Joe's 60g cube..

[jflip2002]

Hey everyone, Im new to this site. Im always on TheReefTank.com, but I was looking for some people closer to me on a board, and I think I found it! lol.

My tank is going to be a LPS/Softie tank towards the bottom, with some SPS towards the middle and top of the tank. Heres some details of my tank, along with some specs.

Tank & Equipment:
24x24x24 60g cube, with overflow, though no sump
Current USA Outer Orbit (1) 250w 10k HQI MH with (2) T5 420nm and (2) T5 460 nm actinics
Coralife 125 Superskimmer
(2) Tunze 6045 Nano streams
(1) modified Maxijet 1200
(1) Huge Rio (somewhere around a 2100 or so)

Base:
2-5" of live sand (depending on where you look from)
40lbs or so of totally cooked live rock

Livestock & Clean Up Crew:
Pair of False Perc Clowns
Yellow Tang (Yes, I know)
30-40 small hermit crabs
3-5 large snails
Coral Banded shrimp

Coral:
1 Large Frogspawn hybrid
1 Large tooth coral
2 Pagoda cups (was initially one huge long one)
1 SPS (Hydnophora I believe)


The tank has been up and running since April of 2007. It initially started as a Bare Bottom tank, but I couldnt seem to get enough detritus suspended, though I have plenty of flow. I think it was my lack up sump, mixed with a skimmer not exactly the best. It started to go through a hair algae break out, so I did a 100% water change, then made it have a DSB.

I use my two Tunze 6045s towards the top of my tank, blowing downwards. With my rio behind my rock stack blowing crazy, making sure nothing stays back there. And I have my MJ1200 mod behind the rock stack blowing to the side, to give some real random flow.

Here are some evolution pics:

My tank first up and running

A little later in the process

some more later

later....

....

after sand:

side shot:

I havent bought anything new for a few months, but there are some pics of my tanks evolution.

 

[nahtanoj]

welcome to the forum, nice tank progression. hope you enjoy your stay here.

 

[pookstreet]

Great start Joe. I personally don't see anything wrong with a yellow tang in a 60, as long as you can keep him healthy and happy. I've had them in smaller tanks than that :laugh: If you have the room for a sump, it'll definitely allow you to do much more. Keep us updated with pix. We love to see pix here

 

[jflip2002]

Great start Joe. I personally don't see anything wrong with a yellow tang in a 60, as long as you can keep him healthy and happy. I've had them in smaller tanks than that :laugh: If you have the room for a sump, it'll definitely allow you to do much more. Keep us updated with pix. We love to see pix here

Its not the space or equipment with the sump. Its the power it takes to get one running. Return pumps would make my electric bill go up that much more I think. I thought about it for a while before I ordered my tank this way. I see this being a pretty practical way to have the thing set up for me at this point. Eventually when I upgrade to a 48x24x24 120g tank, I will probably get a sump going.

The tang does seem happy now though. At first I had so much rock in there he didnt have much room to swim around. Now I have it so he can swim through the caves I made for him. you'll see him flying around the tank throughout the day. He seems good for now, and Ive had him for about 7 months

 

[jflip2002]

Here are a few then since you say you guys like pics. I found some old sps skeletons in my misc. rock tub I have. And since Im officially broke, its as close as I'll be getting to new sps anytime soon lol

 

[reefmonkee]

where did you get your cube from job?

 

[TheJedi]

You are talking a few extra watts with a return pump for a 60g. I would get a sump going and a better skimmer.

Do you have the overflow plugged up?

Nice tank, I have the same one. I love tangs like you dont even know, I just feel the cube configuration does not allow enough lateral swim room to have one. I have a centropyge as my centerpiece.

 

[Nanoreefbro]

Looks great Joe..

 

[jflip2002]

I had the tank made at my LFS. It was like $160. I actually had them order it without being drilled, so the bottom is tempered. I will be upgrading to a 48x24x24 120g double cube soon hopefully lol. That will be drilled with a sump. I didnt know sumps didnt take much energy. I thought you had to have a dart or a barracuda type pump on it to make it efficient. I didnt know they were supposed to be low flow. Thats my ignorance.

On the new tank there will be an overflow with sump though. And I plan on getting an ASM G3 skimmer.