30 Gal Oceanic Cube Build/Upgrade
Previous tank:
5gal eclipse hex. It wasn’t intended to be a reef tank, previously I have had fancy tail guppies for a few years. After adding some new guppies, the tank crashed and a unknown disease wiped out all the fish. I decided I want to try to keep a clown in the tank, got it running, some live rock all set for a fish and I saw a xenia frag in the lfs for 3 dollars. Had to buy it, it was very small but really cool. And then ….well you know what happened.
A few months ago, I was away, my ac went off, I came home and the tank was 95 degrees, killed everything except a few hardier zoos and my clown. I had kept successfully for about 5 months a ton of different zoos, several mushrooms, a xenia, four different acan frags, a frogspawn, a branching hammer, an avelopora, a candy cane, and a true clown. Tank was packed and really nice, never took a pic before it crashed. Every thing was growing nicely, and just had to keep up water changes.
New Tank
After spending about 7 months on my 5gal, and learning a whole lot, I decided I needed a larger tank. I wanted some thing that wasn’t too large, may move in the next few years. I seen cubes before, good size, no too large that they will cost a fortune t fill up, and would fit nice in my apt. I found a cube and stand on sale at petsmart, collected and planned the rest of the system for a few months. I am focusing on trying to keep SPS and some LPS and zoos in the new tank.
This tank was difficult to find lighting and parts, and I spent a long time planning and finding good deals on equipment
Basic Equip:
Reef Optix III 250 watt DE Hamilton 14k on electronic aro/mega ballast
EuroReef CS80 Skimmer
Qiuet one 3000 Return 780gph at 0’, into a split ? return
Seio 620
20 High sump w/ fuge
Here is the empty tank and canopy that I made but was too big looking.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0033_853759.JPG" alt="cube" />
20 Gal High Sump, Skimmer and overflow, return area then fuge. Liked it tall to maximize chamber volume and handle power failure
The sump was a major issue. The oceanic stand, is very small. My options were a small Rubbermaid, a random container, a larger stand, custom sump(would run about 300) or a sump next to the stand .It was cheaper, easier and better to get a standard tank and hide under a table next to tank.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0043.JPG" alt="cube" />
Drilling:
I’ve decided I want to try two returns split with a SCWD or a Squirt to maximize random flow and limit power heads. In order to handle flow over 600 gph I needed a larger overflow, I decided to go over kill and do a 1 ? “ and 2 ? returns.
Drilling was pretty easy, but took a long time. Used my trusty dremmel that ive had for years and some diamond bits. Ask me for some tips on doing this. Note dog
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0044.JPG" alt="cube" />
Halfway<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="cube" />
Almost done, last hole was a little small, had to spend some time opening it. Tip make sure to trace hole on both sides of glass.<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0046.JPG" alt="cube" />
Diy overflow box and skimmer riser for sump, didn’t use the box, used a lees specimen container. <img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0049.JPG" alt="cube" />
Bulkheads installed and durso, used sec80, overkill again but why skimp a few bucks when you spend hundreds.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0047.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0055.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0054.JPG" alt="cube" />
Sump: in a larger Rubbermaid(very paranoid about overflow, live in an apt bldg) the tank handle a power outage even without suction breaks)
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0094_366760.JPG" alt="cube" />
Air silencer(thanks Jim) for skimmer (guy at hardware store asked if iwas making a bomb, why would he think that???)
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0070.JPG" alt="cube" />
Under stand, plenty of room for storage, power and upgrades<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0077_526397.JPG" alt="cube" />
Filling up :
No good pics, aquascaping is very hard in small tank, rocks aren’t fitting how I would of liked. <img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0062.JPG" alt="cube" />
Light: I built a aluminum brace to support the pendant, I didn’t like the huge canopy.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0076.JPG" alt="cube" />
I made some blinders out of sheet aluminum for the light to limit light shining into living room, huge difference.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0092.JPG" alt="cube" />
Got lazy with pics, moved the rock around a lot, not crazy about the aquascaping, looking for some better pieces of rock
After a few weeks cycling and testing and changing water here is the tank with some livestock
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0080.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0089_822357.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0084.JPG" alt="cube" />
Note Dog<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0090.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0093.JPG" alt="cube" />
Previous tank:
5gal eclipse hex. It wasn’t intended to be a reef tank, previously I have had fancy tail guppies for a few years. After adding some new guppies, the tank crashed and a unknown disease wiped out all the fish. I decided I want to try to keep a clown in the tank, got it running, some live rock all set for a fish and I saw a xenia frag in the lfs for 3 dollars. Had to buy it, it was very small but really cool. And then ….well you know what happened.
