Up and Bangin' ReeferRob's 60 Cube

[ReeferRob]

I am super excited that after 16+ months with no tank in the house, my recent 60 cube is up and banging! Happy Birthday to me and my tank.
August 27, 2009

Tank is a 25x25x25 cube technically a 65 cube, I think. By Great Lakes Aquarium Warehouse!
Drilled with durso and return hidden behind build in Overflow.
Return Pump: QO4000
Skimmer: Euro Reef 55
ATO: Sunami twitch with QO40?
Refugium is about 19 gallons with attached fresh top off
Lights: Aquatinic TX5HO
Bulbs:5 x 24W ATI Blue Plus T5HO
2 x 24W 12000K ATI Aquablue Special T5HO
1 x 24W 6500K GE Starcoat Daylight T5 HO 24inch
1 x 24W UVL Super Actinic 420nm
Flow Vortech mp20 with battery backup
Soon to arrive RKLite-MLC with 3 pods, and SL2 once it ships
40 Pounds of Primium Marco Fiji Rock
20 Pounds local live Pompeii live Rock
60 Pounds Carribean Sea Live Sand
20 Pounds Carribean Sugar grain sand for fuge

Near future plans once its up and cycled: BRS 2/3 part dosing, with addition for GFO and Carbon reactor with MaxiJet 1200.

Well thats it so far. I am super stoked to finally have another tank in my house. It feels amazing to finally do a tank the right way from the beginning! My 55 was stunning and I miss it very much. Turning it into the 120 garbage pick/handme down was a mistake.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/f52/my-120-a-7531.html
Loved and lost my 20 something Ric Garden
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/f52/reeferrobs-new-24-gallon-ric-tank-10294.html
Building a tank piece by random piece stinks.
This time around Ive taken my time, researched and purchased slowly. The tank has been in my house just under a week. Ive played with multiple fug positions and wiring placement. I am really happy thus far with everything. Although not completed yet as the RKL is still to come with two total modules to mount as well and my Ice Cap battery back up for the Vortech.
Also need to drill and mount the LED pods into the light.
So ya here are a few pics of road Ive gone, including an idea I had a long time ago with my 120 that now is pretty standard but still amazing in my eyes for growth of "critters" in the fuge area!


A few toys!

Egg Crate Table for Skimmer

And In!

Finally me and the dude add sand and level!

Time to get wet

My favorite way to mix salt, a plastic paint auger or mixer

First twenty gallons in! Checking level non stop

And fourty

And FULL!

Fug area, much cleaner now will update on this one

 

[ahayes13]

congrats on the new tank! its looking good

 

[Reef Pets]

Looks like its on its way!!

 

[ReeferRob]

Lights

Actinic

Full

Clearly very cloudy still.
Bumbed that "now includeds light mounting bracket" really means you get two tiny aluminum plates just to stop the light from falling in the tank.
So now I have to decide on hanging it from the ceiling or buying the 25 dollar bracket to raise it up a bit. Cleaning the class lide might help as well!

Hopefully it will be nice and clear for me after work tomorrow and I can aquascape!!! My favorite part!

 

[Russellaqua]

Looking good. Any ideas as to what you're gonna do with stocking?

 

[oceanparadise1]

Wow bro! Looks great! i love the cubes but i hate watching builds bc it makes me want to add another tank and the wifey and my wallet both disagree lol

 

[ReeferRob]

Wow bro! Looks great! i love the cubes but i hate watching builds bc it makes me want to add another tank and the wifey and my wallet both disagree lol

Ha, its alway easier to get forgiveness than to get permission my brother!

 

[revhtree]

Awesome! Welcome back!

 

[Sikryd]

That looks sweet.
I like that you made it a family thing!

Just an FYI - those corallife timers are known to catch fire if I am not mistaken.
I just took out my DJ panel from underneath the tank due to salt keep and possible shorting out. It doesn't take much salt to make a nice electrical short.
Just thought I would throw that out there.

Great build - I can't wait to see how it comes along.

 

[ReeferRob]

Coolest Gadget on the Tank Update

So you've seen the two kids, one who is old enough to trust but the baby.....well you can see how she completely emptied the spice cabinet while we worked on the tanks so for all you parents out there pay attention!!

Amazon Tot Lock
Completely hidden no eye sores of a handle or lock barrel. Super strong can't be opened any way. Five seconds of work with one eye closed!
Rub special magnet and click your in. I ordered an extra magnet/key just incase this one gets lost. Supposedly no ordinary magnet can open it.

Only $24 bucks for 4 locks! An extra key $9, yikes.
Safety and reliabilty.........priceless!

 

[ReeferRob]

That looks sweet.
I like that you made it a family thing!

