TJ's Budget Cube

[tjgr34]

I'm slowly putting together a 27 Gallon Marineland Cube. I'm also in grad school so this entire build is on a shoestring budget. I'll put things up as I get them done and include the costs and where everything came from. There are going to be a few basic guidelines and ideals for the tank:

 

1) It must be relatively cheap.

See: "budget" above.

2) It must be relatively environmentally responsible.

I'm going to try to get everything tank bred or from an existing tank. I'll try to avoid anything that is coming straight from the ocean for my purposes alone.

 

3) It must be LED.

Kinda goes with the environmental responsibility.

 

To start,

 

I got a great deal on this 27 cube on craigslist from another wamas member. The tank is 20 x 18 x 20 and came with a slick black stand, sand, 10-15 lbs rock, a Koralia Nano powerhead, a 100 (ish) watt heater, an AquaC Remora skimmer, and various odds and ends.

 

Cost: $150.

 

I picked up another 30 lbs. of rock off CL for $100 and have the tank aquascaped but at the moment, it's just a glorified holding tank for the rock.

 

This is how the tank looks at the moment. I should mention that the tank also came with a glass top, but that I broke it during transport. I'll probably end up ordering a replacement, but let me know if you have a 20 x 18 lid.

[roni]

Very nice start! If you're good at DIY, you could build a small LED fixture and hang it. Then either leave the top open or build a small screen top.

[tjgr34]

Very nice start! If you're good at DIY, you could build a small LED fixture and hang it.

 

 

I'm considering DIY. The thing that most concerns me about going that route is that it would come out looking unfinished and tacky. Also, I have a very incomplete set of tools, which could be a problem.

 

 

[hypertech]

I don't think "budget" and "led" go together unless you DIY.

 

Also, don't worry about that glass top. You don't need it.

[El Camaron]

I don't think "budget" and "led" go together unless you DIY.

 

I agree, even for some DIY kits.

 

Very nice start for sure, i wish i would have gone a more economical route but this hobby is crazy and will consume you at one point.

[zygote2k]

Budget LED setup-

3) 19w Ecoxotic Panorama Pro modules, 1) 60w transformer, 1) three-way splitter cable. Enough light to grow most anything in a small tank except for high light demand corals.

$300-$400 depending on where you shop.

[hypertech]

I wouldn't call a $300-400 light setup budget for a 27 gallon tank. I could light that tank for $100. Maybe less.

[BowieReefer84]

I did DIY lights on my 29gal biocube and spent upwards of $300. When you add it all up there is no way you could do DIY LED's for $100, and certainly not less. An Aqua Illumination NANO is $354, and that would be your easiest option imo. Clean looking and already built.

 

Even if you go metal halide you are at $75+/- for just the bulb, plus a fixture...

Edited September 13, 2011 by BowieReefer84

[hypertech]

I've never paid $75 for a halide bulb and my corals grow fine. I never said led. That tank could be lit with t5 or halide much cheaper than led. And while I might not be able to DIY for $100, I could build an led fixture for that tank much cheaper than $300.

[BowieReefer84]

I've never paid $75 for a halide bulb and my corals grow fine. I never said led. That tank could be lit with t5 or halide much cheaper than led. And while I might not be able to DIY for $100, I could build an led fixture for that tank much cheaper than $300.

 

 

Yea, I wish lighting was less, but I just don't see it.

 

Most T5's come in 24" and larger. Would look funny to put this on a tank with a 20" width. I know you can get a 20" 18watt, but there are not many bulb choices. If going T5 I would get this http://www.marinedepot.com/Current_USA_Nova_Extreme_Pro_T5HO_10k_460nm_Actinics_20_Inch_T5_Fluorescent_Light_Fixtures-Current_USA-CU01083-FILTFIT5T5-vi.html

 

Regarding diy, a 24 led kit on rapidled is $200. Plus, you need to buy a heatsink. Also, unless you already have solder and an iron you will need that as well. For me it was right around $300. I am not sure what you would change to go much cheaper than $300. I guess you could do less LED's, but you will likely use 2 drivers no matter what. If you are going with 2 drivers you mine as well take full advantage and run 12 led's on each one.

 

If the tank is in a basement, and heat is not an issue go for a cheap mh pendant with a pulsrite bulb. That the only way you will be anywhere near $100 imo.

 

I'm just throwing out the different options.

[trockafella]

Reef keeping and Budget dont go together. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is NOTHING cheap about this hobby. And trying to do the "cheap route" usually results in either failure or replacing things (which becomes even more expensive).. I understand that you want to do it, and have to be frugal with where you spend your money, but this hobby just doesnt work that way. If you just want a fish only system, thats easy. But a reef is not cheap, no matter what.

