I had a few Nanos going, and I was at my LFS and they had a Red Sea 170 stand for cheap because someone had to warranty the tank. Well that was the start. I then found an Innovative Marine 40g from their Offer Up site. It was just a tank they used for shows low iron glass with a smoked rear panel. I also found a Eshopps Prodigy overflow that was a return on Amazon for cheap. I really like the look of them and the box that it came in, it was like unpacking an Iphone.
So far I only have a few hundred dollars in this set up and I pretty stoked. But I was a bit nervous that I was going to drilling this unobtainium tank for the overflow and returns. So I bought a used Waterbox 16g thinking I could practice drilling that. It is the same width of the IM/Red Sea just the depth is only 12inches.
Originally I was going to set this tank up as a deep water temperate and tie in my two other temperate nano's into one system. While I was planing that, I set up a Fijicube 10 AIO as a tropical. That in itself got quickly stuffed to the brim. So the temperate system got put on hold and the 40g cube was now going to be a tropical.
I found out how easy it was to drill tanks so I decided to just go for broke on the 40g. I also wanted to hit the ground running so I threw in a bit of live rock and sand along with a HOB filter on the waterbox. I mapped out the overflow and the returns on the 40g. I decided I was going to put the overflow dead center with a return on either side. The caveat to this was my lighting was going to be hung from the ceiling, because the Eshopps overflow box sits up(or at least the way I have it) pretty high so you can't put an arm for lights dead center on the back of the tank. Drilling the tank was easy, I did it on a foam pad in the kitchen. I found a kit with a plastic guide so your holes are just where you want them, with no jumping around with the drill bit. I am glad I didn’t have to drill a lot of holes because the bit started to dull halfway through the second one.
The reason why I chose having an EXT overflow was I really do not like internal overflows sticking into the display area, it disrupts flow and is hard to scape around. I also made sure the the break in the return and overflow pipes did not extend past the bottom of the tank. I have seen too many people having to cut their PVC if they have to remove their tank for any reason. This way if you do you can just empty it and set it on the floor and Bob's your uncle.
Next was I would have to build the sump. I bought a Aqua Japan (I think) 10g from an LFS. I wanted a RedSea 170 glass sump but couldn’t find one so I figured I could just build my own. I also wanted to try to use the AquaMaxx 170 rollermat because I am over doing socks.
The sump was a pretty tight fit esp. since I wanted to do a reservoir but I made it work. But that Idea was quickly scrapped when I found the Somatic 60 sump. The open configuration was so much better and the Aquamaxx 170 fit in the first compartment like a dream.
In the meantime I switched out the Waterbox 16g off of the top of the stand with the 40g so I could start on the plumbing. I thought maybe a weekend I could knock it out.... Noo! If you read my recent post What GHA has taught me My tank is now in the middle of the GHA uglies. So its been a bit of me doing plumbing and electronics and trying to fit it all in a RS170 cabinet. Oh and there is Life... that is happening too.
So I am happy to say that tomorrow we are going on our maiden voyage as you can see I packed so much in there. I still have to do the manifold for an UV and chiller.
So far I only have a few hundred dollars in this set up and I pretty stoked. But I was a bit nervous that I was going to drilling this unobtainium tank for the overflow and returns. So I bought a used Waterbox 16g thinking I could practice drilling that. It is the same width of the IM/Red Sea just the depth is only 12inches.
Originally I was going to set this tank up as a deep water temperate and tie in my two other temperate nano's into one system. While I was planing that, I set up a Fijicube 10 AIO as a tropical. That in itself got quickly stuffed to the brim. So the temperate system got put on hold and the 40g cube was now going to be a tropical.
I found out how easy it was to drill tanks so I decided to just go for broke on the 40g. I also wanted to hit the ground running so I threw in a bit of live rock and sand along with a HOB filter on the waterbox. I mapped out the overflow and the returns on the 40g. I decided I was going to put the overflow dead center with a return on either side. The caveat to this was my lighting was going to be hung from the ceiling, because the Eshopps overflow box sits up(or at least the way I have it) pretty high so you can't put an arm for lights dead center on the back of the tank. Drilling the tank was easy, I did it on a foam pad in the kitchen. I found a kit with a plastic guide so your holes are just where you want them, with no jumping around with the drill bit. I am glad I didn’t have to drill a lot of holes because the bit started to dull halfway through the second one.
The reason why I chose having an EXT overflow was I really do not like internal overflows sticking into the display area, it disrupts flow and is hard to scape around. I also made sure the the break in the return and overflow pipes did not extend past the bottom of the tank. I have seen too many people having to cut their PVC if they have to remove their tank for any reason. This way if you do you can just empty it and set it on the floor and Bob's your uncle.
Next was I would have to build the sump. I bought a Aqua Japan (I think) 10g from an LFS. I wanted a RedSea 170 glass sump but couldn’t find one so I figured I could just build my own. I also wanted to try to use the AquaMaxx 170 rollermat because I am over doing socks.
The sump was a pretty tight fit esp. since I wanted to do a reservoir but I made it work. But that Idea was quickly scrapped when I found the Somatic 60 sump. The open configuration was so much better and the Aquamaxx 170 fit in the first compartment like a dream.
In the meantime I switched out the Waterbox 16g off of the top of the stand with the 40g so I could start on the plumbing. I thought maybe a weekend I could knock it out.... Noo! If you read my recent post What GHA has taught me My tank is now in the middle of the GHA uglies. So its been a bit of me doing plumbing and electronics and trying to fit it all in a RS170 cabinet. Oh and there is Life... that is happening too.
So I am happy to say that tomorrow we are going on our maiden voyage as you can see I packed so much in there. I still have to do the manifold for an UV and chiller.
