Josh's 60G True Cube
 

Alright I am goning to jump the gun here and start a tank build thread before I have the tank.

The tank I am buying off of a fellow Canreefer (therealshark) is a 24x24x24 sumpless marineland cube equaling a 59.899 gallons (let's call it 60G from now on). The tank happens to come with a aqua euro skimmer capable of 100G tanks. A 250Watt MH with a 14K bulb. and some other goodies.

The idea here is to run with the tank the skimmer and phase everything else out with new stuff. Heres the list:

Light AI SOL White with hanging bracket and AI controller
Fans 1 MP20 ES with wireless controller
Extra Filter Simple hang on back for carbon and detrius catch.
Sensors Temp, PH

Pretty basic setup.

I know some of you may comment on the lack of fans, so I will answer those questions before they are brought up. This tank is going to be a LPS/Zoa/Paly/Softy tank only. I only require one spot to be high flow with the flow gradually getting weaker the further from the fan you get. Allowing me a vast selection of flow strengths to choose from. And there will be approx. 500 GPH flow at the top caused from the skimmer and the over the top filter.

I want to go with a coarse substrate. Crushed coral or the current substrate I have in my 30G. I like having a heavy substrate because it doesn't get blown around easily and the way I set it down is usually the way it stays.

Aquascape is gonna be exploratory for me, I have an idea what I want but like everyone else it will be decided once it's laid out. One thing for certain is that I want to take advantage of the height of the tank.

Anyways till I get some pictures for you folks I will leave it at that!

Sounds like its time to break out the zap straps and epoxy putty and build your rock work tall . Or find some nice sps to top it off and let it do the fill in work.

I will definitly use the zip tye approach. its got to build up to a 17" height after all.

Picture: Compare old vs new, go ahead and guess which is which

No time for story yet though!


http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG231.jpg

and yes i know the light is off center in this picture, fixed that already lol

I would just modify the SOL White for a SOL Super Blue. Much better coloration for corals.

yeah? the sol blue is the fixture that comes with one white, one blue and one royal blue per puck?

Yup, I can show you the difference some day if you want to call by.

would love it man, ill txt you my days off and you can let me know from there when.

Alright time for the story.

Bought the tank from Mike(therealshark) yesterday. He threw in a sunlight supply lumen max elite pendant with a new in package aquaconnest 14k bulb and a sunlight supply blue wave dual 250w ballast(dont worry Martin, I still intend on buying a AI Sol from you and putting greg to work on the mounting bracket!) and a couple of other goodies.

The tank is in great shape and so is the stand! Very happy with this purchase from him and willing to vouch for anything he sells.

I also purchased a MP40WES from him which works perfectly. I have it set at Lagoon mode with a max output of 65% total power. Seems to keep the substrate in place at this setting.

Bought some used sand substrate from Greg(grizz) yesterday and when I told him of the MP40 going into the tank, his eyes almost popped out of his head. Said something about insane flow....Ok I will go with that lol.

I got the substrate in and the water mixed last night.

I started the cycle today by taking the over the top filter from my current 30 gallon which is loaded with rubble, carbon and coarse sponge filter and lots of detrius and good levels of healthy bacteria and tossed it onto the 60 gallon. I felt that it would be a very good way to seed the new tank and help cycle it.

Now, I have no LR in it yet but my intention is to slowly start transfering everything from the old tank to the new tank. Also I am on the look out for some nice large and flat pieces of LR to help build the aqua scape up wards.

Now I need opinions. How do all feel about taking water from another tank which is fully cycled and very mature with low nutrients and putting it in new systems? Reason I am asking is because while I am waiting to put everything into the new tank, I want to take the waste water of the water changes on the old tank and dump it into the new tank as a booster for the cycle. I dont believe I have anything bad in the old tank, no bacteria algea, no disease and stuff like that. But still, want you opinions on it.

Also I need you skimmer whores out there to give me advice on a good, trouble free hang on skimmer or an external skimmer that can sit in the stand and is able to pump the water up a 4' head height back into the tank with out any problem.....ADVICE! Or something like that.

glad you are happy with the purchase. also happy to see it coming together so quickly. i think a SOL blue will fit this tank perfectly.

