new tank build ~75g

surfn · Oct 30, 2006

I've been planing this tank build since last spring, but have been way too busy with moving and working to get this thing started.

Here are the specs on what it will be like:

tanks: 2 oceanic 30g cubes w/ a ~20g sump/fuge

30g SPS cube w/ 250w SE Radium on HQI ballast.
30g Zoa/LPS cube w/ 175w SE on magnetic ballast (14k/15k/or 20k)

both tanks will have lumenarc reflectors over them, along with some T5 actinics (most likely blue plus bulbs).

Filtration: external skimmer, either a deltec (AP600) or H&S (A110 or A150)
Circulation: looking at either doing MJ900's w/ the nozzels cut, on wave timers, or those new controllable tunze nano streams
Dosing: LM3 w/ 2 dosing pumps for alk and calcium
Tank feeds and topoff: both tanks fed by 1 Mag pump, and will most likely get an Osmolator for topoff.

I've built a couple of stands and canopies from scratch, and while these are not works of art by any means, they are very functional, and will take quite a beating. The way I started to build these back when I was in grad school and on a dirt poor budget will show alot of people that you don't have to have expensive tools and alot of wood working skills in order to pull this off.

I hope to update this daily/weekly as I start putting all of this together. I got the day off yesterday so I went to lowes and got some 2x4's to start the stand with.

The first stand I'm going to build will be 24"x24", which is 4" wider/longer than the 30g oceanic cube, but I need to make it this big in order to fit a 20g-high sump underneath the tank. It also leaves me room to upgrade to a 60g cube in the future if I want to.

the 2x4's...

just b/c you dont have a radial chop saw, doesn't mean you cant have precision cuts. just go out to lowes and pick up a decent mitre saw. i love this one. it does take a little bit of elbow grease, but only took me a couple of hours to get 8 boards measured and cut last night.

gluing the top and bottom frames of the stand together before i drill them.

Marine Flora · Oct 30, 2006

good start al

i'm gonna be followin this thread

surfn · Oct 30, 2006

thanks,
the reason why i'm going with 2x30g cubes, instead of one larger tank is my yearly uncertainty of where i'll be and what i'm doing. i need something smaller that i can break down and move in pieces, instead of all at once. and if i get too busy, i can just break down one tank and keep the other and turn it into something that is less demanding on my time.

also, i've been researching lots of neat tricks with the plumbing, lighting etc that i think you all will find interesting.

i do drill my own tanks, and make my own overflow boxes, which is pretty essential on small tanks that do not already come reef ready. i've learned some new tricks since i did this last time, so i hope to employ those on these new tanks.

surfn · Oct 31, 2006

top and bottom frames together before i add legs to them.

and then an hour later the completed stand frame

stand with the oceanic 30g cube sitting on top

next on my list is to start ordering some things i'll be needing in the upcoming weeks, as it will take a week or two for them to get here.

also, i need to lay a flat board on the top and bottom so the tanks sit directly on something. notice how the cube doesn't have all its sides sitting on something.

after that, i need to figure out what i want to do as far as putting sides on the stand, and any other detail work. anyone have any ideas? this is the only part that i'm still not sure what i want to do on it.

and before i can start building the canopy, i need to wait for the lumenarc reflector to get here so i know how big to make it.

JGoslee · Oct 31, 2006

I love the size of the 30g cube. Its the perfect small tank. So are you going to have both tanks going to the same sump, or a 20g under each tank?

surfn · Oct 31, 2006

both tanks will drain into the same sump/fuge, and one pump will pump up through a T-fitting and some ball valves so i can isolate one tank if need be.

its also easier this way b/c i've had a heck of a hard time getting zoas and sps to be happy in the same tank (i.e. same light and flow). now i should be able to give them seperate tank conditions that they like.

JGoslee · Nov 1, 2006

Ive had the same problems keeping sps/zoos in the same tank. Ive since gave all my sps to my brother. Have you thought about having a bigger sump? Maybe like a 40g or 55g.

surfn · Nov 1, 2006

yeah, i'd love to have a bigger sump....only prob is the size of the stand. ilts hard to fit a good sized sump underneath a cube tank.

i mean, the 30g cube is only 20inches x 20inches, so technically if i build a stand that was 20inches wide i could only have a sump that big. i built this stand at 24inches so i could at least get a 20g-high underneath (b/c its 24inches long).

i'd like to have the sump underneath the tank in a stand to eliminate some of the visible clutter.

