Luvmyreef's 20g Nano Build

luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Well, I have decided to upgrade the little 10g for a 20g high. I have a pair of black and white clowns that will call this tank home. I have never drilled a tank, but there is a first time for everything. I will be purchasing the Glass Holes Super Nano Overflow kit. Also, their return kit. Unsure about the return pump. Any suggestions. Gonna use a standard 10g for a sump/refugium. So here is a list, comments or suggestions welcome.
20g tall black tank
Black wood stand
SWC xtreme Cree LED fixture
Light hanging assembly (like the current brand)
Skimmer ( I already have an aqua c remora pro laying around) ? use it?
standard heater
Koralia nano powerhead, or a have a #1 I can use
10lbs fiji pink sand
Base rock. ? on amt. (want to go see what they have)
5lbs live fiji rock
Current Stock (waiting on their new home)
Black and White clowns
Mult. snails
Mult. corals
Future Stock
Cleaner shrimp
Goby (maybe)
GBTA (maybe, he's in the 180g right now)
Was debating on doing a nps tank, and if I decide to, no need for the cree led fixture. Still debating right now. I love bright colors, and I am sure to get it with a nps tank. :) Anyway, am I missing anything? I have never done a tank with a sump, so feel free to advise me here LOL.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I'd use what you have around first for the skimmer and power head. As far as amount of live rock, go with what looks good. I don't get caught up on exactly how many pounds go in my tanks.
And to think, you were contemplating giving this all up not too long ago!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
LOL......do like I do.....keep the 10 AND the 20G......bahahaha.....next thing you know you will be circled by tanks
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Ok, would like to place an order, and maybe run to lowes today. Need list. If I go with the nano overflow, which has 1" bulkhead, 1 3/4 glass cutting hole, and 1 inch 90 Deg. elbow, what else do I need. Can I not buy this stuff from lowes cheaper? And would the 1/2 in return kit be the right one? And what do I get for the inside of the 10g sump? Glass panels or something else? Remember guys I know nothing about sumps. I am gonna give all this a try. Oh, which is better, overflow box with teeth or without? I can get it either way? Need all imput.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Well, talked to the hubby, he likes the idea of nps tank. Have you guys ever seen the japenese halcurias neon anemone? very cool. If I decide to do this, I would prob. go with cheap leds or something.....could probably get away with a cheap fixture. I am excited to get this thing started lol. Gonna go get the stand today.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Yep, I've seen those anemones... they are coldwater.... but I think that they are awesome too.
I am actually thinking of converting my tank to NPS... so we could be NPS buddies... LOL
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Yeah, I know. Just something I came across looking at nps specimens. These tanks are rough to say the least. I would have to incorporate some kind of continuous feeder. I could prob. get my hands on a bag/drip feeder from the hospital. Or load an iv bag full of liquid food and just use iv supplies. easy enough for me to get. I like blue polyped sea fans, carnation corals, dendros, etc. I am still unsure. Right now, I am getting ready to go buy the stand. Still waiting on replies about the overflow kit.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Well, I am not gonna do a nps. So, I plan on building a tree lamp to hold the fixture above the tank. It should only cost me around 20.00. The place I am ordering lights from is out of stock at the moment. Still like the swc cree unit. Is 60 degree diamond optics good? As you can tell, I know nothing about sumps or leds lol.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Let me get home to my computer and I will put in my advice!
Im looking forward to your build. I'm sure it's going to be a good one.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Thanks. I am confused on the sump. My hubby says we could get everything we need from lowes except the overflow box, atleast we think. But the price of the overflow box is almost (or more) than the kit lol.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Lol! Well, the $65 glass holes overflow will give you the amount of flow you are looking for. It also comes with the glass drill bit for the overflow. Lowes to my knowledge doesn't sell bulkheads. If you are going to drill your own tank, you could look into the beananimal design of overflow if you really are going to DIY. Other then that, the kit from GH with teeth and the baffle is a great investment... which I wish I could have made on my tank.
The return kit from GH is pretty cool, but make sure you drill the tank really high and keep the nozzle pointed close to the surface. Either that, or drill a couple of 1/8th inch holes in the PVC to keep to keep the return nozzle from siphoning water down to your sump.