Yeah the SOL blue should be awesome.

Parameter check

Ammonia: 0.5-0.75 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Ph: 8.1

I just stopped there, cycle has started and thats what i wanted to see:biggrin:

Have you thought about your stocking list yet? I'm curious because I am also going to be setting up a 60 gallon "cubish" tank soon (I'm just in the process of gathering up the last little bits of equipment and such) and I'd like to see what yours is going to be.

I knew I was forgeting something! Hmm, definitly a tang of some kind....and other shiny fish that do not stir up the substrate or play interior decorator with the rocks and coral....but I want shiny fish!

Will there be enough swimming room for a tang (I'm not getting on your case or anything, I just dismissed them for my tank because I didnt think there'd be enough room, my tank is not set up yet, but I've pretty much got the livestock for it already :redface:). What kind of tang would you get?

Well without doing any research, I would say the yellow tang. But once i start doing research that may change if i find that I can fit a different tang in there.

So I got everything transfered and in good time to. Apparently the old tank had a minor leak in the bottom silicone seal lol....

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrates: 5
Ph: 8.1

Martin should be over in the next week with a AI Sol Super Blue to test drive it and check the coverage and to see if I need to re-visit the lighting or not. If the light does not cover good enough then I will be looking at a DIY on a 12"x12" heatsink with around 24 - 30 LED's. Martin gave me the idea if it comes to that. And on that note, if any one is looking for a DIY led source then I sudgest talking to Martin. He has the simplest designs ever that reduce the need for sauders.

I still need opinions from everyone on a good skimmer that either hangs on the back or can sit under the stand but can pump the water up a 4' head height with minimal problems.

I will be getting more Live Rock to build up the aquascape and much more shiny coral.

Front

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG240.jpg

Sides

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG241.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG239.jpg

Front From distance

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG243.jpg

Sides from distance

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG242.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG244.jpg

Inside tank Taken at an angle downwards

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG245.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG246.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG247.jpg


Night Lights that im testing out...pretty bright and awesome

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG238.jpg

neat, good to see some progress, are you adding matured water from you existing tank into the new one??

Yep I added enough matured water to make a difference in the new tank. Also took the over the top filter from the old tank and put it on. It has carbon, rubble and a coarse sponge filter in it with lots of healthy bacteria.

Hey you have that cube of yours right? The one that Martin is supplying the light for and greg is building?

Meanwhile at the races!

First and second place snails are near the finish line! They just have to get up the water fall and then they get their prize!

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG248.jpg

yup thats the one :)

Nice. Yeah i was at Martins place last night looking at lighting options and he showed me your Kit list. If the AI Sol Super Blue doesnt have the coverage then I will be following in your foot steps with the kit...maybe over kill it abit though lol

I am getting great coverage, and my light is only at 35% power, I am
keepings softies, lps, and sps now so the light is definitely working ;)
as for the kit I would personally try a different controller, one that would allow you to eventually control other things as well, but if its just the AI sol, then go with the sols controller other wise you'd just be burning money (IMO)..
Greg has mad a nice change to the mounting brackets to now allowing them to swivel, mine was the original prototype, and that wasnt considered at the time it was made, so its definitely a nice bonus to have the swivel for more control over light distribution.
if your tank is a 24" cube, this light would be perfect as thats the SOLs coverage, (24") another nice thing is the height adjustment, I havent used it a lot, except to play around in the tank, but its nice to have a hanging fixture with out putting holes in the ceiling

Yeah i hear yeah there on the controllers. But if your SOL does the trick in your tank then should be hopeful in mine then.

I think you'll be fine personally, if anything, ask martin if he can get you one with wider angle lenses on the leds? that might help if your concerned about spread

Alright folks, first one week update.

Tank is doing awesome! Diatoms are starting to do their thing and show up and feed my two crab army. I got a blue/pink spot shrimp goby and a coral beauty today from another hobbiest that is not on canreef.