JGoslee · Nov 3, 2006

Surf, can you explain how you will be setting up your LM3 and Osmolator? Im going to be doing something similar but Im really not sure how Im going to be doing it.

surfn · Nov 3, 2006

well, i have my LM3 set up ghetto style at the moment. it just sits on top of one of my tanks, and pumps from a container on the floor for alk. still need to get another pump for calcium.

i would like to build a little station that the LM3 and pumps fit into nicely, with the alk and calcium containers right beside it to limit the tubes hanging everywhere.

only way i'll be able to show you good is when i finally have it set up and can take pics.

i will take some pics of how i have it set up currently, its very unflattering though lol

dont have the osmolator set up yet, i'm waiting to get the new sump/tank set up before that. gota take it one step at a time.

Azurel · Nov 3, 2006

Sounds and looks like a good plan Surf.....Wait for updates.....

JGoslee · Nov 3, 2006

surfn said:
i would like to build a little station that the LM3 and pumps fit into nicely, with the alk and calcium containers right beside it to limit the tubes hanging everywhere.

This is exactly what I want to do. Right now I have a nautlis II dosing pump. I haven't set it up yet. Im not sure if I want to use it to dose my diy 2-part or top-off/kalk.

surfn · Nov 3, 2006

if you find a link, or some pics of how people have them set up over on RC feel free to post a link here. i havent had time to do much research on how other people have them set up.

i like the 2-part method better. never really liked kalk for some reason. the only disadvantage i can think for the 2 part is needing 2 dosing pumps that need to be controlled seperately.

surfn · Nov 6, 2006

i had to borrow a jigsaw to get this next part done, as i had to cut out some notches on the bottom platform so it could fit around the 2x4 legs.

so for this week, my goals are just to reinforce those other 2x4's i put in on the legs (i just glued them in so far), and secure those platforms to the top and bottom. once all that is done, i'll be looking to add some trim work around the edges and some panels to the sides.

that will prob keep me busy most of the week as i have some other important things i need to attend to this week.

i should also get my lumenarc reflector this week, so i can start planning out the canopy build. (actually, i decided to go with the lumenarc mini).

twon8 · Nov 6, 2006

i wouldnt' get an osmolator, just get another lm3 pump and use that.

surfn · Nov 6, 2006

twon8 said:
i wouldnt' get an osmolator, just get another lm3 pump and use that.

ya know, i was also thinking about that.

but using that would mean i need to calculate my evaporation rates (which happen to vary depending on the time of the year).

i usually turn off the AC and heat in the fall and spring to open the windows and save on the electricity bills, thus i always have to crank up the fans over the tank which leads to more evaporation.

does the LM3 autotop off thing have any switches to detect the water level? not a big fan of float switches of course.

twon8 · Nov 6, 2006

the water exchange module comes with a float switch to turn it off if the water level gets too high

i have the same situation as you, evap does vary, but if i find i have too much or too little top off all i do is up it or lower it a liter, and let it go a few days and see where im at. it works fine for that, and you are going to be checking it every few days anyways.

surfn · Nov 6, 2006

is there any way to use a back up float switch in the system also?

i'm very hesistant to rely on a single float switch

i see a top off control module for the LM3 on premiumaquatics, and its only $35 (i'm assuming this is the float switch stuff), so i'll have to buy another remote pump for this also? which is another $160 (off of premium). thats $195 total (plus shipping).

or do you have to use the water exchange module with the top off? which is $175...ouch.

the osmolator is only $175 total. which may get you more reliability....

hmph, i'm not sure. anyone got any opinions? i got time to think on this, i dont need it right away.

twon8 · Nov 6, 2006

but with the litemeter there is almost no chance of flooding, i've adjusted each of them once in the three months plus ive had them. i dont' think you really need the topoff controll module as long as you check on the tank once a week or so
how much are you topping off now per day? in liters?

ive had mine on teh 180 for six months +, since before the middle of summer and all the accompanying humidity, and it doesnt' need much adjusting, i figure the fans are causing the evap, so as long as they stay constant evap shouldn't vary by more than 10%. and as long as your sump can hold a few extra liters you'll be golden.

if it werent' so easy to adjust the litermeter i wouldnt favor this approach, and initially i was concerned about having to constantly adjutst it but it hasnt' been an issue.