Titus's 20g Clown tank build

Update time... So I really want a custom Melevs sump for this tank, but with MACNA coming up, I know he is slammed and I am trying to save money for the show. That said, I also really want to keep this build moving forward.

This takes me to this past Monday. I had won a bunch of Thrive products from an LFS via a Facebook contest, and I needed to pick them up. I would feel a little like a jerk if I went in, took my free stuff, and walked out without making a purchase, so as soon as I walked in I was looking around for something I could use. I spotted a 5.5g tank for $15 and I immediately thought TEMPORARY SUMP!!! So I will eventually get a custom Melev sump, but this will keep the build moving forward for now for a mere $15.

I had some old glass tank lids and decided to hack them up in the sump project. This is what I ended up with:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5...0908160601.jpg

Water will enter in to the sump in the top right by the skimmer and overflow to the bottom middle compartment. This compartment will get a media rack made out off egg crate, allowing the water to flow through a filter pad, then likely a bag with carbon and GFO. It then travels out the bottom into the chamber on the lower right. I will fill this with rubble or Chaeto... Not sure at this point. From there it overflows into the final compartment where the heater and return pump reside.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/484/20120908160625.jpg

1 step forward and 2 steps back.... I got it all plumbed up yesterday and leak tested it... all good there. Unfortunately I managed to break off a tooth in the sump that I will need to fix, and I realized that the back of the tank needs another coat of paint.

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2...0916175602.jpg

I added a couple more coats of black paint to the back of the tank tonight. I still need to fix the overflow tooth I broke yesterday, and I want to do some work on the bottom of the stand. I was hoping to install an American DJ PC-100/A that I won at my local club meeting last week, but it is too big for the stand. I may look to trade it for a PC4 model but I am not sure yet.

The tank is really coming along Titus. It'll look really good once the rock and sand is in it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chazde3

The tank is really coming along Titus. It'll look really good once the rock and sand is in it.

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Thanks... I am tempted to add sand and saltwater in the next few days, but i really like the ease of aquascaping dry. I am trying to hold out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Titus

Thanks... I am tempted to add sand and saltwater in the next few days, but i really like the ease of aquascaping dry. I am trying to hold out.

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I don't blame you lol. I have never started a tank with dry rock but could definitely see the advantage when aquascaping, you wouldn't feel rushed to get an aquascaping done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chazde3

I don't blame you lol. I have never started a tank with dry rock but could definitely see the advantage when aquascaping, you wouldn't feel rushed to get an aquascaping done.

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Yep... I love the way my big tank turned out and I know there is no way I could have pulled that off without dry rock and an empty tank.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7324/tank1v.jpg

I purchased a pair of "Todd's Long Island Reds" at MACNA, and they are doing well in QT for now.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/9...0010955491.jpg
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/845...0010956081.jpg

I also purchased about 20lbs of Marco rock at MACNA for the tank. I will be working to get the tank up and running by the beginning of next week.

The tank is up and running. I ended up going with an inexpensive fishneedit.com 4x24w T5 fixture that seems to get decent reviews on Nano-Reef. It is running the stock bulbs for now but I plan on replacing them with 2 Blue+, an Aquablue Special, and a Coral+ soon. I also have an old Neptune AC3 controller hooked up to it. It was on my big tank but I recently got an Apex Lite for the big tank and so the AC3 was freed up for this tank. I put my MACNA Maxi-Jet 900 in it for now but it is big and noisy, and really a little too much flow for the tank, so I have a Koralia Nano 425 on order. I haven't had a chance to get the wiring mess cleaned up, but at least the tank has water in it and can begin cycling.

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/8...1010153859.jpg

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/7...1010153843.jpg

Today I replaced the Maxi-Jet 900 with a new Koralia Nano 425. I love how small and quiet it is compared to the MJ900, but it seems like a lot less than half the flow that the MJ was putting out. I'm glad that it doesn't blow sand everywhere like the MJ, but I am not sure if it is enough flow.