Etoimos 60g Cube build

[Etoimos]

This setup was initially built by another local reefer that sold it to me when he downsized to just a single larger tank. So while I did not build the tank per say, I've already started making quite a few changes to it and have more ideas bouncing around in my head.

The tank is a glass 60g Cube (2'x2'x2') and the stand was custom built by a local cabinet/stand builder. The wood used for the stand is Quarter Sawn White Oak.

This is what it looked like after reassembling it in our house...



And here is the sump area after it was all put back together...



With the tank all setup, I went about aquascaping it. Walter White had giving me several pieces of prime cut dry rock that I would be using as the foundation to build from with these ReefSaver rocks from BRS...



But most of them felt either too much or too little, until I came up with this one...





With the live sand and dry rock in, it was time to add the saltwater...




It took a couple of days for the water to clear up...



But when it did, it looked like this...

[Etoimos]

That evening I started my cycle with a raw shrimp in the sump. Speaking of the sump, here are a few more detail shots of that part of the tank.






Eight days into my cycle I noticed that I was already getting a decent about of salt creep in the sump area...



So I decide to make a Salt Shield on my laser to reduce the amount of spray that lands on areas that are harder to clean...





As you can see from that last photo, within seconds of putting it on it was already stopping a lot of spray from landing else where. Now I should be able to remove the shield and clean it up much easier than trying to clean everwhere else.

[Etoimos]

When I first started researching how I wanted to build my system, I had decided on going with an Apex controller. So the first major change I made to the system was to replace the DA Reef Keeper Elite with the new 2016 Apex.



My modules are hidden behind the calcium jug...


The new EB832s fit in the same spot as the RKE outlets did...


One thing I think I will do in time is to buy some shorter USB cables to use instead of the ones that came with the Apes products. For the small footprint of my system, many of them are just too long and make cable management harder then it needs to be. I'm also kicking around some ideas for a new electronics panel and cable management solution. I might go so far as to even make a new sump tank out of acrylic.

I also picked up a Reef Octopus skimmer and setup the ATO system (the reservoir still has to be permanently placed and pumped from the closet behind the tank)...

[Etoimos]

I also switched from the 250w MH to the Radion XR30 Pro for lighting.

Part of switching to the Apex system was getting the Automatic Feed System for when I was gone on trips. Unfortunately, there was no good place to place it on this setup. So, I had to make this shelf for it...





My initial testing with the AFS and PE Pellets that I'm feeding showed that the pellets would float on top to long and about 80%-90% of them would just go over the overflow (I'm trying to not turn off the pump while feeding). So I built in the feed chute you see on the right side. It sits in to the water about a half inch and contains the pellets until they start to sink.







The major complaint about the AFS is that the food compartment comes open when you try and remove it, dumping a bunch of food into your tank. So avoid this, I plan to always unplug my AFS and remove it from the tank to refill the food. This meant I would have to have the bus cable laying around loose above the tank. Having to fish the cable out would be no fun, so I incorporated a pug hold onto the shelf...

[Etoimos]

The new feeding chute would not work with the net cover that was no the tank, so I had to make a new one...

[Etoimos]

We have also added some corals and fish...

A good sized frogspawn (and its tuxedo urchin buddy)



Shelly the Goniopora


The Dude, another Goniopora


Some blue mushrooms


A plate coral named Flatty


And 4 Ricordea on a piece of live rock



On a recent family vacation I found us driving by Alpha Aquaculture, a clownfish breeder. We spent about 1.5 hours there checking out their setups and all of the different designer clownfish that they breed. The kiddos really enjoyed seeing the newly (that morning!) hatched fry. The owner, Kris, was really nice and helped the wife and I pick out our new fish.

A Midnight Lighting Classic


A Frostbite Extreme


And a DaVinchi Extreme


Yes, that is three clownfish in the same tank. I talked to Kris about this and checked out a couple of his tanks that had a trio living it it. While it does not always work out, it is possible to have three in the same tank. We'll be keeping a close eye on them for any signs of severe aggression. The Midnight Lighting was slightly bigger than the other two and has already established its self as the dominate fish of the three. The DaVinchi has completely submitted to it (doing the sideways shimmy dance) and the Frostbite has become the 3rd wheel and spends the daytime separated from the other two (they all still sleep together at night though). Aggression from the Midnight Lighting towards the Frostbite is not too bad right now. It just kind of patrols its area of the tank, keeping the Frostbite away and occasionally nipping at it. One day after doing some rearranging in the tank, it did get a bit aggressive and chased the Frostbite around the tank for a few minutes. Once the Midnight cornered the Frostbite during feeding time and did not let it eat (I "spot" fed it a little later though).

We knew going in that if the aggression was too much that we would have to either get a second tank (thinking maybe a nano for the office area) or get rid of one of the three. As the Frostbite and DaVinchi are the household favorites, the Midnight would be the one to go if it comes to that.

We also have a Lemonpeel Angle in QT right now.

[MK3_LUV]

Tank and setup looks great man! Awesome job on all that fab work.

Did you have to do any reinforcing of your second story to support the added weight of the tank, or is it small enough of a tank you're not too worried about it

[Etoimos]

Originally Posted by MK3_LUV

Tank and setup looks great man! Awesome job on all that fab work.

Did you have to do any reinforcing of your second story to support the added weight of the tank, or is it small enough of a tank you're not too worried about it

Thanks. We did not do any additional support for the tank. As you can tell from the second to last photo in my first post, the tank sits right above the stairs leading to the basement. Due to the angle of the stairs, there are shorter and extra floor joists in that area already.

We originally want to go with a larger tank, but we wanted to use that location. I had considered a 90g bow front, but was a little concerned with the weight on that size. So the 60g works out well.

[Dcropley]

Explain a little more about this laser that does some amazing work.

[Etoimos]

Originally Posted by Dcropley

Explain a little more about this laser that does some amazing work.

It's a 60w Epilog laser that I have for a couple of online business. Since I have it and the acrylic laying around, I figured I could make some cool things for the aquarium with it.

[Etoimos]

A quick update on my system. The lemonpeel did not make it though QT. I died suddenly just shy of the 3 week mark. I was a pretty sad day for my wife and little guy that really liked Zest as we had named him. I'm holding off on getting another fish right now as we are in the process of buying a new home. So it looks like a tank move is in my near future

The DT is doing well and it looks like the algae bloom is just about over. I did does Fluconazole back on the 18th because I had some Bryopsis popping up on some of the rock. With in 4 days the Bryopsis was all gone and a large portion of the algae bloom was gone as well (I had also added a bunch more snails to the CUC earlier that week). I did a 12% water change and I'm switching back to my regular lighting scheme as of today (I was running only the blue LEDs to help fight the algae).

Here are some FTS as it flows today, 122 days since startup...

[dimasv]

Looks really awesome! Where did you get those grey plastic boxes to hide the wires ?

[Etoimos]

Originally Posted by dimasv

Looks really awesome! Where did you get those grey plastic boxes to hide the wires ?

Thanks. Those are just plastic wire ducts. This site has them and some other cool options. For a cleaner look I think their Wirerun Snapper Raceway looks really nice.