DIY 14gal All in One.

[disaster999]

DIY 14gal All in One

Hi Clue-Zoa-ers. got referred to this site from another and decided to join because i love zoas. im new to reef tanks so i never even had and zoas. but theres just something about them that im so attached to them.

little background...i started out with fresh water tanks, keeping only goldfish with some pleco. i was on a quest to find local fish stores because i was tired of the big chains...it was then i saw salt water tanks and how nice it looked with the corals and fish that i decided to take the plung.

i was facinated about the all in one tanks because it looked clean and simple. no wires or filter tubes sticking everywhere. i wasnt fond of the price tag it came with. i start researching how to make my own tank and learned that it was quite simple. i ordered glass and start building my tank.

first i started out a design. im an engineer so i used solidworks to design my tank. i tried google sketch, but im not sure if its too simple for me...i just didnt like it.

then i got the glass and start glueing them together

 

[disaster999]

then i found a place in my room to set it up. i used an oceanic stand from my 33 gal cube tank that i tore down and used the stand for my reef tank. AH supply is local for me so i drove over to buy some reflectors and new bulbs and created some industrial looking hanging light fixture

the 50/50 bulbs i got

heres the tank filled with water. i know my loclines are bright orange and blue...it kind of looks unique in a way and the color contrast looks pretty good, so it stays

i got the sand later on and filled the bottom with around 18lb of sand

 

[disaster999]

next step was to get my rocks. i didnt want to buy it from my LFS because it was 6 bucks a pound. it wasnt outrageous or anything, just i could spend 35 less if i bought it on ebay...which i did...14lb of fiji premium rock.

i got it here
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150170598068&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=005

did a little aqua scape and it looks pretty good to me. lots of area for corals to go. a big cave for fish to swim in or hide. more than enough room for my mag float to go around in. this was when i just finish arranging the rocks

this is when its all cleared

since then, i got 3 more pounds of live rubble to put in the fuge. ordered a clip on lamp and waiting for the tank to cycle.

heres the break down of the equipment used for my tank
1/4 thick glass from local window specialist.
tank dimension are 15x15x18in. 15in cube display area, 15x15x3in fuge/filter/return chamber
maxi-jet 900 return pump
visi-therm deluxe 50watt heater
coralife thermometer
mag-float small glass cleaner
stylish orange and blue locline hose
AH Supply 50/50 2x36watt power compact light

~18lb of live sand
14lb of live fiji rock
3lb of live rubble

live stock plans
ZOAS!!! probably gonna go to the LFS and see what they have
some other easy to keep corals since im a beginner (any suggestions? i kinda want those wavy hands things that open and closes...some frog spawn, some hammer...if thats the correct term)
watchman goby (or similar...i like those sand sifting fish)
clown fish (who wouldnt want nemo to be in their tank?)
clean up crew (probably gonna see what the LFS or fellow member recommend...snails, hermits crabs, shrimp...etc)

the parms im getting from my 2 test kit are
ammonia - 0.25ppm
nitrate - 0-5ppm

i need to get a master test kit so i could measure PH and the other good stuff...but thats it for now. i will keep posting if theres any progress

thanks for looking

 

[fishes2889]

SOoooooo sweet! Love the scapage!!

 

[143gadgets]

I love rimless tanks! Looks great! Any reason u didn't go MH or T5s?

 

[disaster999]

well the obvious reason is $$$. college student budget...
i had the light setup from another tank so all i had to do is get another reflector and new bulbs and i got 72 watt of lighting.

i was going to get the sunpod 70watt MH...but i didnt have the money. as for T5 the bulbs i got are basically T5 bulbs linked together....

 

[MaD_ReefeR]

must be nice to be an engineer, Im the total opposite, I cant make anything to save my life. I wish I could but im one of those guys that has to have everything made/fixed for me. I cant even setup some rocks lol, you should come to colorado and set up my rock lol

 

[Azurel]

Great looking tank......There is just something about cubes that I love. Welcome to club-zoa as well.....

 

[143gadgets]

well the obvious reason is $$$. college student budget...
i had the light setup from another tank so all i had to do is get another reflector and new bulbs and i got 72 watt of lighting.

i was going to get the sunpod 70watt MH...but i didnt have the money. as for T5 the bulbs i got are basically T5 bulbs linked together....

Ahhh. I see. Looks awesome though! What was the cost to build just the tank itself? That is gonna look pretty nice in a dorm room. The chicks will dig it.

 

[disaster999]

haha...i dont live in the dorms so i dont know if any chick is gonna notice it =P

anyone got any suggestions on my live stock plans? i really dont know all the terminology for all the different corals or fish. ill probably go and window shop at the LFS and see what looks good to me

 

[143gadgets]

haha...i dont live in the dorms so i dont know if any chick is gonna notice it =P

anyone got any suggestions on my live stock plans? i really dont know all the terminology for all the different corals or fish. ill probably go and window shop at the LFS and see what looks good to me

Ahhh.... I see. No biggie. Just have to bring them back to the house.

About how much was it to build just the tank?

Corals- I would look into rics, zoas, palys, mushrooms, frogspawns, torchs, hammers. There are a lot of options out there. Check out your fish store and see what they have and what they can get for you.

Fish- Lots f different choiices. Your main concern is to stay away from jumpers. (i.e. wrasses, firefish, etc.) Since you have a rimless tank.

Good luck

 

[disaster999]

looking back at it, i probably could bought the biocube 14 and spend just as much...but lets see
glass - 73
acrylic - 14
caulking - 5
lights - 55 (left over ballast and reflector, new extra reflector and bulbs)
pumps, plumbing - 16

grand total ~165
having a tank you build yourself - priceless

im not worried about jumpers, i have an lexan sheet that covers the top, mainly because i dont want evap and other crap falling into the tank.

 

[Azurel]

Naw, I would rather have the satisfaction of having a tank that I built.....

 

[143gadgets]

Same here! Even if it was twice the cost of the BC I'd prefer to have one I built myself. Awesome job!

 

[Kigs!]

you did a great job with the tank, i love the aquascape!

 

[killingseed2000]

some nice work on the tanks! real nice clean looking DIY nano

 

[disaster999]

went out and bought an API reef master kit and PH tester

ammonia - 0.25-0.5ppm
nitrate - 5-10ppm
ph - 8.0
calcium - 60ppm
carbonate hardness (KH) - 196.9-214.8ppm
phosphate - hard to tell...im thinking 0ppm

how does my #s look to you?

 

[aquarius77]

Looks like it is still going through its nitrogen cycle.

Awesome tank build!! It looks really really nice.

 

[disaster999]

Thanks =)

well i went to my LFS with my water sample and they said everything checked out. im done with my cycle so i got some CUC. they werent as cheap as i thought it would. on reef scavenger snails were 90 cent each and hermits were around the same...shrimp were under 10 bucks.

my LFS sells snails 10 for $15, hermits 3 for $10, a cleaner shrimp for 30 bucks...i just got 10 snails and 3 hermit crabs. i bought a ball of cheatos too, and a hermit crab was trapped inside so i got that for free. ill wait till they are adjusted to the water and snap some pictures tonight

 

[143gadgets]

Awesome! I look forward to seeing the pics.