Hawke's Pico Lamp

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ckreef

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Some of you may remember my son from years ago coming to meetings with me. This is actually his tank we built together.

It is a custom built pico lamp. Features a working table lamp and full pico reef (Lamp rod goes up through the tank. Some specs below:

Main display: .61 gallons

False wall area: .3 gallons

Filter and circulation: Aqua Clear 20

Controller: ReefKeeper Lite custom install.

Heater/cooling: 50 watt / 40mm muffin

Lighting: 16 x 8,000 mcd white 5mm LED, 11 x 2,500 mcd blue 5mm LED = approx 75 lumen output total.

Here is a system FTS and a close up DT FTS. This pico is about 6 weeks old and will start stocking it as soon as we come back from vacation early April.

http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/938-2/FA-09.JPG" alt="" />

[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1072-2/Octopus.JPG" alt="" />
 
Here is a quick picture tutorial of what went into making this.


The initial parts.
http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/772-2/InitialParts.JPG" alt="" />


False wall to hide equipment.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/782-2/FalseWall.JPG" alt="" />


Initial framing for the base.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/785-2/BaseStart.JPG" alt="" />


Framing complete w/ feet.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/788-2/BaseFramed.JPG" alt="" />


Back view with lamp rod and rod tube going down through middle of tank and into holders in the base.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/791-2/BackConfig.JPG" alt="" />


Hood w/ belly pan (note hole for lamp rod/tube.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/851-2/BellyPan.JPG" alt="" />


Lamp parts w/ magnet (round/yellow) for holding the hood up during tank maintenance.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/857-2/ShadeMagnet.JPG" alt="" />


Hood held in place by magnet.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/854-2/HeldInPlace.JPG" alt="" />


Overhead view of just the tank w/ all the equipment behind the false wall and the extended water ramp.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/894-2/OverHead.JPG" alt="" />


Parts waiting for final assembly.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/907-2/FA-01.JPG" alt="" />[hr]
 
Silent air battery powered air pump and RKL
http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/913-2/FA-02.JPG" alt="" />


Back picture after installing tank.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/919-2/FA-04.JPG" alt="" />


Magnet plates and magnet inside hood.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/925-2/FA-06.JPG" alt="" />


RKL mounted inside base with antique copper push buttons.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/941-2/FA-10.JPG" alt="" />


Final test with hood in the up position.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/951-2/FA-12.JPG" alt="" />


Parts for LED lighting. Built and installed this today.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1063-2/LEDParts.JPG" alt="" />


LED's soldered to PC board.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1066-2/Soldered.JPG" alt="" />


Belly pan with LED's, moonlights, and fan for evaporative cooling.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1060-2/BellyPanLED.JPG" alt="" />


The business end inside the belly pan.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1057-2/BellyPanInside.JPG" alt="" />


Backplate w/ power hookups.
[IMG]http://oceanxstasy.com/XGallery/d/1054-2/BackPlateComplete.JPG" alt="" />
 
Bravo Charles! :super:

Fabulous job planning this project and a <u>great</u> finished product too!

So are you going to keep this tank out for all to see orgoing to be in Hawke's room?

BTW, welcome back! :up:
 
That is awesome. Very innovative design. I especially liked the copper push buttons, as I was very curious on the first pick wow you would go through the menus. Well done.
 
Lifestudent;488168 wrote: So are you going to keep this tank out for all to see orgoing to be in Hawke's room?

BTW, welcome back! :up:
Click to expand...

In the Living room for all to see :D Good to be back Bob.

Going to visit my brother April 3-10. Will brings some frags back from his tanks to stock this thing. While gone the tank will be left unattended for the 7 or 8 days we're gone. Should be OK as the ATO is working fine.

jjkeith;488176 wrote: That is awesome. Very innovative design. I especially liked the copper push buttons, as I was very curious on the first pick wow you would go through the menus. Well done.
Click to expand...

Took me a little while to figure out how I was going to do that and find the parts. Copper buttons came from Michaels Craft Store. I used JB Weld to attach a short brass tube to the back of them so they would "reach" through to the menu.
 
What stumped me the most with this project is how to get the hood to stay in the up position for doing maintenance. I finally came up with the magnet system. Works well but I had to watch the total weight of the hood and keep it basically balanced front to back and side to side.
 
I remember seeing this on DA's forum, pretty sweet!

What are the stocking plans for the reef? Some sexy shrimp?
 
Thanks everyone for viewing and the kind words.


au01st;488204 wrote: I remember seeing this on DA's forum, pretty sweet!

What are the stocking plans for the reef? Some sexy shrimp?
Click to expand...

Well my son picked out the kenya tree frag so we geared the lighting down a bit. He likes softies, zoas, shrooms etc...

His original thought was to have a fall and spring tank. Fall = Brown tree (kenya) and brown grass (orange zoas, encrusting gorgonia etc..) on the left side of the tank. Spring = Green tree (finger leather??) and green grass (GSP, zoas etc...) on the right side of tank. Keeping them trimmed back right down the middle if possible.

Note sure if we are going to be able to stick to that plan or not. DT only measures approx. 7" x 4.5" x 5" so there's not much room to play with.

Some kind of shrimp or something that will move around the tank. Not sure about sexy's as they sometimes get too hungry and start picking on polyp type corals.
 
I love the RKL install... I saw it on DA's site also (and actually posted a thread about it not long ago).

Congrats on the great work.
 
Here is the current FTS along with a couple closeups. An early morning pic so not all corals are fully open.

Just learning how to take decent pics especially under LED's.

FTS4-26-10.jpg
alt="" />

GreenToad.jpg
alt="" />

Turbinaria.jpg
alt="" />

>
 
Dartfrog;503160 wrote: That's outstanding! Really cool!
Click to expand...

TY Dartfrog


Blitzburggirl;503172 wrote: This is amazing! I love innovation... I've never ever seen something this hightech for such a small little tank!!!
Click to expand...

I really like to DIY with reef tanks so this was a great project. Took about 5 weeks working on it a little everyday.

Blitzburggirl I feel honored --- This thread was your 1st post :D
 
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