Turning a 14g cube into an aio

[ls1fst98]

I love doing diy stuff. Having a laser at work allows me to make some cool custom sump parts as well as my own aio chamber for this tank. So I set out to make a cool bedside nano reef.

Used autocad to draw up the rough ide and then space chambers to fit the key pieces of equipment I wanted to keep. The first chamber houses a standard 4" filter sock opening that is holding the red sea nanomat filter roller.

The second chamber i made to house rubble rock and fit the bubble magus nano skimmer. The skimmer will sit almost completely hidden in the chamber.

Final chamber is for the dc return pump, which will have a Y in it with a flow valve to feed my external diy chaeto reactor.

Still a work in progress, but now debating whether or not I drill the final chamber for my ice probe chiller. Then its add water and start the cycle.

 

[ls1fst98]

Ice probe installed, waiting on rubber washer for the inside, rock scape finalized.

 

[ls1fst98]

Well, shes wet....maybe put too much sand...we will see. Time to tidy up the cords and lines.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[ls1fst98]

Made my own light mounts for the 12" blades to fit the rim of the tank. Bolt was a little looser than I wanted, so printed a tpu spacer/tension washer to take out the slop. Nice n snug and allows me to tilt the light (will have a total of 2 blades, one grow, one glow)

Also got the new jecod dmp-10. I have the 40 version on my 75 and its been great. I didn't want wires inside the dt being such a small tank size. So this works great.

 

[ls1fst98]

Also debating using these. Never used the bio blocks before. Says no heavy metals as I've heard some leach.

 

[ls1fst98]

3d printed some random flow generators in a nice bright green petg I've had sitting around for like 3 years haha.

Skimmer is running

And of course....the full tank shots. (Need to get the orange filter for the phone)

 

[ls1fst98]

Decided against adding a fish or two to the tank for now. goin to test this week and do my first water change. patience......the thing i have little of.

 

[ls1fst98]

Well...added some fish. 2 clowns and a tiger goby

 

[ls1fst98]

So took my water to test at the lfs, dkh is at 15....all ive done is 2.5 gallon weekly we, no additive. Typically I fight dropping alk, but what could be causing it to be so high. Ph is 8.3-8.4 steady. Mag and calcium are low

 

[Patx]

15dkh ? what the heck!?
Nah...
What salt are you using ?
How many gram of salt by gallons are you mixing ?

Could be Refractometer calibration problem or
Lfs test out of wack...

Idk but something strange here...

Just brainstorming possibility...

 

[ls1fst98]

The last just tested their syste as I was there. Its a good friend who works for sea world as well. Tested twice with a salifert test kit. The salt came from a different lfs. I havent gotten my rodi unit back up and running to make my own yet. Mag was 900 calc was below 300. Nothing in there but 2 clowns at. The moment

 

[Patx]

In tank: alk 15dkh, mag 900ppm and Ca 300.

You buy already mix saltwater ?
Did you test that water ?

Get that ro/di running
i bet it gona be ok after...

 

[ls1fst98]

Well....this has never happened to me in all my reefing...woke up at 4am to my pump surging air...thought theres no way. My ato was almost empty...but not that empty....go to investigate....wet feet. So now I'm frantically getting a bucket, moving fish and rocks. Draining the tank. What would you do? Repair the small break in the seal...or replace the tank.

 

[ls1fst98]

upon further inspection....I dont trust the tank even if I reseal it. I travel for work and the idea of this looming makes me not want to use this tank anymore. I swapped it all to a 20l that was drilled, and a 10gal diy sump I made a long time ago. Was a very busy day yesterday.