RM13 Elos Mini

[ReefMonkey13]

Well after a short break (2 months or so) I decided to put a tank in my home office.

Here are the Equipment:

• Elos Mini (thanks JohnnyJ) 16.9"L X 16.9"W X 15.8"W
• Elos Mini Stand with custom leather door
• Sump - 15X15 i believe is by Custom King
• AI Hydra with wireless controller
• Return Pump - Tunze 1073.008 (approx 230G/H) <<may upgrade="" on="" one="" of="" it="" bigger="" brothers="">></may>
• NO Skimmer for now - just ordered an SCA-301 from ebay
• Apex Controller
• ATO: Apex Break-Out box with float switches
• MP10ES

Live Stock: << Tanks is still cycling>>

• 20 pounds of rock (15 in display, 5 in sump)
• 15 pounds of sand

I'm really excited for this tank to mature. I hope I can hold to the standards of the previous owners.


Here are some pics:

 

[arnaldolex]

nice i like

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Parameters during Cycling

The cycling continues . . I have been testing every few days or so here are the results so far.

10/20/2013:
Temp: 80.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.08 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0.00 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm

10/18/2013:
Temp: 79.9 F (via apex)
pH: 8.13 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm

==> Added table shrimp on 10/16 for a more potent ammonia source

10/16/2013:
Temp: 79.8 F (via apex)
pH: 8.12 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Ghost Feeding everyday(2 times since last test)

10/14/2013:
Temp: 80.0 F (via apex)
pH: 8.13 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Ghost Feeding every other day.
==> Water change on 10/10

10/09/2013:
Temp: 80.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.15 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Performed a 5 gallon water change

10/04/2013: (Test result in first image of this post)
Temp: 80.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.05 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.020
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

==> "Ghost Fed" some pellets

10/01/2013:
Temp: 79.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.05 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.018
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: undetectable

 

[viplok]

really nice set up, i almost wanted to buy this setup from him months ago, too bad i was short on money. however somthing about that light bracket is bothering me something doesnt look pleasing. cant tell what yet....

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Equipment Update

I made a few updates to the equipment I'm using for this tank.

Changed return pump to Tunze Silence Recirculation pump 1073.40 (thanks D5332): I have had it on for about a day. This pump is super quiet. The only way i can tell that its on is by the water movement on my tank surface. I do think it is oversized for my tank but in the event I need to have a chiller or media reactors I can always split my return.

Skimmer: SCA 301 with Atman 1100 pump. Too early to give a detailed review but this bad boy is loud. I hope is quiets down as it breaks in. I have had it on the tank for about a day and it seems to have quieted down a bit. Build quality seems decent considering it only cost $85 shipped.

I have it sitting in 8 1/2" of water and is producing a lot of micro bubbles. Thank god it doesn't make it to the display.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

really nice set up, i almost wanted to buy this setup from him months ago, too bad i was short on money. however somthing about that light bracket is bothering me something doesnt look pleasing. cant tell what yet....

i struggled with how to hang the lights for a couple of weeks prior to getting the tank going. It is hanging by a 2x2 piece of wood with a spare hanging kit I had. The fixture itself weighs less than 5lbs (probably closer to 3) so i dont think it poses too much stress on the wood. There are also "T" and "L" brackets holding it together for added support. The whole thing cost about $20 + some "sweat-quity".

 

[viplok]

its wood. now i see where the problem is =D it looked like metal in the picture and its bugging my eyes so much . i think hanging from 1 point in the middle will look better tho. but not my tank=] everything look super neat so far. tagging along!!!!!

 

[E.intheC]

Nice! I owned that exact tank a while ago. Good stuff.

 

[ECFENCING]

That tank has changed hands from Eric to me to JohnnyC and now to you Welmer..

Good luck with it. Looks very promising.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

That tank has changed hands from Eric to me to JohnnyC and now to you Welmer..

Good luck with it. Looks very promising.

This tank definitely has an awesome lineage. Hope I can keep it to the standards of the previous owners.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Not sure if I fully cycled. I started out with dried out live rock and dried out live sand. Then got some rock rubble from an established tank (Thanks LaziBonez - Allan).

As detailed on the post #3, my Ammonia and Nitrite are at 0. Nitrates are at a manageable 5ppm. I have a pic of the readings from my test on post #3 chime in to assist in validating the colors for me.

Do you guys think it's safe to add a very slimmed down clean up crew? . . Maybe a couple of snails and crabs.

 

[Clink51]

Looks really cool and clean, i do have one suggestion though. Make a cover or something for the electrical components you have on the side of the tank. One spill and things will fry

 

[viplok]

where is ur source of ammonia coming from? do you feed the tank? or you throw a shrimp in there?

 

[viplok]

saw that you "ghost feed" your tank my bad. but i dont think it will break down to ammonia right away. but if u do have a good amount of establish rock i think its safe to add some cuc or else wait alittle more if you want things to be safe

 

[ReefMonkey13]

saw that you "ghost feed" your tank my bad. but i dont think it will break down to ammonia right away. but if u do have a good amount of establish rock i think its safe to add some cuc or else wait alittle more if you want things to be safe

Thanks for getting back. . . I'm not really in a rush to stock this tank. Would rather ensure all is stable other than trying to troubleshoot something that could have been averted.

I will wait another week or so then re-evaluate

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Skimmer SCA 301 One week review

Updated test result of 10/16/2013 (Check post #3). I believe the tank has cycled. I will make a separate post to get some feed back.

SCA 301 One week review:
I have owned this skimmer for about a week. At first installation the skimmer pump was very noisy, it has since subsided to a still audible hum but not as bad as before (it is the noisiest thing I have on the tank right now). It has been on the open position, 0 in numbers on the wedge pipe, but is already producting a pretty good head of foam. Mind you there is nothing in the tank but rock, sand and a little bit of fish food.

I cant wait to see this thing once I start stock the tank. As of now I'm happy with this skimmer. Hopefully the hum continues to come down but it still deserves a thumbs up.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Performed another test . . See post 3.

Looks like the tank is not quite ready for life stock. I added a table shrimp to provide a more potent ammonia source. There is a "spike" in Ammonia and Nitrite but the readings are still fairly low.

I will leave the shrimp for another couple of days and retest.

 

[JonnyJ]

So glad to see this tank up, it looks like an amazing start. Love and miss that setup!

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Performed another test . . See post 3.

Looks like ammonia is back to zero and the nitrite is on its way down too. Nitrate is way over the top but nothing a water change can not address.

I have notice a little bit of brown algae growth which I think is a good sign.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

So glad to see this tank up, it looks like an amazing start. Love and miss that setup!

Thanks Jonny . . i really like the tank and it was a perfect compromise with the wifey.:fishhit: