Lonestar's 23g Starphire Nano!

[LoneStar]

Woo! Well I knew I couldn't shake the hobby for too long. I'm in the planning stages of building a new system. If some of you remember my old tank build (http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35356), this time its going to be a whole lot smaller. Life interrupted my last build, and I ended up relocating to Michigan. Well after spending all weekend checking out virtually every LFS in the Detroit area :whew:, I have come up with a new idea. :bigsmile:

My plans are for a simple, rimless starphire cube that will be placed on a end table by my couch. The tank will be a SPS tank with little to no fish. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) will be the theme this time.

The tank:
23 gallon semi-cube Starphire tank (3 sides)
18x18x16
Fish Tank Shop (http://www.fishtankshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=37120)
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a142/LoneStarSA/23g%20Starphire%20Build/rimlessGC.gif


The stand:
End table from Art Van Furniture (http://www.artvan.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product2_10001_10001_400009976_30005_30000_-1)
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a142/LoneStarSA/23g%20Starphire%20Build/HDI-232-4_FULL.jpg

The rest of the equipment will be up in the air. I am going to spread out the equipment purchases during the summer (mainly when I get the long OT weeks at work). Here is a preliminary list for now:

* Tunze Osmolator for ATO
* ATI or TEK 4-24" T5 light fixture (haven't decided which)
* Deltec MCE600 or AquaC Remora
* (2) Tunze 6045 (wave function through RK2)
* Reefkeeper 2 aquarium controller

**EDIT** I restructured and decided to go with this:
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=44587

[cpreefguy]

Sweet!
If youre going with T5's, you may want to consider goint 24" in length with the tank, IMO.

[LoneStar]

Yeah its going to be a 24" fixture with 4 bulbs. ATI is at the top of my list but will see once I purchase one. I may spring for the 6 bulb fixture but who knows. :)

[greenmako]

can't wait to see it in action!!

[RayAllen]

Very Cool and Sleek.

[cpreefguy]

Yeah its going to be a 24" fixture with 4 bulbs. ATI is at the top of my list but will see once I purchase one. I may spring for the 6 bulb fixture but who knows. :)
I am saying that the light will overlap the tank, as mine does now, and it doesnt look that great..

[KyleV]

Great tank! With no fish you might save some $ and not go with the deltec unless future plans change(as always happens with this hobby.) :)

[ErikH]

awesome glad to see you getting back in the swing of it! Put it near a drafty door! :p

[SoLiD]

I knew you couldn't resist it for too long. :)

[LoneStar]

I am saying that the light will overlap the tank, as mine does now, and it doesnt look that great..


Yeah I see what your saying now. I've thought about the overlap but its something I'll have to live with. With the fixture suspended from the ceiling, it won't appear too bad (at least to me).



Great tank! With no fish you might save some $ and not go with the deltec unless future plans change(as always happens with this hobby.)

Yeah I'm still up in the air on the skimmer choice. I probably will be for a good while before I actually buy one. At the most I may just have one fish....so I think the Remora could keep up just fine. Its just that dream of owning a Deltec that keeps popping up now and then. :angel: I acutally found a LFS that stocks Deltec, Tunze, and Elos up here. :thumbs_up:

[Kristy]

At the most I may just have one fish....

Now you've got me curious. What's the one fish you are thinking of putting in there? (Sounds like a great system by the way.)

[RayAllen]

So did you find any cool stores locally? Or are you primarily buying online?

[BioCube14]

pictures?

[LoneStar]

Now you've got me curious. What's the one fish you are thinking of putting in there? (Sounds like a great system by the way.)

Not sure yet. I'll have plenty of time to start researching. I'm thinking a goby. I am open to suggestions though!


So did you find any cool stores locally? Or are you primarily buying online?

