OHReef's 20 Gallon Long DIY AIO - Build Thread

[OHReef]

Let's get into the AIO DIY build

Here is a link if you have not seen the Build Thread for the DIY stand - OHReef's DIY 20 Gallon Long Stand - Build Thread

Current Equipment:

• Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0 - 251GPH
• Eheim 75W heater
• 2 - Current USA eFlux Wave Pumps 660GPH (only running 1 currently, as 2 seems to be too much flow)
• IceCap K1 Nano Skimmer
• DIY filter media caddy
  • Filter Floss
  • Matrix
  • Chemi Pure Blue (not running as cycle is still underway as of 12/11/21)

I chose to go with 1/8" black acrylic for the AIO filtration. I purchased a 1/2" bulkhead, 1/2" NPT connector, 6 segments, and 2 different outlet nozzles; a straight flow and flare nozzle.

Now this is where it gets fun... While finishing up the silicone of the acrylic to the tank, I noticed something on the corner of the aquarium. A nice big chip... Not sure if it was from the factory or myself, but either way this tank was now unusable. I had to buy another 20 long, another batch of acrylic and start all over again. This was heartbreaking.

After some thought, I decided to change my design a bit. I added 1-1/2" to the chamber to allow for a larger skimmer. I was planning on a reef glass skimmer, but couldn't keep my eyes off of the Ice Cap K1 Nano Skimmer. So what you are seeing below is my second go around on the DIY AIO.

I started by cutting the acrylic to size. I subtracted 1/2" to 5/8" from the sizes and bottom to allow the acrylic to expand. You CAN attach acrylic to glass, but the bond between the 2 is only held together by silicone. Also, acrylic expands much more than glass will, so you need to allow movement for the acrylic or it could potentially cause the glass to crack under pressure.

You will see 2 routed lines in the acrylic. This is a dado insert where the baffles will be. This ensures the acrylic baffles sit parallel to one another and are at a perfect 90 degree angle. I also used an acrylic bit to cut the opening for the bulkhead, and cutout the intake.

I used IPS - WeldOn 16 to bond the acrylic baffles to the acrylic wall and let it sit for 2 days.

I then siliconed the piece to the aquarium allowing a 1/4" to 3/8" gap between the glass and acrylic. My silicone skills are anything but perfect, but they hold water, so I'm happy.

I also built a custom caddy for the filtration. It has 3 levels: 1 for filter floss, 1 for Seachem Matrix and 1 for chemi-pure blue.

While taking everything apart during testing, I dropped the bulkhead due to wet hands. It skipped across the basement floor and right down into the grey water drain. I stood there in disbelief. It was 10 FT away... That drain is DEEP and small and after 30 minutes of trying everything to get it out I gave up. So, I ordered another one and waited... In the meantime, I painted the back of the tank with flat black paint.

The pump I am using is a Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0 (rated at 251 GPH).

I then put the tank on the stand and let out the biggest sigh of relief. It felt so good for everything to be finished. Here is the finished product!!

I was very pleased with how it turned out. I then moved on to dry rock aquascaping. I cut a piece of cardboard to the size on the inside of the tank to make my design more precise.

I ended up settling with #4. It was not too heavy on the rock, and created 2 nice structures with room for my future clowns to swim. Also offers a decent amount of real-estate for coral placement at different heights. The rock at its highest is 6-1/2" with sand leaving another 5-1/2" to the water height.

Here is the filtration compartment. I turned to Skimmer on at Day 5. Just running for a few hours a day to find the best placement and to break it in.

Day 1 - Using Bahama Oolite Live Sand. Not a huge fan of it... My Current USA eFlux Wave Pump has a great time making hills and valleys in the substrate. I'm still playing with where it will be best placed.

Day 2 - starting to clear up a bit. Using a crappy light that I've had for years so I can take photos. I turn it off a majority of the day, but am still super tempted to leave it on so I can dream about what the tank will look like in a few months... UGHHH!!!

I am either going to go with a Kessil A160WE, RedSea 50 or Current USA R24. I still can't decide.

I am using MicroBacter7 for the bacterial colony, and Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride to get the cycle going. The Ammonia has been sitting around 2.0ppm to 4.0ppm. I think API's test kits are hard to read, or maybe I'm just a dummy.

Day 6 - Ammonia still sitting between 2.0ppm & 4.0ppm. Thinking of doing a water change to get it down closer to 2.0ppm as I think it's a little closer to 4.0ppm.

I have an XP Aqua Duetta ATO on order that should arrive today (12/11/21).

I will be updating this thread as the cycle goes on. I am testing ammonia and adding MicroBacter7 daily. Please share any thoughts you might have.

 

[Jedi1199]

Looks good.. Keep us posted

 

[OHReef]

Looks good.. Keep us posted

Thank you! I definitely will.

Just need to get through the cycling and ugly phase. Fingers crossed!

 

[OHReef]

Update 1 (39 days)

Tank has finally cycled. Took about 4 weeks with MicroBacter 7. waited another week to test how quickly I could get the ammonia to drop. I was able to get the Ammonia from 2.00 ppm to 0 in less than 12 hours.

Quick Update for those with limited time:

• New light with controller added
• screen cover added
• ATO added
• Rock Aquascape adjustments
• First fish added

I added my first fish on Tuesday (1/11/22), a Bicolor Blenny. He is doing well. He won't eat the pellets my LFS was feeding, but will eat some flake food. I will be trying some frozen spirulina brine shrimp later today.

