Joby’s upgraded build thread

[joby619]

So I got back into this hobby last March with a cube tank I got from my cousin. Here is the cube build thread:

Cube Build - Joby’s 60 gallon cube build

Hello fellow reefers. I figured I’d post my cube build to help document my re-entry into the reef world. My first reef attempt was in the about 20 years ago. I ran it for about 5 years, but it was overrun with cyano and was eventually torn down when I moved houses. I consider it a failed...

www.reef2reef.com

Then Vintage reefer posted a thread about the best deal reef ready deal of 2024

Best reef ready tank deal of 2024 - whose looking for a new tank?

I’ve been holding off on posting this but now I’m ready I came across what I believe is the absolute best deal you’ll ever see on a reef ready system Background - Current USA had a custom tank built for their marketing photos. It’s all over their website under the sections for r24 led reef...

www.reef2reef.com

and the seller was local to me so I had no choice but to buy one which leads me to this build thread.

I picked up the tank to save a few hundred in shipping, paid in cash for an additional discount and also bought their return pump for about half price.

I also needed a new light and more rock to fill the tank so I purchased a used photon 48v2 from the market place and a 40lb box of Marco Perfect Mix in coralline color. Unfortunately, every single rock in the box arrived broken so BRS sent me a new box to replace the broken one.
I built 2 structures using the new Marco Rock and planned to put the existing rocks in the cube right in the middle of the new structures. I read through an extremely long sand thread so I decided to just use all brand new Carib sea special grade sand which took me 10 years and 1000 gallons to rinse and I still never got it to be crystal clear.
I also purchased a small IceCap Pro external ATS which I modified to fit inside the included sump. I have a bad back and carrying 5 gallon buckets was not helping so I decided I needed an AWC so I purchased a second DOS for that which fit on top of my RODI setup just in the other side of the side wall of the tank location. I have it set to exchange 1 gallon a day. And this is what she looks like after I transferred all the cube stuff over. Still missing my custom lid which I order over a month ago and I’ve already lost 2 fish from jumping.
Still working on wire management and choosing a final ATO setup.

 

[RockRash]

Looking good! What lid did you go with?

 

[joby619]

I ordered a custom lid from Logan on Etsy. A couple guys from the “best deal 2024” thread ordered from him already, but mine is a little different because I request he incorporate mesh into the lid.

 

[joby619]

Ok here is what my tank looks like today. I am currently battling some brown algae that might be diatoms or dinos, but the appear to be mainly growing on the new rock structures.

Still waiting for my lid from Etsy and 2 of my fish have already jumped out

Added a yellow eye tang to help with algae issues but he is too busy pacing around the tank to eat algae. From what I’ve read on here, it’s probably due to stress of being in a new tank.

 

[VintageReefer]

Tank looks great! Another photon user!

Glad I was able to help you spend save money! I found this deal and immediately thought, this is going to help a lot of people upgrade, when they normally would not be able to. Let’s face it. Expensive hobby. Who doesn’t want to save $1500

Can you tell me more about your awc setup? I see your in the laundry room, I assume as a water source for rodi and drain for the awc? Where is the sw container and how large is it? Do you just run 1/4” tubing to your tank? How do you hide it?

 

[VintageReefer]

Logan is going to deliver a killer lid, you’ll love it. Takes a few weeks. Other company’s take 2-3 months. I think Logan is currently around 2-3 weeks from date of approving the design. How long has it been ?

 

[VintageReefer]

What settings are you using on the photon? How do you like it ?

 

[joby619]

Tank looks great! Another photon user!

Glad I was able to help you spend save money! I found this deal and immediately thought, this is going to help a lot of people upgrade, when they normally would not be able to. Let’s face it. Expensive hobby. Who doesn’t want to save $1500

Can you tell me more about your awc setup? I see your in the laundry room, I assume as a water source for rodi and drain for the awc?

So the laundry room is directly between the tank and the garage. I am using a 7 stage BRS RO/DI filter. The DOS, uses 1/4 soft homedepot tubing that is zip tied to the washing machine drain hose.

Where is the sw container and how large is it? Do you just run 1/4” tubing to your tank?

I am using a 32 gallon Brute trash can in the garage. It is also connected using either the stock DOS 1/4 soft tube or the homedepot version. Drain and Brute go to DOS and then 2 lines from DOS to tank.

How do you hide it?

So I drill a 2” hole on the wall between the tank and Landry room. The lines are run through the hole and along the baseboards in the Landry room and through another hole into the garage. Can’t really see much.

 

[joby619]

What settings are you using on the photon? How do you like it ?

BRS did a whole YouTube video on this light with par readings and everything. I went with slight lower settings than theirs because my light is only about a 12” high vs they tested the optimum height to be 16”. I have my whites turned down lower right now to help with my algae battle.

I absolutely love everything about the light. Super bright and extremely quiet. Very little light leakage in this tank. Seems like a perfect combo.

 

[joby619]

So I checked my algae scrubber for the 1st time… I think it’s working.

 

[VintageReefer]

Did you get your lid?

Crazy how strong the photon is, don’t even need to go over 35% to get full coverage on this tank

 

[Gumbies R Us]

So I checked my algae scrubber for the 1st time… I think it’s working.

What algae scrubber are you using? Seems like it is working like a dream!

 

[joby619]

Did you get your lid?

Crazy how strong the photon is, don’t even need to go over 35% to get full coverage on this tank

No lid yet, but tracking number finally shows it moving. USPS lost the first lid so Logan made me a new one and the post office must be walking this kid over to me because it taken forever. I actually ended up ordering a DIY kit to use in the meantime because I lost 2 fish already.

 

[joby619]

What algae scrubber are you using? Seems like it is working like a dream!

Small IceCap Pro external ATS which I had plumbed to be fed from the return but realized I put the T connection before my check valve so my tank was draining into my ATS. So I now have the ATS fed from a pump sitting in my sump.

Not sure everyone else is preventing the sump from overflowing. If I put the return nozzle high up to break the siphon, then the RFG nozzle creates a little whirlpool and blows bubbles into the tank. If I put it too low, then the sump overflows which is why I went with a WYE check valve hard plumbed into the return pump.

 

[JoJosReef]

Congrats on the transfer from your 60 to the 83! I'm about 80% through my transfer now. It was such an ordeal!

 

[joby619]

Congrats on the transfer from your 60 to the 83! I'm about 80% through my transfer now. It was such an ordeal!

thanks! It wasn’t too bad because the new tank was only about 15 feet away from the old cube.

 

[joby619]

My custom lid finally arrived.

 

[JoJosReef]

Haha! Mine was 3 ft away and it was murder getting everything over without complete disasters--3 sets of hands working on it. Never again!

But hey, we get to enjoy our tanks, now, right?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Love it! Those are some beautiful euphyllia, can't wait to see them when they get bigger

 

[joby619]

Haha! Mine was 3 ft away and it was murder getting everything over without complete disasters--3 sets of hands working on it. Never again!

But hey, we get to enjoy our tanks, now, right?

Wow, you had 2 additional people helping. My transfer was all me and took all day with minimal
meal breaks.

“Never Again” yeah right. That’s only what I tell my wife.