My nano cube project

[Tristan]

I was pondering with the idea of ordering a 20x20 cube tank a few weeks ago then i remembered i had a 14x14 sump sitting in my garage!:D

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/post-2660-11513457151.jpg

So i thought i may as well go for the 14" cube as its free!

My first challenge was to cut a hole in the glass for a wier which i have never done before! but after some planning and patience i made a jig

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/post-2660-11513475321.jpg

And made a hole!!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/post-2660-11513477671.jpg

The next challenge (ongoing!) is the stand! i have built a frame out of 1x1 and made some side panels and a wooden sump which i have now fibreglassed.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Acripora_0031.jpg


My sump,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/post-2660-11517653871.jpg

And what the sides will look like!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/post-2660-1151765481_thumb1.jpg


I am now going to remove the front section of the sump and replace it with glass so i can see inside because it was a bit dark in there!

Now i would like some sugestions on lighting! i have about a 12" square area where i can mount them so anything powerfull enough to grow sps that will fit in there would be fantastic!

Any criticism welcome!

[instantsquid]

I like it - although all those glass baffles in the main tank could cause your fish some swimming problems :D

Got any pics of your sump (finished)?

I'm guessing you'll need to use a DE metal halide given the space you've dictated - there are some compact units around (I have one over my nano-tank) so it should be possible to source something that'll do the job.

- Ian

[Shiva]

Looks nice, but keep in mind that even when you remove the baffles, the silicon will have left his marks on the glass.

[Johnymajors]

Should be a very nice little nano setup :o love the idea with the sump

Like Ian i would also go down the DE halide route. There is a couple of projectors on fleabay at the mo going cheap

[Tristan]

Thanks guys i will look into the de halide, how deep is this light?

The sump is in progress, as you know i have decided to replace the front with glass so i will lett you know how i get on!

I want to put a closed loop in, can anyone reccomend a setup for one? i was thinking of using an ehiem 1060 drawing through the bottom through a t piece with a grill, then the outputs coming through the bottom through 45's facing the rock?

[Tristan]

Thanks guys i will look into the de halide, how deep is this light?

Doh!! DE = double ended! i know what that is!

[Tristan]

Bit of an update!

I have nearly finnished the stand!

I just have to build a door and a lid, does anyone have any ideas on a finnish?

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano007.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano006.jpg


I fibreglassed the sump minus the front section, my fibreglassing is not fantastic so i am going to need to do a bit of tidying up before i flowcoat it!

I also painted resin on the whole of the inside of the stand to make it all waterproof! I will also run flowcoat over all of this.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano008.jpg


I cut the baffles out and cleaned the glass, it was surprisingly easy! only took about 15 minutes! :eek:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano009.jpg

And i have made this wier out of an old overflow box with the use of a bandsaw:D

How do i glue acrilic to acrilic? do i just use superglue?

And how do i attach acrilic to glass? do i use silicone?

I think i have answered my own questions but i would like to make sure!:D

Any comments welcome!

[ANDREW 30]

Your sump idea is a good one but fiber glass or gel coat which you use to flow coat will give off styrene fumes for months, and i'm sure this will badly affect your stock as it is poisonous to man in big quantitys!

Sorry Andrew

[Tristan]

Well atleast it was a comment! i was beggining to think i had said something wrong!

I have seen many healthy tanks like this and no-one has told me this before, i believe all comercial tanks are made in this way! i also used flow coat that is used for sealing houshold watertanks so it must be safe, are you sure about this? does anyone else have any experience with this??

[fras]

what a cool project! Wish i had your diy skills.

Got no clue about your questions sorry!

[Tristan]

Bit of an update!

Had a disaster when i was drilling for my closed loop! the drill slipped at the end of the hole!:mad:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano010.jpg

So after a quick visit to the local glass merchant and a bit of silicone all was fixed!:D

I drilled the holes flat this time!:confused:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano012.jpg

I have also flow coated the sump and the inside of the cabinet so all the wood is protected from condensation and splashes.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano013.jpg

Then attached the front pane of glass with silicone which seems to have worked really well, its holding water now with no leaks!:D

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Nano014.jpg

[Twistedpro]

This looks like an awsome little project, how well does the silcone stick to the fiberglass?