New equipment since last post:

• Kessil A160WE with Gooseneck (added 1/1/22)
• Spectral X Controller
• RedSea DIY Net Cover
• XP Aqua Duetta ATO

The Kessil light is wonderful. But I am working on ways to reduce the shimmer as mine tends to look a little aggressive compared to most. The light is running 12hrs a day and is mounted 7" above the water. I have it set to turn on at 10am then ramping up to 35% color with 50% intensity from 1pm to 7pm then ramping down to 0%/0% at 10pm. I will slowly turn the intensity up to 70% over the coming weeks.

I have not gotten an algae outbreak (yet). I had some diatoms form on the sand bed for a week, but they dissipated and have not come back. The lack of algae could be due to dosing MicroBacter 7 weekly, but I'm not completely sure. I was almost certain the Kessil would cause an algae bloom, but I guess not.

I redid some of the rock aquascape to create some more shaded spots. The 2 structures now are connected by a 'bridge' that is shown below.

I will be adding a small soft or LPS frag and a few small pieces of LR to get the coralline growth started.

 

[OHReef]

Update 2 (102 days)

A lot has happened since my last update.

I ran into a diatom bloom as expected. But, I couldn't get the diatoms to fade. It was only after getting a Hanna Checker for Phosphate and Nitrate that I knew the root cause; I had undetectable nitrates and phosphates. I started dosing NeoPhos and overfeeding the tank. Yet, day after day I was recording double 0's.

After some research, I found that the ChemiPure Blue I was using contains a product that mimics GFO. I removed the ChemiPure, and purchased the BRS Rox 0.8 carbon. I also opened up a window in hopes of raising the pH. I was able to get the pH from a 7.8 to an 8.2 by opening a window. After these efforts I saw the diatoms immediately start to recede, and were completely gone in 2 days!! Nitrates were reading around 1.5 - 2, but phosphates were still undetectable. I will continue to dose until I can get a stead 0.04 reading.

I purchased 2 snowflake clownfish end of January. but, after 3 weeks I unfortunately lost one while I was away for a weekend. The larger (and more stunning) clown had found his way into the filter intake where I found her on a piece of filter floss. I ended up getting another clown, but this time went with a Frostbite Absolute Zero Clown. I also was able to get an adult Yellow Watchman Goby for a steal at the same store, Great Lakes Fish and Coral.

I attended the LEAR Frag Swap and purchased more coral than I could fit in my cooler. Here is a list of what I got:

• Rock Flower Anemone
• Purple Tip Hammer with 3 heads
• Scrambled Eggs Zoa
• Rasta Zoas ($25 for a covered frag plug with more than 30 heads!!)
• Corona Zoas
• Gorilla Nipple Zoas
• green ricordia mushroom

Here's my zoa garden:

Hoping to add some more hammers, maybe a gold, to add more color:

I stopped going to local saltwater stores as the price for corals was ridiculous. I went to Facebook and contacted some local guys with large frag systems. I was able to pick up a few nice pieces and got some thrown in for free! Here is what I got from a local reefer that goes by Homegrown Reefer:

• Purple Tip Frogspawn
• Neon Green Candycanes/trumpets
• Forest Fire Digi
• WWC Slimeball
• Gobstopper Zoas
• Green Mouth Favia
• Superman Discosoma
• Hollywood Stunner Chalice (2 pieces)

I have lost 2 corals... A Bizarro Cyphastrea & Green Montipora Cap. I put them in too early while the tank was finding its balance. However, my Duncan, which was the first coral added, has been doing very well. I started with 1 head and a half formed head, and in 3 months I have 2 full heads and 3 heads about half developed!

Check out the growth on my WWC Slimeball. This is only 20 days of growth!

Right now I am working on getting steady and higher nutrient levels in the tank. Phosphate and Nitrate are my current focus. Here are the water parameters from my test on Monday:
Ph - 8.3
Alk - 7.8 dKH (working on getting this up to 8 - 8.5 by mixing red sea blue bucket with black bucket)
Calcium - 410ppm
Magnesium - 1500 ppm
Salinity - 1.0255 ppt
Nitrate - 2 ppm
Phosphate - 0.00 ppm

I'll try to update more often, i've been slacking...

 

[OHReef]

The tank has now been setup for a year and 3 months. It has gone through the usual BS... Bacterial bloom, high nutrients, low nutrients, aiptasia (ongoing unfortunately) & of course, my favorite, hair algae. The algae is by far the most frustrating. It is not spreading as much over the last few months due to increased skimming and less feeding. However, the battle is far from over.

I am already in the process of upgrading. I have a 50 gallon planet aquariums rimless in my basement, as well as custom sump baffles for the 20 gallon that will be beneath it. The stand I built myself & now just needs a few more coats of water resistant finish once the weather warms up. I hope to be better with updates for that build thread whenever I get to it.

Livestock includes:
- 2 (unnecessarily angry) ocellaris clownfish (Snowflake & Frostbite Absolute Zero)
- A no longer yellow watchman goby
- Red Scooter Dragonet
- Skunk Cleaner
- 4 various snails

Here are some photos of the tank I took this week: