- Joined
- May 8, 2019
- Messages
- 315
- Reaction score
- 176
So I went to trade in some coral at one of my LFS and got a decent amount of credit. While there I noticed a Marineland 60 Gallon tank sitting there. I inquired and one of the employees told me that I was for a show a couple years back and has been sitting in a warehouse since then. Only wet for three days. I have always wanted to try and do an anemone cube so I started looking at it. It came with an ice cap sump, and with the credit I just got it was almost free. I went home and thought about it as I already have three other saltwater tanks and 2 freshwater tanks, and was not really planning on spending money on a new build...……. but decided what the heck, lets do it.
I went back the next day and got the tank!
My plan was to spend as little money as possible on this build. I had all the plumbing parts already from a past build, I had my spare protein skimmer an Eshopps S200, so all I needed was a return pump and a powerhead.
I decided to buy a varios 4 and got a great deal on a used (6 month old) MP 10
I pulled out all of my old rock, got a brute and bleached at a 1 to 10 ratio for 5 days, let the rocks sit in the sun for 3 days, then soaked the rock in RODI with PRIME for another 72 hours. Passed the smell test and now ready to be cycled.
I played with the rock scape a bunch of different ways and could not really find anything I am completely happy about. I don't think I will be happy with it though while its bare though because I am trying to envision Anemone's being covered on the rock. The two main considerations I am trying to do, is make as much room as possible for the Anemones to place there foot and feel secure, and be able to get good flow around the entire tank.
Here is the 1st Idea I came up with after playing with a bunch of different ways.
I then moved on to plumbing the tank. Wanted to keep it simple, and straight forward. I hard plumbed the overflow down to the sump using 2 unions. I then took out the return pipe out of the top and installed a check valve up top. I decided to do a combination for hard and soft for the return line. My thought process was being in such a tight space it would be easier for me to disconnect for maintenance using a combo for plumbing.
Finally moved on to the water test. It passed, which im not going to lie, was very nervous about my plumbing job (lol) only had one issue that I need to fix. The return pipe had a hole drilling in as a syphon break, but water shoots out of it and it is LOUD! so I need to replace that piece, I am assuming I should be fine with the check valve in place. If it fails the test, I will figure out how much water goes into the sump, and lower the syphon break to be below the operating water line.
So although I said I was trying not to spend money on this build, the 4th of July sales got me! I have a Tunze nano ATO that I was planning on using for now, but the full size one was on sale so I got that, along with a new ATO container, and a KLIR filter mat that was 40% off. Everything should be here by the end of this week.
I went back the next day and got the tank!
My plan was to spend as little money as possible on this build. I had all the plumbing parts already from a past build, I had my spare protein skimmer an Eshopps S200, so all I needed was a return pump and a powerhead.
I decided to buy a varios 4 and got a great deal on a used (6 month old) MP 10
I pulled out all of my old rock, got a brute and bleached at a 1 to 10 ratio for 5 days, let the rocks sit in the sun for 3 days, then soaked the rock in RODI with PRIME for another 72 hours. Passed the smell test and now ready to be cycled.
I played with the rock scape a bunch of different ways and could not really find anything I am completely happy about. I don't think I will be happy with it though while its bare though because I am trying to envision Anemone's being covered on the rock. The two main considerations I am trying to do, is make as much room as possible for the Anemones to place there foot and feel secure, and be able to get good flow around the entire tank.
Here is the 1st Idea I came up with after playing with a bunch of different ways.
I then moved on to plumbing the tank. Wanted to keep it simple, and straight forward. I hard plumbed the overflow down to the sump using 2 unions. I then took out the return pipe out of the top and installed a check valve up top. I decided to do a combination for hard and soft for the return line. My thought process was being in such a tight space it would be easier for me to disconnect for maintenance using a combo for plumbing.
Finally moved on to the water test. It passed, which im not going to lie, was very nervous about my plumbing job (lol) only had one issue that I need to fix. The return pipe had a hole drilling in as a syphon break, but water shoots out of it and it is LOUD! so I need to replace that piece, I am assuming I should be fine with the check valve in place. If it fails the test, I will figure out how much water goes into the sump, and lower the syphon break to be below the operating water line.
So although I said I was trying not to spend money on this build, the 4th of July sales got me! I have a Tunze nano ATO that I was planning on using for now, but the full size one was on sale so I got that, along with a new ATO container, and a KLIR filter mat that was 40% off. Everything should be here by the end of this week.