YHSublime's Living Room Nano Peninsulla

YHSublime · Nov 29, 2017

Well, the story goes a little something like this.

Started with a custom Pico reef (12.5 gallons) and didn't like the rockwork:

I have a pretty sweet little Biocube 14 that I wanted to upgrade, and the above wasn't much of an upgrade!

So a local club member was selling his Mr. Aqua 22 Long, here's before he tore it down and sold it to me:

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
Well. The gauntlet has been dropped. Couple of things:

1. It didn't come with a stand.
2. It had a built in overflow, and that takes up real-estate! The tank's small enough already, lets not make it any tinier.

So I started addressing the stand. Local club member built a stand for me using some red oak I had previously been working with, a combo of resin, glow in the dark powder, and filling in the cracks. I wanted something that would keep the live edge of the wood, but also keep it sleek. I wanted a rim on the stand, because every good tank needs a ledge for a beer.

I'm getting ahead of myself, stand's getting built, so I need some dimensions. I know that I'm going to install an overflow, just not sure what I'm going with. I ended up going with Eshopps S external overflow, very pleased with results.

Empty Mr. Aqua 22 L. This is NOT the stand, but my media console. Tank would have worked great here, but didn't want it under my TV bc of soundbar, and lighting (more to come on that)

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
Look at all that wasted space!

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
Yaaaaas, this is better:

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
So this baller tank ends up being ready, sans doors, check out some of these deets:

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
underneath, the only real remaining trace of the resin/glow in the dark powder. Subtle, and nobody really would ever know its there except for me:

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
Brings me to here:

https://flic.kr/p/Y2TZfE
Some decisions being made pre and post. Sump will be a Trigger Systems Ruby 36. Plumbing will be red and white. Skimmer, Reef Octopus Int 110 (super pleased with this sump btw) also matches my color scheme. Lighting will be an ATI Sunpower, x1 coral plus x1 Fiji Purple X2 Blue Plus. Fuge is powered by a 15" XHO Reef Brite. Custom 5 gallon ATO container, Tunze ATO. Pump is a mag 5. Enough flow without anything else, but will add an MP-10 onto the back glass.

https://flic.kr/p/21sC2bY
Currently tank is cycling with LR in the sump, one piece in the DT from a friends fuge, about 20lbs of dead rock, 20lbs of Fiji Pink, and I have added after a month a giant hermit crab, and a conch snail.

The uglies starting:

https://flic.kr/p/H1s4Vz
Plan is to let it cycle until the New Year, and then move my biocube into this. Will be a mixed reef, but I appreciate zoanthids, so will be choosy. Also, maybe some nicer SPS, but will give some birdsnest a shot first before I start messing around in that game. Thanks for reading if you've made it this far!

SDReefer · Nov 29, 2017

Looks great! Can't wait to see how it matures!!!

Good luck!

nautical_nathaniel · Nov 29, 2017

Looks awesome! Love the way the tank looks on the stand, I like having a lip to put things like test kits, food jars, etc. when I'm fiddling with the tank.

Tahoe61 · Nov 29, 2017

Nicely done! The ATI will be perfect for that tank.

zachxlutz · Nov 29, 2017

Great looking tank! Will be following along for sure!

YHSublime · Nov 30, 2017

SDReefer said:
Looks great! Can't wait to see how it matures!!! Good luck!

That makes at least two of us, thanks!

nautical_nathaniel said:
Looks awesome! Love the way the tank looks on the stand, I like having a lip to put things like test kits, food jars, etc. when I'm fiddling with the tank.

I like a place for a beer

It's also right by the couch, so it doubles as an end table.

Tahoe61 said:
Nicely done! The ATI will be perfect for that tank.

I'm hoping! Slightly terrified that it'll be far to powerful for anything I'm doing. One day there will be a reefbrite on both edges.

zachxlutz said:
Great looking tank! Will be following along for sure!

Thank you, glad you have you along!

Bouncingsoul39 · Nov 30, 2017

I love those Mr. Aqua tanks. Great dims and they look very nice. Stand looks great too. My one suggestion would be to swap the Mag 5 for a better pump like a Tunze, Sicce or Eheim. Either would run quieter and don't add as much heat to the water, use less watts as well.

revhtree · Nov 30, 2017

I am loving it!

Clayton Jessup · Nov 30, 2017

I am really enjoying this Nano !

20LogR · Nov 30, 2017

Lawl... here we go, i'm sure it will be awesome

choss · Nov 30, 2017

I love the clean design. Stand is fantastic. Great scape. Following

Mrx7899 · Nov 30, 2017

I like it

Barrett · Nov 30, 2017

I am loving this, definitely following along to see this one mature.

YHSublime · Dec 1, 2017

Bouncingsoul39 said:
I love those Mr. Aqua tanks. Great dims and they look very nice. Stand looks great too. My one suggestion would be to swap the Mag 5 for a better pump like a Tunze, Sicce or Eheim. Either would run quieter and don't add as much heat to the water, use less watts as well.

I agree, the size and dims are perfect. The mag 5 was just laying about, which is why I ended up using it. I didn't put a valve on the return, so it's super powerful, especially for it's size.

revhtree said:
I am loving it!

Thanks for tuning in!

Clayton Jessup said:
I am really enjoying this Nano !

Thanks!

20LogR said:
Lawl... here we go, i'm sure it will be awesome

Welcome aboard, sir. Don't you mean, here we go again? I always strive for excellence!

choss said:
I love the clean design. Stand is fantastic. Great scape. Following

Thanks! Setting up is one of my favorite parts of a reef tank.

Mrx7899 said:
I like it

Thank you.

Barrett said:
I am loving this, definitely following along to see this one mature.

Thank you, I have a bunch of goodies that I plan go grow out. I moved a frag of rastas over, and they love them some ATI lighting.

neverdie · Dec 1, 2017

This build is great love the look. Beer ledge is critical, I gotta figure out how to work that into my stand, might have to just go with a cup holder. Following

choss · Dec 1, 2017

Can you post a few pics of the sump & equipment? Are you planing on putting doors on the cabinet? Also, how noisy or silent is the overflow?

YHSublime · Dec 1, 2017

neverdie said:
This build is great love the look. Beer ledge is critical, I gotta figure out how to work that into my stand, might have to just go with a cup holder. Following

It's right across from the tap lines, always ready to serve!
On tonights menu: A Chocolate Hazelnut Imperial Stout called Chinchilla from Commonwealth Brewing in VA Beach.

choss said:
Can you post a few pics of the sump & equipment? Are you planing on putting doors on the cabinet? Also, how noisy or silent is the overflow?

Sure, although it's not that interesting, and a little cramped. The overflow is silent, it's the plumbing that will determine the noise. This was loud, until I plumbed the drains just 1" into the water. I also plumbed this backwards. I should have dropped the drain's down to right below, and then put the return at the front end of the stand, but I was thinking less resistance for the return would be best. Not that that should matter, at 3' and an only 22 gallon tank!

Dsnakes · Dec 1, 2017

So clean. I looked at one of those tanks on black friday with the idea of peninsula. Looks great!

YHSublime · Dec 1, 2017

Dsnakes said:
So clean. I looked at one of those tanks on black friday with the idea of peninsula. Looks great!

One tank at a time is enough. I'm anxious to get the biocube contents into here, but I'm not going to rush it. This concept has been in my head for a while, nice to see it coming to fruition. Thanks for checking it out!