Todd's 60g Reef Acrylic Cube

NeuroticAquatics · Jul 12, 2016

I got this 60g cube almost two years ago when my 240g FOWLR was fallow after a nasty outbreak of MV. Someone on CL had it posted for free, but I ended up paying them $20 to cover gas and they delivered it. Here's what it looked like originally...

It was bad, so I had an acrylic restoration guy buff it out and I repainted the stand. Here's a shot after that was done. Big difference and the buffing only cost me $60.

NeuroticAquatics · Jul 12, 2016

It did not come with a sump, but I had an old acrylic tank out in the garage and decided to rework that. I split it down the middle with an acrylic sheet so that the water enters from the rear left corner, hits the skimmer towards the front, makes a u-turn into a small refugium area and the goes into another area I created for the return pump. This design allowed the refugium where just doing a normal "side to side" sump would not have given enough space for the skimmer.

Here it is with some mileage on it. I've got chaeto and live rock in the refugium area.

Diesel · Jul 12, 2016

Looking great my friend.

NeuroticAquatics · Jul 12, 2016

Here it is starting to cycle. I've always used Dr. Tim's One & Only and it has never let me down. I'm patient with just about everything else reef-related, just not a fan of the "let a shrimp rot" cycling method.

NeuroticAquatics · Jul 12, 2016

Diesel said:
Looking great my friend.

Thanks. It's nothing spectacular, but I'm going to try to get this up to date with pics and add as I move forward.

NeuroticAquatics · Jul 12, 2016

Fast forward a little and its up and running. I used an eBay LED unit with blues/whites and am hoping to update at some point. In this shot, I had a small Duncan, a patch of Xenia (I've always loved the motion and these have stayed under control all this time later), a tiny Green Monti Cap, my fist zoas (Tubbs Blues, Punk Rockers and Midas), a three head Hammer, a Torch (melted after a few months) and there were a couple mushrooms and Candy Cane. The first inhabitant was a Leopard wrasse that eventually disappeared after several months (you can kinda see up in the right corner).

Eienna · Jan 10, 2017

I think I shall watch your tank thread(s) for updates on my three "babies" you bought the other day <3 I miss them.

NeuroticAquatics · Jan 10, 2017

Eienna said:
I think I shall watch your tank thread(s) for updates on my three "babies" you bought the other day <3 I miss them.

Mo is doing good and so is the Yellow Tang. I have not seen the Mandarin eat yet...it's just kinda hanging out so far.

I really need to update this as the tank looks very different now. I'm actually going to move it across our room back to it's original location in the corner. I had a filter sock overflow several months ago and had to relocate this tank so that the carpet underneath would not get moldy. It's been one of those "I'll get to it next weekend" projects for a while now.

Eienna · Jan 10, 2017

LOL. I know those projects! XD
Chopper will probably eat in your presence once he gets used to you being there. In the meantime, I've hidden and watched him before and he would eat when he thought I wasn't there.

Daniel@R2R · Jan 11, 2017

We need pics!

NeuroticAquatics · Jan 11, 2017

mdbannister said:
We need pics!

I'm going to try and get some pics before I move it this weekend and then after. I'm going to add more rock and try to get some zoas off plugs and onto rock, so it should end up looking a lot different.

Eienna · Jan 11, 2017

Okay, I KNOW that little Mandarin eats frozen. If he refuses to for you, though, and gets skinny because of it...I will try to refund you for him.

NeuroticAquatics · Jan 11, 2017

Eienna said:
Okay, I KNOW that little Mandarin eats frozen. If he refuses to for you, though, and gets skinny because of it...I will try to refund you for him.

It could just be stressed. I have live rock in my QT and he tends to hang out where I can't see him very well. Yesterday and this morning, I fed and walked away. The Tang and Hawk are still skittish when I'm watching, but I've seen them eat and I know they will get comfortable eventually. I'll try watching tonight. No worries though...my guess is that it will be fine and even if it does not make it, I would never hold a previous owner (or LFS) accountable for a fish's actions.