2 gallon too big

[Kehy]

Soon...

As soon as I can finish making a little stuffed cow for a coworker on paternity leave. And finish glitter bombing his hardhat. I love construction shenanigans.

 

[Steven Garland]

Glitter bombing a hardhat ?! My super would die lol.

 

[Kehy]

This is the first (and most family friendly) layer.

I'm also gonna be stuffing his hard hat full of candy and said stuffed cow for his new baby- I'm not all mean. Aside from using really tough nail polish top coat to hold everything together LOL

 

[Kehy]

This isn't even my final form

Finally got around to cutting a hole in the sump. Also put said hole in wrong spot. We'll see if this works.

The hole is too close to the ridge on one side, so I'm not sure the cement will bond the two pieces well enough. I mean it is a fairly small water volume anyways, so hopefully it works.

 

[PicassoClown04]

This isn't even my final form

Finally got around to cutting a hole in the sump. Also put said hole in wrong spot. We'll see if this works.

The hole is too close to the ridge on one side, so I'm not sure the cement will bond the two pieces well enough. I mean it is a fairly small water volume anyways, so hopefully it works.

I can’t wait too see this bad boy with some stuff in it! Are you growing Chaeto in the fuge or going with a different macro algae?

 

[revhtree]

Looking good!

 

[Kehy]

I can’t wait too see this bad boy with some stuff in it! Are you growing Chaeto in the fuge or going with a different macro algae?

Was thinking just basic chaeto, I've never actually had a tank with a sump or a fuge. Was told by a very reputable LFS though, that a fuge at all would be too effective at removing nutrients. I've decided to start without chaeto, with the option to add it later if I think I need it. I'll still put crushed live rock rubble (rubble of rubble?) in the sump, but there should be plenty of room for enough chaeto for this size tank.

Doesn't look great, and I haven't tested it yet. I'll give it a little longer to cure, just to be sure. The white is a reaction with the ABS plastic and acetone. I tried to be pretty light handed with acetone, but it is a mighty beast. No idea if this residue is reef safe, but right now I've got zoas to spare for testing. At least it's on the inside only.

Messed up the back a little bit too, but at least it's the back?

Still working on the scape, and the light is both more and less prominent than I expected.

A little subtle, but the effect is there.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Was thinking just basic chaeto, I've never actually had a tank with a sump or a fuge. Was told by a very reputable LFS though, that a fuge at all would be too effective at removing nutrients. I've decided to start without chaeto, with the option to add it later if I think I need it. I'll still put crushed live rock rubble (rubble of rubble?) in the sump, but there should be plenty of room for enough chaeto for this size tank.

Doesn't look great, and I haven't tested it yet. I'll give it a little longer to cure, just to be sure. The white is a reaction with the ABS plastic and acetone. I tried to be pretty light handed with acetone, but it is a mighty beast. No idea if this residue is reef safe, but right now I've got zoas to spare for testing. At least it's on the inside only.

Messed up the back a little bit too, but at least it's the back?

Still working on the scape, and the light is both more and less prominent than I expected.

A little subtle, but the effect is there.

I absolutely love the red under lighting in this tank!! Looks like a party in there! What are your plans for coral stocking, are you just using the frags from your grow out section below or is this gonna be like your king of tanks with all the cool expensive stuff that you don’t really frag (clams, scolies, lobos, acans, etc etc)? Going with a less maintenance heavy stock and doing softies? I have to know!! It looks amazing and I am thoroughly impressed by your creative thinking and ingenuity!

 

[Kehy]

clams, scolies, lobos, acans, ect

Thanks! But for perspective, here's the display tank:

LOL
Thinking I'll just do zoas, and maaaaaybe clove polyps if I can find any that fit. I did notice some of my zoas look really fantastic with red light overhead, especially green ones. Now if I can get that effect again in here, I'd be overjoyed, but I won't count on it. Too much.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Thanks! But for perspective, here's the display tank:

LOL
Thinking I'll just do zoas, and maaaaaybe clove polyps if I can find any that fit. I did notice some of my zoas look really fantastic with red light overhead, especially green ones. Now if I can get that effect again in here, I'd be overjoyed, but I won't count on it. Too much.

I mean... a button scoly would look really cute . Forgot exactly how itty bitty it is!!

 

[Kehy]

This is the scape i'm gonna go with. While it somehow felt more natural to have the thinner piece on the right side instead of the left, I figured it's gonna show off the light much better than the thicker piece. So excited to get everything done and get water in the tank.

 

[Kehy]

Leak testing:


So it clearly still needs work. Is this fixable at this stage? I wasn't able to clamp the bottom of the window- the clamps I was using weren't big enough. But the rest of it seems pretty solidly attached.

 

[Kehy]

Alright, let's try that again. Hope these clamps are big enough

 

[Kehy]

Hey guys, guess what!

I'm beginning the 24 leak test. But after that, we're off!

... still need to make a stand for the fuge light, but no rush on that.

 

[Kehy]

Well I still haven't set it up yet, but I've got a good reason. I'm going to be moving in a few weeks, and I can't decide it I should set it up now and get it going, or delay until after the move and have a more permanent location.

Now:
- I have everything, get the cycle started at least, get frags done and have them healing, so when i do add them, it's no big deal.

Wait:
- Is ***** easier to move stuff without water in it. Even tiny stuff. Won't have to worry about mini- cycle either. But everything is gonna be in boxes and unorganized, and I might not be as ready to deal with it.

 

[Kehy]

Well, I was NOT expecting to be moving so soon, but 3 weeks from today, I'll be saying hello to my new home. Which is an apartment with dangerously no rules on aquarium size.

So again, I must ask. Set up now (tomorrow maybe) or later?

 

[Beluga]

I have the exact tank lol. I upgraded the pump so there would be actual flow, as well as plugged the heater into a thermostat. Mines been running quite a few months now as a zoa only garden. It’s a fun little tank. Salt creep and evap are a big issue though. Water quality is surprisingly easy to maintain for such a tiny thing. But then again I have nothing but zoas in there.

 

[Kehy]

Just an update, did get this set up and begin cycling, but had to evacuate due to fire danger very close to home.

Will see what the morning brings.

 

[Kehy]

Update:
It's too early to celebrate, but so far, we're OK. Wildfires like this flat out just don't happen in this area. Lived here 25 years, and this is a first

 

[Kehy]

Alright, looks like we're in the clear in terms of fire! For now!

Alright, I got this set up and began cycling on Sept 6th, however I was kinda dumb and fragged/glued my zoas at the same time I was getting the rubble for the tank. The actual hardscape is sitting in my main (2 gallon) tank and getting colonized while the tank cycles.

I ended up adding a small thermometer to the back because why not, and it fit surprisingly well. I think it was a thermometer for a Fluval Edge? Overall, I'm very impressed with the clarity in the window. Even as scratched up as it got, it looks pretty darn crystal clear.

In the rush to evacuate, I have completely buried my test kit, so I have no idea where the cycle is, but I assume it won't take long. Regardless, I figure when I see diatoms I can guess what stage it's in.

Had to have a little fun before filling the tank. Painted all these myself.

How I have the sump set up for now. I figure with almost no bioload, it won't need much rubble, and the hardscape is getting colonized too. I'm assuming there will be plenty of room for chaeto if/when I want it

I have both the lights and filter on a programmable wifi plug, with room for the fuge lights, when ready for those. I won't add that until there's something for it to light up.

So it begins!