cleaned up nicely and has only very minute scratches if any .

 

[coralreefnc]

I decided that I will not use my dosing pumps on this build . I will be using a Calcium Reactor .
This is a GEO 612 with a reef fanatic micro ph controller with tank and regulator .

 

[coralreefnc]

I love fish and need to choose between a BM Curve7 skimmer or my trusty Hurricone Cat 1 with an Askoll pump .
Any thoughts ?? Feel free to chime in please .

 

[coralreefnc]

The Bubble Magus Curve 7 Skimmer .

 

[coralreefnc]

All the Curve 7 parts

The New Rock Pump .. BM is no longer using Atman's

 

[coralreefnc]

The stand frame is being worked on and wanted to share the clean look of the tank

 

[coralreefnc]

Another view of the tank.

 

[coralreefnc]

I was real lucky to get a free sump from a fellow reefer . It is a never been wet 40 breeder .
Redoing the sump just in case I want the Cat 1 in it . Phase 2 of the sump New baffles are in .

 

[coralreefnc]

Sump is basically complete . Bulkhead added with Acrylic lid . > Bio-Balls that will float to reduce splash noise .
They float so detritus can be removed easily from the bottom . > small fuge are> skimmer area n return for a Eheim Compact 3000 or a Eheim 1260 if needed .

 

[coralreefnc]

Another pic of the sump .

 

[coralreefnc]

A little intermission .

A few pic's of prior tanks . Forgive the pic's,they were from my black berry

80 rimless with led's n Halides .

 

[coralreefnc]

One of my first tanks . A corner bowfront that was drilled . Unfortunately when I attempted to relocate it the bulkhead cracked the back glass .

 

[coralreefnc]

My 70 cube . Mostly LPS n Softies . I had a Purple tang that loved to munch on my brain corals .
The other tangs would pick up the Purple tangs habits so I had to set this up to try to save my LPS .
My wife did the scape with me .

 

[coralreefnc]

I decided to use a X Aqua X in Out for the Overflow and return . It will give the tank a clean look and no real estate is wasted .

I like the design but the crappy manufacturing of the bulkhead fittings are a big let down .

I mean , c'mon for 150.00 . I like the small foot print and http://flic.kr/p/e1aJeghope it's quiet .

More on this later with pic's .

 

[coralreefnc]

The X Aqua X in Out .

See the poor manufacturing . It's almost looks used to a certain degree.

Some more poor manu ...

 

[coralreefnc]

Some more of the components . I went ahead and ordered the MM size bits to drill the tank with . I could not source them in the USA . I had to get them from overseas .

 

[coralreefnc]

How i feel about the quality of the X aqua X in - out .. Just a little laugh .
In Gary Oldman's famous words ..

[video=youtube_share;84zY33QZO5o]http://youtu.be/84zY33QZO5o[/video]