Bonzai 60g cube

[illcssd]

Here I guess I can document my build and progress on my cube. I've somewhat stolen the rockscape design from my favorite tank, but everything else was all me.

Equipment:
Radion Led
Mp40wes
Eheim 1262 return and reactor feed
Vertex 180 skimmer
Aquamaxx biopellet reactor with Ecobak pellets.

Plumbing uses a herbie overflow, over the back return. Simple and silent. The loudest thing on the tank at this time is the mp40.

It's been cycling for about a month and I'm slowly adding fish now.

Fish list:
Mccosker's wrasse changing male
Juvenile SA onyx clown(Will be relocated once I find a wild caught pair)
and a temporary yellow tail damsel I added as a test.

Future fish besides the clown pair are mostly wrasse's. I'm planning on a flame, lineatus, and probably a Labout's Fairy Wrasse. Who know's what other wrasses' will catch my eye.

Here's how it sits as of today.

Right side

Left side

Front

 

[VB68]

Nice,,, I like the rock work

 

[revhtree]

That aquascape is fantastic!

 

[btkrausen]

Looks nice, the rock work is great. If you plan to put wrasses in there, make sure you cover the tank to prevent them from jumping out. 1/4 mesh net works great and you can get it from BulkReefSupply.

 

[wysiwyg]

love the rock work

 

[cba191]

That looks killer! How'd you assemble the rock? Do I see zip ties and putty? I'd love to do something like that

 

[illcssd]

Thanks all, It's nice starting with dry rock because you can do killer stuff like this. I used zip ties to hold everything, then used epoxy and foam to hold it all together. As the putty permanently sets, I'm cutting off the zip ties to the bare minimum. It works awesome and with the foam is all one piece of rock.

 

[revsgirl]

Looks great!! 1smile1

 

[wrasseluver]

Awesome scape.

 

[illcssd]

I've been having some trouble with my skimmer. I think maybe that it is just too big of a skimmer for the water volume. I'm constantly having to fiddle with it to get it to pull anything into the collection cup, and it's just never consistent. I have an aquamaxx 150 that I know works excellent that I'll be switching it out for in the next week or so.

I purchased a used Nikon D40, and am getting a macro lens sometime this week, so my pictures should be greatly improved.

On another note, cycle is complete after a couple months, and I've been adding a lot of stuff as it gets out of quarantine. Nitrates are staying under 5, and phosphates are .05 consistently.

Current residents are:
Carberryi Anthias (2)
Percula clownfish (4)
Hippo tang (2) (Dime size)
Mccoskers wrasse (1)
Solon Fairy wrasse (1)

Non-Fish
Maxima clams (2)
Oregon tort frag
Tricolor Stag
Red goniopora.
Fire shrimp
Peppermint shrimp (2)


The goni was badly damaged/dying, and I picked it up for free. It's slowly coming around and showing great PE in the tank so I'm hoping it makes a full recovery.

 

[illcssd]

Recovering Goni

 

[underwaterfirefighter]

Awesome Bonsai! Looking great.

 

[jaesong]

Very nice rock work.