Snake's 20g Nano Build thread

[eric b 125]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/387674/snakes-20g-nano-build-thread/200#post_3445044
Instead of trying to fit the ato next to the display tank, I'm going to set it on top of the wooden box that I already have for my electrical wires. Hehe. That doesn't sound dangerous at all, does it? Before you comment, I'll say that not all is wait seems. Don't worry!
so you are going to a) use the box you were going to use for your electric as a stand for the ATO or b) going to set the ATO above your electric?
you follow my thread so i know that you're familiar with the project i just had to re-do, and i also know you are a smart dude and an experienced reefer....HOWEVER, there are plenty of things that i've done with all certainty that i would 'better' things asap, only to let that project go to the way side b/c cooler things were more pressing. having my ATO above my electric was never a problem until one day i either got caught up in the price is right, or fell asleep watching the price is right, while filling my reservoir. the thing overflowed all over my electric and luckily my gfci tripped (thought that's not what it's designed for) and my house was saved. i kept my reservoir over my electric after that, but now that things are reversed i'm much more comfortable (still not comfortable enough to curl up under some covers on the couch during the price is right

).
like i said, i know youre a man that knows what he's doing, but poop happens and i feel that i'd share my experience because although my intentions were there, my procrastination was also there and i'd hate to see what happened to me happen to you...
.

 

[travelerjp98]

I agree that the ATO over the electric might not be the best idea. Otherwise, it looks good!

 

[snakeblitz33]

LOL
You all jump the gun too quick.
GFCI is installed. I wouldn't ever put a resevoir over the top of any electrical work unless I was 100% sure it was ok.
My current electrical work on my setup now has me really worried. I keep wiping salt creep off of it and I'm afraid one day it will spark. But, I'm going to be updating all of that soon and I won't have to worry about that anymore.
The resevoir will be temporarily set beside the tank. My wife said she didn't want me to take up that much room on the wall where she couldn't get to the bookshelf. But, it will all be ok. I'm thinking of mounting the electrical work to the side of the stand instead. I'll also mount the Apex controller to the side of the stand as well. Once I get a bigger tank, I'm going to have to redesign my ATO and probably switch to one of those pump/controller thingies.
I'm actually pretty excited about my next four purchases for the tank:
1. Protein skimmer - (I'm STILL undecided and will order one soon.
It's a toss up between these three skimmers:
A: Octopus NWB 110
B: SC65
C: SC150
2. Vortech powerhead... two options:
A: MP10
B: MP20
3. Apex Controller
4. Mini Calcium Reactor

 

[posiden]

Nice work man. I see your going all out. I like it a lot. Keep up the good work.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/387674/snakes-20g-nano-build-thread/200#post_3444884
Ok, so, here's the plan for the weekend move:
Monday:
1. Buy water
2. Buy Eggcrate
3. Buy PVC for the new system
4. Silicone in egg crate.
5. Buy skimmer
6. Buy flat white spray paint
7. Install the GFCI
Tuesday:
1. Make sure egg crate is secure.
2. Install filter system
3. Buy filter floss
4. Buy carbon
Wednesday:
1. Install Auto Top off system
2. Start mixing water in large tub
3. Install return plumbing
Thursday:
1. Start moving some rock over into the large tub and cover it to try to kill some of the algae.
2. Buy more water
Friday:
1. Move the fish, inverts, and corals into the sump.
2. Move the tank off the old stand
3. Clean it up and scrape everything with plastic card.
4. Paint the bottom flat white
5. Put on new stand
6. Install the rest of the return plumbing
7. Install the new overflow plumbing
8. Mix saltwater in new tank with salinity of 1.025 overnight
Saturday
1. Make sure saltwater is the correct salinity
2. Aquascape with rocks that were in the container.
3. Put more rock from the old system in the old container of saltwater
4. Turn on all the pumps and powerheads and everything on the new system.
5. Move over old filters from old system
6. Move over fish from 10g tank.
7. Clean up some
Sunday.
1. Clean up the living room, move everything around.
2. Remove saltwater from 10g tank and take it out of the old 20g stand.
3. Remove the stand from it's spot.
4. Clean up and prep the 10g tank for building an algae scrubber.
Next week:
1. Install protein skimmer on new system.
2. Make up some fresh saltwater for a small water change.
3. Make sure fish live.
Red = DONE
Blue = NEED TO DO SOON
Black = On schedule

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Posiden http:///t/387674/snakes-20g-nano-build-thread/220#post_3445187
Nice work man. I see your going all out. I like it a lot. Keep up the good work.
Thanks man. I am so happy you are following my thread. I appreciate it.
I got some more work done to the tank today. I installed the ATO, however I am kind of nervous to leak test it. I don't know how much I trust the compression fittings of the float valves. I am thinking about drilling out the hole that is on the inside of the flat valve that I used in the tote. It's just a really, really small hole... I don't know how well it will draw water. We'll just have to test it later this week.

 

[snakeblitz33]

This is the side of the float valve that I installed inside the tote. I removed the actual float so that it would actually let water flow through the unit. I actually am just using it as a modified bulkhead... if you want to look at it like that.