For the sump - it is actually REALLY easy - don't make it harder than it is. If you are using a 10g tank, which I think you are - Plan out the depth that you need according to what protein skimmer you are going to use. I would use at maximum 3 baffles. Go with an under over under style... where the water has to go under the first baffle, over the middle baffle and back under the last baffle. This keeps most microbubbles out of the return pump intake. Because of the size return you are using, and the type of overflow box you are getting, I highly suggest getting a Danner Mag Drive 3 pump. They are pretty quiet and very dependable. They don't add a whole lot of heat to the tank, but some may say that Eheim makes better pumps - which they do. But, a Mag Drive 3 would give you the kind of flow you are looking for - and will be dependable. When placing the glass baffles in the sump, keep them about an inch apart each. Any tighter than that and they will be hard to stuff foam blocks in and they don't keep as many microbubbles out. It's always easier to silicone in the middle baffle first, and then use some CD or DVD cases to lift up the other baffles and use masking tape to tape them in place before you silicone everything in. The first and last baffle should be about 1" to 1 1/2" from the bottom glass of the aquarium. The middle baffle is going to set the height for the rest of the sump. I'll post pics of my old 10g sump if you need me to. :D
You MAY want to consider adding a small baffle section for your overflow... the overflow will generate a lot of microbubbles, and one or two pieces of glass just for your 1" overflow pipe would work wonders towards reducing the amount of microbubbles. (basically, I keep saying microbubbles because I had a 10g sump on my old 20g tank and had a lot of microbubbles - and this is some of the stuff I would have done/changed and have changed with the new system.
Oh yeah, another thing that you will REALLY want to consider with this system is an automatic top off system. Either a float valve or a pump and controller. Keeping the water level up in the return pump chamber of the sump is a real challenge in a 10g tank/sump.
To save yourself some money on a DIY overflow, you could simply get a schedule 40 bulkhead from a reef supply and screw a 90d elbow in it and cut some slits in the elbow... and then the elbow outside of the aquarium would have to be drilled for a vent. (of course you would still have to drill the aquarium) GH sells glass hole saws for $15 each...
Still though, for the overall look and feel - I think you should go with the $65 kit from GH.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Oh yeah, may I also suggest thinking about getting a different protein skimmer? The one that you have right now is ok - but with you having a sump now, you may want to consider something that can pull even more dark skimmate out of the tank. I'm fixin' to get an SC65 cone skimmer in the mail and this weekend I'll be able to do a review on it. It only cost $80, and I'm sure it is well worth every penny.
Either that or you could buy another small tank and set up a well designed algae scrubber! :D (yeah, I just had to throw that one in there! lol)
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Ok. so the 65.00 kit is the one I will get. I am definitely drilling this tank lol. If I don't go with their return kit, what should i do for the return? Use like a directional u-tube? What else do I need to buy other than the kit? PVC pipe? elbows???? Need specifics so I can get it all at once. I was thinking a mag 3 pump too, but what size gph return rate should I go with, it is 350gph I think? Where do I get the glass for the sump? I think I want a large area for a refugium in the sump, and is there a way to put carbon in one? I like running the chemipure elite. Maybe a drawing would be good lol. I get what you are saying about the baffles. The skimmer I have is just laying around, so i will start with it, and consider upgrading later.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Thanks Krista. I am super excited to do a new build. I know its just a 20g, but I am gonna have fun with it.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmyreef http:///t/389771/luvmyreefs-20g-nano-build#post_3446974
Ok. so the 65.00 kit is the one I will get. I am definitely drilling this tank lol. If I don't go with their return kit, what should i do for the return? Use like a directional u-tube? What else do I need to buy other than the kit? PVC pipe? elbows???? Need specifics so I can get it all at once. I was thinking a mag 3 pump too, but what size gph return rate should I go with, it is 350gph I think? Where do I get the glass for the sump? I think I want a large area for a refugium in the sump, and is there a way to put carbon in one? I like running the chemipure elite. Maybe a drawing would be good lol. I get what you are saying about the baffles. The skimmer I have is just laying around, so i will start with it, and consider upgrading later.
Wow - that's a lot of questions at once! lol.
I'm glad you are going with that kit. I wish I did on my 20g tank, but I already had an Eshopps overflow already and I'm really money conscious. lol. The return kit would give you a cleaner overall look - if you want a really "clean and uncluttered" look. The mag 3 is plenty for that return kit, and will fit nicely in your 10g sump. Since you are going with an internal overflow, I wouldn't worry about not having enough flow at all from the pump.
The plumbing for the return pump depends on what pump you are going with, and if you are going with that certain return kit and what your stand is built like. I can't really tell you what to get because it just has too many different possibilities.
Decide what return kit you are going to use and then go from there!
If you are going to set up a refugium in your sump, you may want to consider getting a hang on back skimmer then - because you are not going to have enough room in your 10g sump to fit both. TRUST ME! I'll draw you a small diagram so that you can get some ideas for your sump... I'm sure there's a way to fit everything in.
 
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