Bonsai Cube Mixed Reef Build

[thatsruff]

Well proper tools certainly make a big difference, making progress again. Plan to drill the tank soon and should start getting overflows together before long now.

 

[thatsruff]

As ammonia has been getting closer to zero, 0.5 now, first nitrite test puts me between 2 and 4, seems I am on track.

 

[thatsruff]

I stopped being a coward and drilled the tank finally. I wanted to do that before proceeding with the overflows, so that I can template the hole locations in the ABS.

It turned out okay but I was a bit disappointed in the amount of chipping in the back side of the glass.

At the end of the day though no big deal. I sanded the edges and the bulkheads more than cover the chips.

My next dilemma is what to do about the size of the locline. I feel like it is way out of scale for the tank. I got the new return pump so that I won't need a power head in there but it almost feels just as silly with the size of the locline. I will have to do some research and see if there is a smaller diameter available. I feel like the stuff that is mounted to machine tools for coolant is smaller, I might have to go that route, plus they make it in blue and orange.

 

[thatsruff]

Yeah, found what I need on McMaster. Not sure how I will feel about the blue and orange in the tank but it's worth a shot.

 

[jk_s124]

The blue and or ange could look pretty cool. Also nice work drilling the holes!

 

[thatsruff]

The blue and or ange could look pretty cool. Also nice work drilling the holes!

Thanks! Hopefully the blue and orange does look good and not weird/distracting.

 

[thatsruff]

Got the overflows together. Now need to let the adhesive cure while I start on the sump.

External:

Internal:

Silicone clearance detail:

 

[thatsruff]

Got the 1/4" Locline. I am quite happy with it, I don't think I mind the blue and orange. I think the overflows look pretty good too, they need a bit sanding still though, and they are a bit crooked in the pictures, not adjusted yet.

Also got the sump mostly laid out and taped off for the silicone. I just need do the other side.

And I dosed the ammonia back up to 2 after zeroing out on Sunday. Starting to come together.

 

[jk_s124]

I think it looks pretty cool!

 

[thatsruff]

I think it looks pretty cool!

Thank you, I do too, I am very happy with it.

 

[thatsruff]

Ammonia back down to more or less zero. Guess it's time to start shopping and stocking the QT while I finish setting up.

 

[WiscoFishNut]

This is a really cool build! Definitely looking forward to watching this one evolve.

 

[thatsruff]

This is a really cool build! Definitely looking forward to watching this one evolve.

Thank you very much!

Kicking myself a bit that the cycle beat me to our respective finish lines but I am trying not to rush it (and trying to keep the rest of the house happy too).

 

[Aqua Splendor]

Interesting build!
Not a fan of the blue/orange, rather let the color to corals but has long your happy that what matter!

You might have some trouble with the inflow, you might have organic waste floating on the surface with that arrangement. The vertical line are very long. I would do less longer, and more cut to let more surface water going in.

But test it, see what happen, maybe add something that float at the surface like..idk, flour? what ever, lol, just clean after

When I did mine:

I realize my problem of surface skim, I wish I made a bit wider entrance for the flow, I'm correcting it in the episode 7 with a tweak.

 

[thatsruff]

Interesting build!
Not a fan of the blue/orange, rather let the color to corals but has long your happy that what matter!

You might have some trouble with the inflow, you might have organic waste floating on the surface with that arrangement. The vertical line are very long. I would do less longer, and more cut to let more surface water going in.

But test it, see what happen, maybe add something that float at the surface like..idk, flour? what ever, lol, just clean after

When I did mine:

I realize my problem of surface skim, I wish I made a bit wider entrance for the flow, I'm correcting it in the episode 7 with a tweak.

Thanks for the thoughts!

I just started leak testing the overflows, once the sump has cured for a few days I will do a test run on the plumbing to see how everything runs.

I am warming more and more to the color of the Locline. If I could have procured 1/4" in black that certainly would have been preferable but I am convinced that the scale and flexibility of this is going to be much nicer than the bulky alternative.

Plus, I'll just let it get covered in coraline

 

[thatsruff]

Got the sump together. Not my finest silicone work but once it cures and I do some clean up I think it will be fine.

I'll give it a few days before I start the plumbing and do water flow/power outage/clogging tests.

 

[jk_s124]

Nice work on the sump! Honestly I can’t do any of this stuff. I’m always impressed with what can be done. That’s why I love this thread. Thanks again for sharing man!

 

[thatsruff]

Nice work on the sump! Honestly I can’t do any of this stuff. I’m always impressed with what can be done. That’s why I love this thread. Thanks again for sharing man!

Thanks, it is my pleasure, you are too kind! I am pretty handy in general, I have been building stuff since I was a kid and work in the building industry now, trained as an architect. Even though I am quite picky about little details I often accept a bit less than my highest standards when I am making stuff, my practical side comes through and I just want to have it done. I also have to accept that I just dont have all the tools and resources to do everything perfectly, yet. I am glad to be using this small tank as a test run for when I build my dream tank fully from scratch, there are already plenty of things that I would have done differently.

 

[thatsruff]

We have decided on placement and rough dimensions for the tank stand so I picked up some 3/4" red oak A-1 plywood to get started on it. I am going to build most of the cabinet and hold off on the main front panel/doors as we are not sure exactly what we want that to look like yet.

 

[thatsruff]

I made a quick doodle to check the scale of the cabinet and make sure it laid out well on the plywood sheet before buying the ply. This morning I updated the model to make sure that everything still fits well inside. Seems to be pretty good still. It might start to get crowded if/when I add a manifold and dosers but I think that it will work out.