68G cube becomes a 95G Reef :)

GreenSpottedPuffer · #1 12-05-2008, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Ol Nobodaddy

Put in some more baffles, have the refugium seperate, have a big skimmer section, have the return in the middle. Have the drain go into both the skimmer section and refugium...then drain to the middle for return.

Here is a link to, I think, a nice design.
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/f/sump_f.html

Sounds like a plan. To be honest that drawing was not a real plan for the sump, just a quick sketch to show where the refugium will be. I am set on keeping the fuge 4' long though because I am keeping one of my puffers in there for now. Plus aesthetically for viewing it needs to be 4' give or take.

Your idea with the return in the middle will work perfectly though. Thanks.

Boomboy · #2 12-05-2008, 01:49 AM

is it going to be right on the floor? are there going to be those chairs in the way cause if they are you really wont be able to see it very good, unless it doesnt matter to you at all, just a place to put some unwanted fish and other things.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #3 12-05-2008, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomboy

is it going to be right on the floor? are there going to be those chairs in the way cause if they are you really wont be able to see it very good, unless it doesnt matter to you at all, just a place to put some unwanted fish and other things.

I think you meant "see it very well..."

Anyways...

Its exactly where my viewable fuge is now and I have been very happy with it. Its not quite on the floor. The Bar stools do not cover much space at all. They certainly do not cover up 4'. I would say the "support pole" is about 3" wide max. So yeah I guess about 6" will be in the way.

I find your "unwanted fish and other things" ridiculous. Why would I keep unwanted fish? I am not really sure how to take that or what your point was?

fishytime · #4 12-05-2008, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

Sounds like a plan. To be honest that drawing was not a real plan for the sump, just a quick sketch to show where the refugium will be. I am set on keeping the fuge 4' long though because I am keeping one of my puffers in there for now. Plus aesthetically for viewing it needs to be 4' give or take.

Your idea with the return in the middle will work perfectly though. Thanks.

Looks like a a cool design. Do you know what material your gonna use or what finish for the cabinet? I am running a sump with the return in the middle and I think it works great. I think doing it this way eliminates one obstacle at least for the pods (etc.)....they still have to survive going through the return pump

GreenSpottedPuffer · #5 12-05-2008, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

Looks like a a cool design. Do you know what material your gonna use or what finish for the cabinet? I am running a sump with the return in the middle and I think it works great. I think doing it this way eliminates one obstacle at least for the pods (etc.)....they still have to survive going through the return pump

No I am not sure yet but probably just the same MDF I am using now. Sealed and painted with a semi gloss black. One of my brothers works at an auto parts shop and can get me really cheap car paint. I may go with that.

The other option I am considering is counter top laminate. It gives a nice perfectly smooth finish. The problem is, I have not been able to find the right finish in laminate yet. Its not all that common to have glossy counter tops I guess.

The only thing I forgot to think about was that the tang is going to outgrow the 68 pretty quickly. I had planned to move him to the big tank once he did but if its not set up, there goes that idea...

My fiance's vote is to just use the big tanks current set up as the reef. She said she likes the new plan but thinks the bigger tank where it is now is still nicer. That way too she can keep her trigger.

So I am going to have to really think about this. I am not in a hurry. I do prefer not to spend too much more money though

This is the big tank a few months back (The canopy was not completely painted yet):

GreenSpottedPuffer · #6 12-05-2008, 03:33 AM

LOL...after seeing these pics, she may be right. It does make a nice reef. And I would do the lighting the same with it fading away down the length of the tank.

Sebae again · #7 12-05-2008, 03:38 AM

Dont take down the 130,put the bar in front of it.It really suits your place. I would love to have a tank like yours as a room divider and focal point.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #8 12-05-2008, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebae again

Dont take down the 130,put the bar in front of it.It really suits your place. I would love to have a tank like yours as a room divider and focal point.

Hmmmm...you basically said exactly what my fiance said earlier!

You guys are probably right. It is a great focal point. The problem is that focal point right now is not a very nice looking tank. Since switching it to a FOWLR and spending all my time on the reef, its gone downhill.

It would be pretty nice as a reef again and hey, no more plumbing! Its done! Plus that tank is very quiet.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #9 12-06-2008, 05:53 PM

So weird...without exception, every single acro that did NOT come from someone elses tank (which is most of them) died overnight. The one or two I got from members on here are ok but anything from the LFS I shop at died all at once. I have checked everything and all I can find that is different from a few days ago is alk. It rose from 8.3 to 10.2 I don't know how quickly though, it could have been overnight or over the past week.

Temperature, salinity, PH, Calcium, ect. stayed the same.

I just find this really strange and too bad because I have some really nice little acro frags I bought over the past three weeks.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #10 12-08-2008, 05:38 PM

What!

I moved the 68G to my bigger tank and everything looks great considering but I decided to measure my tank (I never had before) and its NOT 72"x20"x20"...Its more like 71.5"x19.5"x19.5" and thats including the glass thickness. Then I have the overflow about 2" below the water line. So when you do all the math, this tank is actually closer to 95G. Thats a huge surprise to me! For a while it was in the same room as a 180G I had and certainly did not look half the size!

Anyways, I will take pics soon. I am just building a canopy.