Jonathan's 50 Cube Build

[Jonathan's Reef]

After many question threads and inquiries into buying used setups, I decided to start from scratch. SC Aquariums had a great Black Friday sale, so I bought a 50 gallon starphire cube that came with the reef ready tank with all 3 viewing sides of starphire, a "custom" stand, a glass sump (yes, glass! Wish they worked with acrylic too), return, skimmer, and all the plumbing. It's been up and running since December, so I'll post a few replies with the story. I didn't do a great job taking photos along the way, but here it is...
 
Their setup is alright although the return seems to go very slowly. I can't get more than 1 or 2 full turnovers in an hour. Since this was taken, I've replaced all the ceramic with rubble rock and added a bit more rock underneath the filter pads. Eventually, I'm going to replace those filter pads with a sock, but I've gotta decide on a water height and final setup first.



 
I love the tank size, but I'm a bit disappointed in the location of the overflow column. When discussing tank options, many people were opposed to reef ready b/c of the space you lose. I feel like this design loses even more space because the area to the sides of the overflow are really just a space for critters to hang out. Not getting much light or structure there.

 

 
I bought a bit of rock and sand from someone on WAMAS to get my tank started. I sifted about 7 gallons of sand through a really crappy colander making my arms sore and the house stink, but I got the nice, small sand you see here. Planning ahead for a tiger watchman goby to have nice sifting sand.

 

 
The next week, I bought an OceanRevive Arctic T-247 LED. I got a sweet deal from a guy out of Baltimore, but here's the Amazon link. Everything is cleared up in there, and the LR I got is just sitting around waiting.

 

 
And after leaving the tank for a week and a half while I was in Atlanta for Christmas, I came back to some unpleasant growth...

 

 
I cleaned it up a bit and added some old base rock that I had stored at the parents' house after college. I soaked it and scrubbed it all with a wire brush to prepare for the tank.

 

 
Rock isn't all I brought home though. I added a VorTech MP10qdw (ready for the expansion to a second one already!), Tunze Osmolator nano, Jager 150w heater, a temp probe, and a few random thermometers around to double check.

 

 
When conditions were good in there, I got a couple emerald crabs, 2 camel shrimp, and a variety of snails and hermits. A couple weeks later, I picked up the 18 coral frags I got from epleeds' Charity Auction (proceeds went to St. Jude's - more props to him!), and I also added a pair of DaVinci Clowns (grade b) that I got from Monkiboy!

 

 
Unfortunately, the bioload shocked the system. The clowns picked up something the day after they went in, and the algae is trying to kill me!

 

 

 
Good news is that the clowns have been in there for a couple weeks now, they're both eating and swimming merrily, and their infection is finally subsiding. Algae on the other hand is still a pain! I picked off as much as I could, and now I'm considering treating with H2O2 a few rocks at a time during water changes. I've heard good things, and no one has cited any actual negative effects (lots of opinions, but no fact so far as I can tell). Any thoughts??

 

 
So, my next steps are to clean up the tank, get my algae under control, and then add an anemone for the clowns, I'm on the search for a vivid bubble tip if anyone has one. I'm really looking for something that electrifies under the LEDs. I know they exist! if you've got one, please PM! Once he's found his happy place, I'll be gluing down the frags. I'm planning to add a small tang and a tiger watchman goby (pair if I get really lucky searching). Does anyone have any recommendations for good tangs? I want something with character and good for my tanks size. I don't want your average tangs: kole, yellow, hippo, etc. I'm leaning toward one of the really Desjardini (sp?) Tangs or maybe a clown. Not tied to either though.
 
I welcome input on the tank, setup, livestock, algae battle, or just general thoughts! Thanks for reading!

Edited January 24, 2016 by Jonathan's Reef

[Jonathan's Reef]

Wanted to add the coral list as well. Hard to see them all, but here's what I've got in there so far. All the corals are from epleeds.

 

These came from the Auction:

Jedi Mind Trick montipora
Green Cap montipora
Purple and Green Stylo
Bonsai
Tyree Tri Color
Rainbow Granulosa
JF Violet Orange Montipora
2 polyps of Rastas

2 polyps of Eye of Sauron (given in addition since the 2 rastas turned to 1 and were closed up)
1 polyps of lazor lemons
Purple Urkle chalice
Monster Mash chalice
Frag of green fuzzy unknown
Frag of 20k lokani
JF clepto lepto
Montipora Setosta 
Frag of red dragon
Head of frogspawn 

 

Also bought the 2 heads of mixed color hammers.

 

In my next steps, I forgot to mention the addition of some algae and a light to the sump for a mini fuge, my plans to build a mesh top, and the reworking of the plumbing down below once I am settled on a filter sock setup. Going to be fun!

[YHSublime]

I wouldn't be disappointed in your overflow. It's big and bulky, but it's more streamlined than a lot of other corner overflows. Plus, you seemed a little hesitant on drilling and completing the project yourself with a non RR tank, so this fits the bill perfectly. 

 

Looks good, how are the SPS holding up?

[Jonathan's Reef]

I wouldn't be disappointed in your overflow. It's big and bulky, but it's more streamlined than a lot of other corner overflows. Plus, you seemed a little hesitant on drilling and completing the project yourself with a non RR tank, so this fits the bill perfectly. 

 

Looks good, how are the SPS holding up?

Yeah, you're right. I was really limited with my space for the tank, so this was the best option for me. I really needed the 2'x2' footprint, and I didn't want the plumbing standing out for all to see. Next time, when I'm done renting and can build a tank to my dreams, things will go down slightly differently!

 

The SPS are all looking very good. They were opening up a bit more when I first got them, but they're still growing, showing great colors, and still opening up. I'm just trying to be patient until I can build them into the rock work!

[Jonathan's Reef]

Quick update. 

 

The clowns are sickness free! Such a relief! Not a great photo, but had to show them off.

 

 

 

The algae is still awful, but today, I took almost every rock out and scrubbed it down. You can see lots of algae bits floating around in the photo, but it's looking better. I'm going to pick up a BRS GFO/Carbon reactor to help deal with the algae. I also placed all the frags in the rockwork to get rid of my ugly frag rack. Shortly after I said the corals were all super happy, they started bleaching. I guess I may have upped my light too quickly. Either way, I dropped blue down to 40% and white to 18-20%. Hopefully everything will bounce back.

 

Edited January 30, 2016 by Jonathan's Reef

[s2nhle]

Looking good so far. So how do you like a very deep sand bed?

[RJT]

Nice rock work.  The algae will go away with water changes and time.   Are you going to put on a screen on top of the tank?

[Keraxis]

Wow... thats a really deep sand bed.  

[Jonathan's Reef]

Looking good so far. So how do you like a very deep sand bed?

Thanks. So far so good. I didn't really investigate the pros and cons of the deep bed, but my hope is that I'll get some anoxic zones for denitrifiers to colonize. May not have quite the depth for that though, so hopefully the gobies like it.

 

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[Jonathan's Reef]

Nice rock work. The algae will go away with water changes and time. Are you going to put on a screen on top of the tank?

Thanks! I'll post a side shot to see the other viewing angle. Wish I had a better spot to place the tank for three way viewing.

 

I do plan to build a mesh top. Not in a huge hurry since I've got so much algae to deal with first, but I want gobies and I know they're jumpers.

 

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[Jonathan's Reef]

Wow... thats a really deep sand bed.

Yeah, may be overkill. Can always remove some

 

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