5.5 Live Rock Disply Tank Build

pballafreak · 04-29-2006, 09:58 PM

Alright everyone, I cant stand not having a tank. I mean, I have my live rock from my old nano attempt just sitting in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead, I want to see it. So I'm setting up a 5.5 gallon live rock display tank. No fish, probably no coral. Just sand, liverock, and possibly a clean up crew for it. The tank will be sectioned off to a 12"x8"10" "display" section and a 4"x8"x10" "sump". The sump will be used just to hold the heater, and also the pump returning the water from it will be the flow for the tank.maybe the one compartment of the sump can hold some cheato, but thats a small chance of that. So heres some pics of what I have done so far. I would already have it assembled but I got white silicone instead of clear, so I'm exchanging it for the right thing tomorow.

Sprayin70 · 04-29-2006, 10:51 PM

Sounds neat. Next thing you know "I'll buy just one shroom" Then it's a full blown reef. Good luck.

Sprayin70 · 04-29-2006, 10:52 PM

Keep the pics coming.

pballafreak · 04-30-2006, 04:30 PM

Still havent been able to exchange my white silicone for the clear silicone. So nothing is put together yet, but I was able to paint the back of the tank a nice blue. Pics once the paint is dry.

pballafreak · 05-01-2006, 10:31 PM

ok, so today I was able to silicone the two baffles onto the other peice of lexan that acts as the divider between the "display" and the sump" Tomorow I am planning on cutting the holes for the return line and the opening for the water to flow in. If i get that all done I am planning on siliconing the baffle/divider setup into the tank. The next step will be cutting the eggcrate to act as a guard for the inflow section of the sump.

ski1297 · 05-01-2006, 10:54 PM

So your just going to have live rock? Why no fish or coral. The tank looks very nice! Good pics to.

pballafreak · 05-01-2006, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ski1297

So your just going to have live rock? Why no fish or coral. The tank looks very nice! Good pics to.

Well, this tank is mainly to tide me over until i get my 29 gallon. Other than my last attempt and a nano, this will be my first tank. So I want to start with just keeping up with the husbandry and im sure eventualy a coral or two, or possibly a fish will come down the road.

skilter · 05-02-2006, 12:32 PM

just keep up w/ your water changes, shouldnt be a problem for you... as for your first tank, quite a creative idea. nice work.

question: in your first post, the third pic shows a side view of your baffles and whatnot, is there a gap at the bottom of your sump wall? if so, if you have any substrate this may prove to be a problem for your filtration? maybe it just looks that way from my view, might wanna silicone that gap.

pballafreak · 05-02-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skilter

just keep up w/ your water changes, shouldnt be a problem for you... as for your first tank, quite a creative idea. nice work.

question: in your first post, the third pic shows a side view of your baffles and whatnot, is there a gap at the bottom of your sump wall? if so, if you have any substrate this may prove to be a problem for your filtration? maybe it just looks that way from my view, might wanna silicone that gap.

Thanks alot for the kind words. In that pic, I dont think there was a gap, its just the way the clear tank bottum made it look. But that was before I had siliconed anything in. That was just to show how my baffles would look after being siliconed in. I should be siliconing the whole baffle/divider setup in tonight.

pballafreak · 05-04-2006, 09:54 PM

Oh yeah! I got my coralife digital thromomter(the one with the actual display telling me the temp with the probe that goes in the tank) My temp is staying steady at around 78. The tank has sand, and salt, im still working on getting the salinity up. Im adding it slowly, right now my hydrometer is barly registering any salt, but i havent put much in yet. So thats my goal for tonight.

pballafreak · 05-05-2006, 11:43 AM

SG is a little high, around 1.024-1.025. So I will lower it, and put my LR in there today. My temp is staying steady at 78. So Im happy with that. I cant wait to have this thing rock scaped. And I should have any cycle really because I have had my rock for a couple months. They have been in a bucket with a powerhead. And get a water change ever week or two. So hopefully no cycle.

pballafreak · 05-08-2006, 10:10 PM

Ok, so heres the tank as of now. Hood still needs to be finished, i still need lights too. And the LR setup is just an idea.

pballafreak · 05-28-2006, 09:50 PM

OK everyone, heres some updated shots of the tank.
Its now also home to two blue elgged hermits.
Heres the pics.

wharyat · 05-28-2006, 11:49 PM

Great idea!

Tank looks great.

thekid55 · 05-30-2006, 02:42 PM

how are you going to cover the filter part? great idea wish i saw this sooner and i would have done it to mine