Had a great time with this little tank as a Christmas present to myself, and something to do the day after the family left.
I have other tanks that were intended to be builds but i tended to get up to my elbows in the project and never posted on it
Currently in my second run as an aspiring reefer as I had tanks in college and grad school in the mid to late 70’s.
Started again as a covid project (March ‘20) and have not looked back since. Partial retirement now helps too.
Here is the Cade 180 and the Cade Lagoon built in late ’20 and mid- ‘21 respectively - also a WB 15 G peninsula on the office desk
And a few fish pick from the 3 tanks - including my favorite vlamingi who grew like a weed and had to be put into storage at the LFS while we plot my last tank.
Working on my photo chops, hopefully new iPhone will help
So back to the build, idea was 1) to bring a small tank upstairs and 2) see how cheaply I could make it and 3) see if i could make it in 24-48 hours, and 4) prep it to be donated to the local Jr. High class room when it is problem free.
So started with a TideLine 13.5 ATO (which seems very much like a Fluval) and a basic light Fluval and submerged heater. 3 plugs so far.
Picked a spot in the family/dining room
Cabinet will be great with a the drawer for food, and below for an eventual ATO (can’t find a small one i like)
also bought a pump assuming the stock return pump may be too low, but i settled with the stock based on output
Placed the tank, checked for sunlight scatter, and then brought it downstairs for a DI rinse (because I could) checked the pumps and brought it back upstairs
oh yeah, home made frag tank too
Oh, and also picked up a couple of fish, pair of CB neons and a CB file fish and tailspot that went into QT
Added sand that i had leftover on a self, added media in the second chamber from the 180, the heater to the return and the supplied sponge to the 1st.
Rock came from the trough that is curing for the the aforementioned final build
Then fashioned a magnetic floating rock and set it
All of the mushrooms, cloves, toadstools, zoas and paly were taken from other tanks, or the frag tank
So the tank was set up the day after Christmas, finished and corals added the 2nd day.
Folks over the New Years loved the set up and may have converted a few new reefers…
late last week added the fish after 14 days in Cu
So I have a grand total of cash out of pocket of 301 for the tank, light and heater. Artificial low total as the corals, sand, rock were on hand.
Fish were @ $110 total
also, found the Fluval light app to be just what i needed to be
whites and reds are tuned down for the first few months
Added algae barn pods yesterday.
Tank has a trochus a small pincushion and a small hermit, and is receiving all the asterinas from hte big tanks, as I have a harlequin shrimp on hold at Classic City
So far a little bit of brown algae but not much more
have done 2 10% WC’s and that is the only planned supplement program
all in all a fun build, plan to add more sort corals, maybe try a hammer, get it bomb proof and then move it to the school either later in the spring or when school starts up in fall
Thoughts? Comments?
And hope this build is functioning, as it is a prep for my “Last Tank” build
Thanks - and go Dawgs
I have other tanks that were intended to be builds but i tended to get up to my elbows in the project and never posted on it
Currently in my second run as an aspiring reefer as I had tanks in college and grad school in the mid to late 70’s.
Started again as a covid project (March ‘20) and have not looked back since. Partial retirement now helps too.
Here is the Cade 180 and the Cade Lagoon built in late ’20 and mid- ‘21 respectively - also a WB 15 G peninsula on the office desk
And a few fish pick from the 3 tanks - including my favorite vlamingi who grew like a weed and had to be put into storage at the LFS while we plot my last tank.
Working on my photo chops, hopefully new iPhone will help
So back to the build, idea was 1) to bring a small tank upstairs and 2) see how cheaply I could make it and 3) see if i could make it in 24-48 hours, and 4) prep it to be donated to the local Jr. High class room when it is problem free.
So started with a TideLine 13.5 ATO (which seems very much like a Fluval) and a basic light Fluval and submerged heater. 3 plugs so far.
Picked a spot in the family/dining room
Cabinet will be great with a the drawer for food, and below for an eventual ATO (can’t find a small one i like)
also bought a pump assuming the stock return pump may be too low, but i settled with the stock based on output
Placed the tank, checked for sunlight scatter, and then brought it downstairs for a DI rinse (because I could) checked the pumps and brought it back upstairs
oh yeah, home made frag tank too
Oh, and also picked up a couple of fish, pair of CB neons and a CB file fish and tailspot that went into QT
Added sand that i had leftover on a self, added media in the second chamber from the 180, the heater to the return and the supplied sponge to the 1st.
Rock came from the trough that is curing for the the aforementioned final build
Then fashioned a magnetic floating rock and set it
All of the mushrooms, cloves, toadstools, zoas and paly were taken from other tanks, or the frag tank
So the tank was set up the day after Christmas, finished and corals added the 2nd day.
Folks over the New Years loved the set up and may have converted a few new reefers…
late last week added the fish after 14 days in Cu
So I have a grand total of cash out of pocket of 301 for the tank, light and heater. Artificial low total as the corals, sand, rock were on hand.
Fish were @ $110 total
also, found the Fluval light app to be just what i needed to be
whites and reds are tuned down for the first few months
Added algae barn pods yesterday.
Tank has a trochus a small pincushion and a small hermit, and is receiving all the asterinas from hte big tanks, as I have a harlequin shrimp on hold at Classic City
So far a little bit of brown algae but not much more
have done 2 10% WC’s and that is the only planned supplement program
all in all a fun build, plan to add more sort corals, maybe try a hammer, get it bomb proof and then move it to the school either later in the spring or when school starts up in fall
Thoughts? Comments?
And hope this build is functioning, as it is a prep for my “Last Tank” build
Thanks - and go Dawgs
