29g Bio

MrDJeep123 · Jan 14, 2014

So after lurking for quite awhile, I decided to hop on and post. I obtained a 29g Bio and accessories from someone and decided to make the best of it. I had a 65g that went downhill after bryopsis came to town off some frags. I couldn't keep up with the nasty stuff , take care of a newborn plus 2 older kids, and a German shepherd puppy all at the same time. So something had to go or my sanity was going.

Anyways, the tank is currently cycling. I'm around 3 weeks I think.

Ok, so the plan is to mod the hood and add LEDs. Not the Retro fit type, but something like the Reefbreeders photon 16 or Razor nano. Somehow incorporate it into the hood sitting on or very near the splash guard. I may remove the hood altogether. My reservation with that is pump hum and water noise. I built an eggcrate holder for chemipure and possibly chaeto. I will do do biweekly water changes and weekly removal of the floss.

I haven't given much thought as to stock. I do want to keep sps. Also the plan is to make it a macro planted tank as well. Those plants sure can aid in nitrate and phosphate removal.

Any suggestions are welcomed. I've had more experience with larger tanks and would hope this goes smoothly. I plan on updating this post as time goes on. Thanks for looking.

kandymann · Jan 15, 2014

nice aqua scape! looking forward to seeing this tank progress.

MrDJeep123 · Jan 15, 2014

kandymann said:
nice tank scape! looking forward to seeing this tank progress.

Thanks! I have to thank John from Reef cleaners for the nice pieces of rock. Originally it was very bare. I realized to help keep maintenance down I would have had to add more rock. It also allows more room for coral placement.

This was before rework of the tank:

benny z · Jan 15, 2014

love it!

any reason you're straying away from the retrofit type? just curious. i recently modified my nano's hood with leds using a retrofit heat sink and a custom blend of dimmable leds, and it has been working out fantastically while allowing me to keep the tank 100% covered (ideal for the fish i'm keeping).

revhtree · Jan 15, 2014

Looks nice and welcome to R2R!

MrDJeep123 · Jan 15, 2014

benny z said:
love it!

any reason you're straying away from the retrofit type? just curious. i recently modified my nano's hood with leds using a retrofit heat sink and a custom blend of dimmable leds, and it has been working out fantastically while allowing me to keep the tank 100% covered (ideal for the fish i'm keeping).

Thanks.
Updating purposes. I think it would be easier to keep the external LEDs for future purposes than the kit that would be installed in the hood. I have thought long about the kits, though.

revhtree said:
Looks nice and welcome to R2R!

Thank you!

benny z · Jan 15, 2014

ah, that absolutely makes sense then.

MrDJeep123 · Jan 15, 2014

benny z said:
ah, that absolutely makes sense then.

I try to think and plan ahead a bit.

So I was tinkering around some and removed the stock pump. I put in a MJ 1200. So freakin quiet! There wasn't much water noise to begin. I have a light stand that I could somehow fix up to use with whatever fixture I decide.
I think I'm going to go topless. :eyebrows:

Reefbreeders Photon16 or Razor Nano?

makxc50099 · Jan 17, 2014

the aqua scape looks awesome. I love my Bio Cube. Have you looked into the retro fits for the sump (chamber 2). I made my own rack for the back of mine. I hated the bio balls

makxc50099 · Jan 17, 2014

also, I upgraded to the MJ1200. Works great in the tank.

MrDJeep123 · Jan 17, 2014

makxc50099 said:
also, I ugraded to the MJ1200. Works great in the tank.

makxc50099 said:
the aqua scape looks awesome. I love my Bio Cube. Have you looked into the retro fits for the sump (chamber 2). I made my own rack for the back of mine. I hated the bio balls

Thanks very much! The only thing I don't like is I come from having much larger tanks. But given where we live currently, it's better than having nothing. As for the chamber, I'm thinking of doing an upflow algae scrubber of sorts. I just don't know where to start. As of now, I have an eggcrate rack and poly.

Jing_xoxo · Jan 17, 2014

Wow wow I love that plateau that you designed, now im wondering how to incorporate one into my biocube haha

MrDJeep123 · Jan 17, 2014

Jing_xoxo said:
Wow wow I love that plateau that you designed, now im wondering how to incorporate one into my biocube haha

Ha, thanks!

benny z · Jan 17, 2014

i've gotta see this algae scrubber you come up with...

MrDJeep123 · Jan 17, 2014

benny z said:
i've gotta see this algae scrubber you come up with...

I have a few ideas. Both are based on a few things I've seen. The problem with one of them is that I'd have to lower the water in the chamber so that it trickles down which means LOTS of water noise. Especially since I more than likely won't use the hood.
The second one I think is more practical, given the room in the chamber. I wouldn't have to lower the water and I can put to use one or two air pumps. I plan on tinkering this weekend.

makxc50099 · Jan 17, 2014

I have the egg crate style filter to. Make sure you post pics if the scrubber. Sounds interesting in this tank.

MrDJeep123 · Jan 17, 2014

makxc50099 said:
I have the egg crate style filter to. Make sure you post pics if the scrubber. Sounds interesting in this tank.

I most certainly will do.

MrDJeep123 · Jan 18, 2014

OK. So I decided to make an upflow ATS. It's tiny compared to what I've seen, but I think it will help. I had some parts laying around so this project cost less than $10.

Here are some pics:

It was fairly simple. Maybe 45 minutes. I haven't painted it yet. It's not in the tank because I don't have a light yet to afix to the outside of the tank. Next weekend.