93 Cube for under a grand. It can be done... I think. UPDATED GRAND TOTAL! :)

Todd L.

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Is there a certain brand you have had issues with, or just all in general? my current tank is the only one I have bought a heater specific for it. All my past tanks I have reused my past heaters with no problem.
 
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dantimdad

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I have been in this so long, brands have come and gone. Every brand, no matter the cost, can and will fail at some point. I will run a thermostat on this setup like I have in the past. $35 for a controller and $25 for a new heater is cheap insurance IMHO.
 
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dantimdad

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So the plan has always been to keep this simple, not just because of cost, but, simplicity for simplicity's sake. I hate single points of failure. But, I also hate having things not necessary that can actually do more harm than good.

I will have it drain via the Herbie method. Been using it since before it was called that and it works. I did have an issue with two drains once and it was my fault it failed. Won't make that mistake again.

I will not have a controller other than a heater controller. I don't want to mess around programming something and having it fail on me and killing stuff. I have read way too many horror stories about having stuff fail in this arena.

If I go out of town, my buddy has kept reefs and he will check on stuff for me. So, yes, in a sense, I will use a cell phone to control what happens when I am out of town. :)

I will keep backup pumps, heaters and lighting laying around like always, just in case something happens.

All plumbing will be put in with unions to facilitate rapid disassembly, cleaning or repairing and reassembly.

Same goes for the sump. it will be easily removed for cleaning/repair/modification. My water changes will be done in the volume of the sump when I take it out to clean it once a month. At this point, all pumps and plumbing, including valves will get a cleaning. All of this will take under 2 hours. Time well spent.

I will drip/dose kalkwasser as my main source of supplementation. Been doing it for a long time and it works. Between that, water changes and testing to see if I'm low on other components, things should go smoothly.
(dosing will be done if I can find a dosing pump cheap enough other wise, I will drip from a DIY dripper)

The best looking reef tank I ever had I did this way and it was incredibly simple to maintain. Wish I could find the pics of that aquarium. It was destroyed by vandals whilst moving from my previous house 9 years ago.
 
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dantimdad

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They will be coming this weekend. I plan to go ahead and drill it and mock up plumbing on the old stand just to make sure I have all the parts.

I will also start on the new stand.
 

vetteguy53081

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Nice repair work !! Gotta love the 93g. It is large but not a space consuming monster. I have about $800 stuck into this one and it is virtually maintenance and trouble free

93cube15.jpg
 
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dantimdad

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Nice repair work !! Gotta love the 93g. It is large but not a space consuming monster. I have about $800 stuck into this one and it is virtually maintenance and trouble free

93cube15.jpg
I'm digging it!

Can u tell a bit more about your setup?
 
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dantimdad

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JBKReef

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Another 93 cuber here, I can not stress how much I despise the stock stand. I know others have voiced their opinions but I hate it that much Im going to add mine in as well.

Speedy recovery and I am looking forward to seeing your reef on a budget develop. I pretty much went exactly opposite your strategy and jurassic park'd the thing. No expense was spared and I'm still trying to figure out the benefit to that over your approach.

Great job on the glass.
 
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dantimdad

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Another 93 cuber here, I can not stress how much I despise the stock stand. I know others have voiced their opinions but I hate it that much Im going to add mine in as well.

Speedy recovery and I am looking forward to seeing your reef on a budget develop. I pretty much went exactly opposite your strategy and jurassic park'd the thing. No expense was spared and I'm still trying to figure out the benefit to that over your approach.

Great job on the glass.

:)

I appreciate it. The recovery is going well. Been having some pressure issues the last few days and am working on that.

I will keep updating on health and aquarium.
 

Brew12

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Can't wait to see what you do with this!
I cannot say I didn't pay for something because I already had it. I paid for it at some point so I have to show the cost of it.

I disagree with this. If you purchased it for a previous build it shouldn't count against you. Now if you purchased it in the past to use for a "future build" that turned out to be this one? Then I think you should count it.

I got a suggestion from someone at work to make this more interesting. I should get the prices of everything new and doing nothing myself (like building the stand) and see just how much this would have cost.

Now THIS will be revealing! ;Wideyed

I love this idea and hope you keep up with it!
 

ReefWithCare

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It looks like you are already over $1000 and you haven’t added corals or fish [emoji29]. Already knew it was too good to be true [emoji28].

I also don’t count ppl reusing rocks, etc from other tanks they have had and consider that “free.” You gotta get discounted or used for me to count it. Noobs starting out aren’t going to have this advantage.
 

Brew12

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It looks like you are already over $1000 and you haven’t added corals or fish [emoji29]. Already knew it was too good to be true [emoji28].

I also don’t count ppl reusing rocks, etc from other tanks they have had and consider that “free.” You gotta get discounted or used for me to count it. Noobs starting out aren’t going to have this advantage.
Actually, I think he is only at $382 so far. The over $1k cost was if he had bought everything new.
 
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dantimdad

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OK so I will take Brew12's suggestion. The stuff I had laying around not designated for a future build I won't count.

I am getting a Curve 7 skimmer (complete overkill) for a killer price (Thanks Brew12!!!)

I picked up a new in box aqueon 20high kit at a yard sale. $3! I will use it as half of my split sump system and give away the stuff that came with it.

I will still be no where near the $1000 mark:

Previous balance: $382 + $25 for powerhead + $130 for skimmer + $3 for 20high = $539

I still need stand supplies that I don't have in the lumber stash and finishing supplies, a few plumbing bits and bobs and part of the light mount I am fabbing up. (good thing I taught myself to weld!)

Oh and a return pump because mine just isn't gonna be big enough to run a manifold, the display and the display fuge. Need around 1000GPH before head loss.
 

vetteguy53081

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Another 93 cuber here, I can not stress how much I despise the stock stand. I know others have voiced their opinions but I hate it that much Im going to add mine in as well.

Speedy recovery and I am looking forward to seeing your reef on a budget develop. I pretty much went exactly opposite your strategy and jurassic park'd the thing. No expense was spared and I'm still trying to figure out the benefit to that over your approach.

Great job on the glass.

I agree on the stand. I often asked, " is this the best they can do"
 

vetteguy53081

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BTW, I get the feeling no one likes Marineland's stands. Is just me? :D

I liked it (Modern series" ) Until I Realized from a small overflow from skimmer that it was enough to allow the bottom to fall out. I believe the bottom is also part of the structure and support of stand.
For as Many years as they have been in business, I say SHAME ON THEM. They owe us aquarists a better quality component especially for the price we pay.
 

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