This is the inside of the tote. As you can see, I removed the actual float. We'll just have to see how well it works with the small hole. I'm sure there won't be a problem, but you know me - I'm always paranoid. lol.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Tote installed on top of aquarium stand.
Remember that there will be cabinets on either side of this stand, that will eventually hide the tote and algae scrubber on either side of the tank. My wife wants me to get a 110g high aquarium in the future. I said that I wanted to stay small and she said she loves the look of the 90g show tank that I had... that she would help pay for the new setup. So, this means basically that I have to buy equipment that can go from a 20g tank to a 110g high in the next year or two. But, all is going to be ok. I'm really excited.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Dang it, I was going to post another pic in the above post, but oh well... lol. Here's yet another pic of the ATO/Sump

So, here's a description:
The small line that you see is fed into the float valve. The valve is being held in place by egg crate. I have four squares of egg crate to choose from, and I think that at the height I have it will be the best. Whatever evap is, the small amount of water that is introduced into the tank should not cause salinity to swing at all. Keepp in mind that there are wayy better ways of doing this, however, whenever possible, I use what I got instead of buying new.
Other things in the pic: As you can see, I have the float valve on a John Guest ball valve (the little blue valve thingy) so that when I have to do maintenance on anything - I can just shut it off. Another thing in the pic is that I put a 3/4" elbow on the return pump, so that if any bubbles get into the return pump chamber, they most likely will not be sucked in by the return pump.

 

[eric b 125]

it's moving along pretty good. when do you think you'll be ordering the skimmer and which one did you finally decide to go with? or are you still going back and forth b/w the two and thats why you havent ordered it yet??

 

[snakeblitz33]

I haven't decided yet!!!! My wife says she wants a 110g tall in the next year or so.... when we can afford to upgrade. So, I'll be considering that as well. I'm sure that if I get the Octopus NWB 110, it will be sufficient for a 110g lightly stocked SPS tank, and very good for a 20g sps tank... I just am debating whether or not to go with that or the SC150. I'm kinda iffy on the SC150 because it's really not a name brand skimmer and it's not really widely used. Although, I can see where it does a decent job.... Just still undecided. Which one would you go with, Eric? Take a chance with the SC or go with something you know,... the octopus? UGH!
Oh, besides that, I really have to get some money together to order it. I have a couple of accounts receivable - and when I get that all settled up I'll order the skimmer.
On a side note, deer season has absolutely sucked this year. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it through the Summer this year at all. Which means I'm going to be out of work for four months this year, if I don't find a job. My father-in-law works for a man who owns a bunch of hotels and he said that if I want it - I could have the new full time job in maintenance if I wanted it. Though, I would take a paycut (from taxidermist to maintenance) if I went for it. But, here's the kicker, I have to decide within the next week if I want the job or not. I'm going to make a thread soon about it.

 

[smallreef]

take the job and do any taxidermy stuff that comes to you on a weekend basis......
better to have a fulltime job now to pay the bills... hey you may be able to work 30 hours a week, do 10hrs a week of taxidermy and make more money in the long run?

 

[travelerjp98]

Why not do mostly hotel maintenance and taxidermy on the side?
I'm still undecided on the skimmers too. Lol. I want to write one and be done with it but then I see the pros/cons of each one and they are so similar! Lol.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah. Tomorrow I'm putting in an application there. It will all work out. I'm going to mix some saltwater tonight in a small container and put some rock in there to try to kill a little algae. I have to go into the nearby city to buy some more water. I want at minimum 20g of saltwater for the move. I plan on saving 10g from the old system to mOve over into the new system.
If I wants to I could probably move everything over to the new stand tomorrow, probably. I'll think abOut it.

 

[snakeblitz33]

So, today I went and got 10 more gallons of water. I'm going to mix up some saltwater tonight for top offs to get my salinity up before the move.
My current stand is getting worse and worse. It's condition is rapidly declining. I am probably going to have to move the tank this weekend, despite my intention of drilling the tank and installing one of those overflows from glassholes. I can order it tonight, but it wouldn't come in until next week. By then, it may be too late.
I also leak tested the auto top off system and it works marvelously.
So, now that I don't have time to order the overflow kit and put money into it, I am going to just go ahead and order an octopus protein skimmer... I am pretty sure the next tank I get will be either a 75g or a 90g,... so I am going to get an octopus skimmer rated for 100 to 110g, depending on the price and model I like.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I was going to move the tank today, but forgot to mix saltwater last night.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Well! Tomorrow is a big day! I'm excited... I'm going to do it all tomorrow, me thinks. I get paid too, so I'm excited!
You know what a good feeling is? Not only having rent paid a full week early, but also half of next months bills!
That means I get to splurge a little bit on a protein skimmer.....
Which I am still undecided about.

 

[travelerjp98]

Glad that your money situation is good!
Good luck with the tank move!

 

[eric b 125]

You're just moving one 20 gallon into another 20 gallon for now, right?

 

[snakeblitz33]

I might take off work early today. I have to clean a fish tank anyways this afternoon. That store will be closed tomorrow for new years eve. I can't risk the scrubber from overgrowing and putting saltwater on the floor. I'm also wanting toget a head start on moving the tank today. I'm going to move it all, fish and everything to the new stand. The water I have mixed up is a little cool but should be warmer than it was last night. If I can get it heated, it won't be a big deal.
That montipora is hanging on! I think I can salvage it all if I can get it moved soon and into a more stable condition with a higher salinity. I'm trying to make this next tank a whole lot more stable and more complex with additional filtration systems. I don't really believe in frequent water changes, but I'm thinking about maybe doing 5g a month. Mainly because it is such a smal aquarium and I can use the opportunity to get some detritus out of the tank.
I am going to change my standard bulbs to Ati bulbs to get better par readings and to get a 14k to 20k look in my tank. I also know that corralline algae grows much better under actinic light anyways.
Im really excited!!!! Plenty of pictures will follow.