29 Nanocube build

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 12:31 PM

Well... I got a 29 NC from a local club member a while back and have been wanting a ornamental macro display for a while so I though that I would build one out of the 29. When I got the tank the hood wasn't with it and the previous owner removed the back wall (filtration area) as well. This left me with a plain jane 29 tank to build off of.

Here's the plan.

Setup tank in the kitchen area of my house to house a single fish and multiple macro species (hopefully I can get just Caribbean species). The fish I am going to attempt to keep is a Bluespot Jawfish or a Pearly Jawfish (I still have to convince my other half to let me spend $120+ on a single fish) as the only inhabitant this tank will have. I am going to make a mesh style cover for the tank to try to contain the Jawfish (whichever one I get)

Lighting. The tank came with a PC fixture that will probably do the job for a while, but I am considering upgrading to T5's here in the near future.

Filtration... right now, I am running a canister filter on the tank and it seems to be doing it's job, I will probably stick with a canister for the future as this will be like a decorative fuge

Pics

Here's the tank setup with about 20lbs of FREE dry rock added to the tank

And the materials needed to build the mesh cover for the tank... all of this cost about $25 at HD.. you can find the mesh in the garden center stocked with the weedblock fabric. It's called Birdblocker.

The cover on the tank... bending the window screen frame to the bow of the front of the tank took a little while and a few tries without over bending and crinkling the metal... but I did it

I also had to modify the corner pieces that you use to join the frame together to accept the bow front portion... took me a few tries with the dremel, but I got it as well

fox2589 · 08-20-2009, 12:37 PM

looking good tony...whats your lighting?-drew

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Tony

Lighting. The tank came with a PC fixture that will probably do the job for a while, but I am considering upgrading to T5's here in the near future.

Dragonist · 08-20-2009, 12:51 PM

Why not a dusty jaw fish...they are super COol!...imo

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 12:52 PM

They freak my wife out

and I need her to top off the tank and feed the fish when I go out of town

Basile · 08-20-2009, 01:11 PM

Great job on the net!

jenglish · 08-20-2009, 01:33 PM

What color is the bulb? Looks 10k and I was wondering if you had thought about a 6500K for more growth. Of course unlike a coral tank sometimes growth can just be a PITA

On the other hand with PC you only have to own it a couple years for the bulb costs to pay for a T5HO setup

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 01:37 PM

Thanks

Got to plan the list for my stocking of Macros...

I'm thinking....

Mermaids Shot Glass (Acetabularia calyculus)
Pencil Cap (Penicillus capitatus)
Shaving Brush (Penicillus dumetosus) or Merman's Shving Brush... this species is the same, just smaller
Flame Algae
Codium (short and/or tall)
and a Caribbean species of Halimeda

maybe a couple other ornamentals... as I come across them.

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenglish

What color is the bulb? Looks 10k and I was wondering if you had thought about a 6500K for more growth. Of course unlike a coral tank sometimes growth can just be a PITA

On the other hand with PC you only have to own it a couple years for the bulb costs to pay for a T5HO setup

They are 50/50 I believe.. not really sure. Yeah, I am thinking a T5 fixture for sure.

Basile · 08-20-2009, 01:46 PM

This guy is great buy from him , he's got good stuff and stand behind his product

http://www.reefcleaners.org/ Ordered 5 time from him very satisfyed.

Fat Tony · 08-20-2009, 01:52 PM

Yeah, I have dealt with the Malone brothers before, very standup guys!

Fat Tony · 08-23-2009, 09:47 PM

I got to thinking about my net top.. the squares are 1/2"x1/2" I think that may be a little large for a jawfish and would not keep it from jumping out. I found a site that sells 1/4"x1/4" for $2.75/ linear ft (1'x14') with a minimum 6 lft order.. So I took the plunge and for $24 I have 6'x14' on it's way (the cheapest I have found that sells it in smaller quantities). That is still expensive compared to $6 a roll for the 1/2" square at HD... the 1/2" would work great for those of you with larger fish though

The site is:
http://www.watergarden.org/s.nl/it.A/id.152/.f

for those interested