55 cube aqnd 40b learning to wing it

Anchor · Apr 17, 2020

OK so I have a bunch of adjustments.

I gave up on the Home made overflow and bought a new 40b because I chipped the original one.
I drilled the new 40b to be able to use the Eshopps med overflow. Drilled it too low but should'nt be too bad.
I have the stand(s) set up in the fish room and am in the midst of plumbing dilema.

I have learned not to set a tank over a shifting concrete crack in the winter..

Anchor · Apr 20, 2020

Time for an update! Got the stands all together and leveled. Tanks are in place! Using my DIY sump as the FijicCube blew out the entire bottom seal, though I have sealed it anew but still need to leak test for another, someday, project.

Currently working on the plumbing. I have set them up 16 inches from the wall so I can get behind them for maintenance and other things. The sump has been pulled full forward so I can put a 10 gallon tank behind it for ATO. I am thining that my control board will go under the cube tank,

I am hoping a single return pump (Sicce 7.0 WiFI DC pump) will be enough to handle both tanks. I have a Lifegard 4000 on hand in case it wont. Picked up 3 variable flow nozzles to help with random flow as I hope to eventually put some Acros's or sps into the cube in particular.

Lighting for the cube will start out being a Kessil A360W-E with an ATI T5 added in the near future. As soon as I can figure out how to hang it with a hood anyway. The 40 will have a pair of AI Hydra Primes mounted on the tank arms.. I hope to also add an ATI T5 but might have to settle for the Fluval twin tube I have on my current 40.

Additional flow power heads are still up in the air. I have 2 Jabao SW-4's currently, one for each tank. At least until I want to add SPS. Want to get a Nero 5 for the cube or some form of Gyre.

Anchor · Apr 21, 2020

Some of the rock I intend to use for the 55 Cube. the styro is 17 x 17. tank is 23 x 23
The tallest piece is 12 inches

Anchor · Apr 24, 2020

WOO HOO! I got one WET!

Hoping to have both filled with RO and the pumps running by the end of day Saturday.. (its Friday now) Still have to finish some plumbing and start pumping out some RO to fill.. Gotta to turn the filter on.. lots of smiles here.. !!

Anchor · Apr 27, 2020

NOpe, Pump would not work for me.. was Bluetooth and my phone rejected it.. additionally, trying to register the pump and it would only let me put in Italy and a birthday that was today or LATER.. sad really.. Returning it for something else.. I have AC pumps I can use till I resolve my issue. ( COR 20 sounds about right.. )

Anchor · May 22, 2020

OK both tanks are UP. Filled, Plumbed, All but 1 pump attached, Heater. etc.

So my equip list as follows:
Tanks -- 55 g - Fiji Cube and Aqueon 40b Self Drilled (improperly but it functions)

Return pump -- Sicce Syncra SCD 7.0

BRS 300 w heater

2 - Sicce Voyager Nano 250 gph
1 - AI Nero 5, 3k gph
1 Jebao PH umm SW 4?

1 - Kessil A360WE
2 -AI Prime HD (13's)
1 - possible - Aquatic Life 24" with 2 Blue +, 1 Actinic, 1 Coral +

Other stuff includes: Neptune EL I won at a local swap, VDM module for the Kessil, EShopps M overflow on the 40, Homemade Sump 34 x 14 x 14 with 1/2 inch acrylic panels - has 2 - 4 x 8 socks and too much flow. all returns with VCA variable flow. American DJ power switch system. Homemade screen tops. Still more to set up including Skimmer and ATO and eventually a fuge.

The only other tank I will have is my original 75 I hope to make into a 120 eventually.. 3 to 4 tanks overall eventually.. It all has its own room without someone to tell me not to spend money on it.

Anchor · May 24, 2020

SO, some problems to talk about.

1. Dont buy cheap bulkheads off Amazon.. Get Lifegard. The ones on Amazon all leaked at the PVC threaded connectors and one would not seal at the rubber gasket.
2. Making your own stuff when you dont know what you are doing, even when you research the hell out of it, can cause you lots of problems. I got lucky making my own sump because the tank was already made. I just repurposed it and added baffles. Much like you would using a glass tank.
3. Leveling a tank, or pair of tanks, will not matter how well made the stand is if you have a really unlevel concrete floor. My home is a converted lake cabin. The basement floor was poured about an inch to 2 inches directly over the dirt. It was not smoothed or leveled properly and dips away from outside walls. NIGHTMARE!!!
4. You better be good with acrylic if you want to make good seals.
5. New companies are not a good bet when buying equipment.

Anchor · Jun 6, 2020

OK so I added rock and special grade aragonite to both tanks.... and then disaster struck..

