new tank pics- finally
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1590
Printed Date: June 14 2026 at 11:25am
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Topic: new tank pics- finally
Posted By: Marcus
Subject: new tank pics- finally
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:06pm
Okay, so I suck at taking digital pics. This tank is only about a month old with 3 green chromis, a fromia star, 10 hermits, couple snails, and a kenya tree frag. Some of the crabs, the starfish, and a kenya tree frag came from a 5 gallon hex that I took down. The acrylic rod across the top keeps the plumbing from falling into the water. I am going to make a nice stand and canopy soon with jfinch's help and the plumbing will fasten to it. I have a SCWD on this tank so I wanted the water to come at the corals from the front corners rather than reflecting off the glass. I have 3" of Carib-Sea Seafloor and about 35lb of live rock in the tank. I left quite a bit of open room for corals to grow out and for fish to swim above the corals. Ryan Williams built the overflow for me and Jon Finch let me use his diamond bit to drill the bottom. Thanks to both of you! This tank is a 25 gallon with a 10 gallon sump/refugia. I used Aquarium Silicone from the paint dept. at Home Depot for the overflow and the refugia. It seems to hold very well. I filled the overflow up with bio-balls to help with noise. I also made a cover for the overflow for looks and noise. A lot of work went into this little tank but when its done, it'll be awesome! I only plan on putting sps and some lps in it. I plan on getting a double ended 250 watt Aqualine Busch 10000 K halide and 2 18" VHO actinics for it. I have a DYI skimmer that Ryan Williams made for me and as you can see, its working like a champ. I have a RIO 17HF for a main pump, that I am thinking about replacing with either a Dolphin or a Mag. I have a 50 watt heater in my refugia because its too big to fit in my sump. I have a DYI top-off that Jon Finch made for me a long time ago. You can see the float switch from one of the pics. Right now, I am using two 55 watt PC's with a Workhorse 7 ballast and some DYI endcaps. Its pretty ghetto looking right now, but it'll improve in the future. Thanks! |
Replies:
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:10pm
The SCWD and overflow. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:12pm
This is my cluster f*** of wires and my sump. When I get my stand built, it will look cleaner. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:13pm
This is the drain and return plumbing. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:15pm
More sump and skimmer pics. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:19pm
Skimmer cup. Working great! Thanks Ryan Williams! |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:20pm
The float switch that Jon made. Thanks jfinch!! |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:23pm
The refugia. I originally filled it up with tap water which is why I think I had such a diatom bloom. I have done one water change so far with 10 gallons of R/O and I plan on doing them once a week for the next month to help with the algae. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:36pm
The complete pic as is sits now. I can't wait to get this mess cleaned up! |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 5:56pm
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Looks very good marcus. Have you ever started up a tank without having a diatom bloom early on? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: rstruhs
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 6:19pm
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Looks good to me too Marcus! I was wondering your reasoning for wanting "the water to come at the corals from the front corners rather than reflecting off the glass."? And, what kind of light do you have on the refugium?
------------- Rodney, Sandra, Jeffery, and Laura Struhs South Jordan, Utah 98th South & 40th West. (801) 282-2744 75 gallon reef 55 gallon reef 55 gallon FOWLR 20 gallon FOWLR |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 7:12pm
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Thanks guys!
Jon, I have set up tanks with much smaller diatom blooms. rstruhs, Are you familiar with they way that SCWDs work? They change the direction of the water every 10 seconds or so with the flow that I have. I feel that if the water was reflecting off the glass, it wouldn't be as much of a change in direction than if it came straight at them. |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 7:14pm
| rstruhs, I have a home depot screw-in 8 watt UV bulb that is supposed to be 6500 K. I haven't seen them at Home Depot for over a year. They used to be in a blue plastic package rather than in a green one. |
Posted By: leviwin
Date Posted: January 01 2004 at 11:14pm
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Looks pretty good to me. Lots of new ideas
|
Posted By: rstruhs
Date Posted: January 02 2004 at 6:35am
Marcus, how long have you been using your SCWD (squid)? I recently found one from Foster Smith (They said they were a new item) and was thinking about getting one. Obviously you must like it! ------------- Rodney, Sandra, Jeffery, and Laura Struhs South Jordan, Utah 98th South & 40th West. (801) 282-2744 75 gallon reef 55 gallon reef 55 gallon FOWLR 20 gallon FOWLR |
Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: January 02 2004 at 7:47am
I've been using a squid for about 6 months, and love it. Just make sure you get a pump large enough to compensate for the back-pressure. |
rstruhs wrote:Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 02 2004 at 1:02pm
| I have only had it for about a week or so. I got it for x-mas. I like it so far. |
Posted By: sjlopez39
Date Posted: January 14 2004 at 10:01pm
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Very cool tank! ------------- Keep your hands and arms inside the tank and enjoy the ride! Steve |
Posted By: Danny Lueck
Date Posted: January 14 2004 at 10:06pm
he forgot to mention the gift giver.... ------------- "Ask not what your REEF TANK can do for you!!" [email protected] |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: January 15 2004 at 12:14pm
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Hey marcus, is that the rock I traded you on the far right bottom? Looks good. I still need to build my sump set up... Keep us posted. |
Posted By: Travis
Date Posted: January 15 2004 at 1:05pm
Very Nice
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Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: January 15 2004 at 5:33pm
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Steve Lopez and Travis, thanks! Its coming along slowly. I think it looks like a mess. Crazy Tarzan, yes it is. Thanks! Danny, no one has forgotten about you. THANKS Santa!!!!!!!
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Posted By: Danny Lueck
Date Posted: January 15 2004 at 11:42pm
 ------------- "Ask not what your REEF TANK can do for you!!" [email protected] |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: February 02 2004 at 8:50pm
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This is my new stand. I broke down and bought one from Fish 4 U. Kris is orderring the canopy for it as well. Thanks Jon, Bruce, and Sean for offering to help finish the other one.
Here is the sump in place. I made it raised so that I had a place to put all my crap. I got a smaller pump for the skimmer and it is completely bubbleless, thanks Ryan Williams! Left to do: |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 02 2004 at 8:59pm
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Marcus, it looks great.
Wait...is that Utah rock I see...  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: February 02 2004 at 9:28pm
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Look very good! I'm sorry I couldn't have been more available Is that cyano in your sump? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: February 03 2004 at 12:08am
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Mark, yeah right... Jon, yes I get a little cyano in it. Not bad and it doesn't grow in my main tank. Its almost all gone now. Don't worry about the unavailable thing. I appreciate the offer. That's not the reason I went ahead and got one. Thanks for the compliments! |
