My 50

[mfinn]

Nice build!!
Why the HOB Skimmer if your tank is drilled for for a sump??
You can tell this is not your first pony show!!!

Thank-you.
I wasn't happy with the skimmers that were available, that would fit in the compartment I usually put skimmers in. Plus this sump wasn't really designed for a insump skimmer.
Which is my fault. ( Bad planning).
I am looking at changing that around. I'm not happy at with the SWC Mini Hot. Thought it was gonna really rock..................

 

[Peppie]

Thank-you.
I wasn't happy with the skimmers that were available, that would fit in the compartment I usually put skimmers in. Plus this sump wasn't really designed for a insump skimmer.
Which is my fault. ( Bad planning).
I am looking at changing that around. I'm not happy at with the SWC Mini Hot. Thought it was gonna really rock..................

I ran a Mini Hot on my frag tank and it did rock!! It might help if you made an overflow box for the intake to sit down in.
Dont know how many proteins you are pulling in the inlet with it sucking water from mid tank.
Seems like your kinda handy with the diy.
Small 5 sided box about 4'' tall with teeth cut around the top. Maybe 2" - 2 1/2'' square

 

[mfinn]

I ran a Mini Hot on my frag tank and it did rock!! It might help if you made an overflow box for the intake to sit down in.
Dont know how many proteins you are pulling in the inlet with it sucking water from mid tank.
Seems like your kinda handy with the diy.
Small 5 sided box about 4'' tall with teeth cut around the top. Maybe 2" - 2 1/2'' square

Excellent idea!!!
Thanks, I'll go look in my acrylic scrap pile, see what I can use.

 

[iroll253]

Things suddenly looked a little different.

That they did! Tanks looks great man. Those corals pop hard under that ati fixture.

 

[mfinn]

That they did! Tanks looks great man. Those corals pop hard under that ati fixture.

Thanks Chase.

I do like color the T5's put out. I've been a huge fan of 250 watt mh 20k Radium bulbs for a long time. But never liked dealing with the heat. This T5 fixture has similar color without the heat.

 

[mfinn]

I ran a Mini Hot on my frag tank and it did rock!! It might help if you made an overflow box for the intake to sit down in.
Dont know how many proteins you are pulling in the inlet with it sucking water from mid tank.
Seems like your kinda handy with the diy.
Small 5 sided box about 4'' tall with teeth cut around the top. Maybe 2" - 2 1/2'' square

I'm thinking about making that overflow box 3-1/2" tall, but I will have to shorten the intake tube on the skimmer.
I'm going to have to find a plastic ring of somesort to slip over the intake tube, that can be attached to the box. I'm thinking the ring will hold the box up at the proper water level and be adjustable.

 

[Krish]

Pipefish is showing up better on my pc rather than my phone! Looks cool man! Never seen them that color here in the wild. It's just a typical grayish/brownish color that I normally see.

 

[mfinn]

Pipefish is showing up better on my pc rather than my phone! Looks cool man! Never seen them that color here in the wild. It's just a typical grayish/brownish color that I normally see.

I looked around at different ones and was torn between the dragonfaced pipe and this one. Then I saw this one in person and was sold.
Color in the picture is pretty close to being right on.

 

[Peppie]

I'm thinking about making that overflow box 3-1/2" tall, but I will have to shorten the intake tube on the skimmer.
I'm going to have to find a plastic ring of somesort to slip over the intake tube, that can be attached to the box. I'm thinking the ring will hold the box up at the proper water level and be adjustable.

The deeper the better. But i also had to shorten my intake tube, no ill effects. Could possibly be able to use a zip tie to hold it to the down tube.

 

[Peppie]

Found some pics of what I did

Hope that helps

 

[mfinn]

Small 5 sided box about 4'' tall with teeth cut around the top. Maybe 2" - 2 1/2'' square

In my 3rd post in this thread, first and second picture shows a shows the original skimmer I was going to use. It had the small overflow box.

 

[Peppie]

That is exactly what I was suggesting. Although you are not getting a lot of surface area skimmed through the small box. But it is 10 times better than pulling water from mid tank

 

[mfinn]

That is exactly what I was suggesting. Although you are not getting a lot of surface area skimmed through the small box. But it is 10 times better than pulling water from mid tank

Makes sense to me. Thanks

 

[eww]

That set up looks fantastic Martin. I'm glad you got past the scratch thing and set it up and its about time you posted something on here about it Keep the pics coming. I want to see more and maybe someday we will make the trek down to your place to see it all in person.

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[mfinn]

Why the HOB Skimmer if your tank is drilled for for a sump??

Just ordered a
SSA CS7 skimmer with Sicce Syncra PSK-600a pump

Plus I added a small reactor with PhosGuard.
Noticed some algae build up on the powerheads, so I tested for phosphate and it was a little high.

 

[mfinn]

Since I won the Barrier Reef raffle for the Ecotech Radion XR30w led, I need to build a new light hanger.
I didn't think my conduit pipe hanger I made for the T5 fixture would work or look right.
So after looking around at other ways to hang a led, I saw a really cool light hanger on Reef Central.
The one I saw was made out of aluminum flat bar.
Got in touch with my son-in-law who works with metal and he was able to pickup a 8' x 2" x 3/8" and 3' x 1" x 1/4" aluminum flat bar for $23 at a company he use to work for in Olympia.
He had a metal bender so he put a bend in the 2" flat bar for me. The bend is a little sharper than I would have liked, but it will work for this application just fine.

Here are a couple pictures of my progress so far.

I plan on making the leg adjustable so I can raise the light higher in 1" increments and as much as a 1' higher if this unit goes to a different tank.
It will bolt to the back of my stand.
I getting all the pieces cut and drilled. Once that's done I can break out the dremel and do some finish sanding and then paint it. Black of course.

 

[pandora32]

Looking good! Good for you with the raffle win. SCORE!

 

[Skimmy]

pics of the skimmer and completed light or it didnt happen!

glad u finally found a skimmer to fit, despite my meddling...

 

[mfinn]

pics of the skimmer and completed light or it didnt happen!

glad u finally found a skimmer to fit, despite my meddling...

I'm going to go get some weldon #3 and some #16 and pull the sump out today and glue in a new tall baffle to maintain a constant water level in the skimmer compartment.
Plus I'm going to re-plumb the drain.
Hopefully I can get it all done and back in service by tomorrow.
The skimmer finally came Wed.

Thank-you for the help and advice.

Gonna have to get over to Lowes for the primer ( for aluminum ) and paint, plus some more sanding flapper wheels for the dremel.
I have a feeling this isn't the day I want to be shopping or driving.

 

[mfinn]

Wish I could find a store that was open today that sold weld on number 16

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