A few months ago, I was away, my ac went off, I came home and the tank was 95 degrees, killed everything except a few hardier zoos and my clown. I had kept successfully for about 5 months a ton of different zoos, several mushrooms, a xenia, four different acan frags, a frogspawn, a branching hammer, an avelopora, a candy cane, and a true clown. Tank was packed and really nice, never took a pic before it crashed. Every thing was growing nicely, and just had to keep up water changes.
New Tank
After spending about 7 months on my 5gal, and learning a whole lot, I decided I needed a larger tank. I wanted some thing that wasn’t too large, may move in the next few years. I seen cubes before, good size, no too large that they will cost a fortune t fill up, and would fit nice in my apt. I found a cube and stand on sale at petsmart, collected and planned the rest of the system for a few months. I am focusing on trying to keep SPS and some LPS and zoos in the new tank.
This tank was difficult to find lighting and parts, and I spent a long time planning and finding good deals on equipment
Basic Equip:
Reef Optix III 250 watt DE Hamilton 14k on electronic aro/mega ballast
EuroReef CS80 Skimmer
Qiuet one 3000 Return 780gph at 0’, into a split ? return
Seio 620
20 High sump w/ fuge
Here is the empty tank and canopy that I made but was too big looking.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0033_853759.JPG" alt="cube" />
20 Gal High Sump, Skimmer and overflow, return area then fuge. Liked it tall to maximize chamber volume and handle power failure
The sump was a major issue. The oceanic stand, is very small. My options were a small Rubbermaid, a random container, a larger stand, custom sump(would run about 300) or a sump next to the stand .It was cheaper, easier and better to get a standard tank and hide under a table next to tank.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0043.JPG" alt="cube" />
Drilling:
I’ve decided I want to try two returns split with a SCWD or a Squirt to maximize random flow and limit power heads. In order to handle flow over 600 gph I needed a larger overflow, I decided to go over kill and do a 1 ? “ and 2 ? returns.
Drilling was pretty easy, but took a long time. Used my trusty dremmel that ive had for years and some diamond bits. Ask me for some tips on doing this. Note dog
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0044.JPG" alt="cube" />
Halfway<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="cube" />
Almost done, last hole was a little small, had to spend some time opening it. Tip make sure to trace hole on both sides of glass.<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0046.JPG" alt="cube" />
Diy overflow box and skimmer riser for sump, didn’t use the box, used a lees specimen container. <img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0049.JPG" alt="cube" />
Bulkheads installed and durso, used sec80, overkill again but why skimp a few bucks when you spend hundreds.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0047.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0055.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0054.JPG" alt="cube" />
Sump: in a larger Rubbermaid(very paranoid about overflow, live in an apt bldg) the tank handle a power outage even without suction breaks)
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0094_366760.JPG" alt="cube" />
Air silencer(thanks Jim) for skimmer (guy at hardware store asked if iwas making a bomb, why would he think that???)
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0070.JPG" alt="cube" />
Under stand, plenty of room for storage, power and upgrades<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0077_526397.JPG" alt="cube" />
Filling up :
No good pics, aquascaping is very hard in small tank, rocks aren’t fitting how I would of liked. <img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0062.JPG" alt="cube" />
Light: I built a aluminum brace to support the pendant, I didn’t like the huge canopy.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0076.JPG" alt="cube" />
I made some blinders out of sheet aluminum for the light to limit light shining into living room, huge difference.
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0092.JPG" alt="cube" />
Got lazy with pics, moved the rock around a lot, not crazy about the aquascaping, looking for some better pieces of rock
After a few weeks cycling and testing and changing water here is the tank with some livestock
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0080.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0089_822357.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0084.JPG" alt="cube" />
Note Dog<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0090.JPG" alt="cube" />
<img src="http://www.manhattanreefs.com/gallery/files/1/1/3/1/IMG_0093.JPG" alt="cube" />
Last edited:
