20Long mixed reef with Pics

saltyvt

saltyvt

Member
So i recently decided to take down both my 8 gallon biocube with Mh and my 5.5 with T5s and add them together into one tank. It really amazed me how much I had packed into those two tanks. I had most of the equipment needed to put it together. Right now I am running a stock 20 Long, added in maxi jet 900 for current. I am looking to add a 400 and a wave timer in the near future. For filtration I am using a AC 50 with chaeto. I just purchased a AC 500 that I will be making into a fuge, along with its own light to go on a reverse cycle, and i will be stuffing my heaters in there too. The AC 50 will hold all my LR rubble, and any purigen, carbon that I may use in the future. As far as lighting I wanted to go with a fixture that was bright enough keep sps but one that used the least amount of energy. I really wanted to go with the Aquactinics TX5 but just didn't have the money to spend on such a nice unit. I got my second choice, a 24" Tek 4x24w T5HO. The fixture is awsome, really bright, great color, no noise. I am planning on adding a Tunze 9002 skimmer soon, and then I will add another fish, and stuff in the corals!!
As far as livestock:
One Ultra Croacea
One Croeaca
Anchored Frogspawn
Nepithia
Lots of Yumas
Mini carpet anenome
Ora rose Milli
Orange Monti
Brown Monti
Cabbabge coral
Lots of varietys of zoo's
Yellow poly's
Assorted Shrooms
Yellow trumpet
Red Monti
And other corals I don't know the name of.
So here of some pics of before the move, during, after, and current!!




 
saltyvt

saltyvt

Member
Thanks!!! I was going for the open look, really like the way it turned out. I am still trying to find that sweet spot for the maxi jet. The background was sorta thrown together and turned out to look good! Apparently 20l fit a piece of paper perfectly, I just lined up a bunch of thick colored printer paper. I am going to the attempt to build a hood and finish off building the fuge in the aqua clear 500 tomorrow, I am still recovering from yesterday
 
paintballer768

paintballer768

Active Member
I didnt notice this before, but wow MHs are so much brighter than the T5. You should have a SPS growing competition under the lights :p
 
saltyvt

saltyvt

Member
Thanks!!! Well woke up early this morning and started work on my fuge and hood. I'll snap some pics before everything is all said and done!
 
saltyvt

saltyvt

Member
Update:
So I worked all weekend on making a hood and making a fuge out of the Aquaclear 110. So what I has able to cut up an old eclipse tank to make a divider. I ended up cutting little "teeth" in the bottom of the divider to alow some flow in the bottom of the filter to add some flow to the bottom area. the top was cut just under the top of the filter to allow for a spill over effect. I then used the bottom grate and cut it up and glued it to the out put so that the chaeto would have harder time trying to get out. I lastly added a small PC lamp to the side along with a timer to set it on a reverse light cycle. Heres the finished product.



unfortunately I had everything in and ready to go, when I attempted to cut a small hole for the heater cord. Well I ended up making a 3 in crack down the side of the fuge. So I had to empty it and put some silicone on either side to patch it up, so I won't be able to fully start it up until tomorrow :angry: :angry:
I also made a hood to hide all the top "stuff", with a bunch of wood and molding I had laying around.


I lastly added a bunch of left over LR rubble in to the Aquaclear 50.

After a water change and a little moving around, heres the final product!!
 
tmgpp

tmgpp

Member
oh, and your tank makes me want to start a reef in the 20 long in my garage, I have a 12 nano cube, but I need more
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
I love the hood and fuge. It all looks awesome!

Makes me want to start a 20L next....heh.
 
saltyvt

saltyvt

Member
Tanks been up,.......wait whats the date today? About week and a half!
Thanks!!! Really like the look of the 20L, another nice tank to work with is a 30L. I'll do one of those down the road
 
nacl+h2o fish

nacl+h2o fish

Member
W O W Salty in VT.,
....very impressive!!!
I live just 1 mile from the beach in Hollywood, FL., and you have managed to create a 'slice' of the reef in your home!
Congrats Man! Love to learn more about your 20L and the associated equipment...
I guess that beautiful but 'lonely' clown is helping to condition your young tank???
Si? or No?
Thanks for the pix and keep us posted...
 
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