I’m finally finishing my 30g i started about a year ago. Its been depressingly empty (mostly) but has been running bare bottom with some live rock, a pair of clarkii clowns, a coralbanded shrimp, and a couple mini maxi nems.
I still have a lot to do with it, build a hood, front trim etc, but i’ve got the plenum and sand in… Thanks for the plenum Ken!
I want this tank to be a “grower” lots of sps, its going to have 4 x 39w t5’s over it, and the water depth will only be about 10 - 10 1/2’’. so it should have good light, i’ll par meter it in the next week or so when i finish the build.
Here’s some pics…
36’’ 30g tank… drilled, herbie style with two drains inside the black overflow box (very quiet and safe imo)
the plenum
got a reactor running with poly and charcoal, with the tank half full to clear it up easier
total sand depth from bottom of glass is about 4 1/4’’ (roughly 55lbs of substrate)
the 20L fuge will be hooked back “inline” tmmrw when the water clears up in the display. I’ll also be doing a w/c on the 125 and pump that water right into this tank to help get some more life in there
Nice John. Hope the plenum system works out for you. Remember to keep stuff off the sand bed, so that you can do maintance on it. I think that’s the down fall on my system.
Thanks Bill and A… I will A, thanks, i’m still trying to figure that part out… clear acrlylic racks mostly maybe? minimal rockwork for sure…
The sky’s the limit… this little tank is my “dream build” in ways… mainly because its height, at the very top of the tank it’s only 3ft tall. I can reach anywhere inside or out of the tank, completely wheelchair accessible… so if i want something moved, fragged or checked for critters etc… it doesn’t need to become a big debate with the persons arm i employ to reach in the 125 ( i wont mention the wifes name here) ::
[quote=“saltcreep, post:4, topic:4845”]
Thanks Bill and A… I will A, thanks, i’m still trying to figure that part out… clear acrlylic racks mostly maybe? minimal rockwork for sure…
The sky’s the limit… this little tank is my “dream build” in ways… mainly because its height, at the very top of the tank it’s only 3ft tall. I can reach anywhere inside or out of the tank, completely wheelchair accessible… so if i want something moved, fragged or checked for critters etc… it doesn’t need to become a big debate with the persons arm i employ to reach in the 125 ( i wont mention the wifes name here) :: [/quote]
Looks good John. running it a couple weeks to let some bacteria colonize the sand should help foil algae blooms when the lights go on. the plenum and sand should slowly adjust to a growing bioload as you add frags and fish. it can take a month or two for new sand to colonize. Mine is just finishing a second cycle after i messed it up by stopping carbon dosing real sudden like when it had polished up nice and clean. all that dirty old sand i burried at the bottom on the plenum is still cooking. i can see a clear divide of the algae on the glass in the sandbed between the old sand and the clean new sand on top. dark algae growing against the glass on the bottom half of the sand, and fairly clear on the top layer. it will clear up. im dosing again.
I need to do the same as you mentioned. i have everything lyng on the sand. packed tight. i need to make some black egg crate stands with short 2 inch legs. or just enough to keep the egg crate off the sand. let the sand breath better, and block light on the sand with all the frags above. that should improve it. .
Meanwhile, are you dosing any live bacteria booster? you could put one of the fish back in after the cloudiness clears. maybe add a couple hemits to clean up fallen food. start the cycle. the good thing is ,your sump and fuge are still going strong.
I just put about 2g back into the display from the sump, the water was crystal clear. I’ve had the filter running all day, couple small powerheads running, and i was stirring the top inch of sand every hour until it wouldn’t re-cloud the water anymore. I dropped a heater in to bring the temp back up and then i put back clarkii and the CBS. Tmmrrw water from the 125 goes in, and i’ll start running it through the sump/fuge again. I also will be scooping some live sand from my 125 display and fuge. Then just let it brew while i get the cabinet finished with the lighting.
[quote=“kaptken, post:8, topic:4845”]
Sounds cool. But do you still have a bit of lingering red cyano in the main tank sand? you would be seeding that too.[/quote]
No cyano, but i do have this red algae that does bug me… so, i can see your point about seeding it ::
[quote=“moliken, post:9, topic:4845”]
very nice, john. best of luck with that. btw, does “wheelchair accessible” mean it has a ramp? ::[/quote]
Its been running for a week now. I roughed in the built in cabinet for it with some spare 3/4’’ plywood. Not the greatest pics (close quarters in the room) but its a 4ft x 4ft x 18’’ structure. I’m still thinking on the design to finish it… what doors where, what panels to make easily removable (probably all of the front ones) I hung the t5 fixture (4 x 39w 36’’) using simple " L " shape brackets from the same plywood, and the height is 7’’ above the waterline. plenty of room to reach in at will. The first week i ran the tank without light (still kept the fuge lit though). I started today with one ATI actinic running for 12hrs. The CBS shrimp has been in there all week and is doing fine, it shed last night. My larger female clarkii clown killed its smaller mate shortly after i put them back in the tank. It happened so fast i couldn’t save it. All i heard was clicking coming from the bedroom, i thought it was a pump acting up… nope, it was this crazy clown chomping away, reminded me of my red-belly piranhas way back when… Anyway, i’m getting a yellow tang from nemo tonight, so i took the clarkii to DPA to be rid of the murderer >:::
All the params are right where i want them, and pods and critters are moving about. So far so good, just taking it slow.
Thanks guys, i cant wait to get this baby stocked up with growing frags!
I got a tang tonight from nemolover… Thanks ! Very healthy looking and acting fish, other then his battle wounds from a purple tang. It adds character is all. Just the tang and a CBS. i don’t really “plan” on adding any other fish. Maybe a pair of clowns someday, but the focus is mainly on coral. I need to re work the plumbing for better flow (less on the sand from the return) and i have another small return pump that i might play around with as a non-drilled closed loop for more flow… still thinking though ::
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