Looking forward to seeing this one full. You can use silcone to attach acrylic to glass you you dont get a very strong bond. I used chloroform to stick the acrylic together

[Tristan]

The silicone to the fibreglass seems solid! i am quite happy for it to hold this amount of water but i think i would use reinforcements for anything bigger.

[marineboy10]

Hell There,
New To Site, Been Lookin At Your Tank, Looks Great However, My Only Concern Would Be The Size Of The Weer Box To The Size Of The Pipework That Feeds The Sump. I Set A 7x2x2 Reef Tank Up With A 5ft, 5 Compartment Sump And This Was A Problem I Encountered

[Tristan]

the sump turnover is fairly low and i have a tap on the overflow so hopefully everything will be ok!:D

[darrenaanderson]

Very impressed, not sure there's an issue with the fibre glass - it's used all the time for potable water tank and Koi ponds (and we think our hobby's expensive!)

[Tristan]

A mate of mine made a 8 foot reef tank out of fibreglass with a glass pane for the front which he kept for years with no problems so i am quite happy with this sump.

I am considering buying it as my next tank!

[Tristan]

Been busy!:D

Ive run all the piping!

Overflow and return,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang023.jpg


Running down the back,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang022.jpg

And into, and out of the sump:o

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang018.jpg

Ive also plummed the closed loop,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang024.jpg

With a nice big pump!!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang016.jpg


The test run showed plenty of surface movement!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang020.jpg

A full length shot of the inside of the stand,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang019.jpg


And with the skimmer,
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang025.jpg


This is what it will look like after all the panneling is fitted,

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/Lipsticktang013.jpg


I have hammerite silver to paint the stand, does anyone have any ideas what i should prime it with?

Thats it for now!:D

[Elliott89]

Very Very Impressive build there,i cant wait to see it stocked:D

[Tristan]

Thanks mate! Ive just painted the stand!

[Warrington-guy]

Pics??? get some more up.

[Tristan]

Its still wet!!!

i dont want to stir up any dust!

[Jon B]

Great project there Tristan. How come you went for a sump like that instead of a regular glass one?

Let's have some pictures of the stand painted then!!!! ;)

[slappy]

Very impressed, not sure there's an issue with the fibre glass - it's used all the time for potable water tank and Koi ponds (and we think our hobby's expensive!)

Although I'm no expert when it comes to fibreglass etc. But as Andrew30 is a qualified boat builder/ships mate I would take his advice and be cautious with the fibreglass or gel coat.

Just my 2p's worth.

Looking good by the way.

[Prometheus]

think you need a bigger skimmer :D

[Tristan]

I went for the fibreglass sump because its a bit different and a bit of fun to build!:D

I am positive the gel coat will be fine! most commercial aquariums are made this way.

And i know the skimmer is way oversized but i had it already and i want to keep sps so i need very clean water!

Thanks for the kind words guys!:D

[narthur]

Looks really good should make for a lovely little tank.. any idea of stock !!

[Tristan]

I am going to frag every sps from my main tank which is about 20,

As fo fish i dont have a clue!

My thoughts have been,

either

4 firefish

or

10 blue chromis

or a few mixed species like neon gobies, 2 firefish or two jawfish?

I dont want many fish at all because i want to keep nutriens down to keep my sps looking fantastic but theres so many choices!!!

[Tristan]

Well.... I havent posted any pics of the pait job because it looked ****!
It looked fantastic when i left it but overnight the wood absorbed the lott! i wa left with a silver but very grainy finnish, after speaking to the local paint specialist they said that hammerite is funny stuff and the manufactures say you have to wait 6 weeks before adding another coat!:mad:
So he sold me some car paint that will go over the top, wht i then decided was that i would cut back all the hammerite and just use it as a grain filler so after ALLOT of sanding and smoothing i am finnaly left with some very smooth wood :D
I re primed it last night and after another rub down i am gonna get the old spray gun out and give it my best!

[Tristan]

:D :D

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/nano019.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/nano020.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/nano021.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/nano022.jpg

[jcoops16]

Thats a nice finish you have on the cabinet

[Warrington-guy]

Very very nice indeed. love the finnish, lol should have put some metel flake in there too. pimp my tank

[Tristan]

:D

I have also been busy building this home made calcium reactor,

Hope it works!:confused:

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/Tristanharrison/nano018.jpg

[Shiva]

Is there any water in the CoolCube yet?