I made the rounds to about 10 of them on Saturday and Sunday. Found some really nice stores and found some so-so ones as well. I think the purchases for the equipment will be a split between online and at the LFS. Choice Aquariums in Farmington Hills had by far the best inventory (livestock and dry goods) and displays of any LFS I've been to. A beautiful 200+ display decked out with Tunze Streams and Wavebox, Deltec Skimmer and Reactors. The best thing is thats where they keep their SPS for sale.
http://www.choiceaquariums.com/

There are actually a lot of LFS up here.
http://www.masm.org/gmap/

I also found a wholesaler that also sells to the public. Best thing is its about 10min from my apartment. I'm going to check them out next weekend.
http://www.tropicorium.com/


For now this is the preliminary start of the build....so no pictures so far. Equipment will start being purchased this month though!

[subsailor]

I also found a wholesaler that also sells to the public. Best thing is its about 10min from my apartment. I'm going to check them out next weekend.
http://www.tropicorium.com/


This place is awesome. you def must go check it out, I have gotten some stuff from him in the past. The owner is **** Perrin, He iwas one of the firsts in the Industry to grow under a greenhouse setting for distribution although he does not have a full blown greenhouse.

[LoneStar]

This place is awesome. you def must go check it out, I have gotten some stuff from him in the past. The owner is **** Perrin, He iwas one of the firsts in the Industry to grow under a greenhouse setting for distribution although he does not have a full blown greenhouse.

Very interesting. I'll have to swing by on Saturday for sure! Whats the owners first name? Four letter name?

[subsailor]

LOL.

[LoneStar]

Went by Art Van Furniture after work today and ordered the end table. It is actually on back order till the first week of July but there was a big sale going on today. Should get here by the time I order the tank itself!

[SKNR]

Can't wait to see the finished product. Well from what I can tell in this hobby tanks are never "finished"

[BIGBIRD123]

Sounds like you already have that "yankee" mentality...can't make up your mind! LOL, we miss ya here Mike. Sounds like it's gonna be a nice set-up.

Steve

[des]

so what happened to the old tank?

[LoneStar]

so what happened to the old tank?


It was parted out before I moved.

[LoneStar]

Can't wait to see the finished product. Well from what I can tell in this hobby tanks are never "finished"

Nope they never are. The dream is always there, but this time its just with a smaller tank!



Sounds like you already have that "yankee" mentality...can't make up your mind! LOL, we miss ya here Mike. Sounds like it's gonna be a nice set-up.

Yeah it does rub off after a bit. Can't wait to start cooking rock all over again hahaha. Got some big SMALL plans for this one. Stay tuned over the summer :)

[subsailor]

let us know how the tropicorium visit goes

[LoneStar]

This place is awesome. you def must go check it out, I have gotten some stuff from him in the past. The owner is **** Perrin, He iwas one of the firsts in the Industry to grow under a greenhouse setting for distribution although he does not have a full blown greenhouse.

OMG That place was awesome! :shades: I just got back from there and it blew me away. They do grow all of their live stock in a greenhouse setting. Basically they have (17) 20'x8'x3' containers lined up in a building where one of the walls is angled and allows sunlight in. They also have a regular greenhouse for plants and a big pound out back filled with turtles.

That place was ricordia heaven! By far the most rics I have ever seen before. At least two of those 20' containers filled with them! Plus they are dirt cheap. $10 for most. Along with rics they have lots of softies, zoas, and palys. Need a clown fish? Got almost every type I've seen too. Should be a good source for livestock :) I'll have to contemplate lining the bottom of the tank with rics :bigsmile:

[LoneStar]

Err...changed my mind. :angel: Still planning on a new tank but I'm going a completely different route! I'll post a new thread in a bit :shades:

btw the end table still turned out nice...sans tank on it :thumbs_up:

[SoLiD]

Your just dangling that worm around on a fish hook, Michael. :lauging: Give us the 411 on your new plans man. :D

-David

[LoneStar]

Your just dangling that worm around on a fish hook, Michael. :lauging: Give us the 411 on your new plans man. :D

-David


Yeah I need to :wink_smile:

I've been working on a project for the new build thread. I should have the photos and possibly a video done tonight! Its gonna be cool :bigsmile:


Sean probably knows what it's gonna be (tank setup that is), but hopefully he can keep a secret till tonight haha

**EDIT** I restructured and decided to go with this:
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=44587