This other hobbiest is Michela and she has an ad on Kijiji for her whole set up to be sold because her and the boyfriend are moving outta town. Check it out- http://reddeer.kijiji.ca/c-pets-othe...AdIdZ362939042 Complete setup with one clown, two lawnmower blennies, one pajama cardinal and a couple of dwarf crabs. Lots of LR covered in coraline algea and red mushrooms and only saw one aptasia in the whole tank. If you want to hit her up for something on the tank or a part of the tank mention that Josh sent you, the guy that bought the coral beauty and goby.

Anyways, back on track here. Tank is awesome. Me like tank. Here is pictures.

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG262.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG261.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG260.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG259.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG255.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG257.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG258.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG254.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG253.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/u...986/IMG251.jpg

Lookin' good. That big shelf is a nice addition

Yeah and i hope to find much more like it to! I can give all the credit of that rock to Terry(themarineapprentice aka free **** guy aka UIG(useless information guy)) He pretty much gave it to me

So Martin with Modular LED came over today with an AI SOL Super Blue for me to test out on my tank. I am very impressed with this fixture for color and for the mezmerizing shimmer effect. But.....One just cannot compete with a 250W MH fixture. So the decision has been made to work with Martin on building the perfect DIY LED fixture for my tank that competes with the MH fixture and gives me the control I want and at a low power consumption.

Stay tuned folks for once the final draft has been made I will let you all know

lookin good josh, im sure you will be happy with LEDs.

Thanks Mike. And yeah once we come up with some kind of LED setup that is comparable to the MH fixture I will for sure be really happy. Especially since LED's are the superior in every way.

Do a mini version of my LED, I am getting much better growth with the LEDs then I ever did with 4 - 250w MH & 4 - 54w T5's.

+1 my Zoas especially are just exploding, i might actually have to frag a few types in a months time

Well if I were to go like that I would probably use a 1/4 of what you used. If we run those numbers this is what it looks like

LEDS
5 - Cool White HEW
5 - Nautural White HEW
4 - CW XPG
2 - Red
2 - Green
8 - Royal Blue
8 - Blue

OPTICS
18 - 45 Degree
42 - 60 Degree

DRIVERS
3 - 38w
2 - 50w
2 - Mean Well ELN-60-48D

CONNECTOR WIRES
7 - start/end
? - 2"
? - 4"
? - 12"

FANS
2 - 120 mm fans
1 - splitter wire
1 - fan connector
1 - fan power supply

CONTROLLER
Dimmers for now with timers

But for the future

ProfiLux 3 or II ex with 3 EVG Controllers

HEAT SINK
18" x 18"



..........Actually......Drooool. That is awesome but I would be running the MH for a lot longer then I hoped just so I can save the money to do this set up.

With a cube you run all your blues off one driver & all whites off another driver. Red/Green on a moon light driver & high noon kit on a special wattage driver.

Ok and the high noon light are the XPG'S right?

But if I am Understanding you correctly this is what you sudgest?

LEDS
5 - Cool White HEW
5 - Nautural White HEW
4 - CW XPG
1 - Red
1 - Green
8 - Royal Blue
8 - Blue

OPTICS
18 - 45 Degree
42 - 60 Degree

DRIVERS
1 - 75w(Cool Whites and Nautural White)
1 - 120w(Blue and Royal Blue)
1 - Moonlight Driver
1 - Mean Well ELN-60-48D (High Noon?)

CONNECTOR WIRES
4 - start/end
? - 2"
? - 4"
? - 12"

FANS
2 - 120 mm fans
1 - splitter wire
1 - fan connector
1 - fan power supply

CONTROLLER
Dimmers for now with timers

But for the future

ProfiLux 3 or II ex with 3 EVG Controllers

HEAT SINK
18" x 18"

Yes high noons are the Cool White XP-G's

Well I might as well get on and follow this thread as I am sure I'll be involved with it in more then one way. Hurry up and get ur less set up josh. I want to add that other light to my 65 haha.