20G MWSP Softie Build (w/ pix)

JSB · Oct 14, 2012

I had a big Wellso in my 60 cube that just could not handle the flow, no matter where I put him. I had a 20-gallon tank in the garage that I just never got around to building a new sump out of. I had an Aqueon power filter and some cycled rock and sand that had been in my q-tank for a while, but had never had to be medicated. I had lights and powerheads and pumps and test kits and all kinds of stuff, so I decided to do a low tech MWSP (Made-With-Spare-Parts) build for my office.

I knew my Marineland LED fixture would not work for anything but fish, so I picked up an inexpensive dual 24" T5HO fixture with a 10kk and a 420nm actinic. (I am going to move to a 14KK bulb later for color, but this works for now.) I use the Aqueon power filter for carbon, but have removed the wet/dry bale, and will probably drop some GFO in it in a media bag, until I upgrade to a CPR BakPak 2R+ skimmer. The skimmer, running a spare MJ1200 or mine, plus a spare MJ600 will give me about 20-25x flow. Throw in a 50w heater from my q-tank, and pick up a cheap stand from Petco and we are in business.

So a local reefer was getting out, so I puck up a little more lice rock to supplement what I had, took it all to my office and put it together.

I brought a bunch of frags that I had in my Q-tank that I had there for holding including some rics, couple of zoas, GSP, and a toadstool.

I also brought in a blue/green chromis that was being beat down in my display and I had to rescue it.

JSB · Oct 14, 2012

After a few days, I brought in some pulsing xenia and the wellso that I was trying to save:

JSB · Oct 14, 2012

I visited a buddy for a frogspawn head and some extra live sand to seed the bed. Then another local reefer was getting out and had some stuff at fire sale prices, so I went shopping for leathers, shrooms, duncans, zoas, and a bunch of other stuff:

JSB · Oct 14, 2012

Like I said in the beginning, I plan to add a skimmer at some point in the future, but that, and a pajama cardinal are all that I will likely put in it. (maybe a coral banded shrimp).

Hope you enjoyed it, and forgive the cell phone shots.

Mr. D · Oct 15, 2012

Tank looks very nice. I like its simple look.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JSB · Oct 15, 2012

I need to post a clear FTS, but all of the ones I took yesterday were garbage. I will get a new one on here today.

Side Note:
Lord have mercy, I just looked back at my first post where I "pucked up some lice rock" and wonder if auto-correct is really worth it.