BC29 rebuild w/ foam

[txg8gxp]

I'm not sure what this tank will be, I'm leaning towards a NPS system. The first mod to the biocube is an extra powerhead. I didn't want a koralia hanging out there, so I came up with this. The shield around the rotating wave maker is a paint can lid. The reason for the shield is I will be foaming the back/sides and adding about 20-30 pounds of rock rubble. This will allow me to hide the extra powerhead output. I will start adding foam/rock rubble in the next couple days. More pics to come.
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01153.jpg?t=1286256783
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01152.jpg?t=1286256834
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01154.jpg?t=1286256871

[BIGBIRD123]

nice idea Stephen...

[Europhyllia]

genius on the paint can lid! lol

[txg8gxp]

Thanks, I'm surprised I've never seen anyone add an extra powerhead in the back chambers before. It's so easy and cheaper then a koralia, plus I think alot nicer looking. I plan to run a maxijet900.

[txg8gxp]

Ok, I made a home depot trip. Rob, this is different foam then what you posted I believe....but I should be ok right?
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01156.jpg?t=1286289673
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01157.jpg?t=1286289775

[txav8r]

Pretty sure that is the same stuff he uses.

[Mr Cob]

Awesome idea on the lid/powerhead Stephen. Yes...that's the same stuff....Home Depot and Lowes both carry different brands. I prefer the one you got which I believe is from Home Depot. They both are pretty much the same but the one you have seems to have a rougher finish when distressing the foam.

Can't wait to see how it comes out. Good job so far.

[Jarob]

YES go NPS!!

[Double-O-Zilch]

Thanks, I'm surprised I've never seen anyone add an extra powerhead in the back chambers before. It's so easy and cheaper then a koralia, plus I think alot nicer looking. I plan to run a maxijet900.

I did a while back Steve because it was cheaper and out of the display. I'm just a slacker and don't keep up with my threads. I put mine in the third chamber because I wanted the water to be pulled through all the chambers of filtration, that and I didn't want it to interfere with the skimmer in the first chamber. I also extended it out into the display to get a cross flow instead of just front to back and hid it behind LR rubble. Bad thing about it being in the third chamber is that it sits atop the stock one. Now that I run a metal halide with the stock top off the water evaporates quickly and when I don't pat attention or am away from the house it makes for an awesome bubble maker!

[txg8gxp]

Very cool. I put it in the first chamber to not add extra flow through the filtration. This tank will not really have much in the back. Keeping the pump in the first chamber would also allow you to keep flow, but shut down flow through any filtermedia/skimmer while feeding. This will be NPS, so there will need to always have food in the water column. That is why I don't plan to run any poly filter/etc. in the back compartments. The only thing I plan to add to the back is one rock for sponge growth, and carbon when needed. Once the tank grows out, I'm sure I will need to add a tunze nano skimmer to keep up with the feeding


I did a while back Steve because it was cheaper and out of the display. I'm just a slacker and don't keep up with my threads. I put mine in the third chamber because I wanted the water to be pulled through all the chambers of filtration, that and I didn't want it to interfere with the skimmer in the first chamber. I also extended it out into the display to get a cross flow instead of just front to back and hid it behind LR rubble. Bad thing about it being in the third chamber is that it sits atop the stock one. Now that I run a metal halide with the stock top off the water evaporates quickly and when I don't pat attention or am away from the house it makes for an awesome bubble maker!

[Double-O-Zilch]

I forgot to add that I also had to make some holes around the intake grate on the first chamber to help with the increased flow. I used a RC body reamer to make the holes and kept them small enough so critters couldn't get through. Time will tell if you need to mod it or not and since mine is full of LR rubble that means it has less room for water so you should be golden. As with all your projects, I can't wait to see this one!

[txg8gxp]

Ok, I started adding some of the rock. Still alot more to go.
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01165.jpg?t=1286311377
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01171.jpg?t=1286311524

[txav8r]

looking good. Messy stuff, huh?

[txg8gxp]

Ok the back is done. (I think) I still need to add stuff to the bottom and sides. Bad pics, too low of light.
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01177.jpg?t=1286324973
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01186.jpg?t=1286325088

[Mr Cob]

looks awesome....great job! It will be so worth it when the corals start growing all over it.

[tebstan]

Looks awesome!

Does anyone else see a face in that...? second pic, almost dead center, slightly northeast...

[Jarob]

yup I was thinking the same thing when I first glanced at it

[cbianco]

Stephen, that looks awesome!

Get a pic with the flash when you get a few, I'd like to see some more details.

Christopher :)

[txg8gxp]

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01195.jpg?t=1286327264

[tebstan]

How tall are those islands? will they still be visible when the sand is added?

It looks great. The foam backgrounds are so cool. Always make me think of that Rodin sculpture, the doorway one. I'd post a pic but the closeups are creepy

[txg8gxp]

islands are only about 2-2.5" but it will only have a 3/4-1" sand bed.

[txg8gxp]

Finished pics
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01201.jpg?t=1286332744
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01202.jpg?t=1286332888
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01206.jpg?t=1286332920

[txg8gxp]

Update: Water is added and the cycle has started...The foam looks nice under water, I can't wait to add the fish/coral. I will probably add the first fish in the beginning of november. I will start adding a small CUC in the next couple weeks. Probably just dwarf cerith's and a turbo to start with, then I can buy some extra's when needed.

[Mr Cob]

Looks awesome! Will be fun to watch all the coral grow on the foam.

[FireWater]

Looking good. I love the foam idea and everyone's use of it. Texreefer and Rob still amaze with their ability to see the finished product.
Can't wait to see what all you add to the tank. Seeing a nice build like yours makes me think I might go foam again for some of the new tank build that is coming up.

[txg8gxp]

The tank cycle is going smooth, first step...diatom's I believe...are going away already and small amounts of hair algae has started. I didn't plan to add anything to this tank for awhile, but the anemone in my 57g decided to start moving around so I had to move it to the biocube. (there's no way I was going to let it fight with any of my sps) Even in the cycling tank, the anenome looks ok. Not as good as it did, but I know it will handle the stress. Next step will be to move my GSM pair into the biocube back with there loved anemone. They didn't like me stealing the anemone at all, both where biting and raming me...it was crazy. Nothing like getting scared my two tiny fish...hahahahaha

[Mr Cob]

lol....I hate biting clowns!

[cbianco]

Update: Water is added and the cycle has started...The foam looks nice under water, I can't wait to add the fish/coral. I will probably add the first fish in the beginning of november. I will start adding a small CUC in the next couple weeks. Probably just dwarf cerith's and a turbo to start with, then I can buy some extra's when needed.

Can we get a water pic when you get a chance, please!

Christopher :)

[txg8gxp]

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/BC29/DSC01246.jpg?t=1287193583

[Mr Cob]

Looks great...can't wait to see some corals taking over the back wall....I bet this pic doesn't do any justice for dimension with the wall.

[cbianco]

So how is this tank holding up?

This is one of the better (IMO) foam jobs I've seen on the internet! (Nobody is allow to get mad at me just because I said that!)

Christopher :)

[txg8gxp]

So far everything is great. Diatoms lasted about 2 days, now im in the hair algae stage....and I have already had a big pop population bloom. Freaked me out, I didn't know there eggs could survive in dry rock. The rock was in a bucket dry for at least a month.

[txg8gxp]

update pic
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01269.jpg?t=1287968286

[cbianco]

It looks great!

1. How is your power head mod holding up? Is it pushing the water good all over the tank?

I see a bald spot in your sand but I thought I'd ask anyways.

2. Are you using stock lighting? Or has it been upgraded? (<--I may have slept though that thread.)

The light looks bright but pictures can be deceiving.

Christopher :)

[Mr Cob]

Looks great! I just went through a hair algae spike in the 55g....it was crazy long.....so I dropped in a couple of turbo snails and no traces of the hair algae are left.

