Hexahedron Heaven - 6.68 ft3 of love
 

Hi, Thanks for stopping in! This is my build log for my new aquarium, I want to share everything I do in hopes of helping someone else out along the way and to document my journey.

I am upgrading from my Cardiff 24G AIO to this beautiful tank set up I found at a very reasonable price!! $635 shipped to my door.
Props to ZiaReefer for pointing out the seller!


I received this system on April 17th and began working on it that night.
I have lots of upgrades, modifications, DIY’s in mind for this.

Equipment:

Tank: STARFIRE Glass (only front 3 pieces) Size: 24"W x 24"L x 20"H
Thickness: 10mm glass, with high quality diamond polished edges.
One 3 camber glass sump (19-3/4"W x 16-1/2"L x 13"H) with filter media & bio-balls
SCA-301 65 Gallon skimmer with PH1100 needle wheel pump.
OPH3000 utility return pump – 3550 LPH or 938 GPH
Light - I will be moving my AI Hydra from the Cardiff over to this.


I assembled the stand and used wood glue to aid in keeping it strong, then I painted the inside of the stand bright white with a good outdoor paint, it was oil based so it took a few days to dry. I did this because it will help me see inside the sump better and because I saw NanoTopia do it and I like it!! So thanks NanoTopia!

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psafqtrfhd.jpg

I didn’t like the wasted space in the sump, so while the paint was drying, I came up with a way to modify the water flow inside the sump which will also maximize the space I have for Cheato and what not.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psyuqjgkh6.jpg

The water will enter the sump in the ball left chamber, flow under the wall into the skimmer chamber. Then under the wall to the refugium chamber, but it will have to travel to the back of the refugium because I put a 2.5 inch riser in the front half of the left had refugium wall. the water will then flow fem the back of the refugium to the front where it will flow over the all into the pump return chamber, which I cut in half with by adding a 5 inch tall wall which will make the water flow up and over that wall into the new pump chamber. Doing this gave me an additional 8x5 inch chamber to use as refugium space. I will also be adding some egg crate to cut the center refugium chamber in half for Cheato or macro algae.
The blue arrows is where water flows under a wall, the red is where the water flows over a wall.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps80f2751d.jpg

One of the other major mods I will do is to drill out the hole in the bottom of the tank for the ½ inch bulkhead so I can use a 1 inch bulkhead. This will allow me to make a Herbie return system and keep this system real quiet.
Here is the guide I used for this - Herbie Overflow guide - http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-...-method-basics

Here is where I am so far.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6f140ad6.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pscb42f97d.jpg

:fish1::fish1::fish1::fish1::fish1:

MAN! I like it! Did it come with the sump and skimmer, return pump?

These are a hot seller right now. Its going to get a lot more people into the hobby. What are your livestock plans?

sweet man thanks for posting, good idea on the white. Following along for sure.

like the set up... great start

Thanks for stopping in!
Yup, Everything but a heater and light. A few parts can be up graded for not a lot of $$ but it will run right out of the box.
I see that Pnavarro170 has what appears to be the 66 gallon set up from what I think is the same people.

Thanks for stopping it!
My livestock will everything from my Cardiif plus.....well this might take some time to figure out. Been eyeing a Dwarf Flame Angel, A bonded pair of Picasso Clowns......Coral.......lots of coral....:rollface:

Thanks for stopping in!
I have read you 66 gallon build and am considering a algae scrubber. What do you thing is better, a scrubber or a GFO reactor to go along with the skimmer?

Thanks! I am hoping to have it wet next weekend, but there is a lot to get done for that to happen......

More to follow!! :dance:

i dont really see how the sump flow your describing would go, since the bottoms are open for flow then its not as directional as you think. will still go side to side. also i told you but to let people know to not forget to put padding under rimless tanks.

Its darn near impossible to show what I have done in a glass sump. I have added glass block off plates in places to direct the water flow. I sealed off the back left chamber on the right wall at the bottom where it would just go to the center section, now all the water MUST go ingto the skimmer section, under the right wall in the skimmer section and flow from the front to the back of the sump in the narrow passage. I keep the water in there by having added taller glass to the wall 10 inches long, leaving a 4 inch section in the rear for it pass into the center section. I did the same thing on the other side but this time I blocked the back and left the front open so the water must flow from the back of the center section to the front, over the wall and down under the wall into the new section I created. Then the water flows over the new wall intothe pump section.

