We were going to do an Elos Mini (bought the tank and everything), then started aquascaping it to quickly find out it as just too small. We decided to go a 60g tank. Originally this build was going to be LPS and clams but now will be all NPS.
Tank Stats So Far:
Tank: Miracles 60g - 36" x 22" x 18" (L x W x H), starfire on front and both sides. Black back and internal overflow with single 1" drain and 3/4" return line. Black Silicone, glass is about 7/16" thick.
Sump: Standard 15g Glass Tank, bubble trap with baffles
Stand: I built it, 2x4 stand skinned with 1/2" plywood, paiinted with oil based paint, gloss white to match our upstairs trim. There is a removable front that I am in the process of painting.
Skimmer: Bubble Magus NAC7 Cone In Sump Skimmer
Return Pump: Eheim 1250, just enough to turn it over, rest of flow will be intank
Intank Flow: Two Vortech MP40 wES
Lighting: Single 12" Aqua Illuminations Module, this will allow for a few LPS without lighting the whole tank and potential issues for the NPS. Light tree was DIY using come 1/2" conduit and some paint.
Auto Top Off: Tunze Osmolater and a 5g glass tank reservoir under the stand
Ca/Alk Control: DIY Two Part Dosing with Drews Dosing Pumps - Considering Eliminating - Not Hooked Up
Rock and Sand: Rock is all Marco Rock that has been cut and epoxied together, roughly 30 lbs. Sand is Carib Sea Special Sea Floor Grade - 40lbs 'seeded' with 10lbs Aragalive.
Here are a couple quick shots from before I put the water in:
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Few Pics From Back in September:
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Here are a couple shots of the auto feeding, mini fridge. The design has been copied from the big NPS experts. It utilizes an Avanti fridge (most energy efficent - under 60 watts), bubble magus triple head doser, kent venturi. I then hooked in a 25 watt UV sterilizer because I prefer to run UV on all my systems. The water leaves the sump via the return pump, flows through the UV, then into the fridge where the venturi is and then into the display tank. This way the foods being dosed are going straight into the tank.
I am automatically feeding Reed Mariculture / Reef Nutrition products - Shellfish Diet 1800 (phyto mix), Roti-Feast and Oyster Feast.
Here are a couple shots of the auto feeding, mini fridge. The design has been copied from the big NPS experts. It utilizes an Avanti fridge (most energy efficent - under 60 watts), bubble magus triple head doser, kent venturi. I then hooked in a 25 watt UV sterilizer because I prefer to run UV on all my systems. The water leaves the sump via the return pump, flows through the UV, then into the fridge where the venturi is and then into the display tank. This way the foods being dosed are going straight into the tank.
I am automatically feeding Reed Mariculture / Reef Nutrition products - Shellfish Diet 1800 (phyto mix), Roti-Feast and Oyster Feast.
This tank is by far my favorite system I have had to date (including the new and settling in 520g display, 950g system downstairs). It is just so different and fun. Can look at doing inverts and corals once considered impossible to keep!
The mini fridge auto feeding setup is quite simple really and means I do not have to feed by hand multiple times daily.
Thanks for the compliments on this! The fridge is located in our closet behind the fish tank so as a result you do not see any of it from the living room where the tank is at. Also the fridge is super quiet so though it is in the closet of our bedroom you never hear it.
I copied the whole mini fridge idea from a couple of the very experienced non-photo guys online. Aquabacs, Uhuru and Steve Weast are the main people responsible for the design.