[roni]

If you go metal halide, you should be able to pick up a single pendant for $100-150 used, which would easily cover the tank and grow everything well. A fan over the sump is usually fine for keeping temps down ime.

[tjgr34]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input. As far as the tank goes, there aren't aren't a whole lot of aspects on which I am seeking advice. If there are, I'll make that clear. My goal for this tank and thread is to provide a sort of case study for future reference. I'm not generally going to be doing things conventionally, but rather in a way that I see as best meeting my needs. Also, I should note that I have plenty of experience in the hobby, so don't worry about "bearing bad news."

[tjgr34]

Well, I'm an idiot. I got a Mag 5 to use as a return pump assuming that it would lose enough gph due to head height that my overflow would be able to accommodate it. This is not the case. If anybody is looking for a used Mag 5, I'll trade it for a smaller pump, straight up. The pump had a small squirt/leak when I got it, but it has been sealed with silicone and works well.

[tjgr34]

w00t! They guys at the Ace Hardware store at 5th and I are awesome. They let me use one of their rental chop saws to do the cutting I needed to do, so I've got a ball valve in place above the return pump now. The flow only needed to be restricted a tiny bit, but everything is working well. I don't anticipate much of a cycle as the rock in the display came straight from an operational tank and has been kept in heated, circulated, lighted water since I got it. The stuff that I placed in the sump has been in a bucket with a powerhead since it didn't fit well in the display. Tests I did a week or so ago showed no ammonia, and some nitrates, so I'm hoping I'll be alright.

 

I went in on a cleanup crew order from LiveAquaria (DFS) and am getting the following;

 

7 Nassarius (vibex) snails

12 Astrea snails

7 Cerith snails

3 Scarlet Reef Hermits

1 Green Lettuce Sea Slug (no experience with these guys, but they seem harmless and interesting)

1 Porcelain Crab

 

I'm going to put a few Nassarius and a few Cerith snails in the sump to help keep things clean down there.

 

The crew is supposed to arrive Thursday, so I'll test the water again to make sure that everything is alright before adding everybody. I'm still waiting on some new lights to come in and the system to age for a couple weeks before I jump into a few zoanthids. In the mean time, I'm on the lookout for a couple (not necessarily a mated pair) of regular oscellaris clowns. Tank bred is going to be key. If anyone knows of a breeder or just has an older pair in need of a new home, please let me know. I'll a couple more pics up this weekend.

 

Thoughts?

[zygote2k]

don't know why you ordered a CUC when the tank is new and there's not enough food in the sand for many of those critters. maybe the crabs will eat the snails when they get hungry...

don't put snails in the sump where they might get into the return pump and clog things up real good.

 

FWIW, I usually wait till the algae cycle has been completed and there's plenty of food/detritus/algae in the sand bed for the clean-up crew.

No need to let the tank age before adding zoas- throw them in now since they're pretty hardy.

[tjgr34]

Thanks for the sump tip. I'm not sure what it's from, but there is a fair bit of visible detritus on the sand. There is also algae growing on most of the rocks, although I haven't really seen any cyano appearing as I was expecting with the new tank. Hopefully there will be enough food to hold the inverts over until the system starts getting daily nutrient inputs. Any recommendations on zoa sources around DC? Are there any LFS's with good stock?

[trockafella]

Petland usually has tons of zoa frags for a great price.. They also give a WAMAS discount if you have your membership card.. Good folks to deal with.

 

You might not be getting some of the algae outbreaks due to your lighting. When you put some nice strong lights on there you may see an outbreak then..

[tjgr34]

My lights came in the mail today and the tank is officially up and running. The lights consist of two strips of BridgeLux 3 watt LEDs (9 white, 6 blue) on one non-dimmable power source.

 

 

From left to right we have: whites only, both and blues only. I got the strips from a guy who basically does custom lights with a DIY level of finish. At $135 shipped, I couldn't pass on getting them and am very happy with the results. I know the BridgeLux products don't yield the light output that Cree's do, but I also know that I didn't want to pay for a dimmer and controller so that I could run my lights at 70% all the time.

 

Since I have my new LED's I don't really have a use for the Marineland Doublebright strip that came with the tank. It's the 18-24" model, which I hear is great for fuges. I'm going to post it on the For Trade forum here in a minute and hope to get some livestock for it.

 

The cleanup crew seems happy, although I had to separate 4 or so Astrea snails who refused to get off the shell of one of the Ceriths.