Hi again,

Got back from Holidays last week and made it in to Gold's today to pick up my Live Rock and a few other goodies (great people at the store there, first time I'd really spent any time there!), got the tank set up tonight and it looks good so far! I'll try to post some pic's tommorow!

looking fwd to seeing some pics

Hey S;ick,

Here is what I did with my 10, built on a budget.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

Ok, as promised here are some shots.

A couple of notes, it's still dusty in there because I just finished rearranging the rocks again. I know the glass is dirty and apologize in advance, I'm a terrible digital photographer still so bear with me!

What you're looking at is my ten gallon, with about 16lbs of live rock, an aquaclear mini filter, an eheim 1140 (300gph) powerhead, heater, and DIY light set. Constructive criticism is appreciated so let me know what you think!

So here are the lights:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...uff/lights.jpg
Turned On
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...f/lightson.jpg
It's so bright the camera has trouble until I zoom in:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...f/alllitup.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../wholetank.jpg
Just the actinic
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...niccloseup.jpg

So, what do you guys think? Any suggestions? A big thanks again to the guy at Gold's that helped me out yesterday, didn't catch his name but I sure appreciated all the help and advice!

Go
 

I think that tank will look pretty cool once the substrate settles. Invest in a $10 digital thermometer. They're worth it.
________
Blonde Masturbating

I would stack up some of the smaller pieces of live rock, try to make an arch, and open up some sand space in the front.

Personally I like the rock work as it is now.

Just out of curiousity... How come you went with 1 - 24" bulb and 1 - 18" ?

The reason behind the different bulbs is easy, it's what I had handy! The 24" was from my 33 planted tanks original hood and the 18" was dissected out of a $12 home-hardware fixture I had lying around!

Now that all the dust has settled, and I can see just how bright it is I am really quite pleased. I get a "shimmer" from this canopy that is very similar to the effect I've seen from Halide lighting. Not quite as nice, but awful damn close for a $30 hood!

The jury is still out on the rock work, I like having the big piece in the middle and I'm pretty sure that I want that piece at the bottom left to stay in the front, I think I'll try something else though with the stuff on the right!

My next project with this tank will be to set up a backpack style sump. I can grab a plasticy garbage can thing with about a 5 gallon capacity that will fit perfectly (and out of sight) behind the tank, I'm going to set it up so a pump brings water out of the tank and into the can, which will then overflow out of the can and back into the display tank.

2 questions as far as my DIY reservoir/sump go, should I bother filling it with anything other than water and possibly some live rock? It will be a fairly verticle (8Wx10Lx12H) fixture without any light other than ambient light from the room (as planned now, but that may change). My main concern is to add water capacity on the cheap (don't have to decorate it!) to mitigate any mistakes my SW inexperience are bound to create!

This thread has been a great help, keep the advice and replies going!

Sounds like a perfect place for cheato. Slap a clamp on light with a PC bulb and you are off and running.

But don’t run too far, we might need you later.

Definately make it an add-on macro algae refugium instead of just additional water capactiy