Budget Beginnings

[Euphylliaphyle]

Mocking up the height and placement of my new-to-me Radion XR15 G4s using cut out shipping boxes before mounting brackets in the wall. The boxes sit on top of my solid acrylic lid. I'm doing a floating shelf type of mount so no brackets or cables show from the front.

 

[X-37B]

Mocking up the height and placement of my new-to-me Radion XR15 G4s using cut out shipping boxes before mounting brackets in the wall. The boxes sit on top of my solid acrylic lid. I'm doing a floating shelf type of mount so no brackets or cables show from the front.

Cool way to do a mockup!

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Cool way to do a mockup!

Thanks!

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Installed my new-to-me XR15 G4 Radions today. Shades have been ordered.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Shades are on the Radions.

Haven't posted parameters in a minute. Here's from last week. Phosphate wars continue. Everything else is pretty stable:

Friday, Sep 4, 2026

● Dosing 10.0 ml/day AFR starting 7/28/2026. New batch AFR starts 7/3/2026.
● Tests are post-today's AFR dosing.
● Phosphate, nitrate tested before a.m. feeding.

○ Ca: 470 ppm (+10/14d)
(target: 400-450 ppm)
per Salifert titration
○ Alk: 9.6 dKH (nc/14d)
(target: 8-12 dkH)
per Salifert titration
○ Mg: 1,380 ppm (+60/14d)
(target: 1,250-1,400 ppm)
per Salifert titration
* Stay with 10.0 ml/d AFR.
○ pH: 8.2
(target: 8.1-8.4)
per API colorimetric
○ Salinity: 1.0256 SpG/ 34.7 ppt
(target: 35 ppt)
per TropicMarin hydrometer
○ Temperature: 80.2°F
(target: 73-84°F)
per ThermPro
digital meat therm.
○ Nitrate: 47.2 ppm (-6.7/14d)
(target: 5-50 ppm*)
per Hanna HR Checker
○ Phosphate: 0.47 ppm (-0.21/10d)
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm*)
per Hanna ULR Checker
* Re-test phosphate on 9/8/2026.

Had some cyano or red algae on a rock.

My Pencil Urchin found this patch last night and seems to be taking care of it without further intervention on my part.

Here is my AWC performance stability over August. I think that piece is good to go for an extended vacation:

I just need a tiny UPS to prevent time reset when the power flickers. It only needs to last a few seconds without grid power before the whole-house generator kicks in.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

For anyone interested in details regarding how I mounted the Radions:

My tank backs against a wall, the other side of which is a small hall closet. I used 16" HD "L"-shaped shelf brackets. After laying out the location in pencil on the wall, I first drilled a 3/16" pilot hole such that the center distance from the bracket top would land the top of the subsequent 5/8" hole needed (to pass the power cable connector for the light through) tangent to the top of the bracket. I used a 6" long 3/16" bit. Being sure to keep the drill square to the wall, I was able to locate the bracket slot on the opposing (closet side) drywall using the pilot hole. I cut a precision slot in the drywall using a utility knife from the tank side. The idea was to pass the power cable throgh the hole in the wall before installing the bracket, making the rather large hole needed as inconspicuous as possible and running the wire under the bracket.

I was less meticulous cutting the slots on the closet side, allowing the brackets to float in any direction to achieve level while constraining location using the more precision tank-side slots. After running the wires, I sent the brackets from closet-side out, positioning the wall mounting arm of the bracket upward, to keep it away from the wire. After leveling the brackets in two axes on the outside, I blocked them in place so I could mark mounting hole locations on the closet-side drywall. Then I removed the brackets and installed drywall inserts for the screws, reinstalled the brackets and installed the screws. I used a smaller diameter screw than the holes allow for, so I could get a few degrees of freedom for leveling the brackets before tightening.

The line shown on the closet wall was for planning and a sanity check. It is imprecise.
On the tank side, I used stainless steel hardware to mount the lights to the brackets, then brush-painted the exposed hardware with flat black enamel paint. I used black nylon zip ties to hold the wires to the underside of the brackets between the fixtures an the wall.

Here is the end result:

I tidied-up the closet side wires and mounted the power bricks:

I drilled another hole closer to the floor through both wall faces and passed the 120v supply through to the inside of the tank stand, where they are plugged in.

(The tubing and wires seen to the rear of the power cord through-hole are for the AWC and run under the house to the mixing station. My wife thinks it's her laundry room).
Thanks for reading!