I had been curing some of the sand in a canister filter attached to my 75. That tank came down with a case of Dino's and guess what I did. I used that sand in the 40B without thinking about it. Within 2 weeks there was a major outbreak of Dino's in my brand new system. I dont have photos.. fortunately or unfortunately.... So as there is nothing else in these 2 tanks, I dumped in a liter of 3% peroxide and shut off the lights. I recently got a 7 watt UV.. I know horribly undersized but.. put it on anyway. This is going to run this way for a week with a fingers crossed attitude... !

Anyone have any thoughts on what else I might do?

Added some doors in front of the sump and the control panel (located under the cube.

Any comments on the rockwork/aquascape? I will add more to the 40B after I fix the Dino problem.

Anchor · Jun 10, 2020

OK so day 5 of Blackout and peroxide has revealed.. still some gravel discoloration in the 40B.. I dont know if this is dead dinos or living dinos. However the 55 is clean looking, nothing on the glass or rocks. The top half of my skimmer is green and black.. but the cup is no longer filling. The one rock I put in the 40 that had coraline on it is well. pretty much white.. Bits of pink here and there.. but obviously not the healthy pink purple it was before the treatment.. Looks.. well like it has been peroxided.. like some peoples hair gets after trying to go blonde.

Anchor · Jun 15, 2020

12 days post blackout and peroxide and started adding more rockwork to the 40 b.., Lights staying out till I get it all cycled. I turn the lights on for about an hour a night so I can plan.. but otherwise.. leaving them off. Added another 300 ml of peroxide just to be sure. Anyone know how this might effect vermatid snails?

Anchor · Jul 3, 2020

@ Gorgonians for the coral test. I put a Randal's Damsel in the 40B.. Fingers crossed for success. No pic of the 40b yet cause it is having a problem that will eventually get into the 55. Diatoms me thinks..

Anchor · Jul 10, 2020

Just recently added one of my fish to the system.. post cycle. fighting a system wide Diatom coating. Gotta love brown and orange..

slojim · Jul 18, 2020

so @Anchor did you get the Sicce SD7 working? How does it sound? Most reviews of that pump are a few years old, but it is a good hydraulic fit for my system - so I'd like to hear your more recent experience. Seems like you had app trouble.

Anchor · Jul 19, 2020

@slojim Yes it is working.. But I do have problems with reconnecting if I have a power outage. If I dont connect it to wifi it restarts fine.. still working with Sicce to figure this out. Most of my wifi units have a problem with outages. so I am not really concerned yet. As to sound.. I dont hear it at all.. I have a Jebao DC powerhead I hear over it.., a constant whir from the powerhead., not loud but definitely hearable.

slojim · Jul 19, 2020

I cured a number of my wifi frustrations (not all) by putting my incoming router in a UPS. It rides out short outages and has increased my reliability. (or it did, now I have other problems). Actually, I have to reset my router manually every once in a great while since it isn't resetting on power issues, and evenutally its buffer fills up.

Anchor · Jul 19, 2020

I will definitely look into the router thing.. so long is there is no lag time in power on situations.. I should be OK with that. Most power outages here are from summer storms.. So I dont worry too much about freezing out my home with a long term outage in winters.

Anchor · Jul 20, 2020

Well, seems the new system does not like Damsels .. Killed 2 this past week. All parameters in acceptable range.. AND. I dont think the Groebe's Gorgonian does not like LED lights. Started to peel under them in both tanks. Put them back in the dirty 40 under t5 and all opened up and happy.. Go figure..

Anchor · Sep 27, 2020

Is it time for an update??? YES IT IS..

Anchor · Sep 28, 2020

Took out the gorgonians.. moved them back to original tank.. The Gruobe's did not like the move at all.. and died. The damsels were also not a success... so moved some of my melting Zoas in and half have started to recover. the rest are.. well still not happy but stopped melting. Added a Hi-fin goby and pistolshrimp. That shrimp really works hard. Now I have to figure out how to feed it.. The goby is eating well when food passes by.. They are in the 40b,,, also added a Tiger Conch to each tank and a dozen Atrea snails. and one each whatchamacallit snails. you know.. the big fat ones that cant flip themselves over. AND.. a pair of Huge brown Nassarius snails in each tank.. Clean up crew working out well.

Adding some dry bleached rocks as I go. Have to break down my original 40b and bleach off all the bad algae, vermatids and hydroids. Man I wish I knew where some of that stuff came from.

Anchor · Oct 20, 2020

Things are coming along nicely... Added lots of various snails.. the 40B has a Pistol shrimp and hi fin goby..
As of this past weekend I am moving several fish into the cube. One I really liked was my Katherines wrasse. Unfortunately it jumped as I was trying to net it. Carpet surfing is bad when you own a dog.. that likes the taste of fish.

55 has 1 chromis, 1 Randalls Assessor, 1 tailspot blennie. 1 C. rubeus fairy wrasse 1. Solor wrasse and a tomini tang. Also a Fire shrimp.