I know it hard to see, I am working on a 3D drawing, which may or may not get done, but trust me, it works because I added glass to make it work. Look real close and you can see some of it.

Oh okay. Just making sure.

Like what you are doing.
 

Hello i like what your are doing with your tank , im considering doing the same hope you dont mine if i copy it, just wondering how did you pick it up for that price i check the link and they are listing the tank for $799.

Yes, that link to their web page is a little more expensive but it’s because it’s a 10mm tank. I got mine off EBay. Check seller Letsmakesomemoney - currently he has one on there for $625, you might get it for $50 less but it is an 8mm tank. If you get it, email him after the auction ends and ask for an upgrade to 10mm, it’s a very reasonable cost.

Rockscape in work
 

Some progress on the rockscape over the last several days.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psi70pdtfg.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psasrfzxyl.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psifwg4pbr.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps15bkclvp.jpg

Back looking forward
http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pscv9t4f2o.jpg

I love your rock scape!!!! awesome job

Thanks Snyper!
Its has been tormenting sitting there trying to imagine how this rock can fit with that one and how can I make an arch? Then its this rock don't fit, how do I cut it to make it fit? :hammer: etc...man Im telling you I understand why people DONT like to scape....LOL
It has taken the better part of a week to do about 3 hours worth of actual work..... :headwalls:

Can you say DIY reactors......

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pstlgn4qne.jpg

How to - to follow.......

Pretty cool

Update:

Drilled the tank for the Herbie drain

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps18cfd654.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps47b629d6.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pse9facade.jpg



Built the drain tubes - 1" dual - one primary and one emergency/backup.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psr0dr3i36.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psuxybw2cl.jpg



Built the clamps for the Reactor tubes

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pshimdzgl0.jpg



Finished and installed the plumbing and some of the electrical

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psooo504z0.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psjrexkyta.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psjhlh9jtm.jpg


Almost ready to get wet!

Didnt your tank come drilled already?

Like to see this herbie drain

Yes, drilled 1ea 1" and 1ea 1/2" for a typical setup, but I wanted a Herbie overflow and opted for dual 1" overflow. So that means my return to the tank is externally plumbed. I will get a pic up later to show what I did.

So here is some info on the Herbie overflow -->http://gmacreef.com/herbie-overflow-...-method-basics

Pump return to the tank:

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psqoqtai2k.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1ketgxxq.jpg

The overflows can be see above in post #17

Had a really good day yesterday. I was able to get the tank completed and ready for water, but when I opened the boxes from Marlo Rocks to clean my sand, it was the super fine sugar sand....I swear I ordered the coarse stuff.....

So, I did not get the tank wet.

I did however have a great visit with Zia, who stopped by to see how things were shaping up due to me texting him these pics!

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8idpukml.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psf9y4ujfm.jpg

Basic sump DONE - except for the reactors and the ATO..... :idea: ......lol

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psrvzaub9p.jpg


http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0gav0dcn.jpg


Light moved over from the Cardiff...

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psw3u9y05a.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pspehxqa5n.jpg


So last night I was cruising the on line stores looking at sand again, and I wondered....this might look REALLY cool with black sand. I had a 125 fresh water tank a few years back with black sand id it looked great. hummmmm.....what to do.....:headwally:

lol, I remembered when I was at that point where you're at right now... i'm sure either way will look great!

GO WITH BLACK SAND!!! I can't wait till you get water in there!

Its wet !!

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psbc0d5ca9.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pseawnaifu.jpg

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psngcqdrgk.jpg


And no leaks!! I only have one problem and its minor, one of my new WP-10's power supply is bad, so I will have to exchange that, but hey....Im happy!!

Looks good, what light did you go with?

I am using an AI Hydra, it got moved over from my current MDT, a 24g Cardiff AIO. I Will start moving all the coral and fish from it, to this slowly in a month or so.

Yeah that's what I have on my 34g. What sucks is they now came out with the hydra 52 upgrade

technology advances so quickly in my opinion the decision is really between needing to have the latest all the time or a piece of equipment that will do what you need it to do.

It seems like every time i buy a piece of tech they come out with something newer within a month or so of my purchase. part of the game i guess..

True I think I will protest by not upgrading. At least until I have money:) $300 to upgrade from AI Sol to Hydra 52. I have 3 lights!

