[jovonhaln]

Joe in Texas,
Again.... no point to this I just wanted to see if it would work!
Been getting rained out at work lately and have the place to myself for a while. Got out my glass cutter and made the tank. 24"×12×8"

Used tape to keep it together until the ge silicone cured. The tape really made it easy, since it is small and shallow all that was necessary was running a bead around the bottom...

then using the painters tape to build the walls on top. I siliconed the corners after taping...

and did another bead around the bottom to insure a water tight seal.

I then let it all set and started on the sump W/ wet/dry and refugium.

I will post more soon!

 

[jovonhaln]

Sump with trickle box add on....

The freetime I had to start this project ended Wednesday evening when my boss called. The heavy rain and storms are ending, only light rain in the forcast.

Got back to work Thu. 3" of water a foot of mud! I was able to finish both boxes and water test them for 4 days.

Once I was sure it was water tight I added the baffles, making the center half the refugium with the return on one side the wet/dry on the other. I used silicone to build stops near the bottom for a screen or plate to hold the media with another set of stops near the top to hold the removable drip/trickle box...

I decided I wanted a more rigid tray for the media and water dispersion!? So I cut

and marked a piece of plastic. Started drilling....
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D U N!
After this I put it thru a run test...
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...with temporary screen for trays and a pile of foam media that I may or may not leave there but will be glad to have seasoned for a cascade 700 I want to add to my 29 cube. Forgive my terrible pics hopefully they will get better as I go...
I am going to find lights and pumps,media,substrate etc. next...

 

[Method]

Sweet setup! What's going to go in the refugium? Microinverts?

 

[jovonhaln]

Sorry about not reading my journal method! Micro inverts? Tell me more....
Had to stop on this as tragady struck my 55 planted monster tank! Got home from work to find pots and plants uprooted and my 14" baby Arowana missing! Took me 10 minutes to find him...
Under the tank in my storage under the stand.
Sad day....

Have more pics as I got my lights, pumps and co2 this weekend...post after work.

 

[longtalltexan]

Sucks about the Arrowana. That's not an unusual outcome for them. They can get out through the smallest of openings. Until you get a larger tank, you are going to have similar endings trying to keep them.

 

[jovonhaln]

Yeah the last one I had in a 6' 150 or 180 and he made it 3 years. Its amazing the little holes they get thru! With this one I could barely put 3 fingers in his escape hole. I have 2 other tanks across the room and he would spend all day wathcing those fish.I could read his mind..
I got a 135 at the end of feb. but put it in storage as were moving in april. I got it
just because I wanted him to have more room. I believe they jump naturally so maybe I'll wait till I can make a pool!!! Hope one isnt sitting in the yard one day....

On with the nano build...so far so good on the trickle box.

This is one media choice blue bonded pad, carbon pad, 100 micron felt and a pile of cubes made frm various foam from 10 ppi to fine probably 80+
Got a couple of led options (used) $60 total and some timers I had lying around.

Using a Skye for the sump nice and brite to be so small but it has a separate plug for each mode tho two timers for that!

To set up the sump opposite the show tank will let me use one timer for the moonlight

..... and the show

with protective cover film.....so brite the camera wont let me gat an image without dimming it... unless I want to use the moonlight on the show tank which is built in the switch......not sure what to do with that.

 

[jovonhaln]

Up and running....finally

Got everything together, stayed with the pads and foam as wet/dry media and subwassertang in the sump pit/refugium.
This is the whole set up running after two weeks with inhabitants.

A close up with a pair of Apistos.

The sump housing my Crystal shrimp found here on the forum from some fine people willing to part with the fruits of their labor...
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Sand from net in shrimp pic but I am scared to suck it out! Already getting new growth. Hope the Rotala wall fills out...
Gotta go to work.

More soon...

 

[jovonhaln]

May update With a Mother!

Well the tank has had time to get started Nitrates still under 20 with 12 1" fish in 16 +/- gallons 1 15-20% water change per week.
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New growth on everything my rosette swords are shooting two new plants each!
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Coolest of all my fish are happy enough to lay eggs! I noticed they were fattening up....hanging around one of the flower pots... boom! I did it....wellll they did it but I gave 'em a good home at least. It always makes me happy when I have parents in a tank....
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Really red eggs too...
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Subwassertang has doubled too!
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Another update if I can save any fry or after redoing the background trim.