Just an FYI - those corallife timers are known to catch fire if I am not mistaken.
I just took out my DJ panel from underneath the tank due to salt keep and possible shorting out. It doesn't take much salt to make a nice electrical short.
Just thought I would throw that out there.

Great build - I can't wait to see how it comes along.

Ya, thanks. The timer is temporary till the RKL comes then its bye bye.
I like the DJ quite a bit, had it on two other tanks with no issues. I try pretty hard to keep the salt kreep to a minimum. But it will eventually go as the RK series grows!
Thanks for looking out though!

 

[suttumlikapimp]

Lookin good im getting ready to start a similiar build

 

[divecj5]

Looks like you are off to a great start!!! Looks like you have some nice helpers and young reefers in the making

That is the only thing that really bummed me out when I got the TX5. You would think for the price, they could toss in the mounting "brackets," which are more like some basic piece of metal that raises it up off the lip of the tank. I had my fixture for close to a year before getting the brackets and it did fine just sitting on the rim.

Looking forward to seeing this come along.

-Adam

 

[inactive]

Man that tank is going to be a beast.

 

[Azurel]

That is the same one I got from them....You will love it....There is just something about cubes.....

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

So you've seen the two kids, one who is old enough to trust but the baby.....well you can see how she completely emptied the spice cabinet while we worked on the tanks so for all you parents out there pay attention!!

Amazon Tot Lock
Completely hidden no eye sores of a handle or lock barrel. Super strong can't be opened any way. Five seconds of work with one eye closed!
Rub special magnet and click your in. I ordered an extra magnet/key just incase this one gets lost. Supposedly no ordinary magnet can open it.

Only $24 bucks for 4 locks! An extra key $9, yikes.
Safety and reliabilty.........priceless!

Thanks for sharing that. I'm going to order one now. I have a few things that could use this little gadget,

 

[ReeferRob]

Looking good. Any ideas as to what you're gonna do with stocking?

Thanks!
As for fish list....Im still throwing around a few ideas.
1) A school of Purple Firefish
2)Four or more percula clowns
3)A mix that may or may not include
-fire fish
-clowns
-jawfish(my fiances favorite from my 55 very entertaining)
-niger trigger
-chevron tang
-powder blue tang
-wrasse atleast three of some type
-and probably a few yellow and watermelon gobies!

 

[ReeferRob]

UPDATE...kinda!

Well the tank is crystal clear and begging me to add the 40 pounds of Marco Premium Fiji, but after 11 hours at work I am dead. Going to have to wait till tomorrow or Sunday.

Also received my MLC module with three blue pods, but not RKLite??


Goals for Tuesday night update!
Receive and mount all Reef Keeper Controls and monitors
Aqua Scape tank
Finish tweeking ATO
Add two Cromis to help cycle the tank

Lastly a question to the crowd, if you want to call it that:tongue:
Should I hang my lights from the ceiling with stainless cable, or just get the four inch riser legs? I think they are both about $25 bucks.

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

I prefer to hang the lighting, especially if the cables are adjustable. It just makes it easier when you need to work in the tank.

 

[ReeferRob]

UpDate

Okay, I snuck out of work early tonight and scored myself a little nap. Fresh and recharged to tackle the aquascaping task!
Aquascaping is incredibly important to me. I think that first before anything a unique and creative aquascape can be one of the most important factors in achieving a realistic reef environment.
I actually have something very cool planned up my sleeve that I don't think I have ever seen attempted before. But we'll all have to be a bit patient on this trial, stay posted!!!!!! Its going to be super cool and different!
I am very happy for my first attempt at rock placement, normally things dont go this smooth for me. Maybe because I am so picky.
Let me know what you think......through the clouds!

Also got the Vortech mp20 up and rocking. It went up with out a hitch easy as pie. I love how quiet this tank is compared to past tanks Ive had. I was actually expecting a more powerful flow from it. But I am sure it will be a different story once I have corals in there.
Now to mount the battery back up. dang thing is a pig, I thinks its like 17 pounds or something. Can't mount it on the door like I had planned......we'll see.
Also got the ATO tweeked as planned. Kinda bumbed about it to be honest the water level has to drop about an inch before it triggers. The reason I don't like this is because then the water actually falls down into the refugium section and disturbes the sand a lot. I have attempted to combat this with a pile of live rock just this side of the baffel to help disrupt the flow!

Went to order a suspension cable kit for the light but can't find one?? Everything is for larger tanks and not the 24 inch fixture. Not quite sure why it would matter I thought they would just have individual cable?

Question, where is the end all be all resource for wrasse types and
compatabilitys?

Also looking for a custom stain glass or glass blower, please send contact info?
Thanks