my 30G cube log

[DRZL]

Looks like its gonna be a schweet tank. Keep us updated

SCWD note,
I have note cleaned mine since I started 9 mths ago...its gonna suck to try to clean it out as the way I plumbed it isnt user friendly .

Aww hell im just gonna leave it there until it busts. Reason to upgrade to an OM-4way

 

[zahner]

did a leak test on the overflow box tonight, so far so good. I'm going to leave it overnight to be sure. only problem was a very slow leak where the pipe thread to hose barb elbow is screwed into the bulkhead. possibly due to standing water in the hose and the pressure of the water in the overflow box, a little more teflon tape ought to fix it, wouldn't expect it to leak if water is flowing freely.


time to get wet!

 

[zahner]

got a whole bunch of hardware in this week, including the custom acrylic sump from glasscages. they did a nice job on it, actually the thickness of the euro-bracing is a bit of overkill IMO.

 

[Jonathan]

nice project. That cube looks familiar (you bought it from me, haha). You're make it look better than I ever could have. Are you doing anything with that custom fuge (doesnt really look like a fuge though) that came with it?

 

[inline6]

Question: How much is all this setup costing?
I've been looking for a really nice custom 30g acrylic setup and have been watching your progress for a while now.

-inline6

 

[inline6]

if you don't mind me asking.

 

[inkblue]

:smokin: looking go0d in the neighborhood!

 

[zahner]

Jonathon- thanks! it is indeed your cube, setup has been going a bit slowly. I see you've been through several since this one! I decided to get one large sump to hold the ASM rather than the sump/fuge combo so I am actually looking to sell the fuge half. lmk if you have a use for it again.

inline- the tank/stand was $250 from Jonathon, custom sump $120, starboard $80, custom overflow box $75, about another $375 total for the pump/MH/plumbing parts/misc stuff. skimmer is going to run about $250, building the hood maybe another $150. so all-in around $1300

inkblue- tHanKs!

 

[Jonathan]

nothing wrong with taking your time man. You are doing things much better than I ever did.
Yeah I've been through a few. I went from the 30cube to a 55g that I liked but was forced to downgrade by my landlord. So everything was in a rubbermaid stock tank all summer until I finally got my 40breeder running that is landlord approved. It was a long process, but I am very happy the way it turned out in the end.

keep us updated with pics of the process!

 

[zahner]

i decided to dump the vinyl tubing / u-tube pseudo-locline return i bought and instead made returns out of hard 3/4" PVC to real locline. cemented that up last night. just now hooked it all up with the SCWD and the return pump in the bathtub and fired it up to check for leaks. no leaks, but wouldn't you know it, the SCWD is stuck on one side. :banghead:

ran it for several minutes, no switching. started and stopped a few times, seemed to switch more to the side that was already open. the SCWD was brand new AFAIK too.

for laughs, hooked up one side of the return directly the the pump. what a difference in flow without the SCWD! the SCWD is history :icon16:

 

[cali_reef]

for laughs, hooked up one side of the return directly the the pump. what a difference in flow without the SCWD! the SCWD is history :icon16:

Didn't I tell you that? I have a 1/2 inch SS for $80 if you can pick up in LI, or I can meet you in midtown next week when I go back to work.

 

[zahner]

hehehhe cali you called it. the flow reduction i expected, although i wasn't expecting the thing to be jammed right out of the box, but that is apparently not uncommon. The SCWD was meant to be an interim thing until I had cash for something better, which is now fortuantely since it has taken a while longer than I thought to get running.

tks for the SS offer. i'm now weighing the pros and cons of going that route or using a Squirt.

 

[zahner]

finished wiring my IceCap MH ballast tonight. I used PowerPole connectors between the ballast and the reflector so I can easily separate the ballast from the hood if need be. I just need to add a ground wire to the reflector (why doesn't IceCap include this?) Tested it and the bulb fired right up.


who needs a hood anyway?

 

[zahner]

so I have been making ro/di water any chance I get and have finally filled the display. Another bucket or two should fill the sump and I can test out the circulation.

Work on the hood began last week as well. Got parts cut out but no pix yet. Will try to take some pix this weekend!

 

[Nsr250NYC]

very nice work

 

[zahner]

tank has been full a couple of weeks now. been trying to sort out some noise issues with the plumbing but I think it might be at a manageable level now. circulation has been running for about a week now 24/7, fired up the heater Thursday night. Just mixed in salt (using IO).

 

[jackson6745]

pics!!!!!

 

[zahner]

here is a pic from today. nothing interesting happening yet. skimmer not in yet as I need to make a small platform for it. hoping to have the canopy assembled next weekend!

 

[zahner]

got a chance to work on the hood yesterday, here are some pix:

laying out the pieces, the corner supports, drilling pilot holes so I don't break my arm screwing it together....

 

[zahner]

partial assembly