27 Gallon Cube Build

[Gumbies R Us]

Clowns swimming under moonlight

Great picture!

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Great picture!

Thanks!

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Picked up the duetto ATO from LFS. Also grabbed 5 coral frags. Used instant ocean epoxy to glue them down. Worked on some corals, not on others. Will post pics of corals tomorrow. Radion at 25% on AB+ for now.

Any tips on how to use epoxy more effectively? Two corals would not remain secured.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Picked up these frags from Reefhab Romance in South Jersey. Bunch of nice frags and colonies for sale. Sells small selection of quarantined fish. Had a beautiful 5 inch black tang. Wish I had a bigger tank!

Got a zoa frag, toadstool leather, 2 sps frags and a favia.

Want to glue the favia to the rock behind it and possibly move the purple stylo, but I think it’ll do fine there.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Anyone have any ideas on how to mount the duetto sensor? The rim on the tank is making the sensor be much lower than I want the water level.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

for this tank, the one i recommend due to small space requirements and performance is Duetto ATO

Any recommendations on how to mount the ATO sensor? It won’t fit with the trim high enough to maintain the water level where I want it. And the tubing holder is too thin for the rim of the tank.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

How I had to set up the duetto ATO to get surface level where I want it and the tubing connector was way to small for the rim of this tank. Wish they made it a little bit bigger. I have the magnet on the inside of the tank and using the dry side of a mag float to attach the sensor on the trim of the tank. I think this will work out fine but regretting my decision a little now and wish I went another route.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

What intensity should I run my XR15 at for SPS mixed reef?

I have it at 35% and going to bump it up gradually, but if I plan on keeping easier to keep SPS and a mixed reef, how much should I bump it up to?

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Ugly stage is in full effect. Time to get some clean up crew.

Ordered the OceanBox Designs Aquaclear Surface Skimmer. Main reason to mount the duetto sensor inside.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Just got back from a week long trip. Finally installed the ocean box designs surface skimmer and now have the ATO set up the way I want it. Should work much better now. Had to install both magnets low and not one high and one low.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

A top down shot of tank so far.

Live rock I bought from local reefer had some red mushrooms on it that are starting to appear.

Random Acro frag is starting to encrust nicely.

I think purple/ milka stylo is showing growth tips. The underside of one of the branches seems a little pale, maybe from shading? Increased Radion intensity to 45%.

Will be leaving on a 10 day trip tomorrow. Will increase light more when I return and pick up more corals.

Need to get a clean up crew as well. Only have 1 turbo snail in there for now.

 

[BanZI29]

Starting a 27 gallon cube build because you can never have enough reef tanks. Goal of the build is to be as simple as possible.

Built a diy wood stand out of 2 x 4s. Saved a bunch of money compared to buying the stand with the tank.

Looking for opinions on filtration and ATO.
- Would like to avoid having a sump, for simplicity
- Also do not want the glass top due to the annoying black hinge

Leaning towards the Tunze Comline 3162 because it has the space for the optical ATO sensor of the tunze 3155.

Or running an aquaclear 50/70 with the XP sumpless ATO.

Would it be possible to mount the tunze ATO directly into the tank?

Try the Tunze Nano 3152. that is the one I have on my 40 gal and it works great. it only has the float sensor thou. its a bit smaller to both the sensor and controller.

Osmolator® nano - Tunze

Hi-Tech für Aquaristik

www.tunze.com

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Cleanup crew added from Pacific East Aquaculture and my LFS Reefhab Romanace.

4 Red Banded Trochus Snails

5 Turbo Snails
- 1 Mexican
- 4 Green Speckled (1 into my other tank - 10 G)

8 Blue Leg Hermits

3 Bumblee Snails
- 1 in this cube
- 2 in 10G

5 Astrea Snails
- 4 in cube
- 1 in 10G

5 Nassarius Snails
- 3 in cube
- 1 in 10G
- 1 DOA

Pleased with the order from PEA. Now time for these critters to get to work. I let the tank develop a decent bit of algae before placing them in. My 10G already had some CUC, so just added some more to it.

Hopefully next week adding a bunch of corals.

I love the look of Xenia. Do I take the risk and add it?

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Having a little bit of a problem with some hair algae on the sandbed. CUC has only been in a couple days so hoping they take care of it eventually.

Want to start adding more corals, specifically SPS. Just have the vortech MP10 on the back wall now running reefcrest at about 70%.

Think that is enough flow? Should I turn it up? Or should I add another MP10 or Nero 3 on the opposite side back glass?

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Picked up some frags from the LFS today.

Got some Yuma mushrooms

Got a nice sized blue hornet frag

And a couple $10 SPS frags. The one I broke into 3 different pieces to spread out (think it’s a birdsnest). Not sure the green one but I think also another birdsnest.

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Here’s some photos and videos of my little 10 gallon. Just a maroon clown, AI Prime, Koralia Nano 240, and Aquaclear 20.

Dose some Ca every couple days and Alk every day.

Tons of vermetid snails in here, which is a pain, but they don’t bother the corals too much, so I let the tank be and everything grows very well.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Picked up some frags from the LFS today.

Got some Yuma mushrooms

Got a nice sized blue hornet frag

And a couple $10 SPS frags. The one I broke into 3 different pieces to spread out (think it’s a birdsnest). Not sure the green one but I think also another birdsnest.

Nice looking frags!

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

Received my first battle box today! Can’t say enough good things about Adam and Battlecorals! I ordered the $300, 4 piece, and names battlebox to see my Acro collection and Adam did not disappoint sending 6 awesome frags! I already want to order more lol

 

[bluegrass_reef12]

And here they are in the tank. iPhone does not do a good job taking photos with blues at all. Gonna let them settle in then begin the weekly 5-10% water change and combat this hair algae on the sand. The CUC doesn’t seem to touch it.

 

[Lebowski_]

For wrasses, you could also consider the Pink Streak or the Possum. They are a bit more shy than a 6line, but awesome fish and very friendly.

For the GHA, perhaps a tux or halloween urchin. I've never seen rock cleaner than where my Hallowe'en Urchin has recently passed. Even the longer strands. Trochus snails are also excellent, as are Margaritas.