My 45 gallon build

[jetchris]

the stand pipe is outside of the overflow box. Yes will need to drill a little hole in the top. If you cant turn your elbow upside down , then trim it so it can turn upside down, also if you could scoot your overflow box down a little bit.

 

[ckwatson]

ok so here is the new set up have not had time to test it yet but i feel that it will work a lot better i still need to get a cap for the stand pipe.

Here is the out side of the drain

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and the inside (with no skimmer box)

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[ckwatson]

The drain is 1.5" 90 inside the tank it goes through a 1.5" bulk head and then in a 2" T than right back to a 1.5" flex hose. I have 2 .75" returns with a 1000+ GPH pump

 

[ckwatson]

so one more update. the last set up was better but still not where i wanted it. So i built a new skimmer box that aloud me to turn the drain so the opening is facing down. And what do you know the people here do know what they are talking about. I did have a small leak in the bulk head so after a week of trying to get this all working the way it should i was a little fed up with it all and just globed on some silicone and i think that fixed it.

Here are a few pics of the tank now

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Now i just have to figure out this skimmer

 

[ckwatson]

Well every thing has been running great for the last week and half. The skimmer is pulling a lot of gunk out of the water and the cycle is done. Picked up 10 snails and 10 blue leg hermit craps last night. They all seem be doing well. I am going to do a water change in the few days. What should be my next addition. I have been thing about a sand sifting goby but dont know which one to get and I know i wants some clowns. I still dont have my T5 lights yet so dont know if that will affect my next move or not.

 

[gwhiz]

ckwatson;95811 wrote: Well every thing has been running great for the last week and half. The skimmer is pulling a lot of gunk out of the water and the cycle is done. Picked up 10 snails and 10 blue leg hermit craps last night. They all seem be doing well. I am going to do a water change in the few days. What should be my next addition. I have been thing about a sand sifting goby but dont know which one to get and I know i wants some clowns. I still dont have my T5 lights yet so dont know if that will affect my next move or not.

Typically you'd add corals, then fish (although I suspect that many--me included--build the livestock over time...a few corals, a fish or two, some more corals, etc.) But you'll need better lighting to support the corals....

 

[ckwatson]

well here is another update for today. I finished the bottom of my cabinet and got the tank level. I am slowly running out of things to do which is good.

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[jetchris]

looks good, great work

 

[piznac]

Looking good man

 

[ckwatson]

well here it is for the time being I may add a canopy later. I added my Lights so I will start the search for coral frags soon.

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[jeep9783]

I love a good step by step by problem by problem post, very informative info there...great post guys and i know who the diy person is now...tank looks nice g/l

 

[ckwatson]

I got some coral for the tank the other day they have been in the tank for a little over 48 hours. Let me know what you thing I dont know if you can tell how they are going to do after only a short time.

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[ckwatson]

The plate coral (the orange one, i think it is a plate) has some an air bubble under it about the size of a pencil eraser will this do any damage or can i just leave it alone if it comes back, It was a pain to get out and i am sure it will come back because i still have not been able to get rid of all the micro bubbles in my DT

 

[jetchris]

looks good, i wouldnt worry about the air bubble, did you say your T5 fixture is a nova extreme?

 

[ckwatson]

yes it is, I am thinking of getting a single bulb T5 fixture and running a bulb that may penetrate deeper, if this is possible I dont really know how lighting works and all that. it has 36w 10000k bulb in it right now would a different K or watt bulb penetrate more that what is in there now