[txg8gxp]

The added pump is working great, I have good flow through the whole tank. It's a maxijet 900, yes the pump pushed the sand around in one spot. I plan to find a nice piece of live rock to hide that, or just put gsp there. No stock lighting for me, LED's of course. (only the best :) ) I'm running 8 cree xpe royal blues and 4 xpg cool whites @700mah.

[txg8gxp]

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01272.jpg?t=1287970557

[cbianco]

The added pump is working great, I have good flow through the whole tank. It's a maxijet 900, yes the pump pushed the sand around in one spot. I plan to find a nice piece of live rock to hide that, or just put gsp there. No stock lighting for me, LED's of course. (only the best :) ) I'm running 8 cree xpe royal blues and 4 xpg cool whites @700mah.

Nice dood!

Say bud, I hear that there is this guy (not John) with a 30 gallon Finnex just dying for some LEDs. What do you think?

Lololol, sorry for the hi-jack, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Christopher

[txg8gxp]

I would say it would be the smartest choice he could make with his tank :) IMO...my coral is my proof :)

[cbianco]

I would say it would be the smartest choice he could make with his tank :) IMO...my coral is my proof :)

I know we have had this conversation before but... Would you ever consider adding some red to you LEDs?

Christopher

[txg8gxp]

Yes and no. The added spectrum is nice, but with red led's they are too low of lumens...or too high of lumens. I respect the whole "full spectrum" thing, I did that with my t5's and they did nothing for me. On both my tank I'm only running xp series cool white's/blue's/royal blues and they are doing there job great. I would love to see something better. I do thing the ecoxotic ultra violet led's are cool, just not sure if there needed. With that being said, I would not change anything about my setup.

[cbianco]

...With that being said, I would not change anything about my setup.

I totally respect that!

Your cube looks great and I look forward to seeing future additions.

Christopher

[FireWater]

Nice dood!

Say bud, I hear that there is this guy (not John) with a 30 gallon Finnex just dying for some LEDs. What do you think?

Lololol, sorry for the hi-jack, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Christopher
^We've talked and it is a possibility. Just need time and $$$. I will definitely do some kind of LED over the new 120G.

The tank is looking great by the way.

[txg8gxp]

For everyone scared of diy, these look great and the different spectrums are great.
vzVltnNIbRk

[Europhyllia]

very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)

[txg8gxp]

I'm thinking of adding the ultraviolet stunner strip to this tank to test it. Maybe a christmas gift if I'm lucky.

[txg8gxp]

We need to talk agian, I have learned alot and now know you don't need as many led's as I first thought. less then one 3w led per gallon.

^We've talked and it is a possibility. Just need time and $$$. I will definitely do some kind of LED over the new 120G.

The tank is looking great by the way.

[txg8gxp]

FYI for anyone interested feel free to pm me, I would be more then willing to chat led's with you.

[txg8gxp]

Watch in 1080
Z9-oKoOaLuc

[cbianco]

The flow looks pretty good. Better than I would have thought. What size/type pump is running the secondary?

Christopher :)

[txg8gxp]

maxijet 900

[txg8gxp]

Bad pic, but I like the black/white sand alot better. It blends in with the foam/rock background alot better.
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01278.jpg?t=1288845362

[aquasport24]

Looking Stephen, make me thinking about adding foam to my next tank too.

[txg8gxp]

Ok a quick update. I still have alot of hair algae to deal with, but besides that the tank is doing good. Corals seem to be happy and I'm getting alot of coralline spreading.
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01399.jpg?t=1296271602
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01402.jpg?t=1296271652
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01400.jpg?t=1296271684
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01403.jpg?t=1296271717
http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/txg8gxp/DSC01401.jpg?t=1296271750

[Mr Cob]

looks like the palau has grown...? Seems much taller.

[txg8gxp]

yeah, it's growing fast.

looks like the palau has grown...? Seems much taller.