- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
- Messages
- 26
So, I have finally got this tank up and running for a while now. Here is what I got going on:
55 gallon Tru-Vu display
20 gallon sump/refuge (coleman chest cooler)
Berlin turbo skimmer
Custom overflow (20" tall x 6" x 4")
50 lbs of live rock (2/3 in tank, 1/3 in sump)
1/4 HP chiller (Artica)
1 bag of Monterey Beach Sand
8 Damsels for Cycling (they are a $1 a piece here)
The sump/Refuge is set up made out of a Chest Cooler (for insulation purposes). Part of the Display tank is insulated as well (Back, Bottom, Top). The sump is separated into 1/3 compartments.
1/3 is a filter sock/ Bio-ball compartment (Nitrate Factory YES, but.. OK for load swings IMO)
1/3 is an algae tumbler for string algae with a small power compact over it (40 watts)
1/3 is a deep sand bed/ more live rock
The skimmer is also hooked up to the sump.
Since I had a good amount of great live rock, it has never seen any traceable amount of Ammonia or Nitrite (even though I've been over feeding the damsels to try to get some good colonies growing) in the past month. The Algae in the tumbler is still small clump but managed to keep the Nitrate below 10ppm and will probably continue to drop as it grows. I'm still gonna let it mature for a bit before I introduce an octo. If the octo is a small one (quarter size), I may use a critter cage and put it in the tank with a piece of live rock and have him live in there for a month or so.
I'm borrowing a camera (mine is broken) and should be taking some pics in the next week or so when I get things the way I want them. I always feel I need to tweak things/change flow, pathways (I have effeciency issues, hehe). Its amazing how much energy you can save with a little foam insulation on your tank/pump/piping.
55 gallon Tru-Vu display
20 gallon sump/refuge (coleman chest cooler)
Berlin turbo skimmer
Custom overflow (20" tall x 6" x 4")
50 lbs of live rock (2/3 in tank, 1/3 in sump)
1/4 HP chiller (Artica)
1 bag of Monterey Beach Sand
8 Damsels for Cycling (they are a $1 a piece here)
The sump/Refuge is set up made out of a Chest Cooler (for insulation purposes). Part of the Display tank is insulated as well (Back, Bottom, Top). The sump is separated into 1/3 compartments.
1/3 is a filter sock/ Bio-ball compartment (Nitrate Factory YES, but.. OK for load swings IMO)
1/3 is an algae tumbler for string algae with a small power compact over it (40 watts)
1/3 is a deep sand bed/ more live rock
The skimmer is also hooked up to the sump.
Since I had a good amount of great live rock, it has never seen any traceable amount of Ammonia or Nitrite (even though I've been over feeding the damsels to try to get some good colonies growing) in the past month. The Algae in the tumbler is still small clump but managed to keep the Nitrate below 10ppm and will probably continue to drop as it grows. I'm still gonna let it mature for a bit before I introduce an octo. If the octo is a small one (quarter size), I may use a critter cage and put it in the tank with a piece of live rock and have him live in there for a month or so.
I'm borrowing a camera (mine is broken) and should be taking some pics in the next week or so when I get things the way I want them. I always feel I need to tweak things/change flow, pathways (I have effeciency issues, hehe). Its amazing how much energy you can save with a little foam insulation on your tank/pump/piping.