LOL i never upgraded my sol blues either and still get great color and growth from my corals. Keep in mind that i also run a t5 unit on my tank.

Hmmmm, that's a thought! Cheaper to add some T5s.

Not in the long run, bulb replacement costs me much more annually than the one time upgrade cost, however, I believe the spectrum output from a t5 bulb is much more beneficial than straight led.

Nice build progression man! sorry about the hijack keep the progress and fine attention to detail coming.

Im going to add 2 54watt T5s.. Run them for 4 hours a day. Should last onger than 9months.

Thanks guys, good conversation, but you forgot one aspect/option. I now have two cheep manual control dimable LED units on my other two tanks. I use two timers to control them and give a sunrise & sunset effect. Its not the quality of the AI Hydra or other full control LED's, but then again the light only cost $130. Got it off Amazon, here --> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Like I said, its just another option.

Thanks, I made my own thread. Hows your tank? I see you got it filled, looking good.

Can you link the dimmers also?

Cool I will look it up and give it a read.

The dimmers are part of the light.

Oh ok, you mean starting the blues first and then others after. I was thinking you found a gadget that did the full crank up of the dimmers for sunrise. Still, its way cheaper than paying close to a grand for a light that will be out dated in 6 months. We've been getting ripped off ever since leds came out so for once im glad china made a cheaper product. Honestly, I get tired of saltwater companies slapping their logo on stuff and tripling the price. It all started with "high quality nori" f'n ridiculous....

Agreed......and its not in just the aquarist hobby.....look at any car.... :eek1:

When I opend my boxes of sand to start washing it I found I had 80lbs of very fine sugar sand....not what I wanted. I contacted Marko Rocks and told them about wanting the coarse sand not the fine sugar sand, and even though it was my fault for not looking at the web page correctly they said if I paid for the shipping, they would send 80 lbs of coarse sand fort he cost of shipping. What am I going to say....YES! Way to Go Marko Rocks!!!
So the sand came in tow days later and got added to the tank on Thursday the 22nd. On Friday I added this:

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8agkvvuh.jpg

Which resulted in this:

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...pscspzeptx.jpg

This is seeding the tank to kick off the biological cycle. I will add the bottle of Fritz zyme 9 I have and then when I see the nitrite and nitrate make there swing and are just about zero I will put three green cromis in the tank to keep the cycle going. I may add some live rock from my refugium too.

So the tank has been running and I am waiting to see the shift in the water parameters, I have been testing every night, here are a few of the results

May 24th

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psfwm7uhlo.jpg

May 25th

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psljbeyerf.jpg

May 26th

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2hcckikk.jpg

May 27th

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...psodgp0bfc.jpg

May 28th

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1bc9dcli.jpg

No cahnge in any of the readings, but it has only been 5 days....maybe tonight there will a little change.

I'm in the same boat with my 34g Solana. So now I've been doing my water changes on the 120g. Then placing the 120g water into the 34g.

If you dont want to keep chromis use mollies, then just give them away. Much cheaper.

That is what I will start doing this weekend with my water from the Cardiff, kind of seems strange to put used water in a new tank, but man it speeds up the cycle like crazy!! :dance:

I got the Cromis for 2.99 each.....and they are nice fish so they will stay.

Do you have any mollies ready to go for saltwater?

Yeah its strange to do that, but I'm ready to put some life into the nano!

Not right now, but the don't need to be ready, just buy them and acclimate like any other fish.

No to get Hijack this thread again, but ive read it take 6hours - 2weeks. But they add a natural food source to the Reef once they start having babies. Also eat GHA.

Hijack away lol. I speak from experience not what I read. I had a swarm of black mollies in my 240g for that purpose. A school of about 40-50 of various sizes upto 4", yes they grow to four inches. The great thing is they are barely noticeable and constantly breeding. Then, I got a lion fish. 2 weeks later they were all gone. Anyhow to my point. When ever I got low on females, or they went on sale for 1$ at petco I would grab a few, poke a few holes in the bag and plop them in shortly after. You sure it wasn't 6 minutes? Lol.

Thats pretty cool, I saw a video on it. American Reef Channel with Mike Paletta. He talks about maintaining a frag tank into his existing tank. Explains how mollies are good for the tank, ect.. But Yeah im sure it wasnt 6mins. But hey, you have the experience. I watch a lot of Youtube to satisfy my Reef Tank addicition, my tank and these forums can not satisfy my hunger for knowledge!:beer: