Shamus's Rimless 60 Gallon Cube Build

shamus · 12/15/2013, 09:57 PM

After a 13 year break from having a reef tank, I am starting another one. The advances in technology and equipment since I quit has amazed me and made me want to come back and try another. After looking and reading on RC, I decided on a cube and went with a 60 gallon. Its big enough to have fun and easier to move when that day eventually comes. I went with a deep blue brand tank for the price and decent reviews. If I had the money I would have gone with a reef savvy. I decided to get a decent tank and put most of my money into good equipment from the start. After many hours of reading and researching I have decided on the following equipment for the tank.

Custom made stand 36 X 24 X 32
Custom Synergy Reef Systems Sump 21 X 22 X 14
RLSS R6i skimmer
Waveline DC4000 return pump
Ecotech Radion G2
Ecotech MP10wes (one more later)
Neptune Apex
Neptune Breakout box
BRS 50ml for ATO
2 BRS 1.1ml pumps for dosing
45 # Fiji live rock
30 # bag of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes
2 150 watt Eheim Jager heaters
BRS reactor for carbon and GFO
After 9 months of reading and buying equipment I have finally got the tank setup and running. It has been cycling for 3 weeks so far.

Tank and stand

Synergy sump

Fiji select live rock from liveaquaria.com

electric panel on left side of stand

Tank cycling

shamus · 12/15/2013, 09:59 PM

sump and plumbing

Aquascape

MJSavage · 12/16/2013, 10:56 AM

I love everything about this build. Well thought out for sure!

Mike

Sugar Magnolia · 12/16/2013, 11:01 AM

Very clean looking! I really like your aquascape.

Shan69743 · 12/16/2013, 11:04 AM

You must have been planning this out for the last 13 years lol. looking good so far.

shamus · 12/16/2013, 01:02 PM

Thanks. It has been a long thought out process. Lots of research. I still have a long way to go!

thegrun · 12/16/2013, 01:47 PM

Great start. I took a 18 year break from the hobby (I got back in about 6 years ago) and yes, everything changed over that timeframe. The tank looks very nice, well thought out choice in equipment. Keep us posted!

Evelio118 · 12/16/2013, 05:03 PM

Great tank build

mr9iron · 12/17/2013, 07:43 PM

Sweet build, any updates?

shamus · 12/17/2013, 08:02 PM

Nothing new. Cycle is almost done. Hope to get my clean up crew after I see some algae for them to eat. I did program my radion and i really like the look of it. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have some coral to look at.

mr9iron · 12/17/2013, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shamus

Nothing new. Cycle is almost done. Hope to get my clean up crew after I see some algae for them to eat. I did program my radion and i really like the look of it. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have some coral to look at.

shamus · 01/19/2014, 08:51 PM

Update time. CUC took care of the diatoms. I added a few frags. So far they seem happy. Going to get a few sps to try out next. Water Parameters have been testing good also.

salgas · 01/19/2014, 09:04 PM

Looking good! ;-)
Pardon my ignorance but what does "CUC" means?

hijinks · 01/19/2014, 09:07 PM

Clean up crew

danderso · 01/19/2014, 09:12 PM

Very nice!

picoreef · 01/19/2014, 09:20 PM

Well done. Amazing build. Makes me want to redo my 60g cube.

shamus · 01/19/2014, 09:35 PM

Thanks guys. Yeah cuc (clean up crew) consists of about 16 snails and 10 blue leg hermits.

mr9iron · 01/19/2014, 11:10 PM

Looking good.

mr9iron · 01/19/2014, 11:11 PM

What are you doing for an ATO.

robotman · 01/20/2014, 12:37 AM

beautiful frags.

shamus · 01/20/2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr9iron

What are you doing for an ATO.

I am using a brs pump and float switches with my apex. Its working great.

mr9iron · 01/20/2014, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shamus

I am using a brs pump and float switches with my apex. Its working great.

Shamus, thanks for that. How do you have it setup? What is your programming as well? Are you considering doing an automatic water change system? I want to, but am not completely sure on how to approach this with my Apex yet.

shamus · 01/20/2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr9iron

Shamus, thanks for that. How do you have it setup? What is your programming as well? Are you considering doing an automatic water change system? I want to, but am not completely sure on how to approach this with my Apex yet.

In this picture you can see the double float switch in the return section. The bottom float controls the BRS pump to turn on and off. The top float is an emergency shut off in case the bottom float sticks. I have thought about maybe using a stenner pump and doing small daily water changes, but right now I am just going to keep doing them monthly.

Apex program

Fallback off
Set off
If switch 1 is closed then on
If switch 1 is open then off
If switch 2 is open then off

Irshhooligan · 01/24/2014, 08:32 PM

Did you design the sump or did you just give them the dimensions that you wanted? What does a sump like that cost?

Cdodge1 · 01/24/2014, 09:29 PM

Great tank! love the organized wiring!

12/15/2013, 09:57 PM	#1
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	Shamus's Rimless 60 Gallon Cube Build After a 13 year break from having a reef tank, I am starting another one. The advances in technology and equipment since I quit has amazed me and made me want to come back and try another. After looking and reading on RC, I decided on a cube and went with a 60 gallon. Its big enough to have fun and easier to move when that day eventually comes. I went with a deep blue brand tank for the price and decent reviews. If I had the money I would have gone with a reef savvy. I decided to get a decent tank and put most of my money into good equipment from the start. After many hours of reading and researching I have decided on the following equipment for the tank. Custom made stand 36 X 24 X 32 Custom Synergy Reef Systems Sump 21 X 22 X 14 RLSS R6i skimmer Waveline DC4000 return pump Ecotech Radion G2 Ecotech MP10wes (one more later) Neptune Apex Neptune Breakout box BRS 50ml for ATO 2 BRS 1.1ml pumps for dosing 45 # Fiji live rock 30 # bag of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes 2 150 watt Eheim Jager heaters BRS reactor for carbon and GFO After 9 months of reading and buying equipment I have finally got the tank setup and running. It has been cycling for 3 weeks so far. Tank and stand Synergy sump Fiji select live rock from liveaquaria.com electric panel on left side of stand Tank cycling

12/16/2013, 11:01 AM	#4
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Very clean looking! I really like your aquascape. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

12/17/2013, 07:43 PM	#9
mr9iron 15& Over Club Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,552 Blog Entries: 1	Sweet build, any updates? __________________ Vince ______________________________ Current Tank Info: Frag tank at the moment, planning another

01/19/2014, 09:12 PM	#15
danderso Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Melbourne, FL Posts: 396	Very nice! __________________ It's always sunny in my reef tank Current tank info- 7 gal nano with AI Prime

01/19/2014, 11:10 PM	#18
mr9iron 15& Over Club Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,552 Blog Entries: 1	Looking good. __________________ Vince ______________________________ Current Tank Info: Frag tank at the moment, planning another

12/15/2013, 09:59 PM	#2
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	sump and plumbing Aquascape

12/16/2013, 10:56 AM	#3
MJSavage Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SLC Posts: 266	I love everything about this build. Well thought out for sure! Mike

12/16/2013, 11:04 AM	#5
Shan69743 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: North Central PA Posts: 54	You must have been planning this out for the last 13 years lol. looking good so far.

12/16/2013, 01:02 PM	#6
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	Thanks. It has been a long thought out process. Lots of research. I still have a long way to go!

12/16/2013, 01:47 PM	#7
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Great start. I took a 18 year break from the hobby (I got back in about 6 years ago) and yes, everything changed over that timeframe. The tank looks very nice, well thought out choice in equipment. Keep us posted!

12/16/2013, 05:03 PM	#8
Evelio118 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 43	Great tank build

12/17/2013, 08:02 PM	#10
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	Nothing new. Cycle is almost done. Hope to get my clean up crew after I see some algae for them to eat. I did program my radion and i really like the look of it. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have some coral to look at.

01/19/2014, 08:51 PM	#12
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	Update time. CUC took care of the diatoms. I added a few frags. So far they seem happy. Going to get a few sps to try out next. Water Parameters have been testing good also.

01/19/2014, 09:04 PM	#13
salgas Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Portugal Posts: 50	Looking good! ;-) Pardon my ignorance but what does "CUC" means?

01/19/2014, 09:07 PM	#14
hijinks Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 505	Clean up crew

01/19/2014, 09:20 PM	#16
picoreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 29	Well done. Amazing build. Makes me want to redo my 60g cube.

01/19/2014, 09:35 PM	#17
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WV Posts: 168	Thanks guys. Yeah cuc (clean up crew) consists of about 16 snails and 10 blue leg hermits.

01/19/2014, 11:11 PM	#19
mr9iron 15& Over Club Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,552 Blog Entries: 1	What are you doing for an ATO. __________________ Vince ______________________________ Current Tank Info: Frag tank at the moment, planning another

01/20/2014, 12:37 AM	#20
robotman Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 737	beautiful frags. __________________ 55 gal reef 2 BO clowns 1 Hippo Tang 1 Foxface 1 Flame Angel 1 Pink Spotted Watchman Goby 1 Hi fin Goby 2 Benghai Cardinal 2 mated Mandarin Dragon net mostly softies and lps, some sps reefing since 5

01/24/2014, 08:32 PM	#24
Irshhooligan Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 54	Did you design the sump or did you just give them the dimensions that you wanted? What does a sump like that cost?

01/24/2014, 09:29 PM	#25
Cdodge1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tampa Palms Posts: 649	Great tank! love the organized wiring!